Clinicopathological characteristics and diagnostic accuracy of BRAF mutations in ameloblastoma: A Bayesian network analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed to analyze the associations between clinicopathological characteristics and BRAF mutations in ameloblastoma (AM) patients and to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four electronic databases were searched from 2010 to 2024. The search terms used were specific to BRAF and AM. Observational studies or randomized controlled trials were considered eligible. The incidence of BRAF mutation and corresponding clinicopathological features in AM patients were subjected to Bayesian network analyses and diagnostic accuracy evaluation. RESULTS: A total of 937 AM patients from 20 studies were included. The pooled prevalence of BRAF mutations in AM patients was 72%. According to the Bayesian network analysis, BRAF mutations are more likely to occur in younger (odds ratio [OR], 2.3; credible interval [CrI]: 1.2-4.5), mandible site (OR, 3.6; 95% CrI: 2.7-5.2), and unicystic (OR, 1.6; 95% CrI: 1.1-2.4) AM patients. Similarly, higher diagnostic accuracy was found in the younger, mandible, and unicystic AM groups. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence, risk, and diagnostic accuracy of BRAF mutation in AM were greater in younger patients, those with mandible involvement, and those with unicystic AM than in patients with other clinicopathological features. In addition, there was a strong concordance in the diagnostic accuracy between molecular tests and immunohistochemical analysis.

The First Genome-Wide Survey of Shortbelly Eel (Dysomma anguillare Barnard, 1923) to Provide Genomic Characteristics, Microsatellite Markers and Complete Mitogenome Information.

Dysomma anguillare is a demersal eel widespread distributing in tropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific and Atlantic. As an important component of the coastal fishery and marine ecosystem, the lack of genomic information for this species severely restricts the progress of relevant researches. In this study, the abecedarian genome-wide characteristics and phylogenetic relationships analyses were carried out based on next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform. The revised genome size was approximately 1 310 Mb, with the largest scaffold length reaching 23 878 bp through K-mer (K = 17) method. The heterozygosity, repetitive rate and average GC content were about 0.94%, 51.93% and 42.23%, respectively. A total of 1 160 104 microsatellite motifs were identified from the de novo assembled genome of D. anguillare, in which dinucleotide repeats accounted for the largest proportion (592 234, 51.05%), the highest occurrence frequency (14.58%) as well as the largest relative abundance (379.27/Mb). The high-polymorphic and moderate-polymorphic loci composed around 73% of the total single sequence repeats (SSRs), showing a latent capacity for subsequent population genetic structure and genetic diversity appraisal researches. Another byproduct of whole-genome sequencing, the double-stranded and circular mitogenome (16 690 bp) was assembled to investigate the evolutionary relationships of D. anguillare. The phylogenic tree constructed with maximum likelihood (ML) method showed that D. anguillare was closely related to Synaphobranchidae species, and the molecular systematic results further supported classical taxonomy status of D. anguillare.

[Preparation of two tanshinone â ¡_A-astragaloside â £ co-loaded nano-delivery systems and in vitro antitumor activity comparison].

This study screened excellent carriers for co-loading tanshinone Ⅱ_A(TSA) and astragaloside Ⅳ(As) to construct antitumor nano-drug delivery systems for TSA and As. TSA-As microemulsions(TSA-As-MEs) were prepared by water titration. TSA-As metal-organic framework(MOF) nano-delivery system was prepared by loading TSA and As in MOF by the hydrothermal method. Dynamic light scattering(DLS), transmission electron microscopy(TEM), and scanning electron microscopy(SEM) were used to characterize the physicochemical properties of the two preparations. Drug loading was determined by HPLC and the effects of the two preparations on the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells, T lymphocytes, and hepatocellular carcinoma cells were detected by the CCK-8 method. The results showed that the particle size, Zeta potential, and drug loading of TSA-As-MEs were(47.69±0.71) nm,(-14.70±0.49) mV, and(0.22±0.01)%, while those of TSA-As-MOF were(258.3±25.2) nm,(-42.30 ± 1.27) mV, and 15.35%±0.01%. TSA-As-MOF was superior to TSA-As-MEs in drug loading, which could inhibit the proliferation of bEnd.3 cells at a lower concentration and improve the proliferation ability of CTLL-2 cells significantly. Therefore, MOF was preferred as an excellent carrier for TSA and As co-loading.

