Relations of heart-type and brain-type fatty acid-binding proteins with postoperative cognitive dysfunction in elderly patients undergoing spinal surgery

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to analyze the relations of heart-type fatty acid-binding protein (H-FABP) and brain-type fatty acid-binding protein (B-FABP) with postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) in elderly patients undergoing spinal surgery.

METHODS

One hundred and twenty-five patients who underwent spinal surgery were enrolled in this study. According to whether patients had POCD within 5 days after surgery, the participants were divided into POCD group and non-POCD group. Before surgery and 6 h after surgery, the serum H-FABP and B-FABP contents were detected.

RESULTS

There were 33 (26.4%) patients in POCD group, and 92 (73.60%) patients in non-POCD group. After surgery, the serum H-FABP and B-FABP contents in POCD group were significantly higher than those before surgery, respectively (p<0.05), and those in non-POCD group were significantly lower than those before surgery, respectively (p<0.05). After surgery, the serum H-FABP and B-FABP contents in POCD group were significantly higher than those in non-POCD group, respectively (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

The serum H-FABP and B-FABP contents are positively related to the occurrence of POCD in elderly patients undergoing spinal surgery.

Diversity and co-occurrence networks of picoeukaryotes as a tool for indicating underlying environmental heterogeneity in the Western Pacific Ocean

Picoeukaryotes are an essential component of microbial communities and play key roles in marine ecosystems. In this study, surface water picoeukaryotes were investigated at 32 stations along a latitudinal cross-section of the Western Pacific (WP) in 2015. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that there were clear spatial patterns in picoeukaryotic community structures which were consistent with the distributions of environmental variables. The spatial patterns of community structures and diversity indices were all significantly correlated with multiple environmental parameters, especially nutrients. Co-occurrence networks linked community variability to environmental heterogeneity. In summary, the construction of picoeukaryotic communities in the WP was significantly affected by numerous environmental variables, and certain variables were revealed as key forcing factors responsible for the main similarities between picoeukaryotic communities. This study details the relationships between the picoeukaryotes and environmental parameters in the WP, and provides insight for application of using picoeukaryotes as indicator in future bioassessment for open waters.

LncRNA H19 Aggravates Intervertebral Disc Degeneration by Promoting the Autophagy and Apoptosis of Nucleus Pulposus Cells Through the miR-139/CXCR4/NF-κB Axis

The etiology of lumbocrural pain is closely related to intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) serve crucial roles in IDD progression. This study investigated the effect of lncRNA H19 on autophagy and apoptosis of nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) in IDD. The rat model of IDD was established. Normal NPCs and degenerative NPCs (DNPCs) were cultured in vitro. H19 expression in IDD rat was detected. DNPCs were treated with si-H19 to evaluate autophagy and apoptosis of DNPCs. The binding relationships between H19 and miR-139-3p, and miR-139-3p and CXCR4 were verified. DNPCs were co-transfected si-H19 and miR-139-3p inhibitor. The phosphorylation of NF-κB pathway-related p65 in DNPCs was detected. LncRNA H19 was upregulated in IDD rats. Downregulation of H19 inhibited autophagy and apoptosis of DNPCs. LncRNA H19 sponged miR-139-3p to inhibit CXCR4 expression. si-H19 and miR-139-3p inhibitor co-treatment induced autophagy and apoptosis, and enhanced CXCR4 expression. si-H19 decreased p-p65 phosphorylation, while si-H19 and miR-139-3p inhibitor co-treatment partially elevated p-p65 phosphorylation. In conclusion, lncRNA H19 facilitated the autophagy and apoptosis of DNPCs by the miR-139-3p/CXCR4/NF-κB axis, thereby aggravating IDD. This study may offer new insights for the management of IDD.

Shift and Metabolic Potentials of Microbial Eukaryotic Communities Across the Full Depths of the Mariana Trench

