From sky to road: Incorporating the satellite imagery into analysis of freight truck-related crash factors.

Freight truck-related crashes in urban contexts have caused significant economic losses and casualties, making it increasingly essential to understand the spatial patterns of such crashes. Limitations regarding data availability have greatly undermined the generalizability and applicability of certain prior research findings. This study explores the potential of emerging geospatial data to delve deeply into the determinants of these incidents with a more generalizable research design. By synergizing high-resolution satellite imagery with refined GIS map data and geospatial tabular data, a rich tapestry of the road environment and freight truck operations emerges. To navigate the challenges of zero-inflated issues of the crash datasets, the Tweedie Gradient Boosting model is adopted. Results reveal a pronounced spatial heterogeneity between highway and urban non-highway road networks in crash determinants. Factors such as freight truck activity, intricate road network patterns, and vehicular densities rise to prominence, albeit with varying degrees of influence across highways and urban non-highway terrains. Results emphasize the need for context-specific interventions for policymakers, encompassing optimized urban planning, infrastructural overhauls, and refined traffic management protocols. This endeavor may not only elevate the academic discourse around freight truck-related crashes but also champion a data-driven approach towards safer road ecosystems for all.

Electroacupuncture at Sensitized Acupoints Relieves Somatic Referred Pain in Colitis Rats by Inhibiting Sympathetic-Sensory Coupling to Interfere with 5-HT Signaling Pathway / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate whether electroacupuncture (EA) at sensitized acupoints could reduce sympathetic-sensory coupling (SSC) and neurogenic inflammatory response by interfering with 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)ergic neural pathways to relieve colitis and somatic referred pain, and explore the underlying mechanisms.@*METHODS@#Rats were treated with 5% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) solution for 7 days to establish a colitis model. Twelve rats were randomly divided into the control and model groups according to a random number table (n=6). According to the "Research on Rat Acupoint Atlas", sensitized acupoints and non-sensitized acupoints were determined. Rats were randomly divided into the control, model, Zusanli-EA (ST 36), Dachangshu-EA (BL 25), and Xinshu (BL 15) groups (n=6), as well as the control, model, EA, and EA + GR113808 (a 5-HT inhibitor) groups (n=6). The rats in the control group received no treatment. Acupuncture was administered on 2 days after modeling using the stimulation pavameters: 1 mA, 2 Hz, for 30 min, with sparse and dense waves, for 14 consecutive days. GR113808 was injected into the tail vein at 5 mg/kg before EA for 10 min for 7 consecutive days. Mechanical sensitivity was assessed with von Frey filaments. Body weight and disease activity index (DAI) scores of rats were determined. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was performed to observe colon histopathology. SSC was analyzed by immunofluorescence staining. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect 5-HT and substance P (SP) expressions. The calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in skin tissue and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) protein levels in DRG were detected by Western blot. The levels of hyaluronic acid (HA), bradykinin (BK), prostaglandin I2 (PGI2) in skin tissue, 5-HT, tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH1), serotonin transporters (SERT), 5-HT 3 receptor (5-HT3R), and 5-HT 4 receptor (5-HT4R) in colon tissue were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).@*RESULTS@#BL 25 and ST 36 acupoints were determined as sensitized acupoints, and BL 15 acupoint was used as a non-sensitized acupoint. EA at sensitized acupoints improved the DAI score, increased mechanical withdrawal thresholds, and alleviated colonic pathological damage of rats. EA at sensitized acupoints reduced SSC structures and decreased TH and CGRP expression levels (P<0.05). Furthermore, EA at sensitized acupoints reduced BK, PGI2, 5-HT, 5-HT3R and TPH1 levels, and increased HA, 5-HT4R and SERT levels in colitis rats (P<0.05). GR113808 treatment diminished the protective effect of EA at sensitized acupoints in colitis rats (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#EA at sensitized acupoints alleviated DSS-induced somatic referred pain in colitis rats by interfering with 5-HTergic neural pathway, and reducing SSC inflammatory response.

The upstream regulation of the root cell wall when Arabidopsis thaliana in response to toxic metal ions focusing on Al.

