Dysideanones F-G and dysiherbols D-E, unusual sesquiterpene quinones with rearranged skeletons from the marine sponge Dysidea avara / 中国天然药物

Four new sesquiterpene quinone meroterpenoids, dysideanones F-G (1-2) and dysiherbols D-E (3-4), were isolated from the marine sponge Dysidea avara collected from the South China Sea. The new structures were elucidated by extensive analysis of spectroscopic data including HR-MS and 1D and 2D NMR spectra, and their absolute configurations were assigned by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and ECD calculations. Anti-inflammatory evaluation showed that dysiherbols D-E (3-4) exhibited moderate inhibitory activity on TNF-α-induced NF-κB activation in human HEK-293T cells with IC50 values of 10.2 and 8.6 μmol·L-1, respectively.

Diversity-oriented synthesis of marine sponge derived hyrtioreticulins and their anti-inflammatory activities / 中国天然药物

Diversity-oriented synthesis is aimed to increase the chemical diversity of target natural products for extensive biological activity evaluation. Indole ring is an important functional group in a large number of drugs and other biologically active agents, and indole-containing natural products have been frequently isolated from marine sources in recent years. In this paper, a series of indole-containing marine natural hyrtioreticulin derivatives, including 19 new ones, were designed, synthesized through a key Pictet-Spengler reaction, and evaluated for their inflammation related activity. Compound 13b displayed the most promising activity by inhibiting TNF-α cytokine release with an inhibitory rate of 92% at a concentration of 20 μmol·L-1. A preliminary structure-activity relationship analysis was also discussed. This research may throw light on the discovery of marine indole alkaloid derived anti-inflammatory drug leads.

In vitro and in vivo genotoxicity and cytotoxicity analysis of protein extract from Aplysina fulva sponges

This study evaluated the physicochemical and morphological properties of a marine sponge protein extract (PE) using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), analysis of mass loss and pH and in vitro and in vivo. Scanning electron microscopy showed that PE fibers present a granular aspect and irregular structure and the element carbon followed by oxygen was detected in the EDS analysis. Moreover, a 29% of mass loss was observed after 14 days and the pH slightly modified after 14 days. Cell viability of fibroblast cells (L929) of control and PE at a concentration of 25% demonstrated higher values compared to the groups. Osteoblast cell viability of PE at 25 and 50% was significantly higher. Comet assay on day 1 showed higher values for PE at 25%. In addition, in vivo experiments demonstrated that in the treated animals, the bone defects were filled with biomaterial particles, granulation tissue and some areas of newly formed bone. Furthermore, similar immunoexpression of Runx-2 and Cox-2 was observed. Taken together, all results suggest that PE is biocompatible, present non-citotoxicity in the in vitro studies (at the lower concentration) and in the in vivo studies and it can be considered as an alternative source of collagen for tissue engineering proposals.

Biological activities of marine invertebrates extracts from the northeast brazilian coast / Atividades biológicas de extratos de invertebrados marinhos da costa nordeste do Brasil

Abstract This paper reports the in vitro antiproliferative effects, antiprotozoal, anti-herpes and antimicrobial activities of 32 organic extracts of 14 marine sponges and 14 corals collected in northeast Brazilian coast. The ethanolic extracts of the sponges Amphimedon compressa and Tedania ignis, and the acetone extract of Dysidea sp. showed relevant results concerning the antiproliferative effects against A549, HCT-8, and PC-3 cell lines by sulforhodamine B assay, but also low specificity. Concerning the antiprotozoal screening, the ethanolic extract of Amphimedon compressa and the acetone and ethanolic extracts of Dysidea sp. were the most active against Leishmania amazonensis and Trypanosoma cruzi expressing β-galactosidase in THP-1 cells. In the preliminary anti-HSV-1 (KOS strain) screening, the ethanolic extracts of the sponges Amphimedon compressa, Haliclona sp. and Chondrosia collectrix inhibited viral replication by more than 50%. The most promising anti-herpes results were observed for the ethanolic extract of Haliclona sp. showing high selective indices against HSV-1, KOS and 29R strains (SI> 50 and >79, respectively), and HSV-2, 333 strain (IS>108). The results of the antibacterial screening indicated that only the ethanolic extract of Amphimedon compressa exhibited a weak activity against Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli by the disk diffusion method. In view of these results, the extracts of Amphimedon compressa, Tedania ignis and Dysidea sp. were selected for further studies aiming the isolation and identification of the bioactive compounds with antiproliferative and/or antiprotozoal activities. The relevant anti-herpes activity of the ethanolic extract of Haliclona sp. also deserves special attention, and will be further investigated.

