[Research progress of odontoid fracture in children]

The majority of cervical spine injuries in children occur in the upper cervical spine, of which odontoid fracture is the most common. Odontoid fracture in children is a very insidious injury. Due to the unclear language and incompatible physical examination, the disease is often missed diagnosis. Because the child axis is still in the developmental segment, including 4 synchondrosis and 6 ossification centers, there are obvious anatomical and biological differences between the child odontoid fracture and the adult. Therefore, the choice of treatment is different from that of adults. This article will introduce the development of odontoid in children, and summarize the injury characteristics, clinical classification and treatment of odontoid fracture in children.

[Prediction model for survival in patients with biliary tract cancer: a development and validation study]

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the survival rate and its prognostic factors for patients with biliary tract cancer, and then a prognostic risk prediction model was constructed to predict the survival probability of patients. Methods: A total of 14 005 patients with biliary tract cancer (including gallbladder cancer, extrahepatic bile duct cancer, and ampulla of Vater cancer), who were diagnosed between 2010 and 2015 in the US National Cancer Institute Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) were included in the development cohort. The prognostic risk factors of biliary tract cancer were investigated using multivariate Cox regression models. The predictive nomograms were then constructed to predict the overall survival probability of 1, 3, and 5 years, and the predictive discrimination and calibration ability of the nomograms were further evaluated. Meanwhile, 11 953 patients who were diagnosed during 2004 to 2009 from SEER Program were then selected to validate the external predictive accuracy of the prediction models. Results: The 1, 3 and 5-year cumulative survival rates of patients with biliary tract cancer were 41.9%, 20.4% and 15.3%, respectively, in the development cohort. Age greater than 50 years, African Americans and Native Americans and Alaska Natives, higher T, N and M stage and poor histological differentiation grade were risk factors for death, while married status, Asia-Pacific Islanders, insured status and surgery on primary site were protective factors. Gender was not significantly associated with the overall survival. The C statistic of the prediction model was 0.73 (95%CI: 0.72-0.74), and the calibration curve showed that the interaction curves of predictive and actual survival rates of 1, 3 and 5 years were close to the 45 degree diagonal. Results in the validation cohort were similar with those in the construction cohort, with a C statistic of 0.70 (95%CI: 0.69-0.72), indicating high external applicability of the prediction model. Findings from gallbladder cancer, extrahepatic bile duct cancer, and ampulla of Vater cancer are in consistent with the overall biliary tract cancer. Conclusions: The survival rate of patients with biliary tract cancer is relatively poor, and the survival prediction model based on prognostic factors has high prediction accuracy. In the future, this prognostic prediction model could be applied to clinical practice to guide individualized treatment for patients with biliary tract cancer.

[Research progress on meralgia paresthetica after posterior spine surgery]

Meralgia paresthetica (MP) after posterior spine surgery is caused by mechanical compression injury of lateral femoral cutaneous nerve, which presents as numbness or paresthesia in the confined area of the anterolateral thigh. MP after posterior spine surgery is a common postoperative complication, and the incidence is 12.7%-25.5%. Because its clinical manifestations are mild and easy to be ignored, often leading to treatment delays. This article mainly reviews the incidence, risk factors, prevention and treatment of MP after posterior spine surgery.

[The mortality burden of influenza in China: a systematic review]

