A finite element analysis of patellofemoral joint biomechanics: Exploring potential causes of postoperative anterior knee pain following unicompartmental knee arthroplasty.

Purpose: Anterior knee pain is a common complication following unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA). This study aimed to elucidate the mechanism of anterior knee pain after UKA by examining the biomechanical characteristics of the patellofemoral joint. Methods: This study employs the finite element analysis method. A healthy model of the right lower limb was created using CT scans of an intact right lower limb from a healthy woman. Based on this model, a preoperative pathological model was generated by removing the meniscus and part of the articular cartilage. The UKA prosthesis was then applied to this model with five different bearing thicknesses: 5 mm, 7 mm, 10 mm, 11 mm, and 13 mm. To simulate various degrees of knee joint flexion, the femur was rotated relative to the knee joint's rotational axis, producing lower limb models at flexion angles of 0°, 30°, 60°, 90°, and 120°. We applied a constant force from the center of the femoral head to the center of the ankle joint to simulate lower limb loading during squatting. The simulations were conducted using Ansys 17.0. Results: Both overstuffing and understuffing increased the peak stress on the patellar cartilage, with overstuffing having a more pronounced effect. Compared to healthy and balanced models, overstuffed and understuffed models exhibited abnormal stress distribution and stress concentration in the patellar cartilage during knee flexion. Conclusion: Overstuffing and understuffing lead to residual varus or valgus deformities after UKA, causing mechanical abnormalities in the patellofemoral joint. These abnormalities, characterized by irregular stress distribution and excessive stress, result in cartilage damage, exacerbate wear in the patellofemoral joint and consequently lead to the occurrence of anterior knee pain.

Analysis of Cytokine-Inducible SH2-Containing Protein (CISH) in the Study of Immunosenescence.

The aging immune system undergoes significant changes, leading to a state known as immunosenescence. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying immunosenescence is crucial for developing targeted interventions to enhance immune functions in older individuals. This bio-protocol review focuses on the application of quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) for the mRNA quantification of cytokine-inducible SH2-containing protein (CISH), an immune regulator overexpressed in T-cell responses from older adults. We outline a comprehensive protocol for the quantitative assessment of CISH mRNA expression, providing a valuable tool for researchers investigating immunosenescence.

Trendelenburg gait after total hip arthroplasty due to reduced muscle contraction of the hip abductors and extensors.

Background: Despite experiencing pain relief and improved activities of daily living after total hip arthroplasty (THA) for osteoarthritis of the hip, a Trendelenburg gait may be observed in some patients. The concentric and eccentric contraction patterns of hip muscles in a Trendelenburg gait are not well understood. Methods: This study included 89 patients (28 males and 61 females, mean age 66.5 ± 8.4 years, mean postoperative period 1.3 ± 0.4 years) after unilateral THA without functional impairment on the contralateral side. Gait analysis utilized a three-dimensional motion capture system to assess pelvis and hip angles, hip moment, and hip power. A Trendelenburg gait was defined as positive when nonoperative pelvic descent occurred at 30 % of the gait cycle, equivalent to mid-stance. Patients were classified into Trendelenburg gait-positive and -negative groups for statistical analysis. Unpaired t-test and chi-square test were used to compare the two groups. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with the presence of a Trendelenburg gait. Results: A Trendelenburg gait was observed in 24 patients (27 %). Multiple regression analysis indicated that abduction (p < 0.01) and extension (p = 0.03) of hip joint power were significant determining of a Trendelenburg gait. Patients with a Trendelenburg gait exhibited reduced eccentric contraction of the hip abductor muscles and decreased concentric contraction of hip extensor muscles during early to mid-stance of their gait. Conclusion: Centrifugal contraction of hip abductor muscles and diminished eccentric contractility of hip extensor muscles appear crucial for hip stabilization mechanisms during gait after THA.

