The cytoarchitectonic landscape revealed by deep learning method facilitated precise positioning in mouse neocortex.

Neocortex is a complex structure with different cortical sublayers and regions. However, the precise positioning of cortical regions can be challenging due to the absence of distinct landmarks without special preparation. To address this challenge, we developed a cytoarchitectonic landmark identification pipeline. The fluorescence micro-optical sectioning tomography method was employed to image the whole mouse brain stained by general fluorescent nucleotide dye. A fast 3D convolution network was subsequently utilized to segment neuronal somas in entire neocortex. By approach, the cortical cytoarchitectonic profile and the neuronal morphology were analyzed in 3D, eliminating the influence of section angle. And the distribution maps were generated that visualized the number of neurons across diverse morphological types, revealing the cytoarchitectonic landscape which characterizes the landmarks of cortical regions, especially the typical signal pattern of barrel cortex. Furthermore, the cortical regions of various ages were aligned using the generated cytoarchitectonic landmarks suggesting the structural changes of barrel cortex during the aging process. Moreover, we observed the spatiotemporally gradient distributions of spindly neurons, concentrated in the deep layer of primary visual area, with their proportion decreased over time. These findings could improve structural understanding of neocortex, paving the way for further exploration with this method.

A complementary approach for neocortical cytoarchitecture inspection with cellular resolution imaging at whole brain scale.

Cytoarchitecture, the organization of cells within organs and tissues, serves as a crucial anatomical foundation for the delineation of various regions. It enables the segmentation of the cortex into distinct areas with unique structural and functional characteristics. While traditional 2D atlases have focused on cytoarchitectonic mapping of cortical regions through individual sections, the intricate cortical gyri and sulci demands a 3D perspective for unambiguous interpretation. In this study, we employed fluorescent micro-optical sectioning tomography to acquire architectural datasets of the entire macaque brain at a resolution of 0.65 µm × 0.65 µm × 3 µm. With these volumetric data, the cortical laminar textures were remarkably presented in appropriate view planes. Additionally, we established a stereo coordinate system to represent the cytoarchitectonic information as surface-based tomograms. Utilizing these cytoarchitectonic features, we were able to three-dimensionally parcel the macaque cortex into multiple regions exhibiting contrasting architectural patterns. The whole-brain analysis was also conducted on mice that clearly revealed the presence of barrel cortex and reflected biological reasonability of this method. Leveraging these high-resolution continuous datasets, our method offers a robust tool for exploring the organizational logic and pathological mechanisms of the brain's 3D anatomical structure.

Effects of Fu's subcutaneous needling at myofascial trigger points on pain and lumbar mobility in patients with lumbar disc herniation： a randomized controlled trial. / ç­‹è†œè§¦å‘ç‚¹æµ®é’ˆæ²»ç–—å¯¹è °æ¤Žé—´ç›˜çªå‡ºç—‡æ‚£è€ ç–¼ç—›åŠè °éƒ¨æ´»åŠ¨åº¦å½±å“çš„éšæœºå¯¹ç §ç ”ç©¶.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the therapeutic effect of Fu's subcutaneous needling at myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) on pain, lumbar mobility and the quality of life in patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH), so as to provide clinicians with new ideas and methods in treating LDH. METHODS: One hundred patients with LDH admitted to department of rehabilitation medicine of the affiliated hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2022 to January 2023 were collected as the subjects, and they were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 50 cases in each one. In the observation group, the spreading technique of Fu's subcutaneous needling was delivered at MTrP. In the control group, the routine acupuncture was applied to Shenshu (BL23), Weizhong (BL40) and MTrP. The treatment was given 3 times weekly, for 2 weeks in the two groups. The score of visual analogue scale (VAS) was evaluated before treatment, at the moment after the 1st treatment completion and after 2 weeks of treatment, separately, and the inclinometer was adopted to measure the range of motion (ROM) of the lumbar flexion, extension and lateral flexion. The numbers of MTrPs and their distribution were recorded before treatment and after the completion of a 2-week treatment in the two groups. Before treatment and in 4 weeks of follow-up, using SF-36 scale, the score of the quality of life was evaluated. The incidence of adverse effects was recorded. RESULTS: At the moment of the 1st treatment completion and after 2 weeks of treatment, VAS score and ROM of the lumbar region were significantly improved in comparison with those before treatment in the two groups and the improvement was superior in the observation group compared with the control group (P<0.05, P<0.01). After 2 weeks of treatment, the total number of MTrPs and the counts of MTrPs in each muscle zone were reduced when compared with those before treatment (P<0.05). In the observation group, the total number of MTrPs and numbers of MTrPs in the zones of quadratus lumborum, musculi multifidus and musculi iliocostalis lumborum decreased significantly when compared with the control group (P<0.05), while the difference was not significant in the numbers in the zone of musculi glutaeus medius between the two groups. In 4 weeks of follow-up, the scores of SF-36 scale were improved in comparison with those before treatment in each group and the result in the observation was better (P<0.05). No any adverse events occurred during treatment in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Fu's subcutaneous needling is effective for reducing the numbers of MTrPs and improving analgesia, ROM of the lumbar region, as well as the long-term quality of life in the patients with LDH.

