[Efficacy analysis of autologous facet joint bone block in lumbar interbody fusion of osteoporosis patients].

OBJECTIVE: To compare and analyze the feasibility of autologous facet joint bone block as an alternative to polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cage in lumbar intervertebral fusion surgery for patients with osteoporosis. METHODS: From December 2018 to June 2021, the case data of patients with osteoporosis (T value ≤ -2.5 on dual energy X-ray bone density) who underwent posterior lumbar interbody fusion in the Fourth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital were retrospectively reviewed. All the cases were followed up for no less than 12 months and were divided into two groups according to the differences of interbody fusion materials: the autologous facet joint bone block group (autogenous bone group) and the PEEK cage group (PEEK group). The general data [such as age, gender, body mass index (BMI), primary diagnosis, distribution of fusion segments, bone mineral density of lumbar (BMD), incidence of preoperative complications], the perioperative data (such as duration of operation, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage, perioperative allogeneic blood transfusion rate), and the incidence of postoperative complications were compared between the two groups. Imaging parameters (disc height, lumbar lordosis angle, segment lordosis angle, segmental lordosis angle, disc height improvement rate, and fusion rate) and lumbar functional scores [visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), Japanese Orthopedics Association (JOA) score for lower back pain] were compared to evaluate the clinical efficacy between the kinds of intervertebral fusion materials 1 week, 3 months and 6 months postoperative and at the last follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 118 patients were enrolled, including 68 cases in the autogenous bone group and 50 cases in the PEEK group, there were no statistical differences in age, gender, BMI, primary diagnosis, distribution of fusion segments, BMD, incidence of preoperative complications, duration of operation, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage, perioperative allogeneic blood transfusion rate, incidence of postoperative complications, all the preoperative imaging parameters and all the lumbar function scores between the two groups (P>0.05). Postoperative superficial surgical site infections occurred in 3 patients in the autogenous bone group and 2 patients in the PEEK group. At the last follow-up, 3 cases of intervertebral graft collapse occurred in the autogenous bone group and 5 cases in the PEEK group, 1 case of graft subsidence in the autogenous bone group and 1 case in the PEEK group. All the imaging parameters showed significant differences between postoperation and preoperation (P < 0.05), and all the imaging parameters showed significant differences between 1 week and 3 months postoperative in both groups (P < 0.05). The height, angle of fusion gap in the autogenous bone group were lower than those in the PEEK group 1 week postoperatively (P < 0.05), and the fusion gap height improvement rate in the autogenous bone group was lower than that in the PEEK group (P < 0.05). The cases in both groups started to show final fusion 3 months after surgery, and the fusion rate in the autogenous bone group was 75% 6 months postoperatively, which was significantly higher than the rate of 56% in the PEEK group (P < 0.05), and there was no statistically significant difference in the final fusion rate between the two groups (P>0.05). The ODI, the postoperative VAS score was significantly lower than that in preoperation, while the postoperative JOA score was significantly higher than that in preoperation (P < 0.05). The ODI was lower while the JOA score was higher of the autogenous bone group than that of the PEEK group 6 months postoperatively (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In osteoporosis patients, good interbody fusion rate and improvement of lumbar vertebral function can be obtained by using autologous facet joint bone block or PEEK cage, while the fusion rate and the improvement of lumbar function with autologous facet joint bone block are better than those with PEEK cage 6 months post-operatively. PEEK cage is superior to autologous facet joint bone block in intervertebral distraction and improvement of lumbar lordosis. Significant disc space subsidence occurred in osteoporotic patients within 3 months after lumbar interbody fusion, and the subsidence of PEEK cage was more obvious than that of autologous facet joint bone block.

Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of adult hand, foot, and mouth disease in northern Zhejiang, China, May 2008-November 2013.

