ROS-induced imbalance of the miR-34a-5p/SIRT1/p53 axis triggers chronic chondrocyte injury and inflammation.

Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative disease based on the degeneration and loss of articular cartilage. Inflammation and aging play an important role in the destruction of the extracellular matrix, in which microRNA (miRNA) is a key point, such as miRNA-34a-5p. Upregulation of miRNA-34a-5p was previously reported in a rat OA model, and its inhibition significantly suppressed interleukin (IL)-1ß-induced apoptosis in rat chondrocytes. However, Oxidative stress caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) can exacerbate the progression of miRNA regulated OA by mediating inflammatory processes. Thus, oxidative stress effects induced via tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP) in human chondrocytes were assessed in the current research by evaluating mitochondrial ROS production, mitochondrial cyclooxygenase (COX) activity, and cell apoptosis. We also analyzed the activities of antioxidant enzymes including glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Additionally, inflammatory factors, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-24, which contribute to OA development, were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results of this study indicated that miR-34a-5p/silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1)/p53 axis was involved in the ROS-induced injury of human chondrocytes. Moreover, dual-luciferase assay revealed that SIRT1 expression was directly regulated by miR-34a-5p, indicating the presence of a positive feedback loop in the miR-34a-5p/SIRT1/p53 axis that plays an important role in cell survival. However, ROS disrupted the miR-34a-5p/SIRT1/p53 axis, leading to the development of OA, and articular injection of SIRT1 agonist, SRT1720, in a rat model of OA effectively ameliorated OA progression in a dose-dependent manner. Our study confirms that miRNA-34a-5p could participate in oxidative stress responses caused by ROS and further regulate the inflammatory process via the SIRT1/p53 signaling axis, ultimately affecting the onset of OA, thus providing a new treatment strategy for clinical treatment of OA.

[Spatial and Temporal Distribution and Influencing Factors of Dissolved Trace Metals in Jiulong River Estuary and Xiamen Bay].

Trace metals play an important role in some biogeochemical processes in the marine system. The physical and hydrological conditions in estuaries and coastal seawater are complicated and significantly affected by human activities. Therefore, the biogeochemical behavior and influencing mechanism of trace metals in nearshore water have become a research hotspot. Jiulong River estuary and Xiamen Bay are located in the coastal areas of Fujian Province, which are significantly influenced by Longyan, Xiamen, and Zhangzhou City. In July 2021, November 2021, and January 2022, the trace metals chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), and cadmium (Cd) and environmental factors (water temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO), suspended particulate matter (SPM), etc.) in Jiulong River estuary and Xiamen Bay were investigated. The results showed that the order of trace metal concentration average values measured in Jiulong River estuary and Xiamen Bay was Mn>Ni>Cu>Cr>Co>Cd. In July 2021, the average values of ρ(Cr), ρ(Mn), ρ(Co), ρ(Ni), ρ(Cu), and ρ(Cd) were 0.159, 47.96, 0.068, 1.56, 1.07, and 0.016 µg·L-1, respectively. In November 2021, the average values were 0.216, 8.48, 0.030, 1.70, 1.92, and 0.019 µg·L-1, respectively. The average concentrations in January 2022 were 0.281, 32.39, 0.062, 2.21, 1.54, and 0.034 µg·L-1, respectively. The concentration of dissolved metals in the estuary was higher than that in the bay area. Principal component analysis showed that the main factors affecting the concentrations of dissolved trace metals were river runoff and anthropogenic activities.

[Review on the effects of heavy metal accumulation in flowers on the mutual benefit relationship between plant and insect pollinators]. / 花部重金属积累对植物-ä¼ ç²‰æ˜†è™«äº’æƒ å ³ç³»å½±å“çš„ç ”ç©¶è¿›å±•.