Evaluating the Efficacy of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Elderly Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

In this chapter, we outline the steps for designing and conducting a rigorous systematic review and meta-analysis, focusing on the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in elderly patients. ICIs have improved survival rates in advanced cancers, yet their effectiveness in older populations remains unclear. We detail the essential processes involved in both systematic reviews and meta-analyses. We can evaluate the efficacy of ICIs in elderly patients with advanced cancer, examining outcomes such as overall survival and progression-free survival.

Ex-ante life cycle evaluation of spent lithium-ion battery recovery: Modeling of complex environmental and economic impacts.

The recycling of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is essential for promoting the closed-loop sustainable development of the LIB industry. However, progress in LIB recycling technologies is slow. There are significant gaps between academic research and industrial application, which hinder the industrialization of new technologies and the improvement of existing ones. Here we show a universal model for spent LIB-lithium recycling (SliRec) to evaluate the applicability and upgrading potential across various recycling technologies. Instead of modeling the entire recycling process, we focus on partial processes to enable a comparative analysis of environmental and economic impacts. We find a strong correlation between lithium concentration (LC) and the advancement of recycling technologies, where higher LC is associated with a reduced carbon footprint and increased economic benefits. The implementation of high-level recycling technology can result in an 85.91% reduction in carbon footprint and a 5.97-fold increase in economic returns. Additionally, we explore the effects of technological interventions through scenario analysis, demonstrating that while low-level recycling technology faces more substantial challenges in upgrading, it holds greater potential for reducing carbon emissions (-2.38 kg CO2-eq mol-1) and enhancing economic benefits (CNY 11.04 mol-1). Our findings emphasize the significance of process modeling in evaluating the quality of spent LIB recycling technologies, and can provide comparative information for the application of emerging technologies or the upgrade of existing ones.

Mechanical evaluation for the finite element analysis of intramedullary nailing and plate screw system used in humerus transverse fractures.

Aim: This study aims to examine the commonly used plate screw system and intramedullary nailing method in osteosynthesis in humeral shaft fractures in terms of stress shielding using finite element analysis. Material and methods: Images were obtained by computerized tomography (CT) to create a 3D model of the humerus bone. After the CT images were transferred to the ANSYS 2021 R2 program (ANSYS, Inc., Canons-burg, PA), a transverse fracture model was created from the shaft region of the humeral bone meshed to the humerus bone and modeled in the 3D environment. Results: The tetrahedron mesh structure was used for the finite element models in our study. The element size was chosen as 3.5 mm for the bone model and 2 mm for the plate and intramedullary nail models. The node numbers of bone, intramedullary nail, and plate were 91230, 462578, and 581352, respectively. The element numbers of bone, intramedullary nail, and plate were 61350, 311285, and 370350, respectively. Maximum stress values of 260 MPa on the nail and 280 MPa on the plate were detected in this study. Conclusion: Fewer stress values were obtained and stress concentrations were not formed on the implant in osteosynthesis performed by intramedullary nailing. It can be concluded that this study may guide further studies for those focusing on it and may contribute to the development of a more comprehensive understanding of the topic.

Modular, Scalable, and Customizable LC-HRMS for Exposomics.

In this chapter, we describe a multi-purpose, reversed-phase liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) workflow for acquiring high-quality, non-targeted exposomics data utilizing data-dependent acquisition (DDA) combined with the use of toxicant inclusion lists for semi-targeted analysis. In addition, we describe expected retention times for >160 highly diverse xenobiotics in human plasma and serum samples. The method described is intended to serve as a generic LC-HRMS exposomics workflow for research and educational purposes. Moreover, it may be employed as a primer, allowing for further adaptations according to specialized research needs, e.g., by including reference and/or internal standards, by expanding to data-independent acquisition (DIA), or by modifying the list of compounds prioritized in fragmentation experiments (MS2).

Differential Mobility Spectrometry-Based Cardiolipin Analysis.