Objective: To systematically review the mortality burden study of influenza in mainland China. Method: "influenza", "flu", "H1N1", "pandemic", "mortality", "death", "fatality", "burden", "China" and "Chinese" were used as keywords, and a systematic literature search was conducted to identify articles in three English databases (PubMed, Web of Science and Embase) and three Chinese database (CNKI, WanFang and VIP) during 1990-2018 (excluding Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan). The language of literature was restricted to Chinese and English. The inclusion criteria were human-oriented researches with method based on population, and research indexes included mortality and excess mortality. The exclusion criteria were non-primary research materials, predictive research and research on the burden of avian influenza related deaths. A total of 17 literatures were included, and the basic information to descriptive characteristics, methodology of modeling and the corresponding results were extracted. Results: All the 17 studies adopted indirect statistical models, with 14 of which adopted the regression model, and all the research index was excess mortality. All causes (16 studies), respiratory and circulatory diseases (14 studies) and pneumonia and influenza (10 studies) were the main causes of death associated with influenza. Influenza associated mortality burden in the elderly was higher, with the lowest excess mortality rates of all causes, respiratory and circulatory diseases, pneumonia and influenza being 49.57, 30.80 and 0.69 per 100 000 people, and the highest rates being 228.16, 170.20 and 30.35 per 100 000 people, respectively. In the non-elderly, the corresponding lowest rates were -0.27, -0.08 and 0.04 per 100 000 people respectively, and the highest rates were 3.63, 2.6 and 0.91 per 100 000 people, respectively. The influenza-related excess mortality was higher in the north, with a minimum of 7.8 per 100 000 and a maximum of 18.0 per 100 000, and slightly lower in the south, with a minimum of 6.11 per 100 000 and a maximum of 18.7 per 100 000. There were also differences in deaths caused by different influenza virus subtypes, with influenza A(H3N2) and influenza B virus possibly posing a heavier mortality burden. Conclusions: Studies on influenza mortality burden is mainly based on indirect model and urban level in China. The mortality burden of influenza in the elderly, the northern and subtype A(H3N2) and B were more severe.

[A systematic review of the economic burden of influenza in China]

Objectives: To understand the status of studies about influenza economic burden in mainland China and summarize their major results. Methods: The words of influenza, flu, cost, economic, burden, effectiveness, benefit, utility, China, and Chinese, were used as search keywords. Journal papers published during 2000-2018 were searched from Chinese electronic databases (CNKI and Wanfang) and English electronic databases (PubMed, Web of science, EconLit and Cochrane Library). The language of literature was restricted to Chinese and English. A total of 23 effective documents were included, and the descriptive characteristics, research indexes and methods included in the literature were analyzed. The monetary unit used in this review is Chinese Yuan (CNY). Results: The 23 study sites were mainly in the relatively developed and populous regions. The total cost per capita of laboratory-confirmed influenza,of all age-group was reported in 6 literatures, and only 4 literatures reported it in out-patients (range: 768.0-999.9 CNY), Only one study reported this indicator in inpatients (9 832.0 CNY). One literature reported the total cost per capita of influenza-like illness,, which was 205.1 CNY. And one literature reported that the direct medical cost of inpatients per capita in children under 5 years of age was 6 072.0 CNY while two literature reported this index for the elderly over 60 years of age, ranging from 14 250.0 to 19 349.1 CNY. Four articles reported the economic burden of influenza in urban and rural areas, one of which showed that the related expenses of urban influenza inpatients accounted for 31% of the average annual income, while which for the rural flow was 113%. Conclusion: The average economic burden of lab-confirmed influenza case is higher than that of influenza-like illness, and there are differences in outpatient indirect expenses and inpatients direct medical expenses. The direct medical burden for the hospitalized 60-years-and-beyond influenza case group is heavier thar other age group. By region, the influenza associated individual economic burden in rural area is higher than that of urban area..

[Cellular damage of low-dose combined exposure to mercury, lead and cadmium on hippocampal neurons in rats]

