A triphenylamine-based colorimetric and fluorescent probe with donor­bridge­acceptor structure for detection of G-quadruplex DNA.

In this Letter, three triphenylamine-based dyes (TPA-1, TPA-2a and TPA-2b) with donor­bridge­acceptor (D­p­A) structure were designed and synthesized for the purpose of G-quadruplexes recognition. In aqueous conditions, the interactions of the dyes with G-quadruplexes were studied with the aim to establish the influence of the geometry of the dyes on their binding and probing properties. Results indicate that TPA-2b displays significant selective colorimetric and fluorescent changes upon binding of G-quadruplex DNA. More importantly, its distinct color change enables visual detection and differentiation of G-quadruplexes from single and duplex DNA structures. CD titration date reveals that TPA-2b could induce and stabilize the formation of G-quadruplex structure. All these remarkable properties of TPA-2b suggest that it should have promising application in the field of G-quadruplexes research.

Down-regulated CK8 expression in human intervertebral disc degeneration.

As an intermediate filament protein, cytokeratin 8 (CK8) exerts multiple cellular functions. Moreover, it has been identified as a marker of notochord cells, which play essential roles in human nucleus pulposus (NP). However, the distribution of CK8 positive cells in human NP and their relationship with intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) have not been clarified until now. Here, we found the percentage of CK8 positive cells in IDD (25.7±4.14%) was significantly lower than that in normal and scoliosis NP (51.9±9.73% and 47.8±5.51%, respectively, p<0.05). Western blotting and qRT-PCR results confirmed the down-regulation of CK8 expression in IDD on both of protein and mRNA levels. Furthermore, approximately 37.4% of cell clusters were CK8 positive in IDD. Taken together, this is the first study to show a down-regulated CK8 expression and the percentage of CK8 positive cell clusters in IDD based upon multiple lines of evidence. Consequently, CK8 positive cells might be considered as a potential option in the development of cellular treatment strategies for NP repair.

Insights into the hallmarks of human nucleus pulposus cells with particular reference to cell viability, phagocytic potential and long process formation.

OBJECTIVE: As a main cellular component within the disc, nucleus pulposus (NP) cells play important roles in disc physiology. However, little is known on the biologic hallmarks of human NP cells. Therefore, the present study aimed to address the features of human NP cells. METHODS: Human NP samples were collected from normal cadavers, patients with scoliosis and disc degeneration as normal, disease control and degenerative NP, respectively. The NP samples were studied using transmission electron microscopy and TUNEL assay. Pre-digested NP samples were studied using flow cytometry with PI/Annexin V staining. RESULTS: Both control and degenerative human NP consisted of mainly viable cells with a variety of morphology. Both necrosis and apoptosis were noted in human NP as forms of cell death with increased apoptosis in degenerative NP, which was further confirmed by the TUNEL assay. Phagocytic NP cells had the hallmarks of both stationary macrophages with lysosomes and NP cells with the endoplasmic reticulum. Annulus fibrosus cells have similar morphologic characteristics with NP cells in terms of cell nest, phagocytosis and intracellular organs. Moreover, NP cells with long processes existed in degenerative and scoliotic NP rather than normal NP. When cultured in glucose-free medium, NP cells developed long and thin processes. CONCLUSION: Human degenerative NP consists of primarily viable cells. We present direct and in vivo evidence that both human annulus fibrosus and NP cells have phagocytic potential. Moreover, NP cells with long processes exist in both scoliotic and degenerative NP with lack of glucose as one of the possible underlying mechanisms.

Therapeutic Effect of Resection, Prosthetic Replacement and Open Reduction and Internal Fixation for the Treatment of Mason Type III Radial Head Fracture.

