Comparative transcriptome analysis of Cyperus esculentus and C. rotundus with contrasting oil contents in tubers defines genes and regulatory networks involved in oil accumulation.

Plant vegetative organs present great potential for lipid storage, with tubers of Cyperus esculentus as a unique example. To investigate the genome and transcriptomic features of C. esculentus and related species, we sequenced and assembled the C. esculentus genome at the contig level. Through a comparative study of high-quality transcriptomes across 36 tissues from high-oil and intermediate-oil C. esculentus and low-oil Cyperus rotundus, we identified potential genes and regulatory networks related to tuber oil accumulation. First, we identified tuber-specific genes in two C. esculentus cultivars. Second, genes involved in fatty acid (FA) biosynthesis, triacylglycerol synthesis, and TAG packaging presented increased activity in the later stages of tuber development. Notably, tubers with high oil contents presented higher levels of these genes than those with intermediate oil contents did, whereas tubers with low oil contents presented minimal gene expression. Notably, a large fragment of the FA biosynthesis rate-limiting enzyme-encoding gene BCCP1 was missing from the C. rotundus transcript, which might be responsible for blocking FA biosynthesis in its tubers. WGCNA pinpointed a gene module linked to tuber oil accumulation, with a coexpression network involving the transcription factors WRI1, MYB4, and bHLH68. The ethylene-related genes in this module suggest a role for ethylene signaling in oil accumulation, which is supported by the finding that ethylene (ETH) treatment increases the oil content in C. esculentus tubers. This study identified potential genes and networks associated with tuber oil accumulation in C. esculentus, highlighting the role of specific genes, transcription factors, and ethylene signaling in this process.

Neuroimmune modulating and energy supporting nanozyme-mimic scaffold synergistically promotes axon regeneration after spinal cord injury.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) represents a profound central nervous system affliction, resulting in irreversibly compromised daily activities and disabilities. SCI involves excessive inflammatory responses, which are characterized by the existence of high levels of proinflammatory M1 macrophages, and neuronal mitochondrial energy deficit, exacerbating secondary damage and impeding axon regeneration. This study delves into the mechanistic intricacies of SCI, offering insights from the perspectives of neuroimmune regulation and mitochondrial function, leading to a pro-fibrotic macrophage phenotype and energy-supplying deficit. To address these challenges, we developed a smart scaffold incorporating enzyme mimicry nanoparticle-ceriumoxide (COPs) into nanofibers (NS@COP), which aims to pioneer a targeted neuroimmune repair strategy, rescuing CGRP receptor on macrophage and concurrently remodeling mitochondrial function. Our findings indicate that the integrated COPs restore the responsiveness of pro-inflammatory macrophages to calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) signal by up-regulating receptor activity modifying protein 1 (RAMP1), a vital component of the CGRP receptor. This promotes macrophage fate commitment to an anti-inflammatory pro-resolution M2 phenotype, then alleviating glial scar formation. In addition, NS@COP implantation also protected neuronal mitochondrial function. Collectively, our results suggest that the strategy of integrating nanozyme COP nanoparticles into a nanofiber scaffold provides a promising therapeutic candidate for spinal cord trauma via rational regulation of neuroimmune communication and mitochondrial function.

