BACKGROUND:Bone mineral density is the clinical gold standard for determining bone strength,but bone mineral density is less sensitive to changes in bone mass,with large changes in bone mineral density only occurring when bone mass is significantly reduced,so bone mineral density has limited ability to predict changes in bone strength and fracture risk. OBJECTIVE:A model of the normal and osteoporotic hip joint was developed to analyze the stresses and deformation in the hip of normal and osteoporotic patients under single-leg standing conditions. METHODS:A healthy adult female volunteer at the age of 36 years was selected as the study subject.The CT data of the hip joint of this volunteer were obtained and saved in DICOM format.The hip joint model was reconstructed in three dimensions,and the material properties were assigned by the gray value assignment method to obtain the normal and osteoporotic hip joint models according to the empirical formula.The same boundary conditions and loads were set to simulate the stresses and deformation in the normal and osteoporotic hip joints in the single-leg standing position. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)In the finite element model of the normal and osteoporotic hip,the stress distribution was more concentrated in the medial region of the femoral neck.(2)In the hip bone,the stress distribution was mainly concentrated in the upper part of the acetabulum.(3)The stress peaks in the medial femoral neck and upper acetabulum were larger in the normal hip model than in the osteoporotic hip model,probably due to the reduced bone strength of the osteoporotic bone.(4)The peak Von Mises of both normal and osteoporotic hip models were concentrated on the medial femoral neck,and the peak Von Mises of the hip bone was smaller,indicating that the overall effect of osteoporosis on hip bone stresses was relatively small.(5)In terms of deformation in the single-leg standing position,the maximum deformation in the normal hip model was located at the acetabulum and femoral head,and the maximum deformation was located at the upper part of the greater trochanter of the femur.(6)It is suggested that the finite element analysis method to model the values of parameters related to bone tissue in osteoporosis may improve clinical prediction of bone strength changes and fracture risk.It is explained from the biomechanical view that the intertrochanteric femur and femoral neck are good sites for osteoporotic hip fractures.

Objective To investigate the dosimetric difference between manual and inverse optimization in 3-dimensional (3D) brachytherapy for gynecologic tumors. Methods This retrospective study was conducted among a total of 110 patients with gynecologic tumors undergoing intracavitary combined with interstitial brachytherapy or interstitial brachytherapy. Based on the original images, the brachytherapy plans were optimized for each patient using Gro, IPSA1, IPSA2 (with increased volumetric dose limits on the basis of IPSA1) and HIPO algorithms. The dose-volume histogram (DVH) parameters of the clinical target volume (CTV) including V200, V150, V100, D90, D98 and CI, and the dosimetric parameters D2cc, D1cc, and D0.1cc for the bladder, rectum, and sigmoid colon were compared among the 4 plans. Results Among the 4 plans, Gro optimization took the longest time, followed by HIPO, IPSA2 and IPSA1 optimization. The mean D90, D98, and V100 of HIPO plans were significantly higher than those of Gro and IPSA plans, and D90 and V100 of IPSA1, IPSA2 and HIPO plans were higher than those of Gro plans (P<0.05), but the CI of the 4 plans were similar (P>0.05). For the organs at risk (OARs), the HIPO plan had the lowest D2cc of the bladder and rectum;the bladder absorbed dose of Gro plans were significantly greater than those of IPSA1 and HIPO (P<0.05). The D2cc and D1cc of the rectum in IPSA1, IPSA2 and HIPO plans were better than Gro (P<0.05). The D2cc and D1cc of the sigmoid colon did not differ significantly among the 4 plans. Conclusion Among the 4 algorithms, the HIPO algorithm can better improve dose coverage of the target and lower the radiation dose of the OARs, and is thus recommended for the initial plan optimization. Clinically, the combination of manual optimization can achieve more individualized dose distribution of the plan.

