Three­dimensional finite element analysis: Anatomical splint fixation for Colles fractures.

With the rapid development of digital research in clinical orthopedics, the efficacy and safety of splint fixation can be better evaluated through biomechanical analysis based on a three-dimensional (3D) finite element model. It is essential to address the current gap in understanding the biomechanical implications of anatomical splint fixation for Colles fractures. By employing advanced 3D finite element analysis, the present study aimed to provide a comprehensive evaluation, offering valuable insights that can contribute to enhancing the effectiveness of anatomical splint fixation in the clinical management of Colles fractures. The 3D finite element models of the forearm and hand were constructed using Mimics 15.0 according to data from computed tomography of a patient with a Colles fracture. After the validity of the model was verified, the corresponding material properties of the models were adjusted to simulate a Colles fracture. Subsequently, the reduction functions, such as radial inclination and ulnar deviation, of the simulated fracture were completed and the mechanical changes of the tissues surrounding the fracture were calculated. Anatomical splints were then placed on the surfaces of the 3D finite element models of Colles fractures at various positions to analyze the changes in the stress cloud diagram, such as for the soft tissue and anatomical splints. In the present study, the constructed 3D finite element models were accurate and valid. The maximum stress of the anatomical splints and soft tissues was 2.346 and 0.106 MPa in pronation, 1.780 and 0.069 MPa in median rotation and 3.045 and 0.057 MPa in supination, respectively. Splint stress reached the highest level in supination and soft tissue stress achieved the highest level in pronation. The peak of splint stress occurred during supination, which contrasts to the peak of soft tissue stress observed in pronation, suggesting splint fixation median rotation can effectively avoid compression of the local soft tissue.

Transformation of 6PPDQ during disinfection: Kinetics, products, and eco-toxicity assessment.

N-phenyl-N'-(1,3-dimethyl butyl)-p-phenylenediamine-quinone (6PPDQ) currently arouses broad concerns because of its acute lethality to coho salmon and rainbow trout at environmentally relevant concentrations and the wide occurrence in runoff-impacted water. Investigation on the fate and transformation of 6PPDQ in various treatment processes is necessary for its risk assessment and control. Here, we explored the transformation of 6PPDQ during disinfection with its precursor 6PPD as a reference, focusing on kinetics, products, and toxicity variation. 6PPDQ readily reacted with hypochlorite and chlorine dioxide with second-order rate constants of 2580 ± 143 M-1 s-1 and 614 ± 52 M-1 s-1 (pH 7.0 and 25 °C), which are slightly lower than the reactions of 6PPD. We tentatively identified thirteen transformation products for 6PPDQ and eight for 6PPD in reaction with the two disinfectants. It seems that the quinone ring of 6PPDQ and the p-phenylenediamine moiety of 6PPD are reactive sites. The transformation of these compounds probably proceeds through Cl-substitution, ring cleavage, hydroxylation, and amine oxidation and hydrolysis. Tests with zebrafish embryos revealed that the transformation products of 6PPDQ could have higher eco-toxicity than the parent compound, while the toxicity of the 6PPD products remained nearly unchanged. The increased toxicity of 6PPDQ during disinfection highlights the necessity to substantially reduce its content before the disinfection of runoff-impacted water.

Pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy in untreated advanced pleural mesothelioma in Canada, Italy, and France: a phase 3, open-label, randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Pleural mesothelioma usually presents at an advanced, incurable stage. Chemotherapy with platinum-pemetrexed is a standard treatment. We hypothesised that the addition of pembrolizumab to platinum-pemetrexed would improve overall survival in patients with pleural mesothelioma. METHODS: We did this open-label, international, randomised phase 3 trial at 51 hospitals in Canada, Italy, and France. Eligible participants were aged 18 years or older, with previously untreated advanced pleural mesothelioma, with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status score of 0 or 1. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to intravenous chemotherapy (cisplatin [75 mg/m2] or carboplatin [area under the concentration-time curve 5-6 mg/mL per min] with pemetrexed 500 mg/m2, every 3 weeks for up to 6 cycles), with or without intravenous pembrolizumab 200 mg every 3 weeks (up to 2 years). The primary endpoint was overall survival in all randomly assigned patients; safety was assessed in all randomly assigned patients who received at least one dose of study therapy. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02784171, and is closed to accrual. FINDINGS: Between Jan 31, 2017, and Sept 4, 2020, 440 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to chemotherapy alone (n=218) or chemotherapy with pembrolizumab (n=222). 333 (76 %) of patients were male, 347 (79%) were White, and median age was 71 years (IQR 66-75). At final analysis (database lock Dec 15, 2022), with a median follow-up of 16·2 months (IQR 8·3-27·8), overall survival was significantly longer with pembrolizumab (median overall survival 17·3 months [95% CI 14·4-21·3] with pembrolizumab vs 16·1 months [13·1-18·2] with chemotherapy alone, hazard ratio for death 0·79; 95% CI 0·64-0·98, two-sided p=0·0324). 3-year overall survival rate was 25% (95% CI 20-33%) with pembrolizumab and 17% (13-24%) with chemotherapy alone. Adverse events related to study treatment of grade 3 or 4 occurred in 60 (27%) of 222 patients in the pembrolizumab group and 32 (15%) of 211 patients in the chemotherapy alone group. Hospital admissions for serious adverse events related to one or more study drugs were reported in 40 (18%) of 222 patients in the pembrolizumab group and 12 (6%) of 211 patients in the chemotherapy alone group. Grade 5 adverse events related to one or more drugs occurred in two patients on the pembrolizumab group and one patient in the chemotherapy alone group. INTERPRETATION: In patients with advanced pleural mesothelioma, the addition of pembrolizumab to standard platinum-pemetrexed chemotherapy was tolerable and resulted in a significant improvement in overall survival. This regimen is a new treatment option for previously untreated advanced pleural mesothelioma. FUNDING: The Canadian Cancer Society and Merck & Co.

Patient-Reported Health-Related Quality of Life in KEYNOTE-604: Pembrolizumab or Placebo Added to Etoposide and Platinum as First-Line Therapy for Extensive-Stage SCLC.

Introduction: In the phase 3 KEYNOTE-604 study (NCT03066778), pembrolizumab plus etoposide and platinum chemotherapy (EP) significantly (p = 0.0023) improved progression-free survival versus placebo plus EP in previously untreated extensive-stage SCLC (ES-SCLC). We present health-related quality of life (HRQoL) results from KEYNOTE-604. Methods: Patients with stage IV SCLC were randomized 1:1 to pembrolizumab 200 mg or placebo every 3 weeks for 35 cycles plus four cycles of EP. Secondary end points included mean change from baseline to week 18 in the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality-of-Life Questionnaire-Core 30 (QLQ-C30) global health status/quality of life (GHS/QoL) scale and time to deterioration in the composite outcome of cough, chest pain, or dyspnea from QLQ-C30 and QLQ-Lung Cancer Module 13. Two-sided, nominal p values are reported. Results: A total of 439 patients completed at least one QLQ-C30 and QLQ-Lung Cancer Module 13 assessment (pembrolizumab + EP, n = 221; placebo + EP, n = 218). GHS/QoL scores improved from baseline to week 18: least squares mean (95% confidence interval [CI]) changes were 8.7 (5.3-12.1) for pembrolizumab plus EP and 4.2 (0.9-7.5) for placebo plus EP. Between-group differences in least squares mean scores were improved for pembrolizumab plus EP (4.4 [95% CI: 0.2-8.7], p = 0.040]). Median time to deterioration for the composite end point was not reached and 8.7 (95% CI: 5.9-not reached) months, respectively (hazard ratio = 0.80 [95% CI: 0.56-1.14], p = 0.208). Conclusions: First-line pembrolizumab plus EP therapy maintained HRQoL in patients with ES-SCLC and may be associated with greater improvement than placebo plus EP. Together with the efficacy and safety findings in KEYNOTE-604, HRQoL data support the benefit of pembrolizumab in ES-SCLC.

Are New Phthalate Ester Substitutes Safer than Traditional DBP and DiBP? Comparative Endocrine-Disrupting Analyses on Zebrafish Using In Vivo, Transcriptome, and In Silico Approaches.

