BACKGROUND:One of the advantages of clear aligner treatment is molar distalization.However,tooth tilting movement and loss of anterior anchorage may occur during treatment.There are few studies on whether these problems can be improved by selecting clear aligners with different thicknesses and edges to improve the clinical treatment effect.OBJECTIVE:To analyze the control ability of clear aligners with different thickness and edges on the central incisor,lateral incisor,and second molar when pushing the maxillary second molar distally by three-dimensional finite element analysis.METHODS:Three-dimensional finite element analysis models of bilateral maxillary second molar distalization with clear aligner,maxillary dentition,periodontal ligament,and alveolar bone with different thicknesses and margins were established by Mimics,Geomagic Wrap,3-matic and SolidWorks software,respectively.There were 16 combinations of four thicknesses(0.4,0.5,0.625,and 0.75 mm)and four margins(scallop,straight,straight extension 2 mm and straight extension 4 mm).The data were imported into Ansys Workbench software for design and solution.The mean value,peak value and distribution of the periodontal ligament equivalent stress of the second molar,the equivalent stress and the maximum initial displacement of the second molar,and the control ability of each appliance on the second molar,central incisor,and lateral incisor were analyzed.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The mean equivalent stress of periodontal ligament of the second molar,the equivalent stress of the second molar and the maximum initial displacement of the second molar increased with the extension of the appliance edge and the increase of the thickness of the appliance in the 16 groups of models.(2)When the thickness of appliances was the same,the maximum equivalent stress of the second molar in the linear appliance group was the highest,and the maximum equivalent stress of the second molar in the linear extended appliance group was greater than that in the scallop appliance group.When the edge of the appliance was the same,the periodontal ligament equivalent stress peak of the second molar increased with the increase of the thickness of the appliance.The equivalent stress distribution in the periodontal ligament of the second molar in the linear extendable appliance group was more uniform than that in the scallop appliance group and the linear appliance group.(3)When the thickness of the appliance was the same,the scallop-shaped appliance had the worst control on the second molar.When the edge of the appliance was the same,with the increase of the thickness of the appliance,the control of the second molar by the linear extender appliance was gradually stronger than that by the linear appliance.The control of the central incisor was stronger and more stable with the linear extended 2 mm appliance,while the control of the lateral incisor was stronger and more stable with the linear appliance.(4)The results showed that when using clear aligners to push molars distally,extending the edge of the appliance could improve the control of the molars and reduce the tilting movement of the teeth.The design of a straight extension margin of 2 mm for the central incisor and a straight edge for the lateral incisor can enhance the control of the anchorage incisor and reduce the labial inclination of the anterior teeth.

BACKGROUND:One of the advantages of clear aligner treatment is molar distalization.However,tooth tilting movement and loss of anterior anchorage may occur during treatment.There are few studies on whether these problems can be improved by selecting clear aligners with different thicknesses and edges to improve the clinical treatment effect.OBJECTIVE:To analyze the control ability of clear aligners with different thickness and edges on the central incisor,lateral incisor,and second molar when pushing the maxillary second molar distally by three-dimensional finite element analysis.METHODS:Three-dimensional finite element analysis models of bilateral maxillary second molar distalization with clear aligner,maxillary dentition,periodontal ligament,and alveolar bone with different thicknesses and margins were established by Mimics,Geomagic Wrap,3-matic and SolidWorks software,respectively.There were 16 combinations of four thicknesses(0.4,0.5,0.625,and 0.75 mm)and four margins(scallop,straight,straight extension 2 mm and straight extension 4 mm).The data were imported into Ansys Workbench software for design and solution.The mean value,peak value and distribution of the periodontal ligament equivalent stress of the second molar,the equivalent stress and the maximum initial displacement of the second molar,and the control ability of each appliance on the second molar,central incisor,and lateral incisor were analyzed.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The mean equivalent stress of periodontal ligament of the second molar,the equivalent stress of the second molar and the maximum initial displacement of the second molar increased with the extension of the appliance edge and the increase of the thickness of the appliance in the 16 groups of models.(2)When the thickness of appliances was the same,the maximum equivalent stress of the second molar in the linear appliance group was the highest,and the maximum equivalent stress of the second molar in the linear extended appliance group was greater than that in the scallop appliance group.When the edge of the appliance was the same,the periodontal ligament equivalent stress peak of the second molar increased with the increase of the thickness of the appliance.The equivalent stress distribution in the periodontal ligament of the second molar in the linear extendable appliance group was more uniform than that in the scallop appliance group and the linear appliance group.(3)When the thickness of the appliance was the same,the scallop-shaped appliance had the worst control on the second molar.When the edge of the appliance was the same,with the increase of the thickness of the appliance,the control of the second molar by the linear extender appliance was gradually stronger than that by the linear appliance.The control of the central incisor was stronger and more stable with the linear extended 2 mm appliance,while the control of the lateral incisor was stronger and more stable with the linear appliance.(4)The results showed that when using clear aligners to push molars distally,extending the edge of the appliance could improve the control of the molars and reduce the tilting movement of the teeth.The design of a straight extension margin of 2 mm for the central incisor and a straight edge for the lateral incisor can enhance the control of the anchorage incisor and reduce the labial inclination of the anterior teeth.