Endo-periodontal lesions(EPLs)involve both the periodontium and pulp tissue and have complicated etiologies and pathogenic mechanisms,including unique anatomical and microbiological characteristics and multiple contributing factors.This etiological complexity leads to difficulties in determining patient prognosis,posing great challenges in clinical practice.Furthermore,EPL-affected teeth require multidisciplinary therapy,including periodontal therapy,endodontic therapy and others,but there is still much debate about the appropriate timing of periodontal therapy and root canal therapy.By compiling the most recent findings on the etiology,pathogenesis,clinical characteristics,diagnosis,therapy,and prognosis of EPL-affected teeth,this consensus sought to support clinicians in making the best possible treatment decisions based on both biological and clinical evidence.

Objective To investigate the dosimetric difference between manual and inverse optimization in 3-dimensional (3D) brachytherapy for gynecologic tumors. Methods This retrospective study was conducted among a total of 110 patients with gynecologic tumors undergoing intracavitary combined with interstitial brachytherapy or interstitial brachytherapy. Based on the original images, the brachytherapy plans were optimized for each patient using Gro, IPSA1, IPSA2 (with increased volumetric dose limits on the basis of IPSA1) and HIPO algorithms. The dose-volume histogram (DVH) parameters of the clinical target volume (CTV) including V200, V150, V100, D90, D98 and CI, and the dosimetric parameters D2cc, D1cc, and D0.1cc for the bladder, rectum, and sigmoid colon were compared among the 4 plans. Results Among the 4 plans, Gro optimization took the longest time, followed by HIPO, IPSA2 and IPSA1 optimization. The mean D90, D98, and V100 of HIPO plans were significantly higher than those of Gro and IPSA plans, and D90 and V100 of IPSA1, IPSA2 and HIPO plans were higher than those of Gro plans (P<0.05), but the CI of the 4 plans were similar (P>0.05). For the organs at risk (OARs), the HIPO plan had the lowest D2cc of the bladder and rectum;the bladder absorbed dose of Gro plans were significantly greater than those of IPSA1 and HIPO (P<0.05). The D2cc and D1cc of the rectum in IPSA1, IPSA2 and HIPO plans were better than Gro (P<0.05). The D2cc and D1cc of the sigmoid colon did not differ significantly among the 4 plans. Conclusion Among the 4 algorithms, the HIPO algorithm can better improve dose coverage of the target and lower the radiation dose of the OARs, and is thus recommended for the initial plan optimization. Clinically, the combination of manual optimization can achieve more individualized dose distribution of the plan.