The global sharp decline of pollinators is one of the hot issues concerned by ecologists, mainly driven by global climate change, land use change, habitat fragmentation and harmful substances such as pesticides brought by industrial and agricultural production. In contrast, the potential impact of soil heavy metal pollution on pollinators is lack of in-depth evaluation. Heavy metals in soil would enter plant tissues, such as flowers, etc., and be transmitted to pollinators during pollination. By affecting pollinators' behavior, they can change plant fitness for male and female. This review aimed to comprehensively sort out the status of research and existing problems, which would deepen our understanding on the ecological consequences caused by heavy metal pollution as well as the plant-animal relationship in response to environmental change. Summarizing previous researches, we reviewed findings on the pattern of heavy metal accumulation in flowers, the impacts of flower heavy metal accumulation on plant male and female fitnesses in addition to pollination behavior and the key aspects of life history of bees, to help understand the interrelationship between flower heavy metal accumulation and pollinators, and further expand the scientific understanding on the internal connection between soil heavy metal pollution and the decline of pollinators.

Triptolide Inhibits Expression of Inflammatory Cytokines and Proliferation of Fibroblast-like Synoviocytes Induced by IL-6/sIL-6R-Mediated JAK2/STAT3 Signaling Pathway.

Triptolide, a component of the Chinese herb Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F, has been proved to be effective in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, its underlying mechanisms on RA have not yet been well established. We observed the inhibitory effect of triptolide on the expression of inflammatory cytokines and proliferation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) induced by the complex of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and the soluble form of the IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R). Furthermore, to clarify the underlying mechanisms, we treated FLS with the Janus-activated kinase 2 (JAK2) inhibitor/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) activation blocker AZD1480. In this study, immunohistochemical staining was used to identify vimentin (+) and CD68 (-) in FLS. The FLS proliferation was measured by cell proliferation assay, and the cell cycles were analyzed by flow cytometry. Furthermore, ELISA was used to detect the expression of the inflammatory factors in culture solution. The expression levels of p-JAK2, JAK2, p-STAT3 and STAT3 were investigated through Western blotting analysis. The results showed that IL-6/sIL-6R significantly increased the cell proliferation and expression of inflammatory cytokines, including IL-6, interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Triptolide or AZD1480 inhibited the cell proliferation and inflammatory cytokine expression in IL-6/sIL-6R-stimulated FLS by suppressing JAK2/STAT3. The study suggested that the physiological effects of triptolide on RA were due to its contribution to the inhibition of the inflammatory cytokine expression and FLS proliferation by suppressing the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. It may provide an innovative insight into the effect of triptolide in preventing RA pathogenesis.

Hydrogen inhibits the osteoclastogenesis of mouse bone marrow mononuclear cells.

Hydrogen (H2) is one of the major biodegradation products of magnesium (Mg) alloys implanted for bony fracture healing and reconstruction; H2 thus plays a significant role in the regulation of local microenvironment and the biology of resident cells. The interactions between the H2 and the local cells are of great interest, and a full understanding of the effect of H2 on bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMCs) would accelerate the development of effective strategies for successful bony healing. This study investigates how H2, with different concentrations and durations, regulates the osteoclastogenesis of mouse BMMCs. First, using H2 with five concentrations (0%, 2%, 25%, 50% and 75%) and three durations (5, 7 and 10 days), the osteoclastogenesis of mouse BMMCs in these H2 conditions were measured using TRAP staining, F-actin ring formation assay, pit formation assay and RT-qPCR analysis. Based on these findings, the proliferation assay, apoptosis assay, western blot analysis and ELISA assay of BMMCs after osteoclast induction were performed. The findings showed that H2 (especially the 50% and 75% H2) obviously inhibited the osteoclast formation, function and osteoclast-related genes expression of osteoclast-induced BMMCs; additionally, H2 (50%) was found to reduce the proliferation, promote the apoptosis and inhibit the expression of osteoclast-related proteins of BMMCs with the presence of osteoclast-induced medium. Therefore, H2 significantly inhibited the osteoclastogenesis of mouse BMMCs, which may become a new therapeutic agent for anti-bony resorption and open new avenues for the translational research of Mg alloys.

Development of polymorphic simple sequence repeat markers in Huperzia serrata (Lycopodiaceae).