Spatial multi-omics at subcellular resolution via high-throughput in situ pairwise sequencing.

Technology for spatial multi-omics aids the discovery of new insights into cellular functions and disease mechanisms. Here we report the development and applicability of multi-omics in situ pairwise sequencing (MiP-seq), a method for the simultaneous detection of DNAs, RNAs, proteins and biomolecules at subcellular resolution. Compared with other in situ sequencing methods, MiP-seq enhances decoding capacity and reduces sequencing and imaging costs while maintaining the efficacy of detection of gene mutations, allele-specific expression and RNA modifications. MiP-seq can be integrated with in vivo calcium imaging and Raman imaging, which enabled us to generate a spatial multi-omics atlas of mouse brain tissues and to correlate gene expression with neuronal activity and cellular biochemical fingerprints. We also report a sequential dilution strategy for resolving optically crowded signals during in situ sequencing. High-throughput in situ pairwise sequencing may facilitate the multidimensional analysis of molecular and functional maps of tissues.

The impact of ageing mechanisms on musculoskeletal system diseases in the elderly.

Ageing is an inevitable process that affects various tissues and organs of the human body, leading to a series of physiological and pathological changes. Mechanisms such as telomere depletion, stem cell depletion, macrophage dysfunction, and cellular senescence gradually manifest in the body, significantly increasing the incidence of diseases in elderly individuals. These mechanisms interact with each other, profoundly impacting the quality of life of older adults. As the ageing population continues to grow, the burden on the public health system is expected to intensify. Globally, the prevalence of musculoskeletal system diseases in elderly individuals is increasing, resulting in reduced limb mobility and prolonged suffering. This review aims to elucidate the mechanisms of ageing and their interplay while exploring their impact on diseases such as osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, and sarcopenia. By delving into the mechanisms of ageing, further research can be conducted to prevent and mitigate its effects, with the ultimate goal of alleviating the suffering of elderly patients in the future.

Changes in Rhizosphere Soil Microorganisms and Metabolites during the Cultivation of Fritillaria cirrhosa.

Fritillaria cirrhosa is an important cash crop, and its industrial development is being hampered by continuous cropping obstacles, but the composition and changes of rhizosphere soil microorganisms and metabolites in the cultivation process of Fritillaria cirrhosa have not been revealed. We used metagenomics sequencing to analyze the changes of the microbiome in rhizosphere soil during a three-year cultivation process, and combined it with LC-MS/MS to detect the changes of metabolites. Results indicate that during the cultivation of Fritillaria cirrhosa, the composition and structure of the rhizosphere soil microbial community changed significantly, especially regarding the relative abundance of some beneficial bacteria. The abundance of Bradyrhizobium decreased from 7.04% in the first year to about 5% in the second and third years; the relative abundance of Pseudomonas also decreased from 6.20% in the first year to 2.22% in the third year; and the relative abundance of Lysobacter decreased significantly from more than 4% in the first two years of cultivation to 1.01% in the third year of cultivation. However, the relative abundance of some harmful fungi has significantly increased, such as Botrytis, which increased significantly from less than 3% in the first two years to 7.93% in the third year, and Talaromyces fungi, which were almost non-existent in the first two years of cultivation, significantly increased to 3.43% in the third year of cultivation. The composition and structure of Fritillaria cirrhosa rhizosphere metabolites also changed significantly, the most important of which were carbohydrates represented by sucrose (48.00-9.36-10.07%) and some amino acid compounds related to continuous cropping obstacles. Co-occurrence analysis showed that there was a significant correlation between differential microorganisms and differential metabolites, but Procrustes analysis showed that the relationship between bacteria and metabolites was closer than that between fungi and metabolites. In general, in the process of Fritillaria cirrhosa cultivation, the beneficial bacteria in the rhizosphere decreased, the harmful bacteria increased, and the relative abundance of carbohydrate and amino acid compounds related to continuous cropping obstacles changed significantly. There is a significant correlation between microorganisms and metabolites, and the shaping of the Fritillaria cirrhosa rhizosphere's microecology by bacteria is more relevant.