Objective: To observe the cellular damage of low-dose combined exposure to Hg, Pb and Cd on hippocampal neurons in rat. Methods: SH-SY5Y cells were randomly divided into 8 groups by 2×2×2 factorial design: control group, Pb exposure group, Hg exposure group, Pb+Hg exposure group, Pb+Cd exposure group, Hg+Cd exposure group and Pb+Cd+Hg exposure group. And the cell viabilities were measured. On this basis, an animal model was established. Twenty eight-week-old SD pregnant rats were randomly divided into four groups by random number table, and five in each group: the control group(distilled water), 1-fold metal mixture exposure group (1×MM, poisoning solution containing mercury chloride 0.15 mg/L, lead acetate trihydrate 25 mg/L, cadmium chloride 7.5 mg/L), 5-fold metal mixture exposure group (5×MM, poisoning solution containing mercury chloride 0.75 mg/L, lead acetate trihydrate 125.00 mg/L, cadmium chloride 37.50 mg/L), 10-fold metal mixture exposure group (10×MM, poisoning solution containing mercury chloride 1.50 mg/L, lead acetate trihydrate 250.00 mg/L, cadmium chloride 75.00 mg/L). Pregnant rats drank water until delivery. Twenty male pups were selected and exposed to these metals through breast milk until weaned. The heavy metals dose of poisoning water was adjusted, and then the weaned rats were exposed to heavy metals via drinking poisoning water until adulthood (postnatal day 83). The blood samples and brain hippocampus samples were collected to observe the ultrastructural changes of hippocampus, and to determine the levels of Hg, Pb and Cd in blood. In addition, apoptosis rate and fluorescence intensity of reactive oxygen species and intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) in hippocampal neurons were measured. Results: Cellular factorial design analysis showed that Hg+Pb+Cd (at no observed adverse effect level, 1.0, 0.5 and 0.1 μmol/L, respectively)had a interaction on cell viability after 48 or 72 hours of combined exposure (P<0.05). The results of ultrastructure showed that mitochondria decreased, ridges and matrixes gradually dissolved in rat hippocampal neurons of 5×MM group; nuclear chromatin aggregated, more ridges and matrixes dissolved and the mitochondria also decreased in rat hippocampal neurons of 10×MM group. The concentration of Hg, Pb and Cd in the blood of 1×MM group, 5×MM group and 10×MM group were higher than those in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.001). There was no significant difference in apoptosis rate between the 1×MM group and the control group. The apoptosis rate of 5×MM group and 10×MM group was higher than that in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in the fluorescence intensity of reactive oxygen species in hippocampal neurons of the 1×MM group and the control group. The fluorescence intensity of reactive oxygen species in the 5×MM group and the 10×MM group was higher than that in the control group, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the fluorescence intensity of [Ca(2+)](i) between the 1×MM group and the control group. The fluorescence intensity values of [Ca(2+)](i) in the 5×MM group and the 10×MM group were higher than the control group, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.001). Conclusion: Low-level combined exposure to Hg, Pb, and Cd caused synergistic neurotoxic damage, and the process may be related to the changes of neuronal apoptosis, reactive oxide species, and [Ca(2+)](i) levels.

The functions of caspase in whitefly Bemisia tabaci apoptosis in response to ultraviolet irradiation

Whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci) are phloem feeders, and some invasive species are composed of cryptic species complexes that cause extensive crop damage, particularly via the direct transmission of plant viruses. Apoptosis is a type of programmed cell death essential for organismal development and tissue homeostasis. The caspases belong to a family of cysteine proteases that play a central role in the initiation of apoptosis in many organisms. Here, we employed a comprehensive genomics approach to identity caspases in B. tabaci Middle East Asia Minor 1 (MEAM1), an invasive whitefly that carries a cryptic species complex that is devastating to crops. Four caspase genes were identified, and their motif compositions were predicted. Structures were relatively conserved in both putative effector and initiator caspases. Expression patterns of caspase genes differed across insect developmental stages. Three caspase genes were induced immediately after ultraviolet (UV) treatment. Expression levels of Bt-caspase-1 and Bt-caspase-3b increased in the midgut and salivary glands during apoptosis induced by UV treatments, whereas silencing of both genes reduced UV-triggered apoptosis. Our study demonstrates that Bt-caspase-1 and Bt-caspase-3b, respectively, act as putative initiator and effector apoptotic caspases in the MEAM1 whitefly.

MiRNA-338-3p regulates cervical cancer cells proliferation by targeting MACC1 through MAPK signaling pathway

OBJECTIVE

Aberrant expression of miR-338-3p has recently involved in the progression and development of various types of malignant tumors, but its role in the progression of cervical cancer remains unknown. This study aims to investigate the role of miR-338-3p/MACC1 axis in the progression of cervical cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

MiR-338-3p and metastasis-associated in colon cancer 1 (MACC1) expression was determined in cervical cancer by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). We explored the association of miR-338-3p expression with pathology and prognosis in cervical cancer patients. We explored the function of miR-338-3p and MACC1 on cell proliferation. A luciferase reporter assay was conducted to confirm the target gene of miR-338-3p in cervical cancer cells.