In acid soil, aluminum (Al) toxicity is one of the main factors limiting agricultural output. As is known to all, the cell wall is the first line of defense against metals that serves as a significant target of Al toxicity and also is crucial for Al detoxification. However, nothing is known about how this process is transcriptionally regulated. Here, we describe recent findings to understand the role of two kinds of transcription factors in regulating the cell wall composition and modification in response to Al stress in Arabidopsis thaliana. ANAC017 encodes a NAM, ATAF1/2, and cup-shaped cotyledon 2 (NAC) transcription factor, loss function of ANAC017 enhanced Al tolerance with the decreased Al content and xyloglucan content in the cell wall. Next, we characterized one xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase (XTH), XTH31, which is previously reported to participate in Al stress, acted downstream of ANAC017 to regulate Al tolerance in Arabidopsis. In addition, we also identified MYB103, an R2R3-type transcription factor. MYB103 disruption caused Al sensitivity, and myb103 mutants' xyloglucan had a high O-acetylation level. Additionally, it was discovered that TRICHOME BIREFRINGENCE-LIKE27 (TBL27), which is in charge of xyloglucan's O-acetylation, functions downstream of MYB103 through the direct binding of the MYB103 to the promoter of the TBL27 to influence Arabidopsis's sensitivity to Al. In summary, our research showed that two distinct molecular modules modulate Arabidopsis cell wall composition and modification to positively influence Al resistance.

Kinetic Properties Study of H Atom Abstraction by CH3Ȯ2 Radicals from Fuel Molecules with Different Functional Groups.

The detailed kinetic properties of hydrogen atom abstraction by methylperoxy (CH3Ȯ2) radicals from alkanes, alkenes, dienes, alkynes, ethers, and ketones are systematically studied in this work. Geometry optimization, frequency analysis, and zero-point energy corrections were performed for all species at the M06-2X/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory. The intrinsic reaction coordinate calculation was consistently performed to ensure that the transition state connects the correct reactants and products, and one-dimensional hindered rotor scanning results were performed at the M06-2X/6-31G level of theory. The single-point energies of all reactants, transition states, and products were obtained at the QCISD(T)/CBS level of theory. High-pressure-limit rate constants of 61 reaction channels were calculated using conventional transition state theory with asymmetric Eckart tunneling corrections over the temperature range of 298.15-2000 K. Reaction rate rules for H atom abstraction by CH3Ȯ2 radicals from fuel molecules with different functional groups are constructed, which can be used in the development of combustion models of these fuels and fuel types. In addition, the influence of the functional groups on the internal rotation of the hindered rotor is also discussed.

Advances in mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine in inhibiting angiogenesis in ovarian cancer / 中国中药杂志

Ovarian cancer is one of the three major cancers in gynecology. Ovarian cancer has insidious symptoms in its early stages and mostly has progressed to advanced stages when detected. Surgical treatment combined with chemotherapy is currently the main treatment, but the 5-year survival rate is still less than 45%. Angiogenesis is a key step in the growth and metastasis of ovarian cancer. The inhibition of ovarian cancer angiogenesis has become a new hotspot in anti-tumor targeted therapy, which has many advantages such as less drug resistance, high specificity, few side effects, and broad anti-tumor spectrum. Modern research has confirmed that traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) can inhibit tumor angiogenesis by inhibiting the expression of pro-angiogenic factors, up-regulating the expression of anti-angiogenic factors, inhibiting the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells, reducing the density of tumor microvessels, and regulating related signaling pathways, with unique advantages in the treatment of ovarian cancer. This paper presented a review of the role of TCM in inhibiting ovarian cancer angiogenesis in order to provide references for the optimization of clinical ovarian cancer treatment strategies.

Effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation on the swallowing and brain-stem auditory evoked potentials of dysphagic stroke survivors / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

