MiR-1260b protects against LPS-induced degenerative changes in nucleus pulposus cells through targeting TCF7L2.

Nucleus pulposus (NP) cells play a critical role in maintaining intervertebral disc integrity through producing the components of extracellular matrix (ECM). NP cell dysfunction, including senescence and hyper-apoptosis, has been regarded as critical events during intervertebral disc degeneration development. In the present study, we found that Transcription Factor 7-Like 2 (TCF7L2) was overexpressed within degenerative intervertebral disc tissue samples, and TCF7L2 silencing improved lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced repression on NP cell proliferation, ECM synthesis, and LPS-induced NP cell senescence.

[Effect of substrate concentration on pathogen indicators inactivation during thermophilic anaerobic digestion].

Because excess sludge contains high density of pathogens, it has to be treated to reduce pathogens before being disposed for land application. In this study, the effect of substrate concentration on pathogen inactivation during thermophilic anaerobic digestion was investigated. The results show that, with the increase of substrate concentration, VFAs and cumulative methane production increased.

Pretreatment of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells with a combination of hypergravity and 5-azacytidine enhances therapeutic efficacy for myocardial infarction.

Background And Purpose: The in vivo cardiac differentiation and functional effects of unmodified adult bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) after myocardial infarction (MI) is controversial. Our previous results suggested that hypergravity promoted the cardiomyogenic differentiation of BMSCs, and thus we postulated that ex vivo pretreatment of BMSCs using hypergravity and 5-azacytidine (5-Aza) would lead to cardiomyogenic differentiation and result in superior biological and functional effects on cardiac regeneration of infarcted myocardium.

Methods: We used a rat MI model generated by ligation of the coronary artery.

In vivo osteogenic properties of the composite of periosteal-derived osteoblast and collagen- coated true bone ceramics.

Objective: To contrive new ways for repairing bone defects on the basis of the observation of the osteogenic properties of implanted composite made from periosteal-derived osteoblasts (POB) and true bone ceramics (TBC) coated with collagen (TBCc).

Methods: Bovine cancellous bone was calcined and coated with collagen before being mixed with cultured rabbit osteoblast suspension to prepare the composite, which was respectively implanted subcutaneously on the right of the back of BALB/c nude mice and in the muscle pouches in similar sites of rabbits. The control was established by implantation of TBCc in the contralateral sites corresponding to the former implants in both of animals.