Relationship between Abnormal Spontaneous Brain Activity and Altered Neuromuscular Activation of Lumbar Paraspinal Muscles in Chronic Low Back Pain.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the neural mechanism underlying functional reorganization and motor coordination strategies in patients with chronic low back pain (cLBP). DESIGN: A case-control study based on data collected during routine clinical practice. SETTING: This study was conducted at the the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. PARTICIPANTS: Fifteen patients with cLBP and fifteen healthy controls. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Whole brain blood oxygen level-dependent signals were measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging and amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) method to identify pain-induced changes in regional spontaneous brain activity. A novel approach based on the surface electromyography (EMG) system and fine-wire electrodes was used to record EMG signals in the deep multifidus, superficial multifidus, and erector spinae. RESULTS: In cLBP, compared with healthy groups, ALFF was higher in the medial prefrontal, primary somatosensory, primary motor, and inferior temporal cortices, whereas it was lower in the cerebellum and anterior cingulate and posterior cingulate cortices. Furthermore, the decrease in the average EMG activity of three lumbar muscles in the cLBP group was positively correlated with the ALFF values of the primary somatosensory cortex, motor cortex, precuneus, and middle temporal cortex but significantly negatively correlated with the ALFF values of the medial prefrontal and inferior temporal cortices. Interestingly, the correlation between the functional activity in the cerebellum and the EMG activity varied in the lumbar muscles. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest a functional association between changes in spontaneous brain activity and altered voluntary neuromuscular activation patterns of the lumbar paraspinal muscles, providing new insights into the mechanisms underlying pain chronicity as well as important implications for developing novel therapeutic targets of cLBP.

Effects of Custom-made Insoles on Plantar Biomechanics and Upper Extremity Muscle Performance.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of molding custom-made insoles for female patients with foot pain. METHODS: The study included 20 patients whose insoles were prescribed according to biomechanical evaluations and molded by repositioning the subtalar joint in its neutral position using a simple set of tools. Plantar biomechanics were measured under the following conditions: static stand, walking at self-comfortable walking speed (CWS) barefoot, walking in patient owned running shoes, and walking in running shoes plus insoles. Each patient's upper arm isometric muscle strength and subjective feelings before and after the insole intervention were assessed. RESULTS: The molded insoles increased plantar contact area both during static standing and walking at CWS compared to the barefoot condition. The insoles also had more evenly distributed plantar contact area and loading rate, with the changes in the medial arch area being most significant. Moreover, the custom-made insole intervention immediately increased maximum resistance and duration of bilateral upper arms, as well as improved foot comfort, especially at the medial arch area during single leg squat tests. CONCLUSION: Molding custom-made insoles by repositioning the subtalar joint in its neutral position can be accomplished with a simple set of tools, making this method highly applicable for a majority of less developed regions. Insoles molded using this method are effective in immediately improving plantar biomechanics disorders and enhancing isometric upper muscle performance in female patients with foot pain.

Molecular traits and functional analysis of Rapid Alkalinization Factors (RALFs) in four Gossypium species.

Rapid Alkalinization Factors (RALFs) are plant-secreted, cysteine-rich polypeptides which are known to play essential roles in plant developmental processes and in several defense mechanisms. So far, RALF polypeptides have not been investigated in the Gossypium genus. In this study, 42, 38, 104 and 120 RALFs were identified from diploid G. arboreum and G. raimondi and tetraploid G. hirsutum and G. barbadense, respectively. These were further divided into four groups. Protein characteristics, sequence alignment, gene structure, conserved motifs, chromosomal location and cis-element identification were comprehensively analyzed. Whole genome duplication (WGD) /segmental duplication may be the reason why the number of RALF genes doubled in tetraploid Gossypium species. Expression patterns analysis showed that GhRALFs had different transcript accumulation patterns in the tested tissues and were differentially expressed in response to various abiotic stresses. Furthermore, GhRALF41-3 over-expressing (OE) plants showed reduction in root length and developed later with short stems and small rosettes than that of the wild type. The GhRALF14-8 and GhRALF27-8 OE plants, especially the latter, showed increase in seed abortion. Both transgenic Arabidopsis and VIGS cotton demonstrate that three GhRALFs are negative regulators in response to salt stress. Our systematic analyses provided insights into the characterization of RALF genes in Gossypium, which forms genetic basis for further exploration in their potential applications in cotton production.

