Protection of H9c2 Myocardial Cells from Oxidative Stress by Crocetin via PINK1/Parkin Pathway-Mediated Mitophagy.

This study aimed to explore the oxidative stress-protective effect of crocetin on H2O2-mediated H9c2 myocardial cells through in vitro experiments, and further explore whether its mechanism is related to the impact of mitophagy. This study also aimed to demonstrate the therapeutic effect of safflower acid on oxidative stress in cardiomyocytes and explore whether its mechanism is related to the effect of mitophagy. Here, an H2O2-based oxidative stress model was constructed and assessed the degree of oxidative stress injury of cardiomyocytes by detecting the levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH Px). Reactive oxygen species (ROS)-detecting fluorescent dye DCFH-DA, JC-1 dye, and TUNEL dye were employed to assess mitochondrial damage and apoptosis. Autophagic flux was measured by transfecting Ad-mCherry-GFP-LC3B adenovirus. Mitophagy-related proteins were then detected via western blotting and immunofluorescence. However, crocetin (0.1-10 µM) could significantly improve cell viability and reduce apoptosis and oxidative stress damage caused by H2O2. In cells with excessive autophagic activation, crocetin could also reduce autophagy flow and the expression of mitophagy-related proteins PINK1 and Parkin, and reverse the transfer of Parkin to mitochondria. Crocetin could reduce H2O2-mediated oxidative stress damage and the apoptosis of H9c2 cells, and its mechanism was closely related to mitophagy.

Surface Modification of Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polyetheretherketone with MXene Nanosheets for Enhanced Photothermal Antibacterial Activity and Osteogenicity.

Ideal bone implant materials need to provide multiple functions such as biocompatibility, non-cytotoxicity, and bone tissue regeneration guidance. To tackle this challenge, according to our previous work, carbon fiber (40 mm)-reinforced polyetheretherketone (CFPEEK) composites were developed by using 3D needle-punched CFPEEK preform molding technology. Because of the excellent mechanical properties, the CFPEEK needled felt matrix composites have a broad application prospect in orthopedic internal fixation and implant materials. In order to expand the application range of composite materials, it is very necessary to improve the surface bioactivity of composite materials. The surface modification of CFPEEK with 2D titanium carbide (MXene) nanosheets (sulfonated CFPEEK (SCFPEEK)-polydopamine (PDA)-Ti3C2Tx) for enhanced photothermal antibacterial activity and osteogenicity was explored in this study. Here, the new composites we constructed are composed of Ti3C2Tx nanosheets, PDA, and biologically inert SCFPEEK, which gave the bio-inert composites bimodal therapeutic features: photothermal antibacterial activity and in vivo osseointegration. To our knowledge, this is the first time that a CFPEEK implant with a bioactive surface modified by Ti3C2Tx nanosheets was demonstrated. Due to the synergistic photothermal therapy (PTT) treatment of Ti3C2Tx/PDA, SCFPEEK-PDA-Ti3C2Tx (SCP-PDA-Ti) absorbed heat and the temperature increased to 40.8-59.6 °C─the high temperature led to bacterial apoptosis. The SCP-PDA-Ti materials could effectively kill bacteria after 10 min of near-infrared (NIR) irradiation at 808 nm. SCP-PDA-Ti (2.5) and SCP-PDA-Ti (3.0) achieved a 100% bacteriostasis rate. More importantly, the multifunctional implant SCP-PDA-Ti shows good cytocompatibility and an excellent ability to promote bone formation in terms of cytotoxicity, diffusion, alkaline phosphatase activity, alizarin red activity, real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis, and in vivo bone defect osteogenesis experiments. This provides a more extendable development idea for the application of carbon fiber-reinforced composites as orthopedic implants.

An injectable adhesive antibacterial hydrogel wound dressing for infected skin wounds.

It's an exigent need for the improvement of novel antibacterial wound dressings with the increasing threats of drug resistance caused by excessive use of the antibiotics. In this work, an injectable, adhesive, hemostatic, biocompatible and bactericidal hydrogel wound dressing was fabricated. An injectable hydrogel can fill the irregular wound due to the characteristic of reversible sol-gel transition, whereas conventional dressings don't possess this ability. Oxidized alginate (ADA) and catechol-modified gelatin (Gel-Cat) were selected as the polymer backbones and they can crosslink in situ through double dynamic bonds, which were Schiff base and catechol-Fe coordinate bond; polydopamine decorated silver nanoparticles (PDA@Ag NPs) were also introduced into the hydrogel network. The double dynamic bonds endowed the hydrogel with injectable ability, shorter gelation time and enhanced mechanical property. And the aldehyde and catechol groups on the chains of ADA and Gel-Cat gave the hydrogel excellent adhesiveness. In addition, the PDA@Ag NPs in this system play two roles: one is bactericidal agent which can release from the hydrogel to kill the bacteria; the other is photothermal agent to convert 808 nm near-infrared light into heat to realize sterilization. In vitro study, the hydrogel displayed bactericidal ability against S. aureus and E. coli whether in photothermal antimicrobial test or agar diffusion test. In vivo test also testified that the hydrogel had a prominent therapeutic effect on infected wound through reducing inflammatory response and accelerating angiogenesis. Thus, we anticipate that our double dynamic bonds crosslinked hydrogel with PDA@Ag NPs as the antimicrobial agent can be a novel therapeutic way for infected wounds.

