Planthopper infestation in rice causes direct and indirect damage through feeding and viral transmission. Host microbes and small RNAs (sRNAs) play essential roles in regulating biological processes, such as metabolism, development, immunity, and stress responses in eukaryotic organisms, including plants and insects. Recently, advanced metagenomic approaches have facilitated investigations on microbial diversity and its function in insects and plants, highlighting the significance of microbiota in sustaining host life and regulating their interactions with the environment. Recent research has also suggested significant roles for sRNA-regulated genes during rice-planthopper interactions. The response and behavior of the rice plant to planthopper feeding are determined by changes in the host transcriptome, which might be regulated by sRNAs. In addition, the roles of microbial symbionts and sRNAs in the host response to viral infection are complex and involve defense-related changes in the host transcriptomic profile. This review reviews the structure and potential functions of microbes and sRNAs in rice and the associated planthopper species. In addition, the involvement of the microbiota and sRNAs in the rice-planthopper-virus interactions during planthopper infestation and viral infection are discussed.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Cage subsidence following transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) has been associated with poor bone quality. Current evidence suggests that the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based vertebral bone quality (VBQ) score correlates with poor bone quality.

PURPOSE: To our knowledge, this is the first study to assess whether the VBQ score can predict the occurrence of postoperative cage subsidence after TLIF surgery.

DESIGN/SETTING: Retrospective single-center cohort.

PATIENT SAMPLE: Patients undergoing single-level TLIF for degenerative spine disease between February 2014 and October 2021.

OUTCOME MEASURES: Extent of subsidence.

METHODS: Demographic, procedure-related, and radiographic data were collected for study patients. VBQ scores were determined from preoperative T1-weighted MRI. Subsidence was defined as ≥2 mm of migration of the cage into the superior or inferior end plate or both. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to determine the correlation between potential risk factors for subsidence and actual subsidence rates.

RESULTS: Subsidence was observed among 42 of the 74 study patients. The mean VBQ scores were 2.9±0.5 for patients with subsidence and 2.5±0.5 for patients without subsidence. The difference among groups was significant (p=.003). On multivariate logistic regression, a higher VBQ score was significantly associated with an increased risk of subsidence (OR=1.5, 95% CI=1.160-1.973, p=.004) and was the only significant independent predictor of subsidence after TLIF.

CONCLUSION: We found that a higher VBQ score was significantly associated with cage subsidence following TLIF. The MRI-VBQ score may be a valuable tool for assisting in identifying patients at risk of cage subsidence following TLIF.

Despite the effectiveness and high tolerability of vilazodone (VLZ) as an antidepressant, its use is still limited due to its poor solubility and food dependent absorption. This study aims to load VLZ-phospholipid complex into self-assembled micelles forming VLZ-PL mixed micelles (VLZ-PL-MM), that can enhance VLZ solubility, improve its bioavailability and reduce the pharmacokinetic variability between the fed and fasting conditions. The effect of surfactant type and concentration was assessed using four different non-ionic surfactants (Brij 58, Tween 80, Labrasol and Pluronic F127) in four different weight ratios between the drug-complex and surfactant (1:0.5, 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3 w/w). Two VLZ-PL-MM formulae prepared using Brij 58 and Labrasol in 1:3 w/w ratio were selected as optimised ones since they have the highest encapsulation efficiency (100.83 and 93.87%, respectively), a particle size below 250 nm (206.73 and 221.33 nm, respectively) and negative zeta potential values (-29.63, -17.20 mV, respectively). Lyophilisation of these formulations using 3% sucrose was successful with no statistical changes in particle size and zeta potential upon rehydration. Both formulations elicited faster and higher in-vitro drug release profiles compared to the pure drug and the marketed tablet. In addition, both selected formulae improved ex-vivo permeation across rabbit intestinal membrane compared to the pure drug and the marketed tablet, with marked superiority of the one prepared using Brij 58. The results of the in-vivo study in male albino rabbits revealed similar AUC values after the oral administration of the best achieved VLZ-PL-MM system under fed and fasted conditions (769.89 and 741.55 ng.h mL, respectively). On the other hand, the marketed product showed significantly lower values of the AUC relative to the VLZ-PL-MM system and there was a marked enhancement of absorption of drug from the marketed product in presence of food (244.24 and 174.96 ng.h mL under fed and fasted conditions, respectively). In addition, VLZ concentrations in the brain after 24 h obtained from the selected VLZ-PL-MM were significantly higher than those obtained from marketed tablet under fed and fasted conditions. Thus, the phospholipid mixed micelles formulation enhances the oral bioavailability of the poorly soluble drug and reduces the pharmacokinetic variability between fasting and fed conditions.

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