Spatiotemporal Evolution and Drivers of Total Health Expenditure across Mainland China in Recent Years.

A substantially growing health expenditure has become an important global issue. Thus, how and why health expenditure is rising should be urgently investigated in systematic research. The Bayesian space-time model and the Bayesian least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) model were employed in this study to investigate the spatiotemporal trends and influence patterns of total health expenditure per capita (THEPC) and total health expenditure (THEE) as a share of the gross domestic product (GDP) on the Chinese mainland from 2009 to 2018. The spatial distribution of THEE as a share of GDP in mainland China has shaped a distinct geographical structure with the characteristic of 'west high/east low'. Its local increasing trends formed a geographical structure that exhibited a 'north high/south low' feature. The heterogeneity of the influence patterns of health expenditure was observed from east to west across China. Natural environmental factors, such as air pollution and green coverage, along with changes in dietary structures, have increasingly influenced the growth of health expenditures.

Molecular Traits and Functional Analysis of the CLAVATA3/Endosperm Surrounding Region-Related Small Signaling Peptides in Three Species of Gossypium Genus.

The CLAVATA3/endosperm surrounding region-related (CLE) small peptides are a group of C-terminally encoded and post-translationally modified signal molecules involved in regulating the growth and development of various plants. However, the function and evolution of these peptides have so far remained elusive in cotton. In this study, 55, 56, and 86 CLE genes were identified in the Gossypium raimondii, Gossypium arboreum, and Gossypium hirsutum genomes, respectively, and all members were divided into seven groups. These groups were distinctly different in their protein characteristics, gene structures, conserved motifs, and multiple sequence alignment. Whole genome or segmental duplications played a significant role in the expansion of the CLE family in cotton, and experienced purifying selection during the long evolutionary process in cotton. Cis-acting regulatory elements and transcript profiling revealed that the CLE genes of cotton exist in different tissues, developmental stages, and respond to abiotic stresses. Protein properties, structure prediction, protein interaction network prediction of GhCLE2, GhCLE33.2, and GhCLE28.1 peptides were, respectively, analyzed. In addition, the overexpression of GhCLE2, GhCLE33.2, or GhCLE28.1 in Arabidopsis, respectively, resulted in a distinctive shrub-like dwarf plant, slightly purple leaves, large rosettes with large malformed leaves, and lack of reproductive growth. This study provides important insights into the evolution of cotton CLEs and delineates the functional conservatism and divergence of CLE genes in the growth and development of cotton.

Spatiotemporal characteristics of nitrogen dioxide pollution in mainland China from 2015 to 2018.

With the rapid industrial development and urbanisation in China, nitrogen dioxide [Formula: see text] pollution has become a severe environmental problem that threatens public health. Based on hourly concentration monitoring data of the six main air pollutants in mainland China, a space-time Bayesian hierarchy model was employed to analyse the spatiotemporal trends of the absolute and relative [Formula: see text] concentrations (i.e., the proportion of [Formula: see text] in the six main air pollutants: [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text]). Both the absolute and relative [Formula: see text] concentrations were higher in the autumn and winter of each year during the study period. Four regions in particular-the North China Plain, the Yangtze River Delta, the Sichuan Basin, and the Pearl River Delta-experience the largest amounts of [Formula: see text] pollution, with a high local magnitude of more than 1.0 relative to the overall absolute and relative [Formula: see text] concentrations; this affects an area with a human population of 571.85 million, which is 42.47% of the total population. Central China (i.e., the Shaanxi-Shanxi-Henan region) and the Tarim Basin (northwest of Xinjiang) were heavily polluted by [Formula: see text] and other pollutants throughout the year, with a high local magnitude of more than 1.0 relative to the overall absolute [Formula: see text] concentration. The [Formula: see text] pollution in most of the cities in western and southern China is less serious, along with cities in the northeast. Local trends reveal that in general, cities with high [Formula: see text] pollution are accompanied by upward trends. Specifically, except for in the summer, there were about 86 cities showing the increasing trend, of which 66 cities are located in areas with higher absolute and relative [Formula: see text] concentrations. Taiyuan, for example, represents the maximal local trend, with an average annual increase of 4.39 (95% CI 1.61-7.43) [Formula: see text] and 0.43 (95% CI 0.16-0.73) %, respectively, which will lead to further increases in the population exposure-risk in heavily polluted areas.

