Porous VN nanosheet arrays on MXene carbon fibers for flexible supercapacitors.

VN usually has poor rate performance and cycle stability. In this work, porous VN nanosheet arrays were prepared on carbon nanofibers embedded with Ti3C2Tx nanosheets by electrospinning and chemical vapor deposition. The 3D network accelerates the transfer of electrons and electrolyte ions, prevents the aggregation of VN and the self-stacking of MXene, and enhances cycle stability. The solid-state flexible device comprising Co3O4, MXCF@VN, and KOH/PVA exhibits exceptional energy densities of 83.95 W h kg-1 and robust cycling stability (82.8% retention after 20 000 cycles).

Sign of Neck Mass as the Chief Complaint: A Case Report and Literature Review About Thyroid Metastasis of Colorectal Cancer.

Background: Commonly, the thyroid gland is regarded as an organ with fewer metastatic diseases, and colorectal metastasis to the thyroid (CMT) is rarely reported, especially, with that the clinical sign of thyroid metastasis nidus is the chief complaint. The CMT occurs in advanced colorectal cancer and is associated with poor prognosis and short survival. Case Report: In this case, we reported a patient with the sign of neck mass as the first manifestation of CMT. The patient underwent a partial thyroidectomy in June 2019, immunohistochemical findings of thyroid carcinoma suggested the possibility of adenocarcinoma of gastrointestinal tract. The patient underwent a colonoscopy in July 2019 and a colonic mass was found. Pathological examination diagnosed rectal adenocarcinoma. The patient underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgical treatment, postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy and targeted therapy. The patient died in June 2022. Conclusion: The metastasis disease would not be ignored at all, when a patient complains at signs of neck mass. Further, the possibility of metastasis cancer should be considered once thyroid nodules occur in patients with colorectal cancer. Even though the biological characteristics and stage of the primary tumor have an important impact on the prognosis, positive standardized treatments can also be helpful.

What are the differences in paraspinal muscle morphometry among degenerative spondylolisthesis patients, isthmic spondylolisthesis patients, and healthy individuals? A propensity score matching analysis.

PURPOSE: To compare the morphometry of paraspinal muscles in patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis (DS), isthmic spondylolisthesis (IS), and healthy individuals. METHODS: Thirty-seven pairs of DS patients were selected using propensity score matching with IS patients, while 37 healthy individuals matched for age, sex, and BMI were selected as controls. The relative cross-sectional area (rCSA), and relative functional cross-sectional area (rfCSA) of paraspinal muscles were measured, and the degree of fatty infiltration (FI) was calculated. Based on occupational differences, the patients were also divided into worker and farmer groups, and the same measurements were taken on them. RESULTS: At the L3/L4 level, the multifidus (MF) FI was greater in the DS and IS groups than in the control group, the erector spinae (ES) rfCSA was higher in the IS group than in the DS and control groups. At the L4/L5 level, MF rfCSA was smaller in the DS and IS groups than in the control group; ES rfCSA was higher in the IS group than in the DS and control groups. At the L5/S1 level, MF rfCSA was smaller in the DS and IS groups than in the control group; ES rfCSA was higher in the IS group than in the DS group. At the L3/L4, L4/L5 level, MF rfCSA were higher in the worker group than in the farmer group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The morphological changes in paraspinal muscles in patients with DS were dominated by selective atrophy of the MF, while in patients with IS, the morphological changes in paraspinal muscle showed selective atrophy of the MF accompanied by compensatory hypertrophy of the ES. The surgeon should consider the morphological differences in paraspinal muscle between different types of lumbar spondylolisthesis when establishing the appropriate surgical program.

An Analysis of Intrapitch Variation in Joint and Segment Velocities With Throwing Arm Kinetics in High School and Professional Baseball Pitchers.

