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The optimal surgical procedure for minimal surgical intervention in symptomatic degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (DLSS) is unknown. This article presents a method of minimally invasive decompression alone and reports the long-term outcomes and complications of patients treated with minimally invasive bilateral or unilateral laminotomy decompression performed by one surgeon.Patients with DLSS who underwent minimally invasive laminotomy decompression alone from March 2008 to October 2010 were included in the study, and 106 patients were followed up for at least 10 years. Clinical outcomes were assessed by Japanese Orthopedic Association, Oswestry Disability Index, and visual analog scale for back pain scores, and changes in walking tolerance and leg numbness were evaluated. Complications were recorded.A total of 106 patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in the study (mean age = 64 years, range = 43-83). The Japanese Orthopedic Association, Oswestry Disability Index, and visual analog scale back pain scores of patients significantly changed between before surgery and at subsequent follow-up (P0.001). The walking tolerance and leg numbness of patients significantly improved (P0.001), and these functions were well maintained during follow-up. Complications included intraoperative dural tears (n = 5), a wound infection (n = 1), deep vein thrombosis (n = 1), and nerve root lesions on the asymptomatic side (n = 2), all of which recovered within 3 months.Minimally invasive laminotomy decompression is an effective procedure and achieves beneficial long-term clinical results for DLSS.

In order to study the performance of DCLR (direct coal liquefaction residue) modified asphalt mortar, different DCLR modified asphalt mortar with different DCLR contents and filler-asphalt ratios (FA) was prepared. The high-and-low temperature and fatigue performance of asphalt mortar was analyzed by a dynamic shear rheometer and a bending beam rheometer. Using the variance analysis method the influence of the single factor (temperature, DCLR content, FA) and the coupling between these factors on the performance of asphalt mortar was investigated. The results show that the addition of DCLR and filler can significantly improve the high-temperature performance of asphalt mortar, but damage the low-temperature performance and the fatigue performance of asphalt mortar. To comprehensively balance the effects of DCLR content and FA on the performance of the mortar, the DCLR content of 10% and the FA of 1.0 are recommended. Besides, the single factor (temperature, DCLR content, FA) and the coupling between these factors have significant effects on the performance of asphalt mortar, but the effect of the coupling is smaller than that of the single factor.

Secondary vascular development is a key biological characteristic of woody plants and the basis of wood formation. Our understanding of gene expression regulation and dynamic changes in microRNAs (miRNAs) during secondary vascular development is still limited. Here we present an integrated analysis of the miRNA and mRNA transcriptome of six phase-specific tissues-the shoot apex, procambium, primary vascular tissue, cambium, secondary phloem, and secondary xylem-in Populus tomentosa. Several novel regulatory modules, including the PtoTCP20-miR396d-PtoGRF15 module, were identified during secondary vascular development in Populus. A series of biochemical and molecular experiments confirmed that PtoTCP20 activated transcription of the miR396d precursor gene and that miR396d targeted PtoGRF15 to downregulate its expression. Plants overexpressing miR396d (35S:miR396d) showed enhanced secondary growth and increased xylem production. Conversely, during the transition from primary to secondary vascular development, plants with downregulated PtoTCP20expression (PtoTCP20-SRDX), downregulated miR396 expression (35S:STTM396), and PtoGRF15 overexpression (35S:PtoGRF15) showed delayed secondary growth. Novel regulatory modules were identified by integrated analysis of the miRNA and mRNA transcriptome, and the regulatory role of the PtoTCP20-miR396d-PtoGRF15 signaling cascade in secondary vascular development was validated in Populus, providing information to support improvements in forest cultivation and wood properties.

The recently updated measurement of the W-boson mass by the CDF collaboration exhibits a 7σ deviation from the SM expectation, which may imply a sign of new physics beyond the SM. The observed discrepancy could be explained by new fermions that carry the electroweak gauge charges and affect the vacuum polarization of gauge bosons. Notably, if the new fermions also have the same quantum numbers as of the SM quarks, they can mix with the latter and thus modify the penguin diagrams governing the b→sℓ+ℓ− transitions. Therefore, the W-boson mass shift could be related to the b→sℓ+ℓ− anomalies observed by the LHCb collaboration during the past few years. To investigate this possibility, we consider in this letter a model containing a vector-like top partner gauged under a new U(1)′ symmetry. It is found that the latest CDF mW measurement and the b→sℓ+ℓ− anomalies can be simultaneously accommodated at 2σ level.