Conversion from a failed proximal femoral nail anti-rotation to a cemented or uncemented total hip arthroplasty device: a retrospective review of 198 hips with previous intertrochanteric femur fractures.

BACKGROUND: At present, it is unclear which device (uncemented or cemented total hip arthroplasty [UTA or CTA, respectively]) is more suitable for the conversion of a failed proximal femoral nail anti-rotation (PFNA). The aim of this review was to assess the outcomes of failed PFNAs converted to a UTA or CTA device in elderly individuals with intertrochanteric femoral fractures (IFFs). METHODS: Two hundred fifty-eight elderly individuals (258 hips) with IFFs who underwent a conversion to a UTA or CTA device following failed PFNAs during 2007-2017 were retrospectively identified from the China Southern Medical Centre (CSMC) database. The primary endpoint was the Harris Hip Score (HHS); secondary endpoint was the key orthopaedic complication rate. RESULTS: The median follow-up was 65 months (60-69 months). Significant distinctions were observed (87.26 ± 16.62 for UTA vs. 89.32 ± 16.08 for CTA, p = 0.021; 86.61 ± 12.24 for symptomatic UTA vs. 88.68 ± 13.30 for symptomatic CTA, p = 0.026). A significant difference in the overall key orthopaedic complication rate was detected (40.8% [40/98] vs. 19.0% [19/100], p = 0.001). Apparent distinctions were detected in terms of the rate of revision, loosening, and periprosthetic fracture (11.2% for UTA vs 3.0% for CTA, p = 0.025; 13.2% for UTA vs 5.0% for CTA, p = 0.043; 10.2% for UTA vs 3.0% for CTA, p = 0.041, respectively). CONCLUSION: For elderly individuals with IFFs who suffered a failed PFNA, CTA devices may have a noteworthy advantage in regard to the revision rate and the rate of key orthopaedic complications compared with UTA devices, and CTA revision should be performed as soon as possible, regardless of whether these individuals have symptoms.

Conversion to hemi-shoulder arthroplasty or reverse total shoulder arthroplasty after failed plate osteosynthesis of proximal humerus fractures: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical outcomes of hemi-shoulder arthroplasty (HSA) versus reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) following failed plate osteosynthesis of proximal humerus fractures in elderly patients. METHODS: This retrospective study identified all patients that had a documented failed plate osteosynthesis of proximal humeral fractures treated with revision HSA or RTSA. Follow-up occurred at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery and every year thereafter. The primary outcomes were the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) scores, Simple Shoulder Test (SST) scores, visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores and the University of California, Los Angeles Shoulder Rating Scale (UCLA SRS) scores. The secondary outcome was the rate of major complications. RESULTS: A total of 126 patients (126 shoulders) were enrolled in the study. At the final follow-up, the RTSA group had significantly greater improvements in ASES, SST and UCLA SRS scores than the HSA group. The RTSA group had significantly larger decreases in the VAS pain score compared with the HSA group. The rate of major complications was significantly higher in the HSA group than in the RTSA group (44.4% versus 27.5%, respectively). CONCLUSION: RTSA provided superior functional outcomes compared with HSA, with a lower rate of major complications after a follow-up period of at least 5 years.