Correlation Between the Clinicopathological Features of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Complicated with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, BRAF V600E Gene Mutation, and RET Gene Rearrangement.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the expression of BRAF V600E protein and RET gene rearrangement in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) combined with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and to explore its clinical and pathological significance. STUDY DESIGN: Observational study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Pathology, East China Normal University (Wuhu No. 2 People's Hospital), Wuhu, China, from January 2019 to July 2022. METHODOLOGY: The study population of 150 patients who underwent central lymph node dissection. They were divided into two groups: the PTC group (76/150, 50.7%) and the PTC with HC group (74/150, 49.3%). The expression of BRAF V600E protein was detected using immunohistochemistry, and the RET gene rearrangement status was detected using fluorescence in situ hybridisation. The detection results and clinical pathological characteristics were statistically analysed. RESULTS: Compared with the PTC group, the prevalence rate of female PTC in HT group was significantly higher than that of the male group, the rate of lymph node metastasis was lower, and the proportion of tumour diameter ≤ 1cm was higher (p < 0.05). However, no significant difference in patient age and multifocality was found between the two groups (p > 0.05). The BRAF V600E positive rate in the PTC combined with HT group (48.6%) was lower than in the PTC group (73.7%), and the RET gene rearrangement positive rate was higher than in the PTC group (p < 0.05). The expression of BRAF V600E protein in PTC combined with HT is correlated with multifocality (p < 0.05), and there is a correlation between RET gene rearrangement and the gender of the patient in the PTC group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: There is a lower rate of BRAF V600E protein positivity in PTC combined with HT patients, as well as a higher rate of RET gene rearrangements positive in PTC combined with HT patients. There is a correlation between multifocality and BRAF V600E protein expression. KEY WORDS: Papillary thyroid carcinoma, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, BRAF V600E protein, RET gene rearrangement.

An efficient peptide ligase engineered from a bamboo asparaginyl endopeptidase.

In recent years, a few asparaginyl endopeptidases (AEPs) from certain higher plants have been identified as efficient peptide ligases with wide applications in protein labeling and cyclic peptide synthesis. Recently, we developed a NanoLuc Binary Technology (NanoBiT)-based peptide ligase activity assay to identify more AEP-type peptide ligases. Herein, we screened 61 bamboo species from 16 genera using this assay and detected AEP-type peptide ligase activity in the crude extract of all tested bamboo leaves. From a popular bamboo species, Bambusa multiplex, we identified a full-length AEP-type peptide ligase candidate (BmAEP1) via transcriptomic sequencing. After its zymogen was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and self-activated in vitro, BmAEP1 displayed high peptide ligase activity, but with considerable hydrolytic activity. After site-directed mutagenesis of its ligase activity determinants, the mutant zymogen of [G238V]BmAEP1 was normally overexpressed in E. coli, but failed to activate itself. To resolve this problem, we developed a novel protease-assisted activation approach in which trypsin was used to cleave the mutant zymogen and was then conveniently removed via ion-exchange chromatography. After the noncovalently bound cap domain was dissociated from the catalytic core domain under acidic conditions, the recombinant [G238V]BmAEP1 displayed high peptide ligase activity with much lower hydrolytic activity and could efficiently catalyze inter-molecular protein ligation and intramolecular peptide cyclization. Thus, the engineered bamboo-derived peptide ligase represents a novel tool for protein labeling and cyclic peptide synthesis.

Cytokinin promotes anthocyanin biosynthesis via regulating sugar accumulation and MYB113 expression in Eucalyptus.

Anthocyanins are flavonoid-like substances that play important roles in plants' adaptation to various environmental stresses. In this research, we discovered that cytokinin (CK) alone could effectively induce the anthocyanin biosynthesis in Eucalyptus and many other perennial woody plant species, but not in tobacco and Arabidopsis, suggesting a diverse role of CK in regulating anthocyanin biosynthesis in different species. Transcriptomic and metabolomic strategies were used to further clarify the specific role of CK in regulating anthocyanin biosynthesis in Eucalyptus. The results showed that 801 and 2241 genes were differentially regulated at 6 and 24 h, respectively, after CK treatment. Pathway analysis showed that most of the differentially expressed genes were categorized into pathways related to cellular metabolism or transport of metabolites, including amino acids and sugars. The metabolomic results well supported the transcriptome data, which showed that most of the differentially regulated metabolites were related to the metabolism of sugar, amino acids and flavonoids. Moreover, CK treatment significantly induced the accumulation of sucrose in the CK-treated leaves, while sugar starvation mimicked by either defoliation or shading treatment of the basal leaves significantly reduced the sugar increase of the CK-treated leaves and thus inhibited CK-induced anthocyanin biosynthesis. The results of in vitro experiment also suggested that CK-induced anthocyanin in Eucalyptus was sugar-dependent. Furthermore, we identified an early CK-responsive transcription factor MYB113 in Eucalyptus, the expression of which was significantly upregulated by CK treatment in Eucalyptus, but was inhibited in Arabidopsis. Importantly, the overexpression of EgrMYB113 in the Eucalyptus hairy roots was associated with significant anthocyanin accumulation and upregulation of most of the anthocyanin biosynthetic genes. In conclusion, our study demonstrates a key role of CK in the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis in Eucalyptus, providing a molecular basis for further understanding the regulatory mechanism and diversity of hormone-regulated anthocyanin biosynthesis in different plant species.