On-Demand Integrated Quantum Memory for Polarization Qubits.

Photonic polarization qubits are widely used in quantum computation and quantum communication due to the robustness in transmission and the easy qubit manipulation. An integrated quantum memory for polarization qubits is a useful building block for large-scale integrated quantum networks. However, on-demand storing polarization qubits in an integrated quantum memory is a long-standing challenge due to the anisotropic absorption of solids and the polarization-dependent features of microstructures. Here we demonstrate a reliable on-demand quantum memory for polarization qubits, using a depressed-cladding waveguide fabricated in a ^{151}Eu^{3+}:Y_{2}SiO_{5} crystal. The site-2 ^{151}Eu^{3+} ions in Y_{2}SiO_{5} crystal provides a near-uniform absorption for arbitrary polarization states and a new pump sequence is developed to prepare a wideband and enhanced absorption profile. A fidelity of 99.4±0.6% is obtained for the qubit storage process with an input of 0.32 photons per pulse, together with a storage bandwidth of 10 MHz. This reliable integrated quantum memory for polarization qubits reveals the potential for use in the construction of integrated quantum networks.

Higher flavonoid intake is associated with a lower progression risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in adults: a prospective study.

Flavonoid-rich foods have shown a beneficial effect against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in short-term randomised trials. It is uncertain whether the usual dietary intake of flavonoids may benefit patients with NAFLD. The present study evaluated the association between the usual intake of flavonoids and the risk of progression in NAFLD. The prospective study included 2694 adults from the Guangzhou Nutrition and Health Study. Face-to-face interviews using a seventy-nine-item FFQ were administered to assess habitual dietary flavonoid intake, while abdominal ultrasonography was conducted to evaluate the presence and degree of NAFLD, with measurements conducted 3 years apart. After adjustment for potential confounders, higher flavonoid intakes were gradely associated with reduced risks of worsen NAFLD status. The relative risks of worsening (v. non-worsening) NAFLD in the highest (v. lowest) quintile were 0·71 (95 % CI 0·54, 0·93) for total flavonoids, 0·74 (95 % CI 0·57, 0·95) for flavanones, 0·74 (95 % CI 0·56, 0·96) for flavan-3-ols, 0·90 (95 % CI 0·68, 1·18) for flavonols, 0·73 (95 % CI 0·56, 0·93) for flavones, 0·79 (95 % CI 0·61, 1·02) for isoflavones and 0·74 (95 % CI 0·57, 0·96) for anthocyanins. An L-shaped relationship was observed between total flavonoid intake and the risk of NAFLD progression. Path analyses showed that the association between flavonoids and NAFLD progression was mediated by decreases in serum cholesterol and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance. This prospective study showed that higher flavonoid intake was associated with a lower risk of NAFLD progression in the elderly overweight/obese Chinese population.

Efficient Electrochemical Nitrogen Fixation over Isolated Pt Sites.

Recently, ambient electrochemical N2 fixation has gained great attention. However, the commercial Pt-based electrocatalyst hardly shows its potential in this field. Herein, it is found that the isolated Pt sites anchored on WO3 nanoplates exhibit the optimum electrochemical NH3 yield rate (342.4 µg h-1 mg-1 Pt ) and Faradaic efficiency (31.1%) in 0.1 m K2 SO4 at -0.2 V versus RHE, which are about 11 and 15 times higher than their nanoparticle counterparts, respectively. The mechanistic analysis indicates that N2 conversion to NH3 follows an alternating hydrogenation pathway, and positively charged isolated Pt sites with special Pt-3O structure can favorably chemisorb and activate the N2 . Furthermore, the hydrogen evolution reaction can be greatly suppressed on isolated Pt sites decorated WO3 nanoplates, which guarantees the efficient going-on of nitrogen reduction reaction.

[Comparative transcriptome and proteome profiling of chlorophyll metabolism pathway in four types of Magnolia officinalis].

