This is the first report on SNPs of COL6A1 in OLF that suggests polymorphisms may be a risk factor for OLF. Our findings indicate that COL6A1 may be a common susceptibility gene for OLF and OPLL in Chinese Han population.

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Purpose The management of cervical facet dislocation injuries remains controversial. The main purpose of this investigation was to identify whether a surgeon's geographic location or years in practice influences their preferred management of traumatic cervical facet dislocation injuries. Methods A survey was sent to 272 AO Spine members across all geographic regions and with a variety of practice experience. The survey included clinical case scenarios of cervical facet dislocation injuries and asked responders to select preferences among various diagnostic and management options. Results A total of 189 complete responses were received. Over 50% of responding surgeons in each region elected to initiate management of cervical facet dislocation injuries with an MRI, with 6 case exceptions. Overall, there was considerable agreement between American and European responders regarding management of these injuries, with only 3 cases exhibiting a significant difference. Additionally, results also exhibited considerable management agreement between those with ≤ 10 and > 10 years of practice experience, with only 2 case exceptions noted. Conclusion More than half of responders, regardless of geographical location or practice experience, identified MRI as a screening imaging modality when managing cervical facet dislocation injuries, regardless of the status of the spinal cord and prior to any additional intervention. Additionally, a majority of surgeons would elect an anterior approach for the surgical management of these injuries. The study found overall agreement in management preferences of cervical facet dislocation injuries around the globe.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the age-related alterations in hypertensive brain damage in the hippocampi of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and the underlying mechanisms. Aging resulted in a significant increase in the number of activated astrocytes and apoptotic cells in the SHR group, which was accompanied by increased expression of oxidative stress markers (iNOS and gp47phox) and apoptotic regulatory proteins (Bax and caspase-3). In addition, the expression of PPAR-γ and Bcl-2 were progressively reduced with increasing age in the SHR group. The 32 and 64-week-old SHRs exhibited significantly increased numbers of apoptotic cells, oxidative stress markers and pro-apoptotic proteins compared with age-matched WKY rats, which was accompanied by reduced expression of PPAR-γ. Compared with the 16 and 32-week-old WKY group, the 64-week-old WKY rats exhibited increased oxidative stress and pro-apoptotic markers, and increased levels apoptotic cells. In conclusion, the present study indicated that both aging and hypertension enhanced brain damage and oxidative stress injury in the hippocampi of SHRs, indicated by an increased presence of apoptotic cells and astrocytes. In addition, reduced expression of PPAR-γ may contribute to the age-related brain damage in SHRs.

A haloalkaliphilic archaeon, strain JX313T , was isolated from a saline-alkaline soil from Daqing, Heilongjiang Province, China. Its morphological, physiological and biochemical features and 16S rRNA gene sequence were determined. Colonies of the strain were orange-red and cells were non-motile cocci and Gram-stain-variable. The strain required at least 1.7 M NaCl for growth, with optimal growth occurring in 2.0-2.5 M NaCl. Growth was observed at 20-50 6C and pH 8.0-10.5, with optimal growth at 35 6C and pH 10.0. The G+C content of its genomic DNA was 59.3 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain JX313 T is associated with the genera Haloterrigena and Natrinema and is most closely related to Haloterrigena salina XH-65 T (96.2 % sequence similarity) and Haloterrigena hispanica FP1 T (96.2 %). DNA-DNA hybridization experiments revealed that the relatedness of strain JX313 T to type strains of related species of the genus Haloterrigena or Natrinema was less than 50 %. Furthermore, the cellular polar lipids of strain JX313 T , identified as phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol phosphate methyl ester and mannose-2,6-disulfate (1A2)-glucose glycerol diether (S 2 -DGD), were consistent with the polar lipid characteristics of the genus Haloterrigena. Therefore, phylogenetic analysis, phenotypic assessment and chemotaxonomic data showed that JX313 T represents a novel species within the genus Haloterrigena, for which the name Haloterrigena daqingensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JX313 T (5CGMCC