Silencing of circ-PRKCH protects against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-evoked chondrocyte damage and extracellular matrix loss by the miR-140-3p/ADAM10 axis.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been implicated in the pathology of osteoarthritis (OA). Nevertheless, the precise actions of circRNA protein kinase C eta (circ-PRKCH, hsa_circ_0032131) on OA pathogenesis are still undiscovered. Cell viability and apoptosis were determined using Cell Counting-8 Kit (CCK-8) assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The levels of circ-PRKCH, microRNA (miR)-140- 3p and a-disintegrin and metallopeptidase domain 10 (ADAM10) mRNA were tested by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot. Targeted interplays among circ- PRKCH, miR-140-3p and ADAM10 were verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. circ-PRKCH was up-regulated in OA tissues and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-evoked C-28/I2 cells. circ-PRKCH knockdown alleviated LPS-evoked cell injury and extracellular matrix (ECM) loss in C-28/I2 cells. Mechanistically, circ-PRKCH acted as a miR-140-3p sponge. Moreover, the silencing of circ-PRKCH exerted a protective role in LPS-evoked C-28/I2 cells by up-regulating miR-140-3p. ADAM10 was a direct target of miR- 140-3p, and miR-140-3p overexpression mitigated LPS-evoked C-28/I2 cell injury and ECM loss by down-regulating ADAM10. Furthermore, circ-PRKCH mediated ADAM10 expression via sponging miR-140-3p in C-28/I2 cells. Our present study suggested that circ-PRKCH silencing alleviated LPSevoked chondrocyte injury and ECM loss partially through the miR-140-3p/ADAM10 axis.

Photogalvanic Effect in Nitrogen-Doped Monolayer MoS2 from First Principles.

We investigate the photogalvanic effect in nitrogen-doped monolayer molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) under the perpendicular irradiation, using first-principles calculations combined with non-equilibrium Green function formalism. We provide a detailed analysis on the behavior of photoresponse based on the band structure and in particular the joint density of states. We thereby identify different mechanisms leading to the existence of zero points, where the photocurrent vanishes. In particular, while the zero point in the linear photovoltaic effect is due to forbidden transition, their appearance in the circular photovoltaic effect results from the identical intensity splitting of the valance band and the conduction band in the presence of Rashba and Dresslhaus spin-orbit coupling. Furthermore, our results reveal a strong circular photogalvanic effect of nitrogen-doped monolayer MoS2, which is two orders of magnitude larger than that induced by the linearly polarized light.

Effects of 25-hydroxyvitamin D on bone microstructure in T2MD rats.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to explore the effects of 25-hydroxyvitamin D on the bone microstructure of rats with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2MD). METHODS: 40 male Wistar rats were randomly selected for T2MD modeling and injected with streptozotocin solution. The rats in the control group (n=19) were fed with common feed. 25-hydroxyvitamin D was injected into rats with successful modeling results (Treatment group, n=15). The remaining rats were considered as the model group (n=16). The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was adopted to determine bone gla protein (BGP) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP), and an X-ray bone densitometer were applied to observe the vertebral sections. RESULTS: The activity levels of blood glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol and TRACP in the model group were higher than those in the treatment group and the control group (p⟨0.01), while serum calcium, phosphorus, BGP, ALP, and glycosylated hemoglobin, various indicators of rats in the model group were lower than those in the treatment group and the control group (p⟨0.05). CONCLUSIONS: It is feasible to treat rats with T2MD with 25-hydroxyvitamin D, which can maintain the integrity of bone microstructure and increase the bone health.

[Latest changes of joint proprioceptive function after posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using double-bundle semitendinosus and gracilis under arthroscopy].

OBJECTIVE: To explore latest changes of joint proprioceptive function after posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) reconstruction using double-bundle semitendinosus and gracilis under arthroscope. METHODS: From June 2001 to November 2002, 25 patients with PCL ruptures were treated by arthroscope PCL reconstruction using double-bundle semitendinosus and gracilis, among whom 19 were males and 6 were females, aged 16-58 years old (36 on average). There were 6 cases of exercise injury, 15 of vehicle accident and 4 of falling injury. The duration before the operation was 1 week to 4 months (2.5 months on average). The posterior drawer test showed 23 patients were positive and 2 patients in the acute stage were not cooperative. MRI indicated that all the patients had PCL injuries. The proprioceptive function of the knee joints was (4.73 +/- 0.12) degrees before operation. RESULTS: All patients' incisions obtained healing by first intention after the operation. The posterior drawer test showed that all the patients were negative. All 25 patients were followed up for 20-41 months (30.1 months on average). Eighteen months after operation, MRI indicated that bone marrow canal healed and internal fixation was stable. At the time of the last follow-up, the Lysholm score increased from (58.6 +/- 15.2) before operation to (93.2 +/- 7.4), and there was statistical difference (P < 0.05). The proprioceptive function of the knee joints was (5.67 +/- 0.32) degrees, (5.45 +/- 0.16) degrees, (3.80 +/- 0.01) degrees and (3.67 +/- 0.25) degrees at 5, 10, 15 and 20 months after operation, respectively. Statistical differences were observed between groups at 5, 10, 15, 20 months and the group before operation (P < 0.05). The proprioceptive function of the knee joints was (4.56 +/- 0.11) degrees at the final follow-up, and was significantly different from that of the normal knee joints was (2.13 +/- 0.41) degrees, (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Joint proprioceptive function decreases temporally after the arthroscopy PCL reconstruction and begins to restore 15 months after operation, and improves sharply 20 months after operation. All patients' Lysholm scores and symptoms improve after operation. Therefore, the operation is effective.