Cardiolipins (CL) are special lipids in many respects. First of all, CL are composed of four fatty acids linked by two phosphatidic acids, which provide CL a unique molecular structure. Secondly, in eukaryotic cells they are specific to a single organelle, mitochondria, where they are also synthetized. CL are one of the most abundant lipid classes in mitochondria, mainly localized in the inner membrane. They are key determinants of mitochondrial health and homeostasis by modulating membrane integrity and fluidity, mitochondrial shapes, and metabolic pathways. Disturbances in mitochondrial CL composition can lead to tissue malfunction and diseases. It is therefore important to develop analytical tools to study the mitochondrial lipidome, and more particularly the CL. The method described here allows the quantification of cardiolipins at the sum composition level in isolated mitochondria or in liver tissue by flow injection analysis coupled to differential mobility spectrometry (FIA-DMS), also known as DMS-based shotgun lipidomics.

Extracting Knowledge from MS Clinical Metabolomic Data: Processing and Analysis Strategies.

Assessing potential alterations of metabolic pathways using large-scale approaches plays today a central role in clinical research. Because several thousands of mass features can be measured for each sample with separation techniques hyphenated to mass spectrometry (MS) detection, adapted strategies have to be implemented to detect altered pathways and help to elucidate the mechanisms of pathologies. These procedures include peak detection, sample alignment, normalization, statistical analysis, and metabolite annotation. Interestingly, considerable advances have been made over the last years in terms of analytics, bioinformatics, and chemometrics to help massive and complex metabolomic data to be more adequately handled with automated processing and data analysis workflows. Recent developments and remaining challenges related to MS signal processing, metabolite annotation, and biomarker discovery based on statistical models are illustrated in this chapter in light of their application to clinical research.

NMR-Based Stable Isotope Tracing of Cancer Metabolism.

NMR is widely used for metabolite profiling (metabolomics, metabonomics) particularly of various readily obtainable biofluids such as plasma and urine. It is especially valuable for stable isotope tracer studies to track metabolic pathways under control or perturbed conditions in a wide range of cell models as well as animal models and human subjects. NMR has unique properties for utilizing stable isotopes to edit or simplify otherwise complex spectra acquired in vitro and in vivo, while quantifying the level of enrichment at specific atomic positions in various metabolites (i.e., isotopomer distribution analysis).In this protocol, we give an overview with specific protocols for NMR-based stable isotope-resolved metabolomics, or SIRM, with a workflow from administration of isotope-enriched precursors, via sample preparation through to NMR data collection and reduction. We focus on indirect detection of common NMR-active stable isotopes including 13C, 15N, 31P, and 2H, using a variety of 1H-based two-dimensional experiments. We also include the application and analyses of multiplex tracer experiments.

CWL-Based Analysis Pipeline for Hi-C Data: From FASTQ Files to Matrices.

Over a decade has passed since the development of the Hi-C method for genome-wide analysis of 3D genome organization. Hi-C utilizes next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology to generate large-scale chromatin interaction data, which has accumulated across a diverse range of species and cell types, particularly in eukaryotes. There is thus a growing need to streamline the process of Hi-C data analysis to utilize these data sets effectively. Hi-C generates data that are much larger compared to other NGS techniques such as chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) or RNA-seq, making the data reanalysis process computationally expensive. In an effort to bridge this resource gap, the 4D Nucleome (4DN) Data Portal has reanalyzed approximately 600 Hi-C data sets, allowing users to access and utilize the analyzed data. In this chapter, we provide detailed instructions for the implementation of the common workflow language (CWL)-based Hi-C analysis pipeline adopted by the 4DN Data Portal ecosystem. This reproducible and portable pipeline generates standard Hi-C contact matrices in formats such as .hic or .mcool from FASTQ files. It enables users to output their own Hi-C data in the same format as those registered in the 4DN Data portal, facilitating comparative analysis using data registered in the portal. Our custom-made scripts are available on GitHub at https://github.com/kuzobuta/4dn_cwl_pipeline .

Identification and expression analysis of dmc1 in Chinese soft-shell turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) during gametogenesis.

