Natural variation in Fatty Acid 9 is a determinant of fatty acid and protein content.

Soybean is one of the most economically important crops worldwide and an important source of unsaturated fatty acids and protein for the human diet. Consumer demand for healthy fats and oils is increasing, and the global demand for vegetable oil is expected to double by 2050. Identification of key genes that regulate seed fatty acid content can facilitate molecular breeding of high-quality soybean varieties with enhanced fatty acid profiles. Here, we analysed the genetic architecture underlying variations in soybean seed fatty acid content using 547 accessions, including mainly landraces and cultivars from northeastern China. Through fatty acid profiling, genome re-sequencing, population genomics analyses, and GWAS, we identified a SEIPIN homologue at the FA9 locus as an important contributor to seed fatty acid content. Transgenic and multiomics analyses confirmed that FA9 was a key regulator of seed fatty acid content with pleiotropic effects on seed protein and seed size. We identified two major FA9 haplotypes in 1295 resequenced soybean accessions and assessed their phenotypic effects in a field planting of 424 accessions. Soybean accessions carrying FA9H2 had significantly higher total fatty acid contents and lower protein contents than those carrying FA9H1 . FA9H2 was absent in wild soybeans but present in 13% of landraces and 26% of cultivars, suggesting that it may have been selected during soybean post-domestication improvement. FA9 therefore represents a useful genetic resource for molecular breeding of high-quality soybean varieties with specific seed storage profiles.

Synthesis of Ni decorated MoOx nanorod catalysts for efficient overall urea-water splitting.

Substituting slow oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with thermodynamically favorable urea oxidation reaction (UOR) is considered as one of the feasible strategies for achieving energy-saving hydrogen production. Herein, a uniform layer of NiMoO4 nanorods was grown on nickel foam by a hydrothermal method. Then, a series of Ni-MoOx/NF-X nanorod catalysts comprising Ni/NiO and MoOx (MoO2/MoO3) were prepared through regulating annealing atmosphere and reduction temperature. The optimized Ni-MoOx/NF-3 with a large accessible specific area can act as a bifunctional catalyst for electrocatalytic anodic UOR and cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). At a current density of 100 mA cm-2, the introduction of urea can significantly reduce the overpotential of Ni-MoOx/NF-3 by 210 mV compared to OER. In addition, Ni-MoOx/NF-3 has a higher intrinsic activity than other catalysts. It only requires -0.21 and 1.38 V to reach 100 mA cm-2 in HER and UOR, respectively. Such an excellent performance can be attributed to the synergistic function between Ni and MoOx. The presence of metallic Ni and reduced MoOx in pairs is beneficial for improving the electrical conductivity and modulating the electronic structure, resulting in enhancing the electrocatalytic performance. When assembling Ni-MoOx/NF-3 into an overall urea-water splitting system, it can achieve energy-saving hydrogen production and effective removal of urea-rich wastewater.

Cervical Spondylosis Diagnosis Based on Convolutional Neural Network with X-ray Images.

The increase in Cervical Spondylosis cases and the expansion of the affected demographic to younger patients have escalated the demand for X-ray screening. Challenges include variability in imaging technology, differences in equipment specifications, and the diverse experience levels of clinicians, which collectively hinder diagnostic accuracy. In response, a deep learning approach utilizing a ResNet-34 convolutional neural network has been developed. This model, trained on a comprehensive dataset of 1235 cervical spine X-ray images representing a wide range of projection angles, aims to mitigate these issues by providing a robust tool for diagnosis. Validation of the model was performed on an independent set of 136 X-ray images, also varied in projection angles, to ensure its efficacy across diverse clinical scenarios. The model achieved a classification accuracy of 89.7%, significantly outperforming the traditional manual diagnostic approach, which has an accuracy of 68.3%. This advancement demonstrates the viability of deep learning models to not only complement but enhance the diagnostic capabilities of clinicians in identifying Cervical Spondylosis, offering a promising avenue for improving diagnostic accuracy and efficiency in clinical settings.

