Stress and strain changes of the anterior cruciate ligament at different knee flexion angles: A three-dimensional finite element study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze the stress and strain changes of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) at different knee flexion angles using a three-dimensional finite element model. METHODS: Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans were performed on the right knee of 30 healthy adult volunteers. The imaging data were used to construct a three-dimensional finite element model of the knee joint. The magnitude and concentration area of stress and strain of ACL at knee flexion angles 0°, 30°, 60° and 90° were assessed. RESULTS: The magnitude of stress remained consistent at 0-30° (P > 0.999) and decreased at 30-90° (P < 0.001, P = 0.005, respectively), while the magnitude of strain increased between 0° and 30° (P = 0.004) and decreased between 30° and 90° (P < 0.001, P = 0.004, respectively). The stress concentration area remained consistent at the proximal end, midsubstance, and distal end between 0° and 60° (P > 0.05). The concentration area of strain increased at the proximal end, decreased at the midsubstance between 0° and 30°, and remained consistent between 30° and 90° (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: At the low knee flexion angle, ACL's magnitude of stress and strain reached the peak, and the concentration area of ACL strain gradually shifted from midsubstance to the proximal end.

A clinical and biomechanical comparison of INFIX plus single versus double sacroiliac screw fixation for unstable pelvic ring injury.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to compare the clinical and biomechanical outcome of INFIX plus single with two sacroiliac screw fixation for unstable pelvic fractures of Type C. METHODS: Sixteen cadavers were randomly subjected to INFIX plus single or double sacroiliac screw fixations and then mounted onto the ElectroForce loading machine under different vertical loads. To investigate the clinical outcomes of the two techniques, nineteen patients were retrospectively analyzed. The main outcome measures were postoperative radiographic reduction grading (using the Tornetta and Matta grading system), functional outcome (using the Majeed scoring system), and incidence of complications. RESULTS: In the biomechanical study, INFIX plus double sacroiliac screw fixation showed better biomechanical stability than fixation with a single sacroiliac screw (p < 0.05). In our clinical case series, all 19 patients had bony union 6 months after the operation. INFIX plus double sacroiliac screw fixation also demonstrated a better functional outcome and a higher radiographic satisfactory rate than INFIX plus single sacroiliac screw fixation (79.25 ± 5.47; 91.33 ± 4.97; p < 0.05), (77.78% vs. 60%; p = 0.05). One patient in INFIX plus single-screw fixation group had screw loosening at 6-month follow-up postoperatively. One case in each group suffered heterotopic ossification and the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve paralysis, and one patient suffered from infection. CONCLUSION: INFIX plus double sacroiliac screw fixation demonstrated more stability in cadaveric biomechanical analysis and better clinical outcomes than INFIX plus single sacroiliac screw fixation.

Risk factors of cervical cancer among ethnic minorities in Yunnan Province, China: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is a common malignant tumor of the female reproductive system in the world, which is a serious threat to women's life and health. According to the latest report, the incidence of cervical cancer is 11.42 per 100 000, and the mortality rate is 3.77 per 100 000 in Yunnan Province, which is still higher than the national average. Although there have been some relevant studies on the risk factors of cervical cancer in recent years, research on ethnic minorities is lacking in Yunnan Province. OBJECTIVE: To analyze and explore the related risk factors of cervical cancer in women of ethnic minorities in Yunnan Province, to provide the scientific basis for the development of cervical cancer prevention and control strategies and measures in this region. METHODS: In total 1119 cervical cancer patients diagnosed by histopathology at the Yunnan Cancer Center (Yunnan Cancer Hospital) from January 2010 to December 2019 were selected as the case group. According to the 1:1 matching principle of the case-control study, 1119 patients with nonmalignant tumors of the same nationality, the same hospital, age difference less than 3 years old, were selected as the control group. Univariate and multivariate conditional logistic regression were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Basic medical insurance for rural residents (OR = 3.659; P = 0.003), human papilloma virus (HPV) infection (OR = 90.030; P < 0.001) and concurrent reproductive tract infections (OR = 1.992; P = 0.047) were risk factors for cervical cancer. Late first marriage(OR = 0.881; P = 0.032), the number of normal childbirths ≤2 (OR = 0.480, P = 0.033) and contraception (OR = 0.291; P = 0.002) were positive factors for cervical cancer. CONCLUSION: The high incidence of cervical cancer in Yunnan minority women is the result of many factors: HPV infection is the highest risk factor for cervical cancer, women with reproductive tract infections and basic medical insurance for rural residents have a higher risk for cervical cancer; Late first marriage, the number of deliveries ≤2 and contraception are positive factors for cervical cancer.

