Correlation between miRNA-124, miRNA-544a, and TNF-α levels in acute spinal cord injury.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective. OBJECTIVES: Acute spinal cord injury (ASCI) is caused by direct or indirect strikes from external forces on the spinal cord. Here, we investigated the correlation between the miR-124, miR-544a, and TNF-α levels in patients with ASCI, aiming to evaluate the potential usage of miR-124 and miR-544a in ASCI diagnosis. SETTING: University/hospital. METHODS: A total of 90 (58 male/32 female) ASIA patients and 15 (9 male/6 female) control patients (with acute limb trauma) were involved in the presented study. The ASIA patients were further subclustered based on the International Standards for the Neurological Classification of SCI (ISNCSCI) exam. 30 (18 male/12 female)cases were determined to have complete spinal cord injury (CSCI) and classified as ASIA grade A (Complete); 30 (20 male/10 female) cases were determined to have incomplete spinal cord injury (ISCI) and classified as ASIA grade B (sensory incomplete), C (motor incomplete), or D (motor incomplete); 30 (20 male/10 female) cases were determined to have normal neurological function (NNF) and classified as ASIA grade E (Normal). Plasma miR-124, miRNA-544a, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels were measured from the blood samples collected 24 h, 48 h, and 72 h after trauma. RESULTS: The levels of miR-124 and miR-544a in the CSCI and ISCI groups were significantly higher than those of the NNF and the control group 24 h after injury (P < 0.05). The increased levels gradually declined from 24 h to 72 h after injury. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) of miR-124, miR-544a and TNF-α 24 h after trauma in patients with acute spinal cord injury were 0.948 [95% CI (0.890, 1.000)], 0.815 [95% CI (0.638, 0.994)] and 0.770 [95% CI (0.641, 0.879)], respectively. CONCLUSION: The miRNA-124 and miRNA-544a levels increased significantly in ASCI patients compared with control patients 24 h after injury. These increased levels gradually reduced from 24 h to 72 h after injury. There is a strong positive correlation between miRNA-124, miRNA-544a, and acute spinal cord injury. SPONSORSHIP: The present study was supported by a University-level project of Ningxia Medical University (Project Number: XY2017147).

Usage of procalcitonin and sCD14-ST as diagnostic markers for postoperative spinal infection.

OBJECTIVE: Identifying biomarkers for early diagnosis of postoperative spinal infection is essential to avoid complications after spine surgery. The presented study evaluated serum levels of procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), and soluble CD14 subtype (sCD14-ST) in patients who underwent spinal surgery to assess the diagnosis values of PCT and sCD14-ST. METHODS: Serum levels of PCT, CRP, and sCD14-ST were measured in 490 (289 male/201 female) patients who underwent spinal surgery (SS) before and 1 day after surgery. PCT and sCD14-ST levels of patients diagnosed with postoperative infection (PI) and patients diagnosed with postoperative non-infection (PN) were compared. RESULTS: Serum levels of PCT, CRP, and sCD14-ST were significantly increased after surgery (F = 58.393, P = 0.000). In patients diagnosed as having a PI, serum levels of PCT and sCD14-ST were positively correlated with each other (r = 0.90, P < 0.01) and with operation duration (r = 0.92, 0.88, P < 0.01). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) models showed that both PCT (AUC = 0.817, optimal cutoff: 0.69 ng/ml, P = 0.000) and sCD14-ST (AUC = 0.824, optimal cutoff: 258.27 pg/ml, P = 0.000) can distinguish PI versus PN patients well. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated that serum levels of PCT and sCD14-ST have the potential to be used as a diagnostic markers for postoperative spinal infection.

Correlation between severity of spinal stenosis and multifidus atrophy in degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis.

BACKGROUND: Degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (DLSS) is a common degenerative condition in older adults. Muscle atrophy (MA) is a leading cause of muscle weakness and disability commonly reported in individuals with spinal stenosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate if the MA correlates with the grade of spinal stenosis in patients with DLSS. METHODS: A retrospective analysis on 48 male and 184 female DLSS patients aged around 54.04 years (54.04 ± 8.93) were involved and divided into 6 groups according to claudication-distance-based grading of spinal stenosis, which confirmed by two independent orthopedic surgeons using T2- weighted images. Using 1.5T MRI scanner, the severity of MA is assessed based on its negative correlation with the ratio of total fat-free multifidus muscle cross-sectional area (TFCSA) to total multifidus muscle cross-sectional area (TCSA). Adobe Photoshop CS6 was used for qualitative image analysis and calculate the TFCSA/TCSA ratio to assess the severity of MA, compare the grade of MA with the spinal stenosis segment, stenosis grade and symptom side. RESULTS: In DLSS group, The TFCSA/TCSA ratio are 74.33 ± 2.18 in L3/4 stenosis, 75.51 ± 2.79 in L4/5 stenosis, and 75.49 ± 2.69 in L5/S1 stenosis. there were significant decreases in the TFCSA/TCSA ratio of stenotic segments compared with non-stenotic segments of the spinal canal (P < 0.05) while no significant difference between the non-stenotic segments (P > 0.05). TFCSA/TCSA ratios is significant differences in the TFCSA/TCSA ratios of the 6 DLSS groups (F = 67.832; P < 0.05). From Group 1 to Group 6, the TFCSA/TCSA ratio of stenotic segments positively correlated with the absolute claudication distance (ACD). (P < 0.001, r = 0.852). Besides, the TFCSA/TCSA ratios are smaller in the symptomatic sides of the spine than the contralateral sides (t = 4.128, P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The stenotic segments of the spinal canal are more atrophied than the non-stenotic segment in DLSS patients. It is shows that a strong positive correlation between the severity of multifidus atrophy and the severity of spinal stenosis.

