Medicine
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Observational Study
Evaluation of age-related thymic changes using computed tomography images: A retrospective observational study.
We aimed to investigate if Computed tomography (CT) attenuation values can help improve the identification of age-related changes in the thymus. We assessed CT images of 405 patients aged 0 to 80 years. We measured the area of the anterior mediastinum at the level of the carina and its average CT attenuation value. ⋯ No significant differences in the CT attenuation value were found across underlying conditions for the 0 to 13-year age group. The decrease in the CT attenuation values, observed with advancing age, reflects adipose degeneration of the thymus, indicating that by the late 50s, thymic tissue is replaced completely by adipose tissue. Our data suggest that adipose degeneration of the thymus begins after puberty and advances with age.
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Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) rs1024611 (-2518 A > G) polymorphism are associated with inflammatory diseases. In this study, we investigate the relationship between MCP-1 rs1024611 polymorphism and genetic susceptibility of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with sepsis. Two hundred eighty-five patients with T2DM are divided into the diabetes with sepsis group (combined group, 113 cases) and the diabetes group (172 cases). ⋯ Subgroup analysis showed that the rs1024611 G allele frequency in the septic shock group was significantly higher than the general sepsis group (P = .02). The expressions of MCP-1 and TNF-α in GG genotypes in T2DM with sepsis group were significantly higher than AA or GA genotypes (P < .05). This study preliminarily showed that the rs1024611 A > G polymorphism within the promoter region of MCP-1 gene can upregulate the expression of MCP-1 gene and proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α, which ultimately contributed to the predisposition and progression of T2DM with sepsis.
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The differences between Chinese herbal medicine (CHM)- and Western medicine (WM)-induced liver injury have rarely been reported. Our aim was to investigate the clinical features of patients with drug-induced liver injury (DILI) caused by CHM or WM. The medical records of 726 DILI patients were retrospectively collected at Peking University First Hospital from January 1995 through August 2019. ⋯ The medication time of DILI caused by CHM is longer than that of DILI caused by WM, and the severity is greater. Therefore, it is necessary to scientifically and rationally use traditional CHM and monitor liver function. For DILI caused by CHM, the CHM prescription should be recorded in detail to provide detailed clinical data for scientific research on the liver toxicity of CHM.
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Which factor can predict the effect of indirect decompression using oblique lumbar interbody fusion?
The aim of this study was to investigate the association between various factors of indirect decompression. Previous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of indirect decompression. There is no consensus regarding the predictive factors for indirect decompression. ⋯ The correlation factors were prespinal stenosis grade (0.723, P < .00), CSA change (0.490, P < .00), and FJG change ratio (left, 0.336, P < .008). FJG showed statistical significance with indirect decompression. Indirect decompression principles might be utilized in patients with severe spinal canal stenosis (even grade 4).
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Observational Study
Expression and distribution pattern of aggrecanases and miR-140s in the thickened synovia of shoulder joints in rotator cuff tears: A retrospective observational study.
The rotator cuff (RC) is frequently torn at the enthesis composed of fibrocartilage. We aimed to histopathologically evaluate lining layers and assess the distribution of a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS)4, ADAMTS5, and microRNA (miR)-140s in the synovia of patients with RC tears. We recruited 51 patients who underwent arthroscopic surgical treatment for full-thickness rotator cuff tears, including 26 patients with < 3 cm tear size (group N) and 25 patients with ≥ 3 cm tear size (group W). ⋯ In addition, expression of ADAMTS5 was inversely correlated with that of miR-140-3p. This study showed that synovia from group W had a significantly higher rate of severely thickened areas with strong expression of both aggrecanases. Furthermore, the area with weak expression of miR-140-3p showed strong ADAMTS5 expression.