A 42-metal Yb(iii) nanowheel with NIR luminescent response to anions.

One Yb42 nanowheel [Yb42L14(OH)28(OAc)84] was constructed using a tridentate vanillin ligand. The external diameter of the wheel-like structure is about 3.6 nm, which allows direct visualization by TEM. It shows interesting NIR lanthanide luminescence sensing towards anions, especially to fluoride at the ppm level.

Large Ln42 coordination nanorings: NIR luminescence sensing of metal ions and nitro explosives.

Two 42-metal lanthanide coordination nanorings [Ln42L14(OH)28(OAc)84] (Ln = Nd (1), La (2)) were prepared using a vanillin type ligand. The Nd42 cluster exhibits interesting NIR luminescence sensing behavior to metal ions and nitro explosives.

Prediction of the Binary Interaction Parameter of Carbon Dioxide/Alkanes Mixtures in the Pseudocritical Region.

The interaction parameters between two components need to be first determined to obtain the thermophysical properties of the binary mixtures. In this paper, the research progresses of the binary interaction parameter for CO2 and hydrocarbons (HCs) and their related mixtures are illustrated. Aiming at the physical property prediction of CO2/alkanes (C1-C10) binary mixtures in pseudocritical regions, the experimental data of CO2/alkanes (C1-C10) in the pseudocritical region available in the open literature are collected. Besides, the calculation of k ij is carried out by five typically accepted correlations selected from the literature. The effects of temperature, pressure, carbon number, and acentric factor on k ij are investigated. By researching the influence of the above five factors on k ij , it reveals that temperature is the most important one. Considering the influence of the critical temperatures of mixtures, a simple correlation is proposed to evaluate k ij for light HC mixtures in the pseudocritical region.

Anion Dependent Self-Assembly of Polynuclear Cd-Ln Schiff Base Nanoclusters: NIR Luminescent Sensing of Nitro Explosives.

Two types of polynuclear Cd-Ln complexes [CdLnL(NO3)Cl2(DMF)2] [Ln = La (1) and Nd (2)] and [Ln2CdL2(NO3)2(DMF)2](OH)2 [Ln = La (3) and Nd (4)] were constructed using a new Schiff base ligand which has a long backbone with two phenyl groups. The Schiff base ligands show a "twist" configuration in 1-4. The crystal structures show that the molecular dimensions of 3 and 4 are about 6 × 10 × 15 Å. The Cd-Nd complexes 2 and 4 exhibit the typical NIR luminescence of Nd3+. Interestingly, 4 shows the luminescent sensing of nitro explosives and exhibits a high sensitivity to 2-nitrophenol at the ppm level.

Cation sensing by luminescent high-nuclearity Zn-Eu Schiff base nanoscale complexes: high sensitivity to Ag+ and Cd2+ ions at the ppm level.

Three polynuclear Zn-Ln nanoscale complexes [Ln2Zn2(L1)2(OAc)6] (Ln = Eu (1) and Nd (2)) and [Eu6Zn6(L2)2(L3)2O2(OAc)18] (3) were constructed using two Schiff base ligands featuring Ph(CH2)Ph (H2L1) and naphthyl (H2L2) backbones. The use of the Schiff base ligand H2L1 leads to the formation of linear complexes 1 and 2 with molecular sizes of approximately 7 × 10 × 24 Å, while planar complex 3 (approximately 10 × 15 × 22 Å) is constructed from H2L2. In 1-3, the chromogenic Zn/ligand moieties can absorb energy from and transfer energy to lanthanide centers, and all of these complexes display the typical emissions of Ln3+ ions. Interestingly, 3 displays luminescence response to the addition of metal ions and has high sensitivity to Ag+ and Cd2+ ions at the ppm level.

Construction of a crystalline 14-metal Zn-Nd rectangular nanocluster with a dual-emissive response towards metal ions.

A crystalline 14-metal Zn-Nd cluster [Zn6Nd8L2(OAc)20(O)2(NO3)4(OC2H5)4] (1) was constructed using a flexible Schiff base ligand with long-chain (CH2)2O(CH2)2O(CH2)2 backbone. 1 exhibits a nanoscale rectangular structure (10 × 14 × 18 Å). Besides the visible ligand-centered emission, 1 displays typical NIR luminescence of Nd3+. Interestingly, 1 shows both a ligand-centered and lanthanide fluorescence response towards metal ions, especially to K+ and Co2+ at the ppm level.

Effects of atrial fibrillation on complications and prognosis of patients receiving emergency PCI after acute myocardial infarction.

