Comparison of instrumented and stand-alone lateral lumbar interbody fusion for lumbar degenerative disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Both instrumented and stand-alone lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF) have been widely used to treat lumbar degenerative disease. However, it remains controversial as whether posterior internal fixation is required when LLIF is performed. This meta-analysis aims to compare the radiographic and clinical results between instrumented and stand-alone LLIF. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Collaboration Library up to March 2023 were searched for studies that compared instrumented and stand-alone LLIF in the treatment of lumbar degenerative disease. The following outcomes were extracted for comparison: interbody fusion rate, cage subsidence rate, reoperation rate, restoration of disc height, segmental lordosis, lumbar lordosis, visual analog scale (VAS) scores of low-back and leg pain and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) scores. RESULTS: 13 studies involving 1063 patients were included. The pooled results showed that instrumented LLIF had higher fusion rate (OR 2.09; 95% CI 1.16-3.75; P = 0.01), lower cage subsidence (OR 0.50; 95% CI 0.37-0.68; P < 0.001) and reoperation rate (OR 0.28; 95% CI 0.10-0.79; P = 0.02), and more restoration of disc height (MD 0.85; 95% CI 0.18-1.53; P = 0.01) than stand-alone LLIF. The ODI and VAS scores were similar between instrumented and stand-alone LLIF at the last follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Based on this meta-analysis, instrumented LLIF is associated with higher rate of fusion, lower rate of cage subsidence and reoperation, and more restoration of disc height than stand-alone LLIF. For patients with high risk factors of cage subsidence, instrumented LLIF should be applied to reduce postoperative complications.

Discovery of new cinnamic derivatives as anti-inflammatory agents for treating acute lung injury in mice.

The blockade of the overexpression of pro-inflammatory cytokines by anti-inflammatory natural products has been proven therapeutically beneficial in the treatment of acute lung injury (ALI). Given the fact that cinnamic acid has been proven to have significant anti-inflammatory activity, we selected it as a promising lead compound to develop more effective analogs in treating ALI. Learning from the symmetric structure of curcumin, 32 new symmetric cinnamic derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activity. Among them, 6h not only displayed a remarkable inhibitory activity in vitro (85.9% and 65.7% for  IL-6 and TNF-α, respectively) without cytotoxicity but also possessed chemical structure stability. Furthermore, an in vivo study in mice revealed that the administration of 6h significantly attenuated lipopolysaccharide-induced ALI, providing new lead structures for the development of anti-inflammatory drugs for the treatment of ALI.

Current Advances of Atomically Dispersed Metal-Centered Nanozymes for Tumor Diagnosis and Therapy.

Nanozymes, which combine enzyme-like catalytic activity and the biological properties of nanomaterials, have been widely used in biomedical fields. Single-atom nanozymes (SANs) with atomically dispersed metal centers exhibit excellent biological catalytic activity due to the maximization of atomic utilization efficiency, unique metal coordination structures, and metal-support interaction, and their structure-activity relationship can also be clearly investigated. Therefore, they have become an emerging alternative to natural enzymes. This review summarizes the examples of nanocatalytic therapy based on SANs in tumor diagnosis and treatment in recent years, providing an overview of material classification, activity modulation, and therapeutic means. Next, we will delve into the therapeutic mechanism of SNAs in the tumor microenvironment and the advantages of synergistic multiple therapeutic modalities (e.g., chemodynamic therapy, sonodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy, chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, sonothermal therapy, and gas therapy). Finally, this review proposes the main challenges and prospects for the future development of SANs in cancer diagnosis and therapy.

A first-principles study of exciton self-trapping and electric polarization in one-dimensional organic lead halide perovskites.