The cdc73(cell division cycle 73)gene encodes the RNA polymerase Ⅱ cofactor Cdc73 in fis-sion yeast(Schizosaccharomyces Pombe),and is involved in G2 checkpoint activation and regulates the cell cycle.However,whether Cdc73 regulates cell mitotic dynamics is unknown.In this study,fluores-cent protein labeling and live cell imaging techniques were used to investigate the effects of cdc73 deletion on sexual reproduction and the dynamics of microtubules,actin,mitochondria,and histones during mito-sis.The results showed that in sexual reproduction,cdc73 deletion resulted in a 14.23％increase in the length of ascospores and a 64.08％decrease in the number of cells producing four spores.Analysis of the live cell imaging results revealed that,in mitosis,the elongation length of microtubules in anaphase was shortened by 11.21％,and the elongation time was reduced by 17.39％;the formation and contraction rates of actin rings decreased by 33.33％and 26.09％,respectively,and the formation and contraction times were prolonged by 58.00％and 40.38％,respectively.Meanwhile,the expression levels of actin ring,mitochondrion,and histones also increased.This study revealed the cdc73 deletion inhibits spindle elongation and delays actin ring formation and contraction in mitosis,which provides some scientific basis for further exploring the involvement of Cdc73 in regulating microtubule and actin dynamics in cell divi-sion.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are mediators of the aging process. The purpose of this work was to analyze the miRNA expression profiles of spermatozoa from men of different ages with normal fertility. Twenty-seven donors were divided into three groups by age (Group A, n = 8, age: 20-30 years; Group B, n = 10, age: 31-40 years; and Group C, n = 9, age: 41-55 years) for high-throughput sequencing analysis. Samples from 65 individuals (22, 22, and 21 in Groups A, B, and C, respectively) were used for validation by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). A total of 2160 miRNAs were detected: 1223 were known, 937 were newly discovered and unnamed, of which 191 were expressed in all donors. A total of 7, 5, and 17 differentially expressed microRNAs (DEMs) were found in Group A vs B, Group B vs C, and Group A vs C comparisons, respectively. Twenty-two miRNAs were statistically correlated with age. Twelve miRNAs were identified as age-associated miRNAs, including hsa-miR-127-3p, mmu-miR-5100_L+2R-1, efu-miR-9226_L-2_1ss22GA, cgr-miR-1260_L+1, hsa-miR-652-3p_R+1, pal-miR-9993a-3p_L+2R-1, hsa-miR-7977_1ss6AG, hsa-miR-106b-3p_R-1, hsa-miR-186-5p, PC-3p-59611_111, hsa-miR-93-3p_R+1, and aeca-mir-8986a-p5_1ss1GA. There were 9165 target genes of age-associated miRNAs. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis of the target genes identified revealed enrichment of protein binding, membrane, cell cycle, and so on. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis of age-related miRNAs for target genes revealed 139 enriched pathways, such as signaling pathways regulating stem cell pluripotency, metabolic pathways, and the Hippo signaling pathway. This suggests that miRNAs play a key role in male fertility changes with increasing age and provides new evidence for the study of the mechanism of age-related male fertility decline.
Humans ; Male ; Young Adult ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; MicroRNAs/genetics* ; Signal Transduction/genetics* ; Spermatozoa/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Profiling

Humans ; Female ; Deep Learning ; Ovarian Neoplasms/genetics* ; Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial/genetics* ; Neural Networks, Computer ; RNA

COVID-19 has been prevalent for three years. The virulence of SARS-CoV-2 is weaken as it mutates continuously. However, elderly patients, especially those with underlying diseases, are still at high risk of developing severe infections. With the continuous study of the molecular structure and pathogenic mechanism of SARS-CoV-2, antiviral drugs for COVID-19 have been successively marketed, and these anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs can effectively reduce the severe rate and mortality of elderly patients. This article reviews the mechanism, clinical medication regimens, drug interactions and adverse reactions of five small molecule antiviral drugs currently approved for marketing in China, so as to provide advice for the clinical rational use of anti-SARS-CoV-2 in the elderly.

Objective:To investigate the effect of 3D-printed customized flanged cup in hip revision with severe acetabular bone defects.Methods:Since February 2017, 10 cases of 3D-printed customized flanged cups were used in hip revision with severe acetabular bone defects, including 2 cases of Paprosky type IIIA and 8 cases of Paprosky type IIIB. There were 5 males and 5 females, mean age 73.6±8.1 yrs (range, 62-87 yrs), 5 left and 5 right cases. The preoperative thin-layer CT scan was preformed to reverse reconstruct digital pelvis. Five cases of one-piece flanged cups and 5 cases of decomposed flanged cups, including 3 cases of composite one-piece cups were designed by computer. The surgery was performed strictly according to the plan.Postoperative follow-up was performed to evaluate the Harris score. Operation time,intraoperative bleeding and other complications such as vascular and nerve injury, postoperative infection, and dislocation were counted. Pelvic X-ray was used to assess the height and horizontal position of the center of rotation and the stability of the prosthesis.Results:The surgical procedure was successful, with an average operative time of 147.9±48.3 min (range, 96-212 min) and an average intraoperative bleeding of 730.4±262.6 ml (range, 500-1 300 ml). The mean time of final follow-up was 40.8±18.7 months (range, 16-70 months) after surgery. At the last follow-up, the average Harris score was 83.80±6.73, with 4 cases excellent, 5 cases good, and 1 case fair. The excellent and good rate was 90%. The last Harris score was significantly higher than that before operation 28.60±8.40 ( t=16.84, P<0.001). The height of affected hip joint rotation center decreased from 46.24±7.74 mm before operation to 15.54±2.54 mm after operation with significant difference ( t=14.61, P<0.001). It was slightly higher than the opposite side (13.81±1.48 mm), which had no significant difference ( t=1.83, P=0.100). The horizontal distance of affected hip joint rotation center increased from 33.79±5.27 mm before operation to 40.53±4.50 mm after operation with significant difference ( t=3.62, P=0.006). It had no significant difference ( t=1.28, P=0.232) compared with the opposite side (38.54±3.46 mm). All incisions were healed in one stage without infection, vascular or nerve injury. During the following-up, all prostheses were in satisfied position without loosening, dislocation or screw breaks. Conclusion:Digitally assisted 3D-printed flanged cups can be used in hip revision with severe acetabular bone defect. It can not only improve hip joint function, but also restore the acetabular rotation center and the prosthesis stability, which can achieve good early and mid-term effect.