RESULTS

In the present work, our data showed that the expression of miR-338-3p was substantially decreased in cervical cancer tissues and associated with advanced FIGO stage, lymph node metastasis, depth of cervical invasion and poor overall survival. However, the MACC1 had an opposite expression. Mechanistically, we identified that MACC1 which acted as a functional downstream target for miR-338-3p. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-338-3p decreased expression of MACC1 in cervical cancer cells could significantly inhibit cervical cancer cell proliferation and induce cells apoptosis. Interestingly, miR-338-3p and MACC1 had proven to be involved in the progression of cervical cancer cells by regulating mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggested miR-338-3p/MACC1/MAPK regulatory pathway play an important role in the progression of cervical cancer.

[Research progress on the clinical significance of sagittal alignment and balance in cervical spine]

Though great progress on spinal sagittal alignment has been seen recently, which focuses on the lumbar spine-pelvic region and the whole spine, while there is a few research mainly concentrated on the cervical spine. In recent years, a growing number of researchers have been exploring the changes in the compensation of cervical sagittal alignment and their effect on surgery, and the preliminary results of these researches are satisfactory. The present review focuses on the measurement of sagittal plane parameters of cervical spine, changes of sagittal alignment in cervical spine disorders, and its effect on cervical surgery.

[Effects of thermal cycling on mechanical properties of resin-ceramic composites]

Objective: To investigate the influence of thermal cycling on the mechanical properties of resin-ceramic composites. Methods: The different groups of resin-ceramic composites A (Lava Ultimate, 3M ESPE, USA), B (block HC, Shofu, Japan), C (Hyramic, Upcera, China), D (Vita Enamic, Vita, German), and the feldspar ceramic E (Mark Ⅱ, Vita, German) were included in this study. The properties of these groups (with 30 samples in each group), including flexural strength, flexural modulus and Vickers hardness were tested before and after thermal cycling (0, 10 000 and 20 000 cycles, respectively). The data were statistically analyzed. Results: Before thermal cycling, the flexural strength of groups A, B and C [(166.28±13.78) MPa, (170.21±11.36) MPa and (202.04±16.55) MPa] were higher than those of groups D and E [(137.09±8.83) MPa and (119.35±5.98) MPa], and the flexural modulus [(62.39±3.40) GPa] and Vickers hardness [(406.97±14.73) HV] of E group were higher than those of other groups (P<0.05). The flexural strength, flexural modulus and Vickers hardness of groups D and E did not change after thermal cycling (all P>0.05), while those of groups A, B and C decreased (all P<0.05). Conclusion: After thermal cycling, the mechanical properties of the A, B and C groups decreased, while those of the groups D and E were stable.

[Correlation between Alzheimer disease and cataract]

Alzheimer disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease and is a leading cause of dementia among elders. In the early phase of AD, even if neuropathological changes presented, but little to none clinical symptoms were found. Therefore, it is difficult to diagnose AD in the beginning of the disease. It is vital to find a noninvasive way for both diagnose and prognosis of AD. Studies have found that β-amyloid (Aβ) works as a connection between AD and cataract. This review will discuss AD and its associated markers which may be present in the lens and cataract related AD to provide more basis for early diagnosis of AD. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2017, 53: 314-316).

MIR-92 stimulates VEGF by inhibiting von Hippel-Lindau gene product in epithelial ovarian cancer

The molecular mechanisms underlying regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) remain poorly defined. VEGF, a potent angiogenic factor, is up-regulated in a variety of cancers and contributes to angiogenesis in tumor tissues. The level of VEGF correlates with progression of malignancy. We previously reported that miR-92 is abnormally elevated in the plasma of EOC patients. Here, we tested the hypothesis that miR-92 inhibits von Hippel-Lindau gene product (VHL), a tumor suppressor gene, and in turn de-represses HIF-1α, a known key transcription factor for VEGF, to stimulate VEGF expression. Using a variety of biomedical methods including Western blot, RT-PCR, gene silencing, luciferase assay, and chromatin immunoprecipitation in both surgically-resected specimens and EOC cell culture, we established that EOC cells have elevated levels of HIF-1α and miR-92 expression, but the expression of VHL is reduced. We further demonstrated that miR-92 can target the VHL transcript to repress its expression. We also found that stabilized HIF-1α can form an active complex with transcriptional coactivator p300 and phosphorylated-STAT3 at the VEGF promoter to stimulate its expression. In addition, matrix metalloproteinases MMP-2 and MMP-9 are positively regulated by HIF-1α. These results suggest that miR-92 can potentially be considered as a novel therapeutical target in treatment of EOS.