Microbial eukaryotes are widespread and play important roles in marine ecosystems. However, their ecological characteristics in the deep sea (>1,000 m), especially hadal trenches, were largely unknown. Here, we investigated the diversity and metabolic potentials of microbial eukaryotes along the whole water column of the Mariana Trench by metagenomics. Our results showed clear depth-related distribution of microbial eukaryotic community and associated metabolic potentials. Surface seawater was dominated by phototrophic/mixotrophic groups (e.g., Dinoflagellata) and genes involved in biosynthesis (photosynthesis and fatty acid biosynthesis), while deep (bathypelagic and/or hadal) seawaters were enriched with heterotrophic groups (e.g., Bicoecea) and genes related to digestion (lysosomal enzymes and V-type ATPase) and carbohydrate metabolism. Co-occurrence analysis revealed high intra-domain connectivity, indicating that microbial eukaryotic composition was more influenced by microbial eukaryotes themselves than bacteria. Increased abundance of genes associated with unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis likely plays a role in resisting high hydrostatic pressure. Top1 and hupB genes, responsible for the formation and stabilization of DNA structure, were unique and abundant in the hadal zone and thus may be helpful to stabilize DNA structure in the deep sea. Overall, our results provide insights into the distribution and potential adaptability of microbial eukaryotes in the hadal zone.

Deconvolved frequency-difference beamforming for a linear array

Frequency-difference beamforming (FDB) provides a robust estimation of wave propagation direction by shifting signal processing to a lower frequency which, however, produces a decline in the spatial resolution. In this letter, the beam pattern of FDB for a distant point source is proved to be shift invariant and therefore can be regarded as the point spread function corresponding to FDB's beam output. Then, deconvolved frequency-difference beamforming (Dv-FDB) is proposed to improve array performance. Dv-FDB yields a narrower beam and lower sidelobe levels while maintaining robustness. The superior performance of Dv-FDB is verified by simulations and experimental data.

Dissolved black carbon is not likely a significant refractory organic carbon pool in rivers and oceans

Rivers are the major carriers of dissolved black carbon (DBC) from land to ocean; the sources of DBC during its continuous transformation and cycling in the ocean, however, are not well characterized. Here, we present new carbon isotope data for DBC in four large and two small mountainous rivers, the Yangtze and Yellow river estuaries, the East China Sea and the North Pacific Ocean. We found that the carbon isotope signatures of DBC are relatively homogeneous, and the DBC ¹⁴C ages in rivers are predominantly young and increase during continuous transport and cycling in the ocean. The results of charcoal leaching experiments indicate that DBC is released from charcoal and degraded by bacteria. Our study suggests that riverine DBC is labile and respired during transport and mixing into the ocean and that residual DBC is cycled and aged on the same time scales as bulk DOC in the ocean.

Genomic Characteristics and Potential Metabolic Adaptations of Hadal Trench Roseobacter and Alteromonas Bacteria Based on Single-Cell Genomics Analyses

Heterotrophic bacteria such as those from the Roseobacter group and genus Alteromonas dominate the hadal zones of oceans; however, we know little about the genomic characteristics and potential metabolic adaptations of hadal trench-dwelling bacteria. Here, we report multiple single amplified genomes (SAGs) belonging to Roseobacter and Alteromonas, recovered from the hadal zone of the Mariana Trench. While phylogenetic analyses show that these hadal SAGs cluster with their surface relatives, an analysis of genomic recruitment indicates that they have higher relative abundances in the hadal zone of the Mariana Trench. Comparative genomic analyses between the hadal SAGs and reference genomes of closely related shallow-water relatives indicate that genes involved in the mobilome (prophages and transposons) are overrepresented among the unique genes of the hadal Roseobacter and Alteromonas SAGs; the functional proteins encoded by this category of genes also shows higher amino acid sequence variation than those encoded by other gene sets within the Roseobacter SAGs. We also found that genes involved in cell wall/membrane/envelope biogenesis, transcriptional regulation, and metal transport may be important for the adaptation of hadal Roseobacter and Alteromonas lineages. These results imply that the modification of cell surface-related proteins and transporters is the major direction of genomic evolution in Roseobacter and Alteromonas bacteria adapting to the hadal environment, and that prophages and transposons may be the key factors driving this process.

Novel insights into the Thaumarchaeota in the deepest oceans: their metabolism and potential adaptation mechanisms

BACKGROUND

Marine Group I (MGI) Thaumarchaeota, which play key roles in the global biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen and carbon (ammonia oxidizers), thrive in the aphotic deep sea with massive populations. Recent studies have revealed that MGI Thaumarchaeota were present in the deepest part of oceans-the hadal zone (depth > 6000 m, consisting almost entirely of trenches), with the predominant phylotype being distinct from that in the "shallower" deep sea. However, little is known about the metabolism and distribution of these ammonia oxidizers in the hadal water.

