•Ethylene treatment delayed early browning and promoted late senescence.•Ethylene treatment promoted the phenolic metabolism.•Ethylene treatment improved the antioxidant properties.
This study ...investigated the effects of 1 g L−1 ethylene immersion treatment for 1 min on the storage quality, antioxidant capacity and ethylene signal transduction pathway of fresh-cut lotus roots. Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and polyphenol oxidase activities were increased in ethylene treatment slices, and total phenolic content was increased. The activities of peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase were increased after ethylene treatment, as well as the expression of related genes (NnPOD, NnSOD, NnCAT) was upregulated. The rate of superoxide anion radical and hydroxyl radical production in ethylene treatment fresh-cut lotus roots was inhibited, the hydrogen peroxide content was reduced, and the degree of membrane lipid peroxidation was decreased, which delayed browning during the early storage. However, ethylene treatment inhibited microbial growth and improved 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl scavenging capacity only during the early storage, promoted respiration and accelerated the decline of hardness and soluble solids content throughout the storage period. At the molecular level, ethylene treatment overall upregulated the transcription of NnmetK, NnACO, NnETR, NnEIN3, and NnERF genes and promoted ethylene biosynthesis and signal transduction. This finding may be related to the senescence of fresh-cut lotus roots during late storage. These results suggest that ethylene treatment improved the antioxidant system, reduced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, and effectively delayed the early browning of fresh-cut lotus roots, while promoting late senescence.
The mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis is controlled by the ratio of anti- and pro-apoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family of proteins. The molecular events underlying how a given physiological ...stimulus changes this ratio to trigger apoptosis remains unclear. We report here that human 17-β-estradiol (E2) and its related steroid hormones induce apoptosis by binding directly to phosphodiesterase 3A, which in turn recruits and stabilizes an otherwise fast-turnover protein Schlafen 12 (SLFN12). The elevated SLFN12 binds to ribosomes to exclude the recruitment of signal recognition particles (SRPs), thereby blocking the continuous protein translation occurring on the endoplasmic reticulum of E2-treated cells. These proteins include Bcl-2 and Mcl-1, whose ensuing decrease triggers apoptosis. The SLFN12 protein and an apoptosis activation marker were co-localized in syncytiotrophoblast of human placentas, where levels of estrogen-related hormones are high, and dynamic cell turnover by apoptosis is critical for successful implantation and placenta development.
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•Estrogen-like hormones activate apoptosis by binding to phosphodiesterase 3A, PDE3A•Estrogen-bound PDE3A stabilizes protein turnover of Schlafen 12 (SLFN12)•SLFN12 binds to ribosomes to stop ER-mediated protein translation•Estrogne-induced apoptosis occurs in syncytiotrophoblast of human placenta
Estrogen-like female sex hormones at concentrations present in human placenta induce apoptosis. They do so by binding to phosphodiesterase 3A, which in turn recruits and stabilizes Schlafen 12 protein, whose elevated level stops the protein translation on ER, resulting in downregulation of anti-apoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and Mcl-1 and subsequent apoptosis.
Background
Proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) is a common complication following corrective surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) with a Lenke 5 curve. Previous studies have suggested ...that PJK may be associated with osteopenia, which is prevalent in AIS patients. MRI-based vertebral bone quality (VBQ) scores have been proposed as a valuable tool to assess preoperative bone quality. However, accurately measuring VBQ scores in Lenke 5 AIS patients with a structural lumbar curve can be challenging. Recently, a simplified S1 VBQ score has been proposed as an alternative method when the traditional VBQ score is not applicable. This study aims to evaluate the predictive value of the simplified S1 VBQ score in predicting the occurrence of PJK after corrective surgery for Lenke 5 AIS.
Methods
We conducted a retrospective analysis of patient data to assess the predictive utility of the S1 VBQ score for PJK in Lenke 5 AIS patients. Demographic, radiographic, and surgical data were collected, and S1 VBQ scores were calculated based on preoperative T1-weighted MRI images. Univariate analysis, linear regression, and multivariate logistic regression were performed to identify potential risk factors for PJK and to assess the correlation between other variables and the S1 VBQ score. Receiver operating characteristic analysis and area under the curve values were used to evaluate the predictive efficiency of the S1 VBQ score for PJK.
