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Follower loads are used to simulate physiological compressive loads on the human spine. These compressive loads represent the load-carrying capacity of the human cervical spine and play an important role in maintaining its stability. However, under different follower loads the biomechanical response of the cervical spine is unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of follower load on the biomechanics of the cervical spine. A three-dimensional nonlinear finite element (FE) model of the cervical spine (C3–C7) was developed and validated. Using this FE model, we evaluated the effect of different follower loads (0 N, 50 N, 100 N, and 150 N) on the range of motion (ROM), facet joint forces (FJFs), and intradiscal pressure (IDP) in the cervical spine. In addition, a moment of 1 Nm was applied in three anatomical planes (sagittal, coronal, and transverse planes) to simulate different postures. The results indicate that as follower load was increased, the ROM of the cervical spine in extension decreased (4.06°–0.95°), but increased in other postures (flexion 4.19°–6.04°, lateral bending 1.74–3.03°, axial rotation 2.64°–4.11°). Follower loads increased the FJF in all postures (0 N–52 N). In lateral bending (LB), FJFs were only generated in the ipsilateral facet joints. In axial rotation (AR), there was large asymmetry in the FJF, which increased as follower load increased. The IDP of each segment increased nonlinearly with increasing follower load in all postures (0.01 MPa–1.23 MPa). In summary, follower loads caused changes in motion and loading patterns in the cervical spine (C3–C7). Therefore, in common daily activities, we should pay attention to the muscle strength of the neck through exercise to adapt to the biomechanical changes in the cervical spine following an increase in follower load.

Diabetic ulcers (DUs) usually suffer from severe infections, persistent inflammation, and excessive oxidative stress during the healing process, which led to the microenvironmental alternation and severely impede DU healing, resulting in a delayed wound healing. Therefore, it is particularly important to develop a medical dressing that can address these problems simultaneously. To this end, self-healing composite hydrogels were prepared in this study utilizing Bletilla striata polysaccharide (BSP) and Berberine (BER) with borax via borate ester bond. The chemical and mechanical properties of the BSP/BER hydrogels were characterized, and their wound healing performance was investigated in vivo and in vitro. The results showed that the BSP/BER hydrogel significantly accelerated wound healing in DU mice with the healing rate of 94.90 ± 1.81% on the 14th day by using BSP/BER5, and this outstanding performance was achieved by the multi-targeted biological functions of antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, which provided favorable microenvironment for orderly recovery of the wound. Aside from exhibiting the antibacterial rate of over 90% against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureu s, the BSP/BER5 hydrogel could significantly reduce NO levels 4.544 ± 0.32 µmol/L to exert its anti-inflammatory effects. Additionally, it demonstrated a hemolysis rate and promotes cell migration capabilities at (34.92 ± 1.66%). With the above features, the developed BSP/BER hydrogel in this study could be the potential dressing for clinical treatment of DU wound.

Photosensitisation is a clinical condition occurring in both humans and animals that causes significant injury to affected individuals. In livestock, outbreaks of photosensitisation caused by ingestion of toxic plants are relatively common and can be associated with significant economic loss. The agents that are most commonly implicated in outbreaks of photosensitisation have not been formally investigated on a global scale. To address this question, a systematic review of the literature was undertaken to determine the most common causative agents implicated in outbreaks of photosensitisation in livestock in Australia and globally, as well as the prevalence and morbidity of such outbreaks. A systematic database search was conducted to identify peer-reviewed case reports of photosensitisation in livestock published worldwide between 1900 and April 2018. Only case reports with a full abstract in English were included. Non peer-reviewed reports from Australia were also investigated. Case reports were then sorted by plant and animal species, type of photosensitisation by diagnosis, location, morbidity and mortality rate and tabulated for further analysis. One hundred and sixty-six reports qualified for inclusion in this study. Outbreaks were reported in 20 countries. Australia (20), Brazil (20) and the United States (11) showed the highest number of peer-reviewed photosensitisation case reports from this analysis. Hepatogenous (Type III) photosensitisation was the most frequently reported diagnosis (68.5%) and resulted in higher morbidity. Panicum spp., Brachiaria spp. and Tribulus terrestris were identified as the most common causes of hepatogenous photosensitisation globally. Hepatogenous photosensitisation in livestock represents a significant risk to livestock production, particularly in Australia, Brazil, and the United States. Management of toxic pastures and common pasture weeds may reduce the economic impact of photosensitisation both at a national and global level.

