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Objective. To compare the difference in clinical and radiographic outcomes between anterior transcorporeal and transdiscal percutaneous endoscopic cervical discectomy (ATc-PECD/ATd-PECD) approaches for treating patients with cervical intervertebral disc herniation (CIVDH). Method. We selected 77 patients with single-segment CIVDH and received ATc-PECD or ATd-PECD in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between March 1, 2010, and July 1, 2015. 35 patients suffered from ATc-PECD, and there were 42 patients in the ATd-PECD group. Obtaining the data of 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months postoperatively, the VAS for neck and arm pain and the modified MacNab criteria were used to evaluate the clinical outcomes, comparing radiographic outcomes and complications of these two groups. Results. We found that the mean operative time was significantly longer in the ATc-PECD group (P < 0.05). At the 2-year follow-up, the mean VAS score for neck and arm pain was significantly decreased in both two groups. There was no significant difference in the VAS score for arm pain and neck pain between the two groups at the 2-year follow-up (P = 0.783 and P = 0.785 , respectively). For the ATc-PECD group, the difference in the height of IVS or vertebral body was significant between the preoperative and postoperative groups (P < 0.05 , respectively). For the ATd-PECD group, there was only a significant decrease in the height of the IVS (P < 0.05); the decrease in the surgical vertebral body was not significant between the preoperative and postoperative groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion. In the 2-year follow-up, there is no significant difference in the clinical outcomes between the 2 approaches. While the longer time was consumed in the ATc-PECD group, the lower rate of disc collapse and recurrence is notable. Additionally, when the center diameter of tunnel was limited to 6 mm, the bony defect can be healed without the occurrence of the collapse of the superior endplate, and ATc-PECD may be preferable in the endoscopic treatment of CIVDH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four species of Mastrus Förster, 1869 are reported from China. Two, Mastrus nigrus Sheng & Zeng, sp. n. reared from Arge pullata (Zaddach) and Mastrus rugotergalis Sheng & Zeng, sp. n. reared from Diprion jingyuanensis Xiao & Zhang, are new to science. One, M. deminuens (Hartig, 1838), is a parasitoid of Pachynematus itoi Okutani. A key to species of Mastrus Förster known in China is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oral submucous fibrosis is a high risk precancerous condition and is suggested to be caused by areca nut chewing. Areca nut chewing is popular in Hunan Province of China, and is more concentrated in Xiangtan City. Two and nine cases of oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) were first noticed in 1984 and 1985 respectively, and an epidemiologic survey was subsequently performed in 1986. The epidemiologic method of cluster sampling was used. The Yuhu District, one of the five urban districts of the Xiangtan City with a population of 100 000 was selected as a whole body in the survey. 57 independent units of various professions were randomly selected as group samples and more than 70% of subjects in cacti unit were examined. Definite fibrous band on palpation was used as a main diagnostic criterion for OSE A total of 11 046 individuals were examined: among them were 3 907 areca nut chewers (35.37%) and 7 139 non-chewers (64.63%). 335 cases of OSF were found, comprising a prevalence rate of 3.03%. The disease involved mainly the middle third of the oral cavity. All of the OSF cases were areca nut chewers. No case had been found in non-chewers. Four cases of oral carcinoma were found on the basis of OSF. the malignant transformation rate was 1.19%. The high prevalence of OSF may be due to areca nut chewing plus extensive and heavy use of hot pepper in Xiangtan people. The result supports the role of the areca nut as an etiologic factor in the development of OSE The low malignant transformation rate of 1.19% compared with the 7.6% in an Indian report may be because Xiangtan people chew areca nut without tobacco. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A two-year restoration period, large-scale ecological restoration demonstration engineering project was carried out in the near-shore zones of Wuli Bay, Taihu Lake. Various methods to restore the aquatic biodiversity and prevent ecological degradation were employed and their effects on water quality and aquatic plants were investigated. The results showed that water quality had been significantly improved in the demonstration zones. The concentrations of TN and TP were about half of those of the reference site in Wuli Bay. The water transparency was 30cm higher than that in the reference site. The species, cover and biomass of aquatic plants were also significantly increased in the demonstration zones. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A propoxur-selected resistant (R) strain of housefly (Musca domestica), from Shanghai, China, exhibited >185-, 47.2-, 41.3-, and 50.5-fold greater resistance to propoxur, methomyl, paraoxon, and dichlorvos, respectively, than a susceptible (S) strain. The turnover number (kcat) and catalytic efficiency (kcat/Kmm) of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), determined by 7-[(diethoxyphosphoryl)-oxy]-1-methylquinolinium iodide (DEPQ) as a titrant and acetylthiocholine as a substrate, were 180,805 min−1 and 846.9 × 106 M−1 min−1 for the R strain and 119,875 min−1 and 2378.5 × 106 M−1 min−1 for the S strain, respectively. The greater maximal velocity of AChE from the R strain appeared to be due to increased turnover number and higher concentration of the AChE active site. AChE from the R strain was 3.4-, 21.0-, and 21.4-fold less sensitive to three carbamates, eserine, methomyl, and propoxur, and 2.6-, 33.1-, and 19.3-fold less sensitive to three organophosphates, DEPQ, dichlorvos, and paraoxon, respectively, based on the bimolecular rate constant (ki). The differences in ki were attributed mainly to the decreased affinity of these compounds for AChE from the R strain as determined by the affinity constant (Ka). All these data suggested that decreased sensitivity of AChE was associated with decreased catalytic efficiency of the enzyme in the R strain. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To determine the removal efficiency of typical antibiotics in Guiyang wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and the impact of effluent on aquatic organisms in receiving waters, nine antibiotics in the influent, effluent, and receiving water of two WWTPs in Guiyang City were investigated. The concentrations of antibiotics in the influent and effluent ranged from 0 to 835.60 ng·L -1 and 0 to 286.60 ng·L -1 , respectively, and the concentration of ofloxacin (OFX) was highest. Its concentration in the influent was 835.60 ng·L -1 and 539.00 ng·L -1 and in the effluent was 11.74 ng·L -1 and 286.60 ng·L -1 , respectively. The removal rate of antibiotics in the WWTPs ranged from -42.29% to 100%, and tetracycline (TC) was completely removed. The concentrations of antibiotics in the influent and effluent of the WWTPs in Guiyang City was less than in other regions of China and in other counties. Through the analysis of the antibiotics in the receiving waters, it was found that the concentrations of OFX were higher than other antibiotics, and the WWTPs effluent was one source of antibiotics in the receiving waters. OFX showed a high risk (RQ>1) for aquatic organisms in the receiving waters, as determined by an ecological risk assessment.