The effects of atrial fibrillation on complications and prognosis of patients receiving emergency percutaneous coronary intervention after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were investigated. Eighty AMI patients treated with interventional vascular recanalization in the Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University (Weifang, China) from July 2015 to October 2016 were selected, including 40 patients complicated with atrial fibrillation before operation (control group) and 40 patients without atrial fibrillation before operation (observation group). The systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, arrhythmia and common complications after MI were compared. Changes in the coronary artery thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow grade and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of patients were also recorded. Moreover, changes in brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels were compared. The recovery time of myocardial enzyme and total troponin in both groups was recorded. The systolic and diastolic blood pressure in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p<0.05). During the intervention, the total proportion of patients with ventricular arrhythmia, atrial arrhythmia, atrioventricular block and sinus tachycardia in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group (p<0.05). The total proportion of common complications after MI in the observation group was obviously lower than that in the control group (p<0.05). Coronary artery TIMI flow grades and LVEFs in the observation group were obviously higher than those in the control group. BNP levels in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group. The recovery time of myocardial enzyme and total troponin in the observation group was significantly earlier than that in the control group. Atrial fibrillation has a certain negative effect on the circulatory function in patients with AMI after the interventional therapy, and the proportions of arrhythmia and complications in patients after MI are increased at the same time, so the postoperative recovery of patients is slow with many complications.

Construction of NIR luminescent polynuclear lanthanide-based nanoclusters with sensing properties towards metal ions.

Two types of 4- and 9-metal lanthanide-based nanoclusters [Ln2Zn2(L1)2(OAc)6] (Ln = Yb (1) and Er (2)) and [Yb9L2(L3)2(OAc)15(OH)8(H2O)2(DMF)] (3) were constructed using two Schiff base ligands that have long backbones with two and three phenyl groups. The molecular sizes of 1-2 and 3 are about 7 × 10 × 23 Å and 11 × 17 × 22 Å, respectively. These clusters exhibit typical NIR luminescence of lanthanide ions. Interestingly, 3 exhibits luminescent sensing of metal ions and exhibits high sensitivities towards Cd2+ and Co2+ ions at the ppm level.

Luminescent Polynuclear Zn- and Cd-Ln Square-Like Nanoclusters With a Flexible Long-Chain Schiff Base Ligand.

Two series of Zn-Ln and Cd-Ln nanoclusters [Ln4Zn8L2(OAc)20(OH)4] [Ln = Nd (1), Yb (2), and Sm (3)] and [Ln2Cd2L2(OAc)2(OH)2(OCH3)2] [Ln = Nd (4), Yb (5), and Sm (6)] were prepared using a long-chain Schiff base ligand with a flexible (CH2)2O(CH2)2O(CH2)2 chain. All these clusters show square-like structures. The Schiff base ligands show "linear" configurations in the structures of 1-6, and the metric dimensions of Zn-Ln and Cd-Ln clusters measure ~8 × 14 × 21 and 8 × 12 × 12 Å, respectively. The study of luminescence properties shows that the Zn/L and Cd/L chromophores can effectively transfer energy to the lanthanide ions, and 1-6 show visible and NIR emissions.

Correction: High ECT2 expression is an independent prognostic factor for poor overall survival and recurrence-free survival in non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0187356.].

SPC25 upregulation increases cancer stem cell properties in non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma cells and independently predicts poor survival.

In this study, we investigated the functional role and prognostic value of spindle pole body component 25 (SPC25) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). SPC25 expression profile in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) and normal lung tissues was examined by using data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Human Protein Atlas (HPA). LUAD A549 cells and LUSC H520 cells were used to investigate the influence of SPC25 on cancer stem cell (CSC) properties in terms of the proportion of CD133+ cells, tumorsphere formation and CSC markers, including CD133, ALDH1 and Sox2. Data mining was also performed in the Kaplan-Meier plotter and TCGA-NSCLC to assess the independent prognostic value of SPC25. Results showed SPC25 was significantly upregulated in LUAD and LUSC tissues compared with normal lung tissues. SPC25 overexpression significantly increased the CSC properties and invasion of A549 cells, but not H520 cells. In comparison, SPC25 knockdown impaired the CSC properties and invasion of A549 cells, but not H520 cells. Univariate and multivariate analysis confirmed that high SPC25 expression was an independent prognostic factor for poor overall survival (OS) (HR: 1.622, 95%CI: 1.207-2.178, p = .001) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (HR: 1.726, 95%CI: 1.242-2.399, p = .001) in LUAD patients. However, no independent prognostic value of SPC25 was observed in LUSC patients even under the best cut-off model. Based on these findings, we infer that SPC25 upregulation can increase CSC properties in LUAD and independently predict poor survival in this histological subtype.