Objective:To observe any effects of contralateral repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the swallowing motor cortex on the swallowing and brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) of stroke survivors with dysphagia.Methods:A total of 83 stroke survivors with dysphagia were randomly divided into an ipsilesional stimulation group ( n=22), a contralesional stimulation group ( n=21), a bilateral stimulation group ( n=20), and a control group ( n=20). In addition to their conventional dysphagia training, those in the three stimulation groups received 3Hz rTMS while the control group was given fake stimulation. The treatment was administered daily for 20 minutes, 6 days a week, for 5 consecutive weeks. Before and after the treatment, swallowing function was assessed videofluoroscopically and using the Dysphagia Outcome and Severity Scale (DOSS). The oral and pharyngeal stages of swallowing were evaluated using the videofluoroscopic dysphagia scale (VDS). Brain stem conduction was assessed using BAEPs. Results:After treatment the average DOSS scores of all 4 groups were significantly better than before the treatment. The average DOSS scores of the contralesional and bilateral sti-mulation groups were then significantly better than those of the other two groups. The sub-item and total VDS scores of all 4 groups had decreased significantly, but the average score of the bilateral stimulation group was significantly lower than the control group′s average. Ipsilesional stimulation significantly improved the VDS sub-item scores for the triggering of pharyngeal swallowing, laryngeal elevation, and pharyngeal transit time compared with the control group. In the contralesional stimulation group the average total score and the VDS sub-item scores for apraxia, premature bolus loss, oral transit times, the triggering of pharyngeal swallowing, vallecular residue, laryngeal elevation, coating on the pharyngeal wall, and pharyngeal transit time were significantly lower than those of the control group, on average. After the treatment the latencies of BAEP waves I, III and V and the I-III, III-V and I-V interpeak intervals had decreased significantly in all four groups, but the average latencies and intervals of the bilateral and contralesional groups were significantly shorter than those of the control group. The latencies and intervals of the bilateral stimulation group were then significantly shorter than those in the ipsilesional stimulation group on average. The average latency of wave V in the bilateral stimulation group (6.53±0.73ms) was significantly shorter than that in the contralesional stimulation group after the treatment.Conclusion:Bilateral rTMS over the swallowing motor cortex combined with conventional dysphagia training can significantly improve the swallowing of dysphagic stroke survivors.

Effects and mechanism of Morus alba L. (Sangzhi) alkaloids combined with metformin on glucose metabolism in diabetic KKAy mice / 药学学报

To investigate the effects and mechanism of the combination of Morus alba L. (Sangzhi) alkaloids(SZ-A) and metformin (Met) on glucose metabolism in type 2 diabetic mice, KKAy mice were divided into four groups according to the glucose and lipid indexes: control group (control), Morus alba L. (Sangzhi) alkaloids group (SZ-A, 100 mg·kg-1), metformin group (Met, 100 mg·kg-1) and combined administration group (combination, Comb, 100 mg·kg-1 SZ-A + 100 mg·kg-1 Met). All groups were administered by gavage once daily for 7 weeks accompanied with monitoring food intake, water intake, body weight as well as glycemia. Additionally, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), insulin tolerance test (ITT) and oral sodium pyruvate tolerance test (OPTT) were performed at week 2, week 5, week 6, respectively. The experiments were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of the Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (00004332). We determined the weight and lipid content of liver, and then performed the histopathological analysis after sacrificed. Furthermore, Western blot assay was used to detect the protein levels of key molecules of PI3K/PDK1/Akt/GLUT signaling pathway in liver, muscle and adipose tissue. Compared to the SZ-A or Met monotherapy group, SZ-A + Met significantly improved the glucose metabolism disorder, which was showed in reduced food intake, water intake, the level of fasting blood glucose, postprandial blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) of KKAy mice, as well as improved glucose tolerance, enhanced insulin sensitivity and inhibited gluconeogenesis. In addition, SZ-A + Met obviously up-regulated the protein expression levels in PI3K/PDK1/Akt/GLUT signaling pathway in liver, muscle and adipose tissue of KKAy mice. Moreover, the liver lipid accumulation and blood aminotransferase level of KKAy mice in the combined administration group were significantly reduced. Therefore, we concluded that the combination of SZ-A and Met improved glucose metabolism and inhibited the occurrence and development of T2DM via promoting glucose uptake and utilization, suggesting that the combination of SZ-A and Met is a more useful treatment for T2DM.

The effect and mechanism of metformin on peripheral neuropathy in type 1 diabetic rats / 药学学报