Impact of Yiqi Huoxue Decoction on the Relationship between Remodeling of Cardiac Nerves and Macrophages after Myocardial Infarction in Rats.

Sympathetic nerve remodeling after myocardial infarction (MI) has an indispensable role in cardiac remodeling. Numerous works have shown that sympathetic nerve remodeling can be delayed by inhibition of inflammatory response. Earlier studies have shown improvement in ventricular remodeling and inhibited chronic stage neural remodeling by Yiqi Huoxue decoction (YQHX). Therefore, the current study looked at the inhibitory effect of YQHX prescription on proinflammatory mediators and macrophages and the effect on neural remodeling at 3 and 7 days after MI. YQHX inhibited the expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) proteins and macrophage infiltration within 7 days after myocardial infarction. YQHX could decrease Th-positive nerve fiber density in the area around infarction and reduce the expression of growth-associated protein 43 (GAP43), nerve growth factor (NGF), and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) proteins, which was associated with the remodeling of sympathetic nerves. Thus, the nerve remodeling inhibition after MI due to YQHX may be through its anti-inflammatory action. These data provide direct evidence for the potential application of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the remodeling of sympathetic nerves after MI.

[Design and Trial Operation of Tele-rehabilitation Gradient Motor Function Self-evaluating System for Stroke Patients].

In order to overcome the defects of the motor function evaluation systems contained in current tele-rehabilitation devices, such as inconvenient, incomplete of measurement position, nonstandard and lacking of humanized design, we designed and developed a tele-rehabilitation gradient motor function self-evaluating system in this paper. Based on Brunnstrom stage, this system which was competitive comparing to manual evaluations, common tele-rehabilitation assessments and similar nonmedical products, realized the quantitative motor assessment for both limbs of stroke patients using the self-developed algorithms. The clinical trials proved that the system was feasible and accurate.

[Design of Telerehabilitation System Based on Safety and User Experience].

In the present study, we designed a telerehabilitation system based on handheld mobile application, motion sensor and bluetooth, which was used to improve motor function by intelligent supervision and guidance program. From the point of clinical application, the system design focused on ensuring the safety of training and enhancing the user experience of patients and doctors. The clinical trials showed that the system can provide rehabilitation training safely and conveniently.

[Design of Wearable Telerehabilitation Device Based on Micro-sensors].

In order to overcome the disadvantages of current telerehabilitation equipment, such as large volume, high price and difficult to operate, in this paper, we designed and developed a wearable telerehabilitation device based on microsensors. Self-developed algorithms were adopted, so that the device can track single-joint movement without delay and realize the quantitative evaluation of motor assessment, meanwhile, the micro-sensor has the characteristics of small volume, low price and convenient wearing. The clinical research showed that this remote rehabilitation equipment can provide flexible and effective rehabilitation training.

[Clinical application value and imaging diagnosis of stress fracture].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the imaging findings of stress fracture, in order to improve the ability of early diagnosis and early treatment of this disease. METHODS: The DR, CT and MRI imaging data of 336 cases of stress fracture from January 2010 to January 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. Early diagnosis ratio in stress fractures by three methods were analyzed using χ²-test. RESULTS: Early diagnosis ratio of three methods as follow: DR was 70.83%(238/332), CT was 55.93%(66/118), and MRI was 73.61%(53/72). There was statistical significance among three methods (χ²=10.15, P=0.006), the early diagnosis ratio of DR was higher than CT (χ²=8.765, P=0.003)and there was no statistical significance between DR and MRI (χ²=0.224, P=0.636). CONCLUSIONS: DR and MRI have better diagnosis of stress fractures while CT is not helpful in the early diagnosis. DR examination is preferred method due to its economical and convenient. MR is the important complement means, which can improve the early diagnosis ratio and provide imaging diagnosis basis for the clinical, so that the disease get early intervention and treatment.

Low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for patients with aphasia after stoke: A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To perform a meta-analysis of studies investigating the effects of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on post-stroke aphasia. DATA SOURCES: Studies were identified by performing a search of electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Web of Knowledge) for articles published until June 2014. STUDY SELECTION: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting treatments with low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in patients with post-stroke aphasia were included. The outcomes included naming, repetition, comprehension, changes in brain excitability, and adverse events. DATA EXTRACTION: Two independent reviewers extracted the data. Study quality was evaluated with the PEDro scale. DATA ANALYSIS: Of the 879 articles identified, 4 RCTs were included in the final analysis. Data synthesis showed that low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation was beneficial for post-stroke patients in terms of naming (standard mean difference (SMD) 0.51; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.16-0.86) and changes in brain excitability (7.6 ± 33.55; 95% CI -10.7-26.20). However, the changes in repetition (SMD 0.31; 95% CI -0.04-0.65) and comprehension (SMD 0.31; 95% CI -0.14-0.75) after stimulation were not significant. No adverse effects were reported. The included studies were of high methodological quality. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation is an effective treatment for recovery of naming. In addition, this treatment favours reorganization of the left-hemispheric language networks.