Magnolia officinalis is a traditional Chinese medicine,with many years of cultivating process, M. officinalis leaves show more differentiation types due to the exchange of seeds from different provenances. "Da Ao"(DA), "Xiao Ao"(XA), "Chuan Hou"(CH),and "Liu Ye"(LY)are the main types of M. officinalis in Sichuan province of China,and there were obvious differences in growth rate,chemical composition,leaf shape and leaf colour. This study selected different types of M. officinalis leaves(DA,XA,LY and CH)from Sichuan to determine their chlorophyll content. Transcriptomic level sequencing of different types of M. officinalis leaf tissues was by high-throughput sequencing analysis and proteomics used an integrated approach involving TMT labelling and LC-MS/MS to quantify the dynamic changes of the whole proteome of M. officinalis. The results showed that CH had the lowest chlorophyll content while DA had the highest chlorophyll content. Furthermore,transcriptome and proteomics results showed that chlorophyll synthesis pathway in DA glutamine-tRNA reductase,urinary porphyrins decarboxylase(UROD),oxygen-dependent protoporphyrin(ODCO),the original-Ⅲ oxidase protoporphyrin oxidase(PPO),magnesium chelating enzyme subunit ChlD,protoporphyrin magnesium Ⅸ monomethyl ester [oxidative] cyclase(MPPMC)were significantly higher than CH,XA and LY,consistent in the results of determination of chlorophyll content(chlorophyll content was highest of 37.56 mg·g~(-1) FW). Some rate-limiting enzymes related to the chlorophyll synthesis,such as ODCO,PPO and MPPMC were tested by Parallel Reaction Monitoring(PRM),and the results showed that the rate-limiting enzyme content in DA was higher than that in other three types. Therefore,based on the differences in leaf color of four types of M. officinalis,the research conducted a preliminary study on the chlorophyll metabolism pathway in leaves of different types of M. officinalis,and explored relevant genes and proteins causing leaf color differences from the molecular level,so as to lay a foundation for studying the differences in growth and development of different types of M. officinalis.

[Microbial community diversity and its characteristics in Magnolia Officinalis Cortex "sweating" process based on high-throughput sequencing].

Magnolia Officinalis Cortex has been used as a traditional Chinese herb for thousands of years in China. According to Chinese Pharmacopoeia,the processing of Magnolia Officinalis Cortex needs " sweating" or " Fahan",which was a special drying process and considered to be an important symbol for high quality and genuine medicinal materials. In this unique processing mode,Magnolia Officinalis Cortex's microbial community structure may be changed,but little is known about microbial diversity during the " sweating". In this study,to analyze the change and its change rules of microbial community of Magnolia Officinalis Cortex in the whole process of " sweating",and find out the microbial community that affects the quality of Magnolia Officinalis Cortex in the process of its " sweating",and provide a basis for further research on the microbial transformation of Magnolia Officinalis Cortex,MiSeq highthroughput sequencing was used to evaluate the microbial diversity of natural " sweating" of Magnolia Officinalis Cortex. In this research,334 genera fungi and 674 genera bacteria were identified. The dominant species weren' t obvious during the early stage of " sweating". Candida was the dominant fungal species( 45. 01%-71. 93%) during the medium " sweating" stage. Aspergillus is the dominant fungal species( 45. 83%-95. 51%) during the late stage of " sweating". Moreover,Enterobacter and Klebsiella were the primary bacterial genus( ≥56. 05%) during the middle and late stages of " sweating". In addition,the predominant bacteria in the process of " sweating" included Bacillus,Deinococcus,Sphingomonas,Hymenobacter and Jatrophihabitans. In conclusion,the microbial diversities and the main dominant fungi and bacteria in the process of " sweating" of Magnolia Officinalis Cortex were initially determined. It was also found that the metabolism of Aspergillus and Candida may be related to the character formation,which were sweet odor and brown inner surface after " sweating". The results provide a theoretical basis for the study of the influence of different microorganisms on the excellent traits formation of " sweating" Magnolia Officinalis Cortex.

Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate impairs steroidogenesis in ovarian follicular cells of prepuberal mice.

Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a plasticizer which is widely used in the manufacture of plastics. As a common environmental contaminant and recognized endocrine disrupting chemical, DEHP is able to deregulate the functions of a variety of tissues, including the reproductive system both in males and females. In order to investigate the possible effects of DEHP on the first wave of folliculogenesis, occurring in the mouse ovary postnatally, mice were administered 20 or 40 µg/kg DEHP through intraperitoneal injection at days 5, 10 and 15 post partum (dpp). Following DEHP treatment the gene expression profile of control and exposed ovaries was compared by microarray analyses at 20 dpp. We found that in the exposed ovaries DEHP significantly altered the transcript levels of several immune response and steroidogenesis associated genes. In particular, DEHP significantly decreased the expression of genes essential for androgen synthesis by theca cells including Lhcgr, Cyp17a1, Star and Ldlr. Immunohistochemistry and immune flow cytometry confirmed reduced expression of LHCGR and CYP17A1 proteins in the exposed theca cells. These effects were associated to a significant reduction in ovarian concentrations of progesterone, 17ß-estradiol and androstenedione along with a reduction of LH in the serum. Although we did not find a significant reduction of the number of primary, secondary or antral follicles in the DEHP exposed ovaries when compared to controls, we did observe that theca cells showed an altered structure of the nuclear envelope, fewer mitochondria, and mitochondria with a reduced number of cristae. Collectively, these results demonstrate a deleterious effect of DEHP exposure on ovarian steroidogenesis during the first wave of folliculogenesis that could potentially affect the correct establishment of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis and the onset of puberty.

Absorption Characteristics and Environmental Significance of Dissolved Organic Matter in Lake Dongping.

As an important water source in Shandong Province, Lake Dongping is one of the most important inland lakes to South-to-North Water Diversion East Route Project. We tried to provide the basis for real-time monitoring of water quality mutation by using CDOM absorption characteristics. The average values of CDOM absorption coefficients [a(280)，a(350)，a(440)] were (12.90±1.17)，(3.11±0.40) and (0.65±0.09) m-1. a(440) had linear relationships with total nitrogen (p<0.01), total phosphorus (p<0.001), dissolved organic carbon (p<0.001), chemical oxygen demand (p<0.001), Chlorophyll a (p<0.001), which can be used to estimate the water quality parameters. The results showed that CDOM absorption coefficient reflects the nutritional status of Lake Dongping, which is close to eutrophication level. There was an obvious decrease of CDOM absorption coefficients from river mouth of Dawen River to lake center and then to the outlets of lake. This illustrated that terrestrial input is the main source of nutrients and pollutants in Lake Dongping.

[Absorption and metabolism of icariin in different osteoporosis rat models].

To compare the intestinal absorption and metabolism of icariin in different osteoporosis rat models. Ovariectomy and intragastric administration of cyclophosphamide were used to establish two kinds of rat osteoporosis models. Then the rat intestinal perfusion was conducted, and HPLC was used to measure and calculate the permeability coefficients of icariin in different intestines and production amount of metabolites. Western blot was used to detect LPH enzyme expression in two models. Experimental results showed that both ovariectomy and intragastric administration of cyclophosphamide 4.5 mg•kg⁻¹ could reduce rat bone density and successfully construct the rat osteoporosis models. The apparent permeability coefficient Papp of 20 µmol icariin in duodenum, jejunum, ileum, colon was 5.695, 5.224, 1.492, 0.520 respectively in sham operation group; 3.876, 3.608, 0.863, and 0.291 in ovariectomized group; 4.945, 3.601, 1.990, 1.042 in normal saline group; 3.301, 2.108, 1.209, 1.233 in cyclophosphamide-induced osteoporosis model group. In addition, the protein expression levels of LPH enzyme in two model groups were lower than those in normal group. The absorption and metabolism of icariin in two kinds of osteoporosis models was lower than that in sham operation group and normal saline group; the reduction of expression level of LPH enzymes in rat intestine of different osteoporosis models was one of the reasons for leading to the reduced intestinal absorption and metabolism of icariin.

Ablation of nectin4 binding compromises CD46 usage by a hybrid vesicular stomatitis virus/measles virus.