Deterministic positioning and alignment of a single-molecule exciton in plasmonic nanodimer for strong coupling.

Experimental realization of strong coupling between a single exciton and plasmons remains challenging as it requires deterministic positioning of the single exciton and alignment of its dipole moment with the plasmonic fields. This study aims to combine the host-guest chemistry approach with the cucurbit[7]uril-mediated active self-assembly to precisely integrate a single methylene blue molecule in an Au nanodimer at the deterministic position (gap center of the nanodimer) with the maximum electric field (EFmax) and perfectly align its transition dipole moment with the EFmax, yielding a large spectral Rabi splitting of 116 meV for a single-molecule exciton-matching the analytical model and numerical simulations. Statistical analysis of vibrational spectroscopy and dark-field scattering spectra confirm the realization of the single exciton strong coupling at room temperature. Our work may suggest an approach for achieving the strong coupling between a deterministic single exciton and plasmons, contributing to the development of room-temperature single-qubit quantum devices.

Core training for pain management and functional improvement in patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of core strengthening exercises on pain, mobility, and lower extremity muscle strength in patients with Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome (PFP). DESIGN: Six databases were searched from inception until August 11, 2023. Pain, function and muscle strength related outcomes were extracted and the quality of the studies was assessed using the PEDro scale and the level of evidence was assessed using the GRADE. RESULTS: Nineteen studies involving 1138 patients were included. Very low-grade evidence supported the short-term pain-relieving effect of core training (SMD = -0.60 95% CI [-0.95, -0.25]), high-grade evidence supported the short-term functional improvement effects of core training (WMD = 3.61 95% CI [1.44, 5.78]), which was similarly significant within 3-12 months of follow-up. The results of the subgroup analyses suggested that hip-knee training was most advantageous in relieving pain and enhancing motor function. CONCLUSIONS: Although training that includes trunk core is clearly superior to knee strengthening alone, the effectiveness of hip-knee training, which is also a core training program for pain and function, is more pronounced. The available evidence supports that hip-knee training is the most valuable treatment option for patients with PFP.

Analysis of the quality of tunnel roof topography by automatic cutting control under the coupling of multiple factors.

The automatic cutting of coal and rock surface morphology modeling based on the actual geological environment of coal mine underground excavation and mining is of great significance for improving the surface quality of coal and rock after cutting and enhancing the safety and stability of advanced support. To this end, using the principle of coordinate transformation, the kinematic trajectory of the cutting head of the tunneling machine is established, and the contour morphology of the cutting head under variable cutting technology is obtained. Then, based on the regenerative vibration theory of the cutting head, a dynamic model of the cutting head coal wall is established, and the coordinate relationship of the cutting head in the tunnel coordinate system under vibration induction is analyzed. Based on fractal theory and Z-MAP method, a simulation method for the surface morphology of coal and rock after cutting is proposed, which is driven by the cutting trajectory Under the coupling effect of cutting vibration induction and random fragmentation of coal and rock, simulation of the surface morphology of comprehensive excavation tunnels was conducted, and relevant experiments were conducted to verify the results. A 1:3 similarity experimental model of EBZ160 tunneling machine was used to build a cutting head coal and rock system cutting experimental platform for comparative experiments of cutting morphology. Furthermore, statistical methods were used to compare and evaluate the simulated roof with the actual roof. The results show that the relative errors between the maximum range of peaks and valleys, the peak skewness coefficient of height standard deviation, and the kurtosis coefficient of the actual roof are 1.3%, 24.5%, 16%, and 2.9%, respectively. Overall, this indicates that the surface morphology distribution characteristics of the simulated roof and the actual roof are similar, verifying the effectiveness of the modeling and simulation method proposed in this paper, and providing theoretical support for the design and optimization of advanced support in the future.