A compliant and biomimetic three-layered vascular graft for small blood vessels

Engineering a small diameter vascular graft with mechanical and biological properties comparable to living tissues remains challenging. Often, current devices lead to thrombosis and unsatisfactory long-term patency as a result of poor blood compatibility and a mismatch between the mechanical properties of the living tissue and the implanted biomaterial. Addressing all these requirements is essential to produce scaffolds able to survive throughout the life of the patient. For this purpose, we fabricated a novel three-layered vascular graft by combining electrospinning and braiding. Mirroring the structure of human blood vessels, the proposed device is composed of three layers: the intima, the media, and the adventitia. The intima and media layers were obtained by sequentially electrospinning silk fibroin (SF) and poly(L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone), with ratios selected to match the mechanical properties of the native tissue. For the outer layer, the adventitia, SF yarns were braided on top of the electrospun tubes to create a structure able to withstand high pressures. Compliance, Young's modulus and deformability of the obtained scaffold were similar to that of human blood vessels. Additionally, cytocompatibility of the two layers, media and intima, was assessed in vitro by analysing cell metabolic activity and proliferation of endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells, respectively. Furthermore, heparin functionalization of the scaffolds led to improved anticoagulant properties upon incubation in whole blood. The obtained results indicate a potential application of the herewith designed three-layered construct as a vascular graft for small diameter blood vessel engineering.

Not all cementless femoral stems are created equal but the results may be comparable

AIMS

The aim of this study was to compare the survivorship and radiographic outcomes at ten-year follow-up of three prospective consecutive series of patients each of which received a different design of cementless femoral components for total hip arthroplasty (THA).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In Cohort 1, 91 consecutive patients (100 hips) underwent THA with a cementless porous-coated anatomic femoral stem (PCA) between October 1983 and January 1986. In Cohort 2, 86 consecutive patients (100 hips) underwent THA with an extensively porous-coated cementless femoral stem (Prodigy) between June 1994 and October 1997. In Cohort 3, 88 consecutive patients (100 hips) underwent THA with a proximally porous-coated triple-tapered cementless stem (Summit) between April 2002 and October 2003. All three groups underwent prospective clinical and radiographic evaluation.

RESULTS

Kaplan-Meier survivorship analysis of Cohort 1 was 91% (95% confidence interval (CI) 88 to 94) with an endpoint of revision for any reason and 97% (95% CI 95 to 99) with aseptic loosening as the endpoint. Survivorship of Cohort 2 was 88% (95% CI 79 to 97) for revision for any reason and 100% for aseptic loosening. Survivorship of Cohort 3 was 95% (95% CI 91 to 99) for revision for any reason and 100% with aseptic loosening as the endpoint.

CONCLUSION

With revision for aseptic loosening of the femoral component as the endpoint, the three femoral components with different design philosophies demonstrated excellent survivorship, ranging from 97% to 100% at ten years. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B(1 Supple A):14-17.

The Epidemiology and Characteristics of Q fever and Co-infections with Scrub Typhus, Murine Typhus or Leptospirosis in Taiwan: A Nationwide Database Study

Q fever (QF) is a worldwide zoonosis associated with outbreaks. Only a few nationwide studies regarding the surveillance and epidemiology of human QF have been reported. Although QF is endemic in Taiwan, a nationwide database investigation of the epidemiology and characteristics of QF and its associations with scrub typhus (ST), murine typhus (MT) and leptospirosis (LS) has never been reported. We analysed nationwide databases of suspected QF, ST, MT and LS cases from October 2007 to December 2014 obtained from the Centers for Disease Control, Taiwan. A total of 468 (4.2%) QF cases were identified among 11 109 suspected QF cases. QF cases were mainly distributed in the southern and Kaohsiung-Pingtung regions but rarely in the eastern region. Compared to non-QF cases, QF cases had significantly higher percentages of males (88.7 versus 66.2%) and high-risk occupations (farming, animal husbandry or veterinary medicine) (16.2 versus 10.5%). But the percentages of specific animal contact, including cattle (0.6 versus 0.8%) and goats (0.9 versus 1.0%), were low in both. The majority of suspected QF cases (89.4%) were simultaneously suspected with ST, MT or LS, and the combinations of suspected diseases differed between regions. The number of suspected QF cases from the eastern region decreased since 2009, which was not observed in other regions. A total of 1420 (12.8%) cases had confirmed diseases, including QF (453, 4.1%), QF+ST (7, 0.06%), QF+MT (4, 0.04%), QF+LS (4, 0.04%), MT (186, 1.7%), ST (545, 4.9%), ST+LS (11, 0.1%) and LS (210, 1.9%). Compared to cases of unknown disease, QF cases had larger percentages of high-risk occupations (16.2 versus 9.6%) but similar histories of animal contact (29.8 versus 25.1%). QF is an endemic disease in southern Taiwan. It is difficult to differentiate QF from ST, MT or LS only by high-risk occupations and history of animal contact, and co-infection of QF with these diseases should be considered.