Cervical nerve root variant: report of two cases under the cervical endoscopy and review of clinical literature.

BACKGROUND: We know of five cases of cervical nerve root variants that have been reported, all of which were found during posterior cervical surgery. We reported two cases of cervical nerve root variants. One had two anomalous branches of the C7 root, is the other had a C5, C6 nerve root communication branch. CASE DESCRIPTION: A 62-year-old female presented with neck and right upper extremity pain, accompanied by hypaesthesia in her right forearm for 4 months. Preoperative X-ray film, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) scan demonstrated C6-7 uncovertebral joint hyperplasia and foraminal stenosis. She underwent posterior cervical endoscopic foraminoplasty. The right C7 nerve root was observed to have two anomalous branches originated from a proximal trunk. After the surgery, the symptoms resolved. A 54-year-old female presented with radiating pain and numbness in her right arm and hand for 4 months. Preoperative MRI showed a C5/6 intervertebral disc herniation. She had hypaesthesia in radial side of her right arm and 1st-3rd fingers. Posterior cervical endoscopic foraminalplasty was performed for the patient. After decompression of the bony wall of the posterior nerve root canal, a 2-mm thick communicating nerve was observed emerging from the dura with the C6 nerve root and exiting to the caudal level. After the surgery, the symptoms resolved immediately. CONCLUSIONS: Cervical nerve root variant may be more apparent on edoscopic approaches to the cervical foraminae than at open surgery.

Buyang Huanwu Decoction Ameliorates Damage of Erectile Tissue and Function Following Bilateral Cavernous Nerve Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To verify the effect of Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BHD) in ameliorating erectile dysfunction (ED) after radical prostatectomy (RP). METHODS: The composition of BHD was verified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS) analysis. Bilateral cavernous nerve crush injury (BCNI) in rats was used to mimic the neurovascular injury occurring after RP. By the envelope method, forty rats were randomly divided into 4 groups as follows: sham (cavernous nerves exposed only), model (BCNI), low-dosage BHD [LBHD, 12.8 g/(kg·d)], and high-dosage BHD [HBHD, 51.2 g/(kg·d)] groups, 10 rats in each group, feeding for 3 weeks respectively. Erectile function was evaluated by measuring intracavernosal pressure (ICP). Changes in the histopathology of corpus cavernosum (CC) were examined by hematoxylin-eosin staining. Meanwhile, the fibrosis of CC was measured by Masson's trichrome staining and Western blot was used to detect the expressions of collagen I, transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF- ß 1) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). Apoptosis index was detected by terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling (TUNEL) and Western blot for determining the expressions of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-associated X (Bax). The oxidative stress in the CC were assessed by the superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. The proteins expression of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and c-Jun were detected by Western blot. In addition, the expression of α-SMA and p-c-Jun in the CC was observed by double immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS: The UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS analysis showed that BHD contained calycosin-7-O- ß -D-glucoside, ononin, calycosin and formononetin. Compared with the model group, LBHD and HBHD treatment improved the ICP and the circumference, area, and weight of CC (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Furthermore, LBHD and HBHD treatments increased CC smooth muscle content and decreased apoptosis index (P<0.05 or P<0.01). LBHD and HBHD also elevated SOD and expression level of α -SMA and Bcl-2, and reduced MDA and ROS levels, as well as expression of TGF- ß 1, collagen I, Bax, p-c-JNK, p-JNK in the CC compared with the model group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The double immunofluorescence staining showed that the fluorescence degree of p-c-Jun in both LBHD and HBHD treatment groups was significantly reduced, whereas the α -SMA expression increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: BHD can improve ED of rats with BCNI, which is related to inhibiting fibrosis, apoptosis, and oxidative stress of CC. The ROS/JNK/c-Jun signaling pathway may play an important role in the process.