Protective effects of butyrate on cerebral ischaemic injury in animal models: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Cerebral ischaemic stroke is a common disease that poses a serious threat to human health. Butyrate is an important metabolite of intestinal microorganisms. Recent studies have shown that butyrate has a significant protective effect in animal models of cerebral ischaemic injury. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of butyrate on cerebral ischaemic stroke by meta-analysis, aiming to provide a scientific basis for the clinical application of butyrate in patients with cerebral ischaemia. Materials and methods: A systematic search was conducted for all relevant studies published before 23 January 2024, in PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase. Methodological quality was assessed using Syrcle's risk of bias tool for animal studies. Data were analysed using Rev Man 5.3 software. Results: A total of nine studies were included, and compared with controls, butyrate significantly increased BDNF levels in the brain (SMD = 2.33, 95%CI = [1.20, 3.47], p < 0.005) and P-Akt expression (SMD = 3.53, 95% CI = [0.97, 6.10], p < 0.05). Butyrate also decreased IL-ß levels in the brain (SMD = -2.02, 95% CI = [-3.22, -0.81], p < 0.005), TNF-α levels (SMD = -0.86, 95% CI = [-1.60, -0.12], p < 0.05), and peripheral vascular IL-1ß levels (SMD = -2.10, 95%CI = [-3.59, -0.61], p < 0.05). In addition, butyrate reduced cerebral infarct volume (MD = -11.29, 95%CI = [-17.03, -5.54], p < 0.05), mNSS score (MD = -2.86, 95%CI = [-4.12, -1.60], p < 0.005), foot fault score (MD = -7.59, 95%CI = [-9.83, -5, 35], p < 0.005), and Morris water maze time (SMD = -2.49, 95%CI = [-4.42, -0.55], p < 0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that butyrate has a protective effect on cerebral ischaemic stroke in animal models, and the mechanism is related to reducing inflammation and inhibiting apoptosis. It provides an evidence-based basis for the future clinical development of butyrate in the treatment of ischaemic stroke. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, CRD42023482844.

Binding characteristics of pheromone-binding protein 1 in Glyphodes pyloalis to organophosphorus insecticides: Insights from computational and experimental approaches.

Glyphodes pyloalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is one of the major pests in mulberry production in China, which has developed resistance to various insecticides. Chemoreception is one of the most crucial physiological tactics in insects, playing a pivotal role in recognizing chemical stimuli in the environment, including noxious stimuli such as insecticides. Herein, we obtained recombinant pheromone-binding protein 1 (GpylPBP1) that exhibited antennae-biased expression in G. pyloalis. Ligand-binding assays indicated that GpylPBP1 had the binding affinities to two organophosphorus insecticides, with a higher binding affinity to chlorpyrifos than to phoxim. Computational simulations showed that a mass of nonpolar amino acid residues formed the binding pocket of GpylPBP1 and contributed to the hydrophobic interactions in the bindings of GpylPBP1 to both insecticides. Furthermore, the binding affinities of three GpylPBP1 mutants (F12A, I52A, and F118A) to both insecticides were all significantly reduced compared to those of the GpylPBP1-wild type, suggesting that Phe12, Ile52, and Phe118 residues were crucial binding sites and played crucial roles in the bindings of GpylPBP1 to both insecticides. Our findings can be instrumental in elucidating the effects of insecticides on olfactory recognition in moths and facilitating the development of novel pest management strategies using PBPs as targets based on insect olfaction.

Assessment of Pedestrians' Head and Lower Limb Injuries in Tram-Pedestrian Collisions.