RESULTS

In this study, metagenomic data were obtained from 0-10,500 m deep seawater samples from the Mariana Trench. The distribution patterns of Thaumarchaeota derived from metagenomics and 16S rRNA gene sequencing were in line with that reported in previous studies: abundance of Thaumarchaeota peaked in bathypelagic zone (depth 1000-4000 m) and the predominant clade shifted in the hadal zone. Several metagenome-assembled thaumarchaeotal genomes were recovered, including a near-complete one representing the dominant hadal phylotype of MGI. Using comparative genomics, we predict that unexpected genes involved in bioenergetics, including two distinct ATP synthase genes (predicted to be coupled with H⁺ and Na⁺ respectively), and genes horizontally transferred from other extremophiles, such as those encoding putative di-myo-inositol-phosphate (DIP) synthases, might significantly contribute to the success of this hadal clade under the extreme condition. We also found that hadal MGI have the genetic potential to import a far higher range of organic compounds than their shallower water counterparts. Despite this trait, hadal MDI ammonia oxidation and carbon fixation genes are highly transcribed providing evidence they are likely autotrophic, contributing to the primary production in the aphotic deep sea.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study reveals potentially novel adaptation mechanisms of deep-sea thaumarchaeotal clades and suggests key functions of deep-sea Thaumarchaeota in carbon and nitrogen cycling. Video Abstract.

miR‑29b promotes the osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells derived from human adipose tissue via the PTEN/AKT/β‑catenin signaling pathway

Accumulating evidence has documented that microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) function as important post-transcriptional regulators of the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), including human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADSCs); however, their roles in hADSC osteogenic differentiation require further investigation. The present study aimed to investigate the role of miRNAs in the osteogenic differentiation of hADSCs and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Using an miRNA microarray, it was found that 24 miRNAs were upregulated and 14 miRNAs were downregulated compared with the undifferentiated cells, and miR-29b-3p (miR-29b) was selected for further experiments. Functional experiments revealed that the upregulation of miR-29b by agomir-29b significantly enhanced alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and the mineralization of extracellular matrix (ECM), and led to an increase in the mRNA and protein levels of osteogenic marker genes, including runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), osteopontin (OPN), osteocalcin (OCN) and bone sialoprotein (BSP), whereas the knockdown of miR-29b suppressed these processes. In addition, phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), a negative regulator of the AKT/β-catenin pathway, was identified as a direct target of miR-29b in the hADSCs. Moreover, it was observed that the overexpression of miR-29b activated the AKT/β-catenin signaling pathway by inhibiting PTEN expression in the hADSCs. Most importantly, it was also found that the overexpression of PTEN reversed the promoting effects of miR-29b on osteogenic differentiation. On the whole, these findings suggest that miR-29b promotes the osteogenic differentiation of hADSCs by modulating the PTEN/AKT/β-catenin signaling pathway. Thus, this miRNA may be a promising target for the active modulation of hADSC-derived osteogenesis.

Three-dimensional finite element analysis of optimal distribution model of vertebroplasty

BACKGROUND

Establishment of a three-dimensional (3D) finite element model of osteoporosis, the simulation fluid was used to enter the vertebral body to study the stiffness recovery of injured vertebral body under different perfusion and distribution conditions, and the stress analysis of adjacent vertebral body after percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) was carried out.

METHODS

A healthy male volunteer was selected. Computed tomography (CT) scanning was performed from T11 to L2. MIMICS 15.0 and ABAQUS 6.11 software was used to extract CT findings, and a vertebral model of osteoporotic fracture was established. The flow physical field and conduction and diffusion physical field were coupled to simulate the process and parts of the bone cement injection into the vertebral fracture model. The quantities of bone cement injected into the vertebral fracture model were 2, 4, and 6 mL, respectively. The diffusion range of bone cement was simulated on the simulated image, and the postinjection model of bone cement was obtained. For the simulation of vertebral movement, vertical downward, forward, and backward pressure of 300 N was applied on the model's surface. The stress changes in the upper and lower vertebrae and diseased vertebrae were calculated under different conditions.

RESULTS

It was revealed that the von Mises stress in the endplate under T12 was the highest in the three different states before and after fracture. The von Mises stress in the intervertebral discs and endplates was significantly higher after fracture than before fracture. When PVP was applied, the von Mises stress in adjacent endplates was increased with the increase of cement injection, while the von Mises stress was decreased in the adjacent endplates with cement injection compared with diseased vertebrae.