Construction of luminescent high-nuclearity Zn-Ln rectangular nanoclusters with flexible long-chain Schiff base ligands.

Three Zn-Ln clusters [Ln8Zn6(L1)2(OAc)20(O)2(NO3)4(OH)4] (Ln = Sm (1) and Nd (2)) and [Nd4Zn4(L2)2(OAc)10(NO3)2(OH)4] (3) were prepared using two long-chain Schiff base ligands. The Zn-Ln clusters exhibit interesting nano-square-like structures. Their visible and NIR luminescence properties were investigated.

High ECT2 expression is an independent prognostic factor for poor overall survival and recurrence-free survival in non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma.

Different subtypes of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have distinct sites of origin, histologies, genetic and epigenetic changes. In this study, we explored the mechanisms of ECT2 dysregulation and compared its prognostic value in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). In addition, we also investigated the enrichment of ECT2 co-expressed genes in KEGG pathways in LUAD and LUSC. Bioinformatic analysis was performed based on data from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-LUAD and TCGA-LUSC. Results showed that ECT2 expression was significantly upregulated in both LUAD and LUSC compared with normal lung tissues. ECT2 expression was considerably higher in LUSC than in LUAD. The level of ECT2 DNA methylation was significantly lower in LUSC than in LUAD. ECT2 mutation was observed in 5% of LUAD and in 51% of LUSC cases. Amplification was the predominant alteration. LUAD patients with ECT2 amplification had significantly worse disease-free survival (p = 0.022). High ECT2 expression was associated with unfavorable overall survival (OS) (p<0.0001) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (p = 0.001) in LUAD patients. Nevertheless, these associations were not observed in patients with LUSC. The following univariate and multivariate analysis showed that the high ECT2 expression was an independent prognostic factor for poor OS (HR: 2.039, 95%CI: 1.457-2.852, p<0.001) and RFS (HR: 1.715, 95%CI: 1.210-2.432, p = 0.002) in LUAD patients, but not in LUSC patients. Among 518 genes co-expressed with ECT2 in LUAD and 386 genes co-expressed with ECT2 in LUSC, there were only 98 genes in the overlapping cluster. Some of the genes related KEGG pathways in LUAD were not observed in LUSC. These differences might help to explain the different prognostic value of ECT2 in LUAD and LUSC, which are also worthy of further studies.

A novel navigation template for fixation of acetabular posterior column fractures with antegrade lag screws: design and application.

PURPOSE: To test whether a novel guide template we designed can facilitate accurate insertion of antegrade lag screws in the fixation of acetabular posterior column fractures. METHODS: We created virtual three-dimensional reconstruction models of the pelvis from CT scan data obtained from 96 adult patients without any bony problems. A virtual cylindrical implant was placed along the longitudinal axis of the acetabular posterior column passing through the ischial tuberosity. The diameter of cylindrical implant was augmented to 6.5 mm, and the direction was adjusted until the optimal screw path was found using the reverse engineering technique. The orifice of this cylinder from the iliac fossa was determined as the entry point for the antegrade lag screw. The anatomical parameters of the screw entry path were measured and saved in .stl format. The guide template was designed according to the acetabular morphology and the measured anatomical parameters before it was put into manufacture of a solid template with the rapid prototyping technique. The feasibility and accuracy of the guide template were tested in cadaveric pelvises. Finally, the guide template was used in real surgery for five patients. Furthermore, the time required for surgery was recorded. RESULTS: Under the guide of this navigation template, antegrade lag screws were successfully placed in the posterior column of the acetabulum in the cadaveric test. And five lag screws were successfully placed in five patients. The mean time of antegrade lag screw insertion required 5.8 (3-10) min. CONCLUSIONS: Antegrade lag screws can be more accurately put into the posterior column of the acetabulum with the help of this navigation template.

[Saponins with low sugar chain from the leaves of Panax notoginseng (Burk) F. H. Chen].

Six saponins with low sugar chain were isolated from the leaves of Panax notoginseng (Burk) F. H. Chen. Their structures were elucidated as 20(R)-ginsenoside Rh2(I), 20(R)-ginsenoside Rg3(II), ginsenoside Mc(III), ginsenoside F1(IV), ginsenoside Rh1(V) and daucosterol(VI) by spectroscopic analysis and comparison with authentic samples. Compounds I-IV were first isolated from the plant.