Long-term survival after cemented versus uncemented total hip arthroplasty for treatment of acute femoral neck fracture: a retrospective study with a mean 10-year follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the long-term survivorship and Harris hip scores (HHSs) between cemented total hip arthroplasty (CTHA) and uncemented total hip arthroplasty (UTHA) for treatment of acute femoral neck fractures (FNFs). METHODS: Data of 224 hips (CTHA, n = 112; UTHA, n = 112) that underwent primary surgery in our medical institution from 2005 to 2017 were retrospectively analysed. The primary endpoint was the risk of all-cause revision. The difference in the risk of all-cause revision between the two groups was assessed by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis with a log-rank test and Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: The mean postoperative follow-up was 10 years (range, 3-13 years). The Kaplan-Meier estimated 10-year implant survival rate was significantly higher in the CTHA than UTHA group (98.1% vs. 96.2%, respectively). The adjusted Cox regression analysis demonstrated a significantly lower risk of revision in the CTHA than UTHA group. At the final follow-up, the mean HHS was significantly higher in the CTHA than UTHA group (85.10 vs. 79.11, respectively). CONCLUSION: This retrospective analysis demonstrated that CTHA provided higher survival, lower revision risk, and higher functional outcome scores than UTHA. Further follow-up is necessary to verify whether these advantages of CTHA persist over time.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for post-stroke depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Post-stroke depression (PSD) is common consequence of stroke. However, today the majority of PSD patients remains untreated or inadequately treated, especially in the developing countries. Herein, we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate efficacy and safety of hyperbaric oxygen (HBOT) therapy for PSD. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Seven electronic databases were comprehensively searched for randomized clinical trials (RCTs) from inception to May 2019. Outcome measures included response rate, depression severity, neurological deficit, physical disability and adverse events. RESULTS: A total of 27 RCTs involving 2250 participants were identified. Patients in HBOT group had a higher response rate than patients in control group (response rate: 69.4% vs 51.2%, odds ratio [OR] = 2.51, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.83-3.43], P = 0.000). HBOT significantly reduced Hamilton Depression (HAMD) -17 item scores (weighted mean difference [WMD]  = -4.33, 95% CI [-4.82 to -3.84], P = 0.000), HAMD-24 item scores (WMD = -4.31, 95% CI [-5.01 to -3.62], P = 0.000), National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores (WMD = -2.77, 95% CI [-3.57 to -1.98], P = 0.000), Chinese Stroke Scale (CSS) scores (WMD = -3.75, 95% CI [-5.12 to -2.38], P = 0.000) and Modified Scandinavian Stroke Scale (MASSS) scores (WMD = -3.66, 95% CI [-6.26 to -1.06], P = 0.000). HBOT also improved Barthel Index (WMD = 10.68, 95% CI [7.98-13.37], P = 0.000). In subgroup analysis, Group A of studies with hemorrhage patients accounting for less than 20% achieved more reduction of HAMD 17-item score (WMD = -4.47, 95% CI [-5.17 to -3.77], P = 0.000) than Group B of studies with hemorrhage patients no less than 20% (WMD = -3.73, 95% CI [-4.20 to -3.26], P = 0.000). In addition, patents with HBOT along with antidepressants treatment achieve superior results than patients with antidepressants monotherapy. Patients with HBOT monotherapy achieve a slightly higher response rate than patients with antidepressants monotherapy (OR = 1.29, 95% CI [1.04-1.60], P = 0.000). Besides, HBOT group reported less adverse events (9.6%vs16.6%, P < 0.05). The most frequent side-effect of HBOT is ear pain (26 cases). CONCLUSION: Based on our pooled analysis, HBOT is effective and safe therapeutic approach for PSD. However, results should be cautiously interpreted due to a relatively poor methodological quality.

Spatiotemporal matching between medical resources and population ageing in China from 2008 to 2017.

