3D printed PGCL@PLA/10CSPL composite scaffolds loaded with fibronectin 1 for intervertebral disc degeneration treatment.

Restoration of disc height and biomechanical function is essential for intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) treatment. Removing abnormal nucleus pulposus (NP) tissue is an important step to facilitate bony fusion during the healing process. We analyzed publicly available single-cell transcriptome data for human normal and degenerative NP to identify genes associated with NP degeneration.

Eco-friendly fabrication of a delignified wood‑calcium alginate aerogel with improved mechanical properties for efficient thermal insulation and flame retardancy.

Wood based composites with low density and great flame retardancy are increasingly required as sustainable and low-carbon building materials for energy conservation. In this work, the symbiosis between bio-based calcium alginate (CaA) and delignified wood was fabricated to form delignified wood-CaA aerogel composites. The density of the delignified wood@CaA sample was dropped to only 89 kg/m from 120 kg/m of the control wood.

Down-regulation of microRNA-382-5p reduces neuropathic pain by targeting regulation of dual specificity phosphatase-1.

Background: MicroRNA (miRNA) plays a crucial role in neuropathic pain (NP) by targeting mRNAs. This study aims to analyze the regulatory function and mechanism of miR-382-5p/dual specificity phosphatase-1 (DUSP1) axis in NP.

Methods: We utilized rats with chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve as the NP model.

Therapeutic effect of computed tomography-guided dorsal root ganglion pulsed radiofrequency regulation combined with platelet-rich plasma injection on postherpetic neuralgia: A retrospective study.

Introduction: Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is one of the common refractory neuropathic pains. Oral drug treatment has great side effects and poor efficacy. To study the efficacy of computed tomography (CT)-guided pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) targeting dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and platelet-rich plasma (PRP), this retrospective observation was performed.

Genomic Anatomy of Homozygous XX Females and YY Males Reveals Early Evolutionary Trajectory of Sex-determining Gene and Sex Chromosomes in Silurus Fishes.

Sex chromosomes display remarkable diversity and variability among vertebrates. Compared with research on the X/Y and Z/W chromosomes, which have long evolutionary histories in mammals and birds, studies on the sex chromosomes at early evolutionary stages are limited. Here, we precisely assembled the genomes of homozygous XX female and YY male Lanzhou catfish (Silurus lanzhouensis) derived from an artificial gynogenetic family and a self-fertilized family, respectively.

The Chinese longsnout catfish genome provides novel insights into the feeding preference and corresponding metabolic strategy of carnivores.

Fish show variation in feeding habits to adapt to complex environments. However, the genetic basis of feeding preference and the corresponding metabolic strategies that differentiate feeding habits remain elusive. Here, by comparing the whole genome of a typical carnivorous fish ( Günther) with that of herbivorous fish, we identify 250 genes through both positive selection and rapid evolution, including taste receptor () and We demonstrate that is required for carnivore preference in -deficient zebrafish and in a diet-shifted grass carp model.

Association of MRI findings with paraspinal muscles fat infiltration at lower lumbar levels in patients with chronic low back pain: a multicenter prospective study.

Objective: In chronic low back pain (CLBP), the relationship between spinal pathologies and paraspinal muscles fat infiltration remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between MRI findings and paraspinal muscles morphology and fat infiltration in CLBP patients by quantitative MRI.

Methods: All the CLBP patients were enrolled from July 2021 to December 2022 in four medical institutions.

Vertebral bone quality score was associated with paraspinal muscles fat infiltration, but not modic classification in patients with chronic low back pain: a prospective cross-sectional study.

Background: The lumbar vertebra and paraspinal muscles play an important role in maintaining the stability of the lumbar spine. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between paraspinal muscles fat infiltration and vertebral body related changes [vertebral bone quality (VBQ) score and Modic changes (MCs)] in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP).

Methods: Patients with CLBP were prospectively collected in four hospitals and all patients underwent 3.

Nerve Cuff Reconstruction for Sacral Duct Tarlov Cyst.

Objective: To investigate factors influencing the long-term prognosis of patients with sacral Tarlov syndrome after nerve root cuff reconstruction.

Methods: A total of 42 patients with sacral Tarlov cysts who underwent nerve root cuff reconstruction at the First Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital between December 2015 and December 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. All cases were confirmed using magnetic resonance imaging and pathology.

A Case of Esophageal Schwannoma and Review of the Literature.

Malignant tumors are predominant in the esophagus, in which benign tumors are rare, and esophageal schwannoma is extremely rare. Here, we present a case of a 68-year-old woman with an unexpected chest computed tomography of inhomogeneous, well-defined, progressive delayed enhancement mass, and a paraesophageal lymph node. Mediastinal magnetic resonance imaging revealed an external growth mass in the lower esophagus, with an inhomogeneous signal, multiple internal cysts, and limited diffusion on diffuse-weighted imaging.

Chitosan modified with PAP as a promising delivery system for melatonin in the treatment of osteoporosis: targeting the divalent metal transporter 1.

