Anterior decompression and posterior total laminectomy with fusion for ossification of the cervical posterior longitudinal ligament.

Aims: Surgical approaches to cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) remain controversial. The purpose of the present study was to analyze and compare the long-term neurological recovery following anterior decompression with fusion (ADF) and posterior laminectomy and fusion with bone graft and internal fixation (PLF) based on > ten-year follow-up outcomes in a single centre. Methods: Included in this retrospective cohort study were 48 patients (12 females; mean age 55.79 years (SD 8.94)) who were diagnosed with cervical OPLL, received treatment in our centre, and were followed up for 10.22 to 15.25 years. Of them, 24 patients (six females; mean age 52.88 years (SD 8.79)) received ADF, and the other 24 patients (five females; mean age 56.25 years (SD 9.44)) received PLF. Clinical data including age, sex, and the OPLL canal-occupying ratio were analyzed and compared. The primary outcome was Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score, and the secondary outcome was visual analogue scale neck pain. Results: Compared with the baseline, neurological function improved significantly after surgery in all patients of both groups (p < 0.001). The JOA recovery rate in the ADF group was significantly higher than that in the PLF group (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in postoperative cervical pain between the two groups (p = 0.387). The operating time was longer and intraoperative blood loss was greater in the PLF group than the ADF group. More complications were observed in the ADF group than in the PLF group, although the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Long-term neurological function improved significantly after surgery in both groups, with the improvement more pronounced in the ADF group. There was no significant difference in postoperative neck pain between the two groups. The operating time was shorter and intraoperative blood loss was lower in the ADF group; however, the incidence of perioperative complications was higher.

Acid-catalyzed phenolation of lignin with tea polyphenol: Enhancing uv resistance and oxidation resistance for potential applications.

The rapid development of the industry has led to the destruction of the earth's ozone layer, resulting in an increasingly serious problem of excessive ultraviolet radiation. Exploring effective measures to address these problems has become a hot topic. Lignin shows promise in the design and preparation of anti-ultraviolet products due to its inherent properties. However, it is important to investigate way to enhance the reactivity of lignin and determine its application form in related products. In this study, phenolic reactions with tea polyphenols were conducted through acid-catalyzed conversion, utilizing organic solvent lignin as the primary material. The phenolic hydroxyl content of the original lignin increased significantly by 218.8 %, resulting in notable improvements in UV resistance and oxidation resistance for phenolic lignin. Additionally, micro-nanocapsule emulsions were formed using phenolic lignin particles as surfactants through ultrasonic cavitation with small-molecule sunscreens. A bio-based sunscreen was prepared with phenolated lignin micro-nanocapsules as the active ingredient, achieving an SPF 100.2 and demonstrating excellent stability. The sunscreen also exhibited strong antioxidant properties and impermeability, ensuring user safety. This research offers a current solution for improving the application of lignin in sunscreens while also broadening the potential uses of plant-based materials in advanced functional products.

Water-soluble silver nanoclusters with multicolor fluorescence generated by dialdehyde nanofibrillated cellulose for biological imaging.

Water-soluble silver nanoclusters (AgNCs) as a new type of fluorescent material have attracted much attention for their remarkable optical properties and excellent cytocompatibility. However, it is still challenging to synthesize water-soluble AgNCs with good cytocompatibility and excellent fluorescence. Herein, the dialdehyde nanofibrillated cellulose (DANFC)- reduced water-soluble AgNCs capped by glutathione (GSH) with tunable fluorescence emissions were first reported. The DANFC provides a mild reduction environment and crystal growth system for the coordination between silver ions and GSH compared to conventional methods using strong reducing agents. The AgNCs with intense red fluorescence (R-AgNCs@GSH, size ∼2.24 nm) and green fluorescence (G-AgNCs@GSH, size ∼1.93 nm) were produced by varying the ratios of silver sources and ligands, and could maintain stable fluorescence intensity over 6 months. Moreover, the CCK-8 study demonstrated that the R-AgNCs@GSH and G-AgNCs@GSH reduced by DANFC of excellent cytocompatibility (cell viability >90 %) and enable precise multicolor intracellular imaging of Hela cells in 1 h. This work proposes a novel method to synthesize water-soluble AgNCs with tunable fluorescence emission at room temperature based on the classical silver- mirror reaction (SMR) using DANFC as reducing agent, and the synthesized fluorescent AgNCs have great potential as novel luminescent nanomaterials in biological research.

