Hidden diversity and potential ecological function of phosphorus acquisition genes in widespread terrestrial bacteriophages.

Phosphorus (P) limitation of ecosystem processes is widespread in terrestrial habitats. While a few auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) in bacteriophages from aquatic habitats are reported to have the potential to enhance P-acquisition ability of their hosts, little is known about the diversity and potential ecological function of P-acquisition genes encoded by terrestrial bacteriophages. Here, we analyze 333 soil metagenomes from five terrestrial habitat types across China and identify 75 viral operational taxonomic units (vOTUs) that encode 105 P-acquisition AMGs. These AMGs span 17 distinct functional genes involved in four primary processes of microbial P-acquisition. Among them, over 60% (11/17) have not been reported previously. We experimentally verify in-vitro enzymatic activities of two pyrophosphatases and one alkaline phosphatase encoded by P-acquisition vOTUs. Thirty-six percent of the 75 P-acquisition vOTUs are detectable in a published global topsoil metagenome dataset. Further analyses reveal that, under certain circumstances, the identified P-acquisition AMGs have a greater influence on soil P availability and are more dominant in soil metatranscriptomes than their corresponding bacterial genes. Overall, our results reinforce the necessity of incorporating viral contributions into biogeochemical P cycling.

π-hole bonding: A new retention mechanism for the solid phase extraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from the hexane extracts of soil samples.

In this work, the perfluorobenzene-bonded silica sorbent was tested to adsorb polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in hexane. In the comparison experiments, the perfluorobenzene-bonded sorbent's performance was better than octadecyl silica sorbent and phenyl-bonded silica sorbents, which indicated that the π-hole···π bonds between perfluorobenzene and the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were stronger than π···π interactions and hydrophobic interactions in hexane. Then the perfluorobenzene-bonded silica sorbent was applied to solid-phase extraction of 15 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from the hexane extracts of soil samples directly without the solvent replacement, which simplified the soil pretreatment process. And the results showed that under the optimal conditions, the proposed method for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in the environment soil presented good recoveries and stabilities for the 10 heavier polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with the recoveries ranging from 75.1% to 104.6% and the relative standard deviations being in the range of 1.4%-5.8%. The limits of detection of the method varied from 0.1 to 2 ng/g. This work reveals the great application potential of the π-hole bond as a new retention mechanism in the field of solid-phase extraction.

Lumbar Intradural Disc Herniation Caused by Injury: A Case Report and Literature Review.

BACKGROUND: Intradural disc herniation(IDH) caused by trauma is a rare type of disease，which is difficult to diagnose clinically and is easily misdiagnosed. We received a patient with the disease, reported the case to share the process of diagnosis and treatment and put forward our own opinions, so as to increase the probability of correct diagnosis. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 48-year-old male who fell from a scaffold at a height of 2 m. Later, he developed low back pain, restricted movement, numbness and hyperalgesia of the lower left limb, and decreased left muscle strength. He was diagnosed with IDH. Treatment with posterior decompression and intramedullary decompression with pedicle screw internal fixation was performed. His postoperative course was uneventful, and he underwent regular follow up for 1 year. Good neurologic symptom improvement was achieved. CONCLUSIONS: IDH is rare, and comprehensive consideration and film reading can improve the correct diagnosis rate. Accurate diagnosis and early decompression of laminae and intramedullary decompression can lead to good recovery after neurologic impingement.

Ecotoxicity stress and bioaccumulation in Eisenia fetida earthworms exposed to vanadium pentoxide in soil.