Bi-Needle PELD with Intra-Discal Irrigation Technique for the Management of Lumbar Disc Herniation.

BACKGROUND: Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is the most common cause of sciatica. Percutaneous endoscopic discectomy (PELD) is indicated when conservative treatments fail, which has been proved effective. During conventional PELD, ruptured discs and loose fragments inside discs are removed as much as possible to guarantee a lower reherniation rate, but it inevitably would lead to deterioration of disc degeneration and loss of disc height after PELD. Ensuring sufficient decompression while alleviating the post-operation disc degeneration process is still a clinical problem. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the imaging and clinical outcomes of bi-needle PELD with intradiscal irrigation technique for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation (LDH). STUDY DESIGN: Multicenter retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Shanghai Changzheng Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China. METHODS: A total of 48 patients who underwent bi-needle PELD (B-PELD) or conventional-PELD (C-PELD) for LDH in our 2 spine centers were included in this study. There were 26 cases in the C-PELD group (male 12 cases, female 14 cases) with an average age of 34.6 ± 6.8 years. And there were 22 patients in the B-PELD group (male 10 cases, female 12 cases) with an average age of 35.1 ± 6.4 years. The difference in postoperative disc degeneration (Pfirrmann grades, disc-vertebra height ratios [D-V H ratios]), visual analog scale (VAS) of low back pain, and reoperation rates were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in gender, age, disease duration, and surgical level between the 2 groups (P > 0.05). The postoperative VAS of back pain was 2.31 ± 0.53 for the C-PELD group and 0.63 ± 0.74 for the B-PELD group; the difference was significant (P = 0.013). The difference between the preoperative and postoperative D-V H ratios in the C-PELD group was significant (P < 0.0001), while it was not significant in the B-PELD group (P = 0.6708). The difference between the loss of D-V H ratios after surgery was significant between the 2 groups (P = 0.0003). The loss of D-V H ratios was higher in the C-PELD group. The difference between the preoperative and postoperative Pfirrmann grades in the B-PELD group was not significant (P = 0.7261); however, it was significant in the C-PELD group (P = 0.0012). The reoperation rate in the C-PELD group was 7.7%, and the reoperation rate in the B-PELD group was 4.5%; the difference was not significant (P = 1). LIMITATIONS: This study employed a retrospective design, and its inherent selection bias and limited statistical power should be considered. CONCLUSIONS: Bi-needle technique with saline irrigation maneuver showed a significant advantage of restoration of disc height and amelioration of disc degeneration compared to conventional PELD surgery.

Increased Expression of Integrin Alpha 6 in Nucleus Pulposus Cells in Response to High Oxygen Tension Protects against Intervertebral Disc Degeneration.

The destruction of the low oxygen microenvironment in nucleus pulposus (NP) cells played a critical role in the pathogenesis of intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). The purpose of this study was to determine the potential role of integrin alpha 6 (ITG α6) in NP cells in response to high oxygen tension (HOT) in IVDD. Immunofluorescence staining and western blot analysis showed that the levels of ITG α6 expression were increased in the NP tissue from IVDD patients and the IVDD rat model with mild degeneration, which were reduced as the degree of degeneration increases in severity. In NP cells, the treatment of HOT resulted in upregulation of ITG α6 expression, which could be alleviated by blocking the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Further studies found that ITG α6 could protect NP cells against HOT-induced apoptosis and oxidative stress and protect NP cells from HOT-inhibited ECM protein synthesis. Upregulation of ITG α6 expression by HOT contributed to maintaining NP tissue homeostasis through the interaction with hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). Furthermore, silencing of ITG α6 in vivo could obviously accelerate puncture-induced IVDD. Taken together, these results revealed that the increase of ITG α6 expression by HOT in NP cells might be a protective factor in IVD degeneration as well as restore NP cell function.