BACKGROUND: Improper sequencing order of maximal joint and segment velocities has been identified as an important predictor for both throwing arm kinetics and ball velocity. PURPOSE: To investigate the intrapitcher variation of maximal segment velocities and the relationship to throwing arm kinetics and ball velocity in high school (HS) and professional (PRO) pitchers. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive laboratory study. METHODS: HS (n = 59) and PRO (n = 338) pitchers, instructed to throw 8 to 12 fastball pitches, were evaluated with 3-dimensional motion capture (480 Hz). Maximal joint and segment velocities were calculated for each pitch, and the standard deviation of the maxima was calculated per pitcher. These standard deviations were used to classify pitchers as "low variance" or "high variance" for each segmental velocity subgroup, "overall low variance" or "overall high variance" based on cumulative segment velocity variation, or "population," with any pitcher eligible to be included in multiple subcategories. Maximal velocities and throwing arm kinetics were compared among the various subgroups. RESULTS: The HS low-variance shoulder internal rotation velocity subgroup (4949 ± 642 deg/s) had significantly lower maximal shoulder internal rotation velocity compared with HS population (5774 ± 1057 deg/s) (P < .001); similar findings were observed for PROs (5269 ± 835 vs 5824 ± 1076 deg/s; P < .001), as well as lower shoulder superior force compared with the PRO population (14.8% ± 8.8% vs 17.8% ± 8.8% body weight; P = .001). The PRO low-variance lead knee extension velocity subgroup had significantly lower maximal lead knee extension velocity (216 ± 135 vs 258 ± 125 deg/s; P = .001) and shoulder distractive force (111.5% ± 14.4% vs 115.6% ± 15.9% body weight; P = .003) compared with the PRO population. The PRO overall low-variance subgroup had significantly lower shoulder distractive force (111.8% ± 14.1% vs 119.6% ± 15.5% body weight; P = .008) and elbow anterior force (40.6% ± 5.0% vs 43.6% ± 6.2% body weight; P = .008) compared with the PRO overall high-variance subgroup. CONCLUSION: HS and PRO pitchers with low variance for joint and segment velocities achieved significantly lower maximal velocities in the subgroup of interest, while preserving ball velocity. PRO pitchers with overall low variance among multiple maximal joint and segment velocities demonstrated decreased shoulder distractive and elbow anterior force. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: PRO pitchers with low intrapitch variation in maximal joint and segment velocities may be viewed as kinetically conservative throwers. These pitchers with similarly maintained mechanics between pitches may have an increasingly regimented form that preserves kinetic forces about the throwing arm. The opposite may be true for PRO pitchers with increased variability in segmental velocities during their pitching motion, as they showed increased throwing arm kinetics including shoulder distractive and elbow anterior force compared with the overall low-variance group, theoretically increasing their risk of injury.

Osteoporosis and cement usage in total hip arthroplasty.

PURPOSE: Cement usage in total hip arthroplasty (THA) is increasingly common. However, osteoporosis-related fracture risk in cemented vs uncemented THA patients is poorly characterized. We aim to analyze the usage of metabolic bone care and osteoporosis fracture risk in cemented vs uncemented THA patients using FRAX and radiographic bone measurements. METHODS: Chart review on 250 THA patients was performed retrospectively. Demographics, FRAX scores, hip radiograph measurements, osteoporosis diagnosis, treatment and screening were compared between cemented and uncemented THA patients. Logistic regression model was used to analyze factors influencing cement usage. RESULTS: Cemented THA patients have significantly higher osteoporosis-related fracture risk as measured by FRAX major (20% vs 13%) and FRAX hip (8% vs 5%). There is no significant difference in osteoporosis treatment, vitamin D / calcium supplementation, or metabolic bone disease screening based on patients' cement status. Female sex and rheumatoid arthritis status significantly predict cement usage, but FRAX scores do not predict cement usage. Additionally, 50% (10/20) of patients with Dorr C classification were uncemented. CONCLUSION: Although some patients undergoing THA with high osteoporosis-related fracture risk were identified and cemented, some risk factors including poor proximal femur shape (by Dorr classification) and poor bone quality (as measured by FRAX score) were potentially overlooked. Cemented patients had an increased risk for fractures but did not receive appropriately increased osteoporosis screening or treatment. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Comparison of the predictive values of MRI-based vertebral bone quality scores for the determination of osteoporosis in different diseases.

