Integrative analysis of cellular autophagy-related genes in steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

Objective: This study aimed to identify and evaluate genes associated with cellular autophagy in steroid hormonal femoral head necrosis.

Methods: Autophagy-related differentially expressed genes (ARDEGs) in steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (SONFH) were identified by obtaining the intersection of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and autophagy-related genes in a SONFH Gene Expression Omnibus dataset. The ARDEGs were screened, and correlations between gene expression and immune cell infiltration were evaluated.

Genetic association of the polymorphisms in apoptosis-related genes with osteoarthritis susceptibility in Chinese Han population.

Background: Apoptosis is a normal physiological process in organs development, but excessive apoptosis is pathological and harmful. In previous studies, apoptosis-related genes are considered to be involved in the onset of osteoarthritis, but the mechanism is unclear. Therefore, we selected two common polymorphisms of apoptosis-related genes ( -248G>A, -717C>A) to explore the relationship with osteoarthritis.

Association between interleukin-17 gene polymorphisms and risk of coronary artery disease.

We conducted a case-control study to estimate the association between IL-17A rs2275913, rs3819025 and rs3748067 polymorphisms and development of coronary artery disease. A total of 415 patients with coronary artery disease and 448 health controls were recruited during the period of March 2013 and October 2014. Genotyping of IL-17A rs2275913, rs3819025 and rs3748067 were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction coupled with restriction fragment length polymorphism.

Improved Achilles tendon healing by early mechanical loading in a rabbit model.

Objective: To investigate the structure and the attachment strength of a healing tendon-bone interface and the role of mechanical loading in tendon healing.

Methods: Sixty rabbits underwent unilateral detachment and repair of the Achilles tendon. Thirty animals were immobilized (Group A), and the others wereallowed loadingimmediately postoperatively (Group B).