Although previous studies have confirmed the association between phthalate esters (PAEs) exposure and endocrine disorders in humans, few studies to date have systematically assessed the threats of new PAE alternatives to endocrine disruptions. Herein, zebrafish embryos were continuously exposed to two PAEs [di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) and diisobutyl phthalate (DiBP)], two structurally related alternatives [diiononyl phthalate (DINP) and diisononyl hexahydrophthalate (DINCH)], and two non-PAE substitutes [dipropylene glycol dibenzoate (DGD) and glyceryl triacetate (GTA)], and the endocrine-disrupting effects were investigated during the early stages (8-48 hpf). For five endogenous hormones, including progesterone, testosterone, 17ß-estradiol, triiodothyronine (T3), and cortisol, the tested chemicals disturbed the contents of at least one hormone at environmentally relevant concentrations (≤3.9 µM), except DINCH and GTA. Then, the concentration-dependent reduced zebrafish transcriptome analysis was performed. Thyroid hormone (TH)- and androgen/estrogen-regulated adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) were the two types of biological pathways most sensitive to PAE exposure. Notably, six compounds disrupted four TH-mediated AOPs, from the inhibition of deiodinases (molecular initiating event, MIE), a decrease in T3 levels (key event, KE), to mortality (adverse outcome, AO) with the quantitatively linear relationships between MIE-KE (|r| = 0.96, p = 0.002), KE-AO (|r| = 0.88, p = 0.02), and MIE-AO (|r| = 0.89, p = 0.02). Multiple structural analyses showed that benzoic acid is the critical toxicogenic fragment. Our data will facilitate the screening and development of green alternatives.

Trace Cu(II)-Mediated Selective Oxidation of Benzothiazole: The Predominance of Sequential Cu(II)-Cu(I)-Cu(III) Valence Transition and Dissolved Oxygen.

Trace Cu(II), which inherently exists in soil and some water/wastewater, can trigger persulfate oxidation of some pollutants, but the oxidation capability and mechanism are not well understood, especially toward refractory pollutants. We report in this research that benzothiazole (BTH), a universal refractory pollutant typically originating from tire leachates and various industrial wastewater, can be facilely and selectively removed by peroxydisulfate (PDS) with an equimolar BTH/PDS stoichiometry in the presence of environmental-relevant contents of Cu(II) (below several micromoles). Comprehensive scavenging tests, electron spin resonance analysis, spectroscopy characterization, and electrochemical analysis, revealed that PDS first reduces the BTH-coordinated Cu(II) to Cu(I) and then oxidizes Cu(I) to high-valent Cu(III), which accounts for the BTH degradation. Moreover, once the reaction is initiated, the superoxide radical is probably produced in the presence of dissolved oxygen, which subsequently dominates the reduction of Cu(II) to Cu(I). This facile oxidation process is also effective in removing a series of BTH derivatives (BTHs) that are of environmental concern, thus can be used for their source control. The results highlight the sequential Cu(II)-Cu(I)-Cu(III) transition during PDS activation and the crucial role of contaminant coordination with Cu(II) in oxidative transformation.

Effects of rhetorical devices on audience responses with online videos: An augmented elaboration likelihood model.

The way in which information is linguistically presented can impact audience attention, emotion, and cognitive responses, even if the content remains unchanged. The present study aims to examine the effects of rhetorical devices on audience responses by introducing a new theoretical framework, the augmented elaboration likelihood model (A-ELM), which integrates elements of the Elaboration Likelihood Model and narrative theory. The results show that the mediation effects of attention on the relationships between rhetorical devices and affective and cognitive elaborations are moderated by involvement. Nonnarrative evidence, combined narrative and numerical evidence, source credibility, and tropes versus the lack of figures of speech, elicit better audience responses in low-involvement situations, whereas numerical evidence outperforms narratives in high-involvement situations. This study not only offers a novel theoretical framework in the form of A-ELM, but also has important implications for advancing methodologies and practical applications.

Short-term effects of air pollution exposure on the risk of preterm birth in Xi'an, China.

