The subsequent biological effects of simulated microgravity on endothelial cell growth in HUVECs.

Purpose: Microgravity is known to cause endothelium dysfunction in astronauts returning from spaceflight. We aimed to reveal the regulatory mechanism in alterations of human endothelial cells after simulated microgravity (SMG).

Methods: We utilized the rotary cell culture system (RCCS-1) to explore the subsequent effects of SMG on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).

Protective effects of melatonin on bovine sperm characteristics and subsequent in vitro embryo development.

We aimed to investigate the effect of melatonin on bovine frozen-thawed semen and its impact on fertilization outcome. Plasma membrane integrity, mitochondrial activity, acrosome integrity, and levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured in spermatozoa treated with different concentrations of melatonin. Melatonin-treated spermatozoa were then used for in vitro fertilization, followed by analysis of subsequent embryo development and the expression of apoptosis- and antioxidant-related genes.

Melatonin inhibits paraquat-induced cell death in bovine preimplantation embryos.

Preimplantation embryos are sensitive to oxidative stress-induced damage that can be caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) originating from normal embryonic metabolism and/or the external surroundings. Paraquat (PQ), a commonly used pesticide and potent ROS generator, can induce embryotoxicity. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of melatonin on PQ-induced damage during embryonic development in bovine preimplantation embryos.

Operative versus conservative treatment for patellar dislocation: a meta-analysis of 7 randomized controlled trials.

Purpose: Patellofemoral pathology is common, and patellofemoral dislocation mainly affects adolescents and young adults. We conducted a meta-analysis exclusively of RCTs to compare the clinical outcomes of patellar dislocation patients managed operatively versus non-operatively.

Methods: After systematic review of electronic databases and websites, a total of 7 RCTs reporting data on 402 subjects were included.

Patelloplasty versus traditional total knee arthroplasty for osteoarthritis.

The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical effects of patelloplasty and traditional patellar management in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for osteoarthritis. A total of 152 patients with osteoarthritis treated with TKA between January 2004 and December 2005 were retrospectively studied. The patients were randomly divided into 2 groups: the patelloplasty group (group A; n=76) and the traditional treatment group (group B; n=76).

Cytogenetic effects of low doses of energetic carbon ions on rice after exposures of dry seeds, wet seeds and seedlings.

In order to investigate the biological effects of heavy ion radiation at low doses and the different radiosensitivities of growing and non-growing plants, rice at different lift stages (dry seed, wet seed and seedling) were exposed to carbon ions at doses of 0.02, 0.2, 2 and 20 Gy.

[Navigated percutaneous placement of iliosacral screws using intra-operative three-dimensional imaging].

Objective: To investigate the effect of a new technique of navigated percutaneous placement of iliosacral screws using intra-operative three-dimensional (3D) imaging.

Methods: Sixteen patients with hip fracture were placed in supine position. After the reference marker was fixed on the iliac crest, a 3-D C-arm navigation system was used intra-operatively to obtain 3D images that were transferred to the navigation system by an automatic.

Diversity and stability study on rice mutants induced in space environment.

To further study the characteristics of changes on the molecular level of rice mutants induced in space environment, we analyzed proteins in leaves and seeds of four rice mutants (two high-tillering and two low-tillering) in the 8(th) and 9(th) generations after a 15-day spaceflight, and compared with their ground controls by two-dimentional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and reverse phase liquid chromatography (RPLC). In addition, the albumin, globulin, prolamine, glutelin, and amylose of the mutant seeds were analyzed by RPLC and ultra-violet spectrometry. The results showed that the low-abundance proteins of leaves in the peak tillering stage are more likely to be induced compared with their corresponding controls.

Analysis of cytogenetic damage in rice seeds induced by energetic heavy ions on-ground and after spaceflight.

To analyze the biological effects of the space environment, we flew nine lines of rice seeds on the Chinese 20(th) recoverable satellite for a duration of 18 days. The same lines of seeds were also irradiated to low doses (2.0 mGy) of Carbon, or Neon or Iron ions (with different LET value of 13.

Heavy genetic load associated with the subspecific differentiation of japonica rice (Oryza sativa ssp. japonica L.).

Genetic load in the genome of the model species, rice, was genetically dissected by mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs) affecting the radiosensitivity of 226 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) to gamma-ray- and spaceflight-induced radiation. The parents and RILs varied considerably in their radiosensitivity to gamma-ray irradiation. A total of 28 QTLs affecting the two index traits, seedling height (SH) and seed fertility (SF), of radiosensitivity were identified.

Unassisted refolding of urea-denatured arginine kinase from shrimp Feneropenaeus chinensis: evidence for two equilibrium intermediates in the refolding pathway.

The refolding process and the equilibrium intermediates of urea-denatured arginine kinase (AK) were investigated by 1-anilino-8-naphthalenesulfonate (ANS) intrinsic fluorescence, far-UV circular dichroism (CD), size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), and enzymatic activity. In dilute denaturant, two equilibrium refolding intermediates (I and N') were discovered, and a refolding scheme of urea-denatured AK was proposed. During the refolding of urea-denatured AK, the fluorescence intensity increased remarkably, accompanied by a significant blue shift of the emission maximum and a pronounced increase in molar ellipticity of CD at 222 nm.