As an important commercial form of vanadium, vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) is widely used in various modern industries, and its environmental impacts and ecotoxicity have been extensively studied. In this research, the ecotoxicity of V2O5 to earthworms (Eisenia fetida) in soil was tested by exposure to V2O5 at a series of doses, and biochemical response indices, such as the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) enzyme activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content, were analysed to determine the mechanism by which antioxidant enzymes respond to V2O5 exposure. The bioaccumulation factor (BAF) of vanadium pentoxide in the earthworms and soil was also measured to explore the bioaccumulation process of V2O5 in the test period. The results showed that the acute and subchronic lethal toxicity values of V2O5 towards E. fetida were 21.96 mg/kg (LC50, 14 days) and 6.28 mg/kg (LC10, 28 days), respectively. For the antioxidant enzymes, SOD and CAT were synchronously induced or inhibited within the time period, and the enzyme activity had a dose-effect relationship with the V2O5 concentration. MDA analysis indicated that lipid peroxidation in earthworms mainly occurred at the early stage and was eliminated slowly in the later stage during the test time. In addition, the BAFs were much less than 1, which indicated that V2O5 did not easily accumulate in earthworms, and the BAF was positively correlated with the exposure time and negatively linearly correlated with the V2O5 concentration in the soil. These results indicated that the bioconcentration and metabolic mechanism of V2O5 in earthworms differed with the different exposure concentrations, and bioaccumulation became balanced after 14-28 days in earthworms exposed to a relatively lower dose of V2O5. The analysis of the integrated biomarker response (IBR) index indicated that the trends of IBR values were positively related to the changing V2O5 concentration, and the IBR index could reflect the organism's sensitivity to the external stimulus of V2O5. The toxicity of V2O5 is mainly caused by V5+, which is also an important factor in formulating guidelines regarding vanadium levels in soil, and the test earthworm species (Eisenia fetida) is a sensitive biological indicator for risk assessments of vanadium oxidation in the soil.

Clinical Efficacy Analysis of the New PRUNUS Spine Plate System for Anterior Cervical Spine Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Although the role of anterior cervical titanium plate system in stabilizing the spine sequence and promoting bone graft fusion has been widely recognized, more and more attention has been paid to the design of the plate itself and the complications caused by it. In order to solve the problems of poor stability of internal fixation, plate displacement and screw looseness, we designed the new PRUNUS spine plate system. Hence, the present study was conducted to describe observe and evaluate the clinical efficacy of a new type of three-leaf reinforced cervical anterior screw plate system (PRUNUS nailing system) developed for anterior cervical surgery. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 56 patients from June 2018 to October 2019 was used. Twenty-seven patients with cervical spine disease treated with new PRUNUS nail plate internal fixation were selected as the observation group, and 29 patients with cervical spine disease treated with conventional cervical anterior screw fixation were selected as the control group. Postoperative follow-up was performed. Cervical stability, internal fixation position and bone graft fusion were evaluated according to imaging data. The operative time, intraoperative blood loss, cervical Cobb angle, pain visual analogue scale (VAS), and Japanese orthopaedic association (JOA) were compared between the two groups. Spinal function scores and neurological improvement rates were used to evaluate the clinical efficacy of the new PRUNUS spine plate. RESULTS: The patients were followed up for 5-18 months, with an average of 7.33 months. The average operative time of the observation group was 98.4 ± 9.2 min, and the mean intraoperative blood loss was 65.3 ± 10.6 ml, which were significant different from the control group's 109.7 ± 9.4 minutes (P < 0.05), 72.9 ± 15.6 ml (P < 0.05). Comparison between the two groups in postoperative and final follow-up of cervical Cobb angle, JOA score and improvement rate, VAS score and preoperative comparison showed no significant differences (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The new PRUNUS spine plate system can be applied to the anterior cervical spine surgery, and its clinical efficacy was similar to the traditional cervical anterior plate. But PRUNUS simplified the operation process, especially suitable for the surgical treatment of anterior cervical revision and osteoporosis patients.

[Effect Factors and Model Prediction of Soil Heavy Metal Bioaccessibility].