BACKGROUND:Traumatic brain injury is a condition in which the normal function of the brain is disrupted by a bump or impact to the head.It is necessary to find effective treatments and objective targets that can help doctors diagnose the injury status and restore the brain function of patients. OBJECTIVE:To explore the effect of electroacupuncture combined with low-frequency transcranial ultrasound stimulation on the electroencephalographic signals of rats with traumatic brain injury. METHODS:Forty 6-week-old SPF male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups:sham group,model group,electroacupuncture group,low-frequency transcranial ultrasound stimulation group and combined group(electroacupuncture+low-frequency transcranial ultrasound stimulation),with eight rats in each group.Feeney weight-drop method was used to establish the animal model of traumatic brain injury.In the sham group,the bone window was only opened without impact.Interventions were started at 1 day after modeling.Electroacupuncture in the electroacupuncture group,low-frequency transcranial ultrasound stimulation in the low-frequency transcranial ultrasound stimulation group,and electroacupuncture+low-frequency transcranial ultrasound stimulation in the combined group were performed for days in total.The modified neurological severity scale score for assessing rats'neurological deficits was performed at 8 hours after modeling.The percentage of spontaneous alternation behavior in the Y-maze was measured at 7 days after modeling.Then,the electroencephalographic signals were collected and electroencephalographic data of α,β,θ,and δ waves were extracted by fast Fourier transform,and the value of oscillation amplitude and energy ratio were calculated in α,β,θ,and δ waves,as well as the Lempel-Ziv complexity and sample entropy. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the sham group,the modified neurological severity scale scores in the model group,electroacupuncture group,low-frequency transcranial ultrasound stimulation group and combined group were significantly increased at 8 hours after modeling(P<0.05).Compared with the sham group,the value of oscillation amplitude in δ wave and the value of δ energy ratio were significantly increased in the model group at 7 days after modeling,meanwhile the percentage of spontaneous alternation behavior in Y-maze,and the value of α/β energy ratio,Lempel-Ziv complexity,and sample entropy were significantly decreased(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the value of oscillation amplitude in α and δ waves was significantly decreased in the combined group(P<0.05),while the value of α/β energy ratio was significantly increased(P<0.05)and the value of δ energy ratio was significantly decreased(P<0.05)in the electroacupuncture group,low-frequency transcranial ultrasound stimulation group and combined group.Compared with the electroacupuncture group and low-frequency transcranial ultrasound stimulation group,the value of δ energy ratio was significantly decreased in the combined group(P<0.05),while the percentage of spontaneous alternation behavior,the value of α/β energy ratio,the Lempel-Ziv complexity,and the sample entropy were significantly increased(P<0.05).To conclude,abnormal electroencephalographic signals can appear in rats with traumatic brain injury,while the electroacupuncture combined with low-frequency transcranial ultrasound stimulation can alleviate the abnormal electroencephalographic signals in rats,which suggests the electroencephalographic frequency domain value and nonlinear features can be used to assess the severity of traumatic brain injury.