BACKGROUND: Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is an infectious disease typically caused by enterovirus 71 (EV71) and Coxsackievirus A16. The incidence of HFMD appears to be increasing across the Asia Pacific region, with deaths occurring predominantly among children. Therefore, most HFMD reports focus on children and few have studied HFMD in adults. However, more adult HFMD cases may be seen in the foreseeable future as a result of global warming, continued viral evolution, and an increase in traveling. Thus, this study investigated the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of adult HFMD. METHODS: Case data of 49 adult HFMD patients who attended The First Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing College, China from May 2008 to November 2013 were obtained. Socio-demographic data were collected through follow-up phone calls. Throat swab specimens were tested for enterovirus by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and further confirmed by virus isolation assay. For 10 patients infected with EV71, the gene encoding the EV71 VP1 protein was sequenced and analyzed. Data from 8,354 child HFMD patients and 49 adult patients in the fever clinic of The First Affiliated Hospital of Jiaxing College during the same period were collected for comparison. RESULTS: This study revealed that close contact with HFMD patients and poor personal hygiene consciousness were risk factors for adult HFMD. This study also found that EV71 subgenotype C4a was the most common pathogen associated with adult HFMD in this area. Furthermore, this study demonstrated several unique epidemiological characteristics of adult HFMD compared to child HFMD, such as the geographic and gender distribution of adult HFMD patients and HFMD seasonality. CONCLUSIONS: The findings in this study showed the potential threat of adult HFMD.

Effects of rumen microorganisms on the decomposition of recycled straw residue. / 瘤胃微生物对再生秸秆废弃物分解的影响.

Recently, returning straw to the fields has been proved as a direct and effective method to tackle soil nutrient loss and agricultural pollution. Meanwhile, the slow decomposition of straw may harm the growth of the next crop. This study aimed to determine the effects of rumen microorganisms (RMs) on straw decomposition, bacterial microbial community structure, soil properties, and soil enzyme activity. The results showed that RMs significantly enhanced the degradation rate of straw in the soil, reaching 39.52%, which was 41.37% higher than that of the control on the 30th day after straw return. After 30 d, straw degradation showed a significant slower trend in both the control and the experimental groups. According to the soil physicochemical parameters, the application of rumen fluid expedited soil matter transformation and nutrient buildup, and increased the urease, sucrase, and cellulase activity by 10%‒20%. The qualitative analysis of straw showed that the hydroxyl functional group structure of cellulose in straw was greatly damaged after the application of rumen fluid. The analysis of soil microbial community structure revealed that the addition of rumen fluid led to the proliferation of Actinobacteria with strong cellulose degradation ability, which was the main reason for the accelerated straw decomposition. Our study highlights that returning rice straw to the fields with rumen fluid inoculation can be used as an effective measure to enhance the biological value of recycled rice straw, proposing a viable solution to the problem of sluggish straw decomposition.

Bio-conversion of kitchen waste into bacterial cellulose using a new multiple carbon utilizing Komagataeibacter rhaeticus: Fermentation profiles and genome-wide analysis.

A cellulose-producing bacterium Komagataeibacter rhaeticus K15 was isolated from kombucha tea, and its metabolic pathways and cellulose synthesis operon were analyzed by genome sequencing. Different from the reported K. rhaeticus, the K15 produced little gluconic acid (2.26 g/L) when glucose was the sole carbon source and has the capacity for high cellulose production (4.76 g/L) with other carbon sources. Furthermore, six nitrogen-fixing genes were found to be responsible for the survival of K15 on a nitrogen-free medium. Based on its fermentation characteristics, K15 was cultured in a kitchen waste medium as a strategy for green and sustainable bacterial cellulose production. The SEM, XRD, and FTIR results indicated that synthesized cellulose has a mean diameter of 40-50 nm nanofiber, good crystallinity, and the same chemical structure. The K15 strain provides a highly viable alternative strategy to reduce the costs of bacterial cellulose production using agro-industrial residues as nutrient sources.

Association between Tooth Loss and Gastric Cancer: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies.