Acute non-traffic traumatic spinal cord injury in the aging population: Analysis of the National Inpatient Sample 2005-2018.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine risk factors for poor in-hospital outcomes in a large cohort of older adult patients with acute non-traffic traumatic spinal cord injury (tSCI). METHODS: This is a population-based, retrospective, observational study. Data of older adults ≥65 years with a primary discharge diagnosis of acute non-traffic tSCI were extracted from the US National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database 2005-2018. Traffic-related tSCI admissions or patients lacking complete data on age, sex and outcomes of interest were excluded. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine associations between variables and in-hospital outcomes. RESULTS: Data of 49,449 older patients (representing 246,939 persons in the US) were analyzed. The mean age was 79.9 years. Multivariable analyses revealed that severe International Classification of Disease (ICD)-based injury severity score (ICISS) (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 3.14, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.77-3.57), quadriplegia (aOR = 2.79, 95%CI: 2.34-3.32), paraplegia (aOR = 2.60, 95%CI:1.89-3.58), cervical injury with vertebral fracture (aOR = 2.19, 95%CI: 1.90-2.52), and severe liver disease (aOR = 2.33, 95%CI: 1.34-4.04) were all strong independent predictors of in-hospital mortality. In addition, malnutrition (aOR = 3.19, 95% CI: 2.93-3.48) was the strongest predictors of prolonged length of stay (LOS). CONCLUSIONS: Several critical factors for in-hospital mortality, unfavorable discharge, and prolonged LOS among US older adults with acute non-traffic tSCI were identified. In addition to the factors associated with initial severity, the presence of severe liver disease and malnutrition emerged as strong predictors of unfavorable outcomes, highlighting the need for special attention for these patient subgroups.

Multi-Omics Analysis of a Chromosome Segment Substitution Line Reveals a New Regulation Network for Soybean Seed Storage Profile.

Soybean, a major source of oil and protein, has seen an annual increase in consumption when used in soybean-derived products and the broadening of its cultivation range. The demand for soybean necessitates a better understanding of the regulatory networks driving storage protein accumulation and oil biosynthesis to broaden its positive impact on human health. In this study, we selected a chromosome segment substitution line (CSSL) with high protein and low oil contents to investigate the underlying effect of donor introgression on seed storage through multi-omics analysis. In total, 1479 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 82 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), and 34 differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) were identified in the CSSL compared to the recurrent parent. Based on Gene Ontology (GO) term analysis and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment (KEGG), integrated analysis indicated that 31 DEGs, 24 DEPs, and 13 DEMs were related to seed storage functionality. Integrated analysis further showed a significant decrease in the contents of the seed storage lipids LysoPG 16:0 and LysoPC 18:4 as well as an increase in the contents of organic acids such as L-malic acid. Taken together, these results offer new insights into the molecular mechanisms of seed storage and provide guidance for the molecular breeding of new favorable soybean varieties.

Radiographic grid for locating foreign bodies in maxillofacial emergency trauma.

OBJECTIVES: The accurate localization of the foreign bodies (FBs) is essential. This work presents a new noninvasive technique for subcutaneous metallic FBs under a radiographic grid, a system that simplifies the localization of facial FBs removal using a grid with embedded reference points. METHODS: This work designed a retrospective study to evaluate the effect of a radiographic grid on FBs removal surgery. All patients who met the inclusion criteria and attended the Hospital of Stomatology of China Medical University from January 2022 to June 2023 were enrolled and randomly divided into grid and non-grid groups. The assessment of facial swelling, the primary indicator, was conducted on days 2 and 7 post-surgery. The variables were analyzed using the Student t test and a repeated-measures general linear model. RESULTS: The study sample consisted of 20 patients, with 14 males (70%) and 6 females (30%), who had an average age of 30.30 ± 5.38. The average time of operation was 1.85 ± 0.66 h (range 0.7 to 3.2). In the present cases in this report, of the 20 patients' FBs, 14 were metal, 5 were glass, and 1 was residual root. And the FBs were surgically removed with no postoperative complications. Through comparison, it was found that the degree of swelling on day 2 postoperatively was significantly different between the grid group and the non-grid group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that a radiographic grid with mark points is a more efficient approach compared with traditional methods for FBs removal, and this surgical method is more accurate, fast and noninvasive.

Generative Adversarial Network-based Noncontrast CT Angiography for Aorta and Carotid Arteries.

