The expression of EBV-encoded LMP1 in young patients with lupus nephritis.

One of the major disease manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is lupus nephritis (LN), and the underlying mechanisms are not yet understood. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation was associated with the induction of SLE, with EBV-encoded latent membrane protein1 (LMP1) plays a vital role in this process. Although it was reported that LN was associated with LMP1, most of these results are from patients with ages differed greatly (range, 10-56 years).

Cardioprotective role of vitamin D receptor in circulating endothelial cells of ApoE-deficient mice.

Atherosclerosis is the key course of coronary heart disease. In this study, we investigated the effect of vitamin D receptor on serum 1,25-(OH)2D levels, lipid profiles, nitric oxide expression, apoptosis-related gene Bcl-2, fas protein levels, in ApoE-deficient mice. The proliferation activity of VDR-RNAi transfected endothelial cells was decreased, the ability of apoptosis was increased, nitric oxide concentration was decreased and eNOS protein level was significantly reduced.

miR-181a promotes G1/S transition and cell proliferation in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia by targeting ATM.

Purpose: Abnormal expression of miRNAs is intimately related to a variety of human cancers. The purpose of this study is to confirm the expression of miR-181a and elucidate its physiological function and mechanism in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Methods: Pediatric AML patients and healthy controls were enrolled, and the expression of miR-181a and ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) in tissues were examined using quantitative PCR.

Waste electrical and electronic equipment management in Botswana: Prospects and challenges.

The management of waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE) is a major challenge in developing and transition countries. The paper investigates recent strategies to manage this waste stream in an environmentally sound way. Obsolete electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) are a complex waste category containing both hazardous and valuable substances.

[Diagnostic value of 3D-indirect magnetic resonance arthrography in detecting meniscal tears of the knees].

Objective: To explore the diagnostic value of 3D-indirectmagnetic resonance (MR) arthrography in detecting meniscustears of the knees.

Methods: Form January 2013 to January 2014, routine plain MR of the knees followed by the 3D-indirect MR arthrography was performed in 42 patients with suspected meniscal tears clinically. There were 31 males and 11 females, with an average age of 38.

Evaluation of public cancer datasets and signatures identifies TP53 mutant signatures with robust prognostic and predictive value.

Background: Systematic analysis of cancer gene-expression patterns using high-throughput transcriptional profiling technologies has led to the discovery and publication of hundreds of gene-expression signatures. However, few public signature values have been cross-validated over multiple studies for the prediction of cancer prognosis and chemosensitivity in the neoadjuvant setting.

Methods: To analyze the prognostic and predictive values of publicly available signatures, we have implemented a systematic method for high-throughput and efficient validation of a large number of datasets and gene-expression signatures.

[Study of high temperature water vapor concentration measurement method based on absorption spectroscopy].

Tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) has been developed to realize the real-time and dynamic measurement of the combustion temperature, gas component concentration, velocity and other flow parameters, owing to its high sensitivity, fast time response, non-invasive character and robust nature. In order to obtain accurate water vapor concentration at high temperature, several absorption spectra of water vapor near 1.39 μm from 773 to 1273 K under ordinary pressure were recorded in a high temperature experiment setup using a narrow band diode laser.

CD200R1 agonist attenuates LPS-induced inflammatory response in human renal proximal tubular epithelial cells by regulating TLR4-MyD88-TAK1-mediated NF-κB and MAPK pathway.

Previous studies have revealed the anti-inflammatory effect of CD200Fc, an agonist of CD200R1 in autoimmune disease. However, little is known about its anti-inflammatory effects in kidney diseases. The aim of this study is to assess the function of CD200Fc in regulating lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory response in human renal proximal tubular epithelial cells (hRPTECs) and the possible mechanisms.

[The expression and functional study of miR-181a in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia].

Objective: To investigate the expression of miR-181a in bone marrow (BM) samples of pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and explore the mechanism of miR-181a on ALL cell line CCRF-CEM and drug resistance cell line CEM-C1.

Methods: BM samples were obtained from 18 patients where matched samples at initial diagnosis and first BM relapse or complete remission were available. BM samples and cord blood samples (normal controls) were used to confirm the differential expression of miRNA-181a by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).

Ectopic osteoid and bone formation by three calcium-phosphate ceramics in rats, rabbits and dogs.

Calcium phosphate ceramics with specific physicochemical properties have been shown to induce de novo bone formation upon ectopic implantation in a number of animal models. In this study we explored the influence of physicochemical properties as well as the animal species on material-induced ectopic bone formation. Three bioceramics were used for the study: phase-pure hydroxyapatite (HA) sintered at 1200°C and two biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) ceramics, consisting of 60 wt.

Effect of particle size on osteoinductive potential of microstructured biphasic calcium phosphate ceramic.

Material factors such as chemistry, surface microstructure and geometry have shown their influence on osteoinduction of calcium phosphate ceramics. Hereby we report that osteoinduction of a micro-structured biphasic calcium phosphate ceramic (BCP) has a relation with the particle sizes. BCP particles with the size of 212-300 µm, 106-212 µm, 45-106 µm, and smaller than 45 µm were prepared and implanted in paraspinal muscle of dogs for 12 weeks.

[miR-125b promotes proliferation of human acute myeloid leukemia cells by targeting Bak1].