Observational studies showed that tooth loss is associated with gastric cancer, but the findings are inconsistent. In this study, a meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the relationship between tooth loss and gastric cancer. Relevant studies were screened in PubMed and Embase databases, and nine observational studies were considered eligible for the analysis. The combined relative risks for the highest versus the lowest categories of tooth loss were 1.86 (95% CI: 1.08-3.21) and 1.31 (95% CI: 1.12-1.53) in case control and cohort studies, respectively. However, unstable results were observed in the stratified and sensitivity analysis. The current evidence, based solely on four case-control studies and five cohort studies, suggested that tooth loss is a potential marker of gastric cancer. However, we can not concluded at this time that tooth loss may be a risk factor for gastric cancer due to significant heterogeneity among studies and mixed results between case-control studies and cohort studies. Additional large-scale and high-quality prospective studies are required to evaluate the association between tooth loss and risk of gastric cancer.

A biotechnological process efficiently co-produces two high value-added products, glucose and xylooligosaccharides, from sugarcane bagasse.

In this study, a co-production of two high value-added products, glucose and xylooligosaccharides (XOS), was investigated by utilizing sugarcane bagasse (SB) within a multi-product bio-refinery framework optimized by Box-Behnken design-based response surface methodology. The developed process resulted in a maximum cellulose conversion of xylan-removed SB, 98.69±1.30%, and a maximum extracted SB xylan conversion into XOS (xylobiose and xylotriose) of 57.36±0.79% that was the highest SB xylan conversion reported in the literature, employing cellulase from Penicillium oxalicum EU2106 and recombinant endo-ß-1,4-xylanase in Pichia pastoris. Consequently, a mass balance analysis showed that the maximum yields of glucose and XOS were 34.43±0.32g and 5.96±0.09 g per 100 g raw SB. Overall, this described process may be a preferred option for the comprehensive utilization of SB.

Exposure to ionizing radiation during dental X-rays is not associated with risk of developing meningioma: a meta-analysis based on seven case-control studies.

BACKGROUND: Many observational studies have found that exposure to dental X-rays is associated with the risk of development of meningioma. However, these findings are inconsistent. We conducted a meta-analysis to assess the relationship between exposure to dental X-rays and the risk of development of meningioma. METHODS: The PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched to identify eligible studies. Summary odds ratio (OR) estimates and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were used to compute the risk of meningioma development according to heterogeneity. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed to further explore the potential heterogeneity. Finally, publication bias was assessed. RESULTS: Seven case-control studies involving 6,174 patients and 19,459 controls were included in the meta-analysis. Neither exposure to dental X-rays nor performance of full-mouth panorex X-rays was associated with an increased risk of development of meningioma (overall: OR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.70-1.32; dental X-rays: OR, 1.05; 95% CI, 0.89-1.25; panorex X-rays: OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 0.76-1.34). However, exposure to bitewing X-rays was associated with a slightly increased risk of development of meningioma (OR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.28-2.34). Similar results were obtained in the subgroup and sensitivity analyses. Little evidence of publication bias was observed. CONCLUSION: Based on the currently limited data, there is no association between exposure to dental X-rays and the risk of development of meningioma. However, these results should be cautiously interpreted because of the heterogeneity among studies. Additional large, high-quality clinical trials are needed to evaluate the association between exposure to dental X-rays and the risk of development of meningioma.

Induction of Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells by a Novel Self-Supporting Graphene Hydrogel Film and the Possible Underlying Mechanism.

Graphene and its derivatives have received increasing attention from scientists in the field of biomedical sciences because of their unique physical properties, which are responsible for their interesting biological functions. With a range of extraordinary properties such as high surface area, high mechanical strength, and ease of functionalization, graphene is considered highly promising for application in bone tissue engineering. Here, we examined the effect of using a self-supporting graphene hydrogel (SGH) film to induce the osteogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs). In comparison to conventional graphene and carbon fiber films, the SGH film had higher mechanical strength and flexibility. Moreover, we found that the SGH film was nontoxic and biocompatible. Of particular interest is the fact that the film alone could stimulate the osteogenic differentiation of hADSCs, independent of additional chemical inducers. Such effects are stronger for the SGH film than for graphene or carbon fiber films, although the induction capacity of the SGH film is not as high as that of the osteogenic-induced medium. The excellent osteoinductivity of the SGH film is closely related to its remarkable physical properties that include specific nanostructures, surface morphology, strong cell adherence, reasonable surface hydrophilicity, and high protein absorption.