Measles virus (MV) immunosuppression is due to infection of SLAM-positive immune cells, whereas respiratory shedding and virus transmission are due to infection of nectin4-positive airway epithelial cells. The vaccine lineage MV strain Edmonston (MV-Edm) acquired an additional tropism for CD46 which is the basis of its oncolytic specificity. VSVFH is a vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) encoding the MV-Edm F and H entry proteins in place of G. The virus spreads faster than MV-Edm and is highly fusogenic and a potent oncolytic. To determine whether ablating nectin4 tropism from VSVFH might prevent shedding, increasing its safety profile as an oncolytic, or might have any effect on CD46 binding, we generated VSVFH viruses with H mutations that disrupt attachment to SLAM and/or nectin4. Disruption of nectin4 binding reduced release of VSVFH from the basolateral side of differentiated airway epithelia composed of Calu-3 cells. However, because nectin4 and CD46 have substantially overlapping receptor binding surfaces on H, disruption of nectin4 binding compromised CD46 binding and greatly diminished the oncolytic potency of these viruses on human cancer cells. Thus, our results support continued preclinical development of VSVFH without ablation of nectin4 binding.

Early Cambrian ocean anoxia in South China.

The cause of the most marked changes in the evolution of life, which define the first-order stratigraphic boundary between the Precambrian and the Phanerozoic eon, remains enigmatic and a highly topical subject of debate. A global ocean anoxic event, triggered by large-scale hydrogen sulphide (H(2)S) release to surface waters, has been suggested by Wille et al., on the basis of two data sets from South China and Oman, to explain the fundamental biological changes across the Precambrian/Cambrian (PC/C) boundary. Here we report a new precise SHRIMP U-Pb zircon age of 532.3 +/- 0.7 million years (Myr) ago (Fig. 1) for a volcanic ash bed in the critical unit that reflects the ocean anoxic event, the lowermost black shale sequence of the Niutitang Formation in the Guizhou Province, South China. This age is significantly younger than the precise PC/C boundary age of 542.0 +/- 0.3 Myr ago, approximately 10 Myr younger than the extinction of the Ediacaran fauna, and thus challenging the view of a major ocean anoxic event having been responsible for the major changes in the direction of evolution at the PC/C boundary.

Transgenerational inheritance of ovarian development deficiency induced by maternal diethylhexyl phthalate exposure.

Diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) is a widely used industrial additive for increasing plastic flexibility. It disrupts the physiological functions of endogenous hormones and induces abnormal development of mammals. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the effects of DEHP exposure on ovarian development of pregnant mice and whether the effects are inheritable. We found that the synthesis of oestradiol in pregnant mice after DEHP exposure was significantly decreased, and that the first meiotic progression of female fetal germ cells was delayed. Furthermore, the DNA methylation level of Stra8 was increased and the expression levels of Stra8 were significantly decreased. An accelerated rate of follicle recruitment in F1 mice was responsible for the depletion of the primordial-follicle pool. Maternal DEHP exposure also significantly accelerated the recruitment of primordial follicles in F2 mice. In conclusion, our results indicated that maternal DEHP exposure induced ovarian development deficiency, which was transgenerational in mice.

Oncolytic measles and vesicular stomatitis virotherapy for endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Current adjuvant therapy for advanced-stage, recurrent, and high-risk endometrial cancer (EC) has not reduced mortality from this malignancy, and novel systemic therapies are imperative. Oncolytic viral therapy has been shown to be effective in the treatment of gynecologic cancers, and we investigated the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of the Edmonston strain of measles virus (MV) and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) on EC. METHODS: Human EC cell lines (HEC-1-A, Ishikawa, KLE, RL95-2, AN3 CA, ARK-1, ARK-2, and SPEC-2) were infected with Edmonston strain MV expressing the thyroidal sodium iodide symporter, VSV expressing either human or murine IFN-ß, or recombinant VSV with a methionine deletion at residue 51 of the matrix protein and expressing the sodium iodide symporter. Xenografts of HEC-1-A and AN3 CA generated in athymic mice were treated with intratumoral MV or VSV or intravenous VSV. RESULTS: In vitro, all cell lines were susceptible to infection and cell killing by all 3 VSV strains except KLE. In addition, the majority of EC cell lines were defective in their ability to respond to type I IFN. Intratumoral VSV-treated tumors regressed more rapidly than MV-treated tumors, and intravenous VSV resulted in effective tumor control in 100% of mice. Survival was significantly longer for mice treated with any of the 3 VSV strains compared with saline. CONCLUSION: VSV is clearly more potent in EC oncolysis than MV. A phase 1 clinical trial of VSV in EC is warranted.