The soil environmental pollution situation has been severe in recent years, but studies on evaluating with bioavailability testing and prediction models are lacking, which makes it difficult to accurately assess the ecological risks of contaminated soil. As an important indicator of bioavailability, the bioaccessibility of cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and lead (Pb) in the soil was analyzed in this study. The bioaccessibility content and their corresponding soil property data were screened and systematically analyzed to explore the relationship between bioaccessibility content and soil properties. Furthermore, some testing methods for bioaccessibility were summarized to analyze the relationship between bioaccessibility content, test methods, and bioavailability content. Additionally, the bioaccessibility content prediction models were established. The results showed that there was a strong correlation between the bioaccessibility content and the total content of heavy metals (P<0.01) and a significant (P<0.05) correlation with the soil pH. Different test methods had obvious effects on bioavailability. The proportion of bioaccessibility content determined via various test methods was as follows:in vitro gastrointestinal tract simulation>chemical reagent extraction. The proportions of bioaccessibility content of Cd and Pb in natural soil were relatively high, with mean values of 42.12% and 37.33%, respectively, indicating that Cd and Pb had higher risks of being absorbed by soil organisms. Moreover, 30 bioaccessibility prediction models for five heavy metals were constructed, which involved the soil properties and test methods. The results of this study can provide scientific information and bioaccessibility prediction models that can help in accurately assessing the ecological risks of contaminated soil.

LncRNA FIRRE stimulates PTBP1-induced Smurf2 decay, stabilizes B-cell receptor, and promotes the development of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Sustained expression of B-cell receptor (BCR) critically contributes to the development of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). However, little is known on the mechanism regulating BCR expression. In the present study, we explored the biological significance of functional intergenic repeating RNA element (FIRRE) in DLBCL and its regulation on BCR. Functional impacts of FIRRE on cell viability, transformation, and apoptosis were examined by MTT, colony formation, and flow cytometry, respectively. The interaction between FIRRE and polypyrimidine tract binding protein 1 (PTBP1) was identified by RNA pull-down and verified using RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays. The effects of FIRRE and PTBP1 on Smurf2 mRNA were examined by RIP, RNA pull-down, and mRNA stability assays. Smurf2-mediated BCR ubiquitination was investigated using co-immunoprecipitation, ubiquitination, and protein stability assays. In vivo, xenograft models were used to assess the impacts of targeting FIRRE on DLBCL growth. FIRRE was specifically up-regulated in and essentially maintained multiple malignant behaviors of BCR-dependent DLBCL cells. Through the interaction with PTBP1, FIRRE promoted the mRNA decay of Smurf2, a ubiquitin ligase for the degradation BCR protein. Targeting FIRRE was sufficient to regulat Smurf2 and BCR expressions and inhibit DLBCL malignancy both in vivo and in vitro. FIRRE-PTBP1 interaction, by simulating Smurf2 mRNA decay and stabilizing BCR, promotes the development of DLBCL. Consequently, targeting this signaling mechanism may provide therapeutic benefits for DLBCL.

The Correlation between Microalbuminuria and Thyroid Nodules in Type 2 Diabetic Mellitus.

Objective: To investigate the correlation between thyroid nodules and microalbuminuria in type 2 diabetic mellitus. Methods: A total of 270 patients with type 2 diabetes at Tongzhou Branch of Dongzhimen Hospital were enrolled in this retrospective study. Data were collected from the inpatient electronic files between January 2018 and January 2020. The laboratory indexes of the two groups (thyroid nodule group with 172 cases and control group including 98 cases without thyroid nodules) were statistically analyzed by binomial logistic regression analysis and Spearman correlation analysis. Results: The proportion of microalbuminuria (MAU) in the thyroid nodule group was larger than that in the control group. Age, serum TT4, and FT4 in the thyroid nodule group were significantly higher compared with the control group. The binary logistic regression analysis indicated that age, sex, FT4, and MAU were the risk factors for thyroid nodule in T2DM patients. Spearman correlation analysis showed that the thyroid nodule was significantly positively correlated with MAU, age, FT4, and TT4. Conclusions: MAU might be an independent risk factor for thyroid nodule in type 2 diabetic mellitus.