Based on the investigation of the plants in Thuja sutchuenensis community, the life form spectra, leaf character, and hierarchical-synusia structure in the community were analyzed. The life form spectra of the plants in the community were 73.2% of phanemphyte, 18% of hemicryptophyte, 6% of geophyte, 2% of chamaephyte, and 0.8% of annual plants. The leaf quality was mainly of papery and conaceous, which occupied 48. 8% and 36. 4% , respectively. The dominant leaf size was microphy (60.8%), dominant leaf margin was un-entire (56.8%), and dominant leaf form was simple (86%). The T. sutchuenensis community had three sub-layers, i.e., tree layer, shrub layer, and herb layer, with lesser interlayer plants. Each layer was respectively composed by phanemphyte evergreen coniferophyte, broadleaf and deciduous broad-leaf plants, nanophanerophyte evergreen and deciduous broad-leaf plants, as well as hemicryptophyte, geophyte, and annual plants.

Cell culture is an effective technology for taxol production. This paper discusses the effect of Taxus cell cultures on the 18S rRNA gene sequences based on the phylogenetic analysis of cultured T. chinensis cells and related species. The phylogenetic tree is reconstructed using the maximum parsimony method and the relative rate test to test the hypothesis of a molecular clock. The phylogenetic analysis indicates that cell culture changes the phylogenetic position of cultured T. chinensis cells. More than that, the 18S rRNA gene of cultured T chinensis cells has a faster rate of substitution than that of T. chinensis. With T. media as reference, the divergence time of the cultured T. chinensis cells is 7 Ma (million years) more than that of the T. chinensis cells based on the 18S rRNA gene sequences.

Objective: CDH1, encoding E-cadherin, is an important tumor suppressor gene. The present study aims to investigate the association of -160(C-->A) polymorphism in CDH1 gene with susceptibility to gastric cancer in Fujian province., Methods: One hundred and two patients from independent families and 101 healthy control subjects were analyzed. Genotype analysis was performed through polymerase chain reaction-based denaturing high performance liquid chromatography. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by unconditional logistic regression model., Results: The frequencies of -160(C-->A) polymorphism CC, CA and AA genotype in case group and controls were 58(56.9%), 38(37.3%)ì6(5.9%) and 55(54.5%), 41(40.6%), 5(5%), respectively. AA genotype did not present a significantly increased risk for gastric cancer (OR=1.12; 95% CI:0.32-3.95). No association was found between A allele and clinicopathological characteristics of gastric cancer., Conclusion: -160(C-->A) polymorphism in CDH1 gene promoter region may not be in association with genetic susceptibility to gastric cancer in Chinese population from Fujian.