Biomechanical evaluation of In-Out-In pedicle screws for atlantoaxial posterior fixation in the presence of high-riding vertebral artery and narrow C2 pedicles: a finite element analysis.

Introduction: In patients with high-riding vertebral artery (HRVA) and narrow pedicles, placement of C2 pedicle screws carries a significant risk of vertebral artery injury. The in-out-in pedicle screws (IOIPS) technique offers an alternative posterior fixation strategy. However, the biomechanical performance remains unclear.

Biomechanical comparison of multiple zero-profile systems in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: a finite element analysis.

Background: Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) with zero-profile (ZP) implant is commonly used for cervical degenerative diseases, but subsidence remains a concern, particularly in osteoporosis. The two-screw ZP (TSZP), four-screw ZP (FSZP), and ROI-C implants are frequently applied, yet the biomechanical performance across varying bone qualities remains unclear.

Methods: A finite element (FE) model of the cervical spine (C3-C7) was constructed with TSZP, FSZP, and ROI-C implants at C4/C5 to simulate normal and osteoporotic conditions.

The AP2/ERF transcription factor MdDREB2A regulates nitrogen utilisation and sucrose transport under drought stress.

Drought stress is one of the main environmental factors limiting plant growth and development. Plants adapt to changing soil moisture by modifying root architecture, inducing stomatal closure, and inhibiting shoot growth. The AP2/ERF transcription factor DREB2A plays a key role in maintaining plant growth in response to drought stress, but the molecular mechanism underlying this process remains to be elucidated.

Effective inhibition of HCMV UL49 gene expression and viral replication by oligonucleotide external guide sequences and RNase P.

Background: Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a ubiquitous herpesvirus that typically causes asymptomatic infections in healthy individuals but may lead to serious complications in newborns and immunodeficient individuals. The emergence of drug-resistant strains of HCMV has posed a need for the development of new drugs and treatment strategies. Antisense molecules are promising gene-targeting agents for specific regulation of gene expression.

[A prospective multicenter clinical control trial on treatment of refractory nephrotic syndrome with mycophenolate mofetil in children].

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) plus prednisone on refractory nephrotic syndrome (RNS) in children.

Methods: One hundred and forty-two children with RNS from ten clinical trial centers were divided into two groups: MMF (n=87) and control (n=55). The MMF group patients were administered with oral MMF (30-40 mg/kg daily) for at least 6 months.