Mangiferin protects osteoblast against oxidative damage by modulation of ERK5/Nrf2 signaling.

Oxidative stress has currently been proposed as a risk factor associated with the development and proression of osteoporosis. In this study, we identify the effect of mangiferin (MAN) on apoptosis and differentiation of osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells insulted by H2O2. We firstly found that MAN can promote cell proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner and stimulate the phosphorylation of ERK5. Cells were divided as five groups: control, H2O2 (100 µM, control), H2O2 + MAN (5 µM), H2O2 + MAN (10 µM), and H2O2 + MAN (20 µM). MAN can significantly decrease H2O2-induced apoptosis and elevated ROS level of MC3T3-E1 cells. The expressions of caspase-3, caspase-9 and Bax/Bcl-2 were increased with H2O2 treatment, and MAN can reverse these changes. In addition, Nrf2 and its downstream target effectors (HO1, NQO1) were dramatically attenuated in MC3T3-E cells treatment with H2O2, while MAN can significantly increase the expression of Nrf2, HO1 and NQO1. The expression of ERK5 was down regulated by RNA interference in MC3T3-E1 cells, and we found that MAN (20 µM) pretreatment didn't make remarkable decrease in cell apoptosis or expressions of apoptosis-related proteins in H2O2-insulted siRNA-ERK5 cells. This study indicated that MAN can protect osteoblast against oxidative damage by modulation of ERK5/Nrf2 signaling, which can be new agent for osteoporosis.

Different Associated Aspects That Influence Complication Rates on Clinical PKP Surgery Using Smart Medical Big Data.

Osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures are on the rise in modern society due to the aging population, and this often results in painful symptoms and kyphotic abnormalities in patients. Bone cement was injected into the vertebral body to reinforce the vertebral body and restore most of the damaged vertebrae's natural height. Percutaneous kyphoplasty is the name given to this type of procedure (PKP). Bone cement leakage has been linked to several problems, according to the research. Neurological problems might arise if bone cement leaks into the spinal canal or the nerve root canal during surgery. As a result, PKP surgeons must now deal with the issue of reducing bone cement leakage. Using smart medical big data, this paper examines a sample of PKP operations and then examines different associated aspects that influence complication rates in order to better advice clinical PKP surgery use. There were 172 vertebral bodies in total in 72 patients receiving PKP surgery at a Chinese hospital that were examined by smart medical big data for vertebral degeneration and fusion. Bone cement leakage and variations in preoperative average anterior vertebral column height, preoperative Cobb angle, and the volume of injected bone cement were considered when dividing the patients into leakage and nonleakage groups; then, we figure out what is causing the bone cement to leak. Five patients experienced lung-related problems out of the 18 vertebral bodies with bone cement leaking that were selected for study. That leakage rate was 10.5%. The differences between the two groups in terms of vertebral compression and bone cement injection were statistically significant based on a single-factor analysis. Bone cement leakage in PKP surgery has been linked to the amount of bone cement injected and whether the vertebral body's peripheral wall was injured, according to multivariate analysis. Lung-related problems are more common in patients with a prior history of illness. Osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures can be successfully treated with percutaneous kyphoplasty. An important risk factor for bone cement extravasation in PKP surgery is the amount of bone cement injected, as well as its viscosity and whether damage to the vertebral body's peripheral wall has occurred.

Morphological and Molecular Identification of Fusarium ipomoeae as the Causative Agent of Leaf Spot Disease in Tobacco from China.

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.), which creates jobs for 33 million people and contributes two trillion dollars' tax annually, is one of the most important economic plants globally. However, tobacco is seriously threatened by numerous diseases during production. Previously, the field survey of tobacco diseases was conducted in the Guizhou and Guangxi provinces, the two main tobacco-producing areas in China. A serious leaf spot disease, with a 22% to 35% incidence, was observed in farming plants. In order to determine the causal agents, we collected the disease samples and isolated the pathogenic fungi. The pathogen was identified as Fusariumipomoeae, based on the morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis. Pathogenicity tests showed that F. ipomoeae could induce tobacco leaf spot and blight. To our knowledge, this is the first report worldwide of F. ipomoeae causing leaf spots and stems on tobacco. Our study reveals the serious consequences of F. ipomoeae on tobacco filed production and provides information for future diagnosis and management of the Fusarium disease.