PREMISE: The natural population size of Huperzia serrata (Lycopodiaceae) has dramatically decreased and the species has become endangered due to overexploitation. Here, we developed simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers for H. serrata to survey both its genetic diversity and population structure. METHODS AND RESULTS: Based on 177 individuals, 120 SSR primer pairs were developed and optimized from five regions of the H. serrata transcriptomic data. Of these primer pairs, 20 were successfully amplified and 10 showed obvious polymorphism. These polymorphic loci were investigated to study the genetic diversity of H. serrata. Two to 11 alleles per locus were identified, the level of observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.00 to 1.00, and the level of expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.19 to 0.79. All loci were successfully amplified in H. crispata, H. sutchueniana, and H. selago. CONCLUSIONS: The 10 polymorphic primer pairs developed here will be valuable for studies of the endangered H. serrata and other related species.

Characteristics and potentials of stem cells derived from human degenerated nucleus pulposus: potential for regeneration of the intervertebral disc.

BACKGROUND: Eliminating the symptoms during treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is only a temporary solution that does not cure the underlying cause. A biological method to treat this disorder may be possible by the newly discovered nucleus pulposus derived stem cells (NPDCs). However, the uncertain characteristics and potential of NPDCs calls for a comprehensive study. METHODS: In the present study, nucleus pulposus samples were obtained from 5 patients with IVDD undergoing discectomy procedure and NPDCs were harvested using fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) by the co-expression of GD2+ and Tie2+. After in vitro expansion, the properties of NPDCs were compared with those of bone marrow mesenchyme stem cells (BMSCs) from the same subjects. RESULTS: NPDCs performed similar properties in cell colony-forming ability, cell proliferation rate, cell cycle and stem cell gene expression similar to those of BMSCs. In addition, NPDCs could be differentiated into osteoblasts, adipocytes, and chondrocytes, and are found to be superior in chondrogenesis but inferior in adipocyte differentiation. CONCLUSIONS: NPDCs derived from the degenerated intervertebral disc still keep the regeneration ability similar to BMSCs. Besides, the superior capacity in chondrogenesis may provide a promising cell candidate for cell-based regenerative medicine and tissue engineering in IVDD.

* Coculture with Partial Digestion Notochordal Cell-Rich Nucleus Pulposus Tissue Activates Degenerative Human Nucleus Pulposus Cells.

Recent studies suggested that notochordal cells (NCs) and NC-conditioned medium (NCCM) can stimulate cell viability and matrix production of nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs). However, the potential of notochordal cell-rich nucleus pulposus (NRNP) incorporating the native environment of the intervertebral disc (IVD) has not been evaluated. The objective of this study was to develop an optimal NRNP model and test whether it can allow a significant level of NPC activation in vitro. Rabbit NRNP explants were divided into three groups according to different digestion time: digestion NRNP of 8 h, partial digestion NRNP of 2 h, and natural NRNP. Cell viability and NC phenotype were compared between these groups after 14 days of incubation. The products of the selected partial digestion NRNP group were then cocultured with human degenerated NPCs for 14 days. NPC viability, cell proliferation and senescence, the production of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) found in extracellular matrix, and NP matrix production by NPCs were assessed. The results showed that coculturing with partial digestion NRNP significantly improved the cell proliferation, cell senescence, and disc matrix gene expression of NPCs compared with those in the monoculture group. In addition, GAG/DNA ratio in the coculture group increased significantly, while the level of collagen II protein remained unchanged. In this study, we demonstrated that partial digestion NRNP may show a promising potential for NPC regeneration in IVD tissue engineering.