The demands for novel and efficient therapies have gradually increased with the rising concerns of osteoporosis (OP). The most popular method in promoting bone regeneration during osteoporotic conditions consists of loading bioactive materials with different drugs to treat osteoporotic bones by either promoting the process of osteogenesis, or by inhibiting the activity of osteoclasts. By analyzing single cell sequencing results, we found that divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) played a role in OP.

Effects of bone marrow sparing radiotherapy on acute hematologic toxicity for patients with locoregionally advanced cervical cancer: a prospective phase II randomized controlled study.

Objective: To evaluate effects of bone marrow sparing (BMS) radiotherapy on decreasing the incidence of acute hematologic toxicity (HT) for locoregionally advanced cervical cancer (LACC) patients treated by pelvic irradiation.

Materials And Methods: LACC patients were recruited prospectively from May 2021 to May 2022 at a single center and were evenly randomized into the BMS group and the control group. All patients received pelvic irradiation with concurrent cisplatin (40 mg/m2 weekly), followed by brachytherapy and BM V40 < 25% in the BMS group was additionally prescribed.

Heavy metal contamination in duck eggs from a mercury mining area, southwestern China.

Objective: Mercury (Hg) contamination in the environment around mercury mines is often accompanied by heavy metal contamination.

Methods: Here, we determined concentrations of chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), and lead (Pb) in duck eggs from a Hg mining area in Southwest China to assess the contamination and health risk.

Results: Duck eggs obtained from the mining area exhibit higher concentrations of Cr, Zn, Sr, Ba, and Pb compared to those from the background area, with egg yolks containing higher metal levels than egg whites.

Comparing the effects of team-based and problem-based learning strategies in medical education: a systematic review.

Background: Recently, there has been a concerted effort within medical schools to depart from conventional lecture-based learning approaches to alternative teaching methods such as team-based learning (TBL) and problem-based learning (PBL), with the aim of enhancing both student engagement and instructional efficacy. Despite this shift, a comprehensive review that directly compares the impacts of PBL and TBL methods in medical education is lacking. This study seeks to address this gap by conducting a meta-analysis that compares the effects of TBL and PBL in the context of medical education.

Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate(PHBV)-Polyethylene glycol 20k(PEG20k) as a promising delivery system for PT2399 in the treatment of disc degeneration.

Disc degeneration often leads to a highly prevalent symptom known as low back pain. Healthy nucleus pulposus tissue exhibited a hypoxic environment devoid of blood vessels, while degenerated nucleus pulposus experienced hypoxic deterioration and the formation of new blood vessels. In this study, the expression of important genes like HIF-2α was found to vary between normal and degenerated nucleus pulposus cells when compared to the hypoxic surroundings.

Metabolisms of both inorganic and methyl-mercury in hens reveal eggs as an effective bioindicator for environmental Hg pollution.

Mercury (Hg) is a globally distributed toxic metal and could pose serious harm to birds, which may ultimately threaten human health through poultry consumption. However, the avian Hg metabolism remains unclear. Poultry, like chickens, are more accessible human dietary sources than wild birds and are ideal proxies to study Hg metabolism in birds.

[Correlation of sperm DNA fragmentation index and high DNA stainability with teratospermia severity and the patient's age: A study of 1 393 infertile males].

Objective: To investigate the correlation of the severity of teratospermia and the age of the patient with sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) and high DNA stainability (HDS) in male infertility patients.

Methods: We collected semen samples from 1 393 infertile males from July to December 2021. Based on the WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination and Processing of Human Semen (5th Ed), we performed sperm morphology analysis, examined perm DFI and HDS by flow cytometry, and analyzed the impacts of the severity of teratospermia and the age of the patients on sperm DFI and HDS.

Peculiarity of the Mechanism of Early Stages of Photo-Oxidative Degradation of Linear Low-Density Polyethylene Films in the Presence of Ferric Stearate.

Ferric stearate (FeSt) is very efficient in accelerating polyethylene (PE) degradation, but there is a lack of exploration of its role in accelerating the early stages of polyethylene photo-oxidative degradation. This study aimed to investigate the effect of FeSt on the photo-oxidative degradation of PE films, especially in the early stages of photo-oxidative degradation. The results show that FeSt not only promotes the oxidative degradation of PE but also contributes significantly to the early behavior of photo-oxidative degradation.

Ozonated autohemotherapy combined with pulsed radiofrequency in the treatment of thoracic postherpetic neuralgia in older adults: a retrospective study.

Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) seriously affects the quality of life of the elderly population. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ozonated autohemotherapy (O-AHT) combined with pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) in the treatment of thoracic PHN in older adults. The medical records of patients with thoracic PHN aged 65 years and older from June 2018 until March 2021 in Shengli Oilfield Central Hospital were reviewed.

GelMA Hydrogel as a Promising Delivery System for Osthole in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Targeting the miR-1224-3p/AGO1 Axis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a multifaceted, chronic, progressive autoimmune disease. This study aims to explore the potential benefits of an enhanced drug delivery system utilizing optimized Gelatin Methacryloyl (GelMA) vectors in RA management. We evaluated the levels of miR-1124-3p and AGO1 in RA tissues and cell lines using qPCR, WB, and immunofluorescence.