PURPOSE: The study aimed to examine the consistency of vertebral bone quality (VBQ) scores for assessing osteoporosis across different etiologies and explore the predictive value of various VBQ scores for fragility vertebral fractures. METHODS: Patients with fragility fractures were matched by age and sex to patients with lumbar degeneration. VBQ scores were calculated in T1- and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Differential analysis of bone quality was performed based on etiology. RESULTS: A total of 96 inpatients were retrospectively enrolled. VBQT1 scores were only sensitive to osteoporotic bone in degenerative group (p < 0.01), failing to identify osteoporosis in fractured group (p > 0.05). For the degenerative group, the area under the curve (AUC) using the VBQT1 scores to differentiate osteoporosis was 0.72. After controlling the confounding variables, only VBQT2 scores were significantly higher in fractured group than degenerative group, with a greater AUC of 0.82 predicting fragility fractures. VBQT1 scores moderately correlated with femoral neck T-scores in degenerative group (r = -0.45, p < 0.01) but not in fractured group (r = -0.24, p > 0.05). VBQT2 scores were not associated with femoral neck T-scores (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study is the first to evaluate the effectiveness of VBQs scores in assessing osteoporosis post-fracture. Only non-fractured patients' bone quality is fully susceptible to VBQT1 scores. While VBQT1 scores may not correlate with fragility fractures, VBQT2 scores present a viable alternative.

Ti3C2Tx MXene-embedded MnO2-based hydrophilic electrospun carbon nanofibers as a freestanding electrode for supercapacitors.

Herein, MnO2 nanoflowers are electrodeposited on a self-supported and electroconductive electrode in which 2D Ti3C2Tx nanosheets are encased in carbon nanofibers (MnO2@Ti3C2Tx/CNFs). This improves the conductivity and hydrophilicity of the MnO2 composite electrode. The asymmetric supercapacitor shows a high energy density of 46.4 W h kg-1 and a power density of 4 kW kg-1.

Kinematic and Kinetic Comparisons of Arm Slot Position Between High School and Professional Pitchers.

Background: Throwing arm kinetics differ in pitchers at varying arm slot (AS) positions (frontal-plane arm position at ball release relative to the vertical axis). Purpose: To determine how kinematic and kinetic values differ between professional and high school pitchers with varying AS positions, and whether these differences are similarly observed in both populations. Methods: High school (n = 130) and professional (n = 288) pitchers threw 8 to 12 fastballs under 3-dimensional motion capture technology. Pitchers in each cohort were subdivided based on mean AS position at ball release: AS1 (least degree of AS: most overhand throwing styles), AS2 (intermediate degree of AS: three-quarter throwing styles), or AS3 (greatest degree of AS: most sidearm throwing styles). Kinetic and kinematic parameters were compared between groups. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Results: High school pitchers had a more overhand AS at ball release (50° ± 11°) compared with professional pitchers (58° ± 14°) (P < .001). In both cohorts, AS1 pitchers had significantly greater shoulder abduction (high school, P <0.001; professional, P <0.0001) and lateral trunk flexion (high school, P < 0.001; professional, P <0.0001) at ball release compared with AS3 pitchers. Professional pitchers with an AS3 position had significantly delayed timing of maximum upper trunk angular velocity compared with AS1 pitchers (64% ± 7% vs 57% ± 7% of pitch time, respectively; P < .0001). A significant positive correlation between AS and elbow flexion torque was found in high school pitchers (P = .002; ß = 0.28), and a significant negative correlation between AS and elbow varus torque (P < .001; ß = -0.22) and shoulder internal rotation torque (P < .001; ß = -0.20) was noted in professional pitchers. Conclusion: AS position was related to shoulder abduction and trunk lateral tilt. Professional and high school pitchers with varying AS positions did not experience similar changes in throwing arm kinetics. Clinical Relevance: In professional pitchers, the earlier onset of maximum upper trunk angular velocity with overhand throwing style may reflect inappropriate pelvis-trunk timing separation, a parameter implicated in upper extremity injury, and the negative correlation between AS and elbow varus and shoulder internal rotation torque suggests that both excessive and minimal AS positions have negative implications.

Association between metabolic healthy obesity and female infertility: the national health and nutrition examination survey, 2013-2020.