[Preliminary study of wireless biofeedback therapy for treatment of bruxism].

OBJECTIVE: To access the effect of wireless biofeedback therapy on bruxism. METHODS: Ten voluntary bruxers (seven female and three male, mean age 26.1 years) were invited to participate in this clinical research. An electric resistance strain gauge was embedded in the position of canine of a maxillary splint for monitoring the abnormal clenching or grinding movement of teeth during sleep. The relevant details of bruxism events, including value of relative force, occurring time and duration were recorded and analyzed by the receiver device and monitoring program respectively. Meanwhile, for the purpose of nerve system and muscle relaxation, a watch-style device around the patient's wrist will vibrate to alert the patient of teeth grinding or clenching if the value of biting force and duration exceed the threshold. Total average episodes of bruxism and duration was observed during eight hours sleep, and was analyzed with one-way analysis of variance in SPSS 19.0 by the end of 6th week and three months following biofeedback therapy. RESULTS: The average episodes of bruxism has declined dramatically from (9.8 ± 2.2) times to (3.0 ± 1.2) times during one night (P < 0.05), and the average duration of bruxism events was reduced from (20.7 ± 12.2) s to (10.0 ± 3.4) s (P < 0.05) after six weeks biofeedback therapy. By the end of three months, the average episodes declined to (2.9 ± 1.2) times (P < 0.05), and the average duration decline to (9.2 ± 2.9) s (P < 0.05) with contrast to preliminary night. CONCLUSIONS: The pressure-based wireless biofeedback device is able to monitoring clenching and grinding of bruxism. The results suggest that biofeedback therapy may be an effective, novel and convenient measure for treatment of bruxism according to several months therapy.

Fusing a carbohydrate-binding module into the Aspergillus usamii ß-mannanase to improve its thermostability and cellulose-binding capacity by in silico design.

The AuMan5A, an acidophilic glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 5 ß-mannanase derived from Aspergillus usamii YL-01-78, consists of an only catalytic domain (CD). To perfect enzymatic properties of the AuMan5A, a family 1 carbohydrate-binding module (CBM) of the Trichoderma reesei cellobiohydrolase I (TrCBH I), having the lowest binding free energy with cellobiose, was selected by in silico design, and fused into its C-terminus forming a fusion ß-mannanase, designated as AuMan5A-CBM. Then, its encoding gene, Auman5A-cbm, was constructed as it was designed theoretically, and expressed in Pichia pastoris GS115. SDS-PAGE analysis displayed that both recombinant AuMan5A-CBM (reAuMan5A-CBM) and AuMan5A (reAuMan5A) were secreted into the cultured media with apparent molecular masses of 57.3 and 49.8 kDa, respectively. The temperature optimum of the reAuMan5A-CBM was 75°C, being 5°C higher than that of the reAuMan5A. They were stable at temperatures of 68 and 60°C, respectively. Compared with reAuMan5A, the reAuMan5A-CBM showed an obvious decrease in K m and a slight alteration in V max. In addition, the fusion of a CBM of the TrCBH I into the AuMan5A contributed to its cellulose-binding capacity.

[A study of electric information monitoring in the treatment of bruxism with occlusal splint].

OBJECTIVE: An electric monitor of bruxism had been invented in order to evaluate the curative effect of cuspid occlusal upheaving splint and stabilization splint. METHODS: 20 patients with bruxism were randomly divided into two groups. A cuspid occlusal upheaving splint or a stabilization splint was fabricated respectively for patients. The vertical dimension for each splint was 0.5 mm lower than mandibular postural position. Sleeping time, bruxist time and times of bruxism were recorded with bruxism monitor that was invented for studying bruxing. RESULTS: The bruxist time and the times of bruxism were decreased obviously in patients with cuspid occlusal upheaving splint, while no significant difference was shown before and after using the stabilization splint. CONCLUSIONS: The bruxism monitor can automatically measure and record the data of bruxism with splint, which is valuable for clinic. The curative effect of cuspid occlusal upheaving splint is better than that of stabilization splint for treating bruxism.