BACKGROUND:With the continuous advancement of medical technology,stem cell therapy has been used to treat a variety of diseases,including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. OBJECTIVE:To review the research progress of stem cell therapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,and prospect the development trend of this field. METHODS:PubMed,China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),and WanFang Data were searched for articles published from 1995 to 2024 using the key words"amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,mesenchymal stem cells,neural stem/progenitor cells,pluripotent stem cells."A total of more than 1 700 articles were retrieved,and 58 articles were finally included in this review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a neurodegenerative disease that affects lower motor neurons in the brainstem and spinal cord and upper motor neurons in the motor cortex.The related research of stem cells in the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis has become a research hotspot.In this review,we summarize the application of different types of stem cells in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis research,including mesenchymal stem cells,neural stem progenitor cells,and induced pluripotent stem cells,and evaluate the key points of preclinical research such as stem cell source,cell volume,stem cell modification methods,and drug delivery routes,which lays the foundation for the future application of stem cell therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effectiveness of primary interventional revascularization combined with secondary perforator composite flap in the treatment of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) accompanied by soft tissue defects around the ankle. METHODS: Between January 2022 and January 2025, 12 patients with PAD and soft tissue defects around the ankle were admitted. Among them, there were 9 males and 3 females; their ages ranged from 52 to 82 years, with an average of 68.9 years. The causes of injury included 4 cases of traffic accident, 5 cases of falls, 1 case of falling from height, 1 case of foreign body puncture injury, and 1 case of electric shock injury. The infection duration ranged from 1 month to 35 years, with a median duration of 3.5 months. The wound size ranged from 5.5 cm×3.0 cm to 15.0 cm×9.0 cm. The ankle-brachial index (ABI) was 0.32±0.12. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score for pain was 3.3±0.5. Preoperative vascular stenosis assessment was performed in all patients, with primary intervention to dredge large and medium-sized arteries, followed by secondary repair of the wound using a perforator composite flap. The flap size ranged from 6.5 cm×4.0 cm to 16.0 cm×10.0 cm. The donor sites were sutured directly or repaired with skin grafts. After two stages of treatment, the effectiveness was evaluated by measuring ABI, observing flap survival and wound healing, assessing VAS scores, and American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) scores. RESULTS: All 12 cases completed two stages of treatment; all patients were followed up after the second-stage treatment, with a follow-up period ranging from 7 to 28 months, with an average of 16.8 months. After the first-stage treatment, the skin temperature around the ankle was significantly higher than that before treatment, and the ABI increased to 0.71±0.07, with a significant difference ( t=9.918, P<0.001). After the second-stage treatment, the blisters on the distal end of the skin flap occurred in 3 cases. The flaps survived and the wounds healed, with a healing time ranging from 10 to 14 days (mean, 11.8 days). The incisions at the donor site healed by first intention, and the skin grafts survived. The VAS score was 0.5±0.5 at 3 weeks, which was significantly lower than that before treatment ( t=13.675, P<0.001). No infection recurrence occurred during follow-up. At 6 months after the second-stage treatment, the AOFAS score of the ankle joint ranged from 92 to 97, with an average of 94.7, all reaching excellent. CONCLUSION Interventional revascularization combined with perforator composite flap for staged treatment of PAD with ankle soft tissue defects can obtain good effectiveness, by unclogging the main blood vessels, improving lower limb blood supply, and improving the survival rate of the skin flap.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Peripheral Arterial Disease/surgery* ; Soft Tissue Injuries/surgery* ; Perforator Flap/blood supply* ; Plastic Surgery Procedures/methods* ; Aged, 80 and over ; Ankle/blood supply* ; Treatment Outcome ; Ankle Brachial Index ; Skin Transplantation/methods*

Glioma is difficult to treat due to the unique tumor microenvironment and blood-brain barrier. (13aS)-3-Hydroxyl-6,7-dimethoxyphenanthro[9,10-b] indolizidine (PF403), a phenanthroindolizidine alkaloid, has been identified as a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of glioma. However, the anti-glioma mechanism of PF403 in vivo has not been conclusively verified and must be further elucidated. Hence, a strategy without chemical modification was applied to identify the target of PF403. In this study, we identified nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase (NAMPT) as the target of PF403 by using thermal proteome profiling (TPP). Moreover, microscale thermophoresis (MST), surface plasmon resonance (SPR), and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) experiments confirmed that NAMPT exhibits good affinity for PF403. Direct and indirect enzyme activity assays revealed that PF403 inhibited the catalytic activity of NAMPT, leading to a decrease in the concentration of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺) in U87 cells. X-ray diffraction and amino acid spot mutation experiments revealed that PF403 primarily relies on the formation of pi-pi interactions with residue Tyr188 to maintain binding with NAMPT (PDB code 8Y55). After NAMPT was knocked down with lentivirus, PF403 lost or partially lost its antitumor activity at the cellular and animal levels. These findings suggest that PF403 exerts antitumor activity by directly targeting NAMPT.

