Finite element analysis of the effect of tibial osteotomy on the stress of polyethylene liner in total knee arthroplasty.

AIM: To explore the effects of tibial osteotomy varus angle combined with posterior tibial slope (PTS) on the stress of polyethylene liner in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) by building finite element model (FEM). METHODS: Established the FEM of standard TKA with tibial osteotomy varus angle 0° to 9° were established and divided into 10 groups. Next, each group was created 10 FEMs with 0° to 9° PTS separately. Calculated the stress on polyethylene liner in each group in Abaqus. Finally, the relevancy between tibial osteotomy angle and polyethylene liner stress was statistically analyzed using multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: As the varus angle increased, the area of maximum stress gradually shifted medially on the polyethylene liner. As the PTS increases, the percentage of surface contact forces on the medial and lateral compartmental of the polyethylene liner gradually converge to the same. When the varus angle is between 0° and 3°, the maximum stress of the medial compartmental surfaces of polyethylene liner rises smoothly with the increase of the PTS. When the varus angle is between 4° and 9°, as the increase of the PTS, the maximum stress of polyethylene liner rises first and then falls, forming a trough at PTS 5° and then rises again. Compared to the PTS, the varus angle has a large effect on the maximum stress of the polyethylene liner (p < .001). CONCLUSION: When the varus angle is 0° to 3°, PTS 0° is recommended, which will result in a more equalized stress distribution of the polyethylene liner in TKA.

Response of microbial communities and biogeochemical cycling functions to sediment physicochemical properties and microplastic pollution under damming and water diversion projects.

Understanding the interactions among flow-sediment, microorganisms, and biogeochemical cycles is crucial for comprehending the ecological response mechanisms of dams and water diversion. This study focused on the spatial patterns of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur (CNPS) cycle functional genes in the water resource for the middle route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China, specifically the Danjiangkou Reservoir (comprising the Han and Dan reservoirs). The investigation incorporated sediment physicochemical properties and microplastic pollution. Numerous microbial species were identified, revealing that microbial communities demonstrated sensitivity to changes in sedimentary mud content. The communities exhibited greater ß diversity due to finer sediment particles in the Han Reservoir (HR), whereas in the Dan Reservoir (DR), despite having higher sediment nutrient content and MPs pollution, did not display this pattern. Regarding the composition and structure of microbial communities, the study highlighted that sediment N and P content had a more significant influence compared to particle size and MPs. The quantitative microbial element cycling (QMEC) results confirmed the presence of extensive chemolithotrophic microbes and strong nitrogen cycle activity stemming from long-term water storage and diversion operations. The denitrification intensity in the HR surpassed that of the DR. Notably, near the pre-dam area, biological nitrogen fixation, phosphorus removal, and sulfur reduction exhibited noticeable increases. Dam construction refined sediment, fostering the growth of different biogeochemical cycling bacteria and increasing the abundance of CNPS cycling genes. Furthermore, the presence of MPs exhibited a positive correlation with S cycling genes and a negative correlation with C and N cycling genes. These findings suggest that variations in flow-sediment dynamics and MPs pollution have significant impact the biogeochemical cycle of the reservoir.

SHG Assisted Mixed-Phases Anatomizing in a Molecular Ferroelectric.

Anatomizing mixed-phases, referring to analyzing the mixing profiles and quantifying the phases' proportions in a material, which is of great significance in the genuine applications. Here, by using second-harmonic generation (SHG) polarimetry and piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) techniques, this work elucidates the contributions and distributions of two different symmetric phases mixed in an archetype monoaxial molecular ferroelectric, diisopropylammonium chloride (DIPACl). The two competing phases are preferred in thermodynamics or kinetic process respectively, and this work evidences the switching behavior between the two competing phases facilitated by an external electrical field as opposed to a heating process. This research contributes novel insights into phase engineering in the field of molecular ferroelectrics and is poised to serve as a potent analytical tool for subsequent applications.

Preliminary study of the homeostatic regulation of osseointegration by nanotube topology.