[Clinical effect and airway changes of adjustable oral appliance in the treatment of adult obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome]

Objective:To investigate the effect of adjustable oral appliance on airway changes and clinical effect in obstructive sleepApnea hypopnea syndrome,and to observe the effect of jaw joints.Method:Forty adult cases diagnosed as OSAHS by polysomnography(PSG), were treated with adjustable oral appliance.After six months,the sleep apnea hypoventilation index(AHI)and the lowest oxygen saturation (LSaO₂) by PSG were evaluated. And three-dimensional cone beam computed tomography(CBCT) reconstruction was used to analyze the morphological changes of the upper airway,and the gap of jaw joint preliminarily.Result:After such treatment, LSaO₂ level of all cases increased, and AHI reduced(P< 0.01).The total volume and area of the upper airway increased significantly(P< 0.01), There was no obvious anomalies found in jaw joints.Conclusion:The adjustable oral appliance applied to in adult OSAHS can increase the shape and size of the airway,improve the airway ventilation effectively, and have no affection to the jaw joints in initial observation.

[Clinical analysis of 67 cases of surgical site infection after spine surgery]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the treatment of surgical site infection(SSI) after spine surgery.

METHODS

Sixty-seven patients (aged 20-77 years with mean age of 51 years) with etiologically-confirmed surgical site infection after spine surgery in Peking University Third Hospital between July 2004 and December 2012 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 39 male and 28 female patients; 47 lumbar infections, 4 thoracic infections, 7 lower cervical infections and 8 upper cervical infections; 64 early infections and 3 delayed infections; 23 superficial infections and 44 deep infections; 47 monomicrobial infections and 20 polymicrobial infections. Ninety-six strains of bacteria were identified from the bacterial culture of 67 patients. Sixty strains were gram-positive pathogenic bacteria (62.5%), and the top three species were Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis and Enterococcus faecalis. The remaining 36 strains were gram-negative pathogenic bacteria (37.5%), and the 3 species most predominant were Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae, and Acinetobacter baumannii. All the patients with SSI were administered antibiotics. Debridement and irrigation-suction was performed if little symptomatic improvement was achieved in two-to-three days of antibiotics treatment, patients underwent 1-5 times of debridements (mean 1.5 times).

RESULTS

One patient was dead of MRSA septicemia, whom manifested as high fever, alalia and incision swelling when the infection occurred. The patient underwent polymicrobial of pulmonary infection and urinary tract infection during the period of hospitalization, and finally died of multiple organ failure. Sixty-six cases had wound healed, and they were followed up for 25-117 months (average 70 months), no recurrence of infection was found at last follow-up. Among the 65 cases of internal fixation, 56 cases reserved the implants, while implants were removed in other 9 cases for controlling infection.

CONCLUSION

Reasonable antibiotics and irrigation-suction are effective methods for managing surgical site infections after spine surgery and prevent removal of implants.