BACKGROUND: Obesity has been confirmed to be associated with infertility. However, the association between metabolically healthy obesity (MHO), a subset of obesity with no metabolic abnormalities, and female infertility has not yet been investigated. This study aimed to examine the association between MHO and the risk of female infertility among United States. METHODS: This study utilized a cross-sectional design and included 3542 women aged 20-45 years who were selected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2013-2020 database. The association between MHO and the risk of infertility was evaluated using risk factor-adjusted logistic regression models. RESULTS: Higher BMI and WC were associated with increased infertility risk after adjusting for potential confounding factors (OR (95% CI): 1.04(1.02, 1.06), P = 0.001; OR (95% CI): 1.02 (1.01, 1.03), P < 0.001; respectively). After cross-classifying by metabolic health and obesity according to BMI and WC categories, individuals with MHO had a higher risk of infertility than those with MHN (OR (95% CI): 1.75(0.88, 3.50) for BMI criteria; OR (95% CI): 2.01(1.03, 3.95) for WC criteria). A positive linear relationship was observed between BMI/WC and infertility risk among metabolically healthy women (Pnon-linearity=0.306, 0.170; respectively). CONCLUSIONS: MHO was associated with an increased risk of infertility among reproductive-aged women in the US. Obesity itself, regardless of metabolic health status, was associated with a higher infertility risk. Our results support implementing lifestyle changes aimed at achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight in all individuals, even those who are metabolically healthy.

Changes of the posterior paraspinal and psoas muscle in patients with low back pain: a 3-year longitudinal study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the changes of the posterior paraspinal muscles (PPM) and psoas muscle in patients with low back pain (LBP) over time. METHODS: Patients with LBP who had a repeat lumbar MRI with a minimum of 3-years apart at a tertiary referral center were analyzed. MRI-based quantitative assessments of the PPM and the psoas muscle were conducted for the baseline and follow-up MRI. The cross sectional area (CSA), the functional cross sectional area (fCSA) and the fat area (FAT) were calculated using a dedicated software program. The fatty infiltration (FI,%) of the regions of interest was calculated. Differences between the 1st and 2nd MRI were calculated for all assessed muscular parameters. RESULTS: A total of 353 patients (54.4%female) with a median age of 60.1 years and BMI of 25.8 kg/m2 at baseline were analyzed. The mean time between the 1st and 2nd MRI was 3.6 years. The fCSAPPM declined in both sexes significantly from the 1st to the 2nd MRI, whereas the FATPPM increased. In line with this result, the FIPPM increased in both males (29.9%) and females (19.4%). Females had a higher FIPPM and FIPsoas than males in both MRIs. In females, no significant changes were found for the psoas muscle. The CSAPsoas and fCSAPsoas in males were significantly smaller in the 2nd MRI. With increasing age, a significant trend in a decrease in ∆FIPPM was observed for both sexes. CONCLUSION: The study revealed significant quantitatively muscular changes in males and females, especially in the posterior paraspinal muscles in only three years' time.

VTSNN: a virtual temporal spiking neural network.

Spiking neural networks (SNNs) have recently demonstrated outstanding performance in a variety of high-level tasks, such as image classification. However, advancements in the field of low-level assignments, such as image reconstruction, are rare. This may be due to the lack of promising image encoding techniques and corresponding neuromorphic devices designed specifically for SNN-based low-level vision problems. This paper begins by proposing a simple yet effective undistorted weighted-encoding-decoding technique, which primarily consists of an Undistorted Weighted-Encoding (UWE) and an Undistorted Weighted-Decoding (UWD). The former aims to convert a gray image into spike sequences for effective SNN learning, while the latter converts spike sequences back into images. Then, we design a new SNN training strategy, known as Independent-Temporal Backpropagation (ITBP) to avoid complex loss propagation in spatial and temporal dimensions, and experiments show that ITBP is superior to Spatio-Temporal Backpropagation (STBP). Finally, a so-called Virtual Temporal SNN (VTSNN) is formulated by incorporating the above-mentioned approaches into U-net network architecture, fully utilizing the potent multiscale representation capability. Experimental results on several commonly used datasets such as MNIST, F-MNIST, and CIFAR10 demonstrate that the proposed method produces competitive noise-removal performance extremely which is superior to the existing work. Compared to ANN with the same architecture, VTSNN has a greater chance of achieving superiority while consuming ~1/274 of the energy. Specifically, using the given encoding-decoding strategy, a simple neuromorphic circuit could be easily constructed to maximize this low-carbon strategy.