The ideal implant surface plays a substantial role in maintaining bone homeostasis by simultaneously promoting osteoblast differentiation and limiting overactive osteoclast activity to a certain extent, which leads to satisfactory dynamic osseointegration. However, the rational search for implant materials with an ideal surface structure is challenging and a hot research topic in the field of tissue engineering. In this study, we constructed titanium dioxide titanium nanotubes (TNTs) by anodic oxidation and found that this structure significantly promoted osteoblast differentiation and inhibited osteoclast formation and function while simultaneously inhibiting the total protein levels of proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (PYK2) and focal adhesion kinase (FAK). Knockdown of the PYK2 gene by siRNA significantly suppressed the number and osteoclastic differentiation activity of mouse bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMs), while overexpression of PYK2 inhibited osteogenesis and increased osteoclastic activity. Surprisingly, we found for the first time that neither knockdown nor overexpression of the FAK gene alone caused changes in osteogenesis or osteoclastic function. More importantly, compared with deletion or overexpression of PYK2/FAK alone, coexpression or cosilencing of the two kinases accelerated the effects of TNTs on osteoclastic and osteogenic differentiation on the surface of cells. Furthermore, in vivo experiments revealed a significant increase in positiveexpression-PYK2 cells on the surface of TNTs, but no significant change in positiveexpression -FAK cells was observed. In summary, PYK2 is a key effector molecule by which osteoblasts sense nanotopological mechanical signals and maintain bone homeostasis around implants. These results provide a referable molecular mechanism for the future development and design of homeostasis-based regulatory implant biomaterials.

Tobacco toxins trigger bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells aging by inhibiting mitophagy.

Smoking disrupts bone homeostasis and serves as an independent risk factor for the development and progression of osteoporosis. Tobacco toxins inhibit the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), promote BMSCs aging and exhaustion, but the specific mechanisms are not yet fully understood. Herein, we successfully established a smoking-related osteoporosis (SROP) model in rats and mice through intraperitoneal injection of cigarette smoke extract (CSE), which significantly reduced bone density and induced aging and inhibited osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs both in vivo and in vitro. Bioinformatics analysis and in vitro experiments confirmed that CSE disrupts mitochondrial homeostasis through oxidative stress and inhibition of mitophagy. Furthermore, we discovered that CSE induced BMSCs aging by upregulating phosphorylated AKT, which in turn inhibited the expression of FOXO3a and the Pink1/Parkin pathway, leading to the suppression of mitophagy and the accumulation of damaged mitochondria. MitoQ, a mitochondrial-targeted antioxidant and mitophagy agonist, was effective in reducing CSE-induced mitochondrial oxidative stress, promoting mitophagy, significantly downregulating the expression of aging markers in BMSCs, restoring osteogenic differentiation, and alleviating bone loss and autophagy levels in CSE-exposed mice. In summary, our results suggest that BMSCs aging caused by the inhibition of mitophagy through the AKT/FOXO3a/Pink1/Parkin axis is a key mechanism in smoking-related osteoporosis.

Clinical Observation on the FANG's Scalp Acupuncture Combined with Timing Auricular Point Pressing Therapy in the Treatment of Insomnia Patients with Maintenance Hemodialysis / 广州中医药大学学报