Analysis of pedestrians' head and lower limb injuries at the tissue level is lacking in studies of tram-pedestrian collisions. The purpose of this paper therefore to investigate the impact response process and severity of pedestrians' injuries in tram-pedestrian collisions, using the Total Human Model for Safety (THUMS) pedestrian human body model together with the tram FE model. Two full-scale tram-pedestrian dummy crash tests were performed to validate the FE model, and the total correlation and analysis (CORA) score of head acceleration yielded values of 0.840 and 0.734, confirming a strong agreement between the FE-simulated head responses and the experimental head kinematics. The effects of different tram speeds and impact angles on pedestrians' impact response injuries and the differences were further analyzed. The results indicate that direct impact of the lower limb with the tram's obstacle deflector leads to lower limb bone shaft fractures and knee tissue damage. Neck fling contributed to worsened head injury. Coup contusions were the predominant type of brain contusion, surpassing contrecoup contusions, while diffuse axonal injury was mainly concentrated in the collision-side region of the brain. Pedestrians' injuries are influenced by tram velocity and impact angle: higher tram velocities increase the risk of lower limb and head injuries. The risk of head injury for pedestrians is higher when the impact angle is negative, while lower limb injuries are more significant when the impact angle is 0°. This study provides practical guidance for enhancing tram safety and protecting pedestrians.

A chromosome-level genome assembly of anesthetic drug-producing Anisodus acutangulus provides insights into its evolution and the biosynthesis of tropane alkaloids.

Tropane alkaloids (TAs), which are anticholinergic agents, are an essential class of natural compounds, and there is a growing demand for TAs with anesthetic, analgesic, and spasmolytic effects. Anisodus acutangulus (Solanaceae) is a TA-producing plant that was used as an anesthetic in ancient China. In this study, we assembled a high-quality, chromosome-scale genome of A. acutangulus with a contig N50 of 7.4 Mb. A recent whole-genome duplication occurred in A. acutangulus after its divergence from other Solanaceae species, which resulted in the duplication of ADC1 and UGT genes involved in TA biosynthesis. The catalytic activities of H6H enzymes were determined for three Solanaceae plants. On the basis of evolution and co-expressed genes, AaWRKY11 was selected for further analyses, which revealed that its encoded transcription factor promotes TA biosynthesis by activating AaH6H1 expression. These findings provide useful insights into genome evolution related to TA biosynthesis and have potential implications for genetic manipulation of TA-producing plants.

Dry and wet experiments reveal diagnostic clustering and immune landscapes of cuproptosis patterns in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Cuproptosis is a new manner of mitochondrial cell death induced by copper. There is evidence that serum copper has a crucial impact on ankylosing spondylitis (AS) by copper-induced inflammatory response. However, the molecular mechanisms of cuproptosis modulators in AS remain unknown. We aimed to use a bioinformatics-based method to comprehensively investigate cuproptosis-related subtype identification and immune microenvironment infiltration of AS. Additionally, we further verified the results by in vitro experiments, in which peripheral blood and fibroblast cells from AS patients were used to evaluate the functions of significant cuproptosis modulators on AS. Finally, eight significant cuproptosis modulators were identified by analysis of differences between controls and AS cases from GSE73754 dataset. Eight prognostic cuproptosis modulators (LIPT1, DLD, PDHA1, PDHB, SLC31A1, ATP7A, MTF1, CDKN2A) were identified using a random forest model for prediction of AS risk. A nomogram model of the 8 prognostic cuproptosis modulators was then constructed; the model could be beneficial in clinical settings, as indicated by decision curve analysis. Consensus clustering analysis was used to divide AS patients into two cuproptosis subtypes (clusterA & B) according to significant cuproptosis modulators. The cuproptosis score of each sample was calculated by principal component analysis to quantify cuproptosis subtypes. The cuproptosis scores were higher in clusterB than in clusterA. Additionally, cases in clusterA were closely associated with the immunity of activated B cells, Activated CD4 T cell, Type17 T helper cell and Type2 T helper cell, while cases in clusterB were linked to Mast cell, Neutrophil, Plasmacytoid dendritic cell immunity, indicating that clusterB may be more correlated with AS. Notably, key cuproptosis genes including ATP7A, MTF1, SLC31A1 detected by RT-qPCR with peripheral blood exhibited significantly higher expression levels in AS cases than controls; LIPT1 showed the opposite results; High MTF1 expression is correlated with increased osteogenic capacity. In general, this study of cuproptosis patterns may provide promising biomarkers and immunotherapeutic strategies for future AS treatment.