Extended mining of the oil biosynthesis pathway in biofuel plant Jatropha curcas by combined analysis of transcriptome and gene interactome data.

BACKGROUND: Jatropha curcas L. is an important non-edible oilseed crop with a promising future in biodiesel production. However, little is known about the molecular biology of oil biosynthesis in this plant when compared with other established oilseed crops, resulting in the absence of agronomically improved varieties of Jatropha. To extensively discover the potentially novel genes and pathways associated with the oil biosynthesis in J. curcas, new strategy other than homology alignment is on the demand. RESULTS: In this study, we proposed a multi-step computational framework that integrates transcriptome and gene interactome data to predict functional pathways in non-model organisms in an extended process, and applied it to study oil biosynthesis pathway in J. curcas. Using homologous mapping against Arabidopsis and transcriptome profile analysis, we first constructed protein-protein interaction (PPI) and co-expression networks in J. curcas. Then, using the homologs of Arabidopsis oil-biosynthesis-related genes as seeds, we respectively applied two algorithm models, random walk with restart (RWR) in PPI network and negative binomial distribution (NBD) in co-expression network, to further extend oil-biosynthesis-related pathways and genes in J. curcas. At last, using k-nearest neighbors (KNN) algorithm, the predicted genes were further classified into different sub-pathways according to their possible functional roles. CONCLUSIONS: Our method exhibited a highly efficient way of mining the extended oil biosynthesis pathway of J. curcas. Overall, 27 novel oil-biosynthesis-related gene candidates were predicted and further assigned to 5 sub-pathways. These findings can help better understanding of the oil biosynthesis pathway of J. curcas, as well as paving the way for the following J. curcas breeding application.

Overexpression of Type 1 and 2 Diacylglycerol Acyltransferase Genes (JcDGAT1 and JcDGAT2) Enhances Oil Production in the Woody Perennial Biofuel Plant Jatropha curcas.

Diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) is the only enzyme that catalyzes the acyl-CoA-dependent acylation of sn-1, 2-diacylglycerol (DAG) to form triacylglycerol (TAG). The two main types of DGAT enzymes in the woody perennial biofuel plant Jatropha curcas, JcDGAT1 and JcDGAT2, were previously characterized only in heterologous systems. In this study, we investigated the functions of JcDGAT1 and JcDGAT2 in J. curcas.JcDGAT1 and JcDGAT2 were found to be predominantly expressed during the late stages of J. curcas seed development, in which large amounts of oil accumulated. As expected, overexpression of JcDGAT1 or JcDGAT2 under the control of the CaMV35S promoter gave rise to an increase in seed kernel oil production, reaching a content of 53.7% and 55.7% of the seed kernel dry weight, respectively, which were respectively 25% and 29.6% higher than that of control plants. The increase in seed oil content was accompanied by decreases in the contents of protein and soluble sugars in the seeds. Simultaneously, there was a two- to four-fold higher leaf TAG content in transgenic plants than in control plants. Moreover, by analysis of the fatty acid (FA) profiles, we found that JcDGAT1 and JcDGAT2 had the same substrate specificity with preferences for C18:2 in seed TAGs, and C16:0, C18:0, and C18:1 in leaf TAGs. Therefore, our study confirms the important role of JcDGAT1 and JcDGAT2 in regulating oil production in J. curcas.

Selection and Validation of Reference Genes for qRT-PCR Analysis in the Oil-Rich Tuber Crop Tiger Nut (Cyperus esculentus) Based on Transcriptome Data.