Resumo Este artigo reporta as atividades in vitro antiproliferativa, atiprotozoárica, anti-herpética e antimicrobiana de 32 extratos orgânicos provenientes de 14 esponjas marinhas e 14 corais coletados no litoral nordestino brasileiro. Os extratos etanólicos das esponjas Amphimedon compressa e Tedania ignis, e o extrato acetônico de Dysidea sp. demonstraram resultados promissores em relação aos efeitos antiproliferativos frente as linhagens celulares A549, HCT-8, PC-3 pelo método da sulforrodamina B, mas sem especificidade. Em relação à atividade antiprotozárica, os extratos etanólico de Amphimedon compressa e acetônico e etanólico de Dysidea sp. apresentaram atividade contra Leishmania amazonensis e Trypanosoma cruzi através do método de expressão de β-galactosidase em células THP-1. Na investigação preliminar de atividade antiviral frente ao vírus Herpes simplex tipo 1 (cepa KOS), os extratos etanólicos das esponjas Amphimedon compressa, Haliclona sp. e Chondrosia collectrix inibiram mais de 50% da replicação viral. O extrato etanólico da esponja Haliclona sp. demonstrou resultados promissores para atividade anti-herpética com altos índices de seletividade para as cepas KOS (IS >50) e 29R (IS>79) frente ao VHS-1 e cepa 333 (IS>108) frente ao VHS-2. O extrato etanólico da esponja Amphimedon compressa exibiu uma pequena atividade contra Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli pelo método de difusão em disco. De acordo com os resultados apresentados, os extratos das esponjas Amphimedon compressa, Tedania ignis e Dysidea sp. serão selecionados para futuros estudos de isolamento e identificação dos compostos bioativos para as atividades antiproliferativa e antiprozoárica. O extrato etanólico de Haliclona sp. será investigado por possuir atividade relevante anti-herpética.

In Vivo Biological Effects of Marine Biosilica on a Tibial Bone Defect in Rats

Abstract Research on biomaterials of natural origin has gained prominence in the literature. Above all, marine sponges, due to their architecture and structural components, present a promising potential for the engineering of bone tissue. In vitro studies demonstrate that a biosilica of marine sponges has osteogenic potential. However, in vivo works are needed to elucidate the interaction of biosilica (BS) and bone tissue. The objective of the study was to evaluate the morphological and chemical characteristics of BS compared to Bioglass (BG) by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray dispersive energy (EDX) spectroscopy. In addition, to evaluate the biological effects of BS, through an experimental model of tibial bone defect using histopathological, histomorphometric, immunohistochemical (IHC) and mechanical tests. SEM and EDX demonstrated the successful extraction of BS. Histopathological analysis demonstrated that Control Group (GC) had greater formation of newly formed bone tissue compared to BG and BS, yet BG bone neoformation was greater than BS. However, BS showed material degradation and granulation tissue formation, with absence of inflammatory process and formation of fibrotic capsule. The results of histomorphometry corroborate with those of histopathology, where it is worth emphasizing the positive influence of BS in osteoblastic activity. IHQ demonstrated positive VEGF and TGF-β immunoexpression for GC, BS and BG. In the mechanical test no significant differences were found. The present results demonstrate the potential of BS in bone repair, further studies are needed other forms of presentation of BS are needed.

