Amorphous/polycrystalline NiMn selenide for high-performance supercapacitors.

Transition-metal selenides have been extensively studied as promising electrode materials for supercapacitors. Engineering amorphous/crystalline heterostructures is an effective strategy to improve rich active sites for accelerating redox reaction kinetics but still lacks exploration. In this study, an amorphous/crystalline heterostructure was designed and constructed by selenizing the self-sacrificial template NiMnS to generate amorphous Mn/polycrystalline Ni0.85Se-NiSe2 heterophase via the phase transformation from metal sulfide into metal selenide. The synergy of the complementary multi-components and amorphous/polycrystalline heterophase could enrich electron/ion-transport channels and expose abundant active sites, which accelerated electron/ion transfer and Faradaic reaction kinetics during charging/discharging. As expected, the optimal NiMnSe exhibited a high specific charge (1389.1 C g-1 at 1 A g-1), a good rate capability, and an excellent lifespan (88.9% retention). Moreover, the fabricated NiMnSe//activated carbon device achieved a long cycle life and energy density of 48.0 W h kg-1 at 800 W kg-1, shedding light on the potential for use in practical applications, such as electrochemical energy-storage devices.

In Situ Transformation of Metal Molybdates into Polymetallic Sulfides with Enriched Edge Sites for High-Performance Supercapacitors.

An effective approach to synthesize polycrystalline Ni-Co-Mo sulfide (NiCoMoS) is developed through doping engineering coupled with chemical transformation. The polycrystalline NiCoMoS with enriched active edge sites is designed and fabricated on a Ni foam (NF) via a facile hydrothermal calcination and post-sulfidation approach, where the polycrystalline NiCoMoO4 precursor is elaborately prepared by doping Co ions into the NiMoO4 lattice and subsequently in-situ-converted into NiCoMoS with 3D architectures of ordered nanoneedle arrays. Benefiting from the unique 3D structure and synergistic effects of each component, the optimized needle-like NiCoMoS(2.0) arraying on a NF as a self-standing electrode exhibits superior electrochemical performances with a high specific charge (920.0 C g-1 at 1.0 A g-1), excellent rate capability, and good long-term stability. Furthermore, the assembled NiCoMoS//activated carbon hybrid device presents a satisfactory supercapacitor performance, affording an energy density of 35.2 W h kg-1 at a power density of 800.0 W kg-1 and competitive long-term stability (83.8% retention at 15 A g-1 after 10,000 cycles). Such a novel strategy may pave a new route for exploring other polymetallic sulfides with enriched, exposed active edge sites for energy-related applications.

Ag-Ag2O decorated multi-walled carbon nanotubes/NiCoAl hydrotalcite sensor for trace nitrite quantification.

Ag-Ag2O-decorated multiwall carbon nanotube/NiCoAl-hydrotalcite (CNT/LDH-Ag) composites were designed and synthesized for nitrite quantification. The materials were characterized by various techniques, and their electrochemical NO2- detection performances investigated using amperometric and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) techniques. The Ag-Ag2O nanoparticles (NPs) were anchored on the surface of the CNT/LDH-Ag composites. At a suitable amount of the Ag-Ag2O loading, the Ag-Ag2O NPs with small particle size were distributed evenly on the CNT/LDH surface, increasing the surface area of the composites. The optimal CNT/LDH-Ag3 composite exhibited a high electrochemical activity for NO2- oxidation in pH 7.0. Furthermore, the optimal CNT/LDH-Ag3 composite was fabricated for trace NO2- quantification. The proposed sensor displayed a high sensitivity (0.0960 µA·µM-1·cm-2) and fast response (< 3 s) toward NO2- in a wide linear range from 0.250 µmol·L-1 to 4.00 mmol·L-1 with a low detection limit of 0.0590 µmol·L-1(S/N = 3). The sensor provided an outstanding analytical performance with a desirable recovery (95.3 ~ 107%, RSD < 1.05%) in real sample. As a result, the proposed sensor can be used for the real-time quantification of trace NO2- in the biological, food, and environmental fields.

SIRT1 mediates salidroside-elicited protective effects against MPP+ -induced apoptosis and oxidative stress in SH-SY5Y cells: involvement in suppressing MAPK pathways.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, leading to tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, and gait impairment. Salidroside has been reported to exhibit antioxidative and neuroprotective properties in PD. However, the underlying neuroprotective mechanisms effects of salidroside are poorly understood. Recently, a growing body of evidences suggest that silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) plays important roles in the pathophysiology of PD. Hence, the present study investigated the roles of SIRT1 in neuroprotective effect of salidroside against N-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+ )-induced SH-SY5Y cell injury. Our findings revealed that salidroside attenuates MPP+ -induced neurotoxicity as evidenced by the increase in cell viability, and the decreases in the caspase-3 activity and apoptosis ratio. Simultaneously, salidroside pretreatment remarkably increased SIRT1 activity, SIRT1 mRNA and protein levels in MPP+ -treated SH-SY5Y cell. However, sirtinol, a SIRT1 activation inhibitor, significantly blocked the inhibitory effects of salidroside on MPP+ -induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis. In addition, salidroside abolished MPP+ -induced the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), the up-regulation of NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) expression, the down-regulations of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and glutathione (GSH) level in SH-SY5Y cells, while these effects were also blocked by sirtinol. Finally, we found that the inhibition of salidroside on MPP+ -induced phosphorylation of p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) were also reversed by sirtinol in SH-SY5Y cells. Taken together, these results indicated that SIRT1 contributes to the neuroprotection of salidroside against MPP+ -induced apoptosis and oxidative stress, in part through suppressing of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways.