Skin healthcare protection with antioxidant and anti-melanogenesis activity of polysaccharide purification from Bletilla striata.

In this study, we investigated the structural characterization and biological activities of Bletilla striata polysaccharides (BSPs) for their role as antioxidants and anti-melanogenesis agents in skin healthcare protection. Three neutral polysaccharides (BSP-1, BSP-2, and BSP-3) with molecular weights of 269.121 kDa, 57.389 kDa, and 28.153 kDa were extracted and purified. Their structural characteristics were analyzed by ion chromatography, GC-MS, and 1D/2D NMR. The results showed that BSP-1, which constitutes the major part of BSPs, was composed of α-D-Glcp, ß-D-Glcp, ß-D-Manp, and 2-O-acetyl-ß-D-Manp, with the branched-chain accompanied by ß-D-Galp and α-D-Glcp. BSP-1, BSP-2, and BSP-3 can enhance the total antioxidant capacity of skin fibroblasts with non-toxicity. Meanwhile, BSP-1, BSP-2, and BSP-3 could significantly inhibit the proliferative activity of melanoma cells. Among them, BSP-1 and BSP-2 showed more significance in anti-melanogenesis, tyrosinase inhibition activity, and cell migration inhibition. BSPs have effective antioxidant capacity and anti-melanogenesis effects, which should be further emphasized and developed as skin protection components.

Extraction of Ampelopsis japonica polysaccharides using p-toluenesulfonic acid assisted n-butanol three-phase partitioning: Physicochemical, rheological characterization and antioxidant activity.

Polysaccharides as the biopolymers are showing various structural and modulatory functions. Effective separation of carbohydrate structures is essential to understanding their function. In this study, we choose an efficient organic acid in combination with recyclable organic solvent three-phase partitioning technology for the simultaneous extraction of polysaccharides from Ampelopsis japonica (AJPs) to ensure the integrity of linear and branched polysaccharide. The monosaccharide composition, glycosidic linkage information, structural and physicochemical analyses and associations with antioxidant activities were extensively analyzed. Synergistic extraction was compared with the conventional hot water extraction method and the results showed that AJPs-HNP exhibited better elastic properties and excellent antioxidant activity. Correlation analysis confirmed that the antioxidant activity of AJPs was significantly correlated with relative molecular weight, uronic acid content and terminal glycoside linkage molar ratios. The collaborative processing has significantly improved the utilization potential of AJPs and provides a sound theoretical foundation for the effective extraction and separation of polysaccharides. Overall, this work provides systematic and comprehensive scientific information on the physicochemical, rheological and antioxidant properties of AJPs, revealing their potential as natural antioxidants in the functional food and pharmaceutical industries.

Sustainable and Scalable Synthesis of 2D Ultrathin Hierarchical Porous Carbon Nanosheets for High-Performance Supercapacitor.