Oncolytic vaccinia virotherapy for endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Oncolytic virotherapy is a promising modality in endometrial cancer (EC) therapy. In this study, we compared the efficacy of the Copenhagen and Wyeth strains of oncolytic vaccinia virus (VV) incorporating the human thyroidal sodium iodide symporter (hNIS) as a reporter gene (VVNIS-C and VVNIS-W) in EC. METHODS: Infectivity of VVNIS-C and VVNIS-W in type I (HEC1A, Ishikawa, KLE, RL95-2, and AN3 CA) and type II (ARK-1, ARK-2, and SPEC-2) human EC cell lines was evaluated. Athymic mice with ARK-2 or AN3 CA xenografts were treated with one intravenous dose of VVNIS-C or VVNIS-W. Tumor regression and in vivo infectivity were monitored via NIS expression using SPECT-CT imaging. RESULTS: All EC cell lines except KLE were susceptible to infection and killing by VVNIS-C and VVNIS-W in vitro. VVNIS-C had higher infectivity and oncolytic activity than VVNIS-W in all cell lines, most notably in AN3 CA. Intravenous VVNIS-C was more effective at controlling AN3 CA xenograft growth than VVNIS-W, while both VVNIS-C and VVNIS-W ceased tumor growth and induced tumor regression in 100% of mice bearing ARK-2 xenografts. CONCLUSION: Overall, VVNIS-C has more potent oncolytic viral activity than VVSIN-W in EC. VV appears to be most active in type II EC. Novel therapies are needed for the highly lethal type II EC histologies and further development of a VV clinical trial in type II EC is warranted.

Small longitudinal S incision and page turning style of annular ligament partial resection to treat stenosing tenosynovitis of thumb flexor tendon.

BACKGROUND: To present the treatment outcome for patients with stenosing tenosynovitis of thumb flexor tendon treated with a small S incision and page turning style of annular ligament partial resection. MATERIAL AND METHODS: During a 2-year period between August 2011 and July 2013, 12 consecutive patients (mean age, 45.8 years) with stenosing tenosynovitis of the thumb flexor tendon were prospectively enrolled into this study. All 12 patients underwent longitudinal S skin incision to expose annular ligament and thumb flexor tendon, and with page turning style of annular ligament partial resection to finish the operation. The average range of motion of metacarpophalangeal thumb joint, Quick disability of arm, shoulder, and hand and Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment Dysfunction score of arm and hand were primary outcome measures. RESULTS: There were 9 cases of stiff metacarpophalangeal joint of thumb and 3 cases of snapping thumb for stenosing tenosynovitis. At 1-year follow-up, all stenosing tenosynovitis had healed by an average of 4 weeks. The average range of motion of the metacarpophalangeal joint was 37.1° (range, 34-40°). No patients had recurrence, cicatricial contraction, or postoperative infection. The average disability of arm, shoulder, and hand was 0.3 out of 100 (range, 0-1.67), and average Short Musculoskeletal Functional Assessment Dysfunction score of arm and hand was 6.9 out of 40 (range, 0-15.6). All 12 patients stated that they were highly satisfied. CONCLUSIONS: Small S incision and page turning style of annular ligament partial resection for stenosing tenosynovitis of thumb flexor tendon is a safe, simple, and reliable alternative treatment with minimal soft-tissue irritation, good functional results and recovery can be expected.