Factors Influencing Hand Dermatitis in Nurses

PURPOSE: This descriptive research was on hand dermatitis in clinical nurses. Nurses often have a high rate of hand dermatitis with several factors associated with the dermatitis. The factors analyzed in this study included; general characteristics, work-related factors, hand washing, and allergies relate to hand dermatitis. METHODS: Data were collected from April to May 2016. The subjects were nurses who had worked 12 months or more in a University Hospital. They voluntarily gave their consent for the research. The Symptombased questionnaires were sent to 220 nurses and 199 responses were returned. Collected data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, χ2-test, and logistic regression analysis using SPSS 23.0. RESULTS: Prevalence of dermatitis in nurses was 48.2%. Nurses who had worked for over three years were twice more likely to suffer hand dermatitis than nurses who had worked for 3 years or less (adjusted odds ratio [adj. OR]=1.97, p=.036). Nurses who used alcohol sponge swabs more than 20 times per shift were 2.5 times more likely to suffer hand dermatitis as compared to those who used them less times (adj. OR=2.51, p=.023). CONCLUSION: Results revealed that about a half of the clinical nurses suffered from hand dermatitis, hence it is crucial to find appropriate interventions for dermatitis prevention. This concern needs to be addressed especially in nurses who have more work experience and use more alcohol sponge swabs.

Development of a Novel Spawn (Block Spawn) of an Edible Mushroom, Pleurotus ostreatus, in Liquid Culture and its Cultivation Evaluation

Mushroom cultivation has gained increased attention in recent years. Currently, only four types of spawn, including sawdust spawn, grain spawn, liquid spawn, and stick spawn, are commonly available for mushroom cultivation. This limited spawn diversity has led to difficulty in selecting suitable inoculum materials in some cultivation. In this study, three small blocks of lignocellulosic agro-wastes and one block of a synthetic matrix were prepared as support for growing Pleurotus ostreatus in liquid medium. Mycelium-adsorbed blocks were then evaluated for their potential as block spawn for fructification. Our results indicated that the edible fungus was adsorbed and abundantly grew internally and externally on loofah sponge and synthetic polyurethane foam (PUF) supports and also has the ability to attach and grow on the surface of sugarcane bagasse and corncob supports. The mycelia of P. ostreatus adhered on corncob exhibited the highest metabolic activity, while those on the PUF showed the least activity. Mycelial extension rates of block spawns made of agro-waste materials were comparable to that of sawdust spawn, but the block spawn of PUF showed a significantly lower rate. No significant differences in cropping time and yield were observed among cultivations between experimental block spawns and sawdust spawns. Moreover, the corncob block spawn maintained its fruiting potential during an examined period of 6-month storage. The developed block spawn could be practically applied in mushroom cultivation.

LncRNA MALAT1/MiR-145 Adjusts IL-1β-Induced Chondrocytes Viability and Cartilage Matrix Degradation by Regulating ADAMTS5 in Human Osteoarthritis

PURPOSE: Accumulating evidence suggests that microRNA-145 (miR-145) plays an important role in osteoarthritis (OA), which is a chronic progressive joint disease. Long noncoding RNA metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) promotes metastasis in cancers and functions as a sponge for miR-145. However, the role of MALAT1/miR-145 in OA pathogenesis has not yet been elucidated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The expression of MALAT1 and miR-145 was examined by quantitative real-time PCR; the interaction between miR-145, MALAT1 and a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS) 5 was verified by luciferase reporter assay. Correlations among MALAT1, miR-145, and ADAMTS5 were analyzed by Spearman rank analysis. Chondrocytes viability and cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation were investigated with cell viability assay and Western blotting analyzing expression of ADAMTS5, collagen type 2 alpha 1 (COL2A1), aggrecan (ACAN), and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP). RESULTS: MALAT1 was upregulated, and miR-145 was downregulated in OA samples and IL-1β-induced chondrocytes. Mechanically, miR-145 could directly bind to MALAT1 and ADAMTS5. Moreover, miR-145 expression was negatively correlated with MALAT1 and ADAMTS5 expression in OA patients, whereas MALAT1 and ADAMTS5 expression was positively correlated. Functionally, overexpression of MALAT1 inhibited chondrocyte viability and promoted cartilage ECM degradation in IL-1β-induced chondrocytes. In support thereof, MALAT1 silencing and miR-145 upregulation exerted the opposite effect in IL-1β-induced chondrocytes. Moreover, the effect of MALAT1 was counteracted by miR-145 upregulation, and ADAMTS5 restoration could abate miR-145 effects. CONCLUSION: An MALAT1/miR-145 axis contributes to ECM degradation in IL-1β-induced chondrocytes through targeting ADAMTS5, suggesting that MALAT1/miR-145/ADAMTS5 signaling may underlie human OA pathogenesis.