2D carbon nanomaterials such as graphene, carbon nanosheets, and their derivatives, representing the emerging class of advanced multifunctional materials, have gained great research interest because of their extensive applications ranging from electrochemistry to catalysis. However, sustainable and scalable synthesis of 2D carbon nanosheets (CNs) with hierarchical architecture and irregular structure via a green and low-cost strategy remains a great challenge. Herein, prehydrolysis liquor (PHL), an industrial byproduct of the pulping industry, is first employed to synthesize CNs via a simple hydrothermal carbonization technique. After mild activation with NH4 Cl and FeCl3 , the as-prepared activated CNs (A-CN@NFe) display an ultrathin structure (≈3 nm) and a desirable specific surface area (1021 m2 g-1 ) with hierarchical porous structure, which enables it to be both electroactive materials and structural support materials in nanofibrillated cellulose/A-CN@NFe/polypyrrole (NCP) nanocomposite, and thus endowing nanocomposite with impressive capacitance properties of 2546.3 mF cm-2 at 1 mA cm-2 . Furthermore, the resultant all-solid-state symmetric supercapacitor delivers a satisfactory energy storage ability of 90.1 µWh cm-2 at 250.0 µW cm-2 . Thus, this work not only opens a new window for sustainable and scalable synthesis of CNs, but also offers a double profits strategy for energy storage and biorefinery industry.

Current research and management of undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma/myofibrosarcoma.

Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma (UPS), once termed as malignant fibrous histiocytoma, has always been diagnosed exclusively in clinical practice because it lacks any defined resemblance to normal mesenchymal tissue. Although myxofibrosarcoma (MFS) has been separated from UPS due to its fibroblastic differentiation with myxoid stroma, UPS and MFS are still identified as a sarcoma group in terms of molecular landscapes. In this review article, we will describe the associated genes and signaling pathways involved in the process of sarcoma genesis and make a summary of conventional management, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and some novel potential treatments of UPS/MFS. With the progressive advancements in medical technology and a better understanding about the pathogenic mechanism of UPS/MFS in the coming decades, new lights will be shed on the successful management of UPS/MFS.

Identification and characterization of sex-dependent gene expression profile in glioblastoma.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most lethal primary tumor in the human brain and lacks favorable treatment options. Sex differences in the outcome of GBM are broadly acknowledged, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unknown. To identify the sex-dependent critical genes in the progression of GBM, raw data from several microarray datasets with the same array platform were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. These datasets included tumorous and normal tissue from patients with GBM and crucial sex features. Then, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in female and male tumors were identified via bioinformatics analysis, respectively. Functional signatures of the identified DEGs were further annotated by Gene Ontology (GO) and pathway enrichment analyses. Venn diagram and functional protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analyses were performed to screen out the sex-specific DEGs. Survival analysis of patients with differences in the expression level of selected genes was then carried out using the data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Here, we showed that ECT2, AURKA, TYMS, CDK1, NCAPH, CENPU, OIP5, KIF14, ASPM, FBXO5, SGOL2, CASC5, SHCBP1, FN1, LOX, IGFBP3, CSPG4, and CD44 were enriched in female tumor samples, whereas TNFSF13B, CXCL10, CXCL8, CXCR4, TLR2, CCL2, and FCGR2A were enriched in male tumor samples. Among these key genes, interestingly, ECT2 was associated with increased an survival rate for female patients, whileTNFSF13B could be regarded as a potential marker of poor prognosis in male patients. These results suggested that sex differences in patients may be attributed to the heterogeneous gene activity, which might influence the oncogenesis and the outcomes of GBM.

Multiphasic lignocellulose-based suspension for oil-water interfacial stabilization: Synergistic adsorption and phase behavior.

This study described the multiphasic and multi-sized lignocellulose-based suspension (LBS) prepared by green method and its adsorption and phase behavior at O/W interface. The LBS consisting of lignin containing microfibrils (LMFs), lignin containing cellulose nanofibers (LCNFs), and lignin nanoparticles (LNPs), was obtained by mechanical fibrillation and high-shear treatments. They had different functions in emulsion stabilization: (1) synergistic irreversible adsorption of LCNFs and LNPs limited the coalescence of droplets and formed micro-sized droplets; (2) droplets filled in the LMFs network creating a strong fiber-droplet network structure. The fluorescent micrographs confirmed the synergistic irreversible adsorption of LCNFs and LNPs on the surface of the droplets, which was conductive to the high interfacial stability. The droplets were deformed rather than being destroyed under the high flow speed. The increasing viscosity, improving gel-like behavior, decreasing creep compliance and increasing yield stress demonstrated that the internal droplets can support the fiber network to delay the destruction under shear force. And the fiber-droplet network can automatically regenerate in situ after completed destruction.

