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In order to assess the water resources carrying capacity of the Gansu section of the Yellow River Basin, this paper chose a set of 20 evaluation indicators initially, targeting four distinct secondary regions. Through an analytical process involving sensitivity and correlation assessments, seven indicators that exhibited low sensitivity and high correlation were pruned, culminating in a refined set of 13 indicators. These indicators were systematically organized into four sub-systems of water resources, societal factors, economic aspects, and ecological environment. The composite scores were derived by integrating the entropy weight method with the TOPSIS model. Furthermore, a barrier factor diagnosis model was applied to evaluate the water resources carrying capacity across the four secondary regions. The findings reveal spatial variations in carrying capacity, with the area above Longyangxia station demonstrating the highest capacity, followed by the sections from Longyangxia station to Lanzhou and from Lanzhou to Hekouzhen station, and the lowest capacity observed in the section from Longmen to Sanmenxia station. In terms of temporal trends, barring the area above Longyangxia station, a steady rise in carrying capacity is observed in the remaining three regions. Key factors impeding the water resources carrying capacity in the Gansu section of the Yellow River Basin encompass per capita water availability, water production index, per capita water supply, population density, urbanization rate, and the rate of water usage for ecological environments. Strategic planning of water resources distribution, restructuring water consumption patterns, and synchronizing water resources carrying capacity with economic growth are instrumental in enhancing and sustaining the carrying capacity of the Gansu section of the Yellow River Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of guided therapy for osteoporosis. Methods The literatures of randomized controlled clinical trials on the treatment of osteoporosis included in Chinese and English databases (from inception to April 2019) were screened. The quality was evaluated according to JADAD. Meta-analysis was performed using a RevMan 5.3 software. Results A total of 289 references were retrieved, and 9 were included, with 808 cases. Meta-analysis showed that guided therapy + conventional vs. conventional therapy relieved VAS score [MD=-1.06, 95%CI(-1.31,-0.82), P<0.00001], and improved bone mineral density of the lumbar spine [MD=0.09, 95%CI(0.01,0.16), P=0.02], bone mineral density of the femoral neck [MD=0.13, 95%CI(0.00,0.25), P=0.05], and serum phosphorus [MD=0.02, 95%CI(0.00,0.04), P=0.05], and the differences were statistically significant. The difference of serum calcium [MD=0.53, 95%CI(1.48, 0.41), P=0.27] and serum alkaline phosphatase [MD=0.18, 95%CI(11.90, 11.53), P=0.98] were not obvious. The efficacy of guided therapy vs conventional exercise in relieving VAS [MD=-1.66, 95%CI(-2.57, -0.74), P=0.0004], and improving bone mineral density of the lumbar spine [MD=0.11, 95%CI(0.02, 0.20), P=0.01] and the femoral neck [MD=0.08, 95%CI(0.01, 0.14), P=0.02] were better than that of traditional exercise. Conclusion The guided therapy for the treatment of osteoporosis is superior to conventional intervention in relieving VAS score, improving bone mineral density of the lumbar spine and femoral neck. It has synergistic effect when combined with Western medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that commonly used prostheses for spinal repair are prone to have stress shielding effects (nonunion and local bone resorption) due to their limited high elastic modulus and limited contact areas, which can lead to the failure of internal fixation over time. OBJECTIVE: To design a novel two-segment adjustable artificial vertebral body through the measurement of CT scan data of the vertebral body using Mimics software. METHODS: Sixty young and middle-aged male patients with lumbar CT scan data were included. Mimics software was used to extract the skeleton contour of L1-3 vertebrae and to measure the vertebral body height and the transverse diameter of the upper and lower end plates, sagittal diameter, sagittal and coronal concave angles. Based on the measured data, a new type of artificial vertebral body adjustably and anatomically fitting the vertebral endplate was designed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There was no significant difference in the L1-3 height and sagittal diameter of the upper and lower endplates, and sagittal concave angle among all the cases. The transverse diameter of the upper endplate was significantly less than that of the lower endplate in the same vertebra (P < 0.05). A significant difference in the sagittal concave angle was also found (P < 0.05). Based on the measured vertebral height, sagittal diameter of the endplate and sagittal concave angle, a novel artificial vertebral body with adjustable height was designed. The new product made of nano-hydroxyapatite/polyamide 66 was composed of a top cover and a base. The height of the designed vertebral body could be controlled by bone cement injection via the side hole on the base. And it could be tightly integrated with the upper and lower endplates of the adjacent vertebral body, which is beneficial to promote the osseointegration. In conclusion, the two-segment adjustable artificial vertebral body has the advantages of reasonable design and convenient operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]