CONCLUSIONS

A reliable biomechanical model of lumbar vertebral fracture can be established through numerical simulation of CT scanning data. Vertebral fracture and vertebroplasty may cause biomechanical changes in adjacent vertebrae. The influence of biomechanical changes may notably increase along with the amount of bone cement injected. In this study, PVP revealed 4 mL to be the optimal amount for cement injection.

Local delivery of sunitinib and Ce6 via redox-responsive zwitterionic hydrogels effectively prevents osteosarcoma recurrence

The local delivery of sunitinib and Ce6 via redox-responsive zwitterionic hydrogels effectively induces apoptosis and prevents osteosarcoma recurrence.

Long-term ambient noise statistics in the northeast South China Sea

This paper reports on the long-term statistics of ambient noise (50-2000 Hz) in the northeast South China Sea. The data were collected from July 2016 to March 2018. The long-term statistics, seasonal, and diel variations of ambient noise are analyzed. There are significant seasonal variations from 500 to 2000 Hz. The ambient noise level at 1000 Hz is 6-10 dB higher in winter than in summer. There is only a small difference between the day and night comparison (less than 1.6 dB). The results are significant to evaluate and improve the performance of underwater acoustic systems in this area.

Proliferation of hydrocarbon-degrading microbes at the bottom of the Mariana Trench

BACKGROUND

The Mariana Trench is the deepest known site in the Earth's oceans, reaching a depth of ~ 11,000 m at the Challenger Deep. Recent studies reveal that hadal waters harbor distinctive microbial planktonic communities. However, the genetic potential of microbial communities within the hadal zone is poorly understood.

RESULTS

Here, implementing both culture-dependent and culture-independent methods, we perform extensive analysis of microbial populations and their genetic potential at different depths in the Mariana Trench. Unexpectedly, we observed an abrupt increase in the abundance of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria at depths > 10,400 m in the Challenger Deep. Indeed, the proportion of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria at > 10,400 m is the highest observed in any natural environment on Earth. These bacteria were mainly Oleibacter, Thalassolituus, and Alcanivorax genera, all of which include species known to consume aliphatic hydrocarbons. This community shift towards hydrocarbon degraders was accompanied by increased abundance and transcription of genes involved in alkane degradation. Correspondingly, three Alcanivorax species that were isolated from 10,400 m water supplemented with hexadecane were able to efficiently degrade n-alkanes under conditions simulating the deep sea, as did a reference Oleibacter strain cultured at atmospheric pressure. Abundant n-alkanes were observed in sinking particles at 2000, 4000, and 6000 m (averaged 23.5 μg/gdw) and hadal surface sediments at depths of 10,908, 10,909, and 10,911 m (averaged 2.3 μg/gdw). The δ²H values of n-C_16/18 alkanes that dominated surface sediments at near 11,000-m depths ranged from - 79 to - 93‰, suggesting that these sedimentary alkanes may have been derived from an unknown heterotrophic source.

CONCLUSIONS

These results reveal that hydrocarbon-degrading microorganisms are present in great abundance in the deepest seawater on Earth and shed a new light on potential biological processes in this extreme environment.

Alcanivorax profundi sp. nov., isolated from deep seawater of the Mariana Trench

A Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, non-motile, strictly aerobic strain, designated as MTEO17^T, was isolated from a 1000 m deep seawater sample of the Mariana Trench. Growth was observed at 10-45 °C (optimum, 37 °C), in the presence of 0.0-12.0 % NaCl (w/v; optimum, 3.0 %) and at pH 6.0-10.0 (optimum, pH 7.0-8.0). Phylogenetic analysis, based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence, revealed that strain MTEO17^T belonged to the genus Alcanivorax and showed the highest sequence similarity of 97.9 % to Alcanivorax nanhaiticus MCCC 1A05629^T. The estimated average nucleotide identity and DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain MTEO17^T and A. nanhaiticus MCCC 1A05629^T were 78.98 and 23.80 %, respectively. The significant dominant fatty acids were C16 : 0, summed feature 8 (C18 : 1ω6c and/or C18 : 1ω7c) and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω6c and/or C16 : 1ω7c). The polar lipids comprised two phosphatidylethanolamines, one phosphatidylglycerol, one unidentified phospholipid and four unidentified polar lipids. The DNA G+C content of strain MTEO17^T was 57.5 %. On the basis of the polyphasic evidence, strain MTEO17^T is proposed to represent a novel species of the genus Alcanivorax, for which the name Alcanivorax profundi sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is MTEO17^T (=KCTC 52694^T=MCCC 1K03252^T).