Forearm Pronation at Foot Contact: A Biomechanical Motion-Capture Analysis in High School and Professional Pitchers.

Background: It has previously been speculated that baseball pitchers who display excessive forearm pronation at foot contact (FC) have a higher propensity toward ulnar collateral ligament injury and subsequent surgery. Purpose: To evaluate the association between degree of forearm pronation/supination at FC and throwing arm kinetics in high school and professional pitchers, at both the individual (intrapitcher) and the group (interpitcher) level. Study Design: Descriptive laboratory study. Methods: High school (n = 41) and professional (n = 196) pitchers threw 8 to 12 fastballs while being assessed with a 3-dimensional motion-capture system (480 Hz). Pitchers at each playing level were divided into a supination or pronation subgroup depending on degree of forearm pronation at FC. Regression models were built to observe the relationship between forearm pronation at FC and kinetic and kinematic parameters of interest. Results: At both the individual and the group level of high school and professional pitchers, there was no significant correlation between forearm pronation at FC and elbow varus torque (P min = .21). For every 10° increase in forearm pronation at FC in the individual high school pitcher, elbow flexion at FC decreased by 5°, whereas maximum elbow extension velocity was achieved 0.6% later in the pitch. In addition, elbow medial force increased by 4.1 N and elbow varus torque increased by 0.8 N·m for every 10° increase in forearm supination at FC. For every 10° increase in forearm supination in the individual professional pitcher, ball velocity increased by 0.5 m/s, shoulder external rotation at FC decreased by 11°, and elbow medial force decreased by 5.5 N. Conclusion: Supination- or pronation-predominant forearm motion during the pitch did not significantly differ between playing levels. Excessive forearm pronation at FC was not a significant risk factor for increased throwing arm kinetics for high school or professional pitchers. There was a weak positive association between forearm supination at FC and elbow varus torque in the individual high school pitcher. Ultimately, coaches and pitchers may be better served by redirecting their focus to other mechanical aspects of the pitch that may have stronger associations with injury risk implications as well as performance.

Molecular characterization of a cation-dependent mannose-6-phosphate receptor gene in Crassostrea hongkongensis and its responsiveness in Vibrio alginolyticus infection.

The cation-dependent mannose-6-phosphate receptor (CD-M6PR) is a P-type lectin that plays a crucial role in lysosomal enzyme transport, bacterial resistance, and viral entry. In this study, we cloned and analyzed the ORF of the CD-M6PR gene from Crassostrea hongkongensis and named it ChCD-M6PR. We analyzed the nucleotide and amino acid sequence of ChCD-M6PR, its tissue expression pattern and immune response to Vibrio alginolyticus. Our results showed that the ORF of ChCD-M6PR was 801 bp long and encoded a protein of 266 amino acids with a signal peptide at the N-terminus, as well as Man-6-P_recep, ATG27 and transmembrane structural domains. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Crassostrea hongkongensis shared the highest similarity with Crassostrea gigas in the terms of CD-M6PR. The ChCD-M6PR gene was found to be expressed in various tissues, with the highest expression observed in the hepatopancreas and the lowest in the hemocytes by the fluorescence quantitative PCR. Furthermore, the expression of ChCD-M6PR gene was significantly up-regulated for a short time in response to Vibrio alginolyticus infection in the gill and hemocytes, while it was down-regulated in the gonads. The expression patterns of ChCD-M6PR also varied in the other tissues. The 96 h cumulative mortality rate of Crassostrea hongkongensis infected with Vibrio alginolyticus after knockdown the ChCD-M6PR gene was significantly higher. Overall, our findings suggests that ChCD-M6PR plays a crucial role in the immune response of Crassostrea hongkongensis to Vibrio alginolyticus infection, and its tissue-specific expression patterns may be indicatitive of varied immune responses across tissues.