Background Allergic reactions have been observed following both direct centipede bites and the clinical use of centipede-containing medicines, such as traditional Chinese medicines utilizing Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans; however, no natural centipede allergen has yet been characterized. Methods An allergen was purified from S. s. mutilans venom using Superdex 75 gel filtration and RESOURCE S ion chromatography, and its primary structure was determined via a combination of LC-MS-MS, MALDI-TOF/TOF and protein sequencing techniques. Its potential allergenicity was evaluated by immunoblotting, ELISAs, skin prick tests (SPTs) and mast cell activation assays. Results A novel allergen Sco m 5 (210 amino acids long) was successfully purified from crude S. s. mutilans venom. Sco m 5 could promote the degranulation of a human mast cell line, HMC-1. Among centipede-allergic patients, Sco m 5 showed an 83.3% IgE-binding frequency and a 66.7% positive reaction frequency, as detected by immunoblotting and SPTs, respectively. Sco m 5 IgE-binding frequencies of common Chinese population was found to be 9%–16%. Sera positive for Sco m 5 IgE-binding was cross-reactive against venom from the wasp Vespa mandaeinia. Conclusions The present study isolated and characterized a novel allergen termed as Sco m 5 from the centipede S. s. mutilans. The use of Sco m 5 to identify centipede-allergic individuals could be important, given the high potential allergenicity of Sco m 5 among the general Chinese population, along with the likely possibility of cross-reactivity against wasp venom among centipede-allergic patients.

Background Surgical site infection (SSI) after colorectal surgery (CRS) remains a significant problem for its negative clinical outcomes. However, it is poorly understood in China. This study aims to investigate the incidence, risk factors and microbiology of SSI after CRS. Methods A nationwide prospective multicenter design was applied. Patients in 19 Chinese hospitals from 2015 to 2018 were prospectively monitored for SSI after CRS. Demographic data, hospital characteristics, and potential perioperative risk factors were collected and analyzed, using univariate and multivariate logistic regression models. Results Among 3,663 study participants, 134(3.66%) episodes of SSI were identified. The incidence rate of SSI decreased from 5.9 infections per 100 procedures in 2015 to 3.1 infections per 100 procedures in 2018 (incidence rate ratio, 0.52; 95% CI, 0.28–0.94). The SSI rates were 1.88, 4.15, 6.27 and 11.58 per 100 operations for the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance system (NNIS) risk index categories of 0, 1, and 2 or 3, respectively. Escherichia coli (54/134, 40.3%) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (10/134, 7.5%) were the most frequently isolated microorganisms. A high prevalence of antibiotic resistance were observed in our study, with rates of extended spectrum beta-lactamase-producing or carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia of 50.0%(27/54) and 30.0%(3/10) respectively. Preoperative hospital stay ≥ 48 h (OR = 2.28, 95% CI: 1.03-5.02, P = 0.042) and contaminated or dirty wound (OR = 3.38, 95% CI: 1.88-6.06, P = 4.50 × 10−5) were significantly associated with increasing risk of SSI after CRS. Conclusion A statistically significant but modest decrease in the incidence rate of CRS SSI over the 4-year study period was observed in this study. Noticeably, the relatively high rates of multidrug-resistant pathogens causing SSI after CRS should be alert, while more studies with large population are needed due to the small number of isolates identified in our survey.

Existing industrial fermentations for Gluconobacter oxydans require a rich nitrogen source, which results in a relatively high production cost. In present study, amino acids utilization from yeast extract (YE) (20 g·L−1) was investigated, revealing that glutamate is disproportionately utilized, and consequently becomes a rate-limiting factor for the activity of membrane-bound sorbitol dehydrogenase (mSLDH). Additional supplementation of glutamate (0.1%) improved the abundance of coenzyme pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) by 1.51-fold. Meanwhile, enzyme activity of mSLDH was improved by 1.21-fold, which was mainly dependent on the induction of PQQ. Partial substitution of YE (15 g·L−1) with glutamate (2 g·L−1) as nitrogen source was tested in G. oxydans fermentations and the thus-obtained resting-cells exhibited an high mSLDH activity towards the miglitol precursor N-2-hydroxyethyl-glucamine with an increased productivity (59.2 vs. 42.1 mg· (g DCW)-1 h-1) and an equally high yield (81.56% vs. 80.35%) compared with cells fermented with 25 g·L−1 YE. Taken together, the results provide a feasible strategy for economical fermentation of G. oxydans in achieving high mSLDH activity for biotransformation applications in large-scale.

6-(N-hydroxyethyl) amino-6-deoxy- l -sorbofuranose (6NSL) is the direct precursor of miglitol for diabetes therapy. The regio- and stereo-selective dehydrogenation offered by the membrane-bound d -sorbitol dehydrogenase (mSLDH) from Gluconobacter oxydans provides an elegant enzymatic method for 6NSL production. In this study, two subunits sldA and sldB of mSLDH were introduced into G. oxydans ZJB-605, and the specific enzyme activity of mSLDH towards NHEG was enhanced by 2.15-fold. However, the endogenous PQQ level was dramatically reduced in the recombinant strain and became a bottleneck to support the holo-enzyme activity. A combined supplementation of four amino acids (Glu, Ile, Ser, Arg) involved in biosynthesis of PQQ in conventional media effectively increased extracellular accumulation of PQQ by 1.49-fold, which further enhanced mSLDH activity by 1.33-fold. The synergic improvement of mSLDH activity provided in this study supports the superior high dehydrogenate activity towards substrate N-2-hydroxyethyl-glucamine, 184.28 g·L−1 of 6NSL was produced after a repeated bioconversion process catalyzed by the resting cells of G. oxydans/pBB-sldAB, all of which presenting a great potential of their industrial application in 6NSL biosynthesis.