Meningeal metastasis is a kind of serious complications of malignant tumor cells invading the leptomeninges and spreading along the cerebrospinal fluid, whose detection rate is gradually increased with advanced imaging diagnostic techniques. Although traditional intrathecal chemotherapy can prolong the survival of patients with meningeal metastasis, its efficacy is still unsatisfactory. In recent years, new intrathecal injection regimens, targeted drug therapy, and proton radiotherapy have significantly improved the prognosis of some patients with meningeal metastasis; however, these treatment regimens still require high-quality evidence-based medical evidences. This article reviews the recent advance in intrathecal injection, systemic treatments (systemic chemotherapy, molecular targeted therapy and immunotherapy), and radiotherapy of meningeal metastasis in recent years, so as to help selecting treatment regimens for meningeal metastasis in clinical practice.

Objective To establish and validate a multimodal MRI radiomics model based on intratumoral and peritumoral heterogeneity for prediction of spatial pattern of locally recurrent high-grade gliomas(HGGs).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical and imaging data of all HGGs patients who underwent maximum safe resection followed by postoperative radiotherapy combined with temozolomide treatment and experienced in local recurrence in Army Medical Center of PLA from 2012 to 2021.Two radiologists independently assessed the spatial patterns of locally recurrence HGGs through continuous follow-up MRI data,and primarily categorized the pattern into intra-resection cavity recurrence and extra-resection cavity recurrence.The subjected patients were randomly divided into a training set and a validation set in a 7∶3 ratio.In the training set,Pearson or Spearman correlation analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)analysis were employed to screen radiomic features within the intratumoral and peritumoral regions,as well as to calculate radiomic scores.A radiomics model was established using logistic regression analysis.The performance of the model was assessed using calibration curves,Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test,and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC).Validation of the model was performed in the validation set.Results A total of 121 patients with locally recurrent HGGs were enrolled in this study,including 54 in intra-resection cavity recurrence group and 67 in extra-resection cavity recurrence group.Among them,84 were assigned into the training set and 37 into the validation set.In the training set,the radiomics score for the extra-resection cavity recurrence group was 0.424(0.278,0.573),which was higher than that for the intra-resection cavity recurrence group[-0.030(-0.226,0.248),P<0.001].In the validation set,the radiomics score for the extra-resection cavity recurrence group was 0.369(0.258,0.487),which was higher than that for the intra-resection cavity recurrence group[0.277(0.103,0.322),P=0.033].The established radiomics model exhibited good calibration and performed well in predicting spatial recurrence patterns,with an AUC value of 0.844(95%CI:0.749～0.914)in the training set and 0.706(95%CI:0.534～0.844)in the validation set.Conclusion Our multimodal radiomics model combined with intratumoral and peritumoral heterogeneity can predict the spatial pattern of locally recurrent HGGs,providing a basis for individualized treatment of HGGs.