Background Iodinated contrast agents (ICAs), which are widely used in CT angiography (CTA), may cause adverse effects in humans, and their use is time-consuming and costly. Purpose To develop an ICA-free deep learning imaging model for synthesizing CTA-like images and to assess quantitative and qualitative image quality as well as the diagnostic accuracy of synthetic CTA (Syn-CTA) images. Materials and Methods A generative adversarial network (GAN)-based CTA imaging model was trained, validated, and tested on retrospectively collected pairs of noncontrast CT and CTA images of the neck and abdomen from January 2017 to June 2022, and further validated on an external data set. Syn-CTA image quality was evaluated using quantitative metrics. In addition, two senior radiologists scored the visual quality on a three-point scale (3 = good) and determined the vascular diagnosis. The validity of Syn-CTA images was evaluated by comparing the visual quality scores and diagnostic accuracy of aortic and carotid artery disease between Syn-CTA and real CTA scans. Results CT scans from 1749 patients (median age, 60 years [IQR, 50-68 years]; 1057 male patients) were included in the internal data set: 1137 for training, 400 for validation, and 212 for testing. The external validation set comprised CT scans from 42 patients (median age, 67 years [IQR, 59-74 years]; 37 male patients). Syn-CTA images had high similarity to real CTA images (normalized mean absolute error, 0.011 and 0.013 for internal and external test set, respectively; peak signal-to-noise ratio, 32.07 dB and 31.58 dB; structural similarity, 0.919 and 0.906). The visual quality of Syn-CTA and real CTA images was comparable (internal test set, P = .35; external validation set, P > .99). Syn-CTA showed reasonable to good diagnostic accuracy for vascular diseases (internal test set: accuracy = 94%, macro F1 score = 91%; external validation set: accuracy = 86%, macro F1 score = 83%). Conclusion A GAN-based model that synthesizes neck and abdominal CTA-like images without the use of ICAs shows promise in vascular diagnosis compared with real CTA images. Clinical trial registration no. NCT05471869 © RSNA, 2023 Supplemental material is available for this article. See also the editorial by Zhang and Turkbey in this issue.

Online Quantitative Analysis of Perception Uncertainty Based on High-Definition Map.

Environmental perception plays a fundamental role in decision-making and is crucial for ensuring the safety of autonomous driving. A pressing challenge is the online evaluation of perception uncertainty, a crucial step towards ensuring the safety and the industrialization of autonomous driving. High-definition maps offer precise information about static elements on the road, along with their topological relationships. As a result, the map can provide valuable prior information for assessing the uncertainty associated with static elements. In this paper, a method for evaluating perception uncertainty online, encompassing both static and dynamic elements, is introduced based on the high-definition map. The proposed method is as follows: Firstly, the uncertainty of static elements in perception, including the uncertainty of their existence and spatial information, was assessed based on the spatial and topological features of the static environmental elements; secondly, an online assessment model for the uncertainty of dynamic elements in perception was constructed. The online evaluation of the static element uncertainty was utilized to infer the dynamic element uncertainty, and then a model for recognizing the driving scenario and weather conditions was constructed to identify the triggering factors of uncertainty in real-time perception during autonomous driving operations, which can further optimize the online assessment model for perception uncertainty. The verification results on the nuScenes dataset show that our uncertainty assessment method based on a high-definition map effectively evaluates the real-time perception results' performance.

Real-Time Evaluation of Perception Uncertainty and Validity Verification of Autonomous Driving.

Deep neural network algorithms have achieved impressive performance in object detection. Real-time evaluation of perception uncertainty from deep neural network algorithms is indispensable for safe driving in autonomous vehicles. More research is required to determine how to assess the effectiveness and uncertainty of perception findings in real-time.This paper proposes a novel real-time evaluation method combining multi-source perception fusion and deep ensemble. The effectiveness of single-frame perception results is evaluated in real-time. Then, the spatial uncertainty of the detected objects and influencing factors are analyzed. Finally, the accuracy of spatial uncertainty is validated with the ground truth in the KITTI dataset. The research results show that the evaluation of perception effectiveness can reach 92% accuracy, and a positive correlation with the ground truth is found for both the uncertainty and the error. The spatial uncertainty is related to the distance and occlusion degree of detected objects.

GmTCP and GmNLP Underlying Nodulation Character in Soybean Depending on Nitrogen.