BACKGROUND: Globally, the increasingly severe population ageing issue has been creating challenges in terms of medical resource allocation and public health policies. The aim of this study is to address the space-time trends of the population-ageing rate (PAR), the number of medical resources per thousand residents (NMRTR) in mainland China in the past 10 years, and to investigate the spatial and temporal matching between the PAR and NMRTR in mainland China. METHODS: The Bayesian space-time hierarchy model was employed to investigate the spatiotemporal variation of PAR and NMRTR in mainland China over the past 10 years. Subsequently, a Bayesian Geo-Detector model was developed to evaluate the spatial and temporal matching levels between PAR and NMRTR at national level. The matching odds ratio (OR) index proposed in this paper was applied to measure the matching levels between the two terms in each provincial area. RESULTS: The Chinese spatial and temporal matching q-statistic values between the PAR and three vital types of NMRTR were all less than 0.45. Only the spatial matching Bayesian q-statistic values between the PAR and the number of beds in hospital reached 0.42 (95% credible interval: 0.37, 0.48) nationwide. Chongqing and Guizhou located in southwest China had the highest spatial and temporal matching ORs, respectively, between the PAR and the three types of NMRTR. The spatial pattern of the spatial and temporal matching ORs between the PAR and NMRTR in mainland China exhibited distinct geographical features, but the geographical structure of the spatial matching differed from that of the temporal matching between the PAR and NMRTR. CONCLUSION: The spatial and temporal matching degrees between the PAR and NMRTR in mainland China were generally very low. The provincial regions with high PAR largely experienced relatively low spatial matching levels between the PAR and NMRTR, and vice versa. The geographical pattern of the temporal matching between the PAR and NMRTR exhibited the feature of north-south differentiation.

Spatiotemporal trends and influence factors of global diabetes prevalence in recent years.

Diabetes is one of the most widespread global epidemics and has become the main component of the global disease burden. Based on data regarding the prevalence of diabetes in 203 countries and territories from 2013 to 2017, we employed the Bayesian space-time model to investigate the spatiotemporal trends in the global diabetes prevalence. The factors influencing the diabetes prevalence were assessed by the Bayesian LASSO regression model. We identified 77 (37.9%) hotspots with a higher diabetes prevalence than the global average, 10 (0.4%) warm spots with global average level and 116 (57.1%) cold spots with lower level than global average. Of the 203 countries and territories, 68 (33.5%), including 31 hotspots, 5 warm spots and 32 cold spots, exhibited an increasing trend. Of these, 60 experienced an annual increase of more than 0.25%, and 8 showed an increasing trend. Three populous countries, namely China, the USA and Mexico, exhibited a high prevalence and an increasing trend simultaneously. Three socioeconomic factors, body mass index (BMI), urbanization rate (UR) and gross domestic product per capita (GDP-PC), and PM2.5 pollution were found to significantly influence the prevalence of diabetes. BMI was the strongest factor; for every 1% increase in BMI, the prevalence of diabetes increased by 2.371% (95% confidence interval (95% CI): 0.957%, 3.890%) in 2013 and by 3.045% (95% CI: 1.803%, 4.397%) in 2015 and 2017. PM2.5 pollution could be a risk factor, and its influencing magnitude gradually increased as well. With an annual PM2.5 concentrations increase of 1.0% in a country, the prevalence of diabetes increased by 0.196% (95% CI: 0.020%, 0.356%). The UR, on the other hand, was found to be inversely associated with the prevalence of diabetes; with each UR increase of 1%, the prevalence of diabetes decreased by 0.006% (95% CI: 0.001%, 0.011%).

Globally analysing spatiotemporal trends of anthropogenic PM2.5 concentration and population's PM2.5 exposure from 1998 to 2016.