Objective To observe the improvement effect and mechanism of emodin on lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced podocyte injury.Methods Human glomerular podocytes were used as the study object,and they were randomly divided into the blank control group,the LPS group,the emodin low-,medium-,and high-dose groups,and the emodin+lysophosphatidic acid[LP A,RhoA/RhoRho-associatedcoiled-coil kinase(ROCK)activator]group.Cell counting kit 8(CCK8)and 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine(EdU)staining were applied to detect the proliferation of glomerular podocytes,Transwell assay was used to test the migration of glomerular podocytes,flow cytometry was used to detect apoptosis of glomerular podocytes,and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to detect the levels of inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α),interleukin(IL)-1β,and IL-18 in the supernatant of glomerular podocytes,and the protein expression levels of RhoA and ROCK in glomerular podocytes were determined by Western Blot.Results The optical density(OD)450nm,EdU positive cell rate and migration number of glomerular podocytes in the LPS group were lower than those in the blank control group,and the apoptosis rate,the levels of TNF-α,IL-1β and IL-18 in the supernatant,as well as the protein expression levels of RhoA and ROCK in the cells were higher than those in the blank control group,the differences being statistically significant(P＜0.05);the OD450nm,EdU positive cell rate and migration number of glomerular podocytes in the emodin low-,medium-,and high-dose groups were higher than those in the LPS group,while the apoptosis rate,levels of TNF-α,IL-1 β and IL-18 in supernatant,as well as RhoA and ROCK protein expression levels in cells were reduced compared with those in the LPS group,the differences being statistically significant(P＜0.05);the OD450nm and EdU positive cell rate and migration number of glomerular podocytes in LPA group were lower than those of emodin high-dose group,while the apoptosis rate,levels of TNF-α,IL-1 βand IL-18 in supernatant,as well as RhoA and ROCK protein expression levels in cells were higher than those of emodin high-dose group,the differences being all statistically significant(P＜0.05).Conclusion Emodin can improve LPS-induced podocyte injury,and its mechanism of action may be related to the inhibition of RhoA/ROCK signaling pathway.

Objective:To explore the efficacy of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) using the partition injection technique in the treatment of Kümmell’s disease of stages Ⅰ and Ⅱ.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted of the 30 patients with stage Ⅰ or Ⅱ Kümmell’s disease (the partition group) who had been treated by PVP using the partition injection technique at Department of Spinal Surgery, Zhengzhou Orthopedic Hospital from January 2020 to January 2022. The data of another 30 patients who had been treated at the same department and the same period using conventional PVP for stage Ⅰ or Ⅱ Kümmell's disease were selected as the conventional group. In the partition group, there were 13 males and 17 females, with an age of (72.3±10.1) years and disease duration of (3.1±1.5) months. Seventeen thoracic and 13 lumbar vertebrae were affected. In the conventional group, there were 11 males and 19 females, with an age of (75.5±12.7) years and disease duration of (3.5±1.8) months. Eighteen thoracic and 12 lumbar vertebrae were affected. Surgical time, volume of bone cement injected, bone cement leakage, and bone cement distribution were compared between the 2 groups. The heights of the anterior and middle vertebral bodies, kyphotic Cobb angle, visual analog scale (VAS) pain score, and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were assessed postoperatively at 1 day, 6 months, and the last follow-up and compared between the 2 groups.Results:No significant differences were found in the baseline data between the 2 groups, indicating comparability ( P>0.05). All patients were followed up for (17.3±3.1) months. There were no significant differences in the surgical time or bone cement leakage between the 2 groups ( P>0.05). The volume of bone cement injected in the partition group was significantly higher [(6.3±1.5) mL] than that in the conventional group [(4.9±1.0) mL] ( P<0.05). Bone cement distribution was significantly better in the partition group than that in the conventional group ( P<0.05). At postoperative 1 day, 6 months, and the last follow-up, the partition group was significantly better than the conventional group in anterior vertebral body height, middle vertebral body height, and kyphotic Cobb angle ( P<0.05). At the 6-month and the last follow-ups, the partition group was also significantly better than the conventional group in VAS pain score and ODI ( P<0.05). Conclusion:In the treatment of Kümmell’s disease of stages Ⅰ and Ⅱ, compared with conventional PVP, PVP using the partition injection technique may lead to better long-term outcomes due to its better bone cement distribution, more adequate cement injection, and better restoration of vertebral body heights and correction of local deformity.