Soybean is a cereal crop with high protein and oil content which serves as the main source of plant-based protein and oil for human consumption. The symbiotic relationship between legumes and rhizobia contributes significantly to soybean yield and quality, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood, hindering efforts to improve soybean productivity. In this study, we conducted a transcriptome analysis and identified 22 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from nodule-related quantitative trait loci (QTL) located in chromosomes 12 and 19. Subsequently, we performed functional characterisation and haplotype analysis to identify key candidate genes among the 22 DEGs that are responsive to nitrate. Our findings identified GmTCP (TEOSINTE-BRANCHED1/CYCLOIDEA/PCF) and GmNLP (NIN-LIKE PROTEIN) as the key candidate genes that regulate the soybean nodule phenotype in response to nitrogen concentration. We conducted homologous gene mutant analysis in Arabidopsis thaliana, which revealed that the homologous genes of GmTCP and GmNLP play a vital role in regulating root development in response to nitrogen concentration. We further performed overexpression and gene knockout of GmTCP and GmNLP through hairy root transformation in soybeans and analysed the effects of GmTCP and GmNLP on nodulation under different nitrogen concentrations using transgenic lines. Overexpressing GmTCP and GmNLP resulted in significant differences in soybean hairy root nodulation phenotypes, such as nodule number (NN) and nodule dry weight (NDW), under varying nitrate conditions. Our results demonstrate that GmTCP and GmNLP are involved in regulating soybean nodulation in response to nitrogen concentration, providing new insights into the mechanism of soybean symbiosis establishment underlying different nitrogen concentrations.

The changing demographics of traumatic spinal cord injury in Beijing, China: a single-centre report of 2448 cases over 7 years.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the epidemiological changes in persons with traumatic spinal cord injury (TSCI) over the past 7 years in Beijing Bo'ai Hospital, China Rehabilitation Research Center, China. SETTING: Beijing Bo'ai Hospital, China Rehabilitation Research Center (CRRC). METHODS: A database containing the records of all persons treated with SCI from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2019 was reviewed. Variables including demographic and clinical data were analysed. Comparisons were made with data previously published in 2002. RESULTS: During the study period, 2448 persons with recent TSCI were included in the analysis. The mean age at the time of injury increased from 38.1 years to 40.2 years (P = 0.025). The percentage of elderly persons increased (8.8-14.6%, P = 0.036) and was higher than that in 2002. The percentage of retirees increased. Transport related injuries were the leading cause of injury and the percentage of TSCI due to low falls increased 6%. Low falls were the most common cause for elderly persons (y ≥ 60) and were even higher for elderly women. Persons with cervical injuries increased compared to the 2002-data (44.1% vs 4.9%). The percentage of persons with incomplete SCI increased significantly over the study duration. CONCLUSIONS: Persons with TSCI are becoming older, and the percentage of elderly persons is increasing year by year. These changes are likely due to a combination of population ageing in the region and changes in aetiology, with corresponding changes including an increase in persons with cervical TSCI and persons with incomplete injury.

Accurate Treatment of Condylar Fracture Assisted by Three-Dimensional Prototype and Bioresorbable Plates.

PURPOSE: Although open treatments of condylar fracture have become the conventional treatment option, the accuracy is often not guaranteed. The purpose of this study was to improve the accuracy of fracture reduction assisted by three-dimensional (3D) prototype and bioresorbable plates in the treatment of condylar fractures. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort study. Patients with condylar fractures were treated by surgery from October 2017 to November 2019 at School of Stomatology of China Medical University (Shenyang, China). The patients in the experimental group were treated with 3D-prototype and fixed with absorbable plates. Patients in the control group were treated routinely reduction and fixed with absorbable plates. Primary predictor variables were surgical treatment. Primary outcome was accurate reduction. Secondary outcomes were postoperative efficacy including maximum mouth opening, occlusal status, lateral excursion movements, and patient satisfaction. Other variables of interest included age, sex, type of patients. Continuous variables are reported as mean ± standard deviation. χ2 test and t test were used for analysis. RESULTS: The sample was composed of 48 patients (65 sides) who were treated surgically (25 men, 23 women; mean age, 39.50 year; range, 17 to 65 year) ; 27 patients (38 sides) were treated with the 3D-prototype approach and 21 patients (27 sides) were treated with the traditional approach. All 48 patients completed reduction and fixation of fractures. Preoperative and postoperative CT comparisons showed that 4 patients did not achieve accurate reduction, all in the control group, of which 3 patients had occlusal disorder. All patients in the experimental group achieved accurate reduction, of which 1 patient had occlusal disorder. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that using 3D prototype for bending the bioresorbable plate is an effective method for accurate treatment of condylar fracture.