INTRODUCTION: Long-term exposure to air pollution is known to be harmful to preterm birth (PTB), but little is known about the short-term effects. This study aims to quantify the short-term effect of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 µm (PM2.5), ≤10 µm (PM10) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) on PTB. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 18,826 singleton PTBs were collected during the study period. Poisson regression model combined with the distributed lag non-linear model was applied to evaluate the short-term effects of PTBs and air pollutants. RESULTS: Maternal exposure to NO2 was significantly associated increased risk of PTB at Lag1 (RR: 1.025, 95%CI: 1.003-1.047). In the moving average model, maternal exposure to NO2 significantly increased the risk of PTB at Lag01 (RR: 1.029, 95%CI: 1.004-1.054). In the cumulative model, maternal exposure to NO2 significant increased the risk of PTB at Cum01 (RR:1.026, 95%CI: 1.002-1.051), Cum02 (RR: 1.030, 95%CI: 1.003-1.059), and Cum03 (RR: 1.033, 95%CI: 1.002-1.066). The effects of PM2.5, PM10 and NO2 on PTB were significant and greater in the cold season than the warm season. CONCLUSIONS: Maternal exposure to NO2, PM2.5 and PM10 before delivery has a significant risk for PTB, particularly in the cold season.Key messagesMaternal exposure to NO2 was significant associated with an increased risk of preterm birth at the day 1 before delivery.Particle matter (PM2.5 and PM10) showed a significant short-term effect on preterm birth in the cold season.The effects of air pollutants on preterm birth was greater in the cold season compared with the warm season.

Carbonate and bicarbonate ions impacts on the reactivity of ferrate(VI) for 3,4-dichlorophenol removal.

Carbonate and bicarbonate ions are common constituents found in wastewater and natural water matrices, and their impacts on the reactivity of ferrate(VI) (Fe(VI)) with 3,4-dichlorophenol (3,4-DCP) were investigated by determining second-order rate constants of 3,4-DCP removal by Fe(VI) in the presence of CO32- and/or HCO3-. The second-order rate constants decreased from 41.75 to 7.04 M-1 s-1 with an increase of [CO32-] from 0 to 2.0 mM, indicating that CO32- exhibits an inhibitory effect on 3,4-DCP removal kinetics, and experiments on pH effect, radical quenching, and Fe(VI) stability were conducted to explore possible reasons for its effect. Under identical pH conditions, the rate constant in NaOH medium was always higher than in Na2CO3 medium, suggesting that the inhibitory effect partially comes from an increase in alkalinity. Furthermore, the scavenging of hydroxyl radical by carbonate ion also contributed to the inhibitory effect of CO32-. On the other hand, the enhancement effect of CO32- depending on the increase in Fe(VI) stability was found, but did not exceed its inhibitory effect. In addition, 3,4-DCP removal kinetics was not affected by HCO3-, while synergistically inhibited by CO32-/HCO3-. Moreover, 3,4-DCP removal efficiency was substantially suppressed in the presence of CO32-, while the slight enhancement effect of HCO3- and the synergistic inhibitory effect of CO32-/HCO3- were observed. The experimental results clearly demonstrated that carbonate and bicarbonate ions play an important role in the process of 3,4-DCP removal by Fe(VI) and should not be considered only as scavengers.

Measurement of the burdens of neonatal disorders in 204 countries, 1990-2019: a global burden of disease-based study.