Tiger nut (Cyperus esculentus), a perennial C4 plant of the Cyperaceae family, is an unconventional crop that is distinguished by its oil-rich tubers, which also possesses the advantages of strong resistance, wide adaptability, short life periods, and large biomass. To facilitate studies on gene expression in this species, we identified and validated a series of reference genes (RGs) based on transcriptome data, which can be employed as internal controls for qRT-PCR analysis in tiger nut. Fourteen putative candidate RGs were identified and evaluated across nine different tissues of two cultivars, and the RGs were analyzed using three different algorithms (geNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper). The stability rankings of the candidate RGs were merged into consensus lists with RankAggreg. For the below-ground storage organ of tiger nut, the optimal RGs were TUB4 and UCE2 in different developmental stages of tubers. UCE2 and UBL5 were the most stably expressed RGs among all tissues, while Rubisco and PGK exhibited the lowest expression stability. UCE2, UBL5 and Rubisco were compared to normalize the expression levels of the caleosin (CLO) and diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2-2 (DGAT2-2) genes across the same tissues. Our results showed that the RGs identified in this study, which exhibit more uniform expression patterns, may be utilized for the normalization of qRT-PCR results, promoting further research on gene expression in various tissues of tiger nut.

A near-infrared light-responsive extracellular vesicle as a "Trojan horse" for tumor deep penetration and imaging-guided therapy.

How to make the nanoparticles evade immune surveillance and deeply penetrate the tumor tissues is of great importance to maximize the therapeutic efficacy of nanomedicines. Here, a near-infrared (NIR) light-responsive extracellular vesicle as a nanoplatform is developed to realize long circulation in blood, deep penetration in tumor tissues and rapid body elimination after the treatment. Like a "Trojan horse", the nanoplatform is obtained by hiding the anti-tumor soldiers (DOX and 4.2 nm Ag2S quantum dots (QDs)) into the macrophage cell-secreted vesicle through electroporation. The natural composition and tumor targeting activity of the extracellular vesicles enable the nanoplatform to achieve a high accumulation in tumor and the in vivo biodistribution can be monitored by NIR fluorescence imaging of the Ag2S QDs. After the nanomedicines accumulate at the tumor sites, the soldiers will be released from the "Trojan horse" by utilizing the NIR photothermal effect of the Ag2S QDs. The released ultrasmall QDs and DOX can penetrate the whole tumor with a diameter of about 9 mm and effectively kill the tumor cells. Moreover, the inorganic QDs can be rapidly excreted from the body through renal clearance after the treatment to avoid the potential toxicity.

Thoracic de-kyphosis for revision surgery of a failure case of endoscopic discectomy: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Indications and clinical outcomes of percutaneous endoscopic thoracic discectomy(PETD) in treating thoracic disc herniation is rarely reported and still controversial. We reported an unsatisfied recovery of thoracic disc herniation with PETD, treated by a second posterior thoracic laminectomy and Ponte osteotomy. CASE DESCRIPTION: A male presented with lower extremity weakness and stagger caused by T3/4 intervertebral disc herniation. The upper thoracic curve was in excessive kyphosis with T2-5 Cobb angle of 34.3 degrees. The preoperative ODI score was 34 and Roelzs's JOA score was 14. Percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic thoracic discectomy (PETD) from a posterior lateral approach was performed. At five-month follow-up, his thoracic back pain and staggering gait did not improve. The postoperative T2-5 Cobb angle was 32.1 degrees, the ODI score was 24 and Roelzs's JOA score was 14. A second posterior thoracic decompression this time with fixation was performed, but no disc herniation was detected. A Ponte osteotomy was performed to correct the kyphosis. One month after the second surgery, muscle strength of the lower limbs was improving with the T2-5 Cobb angle decreased to 19.4 degrees, the ODI score decreased to 10 and Roelzs's JOA score increase to 16. Six month later, the ODI score decreased to 0 and Roelzs's JOA score improved to 18. In review of the literature, PETD doesn't guarantee the patient a satisfactory neurological recovery for kyphotic thoracic disc herniation. Posterior decompression with Ponte osteotomy may be beneficial to release the tension and decompression of the spinal cord tension. CONCLUSIONS: Thoracic disc herniation with kyphosis angle >20 degrees (T2-5), percutaneous endoscopic thoracic discectomy is not likely to get good neurologic results. Posterior laminectomy with ponte osteotomy might be beneficial for these patients to induce dorsal drifting of the spinal cord from anterior herniation.