Enhanced production of seed oil with improved fatty acid composition by overexpressing NAD+ -dependent glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in soybean.

There is growing interest in expanding the production of soybean oils (mainly triacylglycerol, or TAG) to meet rising feed demand and address global energy concerns. We report that a plastid-localized glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH), encoded by GmGPDHp1 gene, catalyzes the formation of glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P), an obligate substrate required for TAG biosynthesis. Overexpression of GmGPDHp1 increases soybean seed oil content with high levels of unsaturated fatty acids (FAs), especially oleic acid (C18:1), without detectably affecting growth or seed protein content or seed weight. Based on the lipidomic analyses, we found that the increase in G3P content led to an elevated diacylglycerol (DAG) pool, in which the Kennedy pathway-derived DAG was mostly increased, followed by PC-derived DAG, thereby promoting the synthesis of TAG containing relatively high proportion of C18:1. The increased G3P levels induced several transcriptional alterations of genes involved in the glycerolipid pathways. In particular, genes encoding the enzymes responsible for de novo glycerolipid synthesis were largely upregulated in the transgenic lines, in-line with the identified biochemical phenotype. These results reveal a key role for GmGPDHp1-mediated G3P metabolism in enhancing TAG synthesis and demonstrate a strategy to modify the FA compositions of soybean oils for improved nutrition and biofuel.

Mechanical stress regulates autophagic flux to affect apoptosis after spinal cord injury.

Increased mechanical stress after spinal cord injury (SCI) expands the scope of nerve tissue damage and exacerbates nerve function defects. Surgical decompression after SCI is a conventional therapeutic strategy and has been proven to have neuroprotective effects. However, the mechanisms of the interaction between mechanical stress and neurons are currently unknown. In this study, we monitored intramedullary pressure (IMP) and investigated the therapeutic benefit of decompression (including durotomy and piotomy) after injury and its underlying mechanisms in SCI. We found that decreased IMP promotes the generation and degradation of LC3 II, promotes the degradation of p62 and enhances autophagic flux to alleviate apoptosis. The lysosomal dysfunction was reduced after decompression. Piotomy was better than durotomy for the histological repair of spinal cord tissue after SCI. However, the autophagy-lysosomal pathway inhibitor chloroquine (CQ) partially reversed the apoptosis inhibition caused by piotomy after SCI, and the structural damage was also aggravated after CQ administration. An antibody microarray analysis showed that decompression may reverse the up-regulated abundance of p-PI3K, p-AKT and p-mTOR caused by SCI. Our findings may contribute to a better understanding of the mechanism of decompression and the effects of mechanical stress on autophagy after SCI.

Open Reduction Effects of Digitally Treating Zygomaticomaxillary Complex Fractures With Bio-Resorbable Materials.