Novel carboxylated cellulose nanocrystals synthesized by co-oxidation of sodium periodate/Fenton as a green solid emulsifier for oil-in-water Pickering emulsion.

The preparation of carboxylated cellulose nanocrystals (cCNCs) and their stabilization in oil-in-water (O/W) Pickering emulsions hold great potential for application and research value. In this work, a novel integrated oxidation strategy was proposed to prepare needle-like cCNCs by sodium periodate (NaIO4)/Fenton (SF-cCNCs) with considerable yield (58.58 %), plentiful carboxyl groups (1.28 mmol/g), and high crystallinity (83.3 %). The distinctive features of smaller size and high viscosity accelerated the as-prepared SF-cCNCs to be used in stabilizing Pickering emulsion. Moreover, the effects of oil-water ratio (OWR), SF-cCNCs content, pH, and sodium chloride (NaCl) content on the stability of SF-cCNCs-stabilized Pickering emulsions were also investigated systematically. Interestingly, the stability of the as-obtained emulsions was dependent on pH and salt. Afterwards, the rheological behaviors validated that the emulsion viscosity increased rapidly after adding NaCl, which was dominated by the elastic behavior. Finally, the main stabilization mechanism was confirmed to be interfacial adsorption of SF-cCNCs rather than the formation of spatial network structures between droplets. This study reports a synthetic strategy to efficiently prepare SF-cCNCs, endowing the SF-cCNCs stabilized Pickering emulsion with environmentally friendly, long-term stable and highly anti-agglomeration abilities for cosmetics and food products.

Structural characterization and antioxidant activities of Bletilla striata polysaccharide extracted by different methods.

Bletilla striata polysaccharides (BSPs) are effective for anti-inflammatory, detumescence, and radicals scavenging, with important applications in the area of food chain, pharmacy science, and health care. In this study, we comprehensively studied the interplay between the polysaccharides' formation, physicochemical properties, rheological properties, and associated antioxidant activities of BSPs from different extraction methods. The crude polysaccharides obtained from Bletilla striata by using the hot water extraction (BSPs-H), alkali-assisted extraction (BSPs-A), boiling water extraction (BSPs-B), and ultrasonic-assisted extraction (BSPs-U) methods showed different molecular weights, monosaccharide compositions, glycosidic bond compositions, and zeta potentials, but with the same IR spectra characteristic and thermal stability. By the above-mentioned four kinds of extraction methods, the resultant BSPs exhibited various degrees of reticular and lamellar structure. All the BSPs solutions exhibited shear-thinning behavior with the increase of the shear rate. Among these BSPs, BSPs-A exhibited better DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities and reducing power, whereas BSPs-H showed better hydroxyl radical scavenging activities.

Mechanically Flexible Carbon Aerogel with Wavy Layers and Springboard Elastic Supporting Structure for Selective Oil/Organic Solvent Recovery.

Even though compressible carbon aerogels are widely studied for oil/organic solvent recovery, it is challenging to simultaneously achieve excellent mechanical performance and recovery efficiency due to the brittleness of the carbon skeleton. Here a novel strategy is proposed to efficiently fabricate a 3D elastic reduced graphene oxide (RGO)-cross-linked carbon aerogel. Notably, cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) isolated from plant pulp act as an essential component, and prehydrolysis liquor (PHL), an industrial byproduct in the plant pulping process, serves as the adhesion promoter to achieve enhancement of the strength and flexibility of the carbon aerogel. For the first time, all components (pulp and PHL) of the tree were fully exploited to design a carbon aerogel. The formation of wavy carbon layers with springboard elastic supporting microstructure enables mechanical stretch and shrink as well as avoids interfacial collapse during compression. Benefiting from the unique wavy layer structure and strong interaction, the carbon aerogels are ultralight (4.98 mg cm-3) and exhibit supercompression (undergoing extreme strain of 95%) and superelasticity (about 100% height retention after 500 cycles at a strain of 50%). Particularly, the carbon aerogel can selectively and quickly adsorb various oily contaminants, exhibiting high oil/organic solvents absorption capacity (reaches up to 276 g g-1 for carbon tetrachloride) and good recyclability. Finally, practical applications of the carbon aerogel in oil-cleanup and pollution-remediation devices are exhibited. Hence, this versatile and robust functionalized carbon aerogel has promising potential in oil cleanup and pollution remediation.