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of FANG's scalp acupuncture combined with timing auricular point pressing therapy in the treatment of insomnia patients with maintenance hemodialysis(MHD).Methods A total of 70 patients with insomnia on MHD were randomly divided into observation group and control group,with 35 patients in each group.Both groups were given conventional treatment,the control group was given oral use of Estazolam Tablets on the basis of conventional treatment,and the observation group was given FANG's scalp acupuncture combined with timing auricular point pressing therapy.Both groups were treated for a total of 4 weeks of treatment.After 1 month of treatment,the clinical efficacy of the two groups was evaluated,and the changes in the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI)score and the Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form(KDQOL-SF)score,as well as the scores of the Hamilton Depression Scale(HAMD)and the Hamilton Anxiety Scale(HAMA),were observed in the patients of the two groups before and after treatment.The changes in hemoglobin(Hb),serum creatinine(Scr),and blood urea nitrogen(BUN)levels were compared before and after treatment between the two groups,and the safety of the two groups was evaluated.Results(1)After treatment,the PSQI and KDQOL-SF scores of patients in the two groups were significantly improved(P＜0.05),and the observation group was significantly superior to the control group in improving PSQI and KDQOL-SF scores,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).(2)After treatment,the HAMD and HAMA scores of patients in the two groups were significantly improved(P＜0.05),and the observation group was significantly superior to the control group in improving HAMD and HAMA scores,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).(3)After treatment,the Hb,Scr,BUN levels of patients in the two groups were significantly improved(P＜0.05),and the observation group was significantly superior to the control group in improving Hb,Scr,BUN levels,and the differences were all statistically significant(P＜0.05).(4)The total effective rate was 77.14%(27/35)in the observation group and 62.86%(22/35)in the control group.The efficacy of the observation group was superior to that of the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).(5)Comparison of the incidence of adverse reactions in the two groups of patients,the difference was not statistically significant(P＞0.05).Conclusion FANG's scalp acupuncture combined with timing auricular point pressing therapy in the treatment of insomnia patients with MHD can effectively improve the sleep quality of patients and alleviate anxiety and depression,so as to improve the quality of life of patients,with remarkable efficacy.

Analysis of hot topics and frontiers on blood pressure monitoring in research of chronic kidney disease at home and abroad,2011-2022 / 现代临床护理

Objective To analyse the hot topics(CKD)frontiers,and of blood pressure monitoring in research of chronic kidney disease(CKD)at home and abroad,and provide references for future research in this field.Methods Articles on blood pressure monitoring in published in Web of Science,China Knowledge Network Infrastructure(CNKI),Wanfang(Wanfang Data)and China Science and Technology Journal Database(VIP)from 2011 to 2022 were searched,and CiteSpace 5.8.R3 visual analysis software was employed to analyse the number of articles involved,country,institution,keyword co-occurrence.The analysis was performed on the number of published papers,countries,institutions,keyword co-occurrence atlas,high frequency subject terms,keyword emergence and emergence of literatures.Results ① A total of 504 articles in English and 72 articles in Chinese were extracted from the literature search.Annual distribution of the number of articles generally showed a continuous upward trend,in which 2 peaks of articles were formed in 2016 and 2018;the main country of issuance was the United States,and the main institution of issuance was the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki,Greece;② In the analysis of keyword co-occurrence,8 high-frequency keywords with a word frequency greater than or equal to 30 were identified.It indicated that the research hotspots mainly focused on the classification of hypertension,the characteristics of blood pressure circadian rhythm,the management of cardiovascular disease and the prediction of death and prognosis in the blood pressure monitoring of CKD;③ Further testing of the emergent terms and emergent literatures yielded 23 strongest emergent terms and 11 emergent literatures,which went through three stages of development,namely,early,intermediate and latest.It was found that the research gradually shifted from the application of blood pressure monitoring in the assessment and diagnosis of kidney disease to the treatment,management and prognostic assessment of hypertension in CKD Conclusion The importance of blood pressure monitoring in the management of hypertension in CKD has received increasing attention from researchers,and future researches should focus on using different blood pressure monitoring schemes to enhance the assessment of cardiovascular risks and the individualised management of hypertension.

A survey on the intelligence status of children born during iodine deficiency disorders intervention period in rural areas of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu Province / 中华地方病学杂志

Objective:To investigate the intelligence status of children aged 10 - 12 in rural areas of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture (referred to as Linxia) in Gansu Province.Methods:From September to November 2019, a cross-sectional study was carried out to investigate the intelligence status of children aged 10 to 12 in 8 counties (cities) of Linxia. Chinese Raven's Progressive Matrices (rural version) was used for intelligence test and children's intelligence quotient (IQ) was calculated by regular mold to evaluate children's intelligence level.Results:A total of 1 721 children in Linxia were tested for intelligence, with an average IQ of 103.2. Among them, low intelligence (≤69) accounted for 1.0% (18/1 721), borderline (70 - 79) accounted for 3.0% (52/1 721), middle and lower (80 - 89) accounted for 8.4% (144/1 721), moderate (90 - 109) accounted for 56.6% (974/1 721), middle and upper (110 - 119) accounted for 21.9% (377/1 721), excellent (120 - 129) accounted for 7.8% (135/1 721), extremely excellent (≥130) accounted for 1.2% (21/1 721). There were 635, 598 and 488 children aged 10, 11 and 12, respectively, with an average IQ of 106.1, 103.3 and 99.2. There were 919 males and 802 females, with an average IQ of 102.9 and 103.4, respectively.Conclusion:In 2019, the intelligence of children aged 10 to 12 in rural areas of Linxia has reached the moderate level.