CDK12 activates MYC to repress miR-28-5p/EZH2 and amplifies tonic BCR signaling to promote the development of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 12 (CDK12) is a transcription-associated kinase that participates in various cellular processes. However, its regulatory role in the progression of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), which is the most prevalent subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), is still elusive and controversial.The expression of CDK12 was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC), RT-qPCR was performed to detect miR-28-5p expression of OCI-LY3 and SU-DHL-4 cells. MTT and soft agarose colony formation assays were used to detect cell proliferation. The cell apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry. The protein expressions changes of MYC, EZH2 and the biomarkers of BCR signaling were also detected. A subcutaneous transplantation tumor model of OCI-LY3 cells in nude mice was established to evaluate anticarcinogenic activities of CDK12 knockdown. Elevated expression of CDK12 was observed while miR-28-5p was downregulated in DLBCL tissues. CDK12 knockdown or miR-28-5p overexpression could inhibit proliferation and promote apoptosis of DLBCL cells. miR-28-5p inhibition could reverse the effect of CDK12 knockdown on proliferation and apoptosis of DLBCL cells. In addition, CDK12 knockdown could inhibit DLBCL tumor growth in the mice model. CDK12 activated MYC to repress miR-28-5p/EZH2 and amplified tonic BCR signaling to promote the development of DLBCL, which might provide potential therapeutic targets for future therapeutic intervention in DLBCL.

Correlation Analysis for Selection of Microtitanium Plates with Different Specifications for Use in a Cervical Vertebral Dome Expansion Laminoplasty.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze correlations between the selection of microtitanium plates with different specifications for use in a cervical vertebral dome expansion laminoplasty. METHODS: Sixteen patients that underwent the cervical vertebral dome expansion laminoplasty with a cervical spinal stenosis angioplasty procedure for treatment of their cervical spinal cords were recruited at our hospital. From February 2017 to September 2018, medical records confirmed that all patients underwent cervical CT and MRI tests pre- and postsurgery. The anteroposterior diameter of the spinal canal, changes in the cross-sectional area of the spinal canal, and the pre- and postsurgery distance of the cervical spinal cord after applying microtitanium plates with different lengths were measured by Mimics version 17.0 software (Materialise NV, Leuven, Belgium). A statistical regression and correlation analysis of relevant specification parameters of the microtitanium plate was then studied. RESULTS: As the size of the microtitanium plate increased, we found that the cross-sectional area of cervical spinal canal and distance between the descendants of the lamina and the distance of cervical spinal cord concordantly increased, and these data changes linearly. The regression equation associated with sagittal diameter, cross-sectional area, and posterior movement distance of the cervical spinal cord was obtained. CONCLUSION: According to the correlation analysis of imaging data changes, the regression equation was obtained to guide the selection of microtitanium plates with appropriate specifications in a cervical vertebral dome expansion laminoplasty.

Mid- and Long-Term Follow-Up Efficacy Analysis of 3D-Printed Interbody Fusion Cages for Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and stability of 3D-printed interbody fusion cages (3D-printed cages) in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) by investigating the mid- and long-term follow-up outcomes. METHODS: In this prospective study, the clinical data of 30 patients with CSM admitted to the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from May 2012 to May 2014 were analyzed. The cohort comprised 18 males and 12 females with an average age of 60.22 ± 3.2 years. All patients were examined by X-ray, CT and MRI before the operation. A total of 30 cases of CSM were treated by ACDF with 3D printed cage implantation. Mid- and long-term follow-ups were performed after the surgery. Clinical efficacy was evaluated by comparing the JOA score, SF-36 score, change in neurological function, cervical curvature index (CCI), vertebral intervertebral height (VIH) and fusion rate before the operation, 6 months after the operation, and at the last follow-up. RESULTS: Two of the 30 patients were lost to follow-up. The remaining patients were followed up for 48-76 (65.23 ± 3.54) months. The patients recovered satisfactorily with a significant clinical effect. The JOA score increased meanfully and the improvement rate was 89.4% at the final follow-up. The SF-36 score increased significantly from pre- to postoperatively. The height of the intervertebral space at the last follow-up was not statistically significantly different from that at 6 months after surgery (P > 0.05), showing that the height of the intervertebral space did not change much and the severity of cage subsidence (CS) decreased. The CCI improved from pre- to postoperatively. The CCI did not change much from the 6-month follow-up to the last follow-up. and the cage rate (CR) was 100% at the 6-month and last follow-ups. No severe complications, such as spinal cord injury, esophageal fistula, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, cervical hematoma or wound infection, occurred in any of the patients. CONCLUSION: The clinical and radiological results show that the application of 3D-printed cages in ACDF can significantly relieve symptoms. Moreover, 3D-printed cages can restore the curvature of the cervical spine, effectively maintain the intervertebral height for a long time, and prevent complications related to postoperative subsidence.