Influence of microgravity-induced intervertebral disc degeneration of rats on expression levels of p53/p16 and proinflammatory factors

Association of expression levels of tumor suppressor proteins p53 and p16 and inflammatory factors in simulated weightlessness with the degree of lumbar disc degeneration of rats was investigated. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination was performed for rats in control group and experimental group, and the intervertebral disc of rats in both groups was detected and analyzed using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) histopathological staining. The mRNA expression levels of proinflammatory factors, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were detected, and p53 and p16 mRNA and protein expression levels were detected. MRI results showed significant intervertebral disc injury in experimental group. Results of H&E staining revealed that the intervertebral disc injury in experimental group was more serious with obvious signs of degeneration than that in control group. The mRNA expression levels of inflammatory factors (IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α) in rats in experimental group were significantly increased compared with those in control group, indicating that the degree of lumbar disc degeneration of rats in simulated weightlessness is closely related to the inflammatory factors. RT-PCR and western blotting proved that both p53 and p16 mRNA and protein expression levels in experimental group were obviously increased. Results of t-test manifested that there were statistically significant differences in p53 and p16 expression levels between control group and experimental group (P<0.01). The abnormal expression levels of p53 and p16 genes have close association with the degree of lumbar disc degeneration of rats in simulated weightlessness, and the lumbar disc degeneration is also closely related to the increased expression levels of inflammatory factors.

Latitude-dependent finescale turbulent shear generations in the Pacific tropical-extratropical upper ocean

Turbulent mixing, which is critically important for the equilibrium of ocean circulation, is controlled by finescale turbulent shear (S²) of oceanic flows through shear instability. Although the relationship between S² and mixing is well understood, the latitude-dependent generation processes of S² remain poorly known due to the lack of geographically extensive, long-term finescale velocity measurements. Here, using one-year ADCP data from 17 moorings along 143°E, we first show that the upper-ocean S² and its resultant mixing rate have a W-shaped latitudinal distribution in the tropical-extratropical northwest Pacific with peaks at 0-2°N, 12-14°N, and 20-22°N, respectively. Further analyses reveal that these S² peaks are caused by vertically-sheared equatorial currents, parametric subharmonic instability of diurnal tide, and anticyclonic eddy's inertial chimney effect, respectively. As climate model simulations are sensitive to the mixing parameterizations, our findings highlight the need to incorporate the latitude-dependent generation mechanisms of S² to improve climate models' prediction capabilities.

Paravertebral injection of botulinum toxin-A reduces lumbar vertebral bone quality

Aging has been associated with decreases in muscle strength and bone quality. In older patients, paravertebral muscle atrophy tends to coincide with vertebral osteoporosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a paravertebral injection of botulinum toxin-A (BTX) on paravertebral muscle atrophy and lumbar vertebral bone quality. Forty 16-week-old female SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: (1) a control group (CNT); (2) a resection of erector spinae muscles group (RESM); (3) a botulinum toxin-A group (BTX), treated with 5U BTX by local injection into the paravertebral muscles bilaterally; and (4) a positive control group (OVX), treated by bilateral ovariectomy. Rats were sacrificed at 12 weeks post-surgery, and the lumbar vertebrae (L3-L6) were collected. Micro-CT scans showed that rats in the three experimental groups-particularly the OVX rats-had fewer trabeculae and trabecular connections than rats in the CNT group. BMD was significantly lower in rats in the OVX, RESM, and BTX groups than in the CNT group (p < 0.01). Vertebral compression testing revealed significantly lower maximum load, energy absorption, maximum stress, and elastic modulus values in the three experimental groups compared with the CNT group (p < 0.01); these parameters were lowest in the OVX group (p < 0.05). Our results demonstrate that local BTX injection causes sufficient muscle atrophy and dysfunction to result in local lumbar vertebral bone loss and quality deterioration in a model of paravertebral muscle atrophy. Clinical Significance: The muscular tissues surrounding the lumbar vertebrae should be preserved during clinical surgery to avoid loss of bone quality and mass in the adjacent bone. Maintaining paravertebral muscle strength is an important consideration for patients with early osteoporosis. © 2018 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:2664-2670, 2018.