Revealing the origin of self-trapped excitons is a prerequisite for further improving the photoluminescence efficiency of low-dimensional organic perovskites. Here, the microscopic formation mechanism of intrinsic self-trapped excitons in one-dimensional (1D) C4N2H14PbX4 (X = Cl, Br and I) systems is investigated, and the polarization-luminescence relationship is established. Our results show that 1D-C4N2H14PbX4 has a low electronic dimension (flat band characteristics), which facilitates the formation of intrinsic self-trapped excitons. The potential well formed by local distortion of the [PbX6] octahedron is the origin of exciton self-trapping. Combined with the electronic density of states and partial charge density, we further confirmed the existence of intrinsic self-trapping excitons in 1D-C4N2H14PbX4. In addition, we found that the breaking of the central inversion symmetry will induce electric polarization, which greatly improves the transition probability of electrons. These results could potentially offer a new direction for improving the luminescence properties of 1D organic lead halide perovskites.

Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of novel chromone-maleimide hybrids as potent anti-inflammatory agents against LPS-induced acute lung injury.

Acute lung injury (ALI) is an acute inflammatory disease, which severely impacts lung function with a high lethality rate. Chromone and maleimide are very important moieties of anti-inflammatory agents. Here, forty new chromone-maleimide hybrids were readily synthesized using a Heck-type coupling strategy in good yields and were screened for their anti-inflammatory activity. A majority of these hybrids showed high inhibitory potency against LPS-stimulated release of pro-inflammatory cytokines in macrophages. Preliminary structure-activity relationship studies led to the discovery of highly potent inhibitors. Five of them were found to inhibit lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced IL-6 and TNF-α release in a dose-dependent manner with IC50 values in the nanomolar rang. Furthermore, in vivo administration of 5e and 5g resulted in distinctly attenuated LPS-induced ALI via inhibiting the inflammation. Thus it is evident from our study that these novel chromone-maleimide hybrids present promising therapeutic potential for ALI.

Chalcone derivatives ameliorate lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury and inflammation by targeting MD2.

Acute lung injury (ALI) and its severe form acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) are known as the common causes of respiratory failure in critically ill patients. Myeloid differentiation 2 (MD2), a co-receptor of toll like receptor 4 (TLR4), plays an important role in LPS-induced ALI in mice. Since MD2 inhibition by pharmacological inhibitors or gene knockout significantly attenuates ALI in animal models, MD2 has become an attractive target for the treatment of ALI. In this study we identified two chalcone-derived compounds, 7w and 7x, as new MD2 inhibitors, and investigated the therapeutic effects of 7x and 7w in LPS-induced ALI mouse model. In molecular docking analysis we found that 7w and 7x, formed pi-pi stacking interactions with Phe151 residue of the MD2 protein. The direct binding was confirmed by surface plasmon resonance analysis (with KD value of 96.2 and 31.2 µM, respectively) and by bis-ANS displacement assay. 7w and 7x (2.5, 10 µM) also dose-dependently inhibited the interaction between lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and rhMD2 and LPS-MD2-TLR4 complex formation. In mouse peritoneal macrophages, 7w and 7x (1.25-10 µM) dose-dependently inhibited LPS-induced inflammatory responses, MAPKs (JNK, ERK and P38) phosphorylation as well as NF-κB activation. Finally, oral administration of 7w or 7x (10 mg ·kg-1 per day, for 7 days prior LPS challenge) in ALI mouse model significantly alleviated LPS-induced lung injury, pulmonary edema, lung permeability, inflammatory cells infiltration, inflammatory cytokines expression and MD2/TLR4 complex formation. In summary, we identify 7w and 7x as new MD2 inhibitors to inhibit inflammatory response both in vitro and in vivo, proving the therapeutic potential of 7w and 7x for ALI and inflammatory diseases.

Recent Development of Polydopamine Anti-Bacterial Nanomaterials.

Polydopamine (PDA), as a mussel-inspired material, exhibits numerous favorable performance characteristics, such as a simple preparation process, prominent photothermal transfer efficiency, excellent biocompatibility, outstanding drug binding ability, and strong adhesive properties, showing great potential in the biomedical field. The rapid development of this field in the past few years has engendered substantial progress in PDA antibacterial materials. This review presents recent advances in PDA-based antimicrobial materials, including the preparation methods and antibacterial mechanisms of free-standing PDA materials and PDA-based composite materials. Furthermore, the urgent challenges and future research opportunities for PDA antibacterial materials are discussed.

