MMP2 promotes osteoblast differentiation and calcification of muscle-derived mesenchymal stem cells by interaction with miR-29b-3p.

Matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) was previously reported to play important role in the process of stem cell migration and various differentiation behaviors of muscle-derived mesenchymal stem cells (M-MSCs). However, its role and regulatory mechanism in the osteoblast differentiation and calcification of M-MSCs remain unclear. In the current study, we found that MMP2 could facilitate the osteoblast differentiation and calcification of muscle-derived mesenchymal stem cells by up-regulating the expression of some typical osteogenic differentiation phenotype markers, such as runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and osteocalcin (OCN).

Identification and up-regulation of three small heat shock proteins in summer and winter diapause in response to temperature stress in Pieris melete.

Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) are conserved proteins that play key roles in organismal adaptation to adversity stressors. However, little is known about sHSPs during summer diapause. Three sHSP genes: PmHSP19.

Percutaneous Transforaminal Endoscopic Diskectomy for Lumbar Disk Herniation: Young (Age <60 years) versus Older (Age ≥60 years) Patients.

Background:  We compare the differences in the efficacy of percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic diskectomy (PTED) between the younger (age <60 years) and older (age ≥60 years) patients with lumbar disk herniation (LDH).

Methods:  From December 2016 to December 2017, 128 patients with symptomatic LDH underwent PTED and were followed up. Forty-four 60 years old and above, including 19 males and 25 females with an average age of 68.

Overexpression of klotho suppresses growth and pulmonary metastasis of osteosarcoma in vivo.

Klotho is originally discovered as an anti-aging gene and knock-out of klotho accelerates aging in mice. Subsequent studies support the anti-carcinogenesis role of klotho in a variety of human malignancies. The present study investigated the role of klotho on growth and metastasis of osteosarcoma cells.

Effects of starvation on respiratory metabolism and energy metabolism in the cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

Intermittent food shortages are commonly encountered in the wild. To cope with the threat of starvation, insects initiate a suite of behavioral activities and physiological countermeasures. The cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera, is a major agricultural pest worldwide, but how H.

[Regulating effect of agricultural landscape pattern on ecological pest control by natural enemies.].

It's well known that regional agricultural landscape pattern can significantly regulate the relationship between plants, herbivorous insects and natural enemies. The improvement of the ecosystem services of regional agricultural landscape pattern has profound impacts on pest control, which has received much interests in current landscape ecology and pest control studies. This review systematically summarized the impacts of agricultural landscape pattern, as well as its succession on the diversity and ecological pests control of important natural enemies.

Dynamics of MMP‑9, MMP‑2 and TIMP‑1 in a rat model of brain injury combined with traumatic heterotopic ossification.

The present study aimed to detect early changes in the concentration of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), matrix metalloproteinase‑2 (MMP‑2) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase‑1 (TIMP‑1) in a rat model of brain injury combined with traumatic heterotopic ossification (HO). A total of 132 male Sprague‑Dawley rats were used to establish the experimental and control groups. Anatomy and sample collection were conducted on postoperative days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7.

Molecular characterization of three Hsp90 from Pieris and expression patterns in response to cold and thermal stress in summer and winter diapause of Pieris melete.

Heat shock proteins (Hsps) have been linked to stresses and winter diapause in insects, but whether they are components of summer diapause is still unknown. In this study, complementary DNAs of Hsp90 from Pieris melete, Pieris rapae and Pieris canidia named PmHsp90, PrHsp90 and PcHsp90, respectively, were cloned and sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequence consisted of 718 amino acid residues with a putative molecular mass of 82.

Life-history responses of the rice stem borer Chilo suppressalis to temperature change: Breaking the temperature-size rule.

Temperature is a key environmental factor for ectotherms and affects a large number of life history traits. In the present study, development time from hatching to pupation and adult eclosion, pupal and adult weights of the rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis were examined at 22, 25, 28 and 31°C under L18:D 6. Larval and pupal times were significantly decreased with increasing rearing temperature and growth rate was positively correlated with temperature.