Results
A total of 105 patients (aged 15.50 ± 2.36 years) were included in the analysis, of whom 24 (22.9%) developed PJK. S1 VBQ scores were significantly higher in the PJK group compared to the non-PJK group (2.83 ± 0.44 vs. 2.48 ± 0.30,
P
< 0.001), and there was a significant positive correlation between the S1 VBQ score and proximal junctional angle (PJA) (
r
= 0.46,
P
< 0.0001). Multivariate analysis revealed that the S1 VBQ scores and preoperative thoracic kyphosis (TK) were significant predictors of PJK.
Conclusion
This study provided evidence that higher S1 VBQ scores were independently associated with PJK occurrence following corrective surgery for Lenke 5 AIS. Preoperative measurement of the S1 VBQ score on MRI may serve as a valuable tool in planning surgical correction for Lenke 5 AIS.
Purpose
This is the first study to evaluate the predictive value of the vertebral bone quality (VBQ) score on cage subsidence after transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) in a Chinese ...population using the spinal quantitative computed tomography (QCT) as the clinical standard. Meanwhile, the accuracy of the MRI-based VBQ score in bone mineral density (BMD) measurement was verified.
Methods
We performed a retrospective study of patients who underwent single-level TLIF from 2015 to 2020 with at least 1 year of follow-up. Cage subsidence was measured using postoperative radiographic images based on cage protrusion through the endplates more than 2 mm. The VBQ score was measured on T1-weighted MRI. The results were subjected to statistical analysis.
Results
A total of 283 patients (61.1% of female) were included in the study. The subsidence rate was with 14.1% (
n
= 40), and the average cage subsidence was 2.3 mm. There was a significant difference in age, sex, VBQ score and spinal QCT between the subsidence group and the no-subsidence group. The multivariable analysis demonstrated that only an increased VBQ score (OR = 2.690, 95% CI 1.312–5.515,
p
= 0.007) and decreased L1/2 QCT-vBMD (OR = 0.955, 95% CI 0.933–0.977,
p
< 0.001) were associated with an increased rate of cage subsidence. The VBQ score was found to be moderately correlated with the spinal QCT (
r
= −0.426,
p
< 0.001). The VBQ score was shown to significantly predict cage subsidence, with an accuracy of 82.5%.
Conclusion
Our findings indicate that the MRI-based VBQ score is a significant predictor of cage subsidence and could be used to assess BMD.
Purpose
It is the first study to evaluate the predictive value of the geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) on postoperative delirium (POD) after transforaminal lumber interbody fusion (TLIF) in ...elderly patients with degenerative lumbar diseases.
Methods
A retrospective study was conducted to assess the outcomes of TLIF surgery in elderly patients with lumbar degenerative disease between the years 2016 and 2022. Delirium was diagnosed by reviewing postoperative medical records during hospitalization, utilizing the Confusion Assessment Method. The geriatric nutritional risk index was calculated using the baseline serum albumin level and body weight. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to identify the association between preoperative GNRI and postoperative delirium (POD). Additionally, a receiver operating characteristic curve was utilized to determine the optimal GNRI cutoff for predicting POD.
Results
POD was observed in 50 of the 324 patients. The GNRI was visibly reduced in the delirium group. The mean GNRI was 93.0 ± 9.1 in non-delirium group and 101.2 ± 8.2 in delirium group. On multivariate logistic regression, Risk of POD increases significantly with low GNRI and was an independent factor in predicting POD following TLIF (OR 0.714; 95% CI 0.540–0.944;
p
= 0.018). On receiver operating characteristic curve, the area under curve (AUC) for GNRI was 0.738 (95% CI 0.660–0.817). The cutoff value for GNRI according to the Youden index was 96.370 (sensitivity: 66.0%, specificity: 70.4%).
Conclusion
Our study indicated that lower GNRI correlated significantly with POD after TLIF. Performing GNRI evaluation prior to TLIF may be an effective approach of predicting the risk for POD among elderly patients with degenerative lumbar diseases.