Air pollution in the form of particulate matter (PM) is becoming one of the greatest current threats to human health on a global scale. This paper firstly presents a Bayesian space-time hierarch piecewise regression model (BSTHPRM) which can self-adaptively detect the transitions of local trends, accounting for spatial correlations. The spatiotemporal trends of the approximately anthropogenic PM2.5 removed natural dust (PM2.5_No Dust) concentrations and the corresponding population's PM2.5_No Dust exposure (PPM2.5E) in the global continent from 1998 to 2016 were investigated by the presented BSTHPRM. The total areas of the high and higher PM2.5_No Dust-polluted regions, whose spatial relative magnitude of PM2.5_NoDust pollution to the global continental overall level was between 1.89 and 14.68, accounted for about 13.4% of the global land area, and the corresponding exposed populations accounted for 56.0% of the global total population. The spatial heterogeneity of the global PM2.5_NoDust pollution increased generally from 1998 to 2016. The areas of hot, warm, and cold spots with increasing trends of PM2.5_NoDust concentration initially contracted and then later expanded. The local trends of the global continental PM2.5_NoDust concentrations and PPM2.5E can be parted into three changing stages, early, medium, and later stages, using the BSTHPRM. The area proportions of the regions experiencing a decreasing trend of PM2.5_NoDust concentrations and PPM2.5E were greater in the medium stage than in the early and later stages. The local trends of PM2.5_NoDust concentration and PPM2.5E in the two higher PM2.5_NoDust polluted areas, northern India and eastern and southern China, increased in the early stage and then decreased in the medium stage. In the later stage (recent years), northern India displayed a stronger increasing trend; nevertheless, the follow-up decreasing trend still occurred in eastern and southern China. In the first two stages, more than half of the areas in Europe experienced a decreasing trend of PM2.5_NoDust concentration and PPM2.5E; later, more than half of areas in Europe exhibited increasing trends in the later stage. North America and South America experienced a similar local trend of PPM2.5E to Europe. The PPM2.5E trend in Africa generally increased during the study period.

Spatiotemporal evolution of global population ageing from 1960 to 2017.

BACKGROUND: Population ageing is an increasingly severe global issue. And this has been posing challenges for public health policies and medical resource allocation There are various features of population ageing in different regions worldwide. METHODS: All data were obtained from the health data of World Bank Open Data. Quantile linear regression was used to subtly measure the common variation tendency and strength of the global ageing rate and ageing population. The Bayesian space-time hierarchy model (BSTHM) was employed to assess the detailed spatial temporal evolution of ageing rate and ageing population in global 195 countries and regions. RESULTS: Annual growth of the ageing (65 and above) rate occurred on six continents: Europe (0.1532%), Oceania (0.0873%), Asia (0.0834%), South America (0.0723%), North America (0.0673%) and Africa (0.0069%). The coefficient of variation of the global ageing rate increased from 0.54 in 1960 to 0.69 in 2017. The global ageing rate and ageing population increased over this period, correlating positively with their quantiles. Most countries (37/39) in Europe belong to the top level with regard to the ageing rate, including the countries with the greatest degree of ageing-Sweden, Germany, Austria, Belgium and the UK-whose spatial relative risks of ageing are 3.180 (3.113-3.214), 3.071 (3.018-3.122), 2.951 (2.903-3.001), 2.932 (2.880-2.984) and 2.917 (2.869-2.967), respectively. Worldwide, 44 low ageing areas which were distributed mainly in Africa (26 areas) and Asia (15 areas) experienced a decreasing trend of ageing rates. The local trends of ageing population in the 195 areas increased. CONCLUSIONS: The differentiation of global population ageing is becoming increasingly serious. Globally, all 195 areas showed an increasing local ageing trend in absolute terms, although there were 44 low-ageing areas that experienced a decreasing local trend of ageing rate. The statistical results may provide some baseline reference for developing public health policies in various countries or regions, especially in less-developed areas.