Treatment of osteoporotic intertrochanteric fractures by zoledronic acid injection combined with proximal femoral nail anti-rotation.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical results of proximal femoral nail anti-rotation (PFNA) combined with zoledronic acid injection in the treatment of osteoporotic intertrochanteric fractures in the elderly. METHODS: 60 elderly patients with osteoporotic intertrochanteric fractures were diagnosed using a dual energy X-ray bone density instrument. Patients were randomly divided into treatment or control groups (30 cases in each group). Patients in both groups were treated by closed/open reduction and internal fixation using PFNA. In the treatment group, patients received one zoledronic phosphonic acid injection of 5 mg/100 ml via intravenous drip, in addition to 600 mg of Caltrate D (qd) and 0.25 mg of alpha ossification alcohol (qd). The control group received 600 mg of Caltrate D (qd) and 0.25 mg of alpha ossification alcohol (qd). The oral drugs were administered for 12 months. Bone pain relief was observed, and changes in the bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar and health-side hip were recorded. Clinical results were evaluated using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Harris joint function score, and Osteo- porosis Quality of Life Scale (OQOLS). RESULTS: Compared with the control group, bone pain symptoms were significantly alleviated (p < 0.05) in the treatment group. In the treatment and control groups, both between-group and within-group differences in BMD were significantly increased in L1e4, femoral neck and trochanter (p < 0.05). No significant differences were found between the two groups in regard to the involved hip or the total rate of improvement at the end of the follow-up period, although cases in the treatment group had higher OQOLS scores than those of the controls (p = 0.04). Cases in the treatment group healed more quickly than those in the control group [(13 ± 3.2) weeks vs (15 ± 4.6) weeks, p = 0.02]. During the follow-up period, cases in the treatment group had no new fractures, whereas 2 new cases of hip fracture and 2 cases of distal radial fractures were observed among the controls. CONCLUSION: Zoledronic acid injection combined with PFNA is a favorable treatment option for the elderly patients with osteoporotic intertrochanteric fracture. It can effectively relieve bone pain, increase bone density, improve quality of life, reduce the occurrence of new fractures and promote fracture healing.

Impacts of Grazing Intensity and Plant Community Composition on Soil Bacterial Community Diversity in a Steppe Grassland.

Soil bacteria play a key role in the ecological and evolutionary responses of agricultural ecosystems. Domestic herbivore grazing is known to influence soil bacterial community. However, the effects of grazing and its major driving factors on soil bacterial community remain unknown for different plant community compositions under increasing grazing intensity. Thus, to investigate soil bacterial community diversity under five plant community compositions (Grass; Leymus chinensis; Forb; L. chinensis & Forb; and Legume), we performed a four-year field experiment with different grazing intensity treatments (no grazing; light grazing, 4 sheep·ha-1; and heavy grazing, 6 sheep·ha-1) in a grassland in China. Total DNA was obtained from soil samples collected from the plots in August, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) fingerprinting were used to investigate soil bacterial community. The results showed that light grazing significantly increased indices of soil bacterial community diversity for the Forb and Legume groups but not the Grass and L. chinensis groups. Heavy grazing significantly reduced these soil bacterial diversity indices, except for the Pielou evenness index in the Legume group. Further analyses revealed that the soil N/P ratio, electrical conductivity (EC), total nitrogen (TN) and pH were the major environmental factors affecting the soil bacterial community. Our study suggests that the soil bacterial community diversity was influenced by grazing intensity and plant community composition in a meadow steppe. The present study provides a baseline assessment of the soil bacterial community diversity in a temperate meadow steppe.

[Factors of prognosis in cervical spondylotic myelopathy: a review].

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is a common cause of spinal cord dysfunction clinical disease. Surgery is the main therapeutic tool for CSM. However, there are obvious differences in clinical functional recovery after operation. For the past few years, the influence factors of prognosis in cervical spondylosis myelopathic has been widely concerned. Age, nerve function, course of desease, imaging findings,surgical method and related factors became the investigative point for prognosis of cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Present viewpoint showed that the older patient, preoperative worse nerve function, longer the course of disease would result in worse outcomes. Imaging examination maybe can indicate the prognosis, but the correlation is unclear. Selection of surgical method and approach should be based on the principles of sufficient decompression, stabilize the alignment of the cervical spine, keeping backward extension of cervical spine, maintain effective decompression, preventing complications. Therefore, the treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy should be on the basis of pathogenic condition and imaging examination at early stage and a suitable usrgical procedure should be performed to obtain a better prognosis.

