Regulation of Oxygen Tension as a Strategy to Control Chondrocytic Phenotype for Cartilage Tissue Engineering and Regeneration.

Cartilage defects and osteoarthritis are health problems which are major burdens on health care systems globally, especially in aging populations. Cartilage is a vulnerable tissue, which generally faces a progressive degenerative process when injured. This makes it the 11th most common cause of global disability.

Fluoride releasing in polymer blends of poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(methyl methacrylate).

Polymethyl methacrylate is a polymer commonly used in clinical dentistry, including denture bases, occlusal splints and orthodontic retainers. To augment the polymethyl methacrylate-based dental appliances in counteracting dental caries, we designed a polymer blend film composed of polymethyl methacrylate and polyethylene oxide by solution casting and added sodium fluoride. Polyethylene oxide facilitated the dispersion of sodium fluoride, decreased the surface average roughness, and positively influenced the hydrophilicity of the films.

Nano-elemental selenium particle developed via supramolecular self-assembly of chondroitin sulfate A and NaSeO to repair cartilage lesions.

Cartilage repair is a significant clinical issue due to its restricted ability to regenerate and self-heal after cartilage lesions or degenerative disease. Herein, a nano-elemental selenium particle (chondroitin sulfate A‑selenium nanoparticle, CSA-SeNP) is developed by the supramolecular self-assembly of NaSeO and negatively charged chondroitin sulfate A (CSA) via electrostatic interactions or hydrogen bonds followed by in-situ reducing of l-ascorbic acid for cartilage lesions repair. The constructed micelle exhibits a hydrodynamic particle size of 171.

Engineering a 3D In Vitro Model of Human Gingival Tissue Equivalent with Genipin/Cytochalasin D.

Although three-dimensional (3D) co-culture of gingival keratinocytes and fibroblasts-populated collagen gel can mimic 3D structure of in vivo tissue, the uncontrolled contraction of collagen gel restricts its application in clinical and experimental practices. We here established a stable 3D gingival tissue equivalent (GTE) using hTERT-immortalized gingival fibroblasts (hGFBs)-populated collagen gel directly crosslinked with genipin/cytochalasin D and seeding hTERT-immortalized gingival keratinocytes (TIGKs) on the upper surface for a 2-week air-liquid interface co-culture. MTT assay was used to measure the cell viability of GTEs.

Identification of proteins and N-glycosylation sites of knee cartilage in Kashin-Beck disease compared with osteoarthritis.

The aim of this study was to identify crucial proteins and N-glycosylated sites in the pathological mechanism of Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) compared with osteoarthritis (OA). Nine KBD knee subjects and nine OA knee subjects were selected for the study. Quantitative proteomics and N-glycoproteomics data of KBD and OA were obtained by protein and N-glycoprotein enrichment and LC-MS/MS analysis.

Altered Expression of the Hedgehog Pathway Proteins BMP2, BMP4, SHH, and IHH Involved in Knee Cartilage Damage of Patients With Osteoarthritis and Kashin-Beck Disease.

Objective: To investigate the expression of Hedgehog (HH) signaling pathway proteins in knee articular cartilage from Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) and osteoarthritis (OA) patients.

Methods: Knee articular cartilage samples were collected from normal (N), OA, and KBD adults (aged 38-60 years) and divided into 3 groups with 6 subjects in each group. The localization of the HH pathway proteins bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2), bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4), Sonic hedgehog (SHH), and Indian hedgehog (IHH) was observed with the microscope after immunohistochemical (IHC) staining.

Influencing factors of residents' environmental health literacy in Shaanxi province, China: a cross-sectional study.

Background: This study comprehensively analyzed the basic conditions and influencing factors of the residents' environmental health literacy (EHL) level in Shaanxi Province, China in 2020, and provided a scientific basis for exploring new ideas and new methods to improve the EHL level of the whole people.

Methods: In the cross-sectional study with a multi-stage random sampling method, 1320 participants were recruited in 6 neighborhood committees (administrative villages) from the Shaanxi province of China between 15-69 years old. The Core Questions for Assessment of EHL of Chinese Citizens (Trial Implementation) was adopted to measure the EHL of the respondents.

Progress of Selenium Deficiency in the Pathogenesis of Arthropathies and Selenium Supplement for Their Treatment.

Selenium, an essential trace element for human health, exerts an indispensable effect in maintaining physiological homeostasis and functions in the body. Selenium deficiency is associated with arthropathies, such as Kashin-Beck disease, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis. Selenium deficiency mainly affects the normal physiological state of bone and cartilage through oxidative stress reaction and immune reaction.