Scalable and Robust Bacterial Cellulose Carbon Aerogels as Reusable Absorbents for High-Efficiency Oil/Water Separation.

Efficient selective separation of oils or organic pollutants from water is important for ecological, environmental conservation and sustainable development. Various absorption methods have emerged; the majority of them still suffer from defects including low removal efficiency, a complicated preparation process, and high cost. Herein, we present a highly porous and mechanical resilient bacterial cellulose (BC) carbon aerogel directly from BC hydrogel via facile directional freeze-drying and high-temperature carbonization. The resultant BC carbon aerogel showed excellent mechanical compressibility (maximal height compression ∼99.5%) and elastic recovery due to the porous structure. Taking advantages of the high thermal stability and superhydrophobicity, the BC carbon aerogel was directly used as a versatile adsorbent for oil/water separation. The result demonstrated that the BC carbon aerogel showed super oil/water separation selectivity with the oil absorption capacity as high as 132-274 g g-1. More importantly, the BC carbon aerogel adsorbent can be reused by a simple absorption/combustion method and still keep high-efficiency oil absorption capacity and excellent superhydrophobicity after 20 absorption/combustion cycles, displaying recyclability and robust stability. In sum, the BC carbon aerogel introduced here is easy to fabricate, ecofriendly, highly scalable, low cost, mechanically robust, and reusable; all of these features make it highly attractive for oil/water separation application.

[Homogeneous spinal-shortening axial decompression procedure for tethered cord syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: Surgical detethering is a traditional treatment for symptomatic tethered cord syndrome. However, such complications as cerebrospinal fluid leakage and neurologic deterioration are common. Homogeneous spinal-shortening axial decompression (HSAD) is a modified procedure of monosegmental spinal-shortening osteotomy and it is a novel surgical alternative of reducing neural tension indirectly. The objective was to evaluate the surgical outcomes of HSAD for tethered cord syndrome. METHODS: The surgical outcomes were examined for 15 consecutive patients with tethered cord syndrome undergoing HSAD from April 2010 to July 2014. Improvements of neurological symptoms including urinary dysfunction, lower-extremity motor and sensory disturbances and/or gait abnormalities, low-back and/or lower-extremity pain, bowel incontinence and sexual dysfunction were evaluated. RESULTS: Their average follow-up period was 21.5 months. The length of spinal column shortening was 17.2 ± 2.9 mm. Urinary dysfunction (n = 9) was the most common residual deficit. All 9 patients with urological symptoms reported improvements, although deficits persisted at the last follow-up. All patients with lower-extremity motor dysfunction improved and 4 (50.0%) noted complete resolution of preoperative lower-extremity sensory symptoms. All patients reported immediate low-back or lower-extremity pain relief after HSAD. One patient reported improved sexual functioning and regained complete erectile capabilities. Two patients (11%) experienced less satisfactory symptomatic or functional benefit from HSAD. However, the main objective of surgery was to prevent further worsening of neurological status. Complete bone union at osteotomy site was noted in all cases at the last follow-up. CONCLUSION: As a novel surgical option for tethered cord syndrome, HSAD may avoid such complications as cerebrospinal fluid leakage or neurologic deterioration commonly encountered during traditional detethering surgery. All patients gain satisfactory functional outcomes without complications compared to their preoperative symptoms.