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is one of the most common microvascular complications occurring in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus patients, which often results in patients suffering from severe hyperalgesia and allodynia. Up to now, the clinical therapeutic effect of DPN is still unsatisfactory. Metformin is an anti-diabetic drug that has been safely and widely used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes for decades. Studies have shown that metformin can improve pain caused by DPN, but its effects on the nerve conduction velocity and morphology of the sciatic nerve of DPN, and the mechanism for improving DPN are not clear. Therefore, the STZ-induced model of type 1 DPN in SD rats was used to study the effects of metformin on DPN, and to preliminarily explore its mechanism in this study. All animal experiments were carried out with approval of the Experimental Animal Welfare Ethics Committee of the Institute of Materia Medica (Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College). After the model was established successfully, STZ diabetic rats were randomly divided into a model group and a metformin treatment group, and 10 normal SD rats were selected as the normal control group, and the rats were intragastrically administered for 12 weeks. The results showed that metformin significantly reduced blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, food consumption and water consumption in STZ rats. Metformin markedly increased the motor nerve conduction velocity and mechanical stabbing pain threshold, prolonged the hot plate latency threshold, and improved the pathological morphological abnormalities of the sciatic nerve in STZ rats. In addition, metformin increased the content of glutathione (GSH), enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), and reduced the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum and sciatic nerve of STZ diabetic rats, as well as regulating the expression of genes related to oxidative stress in the sciatic nerve. Metformin obviously reduced the levels of pro-inflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 in the serum in STZ rats, and inhibited the gene expression of these inflammatory factors in the sciatic nerve. In summary, metformin significantly increased nerve conduction velocity, improved sciatic nerve morphological abnormalities and pain in DPN rats, which may be related to its effect in improving oxidative stress and reducing inflammation.

Clinical distribution and drug resistance characteristics of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae / 中华预防医学杂志

To explore the clinical distribution and drug resistance characteristics of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP), in order to provide reference for the prevention and treatment of CRKP infection. Retrospective analysis was performed on 510 clinical isolates of CRKP from January 2017 to December 2021, and strain identification and drug sensitivity tests were conducted by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer and VITEK-2 Compact microbial drug sensitivity analyzer. The carbapenemase phenotype of CRKP strain was detected by carbapenemase inhibitor enhancement test. The CRKP strain was further categorized by immunochromogenic method and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used for gene detection. The results showed that 302 strains (59.2%) were derived from sputum, 127 strains (24.9%) from urine and 47 strains (9.2%) from blood. 231 (45.3%) were mainly distributed in intensive care, followed by 108 (21.2%) in respiratory medicine and 79 (15.5%) in neurosurgery. Drug susceptibility test result shows that the resistant rate of tigecycline increased from 1.0% in 2017 to 10.1% in 2021, the difference was statistically significant (χ2=14.444,P<0.05). The results of carbapenemase inhibitor enhancement test showed that 461 carbapenemase strains (90.4%) of 510 CRKP strains, including 450 serinase strains (88.2%), 9 metalloenzyme strains (1.8%), and 2 strains (0.4%) produced both serine and metalloenzyme. 49 strains (9.6%) did not produce enzymes. Further typing by immunochromogenic assay showed that 461 CRKP strains were KPC 450 (97.6%) and IMP 2 (0.4%). 7 NDM (1.5%); 2 strains of KPC+NDM (0.4%); PCR results were as follows: 450 strains of blaKPC (97.6%), 2 strains of blaIMP (0.4%), 7 strains of blaNDM (1.5%), and 2 strains of blaKPC+NDM (0.4%). In conclusion, CRKP strains mainly originated from sputum specimens and distributed in intensive care department, and the drug resistance characteristics were mainly KPC type in carbapenemase production. Clinical microbiology laboratory should strengthen the monitoring of CRKP strains, so as to provide reference for preventing CRKP infection and reducing the production of bacterial drug resistance.

Design and Implementation of a New Training Flight Simulator System.

Aircraft flight simulators have good cost efficiency, high reusability, and high flight safety. All airlines and aircraft manufacturing companies choose it as sophisticated training equipment for ground simulation, effectively reducing pilot training costs, ensuring personnel safety and aircraft wear and tear. The new simulator proposed in this paper combines a digital motion-cueing algorithm, flight software and motion platform to make pilots feel as if they are in the real world. By using EtherCAT technology to drive the motion-cueing platform, it can improve the data transmission speed of the simulator as well as the strong anti-interference ability of communication and the control operation efficiency. Therefore, the simulated flight subjects can perform long-distance and large-angle training. Next, a set of measurement systems was established to provide monitoring items including attitude, velocity and acceleration, which can be displayed on the screen and recorded on the computer in real time and dynamically. Finally, seven training subjects were implemented to demonstrate the feasibility and correctness of the proposed method.

Anti-tumor alkaloids from Peganum harmala.

Six alkaloids peharmalines F-K, along with 14 known ones, were isolated from the aerial part of Peganum harmala L.. The structures of the isolated compounds were determined based on their HR-ESI-MS data, extensive NMR spectroscopic analyses, and ECD calculations. 3-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)quinoline exhibited potent antiproliferative activity against the HepG-2 cell lines with an IC50 value of 3.05 µM. Norharmane displayed a moderate inhibition against A549 and HepG-2 cells with IC50 values of 16.45 µM and 17.27 µM, respectively.