Aim of the Study: Mason type III radial head fractures are a source of concern due to the severe injury and poor recovery. At present, radial head resection, open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF), and prosthetic replacement are three common treatment methods for these fractures. The clinical efficacy and postoperative complications are controversial, which makes it difficult for physicians to determine the most appropriate regimen. Herein, this present prospective, non-randomized, parallel-controlled study was conducted to compare the therapeutic effects and identify the most effective treatment method for Mason type III radial head fracture. Materials and Methods: We assessed patients with Mason type III radial head fracture treated with resection, prosthetic replacement, and ORIF to compare preoperative and postoperative pain condition, elbow joint function, curative effect, and complication rate. A visual analog scale was used to score pain. The elbow joint function was observed using the Broberg-Morrey elbow joint score. Results: No significant differences were found in patient demographics among the resection, prosthetic replacement, and ORIF groups. The prosthetic replacement and ORIF procedures were more complex and had higher technical requirements. Prosthetic replacement and ORIF enabled higher elbow joint scores and lower pain scores than resection. Excellent and good ratings were highest and complication rates were lowest in the prosthetic replacement group, followed by the ORIF group. Conclusion: Our results showed that prosthetic replacement is more effective than ORIF and radial head resection in relieving pain, functional recovery and reducing complications in the treatment of Mason type III radial head fractures.

N'-(4-Hydr-oxy-3-methoxy-benzyl-idene)acetohydrazide monohydrate.

In the title compound, C(10)H(12)N(2)O(3)·H(2)O, the Schiff base mol-ecule is approximately planar [within 0.189 (1) Å]. The inter-planar angle between the benzene and acetohydrazide planes is 8.50 (10)°. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked into a three-dimensional network by strong and weak O-H⋯O and strong N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds. The hydr-oxy H atom deviates from the 4-hydr-oxy-3-methoxy-phenyl mean plane by 0.319 (2) Å, probably due to the involvement of this H atom in the O-H⋯O hydrogen bond. The weak O-H⋯O hydrogen bond is involved in a bifurcated hydrogen bond with R(1) (2)(4) motif. A weak C-H⋯π inter-action is also present.

N'-(3,4-Dihydroxy-benzyl-idene)acetohydrazide.

In the title compound, C(9)H(10)N(2)O(3), the Schiff base mol-ecule is approximately planar, the dihedral angle between the benzene ring and the acetohydrazide group (r.m.s. deviation = 0.034 Å) being 8.81 (7)°. An intra-molecular O-H⋯O hydrogen bond is observed. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked into a three-dimensional network by O-H⋯O, N-H⋯O and C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds.

(E)-Methyl N'-(2-hydr-oxy-3-methoxy-benzyl-idene)hydrazinecarboxyl-ate.

The title compound, C(10)H(12)N(2)O(4), adopts a trans configuration with respect to the C=N double bond. The non-H atoms of the mol-ecule are essentially coplanar, with a maximum deviation of 0.015 (2) Å. An intra-molecular O-H⋯N inter-action is observed. In the crystal structure, the mol-ecules are linked into a two-dimensional network parallel to the ac plane by N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds involving the meth-oxy O atom and by two C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds involving the carbonyl O atom. In addition, an intermolecular C-H⋯π inter-action is observed.

(E)-Methyl N'-(2-furylmethyl-ene)-hydrazinecarboxyl-ate.

The title compound, C(7)H(8)N(2)O(3), crystallizes with two independent but essentially identical mol-ecules in the asymmetric unit. Each mol-ecule adopts a trans configuration with respect to the C=N bond. The hydrazinecarboxyl-ate group is twisted from the furan ring by 7.78 (13)° in one mol-ecule and by 7.01 (17)° in the other. In the crystal structure, mol-ecules are linked into chains running along [010] by bifurcated N-H⋯(N,O) and N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds. In addition, weak C-H⋯O inter-actions and an O⋯C short contact [2.896 (3) Å] are observed.

(E)-Methyl N'-(3,4-dimethoxy-benzyl-idene)hydrazinecarboxyl-ate.

The title compound, C(11)H(14)N(2)O(4), crystallizes with two independent but essentially identical mol-ecules in the asymmetric unit. Each mol-ecule adopts a trans configuration with respect to the C=N bond. Mol-ecules are linked into a one-dimensional network by inter- and intra-molecular N-H⋯O and C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds.

(E)-Ethyl N'-(3,4-dimethoxy-benzyl-idene)hydrazinecarboxyl-ate monohydrate.