Identification of N-glycoproteins of hip cartilage in patients with osteonecrosis of femoral head using quantitative glycoproteomics.

N-glycosylation is a major post-translational modification of proteins and involved in many diseases, however, the state and role of N-glycosylation in cartilage degeneration of osteonecrosis of femoral head (ONFH) remain unclear. The aim of this study is to identify the glycoproteins of ONFH hip cartilage. Cartilage tissues were collected from nine patients with ONFH and nine individuals with traumatic femoral neck fracture.

The first human induced pluripotent stem cell line of Kashin-Beck disease reveals involvement of heparan sulfate proteoglycan biosynthesis and PPAR pathway.

Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) is an endemic osteochondropathy. Due to a lack of suitable animal or cellular disease models, the research progress on KBD has been limited. Our goal was to establish the first disease-specific human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) cellular disease model of KBD, and to explore its etiology and pathogenesis exploiting transcriptome sequencing.

Magnitude and associated factors of perceived stress and its consequence among undergraduate students of Salale University, Ethiopia: cross-sectional study.

Excessive stress may have a negative impact on students' performance and learning ability. The aim of this study is to assess the magnitude and associated factors of perceived stress and its consequences among undergraduate students at Salale University, Ethiopia. A self-administered cross-sectional study has been conducted among 421 students of Salale University from April 1 to May 30, 2018.

Evaluation of growth, stemness, and angiogenic properties of dental pulp stem cells cultured in cGMP xeno-/serum-free medium.

This study was aimed to investigate the effects of cGMP xeno-/serum-free medium (XSF, Irvine Scientific) on the properties of human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs). DPSCs, from passage 2, were cultured in XSF or fetal bovine serum (FBS)-supplemented medium, and sub-cultured up to passage 8. Cumulative population doublings (PDs) and the number of colony-forming-units (CFUs) were determined.

Abnormal expression of chondroitin sulfate sulfotransferases in the articular cartilage of pediatric patients with Kashin-Beck disease.

The objective of this study is to investigate the expression of enzymes involved in the sulfation of articular cartilage from proximal metacarpophalangeal (PMC) joint cartilage and distal metacarpophalangeal (DMC) joint cartilage in children with Kashin-Beck disease (KBD). The finger cartilage samples of PMC and DMC were collected from KBD and normal children aged 5-14 years old. Hematoxylin and eosin staining as well as immunohistochemical staining were used to observe the morphology and quantitate the expression of carbohydrate sulfotransferase 3 (CHST-3), carbohydrate sulfotransferase 12 (CHST-12), carbohydrate sulfotransferase 13 (CHST-13), uronyl 2-O-sulfotransferase (UST), and aggrecan.

Serious Selenium Deficiency in the Serum of Patients with Kashin-Beck Disease and the Effect of Nano-Selenium on Their Chondrocytes.

To investigate selenium (Se) concentrations in serum of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis (OA), and Kashin-Beck disease (KBD), together with the effect of Se supplement (chondroitin sulfate [CS] nano-Se [SeCS]) on CS structure-modifying sulfotransferases in KBD chondrocyte. Fifty serum samples from each group with aged-matched (40-60 years), normal control (N), RA, OA, and KBD (25 males and females, respectively) were collected to determine Se concentrations. Furthermore, the KBD chondrocytes were divided into two groups following the intervention for 24 h: (a) non-treated KBD group and (b) SeCS-treated KBD group (100 ng/mL SeCS).

Decreased Expression of CHST-12, CHST-13, and UST in the Proximal Interphalangeal Joint Cartilage of School-Age Children with Kashin-Beck Disease: an Endemic Osteoarthritis in China Caused by Selenium Deficiency.

The objective of this study is to investigate changes in the expression of enzymes involved in chondroitin sulfate (CS) sulfation in distal articular surface of proximal interphalangeal joint isolated from school-age children patients with Kashin-Beck disease (KBD), using normal children as controls. Articular cartilage samples were collected from four normal and four KBD children (7-12 years old), and these children were assigned to control and KBD groups. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), toluidine blue (TB), and immunohistochemical (IHC) stainings were utilized to evaluate changes in joint pathology and expression of enzymes involved in CS sulfation, including carbohydrate sulfotransferase 12 (CHST-12), carbohydrate sulfotransferase 13 (CHST-13), and uronyl 2-O-sulfotransferase (UST).