Stimulatory Effects of KPR-A148 on Osteoblast Differentiation and Bone Regeneration

BACKGROUND: Xanthine derivatives have been used to treat a variety of medical conditions including respiratory disease and neural degeneration. However, few studies have reported their effects on bone regeneration. Therefore, we investigated the effects of KPR-A148, a synthetic xanthine derivative on osteoblast differentiation in vitro and bone regeneration in vivo. METHODS: The cytotoxicity of KPR-A148 was evaluated using MC3T3-E1 cells by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltertrazolium bromide assay. The effects of KPR-A148 on osteoblast differentiation were examined by alkaline phosphatase staining, Alizarin red S staining, and real-time PCR of osteoblast differentiation marker genes. To investigate the effects of KPR-A148 on in vivo bone regeneration, a KPR-A148-containing collagen sponge was implanted into a mouse calvarial defect and KPR-A148 was injected twice, weekly. Bone regeneration was evaluated quantitatively by micro-CT and qualitatively by hematoxylin and eosin, as well as Masson's Trichrome staining. RESULTS: KPR-A148 did not show toxicity in the MC3T3-E1 cells and promoted osteoblast differentiation in a concentration-dependent manner. 10 µM of KPR-A148 showed the most significant effect on alkaline phospatase staining and matrix mineralization. KPR-A148 increased the expression of osteoblast marker genes in both the early and late stages of differentiation. In addition, KPR-A148 significantly induced new bone formation in the calvarial defect model. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that KPR-A148 strongly induces osteoblast differentiation and new bone formation. Therefore, it could be used as a potential therapeutic agent for regenerating bone following its destruction by disease or trauma.

Long non-coding RNA T-cell leukemia/lymphoma 6 serves as a sponge for miR-21 modulating the cell proliferation of retinoblastoma through PTEN

Retinoblastoma (Rb) is one of the most common eye malignancies occur in childhood. The crucial roles of non-coding RNAs, particularly long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs), have been widely reported in Rb progression. In the present study, we found the expression of lncRNA T-cell leukemia/lymphoma 6 (TCL6) was significantly downregulated in Rb tissues and cell lines. Knockdown of lncRNA TCL6 promoted cell proliferation while reduced cell apoptosis in Rb cells. Moreover, lncRNA TCL6 serves as a sponge for miR-21, a previously-reported oncogenic miRNA in Rb, by direct targeting to negatively regulated miR-21 expression, therefore modulating Rb proliferation through miR-21. TCL6 overexpression inhibited Rb cell proliferation while miR-21 overexpression exerted an opposing effect; the effect of TCL6 overexpression was partially attenuated by miR-21 overexpression. PTEN/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway was involved in lncRNA TCL6/miR-21 axis modulating Rb cell proliferation. Taken together, lncRNA TCL6 serves as a tumor suppressor by acting as a sponge for miR-21 to counteract miR-21-mediated PTEN repression.