Ectopic expression of Arabidopsis thaliana Na+(K+)/H+ antiporter gene, AtNHX5, enhances soybean salt tolerance

Drought and salt stresses are the two major factors influencing the yield and quality of crops worldwide. Na(+)(K(+))/H(+) antiporters (NHXs) are ubiquitous membrane proteins that play important roles in maintaining the cellular pH and Na(+)(K(+)) homeostasis. The model plant Arabidopsis potentially encodes six NHX genes, namely AtNHX1 to 6. In the present study, AtNHX5, a comparatively less well-studied NHX, was cloned and transferred into a soybean variety, Dongnong-50, via Agrobacterium-mediated cotyledonary node transformation to assess its role in improving salt tolerance of the transgenic plants. The transgenic soybean plants were tolerant to the presence of 300 mM NaCl whereas the non-transgenic plants were not. Furthermore, after NaCl treatment, the transgenic plants had a higher content of free proline but lower content of malondialdehyde compared to the non-transgenic plants. Our results revealed that that AtNHX5 possibly functioned by efficiently transporting Na(+) and K(+) ions from the roots to the leaves. Overall, the results obtained in this study suggest that soybean salt tolerance could be improved through the over expression of Arabidopsis AtNHX5.

Measurement of the Reactor Antineutrino Flux and Spectrum at Daya Bay

This Letter reports a measurement of the flux and energy spectrum of electron antineutrinos from six 2.9 GWth nuclear reactors with six detectors deployed in two near (effective baselines 512 and 561 m) and one far (1579 m) underground experimental halls in the Daya Bay experiment. Using 217 days of data, 296 721 and 41 589 inverse β decay (IBD) candidates were detected in the near and far halls, respectively. The measured IBD yield is (1.55±0.04) ×10(-18)  cm(2) GW(-1) day(-1) or (5.92±0.14) ×10(-43)  cm(2) fission(-1). This flux measurement is consistent with previous short-baseline reactor antineutrino experiments and is 0.946±0.022 (0.991±0.023) relative to the flux predicted with the Huber-Mueller (ILL-Vogel) fissile antineutrino model. The measured IBD positron energy spectrum deviates from both spectral predictions by more than 2σ over the full energy range with a local significance of up to ∼4σ between 4-6 MeV. A reactor antineutrino spectrum of IBD reactions is extracted from the measured positron energy spectrum for model-independent predictions.

Viscoelastic response of the midpalatal suture during maxillary expansion treatment

OBJECTIVES

The viscoelastic response of the midpalatal suture during maxillary expansion treatment has been sparsely studied. The aim of our study was to use viscoelastic models to investigate the effect of appliance mechanics on sutural tissue.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Four creep-strain models were utilized in predicting the midpalatal suture's response to a constant-force application during expansion treatment. The functional forms included a three-term separable, three-term inseparable, two-term inseparable, and single-term arrangement. The functions were then transformed into subsequent stress-relaxation representations to predict suture response as a result of 0.25, 0.20, 0.15, and 0.10 mm displacements. Finally, the single-term creep-strain representation was altered to simulate treatment decaying force during treatment. A force that decays 30 and 10% of an initially applied 0.98 N was considered for decaying functions over a 6-week period, and compared to strain resulting from a constant-force application.

RESULTS

This analysis illustrated that the decay in suture strain closely followed decay in force and that the path of decay had minimal impact on overall results. Also, it was found that a single screw activation would likely not cause suture soft tissue failure, even for a 0.25 mm displacement, and that suture stress rapidly decayed within minutes of activation.

CONCLUSION

Results from this study support the notion of maintaining a low-magnitude constant traction on the suture during treatment to avoid soft tissue failure and promote tissue remodeling.

New measurement of antineutrino oscillation with the full detector configuration at Daya Bay

We report a new measurement of electron antineutrino disappearance using the fully constructed Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment. The final two of eight antineutrino detectors were installed in the summer of 2012. Including the 404 days of data collected from October 2012 to November 2013 resulted in a total exposure of 6.9×10^{5} GW_{th}  ton days, a 3.6 times increase over our previous results. Improvements in energy calibration limited variations between detectors to 0.2%. Removal of six ^{241}Am-^{13}C radioactive calibration sources reduced the background by a factor of 2 for the detectors in the experimental hall furthest from the reactors. Direct prediction of the antineutrino signal in the far detectors based on the measurements in the near detectors explicitly minimized the dependence of the measurement on models of reactor antineutrino emission. The uncertainties in our estimates of sin^{2}2θ_{13} and |Δm_{ee}^{2}| were halved as a result of these improvements. An analysis of the relative antineutrino rates and energy spectra between detectors gave sin^{2}2θ_{13}=0.084±0.005 and |Δm_{ee}^{2}|=(2.42±0.11)×10^{-3}  eV^{2} in the three-neutrino framework.