Objective:To analyze the efficacy of the reconstruction of the proximal humerus by reverse shoulder arthroplasty with three-dimensional (3D) printing technology after tumor rescetion.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the data of eight patients undergoing semi-constrained reverse shoulder arthroplasty with 3D printing technology after the resection of bone tumors in proximal humeri at the Affiliated Wuxi People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from December 2017 to January 2021. There were four males and four females with an average age of 55.1 (range, 31-73) years, all of whom had unilateral onset, 2 on the left and 6 on the right. There was one case of leiomyosarcoma (Enneking IIB), two cases of chondrosarcomas (one Enneking IA and one Enneking IB), four cases of Campanacci grade 3 giant cell tumor of bone, and one case of bone metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma. Individualized prosthesis and implantation protocol were completed preoperatively in all patients. The glenoid baseplate was manufactured using 3D printing technology. During the surgery, Malawer type I tumor resection and semi-constrained reverse shoulder arthroplasty were performed, with 6 cases simultaneously using allograft-prosthetic composite reconstruction. The follow-up was scheduled, and the patient received X-ray examination of the shoulder. The range of motion of the shoulder was measured, the Constant-Murley score and musculoskeletal tumor society (MSTS) score were recorded.Results:All 8 patients successfully completed the surgery, with a surgical time of 173.8±46.7 min (range, 130-260 min), intraoperative blood loss of 487.5±334.6 ml (range 200-1,200 ml), and proximal humeral resection of 9.9±4.6 cm (range, 4.5-19.0 cm). All patients were followed up for a period of 45.6±12.5 months (range, 24-60 months). At the last follow-up, the abduction ranges of motion of the affected shoulders increased from 27.5°±14.4° pre-operatively to 106.3°±21.8° post-operatively, with a statistically significant difference ( t=11.37, P<0.001). The forward flexion ranges increased from 28.1°±12.8° pre-operatively to 115.6°±24.0° post-operatively, with a statistically significant difference ( t=11.49, P<0.001). The Constant-Murley score was improved from 40.5±14.3 pre-operatively to 79.3±11.2 post-operatively, with a statistically significant difference ( t=9.58, P<0.001). The MSTS score was 25.6±2.2 (range, 23-28), including 6 excellent cases and 2 good cases. At 2 weeks after surgery, one patient experienced joint dislocation that was successfully reduced manually. Up to the final follow-up, all patients had survived without local tumor recurrence, metastasis, prosthesis infection and loosening. Conclusion:3D printing technology assisted shoulder arthroplasty is helpful for effective reconstruction and shoulder joint function recovery after resection of proximal humeral tumors, with satisfactory outcomes in the early and middle stages.