Wuzhi capsule increased systemic exposure to methotrexate by inhibiting the expression of OAT1/3 and P-gp.

BACKGROUND: Methotrexate (MTX) is an important anticancer agent and immunosuppressant with a narrow therapeutic window. Wuzhi capsule (WZC) is an extract of Schisandra which is widely used to treat liver diseases. Co-administration of MTX and WZC is common in the clinical setting, but research on the interaction between WZC and MTX is limited. This study aimed to investigate the effects of WZC on the pharmacokinetics of MTX in rats and to explore the role of membrane transport proteins OAT1/3 and P-gp in the interaction of these drugs. METHODS: Plasma MTX concentration was detected by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometer (UPLC-MS/MS), and the messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression of OAT1/3 and P-gp was evaluated by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blotting analyses, respectively. RESULTS: The study results revealed that co-administration of WZC decreased the CLz/F and Vz/F of MTX, increased the Cmax and area under the curve [(AUC)0-24 h] of MTX, and inhibited OAT1/3 expression in the kidney and P-gp expression in the small intestine. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggested that there is a drug interaction between WZC and MTX and that OAT1/3 in the kidney and P-gp in the small intestine may be the main targets mediating the drug interaction, and attention should be paid when they are used in combination.

Comparison of Imaging Parameters between a New Cervical Full Lamina Back Shift Spinal Canal Enlargement Technique and Single Open-Door Laminoplasty for Multisegment Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy.

PURPOSE: To provide imaging evidence of the feasibility and clinical efficacy of a new full lamina back shift spinal canal enlargement technique. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 64 patients with multisegment cervical spondylotic myelopathy caused by cervical stenosis. Of these, 32 patients underwent the new full lamina back shift spinal canal enlargement technique (as observation group) and 32 patients underwent single open-door miniature titanium plate internal fixation (as control group). The computed tomography (CT) data of both groups were imported into Mimics 17.0 software to measure the median sagittal diameter and cross-sectional area of the spinal canal. Photoshop CS5 was employed to measure the drift distance of the spinal cord on MR images to perform a comparative study of the imaging parameters from the two groups. RESULTS: The T2-weighted MR images in both groups showed continuous recovery of the cerebrospinal fluid signal in the C3 -C7 range. The enlarged spinal canal cross-sectional area (mm2 ) of each segment after the new full lamina back shift spinal canal enlargement technique was 130.90 ± 20.52 (C3 ), 180.81 ± 18.86 (C4 ), 240.48 ± 35.43 (C5 ), 145.93 ± 36.94 (C6 ), and 153.16 ± 36.28 (C7 ), and the enlarged median sagittal diameter (mm) was 5.31 ± 1.13 (C3 ), 8.8 ± 1.28 (C4 ), 10.28 ± 1.68 (C5 ), 9.46 ± 1.48 (C6 ), and 9.22 ± 1.12 (C7 ). Both parameters were significantly superior to single open-door miniature titanium plate internal fixation (P < 0.05). No significant difference was detected in the drift distance of the spinal cord between the two groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The new full lamina back shift spinal canal enlargement technique achieved a thorough spinal canal decompression effect on imaging while ensuring a reasonable spinal drift distance and few surgical complications. The clinical curative effect of the new technique was precise.