Design, synthesis and bioactivity evaluation of fisetin derivatives as potential anti-inflammatory agents against LPS-induced acute lung injury.

Acute lung injury (ALI) refers to a common and life-threatening disease attributed to inflammation. However, effective drug treatments have been rare for ALI. Natural products have been considered as a vital source of drug discovery which indicates that it's a workable method to find new anti-inflammatory drugs in natural products. Inspired by the various biological activities of fisetin, we reported the design and synthesis of a series of fisetin derivatives which were also evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activities in J774A.1 macrophages. Most of the obtain derivatives could effectively inhibit the release of IL-6 and TNF-α in vitro experiments without cytotoxicity. The most promising compound 5b exhibited significant in vivo anti-inflammatory activity in the model of LPS-induced ALI in mice. On the whole, this study could provide novel candidates for the treatment of ALI.

Surgical options for symptomatic old osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures: a retrospective study of 238 cases.

BACKGROUND: Symptomatic osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCF) are increasing, as are acute and chronic pain episodes and progressive spinal deformities. However, there are no clear surgical treatment criteria for patients with these different symptoms. Therefore, this study aims to explore the surgical approaches for the treatment of OVCF with different symptoms and evaluate the feasibility of these surgical approaches. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 238 symptomatic OVCF patients who entered our hospital from June 2013 to 2016. According to clinical characteristics and imaging examinations, these patients were divided into I-V grades and their corresponding surgical methods were developed. I, old vertebral fracture with no apparent instability, vertebral augmentation; II, old vertebral fracture with local instability, posterior reduction fusion internal fixation; III, old fractures with spinal stenosis, posterior decompression and reduction fusion and internal fixation; IV, old vertebral fracture with kyphosis, posterior osteotomy with internal fixation and fusion; V, a mixture of the above types, posterior osteotomy (decompression) with internal fixation and fusion. Postoperative visual analog score (VAS), oswestry disability index (ODI) scores, sagittal index (SI) and ASIA grades of neurological function were observed. RESULTS: All 238 patients were followed up for 12-38 months, with an average follow-up of 18.5 months. After graded surgery, the VAS score, ODI score, and vertebral sagittal index SI of 238 patients were significantly improved, and the difference between the last follow-up results and the preoperative comparison was statistically significant (P ˂ 0.05). Besides, the postoperative ASIA grades of 16 patients with nerve injury were improved from 14 patients with preoperative grade C, 2 patients with grade D to 4 patients with postoperative grade D and 12 patients with postoperative grade E. CONCLUSION: In this study, we concluded that graded surgery could better treat symptomatic old OVCF and restore spinal stability. This provides clinical reference and guidance for the treatment of symptomatic old OVCF in the future.

Cause Analysis of Open Surgery Used After Percutaneous Vertebroplasty and Kyphoplasty.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to analyze reasons why open surgery was done after percutaneous vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty. MATERIAL AND METHODS Patients (587 vertebral bodies) treated with percutaneous vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty in the Xi'an Honghui Hospital of Shanxi Province from January 2008 to January 2012 were retrospectively analyzed and 13 patients were enrolled in the study. These 13 patients had serious adverse events after percutaneous vertebroplasty or kyphoplasty. Their average age was 64.5 years old. Nine patients had spinal cord injury and 4 had nerve root injury. All the patients underwent open surgery within 4-12 h after definitive diagnosis. RESULTS All 13 cases were followed up (average time 14.1 months, range 3-47 months). Reasons for open surgery included cement extravasation (6 cases, 46.2%), puncture mistake (3 cases, 23.1%), and false selection of indications (4 cases, 30.8%). At last follow-up, skin feeling was better than that before open surgery in 4 cases with nerve root injury, and muscle strength recovered to grade 5 (3 cases) and grade 4 (1 case). In 9 cases with spinal cord injury, 7 patients improved and 2 remained at the same ASIA level. CONCLUSIONS The main reasons for open surgery after percutaneous vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty were cement extravasation (the most common reason), puncture mistake, and false selection of indications.