Epigenetic regulator KDM4A activates Notch1-NICD-dependent signaling to drive tumorigenesis and metastasis in breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Altered epigenetic reprogramming and events contribute to breast cancer (Bca) progression and metastasis. How the epigenetic histone demethylases modulate breast cancer progression remains poorly defined. We aimed to elucidate the biological roles of KDM4A in driving Notch1 activation and Bca progression. METHODS: The KDM4A expression in Bca specimens was analyzed using quantitative PCR and immunohistochemical assays. The biological roles of KDM4A were evaluated using wound-healing assays and an in vivo metastasis model. The Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-qPCR assay was used to determine the role of KDM4A in Notch1 regulation. RESULTS: Here, we screened that targeting KDM4A could induce notable cell growth suppression. KDM4A is required for the growth and progression of Bca cells. High KDM4A enhances tumor migration abilities and in vivo lung metastasis. Bioinformatic analysis suggested that KDM4A was highly expressed in tumors and high KDM4A correlates with poor survival outcomes. KDM4A activates Notch1 expressions via directly binding to the promoters and demethylating H3K9me3 modifications. KDM4A inhibition reduces expressions of a list of Notch1 downstream targets, and ectopic expressions of ICN1 could restore the corresponding levels. KDM4A relies on Notch1 signaling to maintain cell growth, migration and self-renewal capacities. Lastly, we divided a panel of cell lines into KDM4Ahigh and KDM4Alow groups. Targeting Notch1 using specific LY3039478 could efficiently suppress cell growth and colony formation abilities of KDM4Ahigh Bca. CONCLUSION: Taken together, KDM4A could drive Bca progression via triggering the activation of Notch1 pathway by decreasing H3K9me3 levels, highlighting a promising therapeutic target for Bca.

Bone loss after denosumab discontinuation is prevented by alendronate and zoledronic acid but not risedronate: a retrospective study.

A retrospective study of 121 patients who stopped denosumab (Dmab) then received no treatment (NT), risedronate (RIS), alendronate (ALN), or zoledronic acid (ZOL). Bone density (spine and hip) during and after Dmab discontinuation was measured. Treatment with ALN or ZOL, not NT and RIS, mitigated BMD loss after Dmab discontinuation. INTRODUCTION: Denosumab (Dmab) discontinuation is associated with bone loss and multiple vertebral fractures. The purpose was to compare bone mineral density (BMD) change in patients following Dmab discontinuation with no subsequent treatment (NT) and three bisphosphonate (BP) treatments: risedronate (RIS), alendronate (ALN), and zoledronic acid (ZOL). METHODS: In a review of 121 patients aged 71.2 ± 8.1 years, discontinuing Dmab (mean 5.4 doses), 33 received NT and 88 received BP (22 RIS; 34 ALN; 32 ZOL). BMD change after 1 year was compared between groups at the lumbar spine (LS), femoral neck (FN), and total hip (TH). Risk factors for bone loss after Dmab discontinuation were compared between groups and incidence of vertebral fractures was determined. RESULTS: Following Dmab discontinuation, LS mean change (g/cm2; 95% CI) was for NT: - 0.041 (- 0.062 to - 0.021); RIS: - 0.035 (- 0.052 to - 0.017); ALN: - 0.005 (- 0.020 to 0.009); and ZOL: - 0.009 (- 0.025 to 0.008). Differences in LS were found between NT and ALN (p =  0.015), and NT and ZOL (p=0.037), but not between NT and RIS. The only significant difference in TH was found between NT and ZOL (p 0.034) with no group differences in FN. BMD gains during Dmab treatment were associated with BMD loss after Dmab discontinuation. In a subset, discontinuation after Dmab treatment (> 5 doses) followed by ALN (n = 22) and ZOL (n = 11) showed no difference in BMD. Five of 7 vertebral fractures occurred after Dmab discontinuation in NT. CONCLUSION: Subsequent treatment with ALN or ZOL but not NT and RIS mitigates BMD loss after Dmab discontinuation.

Cobalt-Nickel Layered Double Hydroxides on Electrospun MXene for Superior Asymmetric Supercapacitor Electrodes.