Evaluation of influence of telmisartan on the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of canagliflozin in rats and mice.

BACKGROUND: Canagliflozin, a sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, is widely used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, drug interactions with canagliflozin can affect its glucoselowering therapeutic effects or exacerbate its adverse effects. Telmisartan, an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB), has been approved for the treatment of diabetic kidney disease. This study aimed to investigate the effects of telmisartan on the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of canagliflozin. METHODS: An ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was successfully validated to determine the levels of canagliflozin in the plasma and tissues. The main pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using the non-compartmental model. RESULTS: Compared with animals administered canagliflozin alone, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of animals co-administered telmisartan and canagliflozin was significantly increased after a single-day administration, but significantly decreased after a seven-day treatment regimen (both P<0.05). The highest concentrations of canagliflozin were detected in the kidneys, followed by the intestine, liver, heart, lung, spleen, and brain tissues. Furthermore, the concentration of canagliflozin in the heart, liver, lung, and kidney tissues at 2 hours post-administration was significantly higher in the telmisartan and canagliflozin group compared to the group treated with canagliflozin alone (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A pharmacokinetic drug-drug interaction between telmisartan and canagliflozin might occur during drug co-administration.

[Human Health Risk Assessment of Phenol in Poyang Lake Basin].

Phenol is widely used in the production of insulation and thermal insulation materials, adhesives, perfumes, coatings for food containers, paints, and pharmaceutical production, and is also widely detected in the aquatic environment. Long-term exposure to phenol can elicit adverse effects, such as skin burn, liver and central system damage. Here, phenol concentrations in the water and aquatic products of Poyang Lake were investigated. Human health risks from phenol to adults and adolescents were also assessed based on local population exposure parameters. The exposure concentration range of phenol in the studied water and aquatic products was not detected (ND)-556.26 ng·L-1 and 11.98-255.51 µg·kg-1, respectively. Human health risk based on drinking water in different areas ranged from 3.80×10-7-8.46×10-5. Higher human health risks from drinking water was detected in the southern area of Poyang Lake and at the confluence of the Yangtze River to the north. Health risks caused by different types of aquatic products ranges 2.65×10-5-1.47×10-4. In particular, human health risks from the consumption of yellow catfish and catfish are an order of magnitude higher than for other aquatic products. Probabilistic risk assessment was also conducted through Monte Carlo simulation to analyze the health risk to the population in the Poyang Lake Basin and assess its sensitivity of different exposure parameters. The 95th percentile health risk of drinking water and aquatic product consumption in the Poyang Lake Basin was calculated as being acceptable. Overall, the concentrations of phenol had the greatest impact on the calculated health risk values. This study provides valuable information for phenol risk management in the Poyang Lake basin.

Depression and myocardial injury in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: A cardiac magnetic resonance imaging study.

BACKGROUND: Depression is common in patients with myocardial infarction and has been independently associated with adverse outcomes. However, the association between depression and myocardial injury on cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) has still not been assessed. AIM: To assess the association between depression and myocardial injury on CMR in patients with STEMI. METHODS: A total of 107 STEMI patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (P-PCI) were analyzed in this prospectivecohort study. Each subject completed the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) to assess the presence and severity of depressive symptoms. CMR was performed at a median of 3 d after P-PCI for quantifying post-MI myocardial injury. Correlations between depression identified by the PHQ-9 and myocardial injury measured on CMR were assessed. RESULTS: In this study, 19 patients (17.8%) were diagnosed with major depression identified by the PHQ-9 ≥ 10. PHQ-9 was analyzed both as a continuous variable and dichotomous variable. After multivariable adjustment, the proportion of patients with large infarction size was significantly higher in the major depression group (PHQ-9 ≥ 10) (OR: 4.840, 95%CI: 1.122-20.868, P =0.034). When the PHQ-9 was evaluated as a continuous variable, after multivariable adjustment, an increased PHQ-9 score was associated with an increased risk of large infarction size (OR: 1.226, 95%CI: 1.073-1.401, P =0.003). CONCLUSION: In patients with STEMI undergoing PCI, depression was independently associated with a large infarction size.