Computed tomography-guided nucleus pulposus biopsy for canine intervertebral disc degeneration preparation: a radiology and histology study.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Different animal models are being used in disc degenerative disease (DDD) research; most of these models are induced invasively rather than noninvasively. Computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous biopsy, widely used in clinical malignant pathology diagnosis, is a safe, useful, and highly accurate procedure. However, this process was not carried out in animal model preparation of intervertebral disc degeneration. PURPOSE: To apply a minimally invasive method in DDD animal model preparation with a biopsy gun guided by CT scan and evaluate the accuracy and efficiency of this process with radiology and histology analyses. The relationship between the weight of removed nucleus pulposus (NP) and the degenerative process was also explored preliminarily. METHODS: The canine intervertebral discs L1-L2, L3-L4, and L5-L6 were divided into three groups randomly: Group A: 18G biopsy gun; Group B: 20G biopsy gun; and Group C: 24G biopsy gun. After the lumbar spine was scanned with CT and the depth and angle of the centesis operation sites ascertained, biopsy gun was stabbed percutaneously through the annulus into the NP. A certain volume of NP tissue was removed by the biopsy gun. Radiology examination, including digital radiography (DR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), was carried out preoperatively and at first and third months postoperatively. Each sample was harvested at the 3rd month postoperation for histology evaluation. RESULTS: Computed tomography-guided percutaneous biopsy with 18G, 20G, and 24G biopsy guns was carried out for six discs, respectively. In the procedure, the weight of the NP tissue was removed: 3.0±0.53mg in Group A, 2.01±0.34 mg in Group B, and 0.99±0.12 mg in Group C. Significant differences of the weight of the removed NP tissue were calculated between groups (p<.05). During the observation period, although the disc height of Group A and B was reduced, no significant differences in the disc height comparison were found between groups at each time point and within groups at different time points in DR analysis. However, the signal intensity of MRI was reduced significantly (p<.05) in Group A when compared with Group C at third month, whereas the signal intensity was decrease mildly (p>.05) in Group B when compared with Group C at third month. The decreased content of NP, the number of NP cells, and the loose annulus fibrosus at the inner area was observed in both hematoxylin-eosin and Safranin-O staining in Group A at the 3rd month postoperation. CONCLUSIONS: Computed tomography-guided percutaneous biopsy could be applied in intervertebral disc degeneration preparation of canine model, and the 20G biopsy gun would be the optimal choice in this procedure. The intervertebral disc degenerative process could be forecasted approximately on an account of the negative association between the degeneration process and the weight of the removed NP tissue.

Growing trend of China's contribution to the field of spine: a 10-year survey of the literature.

PURPOSE: China, as a rapidly developing country with the largest population including over 50,000 orthopaedic surgeons, has an increasing importance in the field of spine. However, the quantity and quality of research production in the field of spine in the major regions of China-Mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the contribution of China to the field of spine. METHODS: Articles published in the 5 major spine journals originating from Mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong in 2004-2013 were retrieved from the database of Web of Science. The number of articles, impact factors, citations, article type, city, institution, funding source and conflict of interest were analyzed. RESULTS: There were 1006 publications in the 5 spine journals between 2004 and 2013 from China, including 706 from Mainland China, 210 from Taiwan, and 90 from Hong Kong. The time trend of the number of articles from these three regions showed a significant increase of 8.74-fold (from 23 to 201) between 2004 and 2013 (p = 0.000). From 2006, the number of publications from Mainland China exceeded Taiwan and Hong Kong. Mainland China had the highest total impact factors (1686.54) and total citations (4214), followed by Taiwan (498.93; 2009) and Hong Kong (222.89; 1311). Hong Kong had the highest mean impact factor (2.48) and mean citations (14.46), followed by Mainland China (2.40; 10.26) and Taiwan (2.38; 10.14). The journal Spine published the largest number of articles (470), followed by European Spine Journal (268). CONCLUSIONS: Chinese contributions to the field of spine have a significant increase during the past 10 years, particularly from Mainland China. Hong Kong had the highest quality research output in terms of mean impact factor and mean citation per article.