Background: Neonatal disorders are facing serious public health challenges. Previous studies were based on limited data sources and had a narrow geographical scope. We aim to understand the trends of alteration in the burden of neonatal disorders from 1990 to 2019 in 204 countries and territories. Methods: Data were investigated from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. First, we visualized the burden of neonatal disorders using the number of cases and the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), death rate (ASDR), and disability-adjusted life years (ASR-DALYs) from 1990 to 2019. Second, estimated annual percentage changes (EAPCs) were used to evaluate the temporal trends of disease burden during different periods. Finally, the sociodemographic index (SDI) and human development index (HDI) were used to determine whether there exists a correlation between socioeconomic development level, human development level, and potential burden consequences. Results: Overall, in the past 30 years, the ASIR trends have remained relatively steady, whereas the ASDR and ASR-DALYs have declined. However, the burden of neonatal disorders varied greatly in various regions and countries. Among 21 regions, the ASIR trend had the largest increase in Central Latin America (EAPC = 0.42, 95%CI = 0.33-0.50). Conversely, the ASDR and ASR-DALYs experienced the largest decrease in Central Europe (EAPC = -5.10, 95%CI = -5.28 to 4.93) and East Asia (EAPC = -4.07, 95%CI = -4.41 to 3.73), respectively. Among 204 countries, the ASIR (EAPC = 3.35, 95%CI = 3.13-3.56) trend in Greece displayed the most significant increase, while the ASDR (EAPC = 1.26, 95%CI = 1.01-1.50) and ASR-DALYs (EAPC = 1.26, 95%CI = 1.03-1.49) trends in Dominica experienced the most substantial increase. Furthermore, there was a strong correlation between the EAPCs in ASIR, ASDR, ASR-DALYs, and SDI or HDI in 2019, with some exceptions. In addition, countries with elevated levels of HDI experienced a faster increase in ASDR and ASR-DALYs for neonatal disorders. Conclusion: Although the burden of neonatal disorders shows a downward trend from 1990 to 2019, it is still not optimistic. It is necessary to implement a multi-pronged approach to reduce the increasing burden of neonatal disorders.

Copper regulation of immune response and potential implications for treating orthopedic disorders.

Copper is an indispensable trace metal element in human body, and copper deficiency is rare in clinic. However, diseases associated with serum copper deficiency, such as leukopenia, neutropenia, arthritis, osteoporosis, and bone defects, are well known. Copper ions can also achieve the effect of fighting pathogenic bacteria through the "contact killing" characteristic. Copper ion is also an important cofactor of bone matrix synthase, plays an important role in the pathophysiology of orthopedic diseases. The present review highlights the biological functions of copper in immunity, bone diseases and stem cells, as well as potential drug development targeting copper status for diagnostics and therapeutics of copper-associated bone diseases.

Efficacy of the femoral neck system in femoral neck fracture treatment in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Controversy remains around the available choices for the internal fixation of a femoral neck fracture. The femoral neck system (FNS) was developed in 2018 and has been widely applied since then as it can provide rigid fixation stability with less damage to the bone mass around the fracture. However, no systematic reviews and meta-analyses have investigated the efficacy of the FNS in comparison with that of traditional internal fixation in the treatment of femoral fractures. AIM: To assess the efficacy of the FNS in comparison with that of cannulated compression screws (CCS) in the treatment of femoral fractures through systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: Five electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang) were searched from the earliest publication date to December 31, 2021. Reference Citation Analysis (https://www.referencecitationanalysis.com/) was used to check the results and further analyze the related articles. Controlled trials were included if the FNS was applied for the femoral neck fracture in adults and if it was compared with CCS for the achievement of internal fixation. The measurement outcomes included the required operation time, observed patient's blood loss, extent of fracture healing, patient's Harris Hip score (HHS) at the last follow-up, and records of any complications (such as failure of internal fixation, femoral neck shortness, avascular necrosis of the femoral head, and delayed union or nonunion). RESULTS: Ten retrospective controlled studies (involving 711 participants) were included in this meta-analysis. The meta-analysis showed that compared with CCS, use of the FNS could not decrease the operation time [standardized mean difference (SMD): -0.38, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.98 to 0.22, P = 0.21, I 2 = 93%), but it could increase the intraoperative blood loss (SMD: 0.59, 95%CI: 0.15 to 1.03, P = 0.009, I 2 = 81%). The pooled results also showed that compared with CCS, the FNS could better promote fracture healing (SMD: -0.97, 95%CI: -1.65 to -0.30, P = 0.005, I 2 = 91%), improve the HHS at the last follow-up (SMD: 0.76, 95%CI: 0.31 to 1.21, P = 0.0009, I 2 = 84%), and reduce the chances of developing femoral neck shortness (OR: 0.29, 95%CI: 0.14 to 0.61, P = 0.001, I 2 = 0%) and delayed union or nonunion (OR: 0.47, 95%CI: 0.30 to 0.73, P = 0.001; I 2 = 0%) in adult patients with femoral neck fractures. However, there was no statistically significant difference between the FNS and CCS in terms of failure of internal fixation (OR: 0.49, 95%CI: 0.23 to 1.06, P = 0.07, I 2 = 0%) and avascular necrosis of the femoral head (OR: 0.46, 95%CI: 0.20 to 1.10, P = 0.08, I 2 = 0%). CONCLUSION: Compared with CCS, the FNS could decrease the chances of developing femoral neck shortness and delayed union or nonunion in adults with femoral neck fractures. Simultaneously, it could accelerate fracture healing and improve the HHS in these patients.