Efficacy and Safety of Mulberry Twig Alkaloids Tablet for Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Multicenter Clinical Study / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To assess the efficacy and safety of mulberry twig alkaloids (Sangzhi alkaloids, SZ-A) for treatment of type 2 diabetes in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multicenter clinical trial.@*METHODS@#A total of 200 patients were randomized to receive SZ-A (n=100) or placebo (n=100) for 16 weeks. The data analysis system for electronic data capture clinical trial central randomization system was used for randomization and dispensing of drugs. The primary outcome was the change in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level. The secondary outcome included the proportions of cases with HbA1c <7.0% and HbA1c <6.5%, fasting blood glucose (FBG), postprandial blood glucose (PBG), area under curve for the PBG (AUC0-2h), body weight, and body mass index (BMI). Adverse events (AEs), severe adverse events (SAEs), treatment-related adverse events (TAEs), gastrointestinal disorders (GDs), blood pressure, routine blood tests, and liver and kidney function were monitored.@*RESULTS@#Compared with baseline, the change of HbA1c at week 16 was -0.80% (95% CI: -0.98% to -0.62%) and -0.09% (95% CI: -0.27% to 0.09%) in SZ-A group and placebo group, respectively. The proportion of patients with HbA1c <7% and <6.5% was higher in the SZ-A group than in the placebo group (46.8% vs. 21.6% and 29.9% vs. 10.8%). The observed values and changes in FBG, 1 h-PBG, 2 h-PBG, and AUC0-2h differed significantly between groups (P<0.001), but differences were not significant in body weight and BMI (P>0.05). The incidence rates of AEs, TAEs, and GDs differed significantly between groups (P=0.010, P=0.005, and P=0.006, respectively), whereas the incidence rates of SAEs showed no significant differences between groups (P=1.000).@*CONCLUSION@#SZ-A are effective and safe for treatment of type 2 diabetes. The protocol was registered in http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=60117 (ChiCTR2000038550).

Mechanism of Chinese Herbal Monomers Against Cisplatin-induced Resistance of Ovarian Cancer： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Because the early symptoms of ovarian cancer are not typical and there is a lack of effective screening methods， most patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage， which seriously endangers the health of modern women. Platinum-based chemotherapy after tumor reduction is the first choice for patients with advanced and recurrent ovarian cancer， but almost all patients with recurrent ovarian cancer will eventually develop platinum resistance. Therefore， the search for natural， safe， and effective chemotherapeutic sensitizers has become an urgent and important topic in the study of ovarian cancer. With the increasingly extensive application of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） in the treatment of cancer， the research on Chinese herbal monomers is also deepening， and the mechanisms of Chinese herbal monomers in intervening in cisplatin （DDP）-induced resistance of ovarian cancer is becoming increasingly clearer. Based on the research status of Chinese herbal monomers available in many Chinese and English databases， it was found that Chinese herbal monomers were involved in the reversal of DDP-induced resistance of ovarian cancer via many routes， mainly through increasing the intracellular drug concentration， reversing the blocked apoptosis， correcting the abnormal intracellular signaling pathway， enhancing DNA damage and inhibiting DNA repair， regulating intracellular autophagy， and suppressing epithelial mesenchymal transition （EMT）. Chinese herbal monomers weaken the resistance of ovarian cancer to DDP from multiple targets and enhance the toxicity of DDP to ovarian cancer cells in vitro and transplanted tumors in vivo. Therefore， Chinese herbal monomers are expected to become natural sensitizers for ovarian cancer chemotherapy with DDP. However， the current studies on Chinese herbal monomers are still confined to the single experimental type， and their action mechanisms and toxic and side effects remain to be further clarified. The application of Chinese herbal monomers for sensitizing DDP chemotherapy still needs to be verified by multi-target， multi-level experimental studies and large-scale clinical studies in the future.

