Mediating effect of metabolic syndrome in the association of educational attainment with intervertebral disc degeneration and low back pain.

The causal association of educational attainment (EA) with intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) or low back pain (LBP), and the mediating effect of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in this association, is not studied to date. In this study, using summary statistics of genome-wide association studies primarily conducted in the individuals of European ancestry, Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses were performed to investigate: (1) the total and direct effects of EA on IVDD and LBP, (2) bidirectional associations of EA with MetS or the components of MetS, (3) causal effects of MetS or its components on IVDD and LBP, and (4) mediating effects of MetS or its components on the causal associations of EA with IVDD and LBP. Univariable MR analysis demonstrated that genetically proxied EA was inversely associated with IVDD (ORIVW: 0.

Clinical application of instant 3D printed cast versus polymer orthosis in the treatment of colles fracture: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The shortcomings of plaster in water resistance, air permeability, skin comfort, fixed stability and weight of wearing are still to be solved. 3D printed cast can overcome the above shortcomings. At present, there is a relative lack of data on the clinical application of 3D printed cast, probably due to its complexity, relatively long operating time, and high price.

Runx2 overexpression promotes bone repair of osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH).

Background: Runt-related transcription factor-2 (Runx2) has been considered an inducer to improve bone repair ability of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs).

Methods And Results: Twenty-four rabbits were used to establish Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) and randomly devided into four groups: Adenovirus Runx2 (Ad-Runx2) group, Runx2-siRNA group, MSCs group and Model group. At 1 week after model establishment, the Ad-Runx2 group was treated with 5 × 107 MSCs transfected through Ad-Runx2, the Runx2-siRNA group was treated with 5 × 107 MSCs transfected through Runx2-siRNA, the MSCs group was injected with 5 × 107 untreated MSCs, and the Model group was treated with saline.

Exosomes Derived from Runx2-Overexpressing BMSCs Enhance Cartilage Tissue Regeneration and Prevent Osteoarthritis of the Knee in a Rabbit Model.

Objectives: Osteoarthritis is the leading disease of joints worldwide. Osteoarthritis may be treated by exosomes derived from Runx2-overexpressed bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (R-BMSCs-Exos). R-BMSCs-Exos would promote the proliferation, migration, and phenotypic maintenance of articular chondrocytes.

Growth, electronic structure and superconductivity of ultrathin epitaxial CoSifilms.

We report growth, electronic structure and superconductivity of ultrathin epitaxial CoSifilms on Si (111). At low coverages, preferred islands with 2, 5 and 6 monolayers height develop, which agrees well with the surface energy calculation. We observe clear quantum well states as a result of electronic confinement and their dispersion agrees well with density functional theory calculations, indicating weak correlation effect despite strong contributions from Co 3electrons.

Overexpressing Runx2 of BMSCs Improves the Repairment of knee Cartilage Defects.

Background: Recruitment of gene modifying bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) has been considered an alternative to single-cell injection in articular cartilage repair.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate whether the effect of runt-related transcription factor 2(Runx2) overexpression bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in vivo could improve the quality of repaired tissue of a knee cartilage defect in a rabbit model.

Methods: Thirty-two New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into four groups.

BMSC-derived exosomes carrying microRNA-122-5p promote proliferation of osteoblasts in osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with multipotential differentiation capacity can differentiate into bone cells under specific conditions and can be used to treat osteonecrosis (ON) of the femoral head (ONFH) through cell transplantation. The current study aims to explore the role of bone marrow (BM) MSCs (BMSCs)-derived exosomes carrying microRNA-122-5p (miR-122-5p) in ONFH rabbit models.First, rabbit models with ONFH were established.

Down-regulation of exosomal microRNA-224-3p derived from bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells potentiates angiogenesis in traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

Traumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) is a condition leading to the collapse of the femoral head, and the primary treatment is a total hip replacement, which has a poor prognosis. The current study was conducted with the aim of investigating the role of exosomes from bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) carrying microRNA-224-3p (miR-224-3p) in traumatic ONFH. Initially, a microarray analysis was performed to screen the differentially expressed genes and miRs associated with traumatic ONFH.