Comparison of bone texture between normal individuals and patients with Kashin-Beck disease from plain radiographs in knee.

To compare tibial bone texture between Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) patients and normal individuals from plain radiographs using an advanced image analysis. Plain knee radiographs were obtained from KBD patients (n = 49) and age-matched healthy controls (n = 98). KBD were graded with diagnostic criteria WS/T 207-2010.

The effects of long-term low selenium diet on the expression of CHST-3, CHST-12 and UST in knee cartilage of growing rats.

Objectives: To investigate the effect of low selenium diet on rat´s knee cartilage and expression of chondroitin sulfate (CS) sulfated enzymes in articular and epiphyseal-plate cartilage of rats' femur and tibia.

Methods: Twenty-four SD rats were randomly divided into two groups with six female and six male in each group: control group (selenium 0.18 mg/kg), and low selenium group (selenium 0.

Challenges in Fabrication of Tissue-Engineered Cartilage with Correct Cellular Colonization and Extracellular Matrix Assembly.

A correct articular cartilage ultrastructure regarding its structural components and cellularity is important for appropriate performance of tissue-engineered articular cartilage. Various scaffold-based, as well as scaffold-free, culture models have been under development to manufacture functional cartilage tissue. Even decellularized tissues have been considered as a potential choice for cellular seeding and tissue fabrication.

Selenium-Related Transcriptional Regulation of Gene Expression.

The selenium content of the body is known to control the expression levels of numerous genes, both so-called selenoproteins and non-selenoproteins. Selenium is a trace element essential to human health, and its deficiency is related to, for instance, cardiovascular and myodegenerative diseases, infertility and osteochondropathy called Kashin⁻Beck disease. It is incorporated as selenocysteine to the selenoproteins, which protect against reactive oxygen and nitrogen species.

Effects of long-term low oxygen tension in human chondrosarcoma cells.

The cell-based therapies could be potential methods to treat damaged cartilage tissues. Instead of native hyaline cartilage, the current therapies generate mainly weaker fibrocartilage-type of repair tissue. A correct microenvironment influences the cellular phenotype, and together with external factors it can be used, for example, to aid the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells to defined types of differentiated adult cells.

Behavior of Human Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells on Various Titanium-Based Coatings.

The chemical composition and texture of titanium coatings can influence the growth characteristics of the adhered cells. An enhanced proliferation of the human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) would be beneficial. The present study was aimed to investigate whether titanium deposited at different atmospheres would affect the cell growth properties, cellular morphology, and expression of surface markers of hMSCs.

Human mesenchymal stem cells secrete hyaluronan-coated extracellular vesicles.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by stem cells are potential factors mediating tissue regeneration. They travel from bone marrow stem cells into damaged tissues, suggesting that they can repair tissue injuries without directly replacing parenchymal cells. We have discovered that hyaluronan (HA) synthesis is associated with the shedding of HA-coated EVs.

Scaffold-free approach produces neocartilage tissue of similar quality as the use of HyStem™ and Hydromatrix™ scaffolds.

Numerous biomaterials are being considered for cartilage tissue engineering, while scaffold-free systems have also been introduced. Thus, it is important to know do the scaffolds improve the formation of manufactured neocartilages. This study compares scaffold-free cultures to two scaffold-containing ones.

A combined experimental atomic force microscopy-based nanoindentation and computational modeling approach to unravel the key contributors to the time-dependent mechanical behavior of single cells.

Cellular responses to mechanical stimuli are influenced by the mechanical properties of cells and the surrounding tissue matrix. Cells exhibit viscoelastic behavior in response to an applied stress. This has been attributed to fluid flow-dependent and flow-independent mechanisms.

The effects of T-2 toxin on the prevalence and development of Kashin-Beck disease in China: a meta-analysis and systematic review.

To reveal the influence of T-2 toxin detection rate and detection amount in food samples on Kashin-Beck disease (KBD), and define a linking mechanism between T-2 toxin induced chondrocytes or cartilage damage and KBD pathological changes, seven electronic databases were searched to obtain epidemiological and experimental studies. For epidemiological studies, subgroup analyses of the positive detection rate (PDR) of the T-2 toxin and PDR of the T-2 toxin with concentrations (PDRC of T-2) >100 ng g were carried out, together with a histogram of the T-2 toxin concentrations in different food types in KBD and non-KBD areas. For experimental studies, a systematic review of a variety of chondrocyte and cartilage changes and damage induced by the T-2 toxin was performed.