Clinical study of Acupoint Pressing Therapy of Zang and Fu for the children with functional constipation and food retention of heat patterns / 国际中医中药杂志

Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy, safety and recurrence rate of Acupoint Pressing Therapy of Zang and Fu in the treatment of children with functional constipation.Methods:A total of 120 children with functional constipation form the First Affiliated Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2020 to June 2021, were divided into two groups randomly, 80 in observation group and 40 in control group. Both groups were treated with routin therpy. The observation group was treated with Acupoint pressing therapy of Zang and Fu, and the control group was treated with Xiaoerhuashi syrup. Both groups were treated for 2 weeks. Before and after treatment, TCM syndromes were scored, daily defecation and spontaneous defecation response were recorded, and the efficacy was evaluated. The patients were followed up for 4 weeks and the recurrence was recorded.Results:Seventh and 14th day after treatment, the effective rates of TCM syndrome efficacy in the observation group were 87.5% (70/80) and 92.5% (74/80), and 62.5% (25/40) and 80.0% (32/40) in the control group. The scores of main symptoms, secondary syndromes and total scores of TCM syndromes in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group ( P<0.01 or P<0.05) at 7th day ( t values were 2.90, 2.77 and 3.93) and 14th day ( t values were 4.24, 5.95 and 6.27) after treatment. The effective rates of the observation group was 83.8% (67/80) and that of the control group was 65.0% (26/40). The difference between the two groups was statistically significant ( χ2=5.38, P=0.020). In the follow-up, the recurrence rate of the observation group was 9.5% (7/74) and that of the control group was 18.8% (6/32). There was no significant difference between two groups ( χ2=1.79, P=0.181). Conclusion:Acupoint Pressing Therapy of Zang and Fu has the advantages of curative effect, low recurrence rate and safety in the treatment of children's functional constipation.

Analysis of risk factors related to the re-fracture of adjacent vertebral body after PKP.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to investigate the risk factors of vertebral re-fracture after percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) for osteoporosis vertebral compression fracture (OVCF), and to provide reference for clinical prevention. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 228 OVCF patients admitted on November 6, 2013, solstice, December 14, 2018, which met the inclusion criteria. There were 35 males and 193 females, with a male-to-female ratio of 3:20, and an age of 61-89 years. All patients were treated with PKP surgery with complete clinical data, and the rate of re-fracture was calculated according to whether re-fracture occurred after surgery, divided into the re-fracture group (24 cases) and the non-refracture group (204 cases). May be associated with subsequent fracture factors (gender, age, number of surgical segment vertebral body, whether with degenerative scoliosis, whether to fight osteoporosis) into a single-factor research, then the single-factor analysis was statistically significant risk factors for multiple logistic regression analysis, further defined after PKP holds the vertebral body fracture independent risk factors. Survival analysis was performed using the time of vertebral re-fracture after PKP as the end time of follow-up, the occurrence of re-fracture after PKP as the endpoint event, and the presence or absence of degenerative lateral curvature as a variable factor. RESULTS: All 228 vertebroplasty patients were followed up for a period of 1.8 to 63.6 months. The mean follow-up time was (28.8 ± 15.6) months, and the re-fracture rate was 10.5%. There were statistically significant differences between the re-fracture group and the non-refracture group in age, number of operative vertebral bodies, whether there was a combination of degenerative scoliosis and whether there was anti-osteoporosis treatment (P < 0.05). The results of univariate logistic regression analysis after excluding the mutual influence of various factors showed that the number of vertebral bodies and the group with lateral curvature might be the risk factors for PKP re-fracture after surgery. The above possible risk factors were included in multiple logistic regression analysis to show whether there were independent risk factors for scoliosis and vertebral re-fracture. Survival analysis showed that the mean survival time was 42.1 months, the P value was 0.00, and the mean 95% confidence interval was (34.4-49.7 months), indicating that the combination of degenerative lateral bending might be related to the occurrence of re-fracture. CONCLUSIONS: Combined scoliosis is an independent risk factor for re-fracture after OVCF laminoplasty and a possible risk factor for re-fracture after surgery.

New tirucallane-type triterpenoids from the resin of Boswellia carteriiand their NO inhibitory activities.

Six new tirucallane-type triterpenoids (1-6), along with ten known triterpenoids, were isolated from methylene chloride extract of the resin of Boswellia carterii Birdw. By the application of the comprehensive spectroscopic data, the structures of the compounds were clarified. The experimental electronic circular dichroism spectra were compared with those calculated, which allowed to assign the absolute configurations. Compounds 5 and 6 possesed a 2, 3-seco tirucallane-type triterpenoid skeleton, which were first reported. Their inhibitory activity against NO formation in LPS-activated BV-2 cells were evaluated. Compound 9 showed appreciable inhibitory effect, with an IC50 value of 7.58 ± 0.87 µmol·L-1.