Cage subsidence after lumbar fusion can lead to many adverse outcomes. Low bone mineral density (BMD) is a widely recognized risk factor for cage subsidence. Conventional methods can predict and ...evaluate BMD, but there are many shortcomings. Recently, MRI-based assessment of bone quality in specific parts of the vertebral body has been proposed, including scores for vertebral bone quality (VBQ) and endplate bone quality (EBQ). However, the predictive accuracy of the two scoring systems for cage subsidence after transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) remains unknown. Therefore, we investigated MRI-based VBQ and EBQ scores for assessing bone quality and compared their predictive value for cage subsidence after TLIF.
To compare the predictive value between MRI-based VBQ and EBQ scores for cage subsidence after TLIF.
A retrospective case-control study.
Patients with degenerative lumbar diseases underwent single-level TLIF at our medical center between 2014 and 2020, all of whom had preoperative MRIs available.
Cage subsidence, disc height, VBQ score, EBQ score, upper and lower vertebral body bone quality (UL-VBQ) score.
Data were retrospectively examined for a consecutive sample of 346 patients who underwent TLIF at our medical center between 2014 and 2020. Patients who subsequently experienced cage subsidence or not were matched to each other based on propensity scoring, and the two matched groups (52 patients each) were compared using conditional logistic regression to investigate the association between the potential radiographic factors and cage subsidence. Scores for VBQ and EBQ were assessed for their ability to predict cage subsidence in the matched patients based on the area under the receiver operative characteristic curve (AUC).
Among matched patients, those who suffered cage subsidence had significantly higher VBQ score (3.7 vs 3.1, p<.001) and EBQ score (5.0 vs 4.3, p<.001), and regression linked greater risk of subsidence to higher VBQ score (OR 4.557, 95% CI 1.076-19.291, p=.039) and higher EBQ score (OR 5.396, 95% CI 1.158-25.146, p=.032). A cut-off VBQ score of 3.4 predicted the cage subsidence among matched patients with an AUC of 0.799, sensitivity of 84.6%, and specificity of 69.2%. A cut-off EBQ score of 4.7 predicted subsidence with an AUC of 0.829, sensitivity of 76.9%, and specificity of 82.7%.
Higher VBQ and EBQ scores are associated with a greater risk of cage subsidence following TLIF, and EBQ may perform better because of greater specificity.
Introduction
Proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) is one of the most common complications after thoracic AIS surgery. Previous studies reported that the etiology of PJK was associated with osteopenia ...and meanwhile the AIS patients were found osteopenia which could persist into adulthood. Recently, an MRI-based vertebral bone quality score (VBQ) was reported to be a promising tool which can assess preoperative bone quality.
Objective
This study aims to evaluate the utility of VBQ score in predicting PJK after corrective surgery for thoracic AIS (Lenke 1 and 2).
Methods
We conducted a retrospective study to identify the predictive efficiency of VBQ score for PJK in thoracic AIS patients. Demographic, radiographic parameters, and surgical variables were collected. VBQ score was calculated using preoperative T1-weighted MRI. Univariate analysis, linear regression, and multivariate logistic regression were performed to determine potential risk factors of PJK and correlation between other parameters and VBQ score. Receiver operating characteristic analysis and area under the curve values were utilized to evaluate the predictive efficiency of VBQ score for PJK.
Results
A total of 206 patients (aged 14.4 ± 2.3 years) were included, of which 33 (16.0%) developed PJK. VBQ scores were significantly different between the PJK and non-PJK groups (2.8 ± 0.2 vs 2.5 ± 0.2,
P
< 0.01). A significant positive correlation was found between VBQ score and PJA (
R
2
= 0.1728,
P
< 0.01).On multivariate analysis, VBQ score was the only significant predictor of PJK (odds ratio = 2.178, 95% CI = 1.644–2.885,
P
< 0.001), with a predictive accuracy of 83%.
Conclusion
Higher VBQ scores were independently associated with PJK occurrence after corrective surgery for thoracic AIS. Preoperative measurement of VBQ score on MRI may serve as a valuable tool in planning thoracic AIS surgery.
Cage subsidence following transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) has closely correlated with poor vertebral bone quality. Studies have shown better predictive value for cage subsidence by ...measuring bone density at specific site. However, few studies have been performed to examine the relationship between site-specific MRI bone assessment and cage subsidence in patients who have undergone lumbar interbody fusion. The association between MRI-based assessment of endplate bone quality and cage subsidence after TLIF remains unclear.
To study the predictive value of MRI-based endplate bone quality (EBQ) score for cage subsidence following TLIF, using QCT bone densitometry as a reference standard.