Low intramuscular adipose tissue index is a protective factor of all-cause mortality in maintenance dialysis patients / 中华肾脏病杂志

Objective:To investigate the relationship between intramuscular adipose tissue index (IATI) calculated from computed tomography images at transverse process of the first lumbar and all-cause mortality in maintenance dialysis patients, and to provide a reference for improving the prognosis in these patients.Methods:It was a multicenter retrospective cohort study. The clinical data of patients who received maintenance hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis treatment from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019 in 4 grade Ⅲ hospitals including Zhongda Hospital Affiliated to Southeast University, Taizhou People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University, and the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University were retrospectively collected. IATI was calculated by low attenuation muscle (LAM) density/skeletal muscle density. The receiver-operating characteristic curve was used to determine the optimal cut-off value of IATI, and the patients were divided into high IATI group and low IATI group according to the optimal cut-off value. The differences of baseline clinical data and measurement parameters of the first lumbar level between the two groups were compared. The follow-up ended on December 23, 2022. The endpoint event was defined as all-cause mortality within 3 years. Kaplan-Meier survival curve and log-rank test were used to analyze the survival rates and the differences between the two groups. Multivariate Cox regression analysis models were used to analyze the association between IATI and the risk of all-cause mortality in maintenance dialysis patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis model was used to analyze the influencing factors of high IATI.Results:A total of 478 patients were eligibly recruited in this study, with age of (53.55±13.19) years old and 319 (66.7%) males, including 365 (76.4%) hemodialysis patients and 113 (23.6%) peritoneal dialysis patients. There were 376 (78.7%) patients in low IATI (<0.42) group and 102 (21.3%) patients in high IATI (≥0.42) group. The proportion of age ≥ 60 years old ( χ2=24.746, P<0.001), proportion of diabetes mellitus ( χ2=5.570, P=0.018), fasting blood glucose ( t=-2.145, P=0.032), LAM density ( t=-3.735, P<0.001), LAM index ( t=-7.072, P<0.001), and LAM area/skeletal muscle area ratio ( Z=-9.630, P<0.001) in high IATI group were all higher than those in low IATI group, while proportion of males ( χ2=11.116, P<0.001), serum albumin ( Z=2.708, P=0.007) and skeletal muscle density ( t=12.380, P<0.001) were lower than those in low IATI group. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the 3-years overall survival rate of low IATI group was significantly higher than that in high IATI group (Log-rank χ2=19.188, P<0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that IATI<0.42 [<0.42/≥0.42, HR(95% CI): 0.50 (0.31-0.83), P=0.007] was an independent protective factor of all-cause mortality, and age ≥60 years old [ HR (95% CI): 2.61 (1.60-4.23), P<0.001], diabetes mellitus [ HR (95% CI): 1.71 (1.06-2.78), P=0.029] and high blood neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio [ HR (95% CI): 1.04 (1.00-1.07), P=0.049] were the independent risk factors of all-cause mortality in maintenance dialysis patients. Stepwise Cox regression analysis showed that IATI<0.42 was still an independent protective factor of all-cause mortality in maintenance dialysis patients [<0.42/≥0.42, HR (95% CI): 0.45 (0.27-0.76), P=0.003]. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that low skeletal muscle density [ OR (95% CI): 0.84 (0.81-0.88), P<0.001] and high serum triglyceride [ OR (95% CI): 1.39 (1.07-1.82), P=0.015] were the independent influencing factors of IATI≥0.42. Conclusion:IATI<0.42 of the first lumbar level is an independent protective factor of all-cause mortality in maintenance dialysis patients. Localized myosteatosis within high-quality skeletal muscle may reduce the risk of all-cause mortality in these patients.