Insight Into the Pico- and Nano-Phytoplankton Communities in the Deepest Biosphere, the Mariana Trench

As photoautotrophs, phytoplankton are generally present in the euphotic zone of the ocean, however, recently healthy phytoplankton cells were found to be also ubiquitous in the dark deep sea, i.e., at water depths between 2000 and 4000 m. The distributions of phytoplankton communities in much deeper waters, such as the hadal zone, are unclear. In this study, the vertical distribution of the pico- and nano-phytoplankton (PN) communities from the surface to 8320 m, including the epipelagic, mesopelagic, bathypelagic, and hadal zones, were investigated via both 18S and p23S rRNA gene analysis in the Challenger Deep of the Mariana Trench. The results showed that Dinoflagellata, Chrysophyceae, Haptophyta, Chlorophyta, Prochloraceae, Pseudanabaenaceae, Synechococcaceae, and Eustigmatophyceae, etc., were the predominant PN in the Mariana Trench. Redundancy analyses revealed that depth, followed by temperature, was the most important environmental factors correlated with vertical distribution of PN community. In the hadal zone, the PN community structure was considerably different from those in the shallower zones. Some PN communities, e.g., Eustigmatophyceae and Chrysophyceae, which have the heterotrophic characteristics, were sparse in shallower waters, while they were identified with high relative abundance (94.1% and 20.1%, respectively) at the depth of 8320 m. However, the dinoflagellates and Prochloraceae Prochlorococcus were detected throughout the entire water column. We proposed that vertical sinking, heterotrophic metabolism, and/or the transition to resting stage of phytoplankton might contribute to the presence of phytoplankton in the hadal zone. This study provided insight into the PN community in the Mariana Trench, implied the significance of phytoplankton in exporting organic matters from the euphotic to the hadal zone, and also hinted the possible existence of some undetermined energy metabolism (e.g., heterotrophy) of phytoplankton making themselves adapt and survive in the hadal environment.

Observations of Deep Current at the Western Boundary of the Northern Philippine Basin

One-year time series of current velocities and hydrographic parameters based on four deep moorings deployed east of the Luzon Strait are employed to study the deep current at the western boundary (DCWB) of the northern Philippine Basin. While the mean current is relatively weak, the DCWB is highly variable on an intraseasonal time scale, with dominant periods ranging between 30 and 80 days. During the period of observation (October 2011–October 2012), the DCWB reversed its direction at early April, and pointed southward (−2.4 cm/s) in summer/autumn and northward (1.7 cm/s) in winter/spring. This annual reversal of the DCWB is consistent with the water property distribution in the deep Philippine Basin, with relatively cold and fresh water to the north and relatively warm and salty water to the south. The moored time series also allow for discussion on the stratification of the deep Luzon Strait, which indicates the lower interface of Pacific deep water capable of furnishing the deepwater overflow in the Luzon Strait.

Association between GDF5 single nucleotide polymorphism rs143383 and lumbar disc degeneration

The association between growth differentiation factor 5 (GDF5), single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs143383 and lumbar disc degeneration (LDD) was investigated. A total of 210 patients with LDD (observation group) and 320 patients without lumbar diseases (control group) diagnosed in Shanghai General Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from August 2013 to March 2017 were randomly selected. Then, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was extracted from the blood of each patient, and Taq-man fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) technique was used to detect rs143383 in GFD5 gene. The frequency of different genotypes in observation group and control group was counted, and the associations between different SNP genotypes and the incidence of LDD were analyzed. Good genotyping results were found in both LDD patient group and control group. There were no significant differences in distribution frequency of TT and TC genotypes at site rs143383 between LDD patient group and control group (P>0.05), but the distribution frequency of CC genotype at site rs143383 in LDD patient group had a statistically significant difference from that in control group (P<0.05). In dominant models, odds ratio (OR) of (TC+CC/TT) was 1.195 (P=0.532). In recessive models, OR of (CC/TT+TC) was 4.333 (P=0.028). In co-dominant models, ORs of (TC/TT) and (CC/TT) were 0.967 and 4.43, respectively (P=0.99). The differences in 3 genotypes showed no statistical significance among different pathological grades (Grade I to V) (χ²=1.034, P=0.998), and there was no statistically significant difference in T and C (χ²=0.012, P=0.999). Pathological grades in dominant models, recessive models and over dominant models were analyzed, and no statistically significant difference was found (P>0.05). In conclusion, CC mutant type at rs143383 in GDF5 gene has a strong association with the incidence of LDD, and a high prevalence risk, but it has no evident correlation with pathological grades.