Bi-needle technique versus transforaminal endoscopic spine system technique for percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy in treating intervertebral disc calcification: a propensity score matched cohort analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical results of a Bi-needle technique and conventional transforaminal endoscopic spine system (TESSYS) technique for percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) in treating patients with intervertebral disc calcification (IDC). BACKGROUND: PELD has gained acceptance for treating patients with IDC. The Bi-needle technique was designed to improve the efficiency and safety of PELD. METHOD: Bi-needle and TESSYS group within each cohort were balanced using 1:1 propensity score matching. Finally, 32 patients with IDC treated by Bi-needle technique from December 2015 to September 2017 were enrolled and 25 patients treated by TESSYS technique from the same spine surgery center between January 2013 and October 2017 were enrolled as controls. RESULTS: Propensity score matching generated 22 Bi-needle and 22 TESSYS patients. There were no significant differences in visual analog scale and lumbar Japanese Orthopaedic Association scores between Bi-needle and TESSYS group. Operative time and rate of complications in the Bi-needle was significantly better than the TESSYS group (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Both surgical methods achieved good clinical outcomes. However, compared with the TESSSY technique, operative time of the Bi-needle technique is shorter, and rate of complications is lower.

Photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy in mice with Pseudomonas aeruginosa-infected wounds.

This study examined the antibacterial effect of protoporphyrin IX-ethylenediamine derivative (PPIX-ED)-mediated photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy (PPIX-ED-PACT) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro and in vivo. PPIX-ED potently inhibited the growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by inducing reactive oxygen species production via photoactivation. Atomic force microscopy revealed that PPIX-ED-PACT induced the leakage of bacterial content by degrading the bacterial membrane and wall. As revealed using acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining, PPIX-ED-PACT altered the permeability of the bacterial membrane. In addition, the antibacterial effect of PPIX-ED-PACT was demonstrated in an in vivo model of P. aeruginosa-infected wounds. PPIX-ED (100 µM) decreased the number of P. aeruginosa colony-forming units by 4.2 log10. Moreover, histological analysis illustrated that the wound healing rate was 98% on day 14 after treatment, which was 10% higher than that in the control group. According to the present findings, PPIX-ED-PACT can effectively inhibit the growth of P. aeruginosa in vitro and in vivo.

Is selective nerve root block necessary for learning percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy: a comparative study using a cumulative summation test for learning curve.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of lumbar spine selective nerve root block (SNRB) experience on the learning efficiency of percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) for junior trainees. METHODS: A total of 480 patients undergoing single-level PELD performed by eight junior trainees were included. The trainees were divided into two groups based on whether they had previous SNRB experience (group A, yes; group B, no). Surgical proficiency was defined as total operation time less than 65 minutes and cumulative radiation exposure time no more than 40 seconds. The learning curve was analyzed by cumulative summation (CUSUM) test. Clinical evaluations included Macnab classification, visual analog scale (VAS)-low back score, VAS-leg score, and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Follow-up information at 12 months was also obtained. RESULTS: Integral number of cases before achieving an acceptable surgical level in group A (47.75 ± 2.50 cases) was significantly smaller than that in group B (56.50 ± 1.29 cases, p < 0.05), along with less accumulated failure (18.75 ± 0.96 cases vs. 25.50 ± 1.75 cases, p < 0.05). The two groups were comparable in clinical outcomes. Forty-seven cases of complications were observed, with 17 in group A and 30 in group B (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Previous experience of SNRB improved the performance of PELD with shorter operation time and less radiation exposure. SNRB practice may reduce the complication rate without a significant effect on the recurrence of symptoms and reoperation.

A NIR light triggered disintegratable nanoplatform for enhanced penetration and chemotherapy in deep tumor tissues.