The expression and functional role of a FOXC1 related mRNA-lncRNA pair in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

The Fork head box C1 (FOXC1) gene is overexpressed in multiple malignant tumors and is functionally correlated with tumor progression. However, its' role in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is still unclear. Recent studies have revealed that many long non-coding RNA (lncRNAs) cooperate with adjacent coding genes and form a functional "lncRNA-mRNA pair". In this study, we report a new lncRNA FOXC1 upstream transcript (FOXCUT) that was remarkably overexpressed in 23 OSCC patients, as was the adjacent FOXC1 gene. The expressions of FOXC1 and FOXCUT were positively correlated. When the expression of FOXCUT was down-regulated by small interfering RNA (siRNA), the expression of FOXC1 was also decreased. Moreover, in OSCC cells Tca8113 and SCC-9, down-regulation of either FOXC1 or FOXCUT by siRNA could inhibit cell proliferation and cell migration in vitro and was accompanied with a reduction of MMP2, MMP7, MMP9, and VEGF-A. In conclusion, FOXC1 may be co-amplified with FOXCUT in OSCC, and both of them may be functionally involved in the tumor progression of OSCC. This provides evidence that both FOXC1 and FOXCUT may serve as novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets in OSCC patients who overexpress this "lncRNA-mRNA pair".

Biological evaluation of human degenerated nucleus pulposus cells in functionalized self-assembling peptide nanofiber hydrogel scaffold.

Nucleus pulposus (NP) tissue engineering has been proposed as a novel biological treatment for early-stage intervertebral disc degeneration. In this study, a novel functional self-assembling peptide PKP was first designed by linking the short functional motif of bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP7) to the C-terminal of RADA16-I, and another new functional self-assembling peptide was obtained by mixing RKP with RADA16-I. Then, the biocompatibilities and bioactivities of RKP and RAD-RKP for human degenerated nucleus pulposus cells (hNPCs) were studied in vitro. Atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed that both RKP and RAD-RKP could self-assemble into three-dimensional (3D) nanofiber hydrogel scaffolds in a culture medium at 37°C. After the hNPCs were cultured in 3D scaffolds, both RKP and RAD-RKP exhibited reliable attachment and extremely low cytotoxicities (<14%), which were verified by SEM and cytotoxity assays, respectively. Our results also showed that the functional-based scaffolds could increase the proliferation and migration of hNPCs after 7 days compared with culture plates and pure RADA16-I. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction demonstrated that the expressions of collagen II α1, Sox-9, and aggrecan were upregulated, while collagen I α1 was downregulated by functional-based scaffolds after 28 days. Furthermore, we also confirmed that RAD-RKP exhibited a higher hNPC proliferation, migration, and expression of Sox-9 and aggrecan compared with pure RKP. Therefore, the results of this study indicated that the BMP7 short motif-designed functional self-assembling peptide nanofiber hydrogels could be used as excellent scaffolds in NP tissue engineering, and RAD-RKP might have further potential application in human mild degenerated NP tissue regeneration.

[Application of modified plaster material and device in acupoint plaster therapy].

Through the analysis on the methods of medicinal paste preparation, the irritation of skin to medicine and the plaster materials adopted in acupoint plaster therapy for the prevention of winter-attacked disease in summer, the acupoint plaster materials and devices were improved. According to the differences in age, illness condition, acupoint and medicinal irritation of patients, the high-dosage, moderate-dosage and low-dosage series of medicine were prepared in proportion; 2. 5 mL and 5 mL syringes were manually reconstructed as the pushers for the delivery of the medicine paste of different specifications. The new-type materials such as spun-bonded non-woven fabrics, transparent dressing film and spun-laced non-woven skin-color stick plaster were adopted. In the operation, the medicine was classified and prepared more specifically. The dedicated acupoint plaster was characterized as less in skin irritation, breathable in property, convenient in practice and proper in stickiness. The plastic anti-seepage film in the middle and the medicine storage pool for stabilizing medicinal paste could avoid drug leakage. The medicinal paste pusher could achieve the even size, proper thickness and precise dosage of the paste. The new-type plaster material and the self-prepared innovated plaster device contribute to the development of acupoint plaster therapy in clinical application.

Effects of adeno-associated virus-2-mediated human BMP-7 gene transfection on the phenotype of nucleus pulposus cells.

