Modular hip exoskeleton improves walking function and reduces sedentary time in community-dwelling older adults

Numerous studies showed that postural balance improves through light touch on a stable surface highlighting the importance of haptic information, seemingly downplaying the mechanical contributions of the support. The present study examined the mechanical effects of canes for assisting balance in healthy individuals challenged by standing on a beam. Sixteen participants supported themselves with two canes, one in each hand, and applied minimal, preferred, or maximum force onto the canes. They positioned the canes in the frontal plane or in a tripod configuration. Statistical analysis used a linear mixed model to evaluate the effects on the center of pressure and the center of mass. The canes significantly reduced the variability of the center of pressure and the center of mass to the same level as when standing on the ground. Increasing the exerted force beyond the preferred level yielded no further benefits, although in the preferred force condition, participants exploited the altered mechanics by resting their arms on the canes. The tripod configuration allowed for larger variability of the center of pressure in the task-irrelevant anterior–posterior dimension. High forces had a destabilizing effect on the canes: the displacement of the hand on the cane handle increased with the force. Given this static instability, these results show that using canes can provide not only mechanical benefits but also challenges. From a control perspective, effort can be reduced by resting the arms on the canes and by channeling noise in the task-irrelevant dimensions. However, larger forces exerted onto the canes can also have destabilizing effects and the instability of the canes needs to be counteracted, possibly by arm and shoulder stiffness. Insights into the variety of mechanical effects is important for the design of canes and the instructions of how to use them.     

中低度近视FS-LASIK、SMILE及ICL植入术的效果比较

目的比较飞秒激光制瓣准分子激光原位角膜磨镶术(FS-LASIK)、全飞秒激光小切口角膜基质透镜取出术(SMILE)和有晶状体眼后房型人工晶状体(ICL V4c)植入术三者矫正中低度近视的效果。方法采用回顾性研究。以惠州爱尔眼科医院2019年6月至2020年4月矫正中低度近视120例(120眼)作为研究对象,受术者分为FS-LASIK组、SMILE组及ICL组,每组40例(40眼),各组分别接受相应的手术,术后随访3个月比较其矫正效果。结果术后1个月及3个月,3组间视力及有效性指数对比差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);ICL组安全性指数高于SMILE组及FS-LASIK组(P<0.05)。术后3个月FS-LASIK组的三叶草像差、彗差和球差出现明显变化,而SMILE组的变化较小,ICL组变化最小(P<0.05)。结论对中低度近视FS-LASK、SMILE及ICL植入术三者均有确切疗效,而ICL V4c植入术的安全性最高,患者的视觉质量最好。     

多功能套针浮刺疗法治疗神经根型颈椎病——一项随机对照观察研究＊

目的 评价多功能套针浮刺疗法对神经根型颈椎病的临床疗效。方法 选取256例神经根型颈椎病患者，按随机数字表法分为观察组与对照组各128例。观察组应用多功能套针浮刺疗法进行干预，对照组为常规针刺治疗。两组患者均治疗7天。分别于治疗前后观察两组患者的简化McGill疼痛问卷（SF-MPQ）、国际标准颈椎功能障碍指数（NDI）和田中靖久颈椎病症状20分法量表评分，并于治疗结束后3个月观察复发率。结果 两组患者治疗后的SF-MPQ量表评分、NDI量表评分及田中靖久颈椎病症状20分法评分与治疗前相比均有改善（P<0.05），且观察组优于对照组（P<0.05）；两组患者于治疗后3个月随访，SF-MPQ量表评分与治疗后相比均有改善，且观察组优于对照组（P<0.05）；观察组临床疗效总有效率为96.88%，愈显率为81.25%；对照组总有效率为78.13%，愈显率为46.88%，观察组优于对照组（P<0.05）。结论 应用多功能套针浮刺疗法治疗神经根型颈椎病临床疗效显著，见效较快，可有效降低其复发率，且作用稳定，效果持久，值得临床推广应用。     

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the hospital attendance of patients with primary cervical cancer in Heilongjiang,China

Information regarding the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on cervical cancer in mainland China is lacking. We explored its impact on the hospital attendance of patients with primary cervical cancer. We included 1918 patients with primary cervical cancer who initially attended Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital between January 23, 2019, and January 23, 2021. Attendance decreased by 31%, from 1135 in 2019 to 783 in 2020, mainly from January to June (𝜒² = 73.362, P < .001). The percentage of patients detected by screening decreased from 12.1% in January-June 2019 to 5.8% in January-June 2020 (𝜒² = 7.187, P = .007). Patients with stage I accounted for 28.4% in 2020 significantly lower than 36.6% in 2019 (𝜒² = 14.085, P < .001), and patients with stage III accounted for 27.1% in 2020 significantly higher than 20.5% in 2019 (𝜒² = 11.145, P < .001). Waiting time for treatment was extended from 8 days (median) in January-June and July-December 2019 to 16 days in January-June (𝜒² = 74.674, P < .001) and 12 days in July-December 2020 (𝜒² = 37.916, P < .001). Of the 179 patients who delayed treatment, 164 (91.6%) were for the reasons of the healthcare providers. Compared to 2019, the number of patients in Harbin or non-Harbin in Heilongjiang Province and outside the province decreased, and cross-regional medical treatment has been hindered. The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively impacted cervical cancer patient attendance at the initial phase. These results are solid evidence that a strategy and mechanism for the effective attendance of cervical cancer patients in response to public health emergencies is urgently needed.     