Endoscopic management of duodenal perforation caused by foreign bodies in adults: A retrospective study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Duodenal perforation caused by foreign bodies (FBs) is very rare but is an urgent emergency that traditionally requires surgical intervention. Several case reports have reported the successful endoscopic removal of duodenal perforating FBs. Here we aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of endoscopic management of duodenal perforating FBs in adults. METHODS: Between October 2004 and October 2022, 12,851 patients with endoscopically diagnosed gastrointestinal FBs from four tertiary hospitals in China were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were enrolled if they were endoscopically and/or radiographically diagnosed with duodenal perforating FBs. RESULTS: The incidence of duodenal total FBs and perforating FBs was 1.9% and 0.3%, respectively. Thirty-four patients were enrolled. Endoscopic removal was achieved in 25 patients (73.5%), and nine patients (26.5%) received surgery. For the endoscopic group, most perforating FBs were located in the duodenal bulb (36.0%) and descending part (28.0%). The adverse events included 3 mucosal injuries and 1 localized peritonitis. All patients were cured after conventional treatment. In the surgical group, most FBs were lodged in the descending part (55.6%). One patient developed localized peritonitis and one patient died of multiple organ failure. The significant features of FBs requiring surgery included FB over 10 cm, both sides perforation, multiple perforating FBs and massive pus overflow. CONCLUSION: Endoscopic removal of duodenal perforating FBs is safe and effective, and can be the first choice of treatment for experienced endoscopists. Surgical intervention may be required for patients with FBs over 10 cm, both sides perforation, multiple perforating FBs, or severe infections.

Study on primary screening technique for children with autism spectrum disorder / 中华预防医学杂志

To explore screening tools for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which are convenient for primary hospitals, it can provide basic data for formulating ASD prevention policies. This was a cross-sectional study by cluster sampling. Huyi District and Xincheng District were extracted for investigation in Xi'an City. From July 2021 to September 2022, all children aged from 3 months to 36 months who live in the two districts were subjected to primary screening. The child care physician used the routine screening tool "warning signs checklist for screening psychological, behavioral and developmental problems of children" and cartoon pictures of "early high-risk warning signs of autism", the children who were positive in the initial screening were referred to the district level maternal and child health hospital for re-screening, and those who were positive in the re-screening were referred to Xi 'an Children's Hospital for diagnosis. The results showed that a total of 17 905 children aged from 3 months to 36 months were initially screened in the two districts, including 10 588 children aged from 18 months to 36 months, 50 children who were positive in the initial screening and 50 children who were re-screened. 23 children (18 boys and 5 girls) were diagnosed with ASD. The prevalence rate of ASD in children was 2.17‰ (95% confidence interval:1.29‰-3.06‰). 42 children were positive for "warning signs checklist" at the preliminary screening, and 19 were confirmed as ASD. 27 children were positive for "cartoon pictures" in the preliminary screening, and 23 were confirmed with ASD. The "cartoon pictures" in the preliminary screening and diagnosis of consistent rate was higher than the "warning signs checklist", two kinds of screening methods comparison were statistically significant difference in the odds of consistent (χ2=11.01, P=0.001). In conclusion, relying on the three-level network of maternal and child health care, it is conducive to the whole process management of screening and diagnosis of children with ASD, and to guide the formulation of prevention policies. The cartoon pictures of "early high-risk warning signs of autism" can assist the identification of children with ASD based on the "warning signs checklist", which is simple, effective and suitable for promotion in the community health care.