Natural variation at qHd1 affects heading date acceleration at high temperatures with pleiotropism for yield traits in rice.

Background: Rice is highly sensitive to temperature fluctuations. Recently, the frequent occurrence of high temperature stress has heavily influenced rice production. Proper heading date in specific environmental conditions could ensure high grain yield.

Autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine alleviates overload-exercise-induced cardiac injury in rats.

Overload-exercise (OE) causes myocardial injury through inducing autophagy and apoptosis. In this study we examined whether an autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA) could alleviate OE-induced cardiac injury. Rats were injected with 3-MA (15 mg/kg, iv) or saline before subjected to various intensities of OE, including no swim (control), 2 h swim (mild-intensity exercise, MIE), 2 h swim with 2.

Workable male sterility systems for hybrid rice: Genetics, biochemistry, molecular biology, and utilization.

The exploitation of male sterility systems has enabled the commercialization of heterosis in rice, with greatly increased yield and total production of this major staple food crop. Hybrid rice, which was adopted in the 1970s, now covers nearly 13.6 million hectares each year in China alone.

Competitive ability and fitness differences between two introduced populations of the invasive whitefly Bemisia tabaci Q in China.

Background: Our long-term field survey revealed that the Cardinium infection rate in Bemisia tabaci Q (also known as biotype Q) population was low in Shandong, China over the past few years. We hypothesize that (1) the Cardinium-infected (C+) B. tabaci Q population cannot efficiently compete with the Cardinium-uninfected (C-) B.

Inhibitory effect of tetramethylpyrazine preconditioning on overload training-induced myocardial apoptosis in rats.

Objective: To investigate the inhibitory effect of tetramethylpyrazine (Tet) preconditioning on overload training-induced myocardial apoptosis in rats, and to explore cardioprotective mechanisms of Tet preconditioning.

Methods: A total of 25 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups, including the control group (n=5), the overload training group (overload training for 8 weeks, n=10), and the Tet preconditioning group (Tet preconditioning for 8 weeks before overload training, n=10). After 8 weeks, cardiac structure and myocardial apoptosis were analyzed by histology, transmission electron microscopy, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling assay staining.

Effect of Cbfa1 on osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells under hypoxia condition.

Objective: To observe the effect of Cbfa1 on biological characteristics of marrow mesenchymal stem cells under hypoxia.

Methods: The second passage of the MSCs were transfected with Cbfa1 and then cultured in 20% O2 and 3% O2 condition individually. The biological features of the cultured MSCs were assessed by the Real-time PCR.

[Protective effect of tacrolimus postconditioning on oxidative stress injury provoked by spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion in rats].

Objective: To investigate whether protective effect of tacrolimus postconditioning on rats' spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury is mediated by up-regulation of activity of endogenous antioxidant enzymes and down-regulation of production of oxygen free radicals.

Methods: Ninety male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into ischemia-reperfusion (IR) group, tacrolimus postconditioning (TP) group and sham operation (SO) group. The model of spinal cord ischemia was prepared by means of catheterization through femoral artery and balloon dilatation.

Recent advancements in optofluidics-based single-cell analysis: optical on-chip cellular manipulation, treatment, and property detection.

Cellular analysis plays important roles in various biological applications, such as cell biology, drug development, and disease diagnosis. Conventional cellular analysis usually measures the average response from a whole cell group. However, bulk measurements may cause misleading interpretations due to cell heterogeneity.

Tacolimus postconditioning alleviates apoptotic cell death in rats after spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury via up-regulating protein-serine-threonine kinases phosphorylation.