Use of an Epidural Steroid Sponge for Postoperative Pain Control in Lumbar Discectomy / 대한척추외과학회지

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of using an epidural steroid sponge for postoperative pain control in lumbar discectomy. SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: There are many methods to control postoperative pain after lumbar discectomy, including opioid analgesics, epidural catheters, and epidural steroid Gelfoam sponges. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 72 patients who underwent surgery between March 2011 and February 2014 were enrolled. Their average age was 54 years (range, 24–82 years). In group A (35 patients), Gelfoam was inserted after being soaked with a solution of 2% lidocaine (400 mg/20 mL; 1 vial) and dexamethasone (5 mg/mL; 1 ampoule). In group B (37 patients), it was inserted after soaking with normal saline. Postoperative pain was assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS) scores. Pain above 5 points was controlled by a narcotic analgesic agent, and the duration and number of postoperative interventions, the period of time before walking after the operation, and the period until the date of discharge after surgery were assessed and compared. The Mann-Whitney U test was used as a nonparametric method. P-values less than 0.05 were considered to indicate statistical significance. RESULTS: In group A, 15 patients did not require analgesics on the day of surgery. In 20 patients, no analgesics were needed on postoperative day (POD) 1. In group B, 8 patients on the day of surgery and 13 patients on POD 1 did not require analgesics. In group A, 26 patients were able to walk on the day of surgery, and all patients were able to walk on POD 1. In group B, 19 patients was able to walk on the day of surgery and all patients were able to walk on POD 1. The mean number of hospital days before discharge was 6.3 in group A and 8.2 in group B. CONCLUSIONS: By continuously releasing low doses of steroids into the epidural space, this technique provided satisfactory results for postoperative pain control.

Peptides and polyketides isolated from the marine sponge-derived fungus Aspergillus terreus SCSIO 41008 / 中国天然药物

Two new isomeric modified tripeptides, aspergillamides C and D (compounds 1 and 2), together with fifteen known compounds (compounds 3-17), were obtained from the marine sponge-derived fungus Aspergillus terreus SCSIO 41008. The structures of the new compounds, including absolute configurations, were determined by extensive analyses of spectroscopic data (NMR, MS, UV, and IR) and comparisons between the calculated and experimental electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. Butyrolactone I (compound 11) exhibited strong inhibitory effects against Mycobacterium tuberculosis protein tyrosine phosphatase B (MptpB) with the IC being 5.11 ± 0.53 μmol·L, and acted as a noncompetitive inhibitor based on kinetic analysis.

Ultraselective conventional transarterial chemoembolization: When and how?

Ultraselective conventional transarterial chemoembolization (cTACE), defined as cTACE at the most distal portion of the subsubsegmental hepatic artery, is mainly performed for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ≤5 cm. Distal advancement of a microcatheter enables injection of a larger volume of iodized oil into the portal vein in the limited area under non-physiological hemodynamics. As a result, the reversed portal flow into the tumor through the drainage route of the tumor that occurs when the hepatic artery is embolized is temporarily blocked. By adding gelatin sponge slurry embolization, both the hepatic artery and portal vein are embolized and not only complete necrosis of can be achieved. Ultraselective cTACE can cure small HCCs including less hypervascular tumor portions and replace surgical resection and radiofrequency ablation in selected patients.

Knockdown of LncRNA H19 Relieves LPS-Induced Damage by Modulating miR-130a in Osteoarthritis

PURPOSE: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a commonly occurring illness without a definitive cure, at present. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been widely confirmed to be involved in the modulation of OA progression. This study aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of lncRNA H19 in OA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Abundances of H19 and microRNA-130a (miR-130a) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated C28/I2 cells were measured by reverse-transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). CCK-8 and flow cytometry analyses were carried out to assess cell viability and apoptosis. Starbase online software was used to predict the putative binding sites between H19 and miR-130a. Luciferase reporter, RNA pull down, and RT-qPCR were performed to analyze the true interaction between H19 and miR-130a. RESULTS: A notably dose-dependent elevation of H19 levels was observed in LPS-treated C28/I2 cells. Knockdown of H19 ameliorated the injury of LPS-induced C28/I2 cells, reflected by induced viability, decreased apoptosis, and reduced inflammatory factor secretions. Moreover, H19 negatively regulated the expression of miR-130a via acting as a molecular sponge for miR-130a. The stimulatory effects of H19 on cell damage were abolished following the restoration of miR-130a. CONCLUSION: LncRNA H19 aggravated the injury of LPS-induced C28/I2 cells by sponging miR-130a, hinting a novel regulatory mechanism and a potential therapeutic target for OA.