基于PERK-eIF2α-CHOP通路调控巨噬细胞胆固醇稳态及冠心康含药血清干预机制研究＊

目的 观察具有益气化痰活血作用的冠心康对人单核/巨噬细胞株THP-1细胞PERK-eIF2α信号通路及相关活化转录因子（ATF）和C/EBP同源转录因子（CHOP）的影响，探究冠心康对胆固醇在巨噬细胞内质网中的代谢稳态调节及作为“脂毒”流出后异常沉积的相关作用。方法 采用100 ng·mL^-1 PMA及80 μg·mL^-1氧化低密度脂蛋白诱导THP-1细胞株，构建巨噬细胞模型，并随机分为模型组、冠心康组、辛伐他汀组、正常组。分别采用10%小牛血清及含药血清干预模型细胞72 h后收集细胞。HE染色观察巨噬细胞病理形态变化，同时进行胆固醇及脂滴含量测定。分别采用Real-time PCR及Western blot法检测各组细胞PERK、eIF2α、ATF、CHOP mRNA及蛋白的表达。结果 HE染色观察到模型组细胞内呈现较多红色脂滴，经胆固醇含量测定，明显高于正常组，脂滴含量测定与前者一致（P<0.01）。模型组细胞ATF、CHOP基因表达水平均显著升高（P<0.01）。与模型组比较，冠心康组和辛伐他汀组细胞ATF、CHOP基因表达水平均显著降低（P<0.01）。PERK磷酸化以及CHOP蛋白表达水平在冠心康和辛伐他汀干预组表现为显著下调，与模型组比较，差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）。结论 冠心康可能通过调控PERK-eIF2α-CHOP通路相关基因及蛋白，减少泡沫细胞形成，从而减轻内质网应激，维持细胞内胆固醇稳态，减少细胞内胆固醇沉积。     

Special issue “The advance of solid tumor research in China”: Multi-omics analysis based on 1311 clear cell renal cell carcinoma samples identifies a glycolysis signature associated with prognosis and treatment response

In clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), glycolysis is enhanced mainly because of the increased expression of key enzymes in glycolysis. Hence, the discovery of new molecular biomarkers for glycolysis may help guide and establish a precise system of diagnosis and treatment for ccRCC. Expression profiles of 1079 tumor samples of ccRCC patients (including 311 patients treated with everolimus or nivolumab) were downloaded from public databases. Proteomic profiles of 232 ccRCC samples were obtained from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (FUSCC). Biological changes, tumor microenvironment and prognostic differences were explored between samples with various glycolysis characteristics. There were significant differences in CD8⁺ effector T cells, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and pan-fibroblast TGFb between the Low and High glyScore groups. The tumor mutation burden of the Low glyScore group was lower than that of the High glyScore group. And higher glyScore was significantly associated with worse overall survival (OS) in 768 ccRCC patients (P < .0001). External validation in FUSCC cohort also indicated that glyScore was of strong ability for predicting OS (P < .05). GlyScore may serve as a biomarker for predicting everolimus response in ccRCC patients due to its significant associations with progression-free survival (PFS). And glyScore may also predict overall survival in patients treated with nivolumab. We calculated the glyScore in ccRCC and the defined glyScore was of strong ability for predicting OS. In addition, glyScore may also serve as a biomarker for predicting PFS in patients treated with everolimus and could predict OS in patients treated with nivolumab.     

Pure laparoscopic living donor liver transplantation: Dreams come true

Minimally invasive approaches are increasingly being applied in surgeries and have recently been used in living donor hepatectomy. We have developed a safe and reproducible method for minimally invasive living donor liver transplantation, which consists of pure laparoscopic explant hepatectomy and pure laparoscopic implantation of the graft, which was inserted through a suprapubic incision. Pure laparoscopic explant hepatectomy without liver fragmentation was performed in a 60-year-old man with alcoholic liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The explanted liver was retrieved through a suprapubic incision. A modified right liver graft, procured from his 24-year-old son using the pure laparoscopic method, was inserted through a suprapubic incision, and implantation was performed intracorporeally throughout the procedure. The time required to remove the liver was 369 min, and the total operative time was 960 min. No complications occurred during or after the surgery. The patient recovered well, and his hospital stay was of 11 days. Pure laparoscopic living donor liver transplantation from explant hepatectomy to implantation was performed successfully. It is a feasible procedure when performed by a highly experienced surgeon and transplantation team. Further studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm its safety and feasibility.