DNA meiotic recombinase 1 (disrupted meiotic cDNA, Dmc1) protein is homologous to the Escherichia coli RecA protein, was first identified in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This gene has been well studied as an essential role in meiosis in many species. However, studies on the dmc1 gene in reptiles are limited. In this study, a cDNA fragment of 1,111 bp was obtained from the gonadal tissues of the Chinese soft-shell turtle via RT-PCR, containing a 60 bp 3' UTR, a 22 bp 5' UTR, and an ORF of 1,029 bp encoding 342 amino acids, named Psdmc1. Multiple sequence alignments showed that the deduced protein has high similarity (>95 %) to tetrapod Dmc1 proteins, while being slightly lower (86-88 %) to fish species.Phylogenetic tree analysis showed that PsDmc1 was clustered with the other turtles' Dmc1 and close to the reptiles', but far away from the teleost's. RT-PCR and RT-qPCR analyses showed that the Psdmc1 gene was specifically expressed in the gonads, and much higher in testis than the ovary, especially highest in one year-old testis. In situ hybridization results showed that the Psdmc1 was mainly expressed in the perinuclear cytoplasm of primary and secondary spermatocytes, weakly in spermatogonia of the testes. These results indicated that dmc1 would be majorly involved in the developing testis, and play an essential role in the germ cells' meiosis. The findings of this study will provide a basis for further investigations on the mechanisms behind the germ cells' development and differentiation in Chinese soft-shell turtles, even in the reptiles.

Characterization of Foodborne Pathogens in Biofilms: A Four-Dimensional Structural Dynamics Approach Using HCS-CLSM.

The functional properties of biofilms are intimately related to their spatial architecture. Structural data are therefore of prime importance to dissect the complex social and survival strategies of biofilms and ultimately to improve their control. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) is the most widespread microscopic tool to decipher biofilm structure, enabling noninvasive three-dimensional investigation of their dynamics down to the single-cell scale. The emergence of fully automated high content screening (HCS) systems, associated with large-scale image analysis, has radically amplified the flow of available biofilm structural data. In this contribution, we present a HCS-CLSM protocol used to analyze biofilm four-dimensional structural dynamics at high throughput. Meta-analysis of the quantitative variables extracted from HCS-CLSM will contribute to a better biological understanding of biofilm traits.

Identifying Putative Biomarkers of Foodborne Pathogens Using a Metabolomic Approach.

Metabolomics is the study of low molecular weight biochemical molecules (typically <1500 Da) in a defined biological organism or system. In case of food systems, the term "food metabolomics" is often used. Food metabolomics has been widely explored and applied in various fields including food analysis, food intake, food traceability, and food safety. Food safety applications focusing on the identification of pathogen-specific biomarkers have been promising. This chapter describes a nontargeted metabolite profiling workflow using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for characterizing three globally important foodborne pathogens, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica, from selective enrichment liquid culture media. The workflow involves a detailed description of food spiking experiments followed by procedures for the extraction of polar metabolites from media, the analysis of the extracts using GC-MS, and finally chemometric data analysis using univariate and multivariate statistical tools to identify potential pathogen-specific biomarkers.

Characteristics and phytotoxicity of hydrochar-derived dissolved organic matter: Effects of feedstock type and hydrothermal temperature.

The dissolved organic matter (DOM) with high mobility and reactivity plays a crucial role in soil. In this study, the characteristics and phytotoxicity of DOM released from the hydrochars prepared from different feedstocks (cow manure, corn stalk and Myriophyllum aquaticum) under three hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) temperatures (180, 200 and 220°C) were evaluated. The results showed that the hydrochars had high dissolved organic carbon content (20.15 to 37.65 mg/g) and its content showed a gradual reduction as HTC temperature increased. Three fluorescent components including mixed substance of fulvic acid-like and humic acid-like substances (C1, 30.92%-58.32%), UVA humic acid-like substance (C2, 25.27%-29.94%) and protein-like substance (C3, 11.74%-41.92%) were identified in hydrochar DOM by excitation emission matrix spectra coupled with parallel factor analysis. High HTC temperature increased the relative proportion of aromatic substances (C1+C2) and humification degree of hydrochar DOM from cow manure, while it presented adverse effects on the hydrochar DOM from corn stalk and Myriophyllum. aquaticum. The principal component analysis suggested that feedstock type and HTC temperature posed significant effects on the characteristics of hydrochar DOM. Additionally, seed germination test of all hydrochar DOM demonstrated that the root length was reduced by 8.88%-26.43% in contrast with control, and the germination index values were 73.57%-91.12%. These findings provided new insights into the potential environmental effects for hydrochar application in soil.