In the title compound, C(12)H(16)N(2)O(4)·H(2)O, the mol-ecular skeleton of the hydrazinecarboxyl-ate is nearly planar [within 0.053 (3) Å]. In the crystal, chains propagating along the c axis arise, composed of alternating hydrazinecarboxyl-ate mol-ecules and crystalline water, which inter-act via N-H⋯O and O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds.

Molecular immunotherapy might shed a light on the treatment strategies for disc degeneration and herniation.

Despite surgical discectomy is one of the most effective treatments for intervertebral disc degeneration and lumbar disc herniation, a number of patients still complain of reserved low back pain, sciatica and numbness post-operatively with decreased life quality. Sciatica in patients with disc herniation is not only due to mechanical compression from herniated nucleus pulposus, but chemical and immunity agents. The intervertebral disc is composed of annulus fibrosus in the wedge and gelatinous nucleus pulposus in the centre with cartilage endplate sandwiched. Similar to other immune privilege organs, human intervertebral disc is one of the biggest avascular structures with FasL expression. Moreover, FasL-Fas and TRAIL death pathways might play roles in the machinery of immune privilege of the disc. We found that down-regulated miR-155 promotes Fas-mediated apoptosis in disc degeneration. Furthermore, once exposed to human immune system, nucleus pulposus can activate multiple specific and non-specific immune responses with cellular and fluid immune cells and molecules involved. Taken together, we hypothesize that a combined molecular immunotherapy with local and systemic immunity regulators might shed a novel light on the treatment strategies for disc degeneration and herniation.

Impact of direct cell co-cultures on human adipose-derived stromal cells and nucleus pulposus cells.

Biologic and cellular treatment strategies aiming for curing intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) have been proposed recently. Given the convenient availability and expansion potential, adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) might be an ideal cell candidate. However, the interaction between ADSCs and nucleus pulposus (NP) cells still remains ambiguous, especially in direct co-cultures of the two types of cells. Nevertheless, NP markers in ADSCs after co-cultures were unidentified. Here, we addressed the interaction of human ADSCs and NP cells in a direct co-culture system for the first time. As a result, ADSCs could differentiate to the NP cell phenotype with a significant up-regulated expression of multiple genes and proteins in extracellular matrix (ECM) (SOX9, COL2A1, ACAN, and COL6A2), relative NP markers (FOXF1, PAX1, CA12, and HBB) and pertinent growth factors (CDMP-1, TGF-ß1, IGF-1, and CTGF). Moreover, the gene expression of COL2A1, ACAN, and COL6A2 of degenerate NP cells was also up-regulated. Collectively, these results suggest that direct co-cultures of ADSCs and NP cells may exert a reciprocal impact, that is, both stimulating ADSCs differentiation to the NP cell phenotype and inducing NP cells to regain functional phenotype. Accordingly, ADSCs might be a potential candidate in the development of cellular treatment strategies for IDD.

Integration of current identity-based district-varied health insurance schemes in China: implications and challenges.

With China's great efforts to improve public health insurance, clear progress has been achieved toward the ambitious full health insurance coverage strategy for all. The current health insurance schemes in China fall into three categories: urban employee basic health insurance scheme, urban resident scheme, and new rural cooperative medical system. Despite their phasic success, these substantially identity-based, district-varied health insurance schemes have separate operation mechanisms, various administrative institutions, and consequently poor connections. On the other hand, the establishment and implementation of various health insurance schemes provide the preconditioning of more sophisticated social health insurance schemes, the increase in the income of urban and rural people, and the great importance attached by the government. Moreover, the reform of the "Hukou" (household register) system provides economical, official, and institutional bases. Therefore, the establishment of an urban-rural integrated, citizen-based, and nationwide-universal health insurance scheme by the government is critically important to attain equality and national connection. Accordingly, the differences between urban and rural areas should be minimized. In addition, the current schemes, administrative institutions, and networks should be integrated and interconnected. Moreover, more expenditure on health insurance might be essential for the integration despite the settings of global financial crisis. Regardless of the possible challenges in implementation, the proposed new scheme is promising and may be applied in the near future for the benefit of the Chinese people and global health.