Development and Clinical Application of a New Open-Powered Nail Anterior Cervical Plate System.

OBJECTIVE: To observe and evaluate the clinical curative effect of a new type of open-powered cervical spine system developed for anterior cervical surgery. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed in our hospital in 2015-2017 of 329 orthopaedic patients treated with cervical anterior decompression, cage or titanium mesh graft fusion, new open-powered nail plate or traditional cervical anterior screw plate. A total of 154 (control group) and 175 (observation group) cases were fixed with conventional cervical- and new open-powered nail plates, respectively. Postoperative follow-up was performed. Cervical stability, internal fixation position, and bone graft fusion were evaluated by imaging. Operative time, intraoperative blood loss, cervical Cobb angle, pain visual analogue scale (VAS) score, and Japanese orthopaedic association (JOA) score were compared between the groups. JOA scoring (spinal cord function) and neurological function improvement rate (IR) were used to assess clinical efficacy. RESULTS: The patients were followed up for 8-36 months with an average of 19.48 months. There was no significant difference in the operation time and intraoperative blood loss between the two groups (P > 0.05). In the control group, the Cobb angles of the cervical spine were 5.13° ± 1.28°, 10.46° ± 1.07°, and 9.72° ± 1.43° before and after the operation. The observation group was followed by the Cobb angle of the cervical spine before and after the operation. They were 4.96° ± 1.39°, 11.67° ± 0.93°, and 11.13° ± 1.19°, respectively; the JOA scores before the operation, 1 week after the operation, and at the last follow-up were (8.07 ± 1.13) points and (13.57 ± 0.82) points, and (14.19 ± 0.96) points, respectively; the IR was 86.52% ± 9.33%. The preoperative, postoperative 1 week, and last follow-up JOA scores in the observation group were (8.37 ± 1.29) points, (14.11 ± 0.93) points, and (14.95 ± 0.78) points respectively. The IR was 88.74% ± 8.16% in the scores; the VAS scores were (5.54 ± 0.89) points, (1.73 ± 0.71) points, and (1.48 ± 0.52) points in the preoperative, postoperative 1 week, and last follow-up in the control group. The VAS scores were (5.81 ± 0.94) points, (1.82 ± 0.61) points, and (1.16 ± 0.49) points before, 1 week, and after the final follow-up. The JOA score and IR, VAS score and preoperative comparison between the two groups were statistically significant (P < 0.05), but there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The new open-powered nail anterior cervical plate system can achieve the same clinical effect as the traditional anterior cervical plate fixation in anterior cervical surgery, but it can simplify the operation process, effectively make up for the shortcomings of the traditional anterior cervical plate operation, and obtain satisfactory clinical application effect, which is worthy of clinical promotion.

Development and Biomechanical Study of a New Open Dynamic Anterior Cervical Nail Plate System.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a new type of open dynamic cervical spine system and study its biomechanical properties. METHODS: Ten fresh goat spine specimens were used in this study. Using high precision digital display grating displacement sensor system, a new type of open dynamic nail plate fixation was compared with Atlantis nail plate fixation in terms of the stability of cervical vertebrae, pull-out strength, and fatigue strength. RESULTS: Biomechanical tests showed: (i) the new type of open dynamic cervical anterior nail plate system has similar three-dimensional stability as the Atlantis nail plate system, and can ensure the stability of anterior cervical fixation surgery; (ii) the fatigue life and fatigue strength of this new open dynamic anterior cervical nail plate and Atlantis nail plate are similar, and can adequately maintain the cervical stability after anterior bone graft fusion, to ensure long-term safety and efficacy of the nail plate system in the body; and (iii) the overall fixed performance of the new type of open dynamic cervical nail system is satisfactory. CONCLUSION: The new type of open dynamic anterior cervical nail plate system has satisfactory biomechanical characteristics and cervical spine stability effect.