Bone morphogenetic protein-7 (BMP-7) was found to stimulate the synthesis of proteoglycans (PGs) and collagen type II. To increase the biological function of the nucleus pulposus (NP) cells, the Ad-hBMP-7 vector was also successfully constructed and transfected NP cells. However, the disadvantages of adenovirus limit the usefulness of the Ad-hBMP7 vector for clinical application. The rAAV2 vector has empirical advantages, especially for clinical use, to transfer exogenous genes into cells. The purpose of this study was to first determine whether a rAAV2-hBMP-7 vector could be used to transfect canine NP cells and effect on the biological functions of canine NP cells. The canine NP cells transfected by the rAAV-BMP7 were assessed semi-quantitatively for BMP-7 expression with real-time PCR and westernbloting. Aggrecan and collagens type I and II secreted by the NP cells were qualitatively assessed at 4, 7, and 14 days post-transfection in the transfection and control groups. We found that rAAV2 can successfully transfer the hBMP-7 gene into canine NP cells. NP cells transfected by the rAAV-hBMP-7 vector express hBMP-7 for at least 14 days. At 7 and 14 days, the expressed hBMP-7 promotes a remarkable and significant accumulation of both proteoglycans (42% and 77% higher than non-transfected cells) (p<0.05) and collagen type II (63% and 94% higher than non-transfected cells) (p<0.05). Thus, we could speculate that the rAAV-based gene delivery technique promotes the expression of proteoglycans and collagen type II of nucleus pulposus cells. Moreover, this technique may be applicable for the future treatment of degenerative disc disease.

[Clinical application of hook plate for the treatment of distal clavicular trauma and analysis on its complications].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the clinical results of hook plate internal fixation for the treatment of distal traumatic injuries of clavicle,and to analysis the mechanism of the complications. METHODS: From 2001.9 to 2008.2, 36 patients with fresh distal clavicle fractures of Neer type II and 14 patients with dislocation of Acromioclavicular joint of Tossy type III were treated with hook plate internal fixations. Among the patients, 36 patients were male and 14 patients were female, ranging in age from 19 to 77 years, with an average of 43 years. After the operation, the range of motion of shoulder joint was measured and the complications were studied. The Karlsson and Constant-Murley criteria were used to evaluate the therapeutic effects. RESULTS: All the patients were followed up with a mean duration of 12 months (7 to 18 months). All the patients could move shoulder joint actively 1 week after operation, and recover to the normal ROM at the 6th week after operation. According to Karlsson criteria, 44 patients got an excellent result, 6 good. According to Constant-Murley criteria, the average score of wound shoulder was (73.8 +/- 8.3) before operation, and (59.6 +/- 6.7) after operation, and the postoperative score was higher than preoperative score. No incision infections were found and 5 patients with complications were cured. No re-dislocation of acromioclavicular joint occurred. CONCLUSION: It is advocated that hook plate for the treatment of distal clavicular fractures of Neer type II and acromioclavicular dislocation of Tossy type III could provide sufficient stability to allow early functional rehabilitation, and to decrease the rate of complications.

[Research advances in the responses of carbohydrates in grassland plants to environmental stress].

Carbohydrates are the main energy materials for plant metabolic activities. Enough carbohydrates stored in roots are necessary for plant re-growth, its tolerance against environmental stress, and the maintenance of grassland ecosystem stability. This paper summarized the influences of grazing, nitrogen fertilization, salt stress, drought, low temperature, and low oxygen stress on the carbohydrates in grassland plants, and introduced the advanced methods of measuring root carbohydrates. It was suggested that the research emphasis in the future should be paid on the relationships between root soluble sugar components and root physio-ecological functions.

[Soil biological evaluation on ecological remedy of damaged riparian].

In order to explore the theory and technique about the restoration of damaged riparian ecosystem, this paper evaluated the remedy effect of artificial spotted habitats that have been built for four years on the damaged riparian ecosystem based on soil biological principles. The results showed that in restored area, the quantities of various soil microbial species were significantly higher, and the species, quantity, and biodiversity of soil animal as well as the contents of soil organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium were all higher than those in un-restored area. After successful restoration, the soil conditions in damaged riparian were significantly improved, which resulted in an increase in soil biodiversity and enhanced the stability of this ecosystem. The remedy technique for the damaged riparian by using artificially spotted habitats not only consumed less cost, but also exhibited great ecological, landscape, and social values, providing a new model for the ecological reconstruction of damaged concrete riparian and the approximately natural remediation of damaged riparian.