Transoral anterior release, odontoid partial resection, and reduction with posterior fusion for the treatment of irreducible atlantoaxial dislocation caused by odontoid fracture malunion.

PURPOSE: Several techniques have been introduced to manage irreducible atlantoaxial dislocation (IAAD). However, no study has reported the surgical method for the management of IAAD caused by odontoid fracture malunion. This study aimed to introduce a surgical method of transoral anterior release, odontoid partial resection, and reduction with sequential posterior fusion for the treatment of IAAD caused by odontoid fracture malunion. We also evaluated the clinical efficacy of this surgery. METHODS: This study included seven cases of IAAD caused by odontoid fracture malunion, collected from January 2008 to January 2011. Anterior atlantoaxial release was performed through anterior transoral approach, followed by partial resection of the odontoid process. C1-C2 were then fixed through pedicle screws and rods, and then fused posteriorly by single stage. Neurologic status was evaluated using the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scoring system. RESULTS: All seven patients had complete release, and satisfactory reduction. Bony fusion was seen in all patients postoperatively. The patients were followed up for an average of 19.6 months (ranged from 9 to 36 months). The average of patients JOA scores at the final follow-up was significantly higher than that of their preoperative scores. Furthermore, the average improvement in neurological function was 87.4 %. No screw loosening, implant migration or implant failures, atlantoaxial redislocation, or signs of instability were observed in any of the patients during the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Transoral anterior release, odontoid partial resection, and reduction combined with posterior fusion are effective, reliable, and safe procedures for the treatment of IAAD caused by odontoid fracture malunion.

Prospective, Self-controlled, Comparative Study of Transposterior Arch Lateral Mass Screw Fixation and Lateral Mass Screw Fixation of the Atlas in the Treatment of Atlantoaxial Instability.

STUDY DESIGN: A prospective self-controlled study. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to compare the application and clinical outcomes of transposterior arch lateral mass screw and lateral mass screw fixation of the atlas in the treatment of atlantoaxial instability. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Atlas posterior screw fixation techniques comprise transposterior arch lateral mass screw fixation and lateral mass screw fixation. Previous studies have focused mainly on the feasibility of the anatomy and the biomechanics of the methods. METHODS: From June 2006 to February 2011, 66 patients with atlantoaxial instability were randomly assigned for treatment with transposterior arch lateral mass screw or lateral mass screw fixation of the atlas, combined with axis pedicle screw fixation. Patients were followed up regularly. The operation time, blood loss, intraoperative complications, Japan Department of Orthopedics Association Score, visual analog scale score, and bone fusion rates were recorded. RESULTS: The operation was successful in all 66 cases, with all patients showing improvement in clinical symptoms. There were significant differences in operation time and blood loss between the 2 groups (P<0.001). The mean follow-up time was 49 months. At the final follow-up, the Japan Department of Orthopedics Association score was significantly better than the preoperative score (mean, 13.5; P<0.05). The mean postoperative improvement rate was 88.2% and the mean visual analog scale score was 1.9; both results were significant as compared with preoperative results (P<0.05). Bone fusion was achieved within 6 months after operation. No screw loosening, shifting, breakage, or atlantoaxial instability was observed. Six patients with atlas lateral mass screw placement had burst bleeding of C1-C2 venous plexus during surgery. Five patients had immediate pain and numbness at the occipitocervical region. CONCLUSIONS: Atlas transposterior arch lateral mass screw fixation is less invasive, simple, has fewer complications, and offers good fixation results for atlantoaxial instability as compared with lateral mass screw fixation.

The causes and treatment strategies for the postoperative complications of occipitocervical fusion: a 316 cases retrospective analysis.