PURPOSE: The application of bio-resorbable plates in craniomaxillofacial surgery is increasing because of the advantage of avoiding secondary surgery. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of osteosynthesis with prebent bio-resorbable plates for treating zygomaticomaxillary complex (ZMC) fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We implemented a prospective case series composed of patients with ZMC fractures who underwent treatment at the School of Stomatology at China Medical University. Bio-resorbable plates were used for fracture fixation. The fractures were stabilized with bio-resorbable plates prebent on a 3-dimensionally printed skull model with the fractures reduced using virtual simulation. The primary outcome variable was the stability rate of reduced bone segments. Other study variables were mouth opening, occlusion, paresthesia or anesthesia in the infraorbital nerve region (PAIN), and diplopia. Outcome variables were determined by calculating stability rates of reduced bone segments, resolution rates of postoperative restricted mouth opening, malocclusion, PAIN, and diplopia. RESULTS: The sample was composed of 11 patients recruited between November 2016 and September 2018. All surgical procedures were successful, with no severe complications. The stability rate of reduced bone segments from different mechanical buttress regions was 100%. Satisfactory postoperative stability of bio-resorbable plates was obtained in all cases. The resolution rates of postoperative restricted mouth opening and malocclusion were 75 and 100%, respectively. PAIN and diplopia symptoms resolved in 50 and 100% of cases, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that osteosynthesis with bio-resorbable plates prebent on a 3-dimensionally printed skull model, designed by virtual simulation, works well for patients with ZMC fractures. Future studies should focus on the broader applications of these findings in the practice of oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Ultrasonography of Diaphragm Can Predict Pulmonary Function in Spinal Cord Injury Patients: A Pilot Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND Ultrasonography of the diaphragm is an under-utilized instrument in cervical spinal cord injury patients. We conducted a pilot study to first compare the difference of diaphragm thickness and the excursion between patients with cervical spinal cord injury and healthy volunteers, and second to correlate diaphragmic ultrasonography and pulmonary function in cervical spinal cord injury patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS Thirty patients with C4-C5 cervical spinal cord injury of more than 1 year and thirty healthy volunteers were included in this study. All demographic data were evaluated. All participants underwent diaphragmic ultrasonography evaluation and pulmonary function test. Diaphragm thickness of both sides and diaphragm excursions of the right hemi-diaphragm were obtained at the end of quiet tidal breathing and maximal inspiration. We compared diaphragmatic thickness and excursions, and we analyzed the relationship between diaphragmatic ultrasonography and pulmonary function. RESULTS All spinal cord injury patients had restrictive pulmonary dysfunction compared to the control group of healthy volunteers. Diaphragm thickness on both sides was significantly increased in spinal cord injury patients. Diaphragmatic excursion in spinal cord injury patients was increased on the right hemi-diaphragm during tidal breathing. However, the right hemi-diaphragmatic excursion was no difference in both groups during maximal inspiration. Right hemi-diaphragmatic excursion during deep breathing correlated positively with expiratory volume in 1 second (P<0.01) and forced vital capacity (P<0.01). Right hemi-diaphragm thickness at end of maximum inspiration correlated positively with expiratory volume in 1 second (P<0.01) and forced vital capacity (P<0.01). Left hemi-diaphragm thickness at end of maximum inspiration correlated positively with expiratory volume in 1 second (P<0.01) and forced vital capacity (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Diaphragm thickness and motion of the cervical spinal cord injury patients were different from controls. Pulmonary function was impaired in spinal cord injury patients. Ultrasonography of the diaphragm as a non-invasive method that is correlated with pulmonary function.

Evaluation of the Effect of Bioresorbable Plates and Screws in the Treatment of Condylar Fractures, Assisted by Digital Preoperative Planning.

PURPOSE: Although bioresorbable materials have begun to be applied in the clinic, they are used primarily in children with fractures; thus, there are few reports of their application for treatment of condylar fractures. This study evaluated the effect of the application of bioresorbable plates and screws for patients with condylar fractures, assisted by digital preoperative planning. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective interventional study. The sample was composed of 46 patients treated at the School of Stomatology of the China Medical University (Shenyang, China) from October 2016 through May 2018 for condylar fractures alone or in combination with other facial fractures. All patients underwent confirmatory preoperative computed tomography (CT) to obtain Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) format data for preoperative designing. By digital designing, the authors confirmed operative plans for each patient. All 46 patients underwent bioresorbable osteosynthesis and underwent repeat CT on postoperative day 3. Postoperative clinical assessments included postoperative positions of the fracture segments, maximal mouth opening, lateral excursion movements, occlusal status, and patient satisfaction. These variables were used to assess postoperative efficacy. RESULTS: The sample was composed of 46 patients who had open reduction with internal fixation on 52 sides. At the 3-month follow-up visit, the proportions of patients who were satisfied with the results and who achieved stable occlusion, appropriate maximal mouth opening, and flexible lateral excursion movement were 97, 100, 66, and 95%, respectively. One patient sustained postoperative displacement of a condylar fracture fragment, as confirmed by repeated CT. He was lost to follow-up at 3 months postoperatively. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that open reduction treatment of condylar fractures implanted with bioresorbable materials in combination with digital preoperative designing is an effective method for managing patients in clinical practice.

A New Method To Reposition the Displaced Articular Disc For a Patient With Comminuted Condylar Fracture.