Identification of an efficient phenanthrene-degrading Pseudarthrobacter sp. L1SW and characterization of its metabolites and catabolic pathway.

Phenanthrene, a typical chemical of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) pollutants, severely threatens health of wild life and human being. Microbial degradation is effective and environment-friendly for PAH removal, while the phenanthrene-degrading mechanism in Gram-positive bacteria is unclear. In this work, one Gram-positive strain of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR), Pseudarthrobacter sp. L1SW, was isolated and identified with high phenanthrene-degrading efficiency and great stress tolerance. It degraded 96.3% of 500 mg/L phenanthrene in 72 h and kept stable degradation performance with heavy metals (65 mg/L of Zn2+, 5.56 mg/L of Ni2+, and 5.20 mg/L of Cr3+) and surfactant (10 CMC of Tween 80). Strain L1SW degraded phenanthrene mainly through phthalic acid pathway, generating intermediate metabolites including cis-3,4-dihydrophenanthrene-3,4-diol, 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid, and phthalic acid. A novel metabolite (m/z 419.0939) was successfully separated and identified as an end-product of phenanthrene, suggesting a unique metabolic pathway. With the whole genome sequence alignment and comparative genomic analysis, 19 putative genes associated with phenanthrene metabolism in strain L1SW were identified to be distributed in three gene clusters and induced by phenanthrene and its metabolites. These findings advance the phenanthrene-degrading study in Gram-positive bacteria and promote the practical use of PGPR strains in the bioremediation of PAH-contaminated environments.

Norsesquiterpenes from the Latex of Euphorbia dentata and Their Chemical Defense Mechanisms against Helicoverpa armigera.

Euphorbia dentata (Euphorbiaceae), an invasive weed, is rarely eaten by herbivorous insects and could secrete a large amount of white latex, causing a serious threat to local natural vegetation, agricultural production and human health. In order to prevent this plant from causing more negative effects on humans, it is necessary to understand and utilize the chemical relationships between the latex of E. dentata and herbivorous insects. In this study, three new norsesquiterpenes (1-3), together with seven known analogues (4-10), were isolated and identified from the latex of E. dentata. All norsesquiterpenes (1-10) showed antifeedant and growth-inhibitory effects on H. armigera with varying levels, especially compounds 1 and 2. In addition, the action mechanisms of active compounds (1-3) were revealed by detoxifying enzyme (AchE, CarE, GST and MFO) activities and corresponding molecular docking analyses. Our findings provide a new idea for the development and utilization of the latex of E. dentata, as well as a potential application of norsesquiterpenes in botanical insecticides.

Efficacy of acupuncture combined with active exercise training in improving pain and function of knee osteoarthritis individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the clinical efficacy of acupuncture combined with active exercise training in improving pain and function of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) individuals. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wan Fang Data, Technology Periodical Database and China Biology Medicine were searched from their inceptions to April 5, 2023. REVIEW METHODS: We analyzed trials of acupuncture combined with active exercise training for KOA. The included studies were of high quality (Jadad ≥ 4) and RCTs. Study selection, data extraction, risk of bias and quality assessment were independently performed by two reviewers. We performed systematic analyses based on different outcome measures, including total efficiency rate, visual analogue scale (VAS), the Western Ontario and Mcmaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), the Lysholm Knee Scale (LKS) and range of motion (ROM). We used Review Manager 5.3 and Stata/MP 14.0 to analyze the data. And it was verified by trial sequence analysis (TSA). If I2 > 50% and p < 0.05, we performed sensitivity analysis and subgroup analysis to find the source of heterogeneity. Publication bias was studied by funnel plot and Egger's test was used to verify it. RESULTS: Full 11 high-quality studies (Jadad ≥ 4) including 774 KOA individuals were included in this review for meta-analysis. The results showed that acupuncture combined with active exercise training (combined group) was superior to the acupuncture group in improving the total effective rate [RR = 1.13, 95%CI (1.05, 1.22), I2 = 0%, P = 0.70], reducing the pain level (VAS) [MD = - 0.74, 95%CI (- 1.04, - 0.43), I2 = 68%, P < 0.05], improving knee joint function (WOMAC) [MD = - 6.97, 95%CI (- 10.74, - 3.19), I2 = 76%, P < 0.05] and improving joint range of motion (ROM) [MD = 6.25, 95%CI (2.37, 10.04), I2 = 0%, P = 0.71]. Similarly, the combined group showed significant improvements in the total effective rate [RR = 1.31, 95% CI (1.18, 1.47), I2 = 48%, P = 0.10], pain (VAS) [MD = 1.42, 95% CI (- 1.85, - 1.00), I2 = 65%, P = 0.02] and knee function (WOMAC) [MD = 7.05, 95% CI (- 11.43, - 2.66), I2 = 86%, P < 0.05] compared with the non-acupuncture group. CONCLUSION: The combined effect of all studies showed significant benefits of acupuncture combined with active exercise training in improving the total effective rate, reducing pain, promoting recovery of knee function and expanding range of motion. However, some evaluation indicators are highly subjective and need to be further confirmed by more objective and evidence-based high-quality RCTs in future. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: [PROSPERO], identifier [No. CRD42023425823].