Study on primary screening technique for children with autism spectrum disorder / 中华预防医学杂志

To explore screening tools for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which are convenient for primary hospitals, it can provide basic data for formulating ASD prevention policies. This was a cross-sectional study by cluster sampling. Huyi District and Xincheng District were extracted for investigation in Xi'an City. From July 2021 to September 2022, all children aged from 3 months to 36 months who live in the two districts were subjected to primary screening. The child care physician used the routine screening tool "warning signs checklist for screening psychological, behavioral and developmental problems of children" and cartoon pictures of "early high-risk warning signs of autism", the children who were positive in the initial screening were referred to the district level maternal and child health hospital for re-screening, and those who were positive in the re-screening were referred to Xi 'an Children's Hospital for diagnosis. The results showed that a total of 17 905 children aged from 3 months to 36 months were initially screened in the two districts, including 10 588 children aged from 18 months to 36 months, 50 children who were positive in the initial screening and 50 children who were re-screened. 23 children (18 boys and 5 girls) were diagnosed with ASD. The prevalence rate of ASD in children was 2.17‰ (95% confidence interval:1.29‰-3.06‰). 42 children were positive for "warning signs checklist" at the preliminary screening, and 19 were confirmed as ASD. 27 children were positive for "cartoon pictures" in the preliminary screening, and 23 were confirmed with ASD. The "cartoon pictures" in the preliminary screening and diagnosis of consistent rate was higher than the "warning signs checklist", two kinds of screening methods comparison were statistically significant difference in the odds of consistent (χ2=11.01, P=0.001). In conclusion, relying on the three-level network of maternal and child health care, it is conducive to the whole process management of screening and diagnosis of children with ASD, and to guide the formulation of prevention policies. The cartoon pictures of "early high-risk warning signs of autism" can assist the identification of children with ASD based on the "warning signs checklist", which is simple, effective and suitable for promotion in the community health care.

Iodine nutritional status of population before and after system reform of salt industry in Gansu Province / 公共卫生与预防医学

Objective To understand the impact of system reform of salt industry on iodine nutrition of people in Gansu Province, and to provide a scientific basis for policy adjustment of relevant departments. Methods The investigation period (2014-2021) was divided into two sub-periods: before system reform of salt industry (2014-2016) and after system reform of salt industry (2017-2021). Thirty counties were selected according to the method of “population proportional probability sampling (PPS)” in 2014. According to the iodine deficiency disease monitoring program of Gansu Province, from 2016 to 2021, children aged 8-10 years and pregnant women were taken as research objects to collect urine samples for urine iodine detection. Children in 2014 and 2018 were selected to measure thyroid volume. Results A total of 90 989 children urine iodine samples were investigated, and the median urinary iodine (MUI) of children was 194.70µg/L; 7 663 and 83,326 children's urinary iodine samples were investigated in the two periods, the MUI was 180.73 µg/L and 196.00 µg/L, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). A total of 44 741 pregnant women's urinary iodine samples were investigated, and the MUI of pregnant women was 176.50 µg/L; 4 480 and 40 261 pregnant women's urinary iodine samples were investigated in the two periods, the MUI was 160.61 µg/L and 178.10 µg/L, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The thyroid volume of 1 555 children and 8 509 children was investigated in the two periods, the median thyroid volume was 2.70 mL and 2.55 mL , respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The rates of goiter in children were 3.15% and 1.26%, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion The iodine nutrition of people in Gansu Province has not fluctuated significantly after the reform of salt industry system and has maintained an appropriate level. It is necessary to pay attention to the potential risk of insufficient iodine nutrition level and thyroid health of key populations such as children and pregnant women and strengthen health education of scientific iodine supplementation.

Collagen-Based Hydrogels for Cartilage Regeneration.

Cartilage regeneration remains difficult due to a lack of blood vessels. Degradation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) causes cartilage defects, and the ECM provides the natural environment and nutrition for cartilage regeneration. Until now, collagen hydrogels are considered to be excellent material for cartilage regeneration due to the similar structure to ECM and good biocompatibility. However, collagen hydrogels also have several drawbacks, such as low mechanical strength, limited ability to induce stem cell differentiation, and rapid degradation. Thus, there is a demanding need to optimize collagen hydrogels for cartilage regeneration. In this review, we will first briefly introduce the structure of articular cartilage and cartilage defect classification and collagen, then provide an overview of the progress made in research on collagen hydrogels with chondrocytes or stem cells, comprehensively expound the research progress and clinical applications of collagen-based hydrogels that integrate inorganic or organic materials, and finally present challenges for further clinical translation.