PURPOSE: Disorders in occipitocervical region are difficult to treat. Complications often occur after fusion surgery and may be life-threatening in severe cases. This study is to investigate the causes and treatment strategies for the postoperative complications of occipitocervical fusion. METHODS: Between May 1985 and May 2011, 316 patients with various occipitocervical diseases underwent occipitocervical surgery, with or without internal fixation. Two physicians were assigned for patients follow-up. Their medical records and radiographs were reviewed and the postoperative complications, including those at the occipitocervical region and donor site, were analyzed. RESULTS: Three hundred cases were followed up from 24 months to 26 years with an average of 9 years and 8 months, and the follow-up rate was 94.9%. There were 16 cases with complications after surgery in the uninstrumented fusion group; the incidence was 33.3%. These included 11 patients (22.9%) with complications in occipitocervical region and five patients (11.9%) with donor-site complications. 45 complications presented in the instrumented fusion group, the incidence was 17.9%. These included 30 patients (11.9%) with complications in occipitocervical region and 15 patients (5.9%) with donor-site complications. Perioperative complications included vertebral artery injury, spinal cord injury, nerve root injury, suffocation, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, and infection. Mid- to long-term complications included bone-graft displacement or absorption, aggravated vertebral dislocation, improper screw placement, spinous process fracture, and internal fixation breakage. Donor-site complications were hematoma, pain and infection. CONCLUSION: The surgery of occipitocervical fusion carries a relative high risk for complications, especially if no instrumentation is used. The key points in reducing complications are the surgeon's familiarity with the anatomy of occipitocervical region and the appropriate internal fixation.

Treatment strategies for the surgical complications of thoracic spinal stenosis: a retrospective analysis of two hundred and eighty three cases.

PURPOSE: Our aim was to investigate the causes of and treatment strategies for surgical complications of thoracic spinal stenosis. METHODS: Between May 1990 and May 2010, 283 patients with thoracic spinal stenosis were treated in our department. Three physicians were assigned to patient follow-up. Patient medical records and radiographs were reviewed. Complications were categorised as perioperative, mid- to long-term and donor-site. RESULTS: Follow-up was completed for 254 patients; 249 patients survived. Follow-up time ranged from one to 19 years, with a mean of six years and two months. There were 107 cases with complications an incidence rate of 42.1%. Eleven cases were pulmonary infection, seven transient nerve-root injury, three pulmonary injury and one vertebral canal haematoma, all of which resolved. Thirteen cases of spinal cord injury postoperatively were treated using dehydration and corticosteroid therapy; eight recovered to the preoperation level, and five deteriorated. Eleven cases resulted in dural injury, and four led to cerebrospinal fluid leakage. There were five cases of wound-fat liquefaction and one of wound infection. Seven cases with deep venous thrombosis of the lower limb resolved by elevating the affected limb and administration of low-molecular-weight dextran. Seven cases of delayed wound healing recovered following change of dressings and antibiotic administration. Four cases of delayed bone-graft fusion recovered by extending the external fixation time. One case of bone-graft absorption was treated by iliac bone grafting and bracing. Two cases of internal fixation breakage were treated by removing the internal fixation. CONCLUSIONS: Thoracic spinal stenosis surgery may result in various complications but has a good prognosis with proper treatment. The key points in reducing complications are the surgeon's familiarity with operative imperatives and the appropriate surgical approach.

Denosumab, teriparatide and bisphosphonates for glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis: a Bayesian network meta-analysis.

