ObjectiveTo review the recent progress in the role of thrombospondins (TSPs) in synapse formation in the central nervous system (CNS).MethodsA wide range of domestic and foreign literature on the role of TSPs in the synapse formation of the CNS was reviewed. The role of TSPs in structural features, molecules, and related diseases was reviewed.ResultsAs an oligosaccharide protein, TSPs play important roles in angiogenesis, inflammation, osteogenesis, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. In the nervous system, they bind to voltage-dependent calcium channels, neuronectin, and other extracellular matrix proteins and cell surface receptors, and participate in and regulate multiple processes such as synapse formation, maturation, and function in the CNS.ConclusionTSPs as an oligomeric extracellular matrix protein play an important role in the formation of synapses and the repair of synapses after CNS injury.
ObjectiveTo review the research progress of the role and mechanism of adipokines in intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) in recent years.MethodsThe domestic and foreign literature related to adipokines in the process of IVDD was extensively reviewed. The types and functions of adipokines, the role and mechanism in the process of IVDD, and the application prospects of intervertebral disc biotherapy were reviewed.ResultsAs a kind of bioactive substance secreted by adipose tissue, adipokine plays an important role in bone and joint diseases, metabolic diseases, and breast cancer. During IVDD, most adipokines can activate multiple signaling pathways by binding to autoreceptors, cause the proliferation and apoptosis of cells and proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory factors parasecretions in the intervertebral disc, and lead to imbalance of intradiscal metabolism and establishment of the initial inflammatory environment, and finally cause the IVDD.ConclusionAdipokines, as a biologically active substance with metabolic and immunomodulatory functions, play important roles in the occurrence, development, and biological treatment of IVDD.
ObjectivesTo explore the predictive value of platelet count at admission for long-term prognosis in patients with type B acute aortic dissection (AAD) undergoing endovascular therapy (EVT). MethodsWe investigated 131 consecutive patients with type B AAD after EVT in West China Hospital of Sichuan University from January to December 2012. The patients’ basic clinical data, blood test results, major adverse cardiovascular events, and in-hospital and out-hospital survival status were collected. According to the tri-sectional quantiles of platelet counts, the patients were divided into three groups. Chi-square test was used to analyze the correlation between platelet count and hospital complications. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression analysis were used to analyze the relationship between platelet count and survival in patients with type B AAD. The primary endpoint was all-cause death. ResultsThe overall in-hospital mortality of the 131 patients was 9.9%, and the mortality was 16.0% by the end of the follow-up, the median length of which was 2.1 years. There were 44 cases in T1 group (platelet count >200×10 9/L), 44 cases in T2 group [platelet count (155–200)×109/L], and 43 cases in T3 group [platelet count ≤155×109/L]. The mortality in T3 group (30.2%) was higher than that in T1 group (4.5%) and T2 group (13.6%) (P=0.004). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the cumulative survival rate of T3 group was significantly lower than that of T1 group and T2 group (69.8% vs. 95.5%, χ2=10.165, P=0.001; 69.8% vs. 86.4%, χ2=5.174, P=0.037). Cox multivariate analysis showed that age [hazard ratio (HR)=1.043, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.009, 1.079), P=0.013], heart rate [HR=1.030, 95%CI (1.004, 1.058), P=0.024], and platelet count [HR=6.011, 95%CI (1.319, 27.391), P=0.020] were independent risk factors for mortality. Older age, rapid heart rate, and lower platelet count would increase the risk of death. ConclusionPlatelet count may be an independent factor that affects the prognosis of patients with type B AAD after EVT, and a low platelet count at admission increases the risk of death.
The Chinese Guidelines on Diagnosis and Management of Atrial Fibrillation, jointly formulated by the Chinese Society of Cardiology, Chinese Medical Association and the Heart Rhythm Committee of Chinese Society of Biomedical Engineering, was first released on June 15, 2023. The guidelines elaborate the various aspects of atrial fibrillation management, in which emergency management of atrial fibrillation is also an integral part. This article interpreted the emergency management part in the guidelines in detail by reviewing relevant literature.
The World Health Organization (WHO) released the “Global report on hypertension” on September 19, 2023. This report systematically summarizes the prevalence, mortality, diagnosis and treatment of hypertension in various countries, and elucidates the current situation of hypertension management, and gives a series of suggestions on how to manage hypertension, providing new thinking and inspiration for countries to optimize hypertension management. Through the summary of relevant studies and reports, this paper further reviews the present situation, early identification and management of hypertension.