Imeglimin profoundly affects the circadian clock in mouse embryonic fibroblasts.

OBJECTIVE: Imeglimin is a novel antidiabetic drug structurally related to metformin. Metformin has been shown to modulate the circadian clock in rat fibroblasts. Accordingly, in the present study, we aimed to determine whether imeglimin can impact the circadian oscillator in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). METHODS: MEFs carrying a Bmal1-Emerald luciferase (Bmal1-ELuc) reporter were exposed to imeglimin (0.1 or 1 mM), metformin (0.1 or 1 mM), a nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase inhibitor FK866, and/or vehicle. Subsequently, Bmal1-ELuc expression and clock gene mRNA expression levels were measured at 10-min intervals for 55 h and 4-h intervals for 32 h, respectively. RESULTS: Imeglimin significantly prolonged the period (from 26.3 to 30.0 h at 0.1 mM) and dose-dependently increased the amplitude (9.6-fold at 1 mM) of the Bmal1-ELuc expression rhythm; however, metformin exhibited minimal effects on these parameters. Moreover, imeglimin notably impacted the rhythmic mRNA expression of clock genes (Bmal1, Per1, and Cry1). The concurrent addition of FK866 partly inhibited the effects of imeglimin on both Bmal1-ELuc expression and clock gene mRNA expression. CONCLUSION: Collectively, these results reveal that imeglimin profoundly affects the circadian clock in MEFs. Further studies are needed to evaluate whether imeglimin treatment could exert similar effects in vivo.

Personalized radiomics signature to screen for KIT-11 mutation genotypes among patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumors: a retrospective multicenter study.

OBJECTIVES: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) carrying different KIT exon 11 (KIT-11) mutations exhibit varying prognoses and responses to Imatinib. Herein, we aimed to determine whether computed tomography (CT) radiomics can accurately stratify KIT-11 mutation genotypes to benefit Imatinib therapy and GISTs monitoring. METHODS: Overall, 1143 GISTs from 3 independent centers were separated into a training cohort (TC) or validation cohort (VC). In addition, the KIT-11 mutation genotype was classified into 4 categories: no KIT-11 mutation (K11-NM), point mutations or duplications (K11-PM/D), KIT-11 557/558 deletions (K11-557/558D), and KIT-11 deletion without codons 557/558 involvement (K11-D). Subsequently, radiomic signatures (RS) were generated based on the arterial phase of contrast CT, which were then developed as KIT-11 mutation predictors using 1408 quantitative image features and LASSO regression analysis, with further evaluation of its predictive capability. RESULTS: The TC AUCs for K11-NM, K11-PM/D, K11-557/558D, and K11-D ranged from 0.848 (95% CI 0.812-0.884), 0.759 (95% CI 0.722-0.797), 0.956 (95% CI 0.938-0.974), and 0.876 (95% CI 0.844-0.908), whereas the VC AUCs ranged from 0.723 (95% CI 0.660-0.786), 0.688 (95% CI 0.643-0.732), 0.870 (95% CI 0.824-0.918), and 0.830 (95% CI 0.780-0.878). Macro-weighted AUCs for the KIT-11 mutant genotype ranged from 0.838 (95% CI 0.820-0.855) in the TC to 0.758 (95% CI 0.758-0.784) in VC. TC had an overall accuracy of 0.694 (95%CI 0.660-0.729) for RS-based predictions of the KIT-11 mutant genotype, whereas VC had an accuracy of 0.637 (95%CI 0.595-0.679). CONCLUSIONS: CT radiomics signature exhibited good predictive performance in estimating the KIT-11 mutation genotype, especially in prediction of K11-557/558D genotype. RS-based classification of K11-NM, K11-557/558D, and K11-D patients may be an indication for choice of Imatinib therapy.