Experimental Study to Develop a Method for Improving Sample Collection to Monitor Laryngoscopes after Reprocessing

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The microbiological surveillance of endoscopes and automated flexible endoscope reprocessing have been proven to be two of the most difficult and controversial areas of infection control in endoscopy. The purpose of this study was to standardize a sampling method for assessing the effectiveness of standard reprocessing operating procedures for flexible fiberoptic laryngoscopes (FFLs). METHODS: First, the sampling devices were directly inoculated with Bacillus atrophaeus spores; second, tissue non tissue (TNT) wipes were tested on artificially contaminated surfaces and on FFLs. RESULTS: Comparison of the sponges, cellulose, and TNT wipes indicated that the TNT wipes were more effective in releasing spores (93%) than the sponges (49%) and cellulose wipes (52%). The developed protocol provides a high efficiency for both collection and extraction from the stainless steel surface (87% of the spores were removed and released) and from the FFL (85% of the spores were removed and released), with relatively low standard deviations for recovery efficiency, particularly for the analysis of the FFL. CONCLUSIONS: TNT wipes are more efficient for sampling surface areas, thereby aiding in the accuracy and reproducibility of environmental surveillance.

The effect of mesenchymal stem cell use on intra-abdominal adhesions in a rat model

PURPOSE: Intra-abdominal adhesions (IAA) are among the most frequently seen pathologies in general surgery practice with an increased morbidity and mortality. In the present study, we investigated the effect of locally applied mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on IAA. METHODS: Twenty-four Wistar Albino rats were used in the study. The rats were divided into three groups including: Sham, control, and MSCs group. On day 0, cecum was reached under anesthesia in all groups, except the Sham group. Scraping with a sponge was performed until petechial bleeding occurred. The control group received no treatment. In the stem cell group, MSCs were applied topically immediately after surgery on adhesions. The rats were sacrificed on day 10 and colon tissues and blood samples were collected for macroscopic, histopathological, and biochemical analysis. RESULTS: In our study, E-selectin, P-selectin, TNF-α and IL-1 levels were statistically significantly lower in the MSC group than the control group, while the sham group has the lowest levels. In both the macroscopic and histopathological analyses (Zühlke's scale), the least amount of adhesion was observed in the Sham group. In addition, although there was less adhesion in the MSC group than the control group, the difference did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Topical MSC application immediately after surgery suppresses the inflammatory process. However it was found to be ineffective in histopathological and macroscopic examinations performed on the 10th day.

Cold-active pectinolytic activity produced by filamentous fungi associated with Antarctic marine sponges

BACKGROUND: Pectinase enzymes catalyze the breakdown of pectin, a key component of the plant cell wall. At industrial level, pectinases are used in diverse applications, especially in food-processing industry. Currently, most of the industrial pectinases have optimal activity at mesophilic temperatures. On the contrary, very little is known about the pectinolytic activities from organisms from cold climates such as Antarctica. In this work, 27 filamentous fungi isolated from marine sponges collected in King George Island, Antarctica, were screened as new source of cold-active pectinases. RESULTS: In semi-quantitative plate assays, 8 out 27 of these isolates showed pectinolytic activities at 15 °C and one of them, Geomyces sp. strain F09-T3-2, showed the highest production of pectinases in liquid medium containing pectin as sole carbon source. More interesting, Geomyces sp. F09-T3-2 showed optimal pectinolytic activity at 30 °C, 10 °C under the temperature of currently available commercial mesophilic pectinases. CONCLUSION: Filamentous fungi associated with Antarctic marine sponges are a promising source of pectinolytic activity. In particular, pectinases from Geomyces sp. F09-T3-2 may be potentially suitable for biotechnological applications needing cold-active pectinases. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing the production of pectinolytic activity from filamentous fungi from any environment in Antarctica.