To elucidate formation mechanism of oolong tea aroma, the released and remaining volatiles during bruising and withering treatment were analyzed using head space solid-phase microextraction/gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. An increase in proportion of the released terpenoid volatiles (TVs) along with a decrease in proportion of the released C6 green leaf volatiles (GLVs) was observed in both cultivars 'Zhejiang139' and 'Foshou'. Proportion of remaining TVs also fluctuated reversely with GLVs although the level of these volatiles increased remarkably. High ratio of TVs to GLVs was the key chemical foundation of oolong tea characteristic aroma and could be regarded as a good indicator in screening cultivar for suitably producing high quality oolong tea. Combining with transcriptome analysis, increased TVs and GLVs during the treatment might be largely generated through de novo synthesis and modulated at transcript level through up-regulation of genes involved in terpenoids metabolism and enzymatic cleavage of long-chain fatty acids.

Tryptophan hydroxylase 2 (TPH2) plays a crucial role in the human brain. Although the association between the TPH2 gene and depression has been suggested in previous meta-analyses, studies based on Chinese subjects are often neglected. Therefore, we included some previous studies based on Chinese subjects to explore the relationship between TPH2 polymorphisms and depression via conducting an extensive meta-analysis. We reviewed 40 research papers that included data on TPH2 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 5766 patients with depression and 5988 healthy subjects. The analysis showed an association between polymorphisms in the TPH2 gene and depression, and some results were significant in 24 studies that included Chinese Han study participants. The results of our meta-analysis showed that rs4570625, rs17110747, rs120074175, rs4290270, rs120074175, and rs4290270 may be significantly associated with depression, and that rs11178997 (A/A genotype) may be a significant risk factor for depression in the Chinese subjects. Based on the results of this study, biological experiments should be performed in the future to explore how different SNPs affect depression.

The extraction process, purification and characterization analyses of polysaccharides (LZJP) in Ziziphus jujuba planted in Linze County, Gansu Province were investigated, respectively. The results showed a maximum polysaccharide yield of 5.72% was achieved at a solid/liquid ratio of 1:20 g/mL for 90 min at 80 °C. Two homogenous acidic polysaccharides (LZJP3 and LZJP4) were purified successively by DEAE-52 cellulose and Sephadex G-100 column chromatography. LZJP3 is composed of one polymer with galactose while LZJP4 is made up of two different kinds of polymers with xylose and glucose by size-exclusion chromatograph combined with multi-angle laser photometer (HPSEC-LLS) and gas chromatography (GC) analysis. LZJP3 and LZJP4 were β-pyran polysaccharides with a large number of molecular globular aggregates by FT-IR (Fourier-transform infrared) and AFM (Atomic force microscopy) analysis, and the surface morphology exhibited smooth and filamentous staggered extension in the form of rod-like aggregation with SEM (Scanning electron microscopy) determination. Meanwhile, LZJP3 and LZJP4 exhibited antioxidant activities against DPPH, hydroxyl radical, hydrogen peroxide, superoxide radical and stronger reducing power in vitro with the concentration increasing. The results indicated that LZJPs were worthy of being developed further as a natural antioxidant in food and medicine industries.

This study screened the effects of cultivar and processing method on the flavonoid profiles of different teas. Four tea cultivars ‘Jiulongpao’, ‘Zhenong 902’, ‘Jinxuan’ and ‘Huangjingui’ were respectively processed into green tea, oolong tea and black tea. The concentrations of 13 flavonol glycosides and 8 catechins in teas were simultaneously determined by UHPLC-DAD-MS/MS in combination with SRM mode. The intercultivar difference of flavonol glycosides in the same type of teas was greater than that of catechins. The contents of total flavonol glycosides and total catechins in black teas were respectively 14.2% ∼ 28.8% and 82.9% ∼ 84.6% lower than those of green teas made from the same cultivar. Myricetin glycosides, mono-glycosides, tri-glycosides and catechins are vulnerable to fermentation. Principal component analysis results indicated that the flavonol glycoside profiles of dry teas were well discriminated by tea plant cultivar rather than manufacturing procedure, whereas the catechin profiles of black teas were distinguished by fermentation process. Thus, tea plant cultivar is an important factor to be considered for consumption decision on dry teas, especially non-fermented and semi-fermented teas, due to remarkable intercultivar difference in flavonol glycosides.