[Analysis of related risk factors for the refracture of adjacent vertebral body after percutaneous kyphoplasty].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the risk factors of vertebral refracture after percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) for osteoprotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs), and to provide reference for clinical prevention. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 228 OVCFs patients who met the inclusion criteria admitted from November 6, 2013 to December 14, 2018. There were 35 males and 193 females, with a male-to-female ratio of 3∶20, and aged 58 to 91 years with an average of (69.70±7.03) years. All patients were treated with PKP and had complete clinical data. According to whether refracture occurred after operation, they were divided into refracture group (24 cases) and non refracture group (204 cases). Factors that may be related to refracture (including gender, age, surgical segment, number of vertebral bodies in the surgical segment, whether combined with degenerative scoliosis, whether anti-osteoporosis treatment) were included in the univariate analyses, and the single factor analysis of statistically significant risk factors was carried out with multiple Logistic regression analysis to further clarify the independent risk factors for vertebral body refracture after PKP. Survival analysis was performed using the time of vertebral refracture after PKP as the end time of follow up, the occurrence of refracture after PKP as the endpoint event, and the presence or absence of degenerative lateral curvature as a variable factor. RESULTS: All 228 patients were followed up for 1.8 to 63.6 months with an average of (28.8±15.6) months, and the refracture rate was 10.5%(24/228). There were statistically significant differences between two groups in age, number of operative vertebral bodies, whether combinedwith degenerative scoliosis and whether anti osteoporosis treatment (P<0.05). Univariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the number of vertebral bodies in the surgical segment and whether combined with degenerative scoliosis may be risk factors for refracture after PKP. Multiple Logistic regression analysis of the above possible risk factors showed that combined scoliosis was an independent risk factor for vertebral refracture of the vertebral body. Survival analysis showed that the mean survival time was 42.1 months, the P value was 0.00, and the mean 95% confidence interval was 34.4-49.7 months, indicating that the combination of degenerative lateral bending might be related to the occurrence of refracture. CONCLUSION: Combined scoliosis is an independent risk factor for refracture after OVCFs vertebroplasty, and it is also a possible high-risk factor for refracture after surgery.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation can improve swallowing after a stroke / 中华物理医学与康复杂志

Objective:To observe any effect of repeated unilateral high frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on the swallowing function and functional magnetic resonance images of dysphagic stroke survivors.Methods:Twenty stroke survivors with dysphagia were randomly divided into a treatment group ( n=10) and a control group ( n=10). Both groups received traditional swallowing rehabilitation training, while the treatment group was additionally provided with high frequency rTMS over the cortical area of the suprahyoid muscle group of the healthy contralateral cerebral hemisphere. The stimulation frequency was 5Hz and the stimulation intensity was 80% of the resting movement threshold. During the 20-minute treatment, there was a 20-second interval between each 2-second dose of stimulation. Before and after the treatment, both groups were evaluated using the Eating Assessment Tool-10 (EAT-10), a swallowing functional communication measurement (FCM) and the modified Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability (MMASA). In addition, functional magnetic resonance imaging was used to observe any changes in the relevant brain regions. Results:After the treatment the average EAT-10, FCM and MMASA scores of both groups were significantly better than those before the treatment, with the treatment group′s averages significantly superior to those of the control group. After the treatment, the activation range of the parietal lobe, the superior parietal lobule, the BA7 region and the BA40 area in the treatment group was significantly larger than before the treatment and larger than the control group′s ranges.Conclusions:Repeated high-frequency transcranial magnetic stimulation of the cortical area of the suprahyoid muscles in the contralateral cerebral hemisphere can improve dysphagia and promote the activation of brain areas related to swallowing after a stroke.

Updated research progress of selective PPARγ modulators / 药学学报

Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) are currently the only recognized insulin sensitizers available for the clinical treatment of type 2 diabetes. Although their advantages are recognized, the profiles of numerous adverse effects hinder the continued use of these drugs. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) is known as a receptor for TZDs, and its underlying mechanisms of pharmacological actions and adverse effects have been deeply explored. To maximally preserve the PPARγ-mediated insulin sensitizing effects and reduce the occurrence of related adverse effects, the concept of "selective PPARγ modulators (SPPARMs)" has been proposed and developed, guiding the development of new drugs. In this review, we summarize the recent research progress in the definition of SPPARMs, the candidate classification and the molecular underpinnings, as well as present the discovery of the YR series compounds as an example, and discuss the potential application prospects of SPPARMs.