Cemented versus uncemented femoral component total hip arthroplasty in elderly patients with primary osteoporosis: retrospective analysis with 5-year follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: To compare medium-term clinical and radiological outcomes of primary unilateral uncemented (UN) or cemented (CE) femoral component total hip arthroplasty (THA) in elderly patients with osteoporosis. METHODS: Consecutive patients with osteoporosis who underwent primary unilateral UN or CE THAs at our institution from 2006 to 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. All consecutive procedures were managed by high-volume surgeons, using UN or CE THA approaches. Follow-up assessments occurred at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months postoperatively, and yearly thereafter. Patient-related functional outcomes were assessed using the Harris Hip Score (HHS). Primary and secondary endpoints were early revision (<5 years) and functional outcome. RESULTS: In total, 496 primary unilateral THAs (CE, n = 184; UN, n = 182) were assessed with a median follow-up period of 75 months (range, 65-86 months). From 3 months after surgery to the final follow-up, HHS was consistently superior in the CE group. Respective prosthetic loosening rates in the UN and CE groups were 26.4% and 16.8% at a minimum of 5 years. There was a significant difference in rate of early revision (7.6% CE vs. 14.8% UN). CONCLUSION: Compared with UN THA, CE THA exhibits a superior outcome in elderly patients with primary osteoporosis.

Identification, Characterization, and Expression Patterns of TCP Genes and microRNA319 in Cotton.

The TEOSINTE BRANCHED 1, CYCLOIDEA, and PROLIFERATING CELL FACTORS (TCP) gene family is a group of plant-specific transcription factors that have versatile functions in developmental processes and stress responses. In this study, a total of 73 TCP genes in upland cotton were identified and characterizated. Phylogenetic analysis classified them into three subgroups: 50 belonged to PCF, 16 to CIN, and 7 to CYC/TB1. GhTCP genes are randomly distributed in 22 of the 26 chromosomes in cotton. Expression patterns of GhTCPs were analyzed in 10 tissues, including different developmental stages of ovule and fiber, as well as under heat, salt, and drought stresses. Transcriptome analysis showed that 44 GhTCP genes exhibited varied transcript accumulation patterns in the tested tissues and 41 GhTCP genes were differentially expressed in response to heat, salt, and drought stresses. Furthermore, three GhTCP genes of the CIN clade were found to contain miR319-binding sites. An anti-correlation expression of GhTCP21 and GhTCP54 was analyzed with miR319 under salt and drought stress. Our results lay the foundation for understanding the complex mechanisms of GhTCP-mediated developmental processes and abiotic stress-signaling transduction pathways in cotton.

Functional and Morphological Changes in the Deep Lumbar Multifidus Using Electromyography and Ultrasound.

Surface electromyography (sEMG) studies have indicated that chronic low back pain (cLBP) involves altered electromyographic activity and morphological structure of the lumbar multifidus (LM) beyond pain perception; however, most studies have evaluated the superficial lumbar multifidus. It is difficult to record electromyography (EMG) signals from the deep multifidus (DM) to determine the neuromuscular activation patterns, making it difficult to determine the relationship between functional and structural changes in cLBP. We developed a novel method to record intramuscular EMG signals in the DM based on the sEMG system and fine-wire electrodes. We measured EMG signals of the DM in 24 cLBP patients and 26 pain-free healthy controls to identify changes in neuromuscular activation. We also used ultrasound to measure DM muscle thickness, cross-sectional area, and contraction activity to identify potential relationships between EMG activity and structural damage. cLBP patients had decreased average EMG and root mean square, but increased median frequency and mean power frequency. Average EMG was positively correlated with contractile activity, but not statistically correlated with noncontractile anatomical abnormalities. Our results suggest that cLBP alters the neuromuscular activation patterns and morphological structure of the contractile activity of the DM, providing insights into the mechanisms underlying pain perception.

Spatiotemporal evolution of Chinese ageing from 1992 to 2015 based on an improved Bayesian space-time model.