A Novel RANKL-Targeted Furoquinoline Alkaloid Ameliorates Bone Loss in Ovariectomized Osteoporosis through Inhibiting the NF-κB Signal Pathway and Reducing Reactive Oxygen Species.

Dysregulation of osteoclast-osteoblast balance, resulting in abnormal bone remodeling, is responsible for postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) or other secondary forms of osteoporosis. We demonstrated that dictamnine (DIC), a novel RANKL-targeted furoquinoline alkaloid, inhibits osteoclastogenesis by facilitating the activities of reactive oxygen species (ROS), NF-κB, and NFATc1 in vitro and prevents the development of OVX-induced osteoporosis mouse models in vivo. Methods. The docking mechanism of DIC and RANKL was initially identified by protein-ligand molecular docking. RNA sequencing was performed and analyzed to reveal the potential mechanism and signaling pathway of the antiosteoporosis effects of DIC. To verify the sequencing results, we examined the impact of DIC on RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation, bone resorption, F-actin ring production, ROS generation, and NF-κB activation in osteoclasts in vitro. Moreover, a luciferase assay was performed to determine the binding and transcriptional activity of Nrf2 and NF-κB. The in vivo efficacy of DIC was assessed with an ovariectomy- (OVX-) induced osteoporosis model, which was analyzed using micro-CT and bone histomorphometry. Results. The molecular docking results indicated that DIC could bind particularly to RANKL. RNA-seq confirmed that DIC could regulate the osteoclast-related pathway. DIC suppressed osteoclastogenesis, bone resorption, F-actin belt formation, osteoclast-specific gene expression, and ROS activity by preventing NFATc1 expression and affecting NF-κB signaling pathways in vitro. The luciferase assay showed that DIC not only suppressed the activity of Nrf2 but also contributed to the combination of Nrf2 and NF-κB. Our in vivo study indicated that DIC protects against OVX-induced osteoporosis and preserves bone volume by inhibiting osteoclast activity and function. Conclusions. DIC can ameliorate osteoclast formation and OVX-induced osteoporosis and therefore is a potential therapeutic treatment for osteoporosis.

Global Research Status and Trends of Femoral Neck Fracture Over the Past 27 Years: A Historical Review and Bibliometric Analysis.

Background: Femoral neck fracture (FNF) is a commonly encountered injury in orthopedic practice, and many studies have been conducted in this field. However, no bibliometric studies regarding the global research trend concerning FNF have been performed. This study aims to analyze the knowledge framework, research hotspots, and theme trends in the field of FNF research. Methods: The scientific outputs related to FNF from 1994 to 2021 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection. Three bibliometric tools were used for this study. The main analyses include publication and citation counts, contributions of countries, institutions, authors, funding agencies and journals, and clustering of keywords. Results: In total, 3,553 articles were identified. The annual publication counts of FNF showed an ascending tendency as a whole. The United States has the most prominent contributions, with the most number of publications and the highest H-index. Karolinska Institutet devoted the most in this domain. Professors Bhandari M, Schemitsch EH, Frihagen F, Parker MJ, and Rogmark C were the core authors in this field. The most productive journal was Injury International Journal of the Care of the Injured. Keywords were divided into four clusters: epidemiology and mortality, fracture prevention, internal-fixation and risk factors, and hip replacement. A trend of balanced and diversified development existed in these clusters. Keywords with the ongoing bursts, including "outcome," "reoperation," "complication," "revision," "displaced intracapsular," "fracture," and "adult," are considered as the research hotspots in the future and deserve more attention. Conclusions: The management of FNF in young patients is drawing more attention from orthopedic surgeons, and it is expected that these research topics may continue to be the research hotspots and focus in the near future.