Restoration of femoral offset, rotation centers, limbs length equality of Chinese total hip arthroplasty patients.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the restoration of femoral offset, rotation centers, limbs length equality of Chinese total hip arthroplasty patients with careful preoperative surgical planning, the appropriate prosthesis and skillful manipulation combined with a variety of verification tests during the operation. METHODS: There were 92 hips (from 92 patients) surgery was performed by the same surgeon using the posterlateral approach by careful preoperative surgical planning. Appropriate prosthesis was chosen determining the reasonable femur osteotomy location, skillful manipulation and paying attention to every detail combined with a variety of verification tests and preoperative measurements during the operation. We evaluated the offset and rotation centers of the healthy (not performed) side and the operated side, the preoperative and postoperative limbs length discrepancy and analyzed the change of femoral offset, rotation centers and limbs length discrepancy of THA patients by self-control. RESULTS: We found that the preoperative and postoperative femoral offset was basically not changed, the postoperative rotation centers had a tendency to the medial and inferior of the original rotation centers, the limbs length discrepancy and Harris Hip Score (HHS) were improved much more than before. CONCLUSIONS: Careful preoperative surgical planning, the appropriate prosthesis and skillful manipulation combined with a variety of verification tests during the operation is significantly correlated to the remarkable radiological and clinical results of THA patients.

Prevalence of osteoporosis among patients after stem cell transplantation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The prevalence of osteoporosis in post stem cell transplantation (SCT) is poorly defined. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the prevalence of osteoporosis in patients with hematologic diseases who underwent SCT. PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched (from inception to 30th April 2023) using Medical Subject Headlines to find studies that assessed the prevalence of osteoporosis among post SCT. Thirteen articles meeting the inclusion criteria were included in the analysis. The pooled prevalence rates of osteoporosis, osteopenia, and decreased bone mineral density (BMD) were determined to be 14.2% (95% CI 9.7-18.8), 36.0% (95% CI 23.8-48.2), and 47.8% (95% CI 36.6-58.9), respectively. Substantial heterogeneity was observed among the included studies (I² values ranged from 81% to 99%). Subgroup analyses revealed variations in prevalence based on gender, follow-up duration, age, region, sample size, and study quality. These findings suggest a high prevalence of osteoporosis in post-SCT patients. Given the negative impact of osteoporosis on prognosis and recipient survival, clinicians should prioritize preventive measures, early diagnosis, and effective treatments to minimize its impact.

Effects of Silybum marianum, Pueraria lobate, combined with Salvia miltiorrhiza tablets on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in adults: A triple-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Several medicinal plant extracts have demonstrated hepatoprotective effects. However, data are scarce regarding their combined effects on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study aimed to investigate the effects of tablets containing Silybum marianum, Pueraria lobata, and Salvia miltiorrhiza (SPS) on NAFLD progression in Chinese adults. METHODS: In this randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 121 NAFLD patients (60 female and 61 male), diagnosed via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and aged 18-65 years, were enrolled. Participants were randomly allocated to receive SPS tablets (n = 60; three tablets per dose, twice daily) or placebo (n = 61) for 24 weeks. Each SPS tablet contained approximately 23.0 mg of silybin, 11.4 mg of puerarin, and 10.9 mg of salvianolic acid. There were no differences in appearance, taste and odour between the SPS tablets and placebo manufactured by BYHEALTH Co., LTD (Guangzhou, China). The primary endpoints were changes in the liver fat content (LFC) and steatosis grade from baseline to 24 weeks. Secondary outcomes included changes in biomarkers/scores of liver fibrosis and steatosis, oxidative stress, inflammatory cytokines, alcohol metabolism, and glucose metabolism. RESULTS: A total of 112 participants completed the research. The intention-to-treat results showed a trend toward reduction in both absolute LFC (-0.52%) and percentage of LFC (-4.57%) in the SPS group compared to the placebo group after 24 weeks, but these changes didn't reach statistical significance (p > 0.05). The SPS intervention (vs. placebo) significantly decreased hypersensitive C-reactive protein level (-6.76%) and increased aldehyde dehydrogenase activity (+18.1%) at 24 weeks post-intervention (all p < 0.05). Per-protocol analysis further supported these effects. This trial is registered at Clinical Trials.gov (NCT05076058). CONCLUSION: SPS supplementation may have potential benefits in improving NAFLD, but further larger-scale trials are necessary to confirm these findings.