Flexible electrodes for energy storage and conversion require a micro-nanomorphology and stable structure. Herein, MXene fibers (MX-CNF) are fabricated by electrospinning, and Co-MOF nanoarrays are prepared on the fibers to form Co-MOF@MX-CNF. Hydrolysis and etching of Co-MOF@MX-CNF in the Ni2+ solution produce cobalt-nickel layered double hydroxide (CoNi-LDH). The CoNi-LDH nanoarrays on the MX-CNF substrate have a large specific surface area and abundant electrochemical active sites, thus ensuring effective exposure of the CoNi-LDH active materials to the electrolyte and efficient pseudocapacitive energy storage and fast reversible redox kinetics for enhanced charging-discharging characteristics. The CoNi-LDH@MX-CNF electrode exhibits a discharge capacity of 996 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1 as well as 78.62% capacitance retention after 3,000 cycles at 10 A g-1. The asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) comprising the CoNi-LDH@MX-CNF positive electrode and negative activated carbon electrode shows an energy density of 48.4 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 499 W kg-1 and a capacity retention of 78.9% after 3,000 cycles at a current density of 10 A g-1. Density-functional theory calculations reveal the charge density difference and partial density of states of CoNi-LDH@MX-CNF confirming the large potential of the CoNi-LDH@MX-CNF electrode in energy storage applications.

Does the sizing of current cervical disc arthroplasty systems match Chinese cervical anatomic dimensions?

Objective: The objectives of this study were to analyze the computed tomography (CT) scan imaging data of the cervical spine from healthy volunteers and to correlate the measurements to the dimensions of current cervical disc arthroplasty systems. Methods: A total of 130 participants (78 males and 52 females) with a mean age of 41.0 years (range 18.0-66.0 years) who had undergone computed tomography scans of the cervical spine were included. The linear parameters of the C3 to C7 levels, including anterior-posterior diameter (AP), middle disc height (DH), anterior disc height (ADH), posterior disc height (PDH) and center mediolateral diameter (ML), were measured. The analysis was conducted comparing different cervical levels, sexes, and age groups. Known dimensions from eight cervical disc arthroplasty systems were compared with the morphologic data. Results: A total of 520 vertebral segments were measured. The mean values for the measured parameters were as follows: anterior-posterior diameter 16.08 ± 1.84 mm, mediolateral diameter 16.13 ± 1.99 mm, anterior disc height 3.88 ± 1.11 mm, disc height 5.73 ± 1.00 mm, posterior disc height 2.83 ± 0.94 mm, and mediolateral diameter/anterior-posterior diameter 1.01 ± 0.13. All parameters except for posterior disc height were significantly different across the different cervical levels (p < 0.05). There were also significant sex differences in terms of the linear parameters. No differences were found in the majority of parameters among the different age groups (p > 0.05), except for anterior-posterior diameter at the C6/7 level. A comparison of the bone dimensions from the study data and the dimensions of the implants indicated the presence of a size mismatch in the currently available cervical disc prostheses. Conclusion: There is a large discrepancy between the cervical anatomical data of Chinese patients and the sizes of currently available prostheses. The dimensions collected in this study could be used to design and develop appropriate disc prostheses for Chinese patients.

Ideal entry point and trajectory for C2 pedicle screw placement in children: a 3D computed tomography study.

PURPOSE: To identify the ideal entry point for pediatric C2 pedicle screw and to obtain parameters of it for the indication of pediatric atlantoaxial fusion arthrodesis. METHODS: The pediatric cervical CT images were reconstructed into the 3D digital models and the C2 vertebrae were separated. The location of ideal entry point and screw placement related linear and angular parameters were assessed on the 3D digital models. RESULTS: A total of 214 pedicles from 107 C2 digital models were analyzed. The average entry point for C2 was 3.80 ± 2.78 mm medial to the lateral notch (LN) and 2.57 ± 1.70 mm superior to the LN. The average pedicle diameter (PD) was 6.02 ± 1.31 mm, and the average pedicle screw length (PSL) was 25.63 ± 3.46 mm. Statistical differences were found between different sex for PD and PSL (P < 0.05). As patient age increases, using the most lateral and inferior edge of the lateral mass as a reference marker, the entry point tends to move medial and cephalad, when using the LN as a reference marker, the entry point tends to move medial and slightly caudad. Univariate linear regression analysis suggested that these linear parameters were associated with age (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: In this study, we found that the measurement results of C2 pedicle screw varied based on sex, laterality, and ages for children younger than 18 years. The entry point of the screws facilitating ideal trajectory tends to change in a linear way as a function of age. This information helps the surgeon to establish the specific anatomy related to C2 pedicle screw placement to facilitate fixation in the pediatric patients.