Background: Several medications have been used for glucocorticoids-induced osteoporosis (GIO). However, the best therapeutic option for GIO is still controversial. A Bayesian network meta-analysis was conducted to compare the efficacy and safety of denosumab, teriparatide and bisphosphonates for patients with GIO. Methods: Relevant randomized controlled trials published in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and ClinicalTrials.gov up to August 2023 were searched. The following efficiency and safety outcomes were extracted for comparison: bone mineral density (BMD) percentage changes in lumbar spine, femur neck and total hip, and incidences of adverse events (AEs), serious adverse events (SAEs), vertebrae and non-vertebrae fracture. Bayesian random effects models were used for multiple treatment comparisons. Results: 11 eligible RCTs involving 2,877 patients were identified. All the six medications including alendronate, risedronate, etidronate, zoledronate, teriparatide, and denosumab and were effective in increasing BMD. Teriparatide and denosumab were more effective in improving lumbar spine and femur neck BMD, and reducing vertebrae fracture. Alendronate and denosumab were more effective in improving total hip BMD. Alendronate and teriparatide had the lowest incidences of AEs and SAEs. Conclusion: Teriparatide denosumab and the bisphosphonates are all effective in improving BMD for GIO patients. Based on this network meta-analysis, teriparatide and denosumab have higher efficiency in improving lumbar spine and femur neck BMD, and reducing vertebrae fracture. Systematic Review Registration: 10.17605/OSF.IO/2G8YA, identifier CRD42023456305.

Development of gelatin-methacryloyl composite carriers for bone morphogenetic Protein-2 delivery: A potential strategy for spinal fusion.

To reduce the risk of nonunion after spinal fusion surgery, the in situ transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) induced toward osteogenic differentiation by bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) has been proven effective. However, the current biological agents used for transplantation have limitations, such as a short half-life and low bioavailability. To address this, our study utilized a safe and effective gelatin-methacryloyl (GelMA) as a carrier for BMP2. In vitro, experiments were conducted to observe the ability of this composite vehicle to induce osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. The results showed that the GelMA hydrogel, with its critical properties and controlled release performance of BMP2, exhibited a slow release of BMP2 over 30 days. Moreover, the GelMA hydrogel not only enhanced the proliferation activity of BMSCs but also significantly promoted their osteogenic differentiation ability, surpassing the BMP2 effects. To investigate the potential of the GelMA-BMP2 composite vehicle, a rabbit model was employed to explore its ability to induce in situ intervertebral fusion by BMSCs. Transplantation experiments in rabbits demonstrated the effective induction of intervertebral bone fusion by the GelMA-BMP2-BMSC composite vehicle. In conclusion, the GelMA-BMP2-BMSC composite vehicle shows promising prospects in preclinical translational therapy for spinal intervertebral fusion. It addresses the limitations of current biological agents and offers a controlled release of BMP2, enhancing the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs.

Fighting bacteria with bacteria: A biocompatible living hydrogel patch for combating bacterial infections and promoting wound healing.

Bacterial infections are among the most critical global health challenges that seriously threaten the security of human. To address this issue, a biocompatible engineered living hydrogel patch was developed by co-embedding engineered photothermal bacteria (EM), photosensitizer (porphyrin) and reactive oxygen species amplifier (laccase) in a protein hydrogel. Remarkably, the genetice engineered bacteria can express melanin granules in vivo and this allows them to exhibit photothermal response upon being exposed to NIR-II laser (1064 nm) irradiation. Besides, electrostatically adhered tetramethylpyridinium porphyrin (TMPyP) on the bacterial surface and encapsulated laccase (Lac) in protein gel can generate highly toxic singlet oxygen (1O2) and hydroxyl radical (·OH) in the presence of visible light and lignin, respectively. Interestingly, the engineered bacteria hydrogel patch (EMTL@Gel) was successfully applied in synergistic photothermal, photodynamic and chemodynamic therapy, in which it was able to efficiently treat bacterial infection in mouse wounds and enhance wound healing. This work demonstrates the concept of "fighting bacteria with bacteria" combining bacterial engineering and material engineering into an engineered living hydrogel path that can synergistically boost the therapeutic outcome. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Genetically engineered bacteria produce melanin granules in vivo, exhibiting remarkable photothermal properties. These bacteria, along with a photosensitizer (TMPyP) and a reactive oxygen species amplifier (laccase), are incorporated into a biocompatible protein hydrogel patch. Under visible light, the patch generates toxic singlet oxygen (1O2) and hydroxyl radical (·OH), demonstrates outstanding synergistic effects in photothermal, photodynamic, and chemodynamic therapy, effectively treating bacterial infections and promoting wound healing in mice.

Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation-Mediated Photocatalytic Subcellular Hybrid System for Highly Efficient Hydrogen Production.

Plant chloroplasts have a highly compartmentalized interior, essential for executing photocatalytic functions. However, the construction of a photocatalytic reaction compartment similar to chloroplasts in inorganic-biological hybrid systems (IBS) has not been reported. Drawing inspiration from the compartmentalized chloroplast and the phenomenon of liquid-liquid phase separation, herein, a new strategy is first developed for constructing a photocatalytic subcellular hybrid system through liquid-liquid phase separation technology in living cells. Photosensitizers and in vivo expressed hydrogenases are designed to coassemble within the cell to create subcellular compartments for synergetic photocatalysis. This compartmentalization facilitates efficient electron transfer and light energy utilization, resulting in highly effective H2 production. The subcellular compartments hybrid system (HM/IBSCS) exhibits a nearly 87-fold increase in H2 production compared to the bare bacteria/hybrid system. Furthermore, the intracellular compartments of the photocatalytic reactor enhance the system's stability obviously, with the bacteria maintaining approximately 81% of their H2 production activity even after undergoing five cycles of photocatalytic hydrogen production. The research brings forward visionary prospects for the field of semi-artificial photosynthesis, offering new possibilities for advancements in areas such as renewable energy, biomanufacturing, and genetic engineering.

Insecticide-mediated changes in the population and toxicity of the thrips species, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) and Thrips flavus (Schrank) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae).

Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) and Thrips flavus (Schrank) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) cause considerable damage to agricultural crops. In this study, we investigated the variations in the population density of these 2 thrips species in 2 sites (Dabai and Heilongtan) with different insecticide application levels. Bioassays were performed to determine the susceptibility of both thrips species to imidacloprid, abamectin, and high-bromine cyhalothrin in summer. The results showed that the F. occidentalis species were more abundant in Dabai than in Heilongtan during both winter and summer. The proportions of F. occidentalis in winter and summer were 28.32-43.35% and 61.79-76.02%, respectively. Moreover, F. occidentalis resistance against the 3 insecticides was significantly higher than that of T. flavus in both 2017 and 2019. Compared with 2017, the LC50 values of F. occidentalis populations in Dabai to imidacloprid, abamectin, and lambda-cyhalothrin increased to 100.076, 16.52, and 130.44 mg/liter, respectively. The number of F. occidentalis, reaching the proportion of 91.63% in 90 days, was significantly higher than that of the control after imidacloprid treatment. In conclusion, thrips interspecies competition is affected by the irrational use of insecticides, which may cause the replacement of native species by invasive species, thereby leading to an outbreak.

Avulsion fracture of the anterior superior iliac crest following autograft for anterior lumbar fusion: case report and literature review.

Avulsion fracture of the anterior superior iliac crest (ASIC) following autogenous bone grafting for anterior lumbar fusion (ALF) is an extremely rare complication. We describe a very rare case of avulsion fracture of the ASIC following autograft for ALF in a revision surgery for treating lumbar tuberculosis. A 68-year-old woman with lumbar tuberculosis underwent posterior debridement and posterior iliac crest bone graft fusion; however, her lumbar tuberculosis recurred 9 months after surgery. She then underwent a lumbar revision surgery, including removal of the posterior instrumentation and debridement, followed by anterior L2 corpectomy, debridement, anterior left iliac crest bone graft fusion, and internal fixation. When walking for the first time on postoperative day 3, she experienced a sharp, sudden-onset pain in the anterior iliac crest harvest area. X-ray revealed an avulsion fracture of the ASIC. Considering her failure to respond to conservative treatment for one week and large displacement of the fracture ends, an open reduction and internal fixation surgery was scheduled. Her pain symptoms were significantly relieved after the operation. Although rare, fracture of the ASIC following autograft for ALF should not be ignored. Fracture of the ASIC is usually treated conservatively. Additional surgical treatment is required only when intractable pain fails to respond to conservative treatment or when there is a large displacement of fracture ends that are not expected to heal spontaneously.