Comparative analysis of aged documents by desorption electrospray ionization-Mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) imaging.

Document dating is an important and challenging task in the field of forensic science. With the development of analytical techniques, related methods are emerging for document dating studies. Desorption electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) is an ambient ionization-MS technique that has been applied in the forensic discrimination of inks. This study focused on utilizing DESI-MS to distinguish between ink entries of different ages. Blue ballpoint ink and black gel ink samples were artificially aged by heat and light exposure and then screened by DESI-MS in the positive ion mode, with a methanol-water-formic acid solution (90:10:0.1%, v/v/v) as the desorption solvent. As a result, the artificially aged ink samples were directly differentiated from the reference ones in the chemical images of age-dependent compounds such as basic dyes or polyethylene glycol derivatives. The amount of ethoxylated fatty amine surfactants in copy paper was also found to decrease after artificial aging. Moreover, this method enabled us to visualize the differences between the composition of naturally aged and fresh ink samples. It has been proven to cause no apparent destruction of the samples. The identification of chronological changes in document materials suggests that the DESI-MS method is a promising approach for relative document dating.

Indirect spectrophotometric determination of aqueous ferrate(VI) based on its reaction with iodide in acidic media.

Ferrate(VI) (Fe(VI)) is utilized as an efficient and environmentally friendly water treatment agent that can be widely used for degradation of (in)organic pollutants in practical applications. However, only a few spectrophotometric methods for Fe(VI) determination were reported. In this study, a novel method for determining trace levels of aqueous Fe(VI) was developed based on the fact that Fe(VI) reacts with iodide at acidic pH to form iodine, which subsequently is treated with starch to yield the blue starch-iodine complex measured spectrophotometrically at 590 nm. The key measurement parameters, including acidic medium, starch dosages, temperature, time, and addition order were optimized to improve the sensitivity of detection. The increase in absorbance at 590 nm was linear with respect to Fe(VI) added (0.022-50 µM). Its sensitivity was determined as (4.61 ± 0.05) × 104 M-1 cm-1, which was higher than that of existing spectrophotometric methods. The principle for Fe(VI) determination was studied by investigating stoichiometry, kinetics, and mechanism of Fe(VI) reaction with iodide. The molar stoichiometry of Fe(VI) with I3- species was determined to be 1:2. The reaction of Fe(VI) with iodide followed a second-order rate law with first order in each reactant and displayed apparent anti-Arrhenius kinetics, then its reaction pathway was proposed as well. Furthermore, the established method was successfully applied to measure Fe(VI) in various environmental water samples. The results show that the proposed approach is simple, convenient, highly reproducible and extremely sensitive, and is also expected to be of use for kinetic studies of Fe(VI) reaction with (in)organic compounds under acidic conditions.

Osteoimmunology: The correlation between osteoclasts and the Th17/Treg balance in osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that is caused by disorder of the skeletal microenvironment, and it characterized by a high disability rate and the occurrence of low energy fractures. Studies on osteoporosis and related treatment options have always been hot spots in the field of bone biology. In the past, the understanding of osteoporosis has been rather limited; research has only shown that osteoporosis involves the imbalance of bone resorption and bone formation, and recent studies have not provided cutting-edge theories of the basic understanding of osteoporosis. Recent studies have shown crosstalk between bone and immune responses. RANKL, an essential factor for osteoclasts (OCs), is associated with the immune system. T helper (Th17)/regulatory T (Treg) cells are two different kinds of T cells that can self-interact and regulate the differentiation and formation of OCs. Therefore, understanding the correlation between the skeletal and immune systems and further revealing the roles and the cooperation between RANKL and the Th17/Treg balance will help to provide new insights for the treatment of osteoporosis.

Mapping Knowledge Structure and Themes Trends of Post-operative Rehabilitation of Hip Fractures in the Elderly: A Bibliometrics and Visualization Study.