Effects of acupuncture therapy in diabetic neuropathic pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture in relieving diabetic neuropathic pain and to establish a more reliable and efficient foundation for acupuncture practice in diabetes care. METHODS: The Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang database, Chongqing Weipu, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were all searched for a randomized controlled trial research of acupuncture for DNP. Two researchers independently performed literature screening, quality evaluation, and data extraction. After selecting studies and extracting data, we conducted the data analysis using RevMan 5.4 and Stata 14.0. The quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool. RESULTS: An extensive review of 19 studies involving 1276 patients up to April 29, 2023, found that acupuncture was successful in improving pain intensity [MD= -1.09; 95% CI (-1.28, -0.89), P < 0.00001], clinical efficacy indicating pain changes [RR= 1.22; 95% CI (1.15, 1.29), P < 0.00001], and clinical neuropathy [MD= -1.55; 95% CI ( -3.00, -0.09), P = 0.04] in DNP patients. Quality of life was also improved, with few side effects reported. CONCLUSION: According to this meta-analysis, acupuncture therapy significantly improved the clinical efficacy of pain intensity, pain changes, and clinical neuropathy in patients with DNP, improved the quality of life of patients to a certain extent, and had lower side effects. This discovery provides evidence-based and practical recommendations for the treatment of DNP patients.

Effect of hexavalent chromium on growth performance and metabolism in broiler chicken.

Hexavalent chromium Cr (VI) is one of the most hazardous heavy metals in the environment and is toxic to living organisms causing tissue damage, disruption of the intestinal microbiota and cancer. However, there is little information on the relationship between the Cr (VI) and broiler chickens. The current study was performed to investigate the effect of Cr (VI) on growth performance, serum biochemical analysis, histopathological observations, and metabolomics analysis in broilers. Results show that Cr (VI) exposure significantly decreased the body weight (p < 0.01) and caused liver damages in broilers. With the extension of Cr (VI) action time, the liver appeared obvious pathological changes, including hepatic cord disorder, incomplete hepatocyte additionally, decreased serum biochemical indices of calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), total protein (TP), phosphatase (ALP), and globin (GLB) significantly (p < 0.01). Moreover, metabolomics analysis indicated that 29 differential metabolites were identified, such as phytosphingosine, L-Serine, 12, 13-DHOME, Alpha-dimorphecolic acid, L-Methionine, L-Phenylalanine, 3-Dehydroshikimate, L-Tyrosine, and N-Acetyl-L-phenylalanine were significantly decreased under the action of Cr (VI) (p < 0.05). These 29 differential metabolites are mainly involved in 35 metabolic pathways, such as aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis, phenylalanine metabolism, sphingolipid, and linoleic metabolism. The study revealed that exposure to Cr (VI) resulted in a decrease in growth performance and metabolism, with the hazards and toxicity in broiler chicken. The findings provided new insight and a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between Cr (VI) and broiler chickens.

Tobacco toxins induce osteoporosis through ferroptosis.

Clinical epidemiological studies have confirmed that tobacco smoking disrupts bone homeostasis and is an independent risk factor for the development of osteoporosis. The low viability and inferior osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) are important etiologies of osteoporosis. However, few basic studies have elucidated the specific mechanisms that tobacco toxins devastated BMSCs and consequently induced or exacerbated osteoporosis. Herein, our clinical data showed the bone mineral density (BMD) values of femoral neck in smokers were significantly lower than non-smokers, meanwhile cigarette smoke extract (CSE) exposure led to a significant decrease of BMD in rats and dysfunction of rat BMSCs (rBMSCs). Transcriptomic analysis and phenotype experiments suggested that the ferroptosis pathway was significantly activated in CSE-treated rBMSCs. Accumulated intracellular reactive oxygen species activated AMPK signaling, furtherly promoted NCOA4-mediated ferritin-selective autophagic processes, increased labial iron pool and lipid peroxidation deposition, and ultimately led to ferroptosis in rBMSCs. Importantly, in vivo utilization of ferroptosis and ferritinophagy inhibitors significantly alleviated BMD loss in CSE-exposed rats. Our study innovatively reveals the key mechanism of smoking-related osteoporosis, and provides a possible route targeting on the perspective of BMSC ferroptosis for future prevention and treatment of smoking-related bone homeostasis imbalance.