Tailored design of novel Co0-Coδ+ dual phase nanoparticles for selective CO2 hydrogenation to ethanol.

Catalytic hydrogenation of CO2 to ethanol is a promising solution to address the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but many current catalysts face efficiency and cost challenges. Cobalt based catalysts are frequently examined due to their abundance, cost-efficiency, and effectiveness in the reaction, where managing the Co0 to Coδ+ ratio is essential. In this study, we adjusted support nature (Al2O3, MgO-MgAl2O4, and MgO) and reduction conditions to optimize this balance of Co0 to Coδ+ sites on the catalyst surface, enhancing ethanol production. The selectivity of ethanol reached 17.9% in a continuous flow fixed bed micro-reactor over 20 mol% Co@MgO-MgAl2O4 (CoMgAl) catalyst at 270 °C and 3.0 MPa, when reduced at 400 °C for 8 h. Characterisation results coupled with activity analysis confirmed that mild reduction condition (400 °C, 10% H2 balance N2, 8 h) with intermediate metal support interaction favoured the generation of partially reduced Co sites (Coδ+ and Co0 sites in single atom) over MgO-MgAl2O4 surface, which promoted ethanol synthesis by coupling of dissociative (CHx*)/non-dissociative (CHxO*) intermediates, as confirmed by density functional theory analysis. Additionally, the CoMgAl, affordably prepared through the coprecipitation method, offers a potential alternative for CO2 hydrogenation to yield valuable chemicals.

MRPL13 is a metastatic and prognostic marker of breast cancer: A silico analysis accompanied with experimental validation.

BACKGROUND: Although progress has been made in accurate diagnosis and targeted treatments, breast cancer (BC) patients with metastasis still present a grim prognosis. With the continuous emergence and development of new personalized and precision medicine targeting specific tumor biomarkers, there is an urgent need to find new metastatic and prognostic biomarkers for BC patients. METHODS: We were dedicated to identifying genes linked to metastasis and prognosis in breast cancer through a combination of in silico analysis and experimental validation. RESULTS: A total of 25 overlap differentially expressed genes were identified. Ten hub genes (namely MRPL13, CTR9, TCEB1, RPLP0, TIMM8B, METTL1, GOLT1B, PLK2, PARL and MANBA) were identified and confirmed. MRPL13, TCEB1 and GOLT1B were shown to be associated with the worse overall survival (OS) and were optionally chosen for further verification by western blot. Only MRPL13 was found associated with cell invasion, and the expression of MRPL13 in metastatic BC was significantly higher than in primary BC. CONCLUSION: We proposed MRPL13 could be a potential novel biomarker for the metastasis and prognosis of breast cancer.

Colorimetric detection of Cr(VI) in water using tetramethyl benzidine (TMB) as an indicator.

Hexavalent chromium (CrVI) poses a serious risk to both human and environment health. Hence, a simple, robust, and efficient analytical method must be developed to monitor the presence of Cr(VI) in the environment. The current investigation concentrated on the colorimetric detection of Cr(VI) using TMB as indicator in the presence of H2O2. The study found that Cr(VI) reacts with H2O2 to generate hydroxyl radicals which oxidize TMB in a concentration dependent manner. Under optimized conditions, the method obtained a good linearity range (0.025-0.5 mg/L, r2 = 0.9944) with LOD and LOQ of 0.009 mg/L and 0.029 mg/L, respectively. The technique was further improved by the addition of EDTA in the sample preparation protocol to reduce the false positive result by the presence of ions like Cu2+, Fe3+, etc. The study recorded improved Cr(VI) recoveries (81.73-111.40 %) at different fortification levels (0.1-0.5 mg/L). Under optimized conditions, the EDTA added method obtained a good linear response (r2 = 0.9952) with a detection limit of 0.023 mg/L which is less than the prescribed limits by WHO (0.05 mg/L) and US EPA (0.1 mg/L) for drinking water. The developed analytical method is very simple without use of any nanomaterial and the results with natural water samples show that it has the potential for real-time detection of Cr(VI) in the environment.