An Emerging Role for Circular RNAs in Osteoarthritis

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are currently classed as non-coding RNAs that, unlike the better known canonical linear RNAs, form a covalently closed continuous loop without 5′ or 3′ polarities. With the development of high throughput sequencing technology, a large number of circRNAs have been discovered in many species. More importantly, growing evidence suggests that circRNAs are abundant, evolutionally conserved, and relatively stable in cells and tissues. Strikingly, recent studies have discovered that circRNAs can serve as microRNA sponges, interact with RNA-binding protein, and regulate gene transcription, as well as protein translation. Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common chronic degenerative joint disease. CircRNAs are differentially expressed in OA cartilage. Moreover, some circRNAs are involved in multiple pathological processes during OA, mainly extracellular matrix degradation, inflammation, and apoptosis. In this review, we briefly delineate the biogenesis, characteristics, and biofunctions of circRNAs, and then, focus on the role of circRNAs in the occurrence and progression OA.

Plug-Assisted Retrograde Transvenous Obliteration for the Treatment of Gastric Varices: The Role of Intra-Procedural Cone-Beam Computed Tomography

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the technical and clinical outcomes of plug-assisted retrograde transvenous obliteration (PARTO) for the treatment of gastric varices (GV) and to evaluate the role of intra-procedural cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) performed during PARTO to confirm its technical success. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 2016 to December 2016, 17 patients with GV who had undergone PARTO were retrospectively evaluated. When the proximal part of the afferent vein was identified on a fluoroscopy, non-contrast CBCT images were obtained. In patients with incomplete embolization of GV, an additional injection of gelatin sponges was performed. Follow-up data from contrast-enhanced CT and upper intestinal endoscopy, as well as clinical and laboratory data were collected. RESULTS: Plug-assisted retrograde transvenous obliteration procedures were technically successful in all 17 patients. Complete embolization of GV was detected on CBCT images in 15 patients; whereas, incomplete embolization was detected in two. Complete embolization of GV was then achieved after an additional injection of gelatin sponges in these two patients as demonstrated on the 2nd CBCT image. The mean follow-up period after PARTO was 193 days (range, 73–383 days). A follow-up CT obtained 2–4 months after PARTO demonstrated marked shrinkage or complete obliteration of GV and portosystemic shunts in all 17 patients. There were no cases of variceal bleeding during the follow-up. CONCLUSION: Plug-assisted retrograde transvenous obliteration is technically and clinically effective for the treatment of GV. In addition, intra-procedural CBCT can be an adjunct tool to fluoroscopy, because it can provide an immediate and accurate evaluation of the technical success of PARTO.

Is glue embolization safe and effective for gastrointestinal bleeding?

Transcatheter arterial embolization using N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (NBCA) for gastrointestinal arterial bleeding enables higher cessation rate and lower recurrent bleeding rate compared with conventional embolic materials including gelatin sponge, metallic coil, and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particle. Glue embolization is particularly effective in patients with coagulopathy. Even in the lower gastrointestinal tract, ischemic bowel complications by glue embolization are comparable to other agents. Glue embolization is also effective for arterial esophageal bleeding without any serious ischemic complications although the anatomy of the esophageal artery is complex and varied. For bleeding after abdominal surgery such as pancreaticoduodenectomy or hepatic lobectomy, interventional radiologists should be careful with indicating glue embolization because the presence of fewer collateral vessels can easily result in serious ischemic complications. Modified glue such as Glubran 2 (NBCA associated with methacryloxyfulfolane) can reduce the risk of ischemic complication due to its less thermal reaction, but the outcomes seem unsatisfactory.