Icaritin ameliorates RANKL-mediated osteoclastogenesis and ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis.

A rapidly aging society and longer life expectancy are causing osteoporosis to become a global epidemic. Over the last five decades, a number of drugs aimed at reducing bone resorption or restoring bone mass have been developed, but their efficacy and safety are limited. Icaritin (ICT) is a natural compound extracted from anti-osteoporosis herb spp.

Intramedullary Nail Fixation by Suprapatellar and Infrapatellar Approaches for Treatment of Distal Tibial Fractures.

Objective: To compare the functional and alignment outcomes of intramedullary nail fixation using suprapatellar and infrapatellar approaches in treating distal tibial fractures.

Methods: In this retrospective study, 132 patients with distal tibial fractures (87 men, 45 women) ranging in age from 20 to 66 years were treated with intramedullary nails using the suprapatellar (69 patients) or infrapatellar (63 patients) approach. The radiographic alignment outcomes and ankle function were compared between the two groups.

Cornuside I promoted osteogenic differentiation of bone mesenchymal stem cells through PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Background: Osteoporosis is a common disease closely associated with aging. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of Cornuside I in promoting osteogenic differentiation of bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and the potential mechanism.

Methods: BMSCs were isolated and treated with different concentrations of Cornuside I (0, 10, 30, 60 μM).

The Pre-Loaded Set-Screw in InterTAN Nail: Should It Be Tightened or Not Tightened in Pertrochanteric Hip Fractures.

Background: InterTAN is a specific type of cephalomedullary nail with a twin interlocking de-rotation and compression screw, which has inherent ability of anti-rotation. Whether to tighten or not to tighten the preloaded setscrew to allow or not allow secondary sliding in InterTan nail is controversial in clinical practice.

Methods: We retrospectively collected 4 nonunion cases of unstable pertrochanteric femur fractures (AO/OTA-31A2), all were treated with InterTan nail and the preloaded setscrew was tightened in order to prevent further secondary sliding and femoral neck shortening.

The role of PA-X C-terminal 20 residues of classical swine influenza virus in its replication and pathogenicity.

PA-X is a fusion protein encoded by a +1 frameshifted open reading frame (X-ORF) in PA gene. The X-ORF can be translated in full-length (61 amino acids, aa) or truncated (41 aa) form. However, the role of C-Terminal 20 aa of PA-X in virus function has not yet been fully elucidated.

The PB2-K627E mutation attenuates H3N2 swine influenza virus in cultured cells and in mice.

PB2-627K is an important amino acid that determines the virulence of some influenza A viruses. However, it has not been experimentally investigated in the H3N2 swine influenza virus. To explore the potential role of PB2-K627E substitution in H3N2 swine influenza virus, the growth properties and pathogenicity between H3N2 swine influenza virus and its PB2-K627E mutant were compared.

Acrylamide-induced Subacute Neurotoxic Effects on the Cerebral Cortex and Cerebellum at the Synapse Level in Rats.

Objective: To investigate acrylamide (ACR)-induced subacute neurotoxic effects on the central nervous system (CNS) at the synapse level in rats.

Methods: Thirty-six Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomized into three groups, (1) a 30 mg/kg ACR-treated group, (2) a 50 mg/kg ACR-treated group, and (3) a normal saline (NS)-treated control group. Body weight and neurological changes were recorded each day.

PA-X protein decreases replication and pathogenicity of swine influenza virus in cultured cells and mouse models.

Swine influenza viruses have been circulating in pigs throughout world and might be potential threats to human health. PA-X protein is a newly discovered protein produced from the PA gene by ribosomal frameshifting and the effects of PA-X on the 1918 H1N1, the pandemic 2009 H1N1, the highly pathogenic avian H5N1 and the avian H9N2 influenza viruses have been reported. However, the role of PA-X in the pathogenesis of swine influenza virus is still unknown.

Minimally invasive (sinus tarsi) approach for calcaneal fractures.

Background: According to the anatomic characteristics of the calcaneus and the sinus tarsi approach, we designed a combined plate. The goal of this study was to retrospectively assess the functional outcomes and complications of treatment with our self-designed plate.

Methods: From March 2014 to October 2015, 18 patients with closed calcaneal fractures (14 Sanders type II and 4 type III) were treated with our combined locking plate through a minimally invasive sinus tarsi approach.

A novel M2e-multiple antigenic peptide providing heterologous protection in mice.

Swine influenza viruses (SwIVs) cause considerable morbidity and mortality in domestic pigs, resulting in a significant economic burden. Moreover, pigs have been considered to be a possible mixing vessel in which novel strains loom. Here, we developed and evaluated a novel M2e-multiple antigenic peptide (M2e-MAP) as a supplemental antigen for inactivated H3N2 vaccine to provide cross-protection against two main subtypes of SwIVs, H1N1 and H3N2.

Novel triple-reassortant H1N1 swine influenza viruses in pigs in Tianjin, Northern China.

Pigs are susceptible to both human and avian influenza viruses and therefore have been proposed to be mixing vessels for the generation of pandemic influenza viruses through reassortment. In this study, for the first time, we report the isolation and genetic analyses of three novel triple-reassortant H1N1 swine influenza viruses from pigs in Tianjin, Northern China. Phylogenetic analysis showed that these novel viruses contained genes from the 2009 pandemic H1N1 (PB2, PB1, PA and NP), Eurasian swine (HA, NA and M) and triple-reassortant swine (NS) lineages.

microRNA‑25 promotes osteosarcoma cell proliferation by targeting the cell‑cycle inhibitor p27.

An increasing body of evidence indicates that microRNAs (miRNAs), a class of small non‑coding RNAs, are often aberrantly expressed in human osteosarcoma. This study aimed to investigate the effects of miR‑25 and to identify its potential target genes in osteosarcoma (OS) cells. First, the expression of miR‑25 was detected by reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), which revealed a significant upregulation of miR‑25 in osteosarcoma tissues compared to the adjacent healthy tissues.

Relationship between Trp64Arg mutation in the β3-adrenergic receptor gene and metabolic syndrome: a seven-year follow-up study.

Background: It has been shown that the β3-adrenergic receptor (β3-AR) gene Trp64Arg mutation was closely related to obesity and insulin resistance, and may be related to the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS). The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the β3-AR gene mutation and the prevalence of MS.

Methods: A seven-year follow-up study was initiated in 2000, with 496 samples of simplex obese subjects (body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m(2)) and 248 normal-weight subjects.