A retrospective study.
A total of 280 adult patients undergoing single-segment TLIF for degenerative lumbar spine disease from 2010 to 2020 at our institution who had preoperative T1-weighted MRIs.
Cage subsidence, disc height, endplate bone quality (EBQ) score, bone mineral density, fusion rate.
The retrospective study reviewed patients who underwent TLIF at one institution between March 2010 and October 2020. Cage subsidence was measured with postoperative lumbar X-rays based on the cage protrusion through into the superior or inferior end plate or both by more than 2 mm. The EBQ score was measured from preoperative T1-weighted MRI in accordance with the previously reported method.
Cage subsidence was observed in 42 of the 280 patients. Bone densitometry with quantitative computed tomography was visibly reduced in the subsidence group. The mean EBQ scores of the lumbar endplate bone was 4.3±0.9 in nonsubsidence and 5.0±0.6 in subsidence. On multivariate logistic regression, the difference between the two groups was remarkable. Risk of cage subsidence increases significantly with higher EBQ scores (odds ratio OR=2.063, 95% confidence interval CI 1.365–3.120, p=.001) and was an independent factor in predicting subsidence after TLIF. On receiver operating characteristic curve, the AUC for the EBQ score was 0.820 (95% confidence interval CI: 0.755–0.844) and the most suitable threshold for the EBQ score was 4.730 (sensitivity: 76.2%, specificity: 83.2%).
Higher EBQ scores measured on preoperative MRI correlated significantly with cage subsidence following TLIF. Performing EBQ assessment prior to TLIF may be a valid method of predicting the risk of postoperative subsidence.
TNFα and IFNγ (TNF/IFNγ) synergistically induce caspase-8 activation and cancer cell death. However, the mechanism of IFNγ in promoting TNF-initiated caspase-8 activation in cancer cells is poorly ...understood. Here, we found that in addition to CASP8, CYLD is transcriptionally upregulated by IFNγ-induced transcription factor IRF1. IRF1-mediated CASP8 and CYLD upregulation additively mediates TNF/IFNγ-induced cancer cell death. Clinically, the expression levels of TNF, IFNγ, CYLD, and CASP8 in melanoma tumors are increased in patients responsive to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy after anti-PD-1 treatment. Accordingly, our genetic screen revealed that ELAVL1 (HuR) is required for TNF/IFNγ-induced caspase-8 activation. Mechanistically, ELAVL1 binds CASP8 mRNA and extends its stability to sustain caspase-8 expression both in IFNγ-stimulated and in basal conditions. Consequently, ELAVL1 determines death receptors-initiated caspase-8-dependent cell death triggered from stimuli including TNF and TRAIL by regulating basal/stimulated caspase-8 levels. As caspase-8 is a master regulator in cell death and inflammation, these results provide valuable clues for tumor immunotherapy and inflammatory diseases.
•Ethanol maintained storage quality and delayed enzymatic browning.•Ethanol suppressed phenolic metabolism and enhanced antioxidant ability.•Ethanol changed microbial diversity.
This study evaluated ...the changes in phenolic and reactive oxygen species metabolism, and microbial diversity in fresh-cut lotus roots following ethanol treatment to elucidate the potential mechanisms of ethanol in controlling microbial growth and browning. Activity suppression and gene expression downregulation of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, polyphenol oxidase, and peroxidase took place with ethanol treatment, resulting in the decreased accumulation of total phenols and soluble quinones. The total phenol and soluble quinone contents of ethanol-treated slices were 12.63% and 30.22% lower than those in the control group, respectively, after 12 d of storage. Ethanol treatment changed the level of eleven individual phenols, two of which were associated with antioxidant ability. Besides, the ethanol-treated slices exhibited the reduced production of reactive oxygen species, increased activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase, improved ascorbic acid contents and 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl scavenging rate, and the upregulated transcriptional levels of NnGR and NnGST. Moreover, the integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses show the biosynthesis of syringin (an antioxidant in various medicinal plants) might be stimulated by ethanol treatment. Ethanol treatment inhibited the abundance of Pantoea, Pseudomonas, Tolumonas and Stenotrophomonas. These findings suggested ethanol treatment is a simple and potential technology for preserving the quality and antioxidant ability of fresh-cut products.
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