Genetics of intervertebral disc disease: A review

Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) is a common musculoskeletal disease affecting about 5% of all individuals. It is characterized by lumbar disc herniation, which causes nerve root irritation, either mechanically or via inflammatory mediators, and results in radiating pain, known as sciatica. Numerous studies have been conducted to identify the causes and risk factors for IVDD. Lifting heavy loads, torsional stress, and motor vehicle driving are among the best-identified environmental risk factors. However, it has become evident recently from family and twin studies that genetic factors may also be important in IVDD. This hypothesis was strengthened by the identification of two collagen IX alleles associated with sciatica and lumbar disc herniation. In addition, disc degeneration has been shown to be related to an aggrecan gene polymorphism, a Vitamin D receptor and matrix metalloproteinase-3 gene alleles. This review highlights the genetic role and occupational aspects of IVDD.     

Study on chemical constituents of Folium Artemisiae argyi Carbonisatum,toxicity evaluation on zebrafish and intestinal hemostasis

Folium Artemisiae argyi Carbonisatum (FAAC) is a traditional medicine widely used in clinic. It has the effect of hemostasis by warming meridians. In order to further explore the chemical composition and biological activity of FAAC, the methanol extract of FAAC was isolated and purified by open column and high- performance liquid chromatography. and the complete structure was characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and LREI-MS for the first time, namely rutin, quercetin and octacosanol respectively. Initially the toxic effect of methanol extract of FAAC on zebrafish was evaluated by observing the phenotypic characteristics, spontaneous twitch times, heart rate, hatching rate, the distance of SV-BA and cardiomyocyte apoptosis of zebrafish. The results showed that FAAC has embryonic development toxicity and cardiotoxicity when it was higher than 62.5 μg/mL. Meanwhile, the hemostatic effect of methanol extract of FAAC was compared with FAA (Folium Artemisia argyi) by zebrafish intestinal bleeding model originally. The results showed that the hemostatic effect of the medium and high concentration dose groups (3.0 and 30.0 μg/mL) was enhanced for both FAAC and FAA. This study provided an experimental basis for the clinical application of FAAC.     

The impact of canister geometry on chemical biological radiological and nuclear filter performance: A computational fluid dynamics analysis

Steady-state axisymmetric simulations using the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations have been carried out in order to optimize the performance of a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN) canister filter for its use in a powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR). Alterations have been made to the shape of the canister, the spacing of the rear wall of the canister with regard to the carbon filter, and the bracketing between (i) the particulate filter and the carbon bed and (ii) the carbon bed and the canister wall. The pressure drops across the canister and the residence time distribution at the rear of the carbon bed have been analyzed in detail based on an extensive parametric analysis involving the aforementioned variations. It has been demonstrated that the non-uniform porosity profile of the carbon bed resulted in alternating regions of high and low velocity close to the canister wall, providing a possible route for breakthrough. Designs, which included a bracket at the rear of the carbon bed, blocked this route and consequently had a longer minimum mean residence time than those, which did not. It has also been shown that the spacing between the carbon bed and the canister rear wall had a large impact on both residence time and pressure drop. In cases where the carbon backed directly onto the canister rear wall flow in the axial direction from the outside wall toward the canister axis resulted in far greater pressure drop and a reduction in minimum mean residence time within the carbon bed.     

Nutrition‐related factors associated with waiting list mortality in patients with interstitial lung disease: A retrospective cohort study

Japanese patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) sometimes die waiting for lung transplantation (LTx) because it takes about 2 years to receive it in Japan. We evaluated nutrition‐related factors associated with waiting list mortality. Seventy‐six ILD patients were hospitalized in Kyoto University Hospital at registration for LTx from 2013 to 2015. Among them, 40 patients were included and analyzed. Patient background was as follows: female, 30%; age, 50.3 ± 6.9 years; body mass index, 21.1 ± 4.0 kg/m²; 6‐minute walk distance (6MWD), 356 ± 172 m; serum albumin, 3.8 ± 0.4 g/dL; serum transthyretin (TTR), 25.3 ± 7.5 mg/dL; and C‐reactive protein, 0.5 ± 0.5 mg/dL. Median observational period was 497 (range 97‐1015) days, and median survival time was 550 (95% CI 414‐686) days. Survival rate was 47.5%, and mortality rate was 38.7/100 person‐years. Cox analyses showed that TTR (HR 0.791, 95% CI 0.633‐0.988) and 6MWD (HR 0.795, 95% CI 0.674‐0.938) were independently correlated with mortality and were influenced by body fat mass and leg skeletal muscle mass, respectively. It is suggested that nutritional markers and exercise capacity are important prognostic markers in waitlisted patients, but further study is needed to determine whether nutritional intervention or exercise can change outcomes.