Synchronous vitellogenin expression and sexual maturation during migration are negatively correlated with juvenile hormone levels in Mythimna separata.

Annual migration of pests between different seasonal habitats can lead to serious crop damage. Reproductive immaturity is generally associated with the migratory process (oogenesis-flight syndrome), but the mechanism of reproductive development during migration varies unpredictably. Here, the vitellogenin gene (MsVg) and three key regulatory enzyme genes (MsJhamt, MsJheh and MsJhe) related to juvenile hormone (JH) synthesis and degradation were identified and characterized in Mythimna separata.

Dynamic transcriptome analysis and volatile profiling of Gossypium hirsutum in response to the cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera.

In response to insect herbivory, plants emit elevated levels of volatile organic compounds for direct and indirect resistance. However, little is known about the molecular and genomic basis of defense response that insect herbivory trigger in cotton plants and how defense mechanisms are orchestrated in the context of other biological processes. Here we monitored the transcriptome changes and volatile characteristics of cotton plants in response to cotton bollworm (CBW; Helicoverpa armigera) larvae infestation.

Chemosensillum immunolocalization and ligand specificity of chemosensory proteins in the alfalfa plant bug Adelphocoris lineolatus (Goeze).

Insect chemosensory proteins (CSPs) are a family of small soluble proteins. To date, their physiological functions in insect olfaction remain largely controversial in comparison to odorant binding proteins (OBPs). In present study, we reported the antenna specific expression of three CSPs (AlinCSP4-6) from Adelphocoris lineolatus, their distinct chemosensillum distribution as well as ligand binding capability thus providing the evidence for the possible roles that they could play in semiochemical detection of the plant bug A.

A comparison of the life-history traits between diapause and direct development individuals in the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera.

In order to understand the differences of life-history traits between diapause and direct development individuals in the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), the development time, body size, growth rate, and adult longevity were investigated between the two populations, which were induced under 12:12 L:D and 16:8 L:D photoperiods, respectively, at 20, 22, and 25°C. The results indicated that the larval development time, pupal weight, adult weight, and growth rate were significantly different between diapause and direct developing individuals. The diapause developing individuals had a significantly higher pupal and adult weight and a longer larval time compared with direct developing individuals.

Anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effect of combined treatment with methylprednisolone and amniotic membrane mesenchymal stem cells after spinal cord injury in rats.

This study was undertaken to investigate the synergistic effects of methylprednisolone (MP) administration and transplantation of amniotic membrane mesenchymal stem cells (AM-MSCs) following T11 spinal cord clip compressive injury in rats. The combination treatment with MP (50 mg/kg) and delayed transplantation of AM-MSCs after rat spinal cord injury, significantly reduced (1) myeloperoxidase activity, (2) the proinflammatory cytokines: tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-17, interferon-γ and (3) the cell apoptosis [terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase, dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining, and caspase-3, Bax and Bcl-2 expressions]; increased: (1) the levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-10 and transforming growth factor-β1) and (2) the survival rate of AM-MSCs in the injury site. The combination therapy significantly ameliorated the recovery of limb function (evaluated by Basso, Beattie and Bresnahan score).

Diapause induction and termination in Hyphantria cunea (Drury) (Lepidoptera: Arctiinae).

The fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea (Drury), enters facultative diapause as a pupa in response to short-day conditions during autumn. Photoperiodic response curves showed that the critical day length for diapause induction was 14 h 30 min, 14 h 25 min and 13 h 30 min at 22, 25 and 28°C, respectively. The photoperiodic responses under non-24 h light-dark cycles demonstrated that night length played an essential role in the determination of diapause.

[Treatment of intra-articular calcaneal fractures with unilateral external fixator combined with limited internal fixation].

Objective: To study the clinical effects of the unilateral external fixator combined with limited internal fixation such as cannulated lag screws for the treatment of intra-articular calcaneal fractures.

Methods: From May 2007 to February 2012,52 patients (58 feet) with intraarticular calcaneal fractures were treated with unilateral external fixator and limited internal fixation such as lag screws. Forty-five patients (51 feet) were male,7 patients (7 feet) were female,ranging in age from 18 to 64 years,averaged 36.

