Effect of the immune cells and plasma metabolites on rheumatoid arthritis: a mediated mendelian randomization study.

Background: Increasing evidence indicates a close relationship between alterations in human immune cells and plasma metabolites with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). However, limited studies have left the causal relationships behind these links unclear.

Methods: A bidirectional Mendelian Randomization (MR) study was conducted, combined with mediation analysis, using data from genome-wide association study database covering 731 immune cell phenotypes and 1,400 plasma metabolite traits to explore their causal relationships with RA and potential mediating effects.

The effect of different wound dressing materials used in postoperative treatment of wounds after total hip arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty: A meta-analysis.

A meta-analysis was performed to assess the effect of different wound dressing materials used in the postoperative treatment of wounds after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA). A systematic literature search up to January 2022 incorporated 16 trials involving 2765 subjects after THA or TKA at the beginning of the study: 1447 were using active and interactive dressings, and 1318 were using passive dressings. The statistical tools like the dichotomous or continuous method were used within a random or fixed-influence model to establish the odds ratio (OR) and mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to evaluate the influence of different wound dressing materials used in postoperative treatment of wounds after THA and TKA.

Visualization of lenticulostriate artery by intracranial dark-blood vessel wall imaging and its relationships with lacunar infarction in basal ganglia: a retrospective study.

Objectives: There is close relationship between lenticulostriate arteries (LSAs) and lacunar infarctions (LIs) of the basal ganglia. The study aims to visualize the LSAs using high-resolution vessel wall imaging (VWI) on 3T system and explore the correlation between LSAs and LIs.

Methods: Fifty-six patients with LIs in basal ganglia, and 44 age-matched control patients were enrolled and analyzed retrospectively.

Plaque characteristics and hemodynamics contribute to neurological impairment in patients with ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack.

Objectives: We aimed to investigate differential characteristics of plaque in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and hemodynamics in patients with ischemic stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA), and to develop a predictive model for the presence of ischemic stroke and neurological impairment.

Methods: Sixty-seven patients with acute ischemic events in MCA territory who underwent high-resolution vessel wall imaging between September 2016 and August 2018 were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were assigned to either the stroke group or TIA group, according to diffusion-weighted imaging and neurological examination.

Corrigendum to "Efficacy Comparison of Five Different Acupuncture Methods on Pain, Stiffness, and Function in Osteoarthritis of the Knee: A Network Meta-Analysis".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2018/1638904.].

Combination of Plaque Characteristics, Pial Collaterals, and Hypertension Contributes to Misery Perfusion in Patients With Symptomatic Middle Cerebral Artery Stenosis.

Background: Atherosclerotic plaque in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) is linked to ischemic stroke events, but the relationship between plaque characteristics and cerebral perfusion is unclear.

Purpose: To investigate MCA plaque characteristics between intracranial atherosclerotic patients with and without hypoperfusion area, and to identify the variables affecting hypoperfusion volume.

Study Type: Retrospective.

Efficacy Comparison of Five Different Acupuncture Methods on Pain, Stiffness, and Function in Osteoarthritis of the Knee: A Network Meta-Analysis.

The principal objective of this present study was to compare the effects of different acupuncture methods on pain, stiffness, and physical function for osteoarthritis of the knee by the pairwise and network meta-analysis (NMA). A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was searched from three English databases and one Chinese database until January 2018. A pairwise meta-analysis was performed with a random effects model.

[Effect of Governer Meridian electro-acupuncture on water channel aquaporin-4 in experimental spinal cord injured rats].

Objective: To investigate effects of electro-acupuncture (EA) on Du Meridian on the water channel aquaporin-4 (AQP-4) expression and hind limbs function recovery in experimental spinal cord injured rats.

Methods: One hundred and fifty SD rats were divided into the normal group, the model group and the EA group, with 50 rats in each group, modified Allen method was used to establish spinal cord injury model in the model and EA group. Rats in the EA group was EA on Dazhui and Ming men acupoints after modelling successfully.