Study on High-Velocity Impact Perforation Performance of CFRP Laminates for Rail Vehicles: Experiment and Simulation.

To study the perforation performance of CFRP laminates for rail vehicles under high-velocity impact from foreign objects, impact tests on CFRP laminates at a velocity of 163 m/s were carried out, and a corresponding finite element model was established using ABAQUS and verified. The user-defined material subroutine combined the material strain rate hardening effect and the 3D-Hashin damage criterion. The effects of impact velocity, impact object shape, and oblique angle on the perforation performance of CFRP laminates are discussed. Results show that impact velocity positively correlates with impact peak force and residual velocity. Laminates can be perforated by projectiles with a velocity above 120 m/s, and impact velocity greatly influences delamination below 140 m/s. Three shapes of projectile impacting laminates are considered: spherical, cylindrical, and conical. The conical projectile penetrates the laminate most easily, with the largest delamination area. The cylindrical projectile with a flat end suffers the most resistance, and the delaminated area is between the impact conditions of the conical and spherical projectiles. Increasing the angle of inclination increases the impacted area of the laminate and the extent of damage, thus dissipating more energy. The projectile fails to penetrate the laminate when the oblique angle reaches 60°. CFRP composite structures penetrated by high-speed impacts pose a significant threat to the safety of train operations, providing an opportunity for the application of bio-inspired composite structures.

Effects of vestibular rehabilitation training combined with anti-vertigo drugs on vertigo and balance function in patients with vestibular neuronitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To investigate the effects of vestibular rehabilitation training (VRT) combined with anti-vertigo drugs on vertigo and balance function in patients with vestibular neuronitis (VN). Data sources: PubMed, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, Wan Fang Data, VIP, and CBM were searched until July 13, 2023. Participants: Patients with vestibular neuronitis participated in the study. Results: Twenty one studies including 1,415 patients were included in this review for meta-analysis. According to the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) quality assessment, four studies received high quality (≥seven scores) and 17 studies received moderate quality (six scores). The meta-analysis showed that VRT combined with anti-vertigo drugs significantly reduced the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) score, the Vestibular Disorders Activities of Daily Living Scale (VADL) score and the Canal Paresis (CP) score, and improved the overall efficiency and the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) score, promoting vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) returned to normal in VN compared to simple anti-vertigo drugs or VRT alone. Conclusion: The results of this meta-analysis demonstrate the efficacy and safety of VRT combined with anti-vertigo drugs in patients with VN. Combined therapy can alleviate vestibular dysfunction such as vertigo and vomiting in patients, improve daily activity ability and balance ability, in addition to VRT has fewer adverse reactions, so it is extremely safe. However, there are shortcomings such as lack of long-term follow-up and different frequency and duration of treatment. Therefore, future randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with larger sample sizes and longer-term observations are needed to verify the effectiveness of VRT in combination with anti-vertigo drugs for VN.Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/.