Developing redox electrolytes with high thermopower is the key to making efficient thermogalvanic batteries for harvesting low‐grade heat. This work applies molecular dynamics simulations to predict the thermopower (i.e. thermogalvanic temperature coefficient) of the redox pairs Fe(CN) 6 3− /Fe(CN) 6 4− and Fe 3+ /Fe 2+ , showing excellent agreement with experimental values. We showed that of the Fe 3+ /Fe 2+ redox pair can be increased from 1.70.4 mV/K to 3.80.5 mV/K with the increased acetone to water fraction. We discovered a significant change in the variance of solvent dipole orientation between Fe 3+ and Fe 2+ , which can serve as a microscopic indicator for large . In mixed acetone‐water solvent, of Fe 3+ /Fe 2+ showed a rapid increase at high acetone fractions, due to the intercalation of acetone molecules into the first solvation shell of the Fe 2+ at high acetone fractions. Our discovery provides insights into how solvation shell order can be engineered to develop electrolytes with high . image

A new linear polyketide, named aspormisin A (1), together with five known polyketides (2–6), were isolated from the alga-derived fungus Aspergillus ochraceopetaliformis SCSIO 41020. Their structures were elucidated through a detailed comprehensive spectroscopic analysis, as well as a comparison with the literature. An anti-inflammatory evaluation showed that compounds 2, 5, and 6 possessed inhibitory activity against the excessive production of nitric oxide (NO) and pro-inflammatory cytokines in LPS-treated RAW 264.7 macrophages in a dose-dependent manner without cytotoxicity. Further studies revealed that compound 2 was active in blocking the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, MCP-1, and TNF-α) induced by LPS both in vivo and in vitro. Our findings provide a basis for the further development of linear polyketides as promising anti-inflammatory agents.

, an important medicinal fungus in traditional Chinese medicine, has gained increasing attention for its diverse pharmacological activities, particularly its anti-inflammatory properties. Its principal bioactive components, including cordycepin, cordycepic acid, polysaccharides, and sterols, exert significant protective effects in a wide range of inflammation-related diseases, primarily covering respiratory diseases, autoimmune disorders, neuroinflammatory conditions, and metabolic and gastrointestinal syndromes. These compounds act mainly by modulating key signaling pathways, including NF-κB, MAPK, TLR4/MyD88, PI3K/Akt, JAK/STAT, and Nrf2/HO-1. This review summarizes recent progress in the identification of anti-inflammatory components of and their mechanisms of action, highlights current challenges in clinical translation, and outlines future research directions. Collectively, these findings emphasize the broad potential of as a multi-target natural product-based anti-inflammatory therapy.

360° video has been becoming one of the major media in recent years, providing immersive experience for viewers with more interactions compared with traditional videos. Most of today’s implementations rely on bulky Head-Mounted Displays (HMDs) or require touch screen operations for interactive display, which are not only expensive but also inconvenient for viewers. In this paper, we demonstrate that interactive 360° video streaming can be done with hints from gaze movement detected by the front camera of today's mobile devices (e.g., a smartphone). We design a lightweight real-time gaze point tracking method for this purpose. We integrate it with streaming module and apply a dynamic margin adaption algorithm to minimize the overall energy consumption for battery-constrained mobile devices. Our experiments on state-of-the-art smartphones show the feasibility of our solution and its energy efficiency toward cost-effective real-time 360° video streaming.

The mean slope flow velocity is critical in soil erosion models but the mechanism of its variation under rigid vegetation cover remains unclear. On natural slopes, vegetation grows predominantly perpendicular to the horizontal plane (BH), with some growing perpendicularly to the slope surface (BS); however, current research often neglects the effects of these two growth directions on the mean flow velocity. We conducted simulation experiments using different coverage levels, rigid vegetation, slope angles, and flow rates and showed that the flow rate and slope significantly influenced the mean flow velocity. As the coverage of rigid vegetation increased, the mean flow velocity increased more under conditions perpendicular to the horizontal plane (BH) and those perpendicular to the slope (BS). A model for predicting mean flow velocity was developed using vegetation equivalent roughness and the Manning formula, which accurately predicted flow velocity in different conditions. This study contributes to the refinement of slope flow theory and provides data that support soil and water conservation efforts.

Purpose To compare the advantages and disadvantages of biodegradable and non-degradable implants in orthopedic fractures. Methods Recent original articles about biodegradable and non-degradable implants for fracture fixation were reviewed extensively, and a comprehensive retrospective analysis was performed. Results Standard orthopedic treatment is to use non-degradable metal implants to fixate the fracture site. This kind of treatment not only causes rejection and stress shielding, but also requires a second surgery to remove the metal implants. In addition, this kind of treatment increases physical pain and is a serious financial burden to patients. However, biodegradable implants do not require a second surgery for removal and have good biocompatibility and osteoconductivity. Conclusions Biodegradable implants do not require a second surgery for removal and have good biocompatibility and osteoconductivity. Consequently, they are an ideal treatment and are increasingly used for orthopedic surgical patients. The most common indications for biodegradable implants include craniofacial reconstruction, anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, meniscus repair, ankle fracture treatment, and tibia and fibula fracture treatment.

A new cytotoxic pentacyclic alkaloid, citrinadin C (1), together with four known compounds (2–5), were isolated from deep-sea-derived fungus Penicillium citrinum. The structure of new compound 1 was elucidated by extensive 1D and 2D NMR and Mass spectroscopic data, and its absolute configuration was determined by CD spectrum. All the compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic and antibacterial activities. Compound 1 showed cytotoxic activities against human liver cancer cell line MHCC97H, with IC50 value of 16.7 μM. Compound 4 displayed significant antibacterial activity against phytopathogen Xanthomonas campestris, with MIC value of 25 μM.