BACKGROUND: Most countries are experiencing growth in the number and proportion of their ageing populations and this issue is posing challenges for economies and societies worldwide. The most populated country in the world, China, is experiencing a dramatic increase in its ageing population. As China is the world's largest developing country, its serious ageing issue may have far-reaching effects not only domestically but also in other countries and even globally. METHODS: In order to overcome the weaknesses of traditional statistical models and reveal further detail regarding the local area evolution, an improved Bayesian space-time model is presented in this paper and used to estimate the spatiotemporal evolution of Chinese ageing from 1992 to 2015. RESULTS: The six eastern provinces with high levels of ageing have been experiencing an almost steady state, while Jiangsu, Shanghai and Zhejiang have weak increased trends of ageing, and the weak increased trend is decreasing. Although the northern and western provinces belong to the low ageing area, five of them have strong local growth trends and therefore strong potential to exacerbate ageing. Under the background of the "comprehensive two children" policy, the forecast value of China's ageing rate is 13.80% (95% CI:11.24%,18.83% is) in 2030. CONCLUSIONS: Considering developments over the past 24 years, it has been determined that the areas of the Chinese mainland that are experiencing the highest levels of growth in ageing populations are the two central provinces, which are connected to seven eastern provinces and five southwestern provinces. High ageing areas are not only concentrated in the eastern provinces, but also include Sichuan and Chongqing in the southwest region and Hubei and Hunan of the central region. The seven provinces (municipalities or autonomous regions) of the central and western regions have both high ageing levels and strong growth rates, but the growth rate is decreasing.

Spatiotemporal Patterns of Ground Monitored PM2.5 Concentrations in China in Recent Years.

This paper firstly explores the space-time evolution of city-level PM 2.5 concentrations showed a very significant seasonal cycle type fluctuation during the period between 13 May 2014 and 30 May 2017. The period from October to April following each year was a heavy pollution period, whereas the phase from April to October of the current year was part of a light pollution period. The average monthly PM 2.5 concentrations in mainland China based on ground monitoring, employing a descriptive statistics method and a Bayesian spatiotemporal hierarchy model. Daily and weekly average PM 2.5 concentrations in 338 cities in mainland China presented no significant spatial difference during the severe pollution period but a large spatial difference during light pollution periods. The severe PM 2.5 pollution areas were mainly distributed in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei urban agglomeration in the North China Plain during the beginning of each autumn-winter season (September), spreading to the Northeast Plains after October, then later continuing to spread to other cities in mainland China, eventually covering most cities. PM 2.5 pollution in China appeared to be a cyclic characteristic of first spreading and then centralizing in the space in two spring-summer seasons, and showed an obvious process of first diffusing then transferring to shrinkage alternation during the spring-summer season of 2015, but showed no obvious diffusion during the spring-summer season of 2016, maintaining a stable spatial structure after the shrinkage in June, as well as being more concentrated. The heavily polluted areas are continuously and steadily concentrated in East China, Central China and Xinjiang Province.

Comparative Analysis of Cotton Small RNAs and Their Target Genes in Response to Salt Stress.

Small RNAs play an important role in regulating plant responses to abiotic stress. Depending on the method of salt application, whether sudden or gradual, plants may experience either salt shock or salt stress, respectively. In this study, small RNA expression in response to salt shock and long-term salt stress in parallel experiments was described. Cotton small RNA libraries were constructed and sequenced under normal conditions, as well as sudden and gradual salt application. A total of 225 cotton microRNAs (miRNAs) were identified and of these 24 were novel miRNAs. There were 88 and 75 miRNAs with differential expression under the salt shock and long-term salt stress, respectively. Thirty one transcripts were found to be targets of 20 miRNA families. Eight targets showed a negative correlation in expression with their corresponding miRNAs. We also identified two TAS3s with two near-identical 21-nt trans-acting small interfering RNA (tasiRNA)-Auxin Response Factors (ARFs) that coaligned with the phases D7(+) and D8(+) in three Gossypium species. The miR390/tasiRNA-ARFs/ARF4 pathway was identified and showed altered expression under salt stress. The identification of these small RNAs as well as elucidating their functional significance broadens our understanding of post-transcriptional gene regulation in response to salt stress.