An integrated and rapid evaluation of Curcumae Radix from different botanical origins based on chemical components, antiplatelet aggregation effect and Fourier transform near-infrared spectroscopy.

Curcumae Radix (CR) is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine with significant pharmaceutical importance, including enhancing blood circulation and addressing blood stasis. This study aims to establish an integrated and rapid quality assessment method for CR from various botanical origins, based on chemical components, antiplatelet aggregation effects, and Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy combined with multivariate algorithms. Firstly, ultra-performance liquid chromatography-photodiode array (UPLC-PDA) combined with chemometric analyses was used to examine variations in the chemical profiles of CR. Secondly, the activation effect on blood circulation of CR was assessed using an in vitro antiplatelet aggregation assay. The studies revealed significant variations in chemical profiles and antiplatelet aggregation effects among CR samples from different botanical origins, with constituents such as germacrone, ß-elemene, bisdemethoxycurcumin, demethoxycurcumin, and curcumin showing a positive correlation with antiplatelet aggregation biopotency. Thirdly, FT-NIR spectroscopy was integrated with various machine learning algorithms, including Artificial Neural Network (ANN), K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN), Logistic Regression (LR), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Subspace K-Nearest Neighbors (Subspace KNN), to classify CR samples from four distinct sources. The result showed that FT-NIR combined with KNN and SVM classification algorithms after SNV and MSC preprocessing successfully distinguished CR samples from four plant sources with an accuracy of 100%. Finally, Quantitative models for active constituents and antiplatelet aggregation bioactivity were developed by optimizing the partial least squares (PLS) model with interval combination optimization (ICO) and competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) techniques. The CARS-PLS model achieved the best predictive performance across all five components. The coefficient of determination (R2p) and root mean square error (RMSEP) in the independent test sets were 0.9708 and 0.2098, 0.8744 and 0.2065, 0.9511 and 0.0034, 0.9803 and 0.0066, 0.9567 and 0.0172 for germacrone, ß-elemene, bisdemethoxycurcumin, demethoxycurcumin and curcumin, respectively. The ICO-PLS model demonstrated superior predictive capabilities for antiplatelet aggregation biotency, achieving an R2p of 0.9010, and an RMSEP of 0.5370. This study provides a valuable reference for the quality evaluation of CR in a more rapid and comprehensive manner.

Multivariate analysis of structural and functional properties of soluble dietary fiber from corn bran using different modification methods.

This study comprehensively investigated the effects of high-temperature cooking (HT), complex enzyme hydrolysis (CE), and high-temperature cooking combined enzymatic hydrolysis (HE) on the chemical composition, microstructure, and functional attributes of soluble dietary fiber (SDF) extracted from corn bran. The results demonstrated that HE-SDF yielded the highest output at 13.80 ± 0.20 g/100 g, with enhancements in thermal stability, viscosity, hydration properties, adsorption capacity, and antioxidant activity. Cluster analysis revealed three distinct categories of SDF's physicochemical properties. Principal component analysis (PCA) confirmed the superior functional properties of HE-SDF. Correlation analysis showed positive relationships between the monosaccharide composition, purity, and viscosity of SDF and most of its functional attributes, whereas particle size and zeta potential were inversely correlated. Furthermore, a highly significant positive correlation was observed between crystallinity and thermal properties. These findings suggest that the HE method constitutes a viable strategy for enhancing the quality of SDF sourced from corn bran.