Background: Hip fractures are a common type of fracture in the elderly and are characterized by many complications and high mortality. Many topics concerning postoperative rehabilitation of hip fracture in elderly people still remain controversial, and the global research trend in this field has not yet been well studied. The aim of the present study was to illustrate the overall knowledge structure, development trends, and research hot spots of postoperative rehabilitation of hip fracture in elderly people. Methods: Articles and reviews regarding postoperative rehabilitation of hip fracture in elderly people from 2001 to 2021 were identified from the Web of Science database. An online bibliometric platform, CiteSpace, and VOSviewer software were used to generate visualization knowledge maps, including annual trends of publications, contributions of countries, institutions, authors, funding agencies, and journals, and clustering of keywords. Results: A total of 1,724 publications were identified from Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC). In the past 20 years, the number of published studies on the rehabilitation of hip fracture in the elderly has exhibited an overall upward trend. The USA was the leading contributor in this field, with the largest number of publications (354, 20.65%) and the most citations (13,786 times). The international cooperation map among relevant countries/regions indicated that the USA collaborated most closely with Canada and China. The University of Maryland and Professor Marcantonio were the most prolific institution and influential author, respectively. Injury: International Journal of the Care of the Injured was the most productive journal concerning the research of postoperative rehabilitation of hip fracture in elderly people. The keyword co-occurrence analysis identified six clusters: quality of life study, rehabilitation and outcomes study, cognitive impairment study, operative approaches study, mortality study, and osteoporosis study. Conclusions: There will be an increasing number of publications on the research of postoperative rehabilitation of hip fracture in elderly people, and the United States will stay ahead in this field. Our findings could offer practical sources for scholars to understand the current status and trend of studies on rehabilitation of hip fracture in the elderly and provide references and suggestions for the development of related research in future.

Technical note: Analysis of biological substances in ink fingerprint by desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

As a custom in China, a visible fingerprint pressed with red seal ink on a signature represents personal confirmation of a document. This custom makes ink fingerprints important evidence for individual identification in the forensic practice of questioned document examination. Recently, forged ink fingerprints using stamps or silica gel fingerprint models have emerged. Consequently, detecting and profiling the pattern of biological substances in visible fingerprints on questioned documents is crucial to prove that a fingerprint was imprinted by its real owner. To solve this problem, a desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (DESI-MS) method was developed to detect the biological substances in ink fingerprints on paper. In the positive ion mode, more signals were detected, but the interference from the seal inks could not be ignored. In the negative ion mode, the ion detected in the sweat latent fingerprints at m/z 187 presented high chemical specificity for MS imaging. It was most likely a borate compound in human sweat. Using this biomarker, the fingerprint pattern was successfully profiled and the hand-imprinted fingerprint was clearly distinguished from the stamp-imprinted one. This method can help in determining the authenticity of ink fingerprints on questioned documents in forensic practice.

Non/mini-invasive monitoring of diabetes-induced myocardial damage by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy: Evidence from biofluids.

Early identification of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) can help clinicians develop targeted treatment plans and forensic pathologists make accurate postmortem diagnoses. In the present study, diabetes-induced metabolic abnormalities in the myocardium and biofluids (plasma, urine, and saliva) of db/db mice of various ages (7, 12, and 21 weeks) were investigated by attenuated total reflection (ATR)-Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The results indicated that the diabetic and control groups had significantly different changes in the function groups of lipids, phosphate macromolecules (mostly nucleic acids), protein compositions and conformations, and carbohydrates (primarily glucose) in the myocardium and biofluids. The prediction model for quantifying DCM severity was developed on db/db mice's myocardial spectra using a genetic algorithm (GA)-partial least squares (PLS) regression method. Following that, the linear correlations between the predicted values for DCM severity and spectra for db/db biofluids were evaluated using the GA-PLS regression algorithm. The results showed there were good linear correlations between the predicted values for DCM severity and spectra for plasma (R2 = 0.929), saliva (R2 = 0.967), urine (R2 = 0.954), and combination of plasma and saliva (R2 = 0.980). This study provides a novel perspective on detecting diabetes-related biofluid and cardiac metabolic abnormalities and demonstrates the potential of biofluid infrared spectro-diagnostic models for non/mini-invasive assessment of DCM.