Objective: To investigate miR- 125b regulation mechanism by identifying miR-125b target genes and its function in acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Methods: The bioinformatics software and database were applied to predict and analyze target genes of miR-125b. The vector contained the target gene 3'-UTR portion cloned into a luciferase reporter construct.

The use of combined anteversion in total hip arthroplasty for patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip.

The combined anteversion technique has been proposed recently and proved to be an applicable technique in general THA. The corresponding author routinely applied this approach to DDH patients in clinical practice. The current study aimed to provide clinical evidence for this approach.

[Research and analysis of failure data of contemporary artificial joint registration system].

This paper is aimed to focus on the joint prosthesis failure event, to collect the statistic data about the failure of artificial joints issued by authoritative organizations at home and aboard, and to compare the functions of different types of the artificial joints. We generalized and compared current study analyzing the failure reason and type of joint prosthesis, and categorized the failure events according to the failure occurring time, i. e.

Vibroacoustography for the assessment of total hip arthroplasty.

Objectives: This paper proposes imaging with 3-dimensional vibroacoustography for postoperatively assessing the uncovered cup area after total hip arthroplasty as a quantitative criterion to evaluate implant fixation.

Methods: A phantom with a bone-like structure covered by a tissue-mimicking material was used to simulate a total hip arthroplasty case. Vibroacoustography images of the uncovered cup region were generated using a two-element confocal ultrasound transducer and a hydrophone inside a water tank.

Two-dimensional and three-dimensional cup coverage in total hip arthroplasty with developmental dysplasia of the hip.

We analyzed the mean difference and correlation between 2D cup coverage measured from different projections and three-dimensional (3D) cup coverage to investigate their precise relationship in total hip arthroplasty (THA) among patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). We created DDH-THA models on six foam pelvic models. 3D cup coverage was measured using a motion capture system and imaging software.

Revision of complex acetabular defects using cages with the aid of rapid prototyping.

This study details a method using rapid prototyping (RP) technique to assist in acetabular revision with complex bone defects. Hemi-pelvic RP models were built among 25 patients with complex acetabular bone defects. Each patient was scheduled to undergo revision using either commercially available or customized cages based on individualized RP models.

Autogenous impaction grafting in total hip arthroplasty with developmental dysplasia of the hip.

Autogenous impaction grafting was performed to improve acetabular cup coverage in 68 patients (78 hips) with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) after total hip arthroplasty, and the patients were then monitored for a mean duration of 5.5years. No cup revisions were required, and there was no radiographic loosening.

Fractal structures of the hydrogels formed in situ from poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) microgel dispersions.

Dispersions of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) microgel thermally gel in the presence of inorganic salts. The in situ-formed hydrogels, with a network of soft particles, represent a new type of colloidal gels. Here, their fractal structures were determined by rheological measurements, using the models of both Shih et al.

[The artificial joint failure types and analysis].

This paper focused on the joint prosthesis failure event, through survey and investigation in different kinds of case studies, generalized and analyzed the failure reason of joint prosthesis. The failure reason been categorized according to the failure occurring time: short-term, medium-term and long-term, and for each category, the characteristics and root causes are discussed, and the corresponding countermeasures put forward.

Dislocation after total hip arthroplasty among patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip.

The precise relationship between developmental dysplasia of the hip and dislocation among patients after total hip arthroplasty has not been well clarified. A total of 820 patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip who underwent total hip arthroplasty from January 2000 to December 2009 were categorized according to Crowe classification, and postoperative dislocation rates were analyzed among subgroups. The overall dislocation rate was 2.

KRAS and PIK3CA but not BRAF genes are frequently mutated in Chinese cholangiocarcinoma patients.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a rare but lethal malignancy arising from the biliary tract epithelium. It has a poor prognosis largely due to the difficulties of early diagnosis and the lack of effective therapies. It is thus imperative to develop new and effective treatments for CCA, which depends heavily on the mechanistic understanding of the disease.

Supramolecular hydrogels inspired by collagen for tissue engineering.

Supramolecular hydrogels are promising biomaterials for cell culture in 2-D and 3-D environments. Inspired by the chemical structure of collagen, which bears the repeating tripeptide of glycine-Xaa-4R-hydroxyproline (GXO; Xaa is any one of the natural amino acids), we designed and synthesized a small library of supramolecular hydrogelators (a total of 6). We found that four of the hydrogels were suitable for NIH 3T3 cell culture in the 2-D environments.

Midterm results of hybrid total hip arthroplasty for treatment of osteoarthritis secondary to developmental dysplasia of the hip-Chinese experience.

This study was designed to evaluate the midterm results of hybrid total hip arthroplasty in a consecutive series of 45 Chinese patients with osteoarthritis secondary to dysplastic hip. The average follow-up was 6.6 years.

Management of municipal solid waste in the Three Gorges region.

As the fourth phase of the Three Gorges reservoir project commenced in 2008, the rate of water flow in the Yangtze River has obviously decelerated further downstream and water clarity within the storage facility has decreased. Meanwhile, the rate of urbanization in the region is adding to the amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) being generated by every day life. The composition of the waste is becoming more diversified and complicated, thereby presenting an increasing threat to the ecological environment and water resources of the Three Gorges region.