Poor penetration and resultant low accumulation of nanomedicines in deep tumor tissues greatly reduce the chemotherapeutic efficiency. How to maximize the tumor accumulation is still a great challenge in the development of nanocarriers. Here, we developed a cyclic Arg-Gly-Asp-Phe-Lys peptide (cRGD) modified and near-infrared (NIR) light triggered disintegratable liposomal nanoplatform (PAM/Pt@IcLipo), where photosensitizer indocyanine green (ICG) was loaded in the out layer and polyamindoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers grafting cisplatin prodrug (PAM/Pt) were encapsulated inside. The cRGD ligands render the liposomes to target αvß3 integrin receptors overexpressed by vascular endothelial cells in tumor tissues. Long blood circulation can be achieved owing to the relative large size (~162 nm) of the liposomes. When irradiated by NIR light locally at tumor site, ICG heating detonated the thermosensitive liposomes to release the small sized PAM/Pt nanoparticles (~8.6 nm), which were capable of penetrating into the deep tumor tissue. The in vivo results also showed that the PAM/Pt@IcLipo could significantly improve the penetration of cisplatin drug in deep tumor tissues under NIR light irradiation, resulting in an excellent antitumor activity. This nanoplatform solved the dilemma of long blood circulation of large sized nanoparticles and deep penetration of small sized nanoparticles, opening up a new strategy in the development of nanomedicines for cancer therapy.

Transcriptome analysis of two inflorescence branching mutants reveals cytokinin is an important regulator in controlling inflorescence architecture in the woody plant Jatropha curcas.

BACKGROUND: In higher plants, inflorescence architecture is an important agronomic trait directly determining seed yield. However, little information is available on the regulatory mechanism of inflorescence development in perennial woody plants. Based on two inflorescence branching mutants, we investigated the transcriptome differences in inflorescence buds between two mutants and wild-type (WT) plants by RNA-Seq to identify the genes and regulatory networks controlling inflorescence architecture in Jatropha curcas L., a perennial woody plant belonging to Euphorbiaceae. RESULTS: Two inflorescence branching mutants were identified in germplasm collection of Jatropha. The duo xiao hua (dxh) mutant has a seven-order branch inflorescence, and the gynoecy (g) mutant has a three-order branch inflorescence, while WT Jatropha has predominantly four-order branch inflorescence, occasionally the three- or five-order branch inflorescences in fields. Using weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA), we identified several hub genes involved in the cytokinin metabolic pathway from modules highly associated with inflorescence phenotypes. Among them, Jatropha ADENOSINE KINASE 2 (JcADK2), ADENINE PHOSPHORIBOSYL TRANSFERASE 1 (JcAPT1), CYTOKININ OXIDASE 3 (JcCKX3), ISOPENTENYLTRANSFERASE 5 (JcIPT5), LONELY GUY 3 (JcLOG3) and JcLOG5 may participate in cytokinin metabolic pathway in Jatropha. Consistently, exogenous application of cytokinin (6-benzyladenine, 6-BA) on inflorescence buds induced high-branch inflorescence phenotype in both low-branch inflorescence mutant (g) and WT plants. These results suggested that cytokinin is an important regulator in controlling inflorescence branching in Jatropha. In addition, comparative transcriptome analysis showed that Arabidopsis homologous genes Jatropha AGAMOUS-LIKE 6 (JcAGL6), JcAGL24, FRUITFUL (JcFUL), LEAFY (JcLFY), SEPALLATAs (JcSEPs), TERMINAL FLOWER 1 (JcTFL1), and WUSCHEL-RELATED HOMEOBOX 3 (JcWOX3), were differentially expressed in inflorescence buds between dxh and g mutants and WT plants, indicating that they may participate in inflorescence development in Jatropha. The expression of JcTFL1 was downregulated, while the expression of JcLFY and JcAP1 were upregulated in inflorescences in low-branch g mutant. CONCLUSIONS: Cytokinin is an important regulator in controlling inflorescence branching in Jatropha. The regulation of inflorescence architecture by the genes involved in floral development, including TFL1, LFY and AP1, may be conservative in Jatropha and Arabidopsis. Our results provide helpful information for elucidating the regulatory mechanism of inflorescence architecture in Jatropha.