The effects of tacrolimus postconditioning on protein-serine-threonine kinases (Akt) phosphorylation and apoptotic cell death in rats after spinal cord ischemia-reperfusion injury were investigated. Ninety male SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group, ischemia-reperfusion group and tacrolimus postconditioning group. The model of spinal cord ischemia was established by means of catheterization through femoral artery and balloon dilatation.

Identification and characterization of 43 novel polymorphic EST-SSR markers for arum lily, Zantedeschia aethiopica (Araceae).

Premise Of The Study: A new set of microsatellite or simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers from expressed sequence tags (ESTs) was developed for arum lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica), which is one of the most iconic and widely recognized ornamental plants in the world. •

Methods And Results: Using 2175 unigenes derived from 4283 random ESTs in arum lily, 166 primer pairs were designed and tested for amplification in 24 accessions from Asia, Europe, and Africa. A total of 43 loci were polymorphic, with the number of alleles per locus ranging from two to 10.

[Optimum extraction technology of total triterpenoids from Hypodematium sinense].

Objective: To optimize the extraction technology of total triterpenoids from Hypodematium sinense.

Methods: With 5% vanillin-glacial acetic acid solution and 72% sulfuric acid as chromogenic agent and the content of total tripenoids as index,using single factor experiment and orthogonal test,the optimal extraction condition was determined.

Results: The optimal conditions were solid-liquid ratio 1:12, 60% ethanol concentration, and ultrasonic extraction time of 60 min at 60 degrees C.

Seasonal distribution of active systemic lupus erythematosus and its correlation with meteorological factors.

Objective: To explore the characteristics of seasonal distribution of active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and the influences of meteorological factors including temperature and humidity on active systemic lupus erythematosus.

Methods: The characteristics of seasonal distribution of active SLE and its correlation with meteorological factors were retrospectively analyzed in 640 patients living in the city of Zhanjiang, China and had active SLE between January 1997 and December 2006.

Results: In winter, when there are weaker ultraviolet (UV) rays, the ratio of patients with active SLE to total inpatients was 3.

Intravenous transplantation of allogeneic bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and its directional migration to the necrotic femoral head.

In this study, we investigated the feasibility and safety of intravenous transplantation of allogeneic bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for femoral head repair, and observed the migration and distribution of MSCs in hosts. MSCs were labeled with green fluorescent protein (GFP) in vitro and injected into nude mice via vena caudalis, and the distribution of MSCs was dynamically monitored at 0, 6, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h after transplantation. Two weeks after the establishment of a rabbit model of femoral head necrosis, GFP labeled MSCs were injected into these rabbits via ear vein, immunological rejection and graft versus host disease were observed and necrotic and normal femoral heads, bone marrows, lungs, and livers were harvested at 2, 4 and 6 w after transplantation.

[Evaluation of the inhibitory effect of tripeptide tyroservatide on growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma using a hollow fiber assay].

Objective: To investigate the inhibitory effect of tyroservatide (YSV) on growth of hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Methods: In vitro effects of YSV on five human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines were assayed by MTS. In vivo effects of YSV on 5 human hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines were assayed by hollow fiber tumor model.

Reversal effect of tyroservatide (YSV) tripeptide on multi-drug resistance in resistant human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line BEL-7402/5-FU.

Tyroservatide (YSV) is an active, low-molecular-weight polypeptide that has been shown to have antitumor effects on human hepatocellular carcinoma BEL-7402 cells in vitro and in vivo. Multi-drug resistance (MDR) represents a major obstacle to the success of cancer chemotherapy. To enhance the chemosensitivity of tumor cells, attention has been focused on MDR modulators.

The decapeptide CMS001 enhances swimming endurance in mice.

Now peptides achieve distinct advantages over protein in biological application because of its quick and easy absorption, low power, and high activity. Some bioactive peptides had been developed to be used in the management of exercise-related disorders. In this study, we investigated whether the decapeptide CMS001 (Pro-Thr-Thr-Lys-Thr-Tyr-Phe-Pro-His-Phe) isolated from pig spleen had anti-fatigue effects.