Influence of extending expansive open-door laminoplasty to C1 and C2 on cervical sagittal parameters.

BACKGROUND: For patients with spinal canal stenosis in the upper cervical spine who undergo C3-7 laminoplasty alone, it remains impossible to achieve full decompression due to its limited range. This study explores the extension of expansive open-door laminoplasty (EODL) to C1 and C2 for the treatment of cervical spinal stenosis of the upper cervical spine and its effects on cervical sagittal parameters. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 33 patients presenting with symptoms of cervical spondylosis myelopathy (CSM) and ossification in the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) of the upper cervical spine from February 2013 to December 2015 was performed. Furthermore, the changes in the C0-2 Cobb angle, C1-2 Cobb angle, C2-7 Cobb angle, C2-7 SVA, and T1-Slope in lateral X-rays of the cervical spine were measured before, immediately after, and 1 year after the operation. JOA and NDI scores were used to evaluate spinal cord function. RESULTS: The C0-2 and C1-2 Cobb angles did not significantly increase (P = 0.190 and P = 0.081), but the C2-7 Cobb angle (P = 0.001), C2-7 SVA (P < 0.001), and T1-Slope (P < 0.001) significantly increased from preoperative to 1 year postoperative. In addition, C2-7 SVA was significantly correlated with the T1-Slope (Pearson = 0.376, P < 0.001) and C0-2 Cobb angle (Pearson = 0.287, P = 0.004), and the C2-7 SVA was negatively correlated with the C2-7 Cobb angle (Pearson = - 0.295, P < 0.001). The average preoperative and postoperative JOA scores were 8.3 ± 1.6 and 14.6 ± 1.4 points, respectively, indicating in a postoperative neurological improvement rate of approximately 91.6%. The average preoperative and final follow-up NDI scores were 12.62 ± 2.34 and 7.61 ± 1.23. CONCLUSIONS: The sagittal parameters of patients who underwent EODL extended to C1 and C2 included loss of cervical curvature, increased cervical anteversion and compensatory posterior extension of the upper cervical spine to maintain visual balance in the field of vision. However, the changes in cervical spine parameters were far less substantial than the alarm thresholds reported in previous studies. We believe that EODL extended to C1 and C2 for the treatment of patients with spinal canal stenosis in the upper cervical spine is a feasible and safe procedure with excellent outcomes.

Cryptochrome-mediated hypocotyl phototropism was regulated antagonistically by gibberellic acid and sucrose in Arabidopsis.

Both phototropins (phot1 and phot2) and cryptochromes (cry1 and cry2) were proven as the Arabidopsis thaliana blue light receptors. Phototropins predominately function in photomovement, and cryptochromes play a role in photomorphogenesis. Although cryptochromes have been proposed to serve as positive modulators of phototropic responses, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. Here, we report that depleting sucrose from the medium or adding gibberellic acids (GAs) can partially restore the defects in phototropic curvature of the phot1 phot2 double mutants under high-intensity blue light; this restoration does not occur in phot1 phot2 cry1 cry2 quadruple mutants and nph3 (nonphototropic hypocotyl 3) mutants which were impaired phototropic response in sucrose-containing medium. These results indicate that GAs and sucrose antagonistically regulate hypocotyl phototropism in a cryptochromes dependent manner, but it showed a crosstalk with phototropin signaling on NPH3. Furthermore, cryptochromes activation by blue light inhibit GAs synthesis, thus stabilizing DELLAs to block hypocotyl growth, which result in the higher GAs content in the shade side than the lit side of hypocotyl to support the asymmetric growth of hypocotyl. Through modulation of the abundance of DELLAs by sucrose depletion or added GAs, it revealed that cryptochromes have a function in mediating phototropic curvature.