The preferential binding of a sensory organ specific odorant binding protein of the alfalfa plant bug Adelphocoris lineolatus AlinOBP10 to biologically active host plant volatiles.

Semiochemicals such as sex pheromones and plant volatiles are crucial components of insect mating systems and host plant localization. In the olfactory signal transduction pathway, odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) are important elements that function in the first step of the pathway by carrying hydrophobic semiochemicals across the sensillum lymph to the olfactory receptors (ORs). In this study, we examined the binding affinities of semiochemicals to AlinOBP10, a putative OBP from the alfalfa plant bug, Adelphocoris lineolatus, that we demonstrate is expressed mainly in sensory organs.

Optimal low temperature and chilling period for both summer and winter diapause development in Pieris melete: based on a similar mechanism.

The cabbage butterfly, Pieris melete hibernates and aestivates as a diapausing pupa. We present evidence that the optimum of low temperature and optimal chilling periods for both summer and winter diapause development are based on a similar mechanism. Summer or winter diapausing pupae were exposed to different low temperatures of 1, 5, 10 or 15°C for different chilling periods (ranging from 30 to 120 d) or chilling treatments started at different stages of diapause, and were then transferred to 20°C, LD12.

Inheritance of photoperiodic control of pupal diapause in the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner).

Pupae of the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera display a diapause in response to the exposure of their larvae to short photoperiods and relatively low temperatures. Due to geographic variation in photoperiodic response, moths from a northern population, Langfang (39°32'N, 116°41'E), enter diapause in response to short daylengths (D strain) while moths from a southern population, Ledong (18°28'N, 108°53'E), exhibit no diapause under the same conditions (N strain). In the present study, crosses between the two strains are utilized to evaluate the inheritance of diapause under different photoperiods at temperatures 20, 22 and 25°C.

Diapause induction, maintenance and termination in the rice stem borer Chilo suppressalis (Walker).

The rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis, enters facultative diapause as fully grown larvae in response to short-day conditions during the autumn. Our results showed that the critical night length for diapause induction in C. suppressalis was between 10 h 22 min and 10h 45 min at 22, 25 and 28 degrees C, 11 h 18 min at 31 degrees C, and between 10 h 5 min and 10 h 20 min under field conditions (average temperature ranged from 27.

Diapause induction and clock mechanism in the cabbage butterfly Pieris melete Ménétriés.

Photoperiodic control of diapause induction was systematically investigated in the cabbage butterfly, Pieris melete, which enters summer and winter diapause as a pupa. Summer and winter diapause are induced principally by short and long scotophases, respectively; the intermediate scotophases (11-12 h) permit pupae to develop without diapause. Photoperiodic responses under 24-h light-dark cycles at 16.

A comparison of photoperiodic control of diapause between aestivation and hibernation in the cabbage butterfly Pieris melete.

In the cabbage butterfly, Pieris melete, summer and winter diapause are induced principally by long and short daylengths, respectively; the intermediate daylengths (12-13 h) permit pupae to develop without diapause. In this study, photoperiodic control of summer and winter diapause was systematically investigated in this butterfly by examining the photoperiodic response, the number of days required to induce 50% summer and winter diapause and the duration of diapausing pupae induced under different photoperiods. Photoperiodic response curves at 18 and 20 degrees C showed that all pupae entered winter diapause at short daylengths (8-11 h), the incidence of diapause dropped to 82.

Photoperiodic counter of diapause induction in Pseudopidorus fasciata (Lepidoptera: Zygaenidae).

Induction of larval diapause is a photoperiodically controlled event in the life history of the moth Pseudopidorus fasciata. In the present study, the photoperiodic counter of diapause induction has been systematically investigated. The required day number (RDN) for a 50% response was determined by transferring from a short night (LD 16:8) to a long night (LD 12:12) or vice versa at different times after hatching, The RND differed significantly between short- and long-night cycles at different temperatures.