BACKGROUND: Repositioning the displaced articular disc is the key procedure that prevents ankylosis of the temporomandibular mandibular joint (TMJ) in the treatment of patients with comminuted condylar fractures. The conventional procedure performed clinically is to use two anchors and sutures to reposition the displaced articular disc. Therefore, this paper introduces a new and economical method to reposition the articular disc without metallic implantation materials. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 60-year-old male patient who had fainted suddenly 3 days before came to our hospital to complain of pain of the bilateral TMJ areas and limited mouth opening. Clinical examination revealed severe restriction of mouth opening and the disappearance of bilateral condylar movements. Preoperational 3-dimensional computed tomography (3-DCT) indicated bilateral intracapsular comminuted fractures of the mandibular condyles. The patient was operated in a bilateral preauricular approach for repositioning of the bilateral articular discs and removal of the fracture fragments. Instead of repositioning the displaced disc with anchors, we designed a method to use sutures to stabilize the TMJ disc and to assess the disc's position using a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan when following up. There were no severe complications during the operation. Results of an MRI scan 1 month after operation showed that post-operation articular discs kept their normal position, the mouth opening and the lateral and protrusive movements of the mandible recovered when followed up for 3 months. CONCLUSION: The method of using sutures to reposition and stabilize the articular disc for a patient with comminuted fractures is effective. There is great significance not only for patients with comminuted condylar fractures but for treatment of TMJ dysfunction especially for patients with high psychological pressure who persist in requiring the removal of metallic anchors although there are no clinical symptoms.

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Transplantation Improves Locomotor Recovery in Rat Models of Spinal Cord Injury: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Spinal cord injury (SCI) has long been a subject of great interest in a wide range of scientific fields. Several attempts have been made to demonstrate motor function improvement in rats with SCI after transplantation of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). This systematic review and meta-analysis was designed to summarize the effects of iPSC on locomotor recovery in rat models of SCI. METHODS: We searched the publications in the PubMed, Medline, Science Citation Index, Cochrane Library, CNKI, and Wan-fang databases and the China Biology Medicine disc. Results were analyzed by Review Manager 5.3.0. The quality of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology. RESULTS: Six randomized controlled preclinical trials covering eight comparisons and including 212 rats were selected. The subgroup analyses were based on the following items: different SCI models, cell counts, iPSC sources, iPSC differentiations and transplantation methods. The pooled results indicated that iPSC transplantation significantly improved locomotor recovery of rats after SCI by sustaining beneficial effects, especially in the subgroups of contusion, moderate cell counts (5×105), source of human fetal lung fibroblasts, iPSC-neural precursors and intraspinal injection. CONCLUSION: Our meta-analysis of the effects of iPSC transplantation on locomotor function in SCI models is, to our knowledge, the first meta-analysis in this field. We conclude that iPSC transplantation improves locomotor recovery in rats with SCI, implicating this strategy as an effective therapy. However, more studies are required to validate our conclusions.

Dynamic diffusion tensor imaging of spinal cord contusion: A canine model.

This study aimed to explore the dynamic diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) of changes in spinal cord contusion using a canine model of injury involving rostral and caudal levels. In this study, a spinal cord contusion model was established in female dogs using a custom-made weight-drop lesion device. DTI was performed on dogs with injured spinal cords (n=7) using a Siemens 3.0T MRI scanner at pre-contusion and at 3 h, 24 h, 6 weeks and 12 weeks post-injury. The tissue sections were stained for immunohistochemical analysis. Canine models of spinal cord contusion were created successfully using the weight-drop lesion device. The fractional anisotropy (FA) value of lesion epicenter decreased, while the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), mean diffusivity (MD), and radial diffusivity (RD) values increased, and the extent of the curve was apparent gradually. The site and time affected the DTI parameters significantly in the whole spinal cord, ADC (site, P < 0.001 and time, P = 0.077, respectively); FA (site, P < 0.001 and time, P = 0.002, respectively). Immunohistological analysis of GFAP and NF revealed the pathologic changes of reactive astrocytes and axons, as well as the cavity and glial scars occurring during chronic SCI. DTI is a sensitive and noninvasive imaging tool useful to assess edema, hemorrhage, cavity formation, structural damage and reconstruction of axon, and myelin in dogs. The DTI parameters after contusion vary. However, the curves of ADC, MD, and RD were nearly similar and the FA curve was distinct. All the DTI parameters were affected by distance and time.