Giant Serpentine Middle Cerebral Artery Aneurysm.

Giant serpentine aneurysms are rare entity, which have unique presentations and distinct angiographic features, with poor prognosis if not treated. In this paper, a patient with a giant serpentine aneurysm originated from right middle cerebral artery was reported. A 38-year-old woman suffered from progressively headache and vision declined. The computed tomography and magnetic resonance image revealed a partially calcified, large mass (approximately 80 × 70 × 60 mm sized) in the right frontal-temple lobe. On computed tomography angiography, an unruptured, giant, partially thrombosed, serpentine aneurysm was confirmed. After treatment by craniotomy, the patient was rehabilitation. Operation is an effective method for the treatment of giant serpentine aneurysms. In addition, cerebral angiography and balloon test occlusion are the crucial way of preoperative assessment.

Ni-Co-Mn hydrotalcite-derived hierarchically porous sulfide for hybrid supercapacitors.

Ternary transition metal sulfides have attracted much attention due to their superior electrochemical properties. Nevertheless, it is difficult to commercialize sulfides due to their intrinsic properties such as dull reaction kinetics and an insufficient number of active sites. Herein, a self-supporting porous NiCoMnS sulfide (NiCoMnS/NF) arrayed on nickel foam (NF) with 3D honeycomb-like structure was designed and prepared via a hydrothermal and post-sulfidation process. It was found that the 3D hierarchically network architecture, constructed by nanosheets with abundant cavities, endowed NiCoMnS/NF with a high specific area and rich ion/electron-transport channels, which facilitated ion/electron transfer and Faradaic reaction kinetic. The optimal NiCoMnS/NF exhibited a markedly improved electrochemical performance due to the merits of complementary multi-composition and unique 3D network structure with multi-level "superhighways". Furthermore, the NiCoMnS//AC device fabricated with NiCoMnS/NF cathode and activated carbon (AC) anode delivered an excellent specific charge and exceptional energy density. This work offers a reference for designing the structure of electrode materials.

Comparative study of the clinical efficacy of all-inside and traditional techniques in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have focused on the femoral tunnel technique and fixation method, but few studies have involved the tibial tunnel technique and fixation method. The all-inside technique is one of the new techniques that has been described in recent years. All-inside anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is based on a tibial socket instead of a full tunnel. This method has many potential advantages. AIM: To compare clinical outcomes of knee ACL autograft reconstruction using all-inside quadrupled semitendinosus (AIST) and traditional hamstring tendon (TBT) techniques. METHODS: From January 2017 to October 2019, the clinical data of 80 patients with ACL reconstruction were retrospectively analyzed, including 67 males and 13 females. The patients had an average age of 24.3 ± 3.1 years (age range: 18-33 years). The AIST technique was used in 42 patients and the TBT technique was used in 38 patients. The time between operation and injury, operative duration, postoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) score and knee functional recovery were recorded and compared between the two groups. The International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) and Lysholm scoring system were used to comprehensively evaluate clinical efficacy. RESULTS: Eighty patients were followed for 24-36 mo, with an average follow-up duration of 27.5 ± 1.8 mo. There were no significant differences in the time between surgery and injury, operative duration, IKDC and Lysholm scores of the affected knee at the last follow-up evaluation between the two groups. There were significant differences in VAS scores 1 d, 3 d, 7 d, 2 wk and 1 mo after surgery (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in VAS score at 3 mo, 6 mo and 1 year after operation. CONCLUSION: The efficacy of the AIST ACL reconstruction technique was comparable to the TBT technique, but the postoperative pain was less with the AIST technique. Thus, the AIST technique is an ideal treatment choice for ACL reconstruction.

[Repair of rotator cuff tear by allogenic cortical bone anchor with suture bridge].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the repair of rotator cuff tear by allogenic cortical bone anchors with the technique of suture bridge. METHODS: A total of 18 patients with rotator cuff tear were recruited during the period of June 2006 to June 2009. There were 7 males and 11 females with an average age of 45.2 years old (range: 34 - 65). The locations included left shoulder (n = 11) and right shoulder (n = 7). Rotator cuff tear was repaired by allogenic cortical bone anchors with the technique of suture bridge under arthroscopy. The efficacy was evaluated by University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) standard score. RESULTS: The average follow-up period was 17.6 months (range: 12 - 36). The excellent rate of treatment was 100%. All rotator cuff tears were healed. Only 2 cases had minor pain and there was no limitation of joint activity. The bone anchor fully integrated with the subject area at Month 3 post-operation. CONCLUSION: The advantages of repairing rotator cuff tear by allograft cortical bone anchors with the technique of suture bridge includes minimal trauma, a large tendon bone area, firm fixation and a low cost. It is a better approach of repairing rotator cuff tear.

Arthroscopy with subscapularis upper one-third tenodesis for treatment of recurrent anterior shoulder instability independent of glenoid bone loss.

BACKGROUND: Recurrent anterior shoulder instability is a common traumatic injury, the main clinical manifestation of which is recurrent anteroinferior dislocation of the humeral head. The current follow-up study showed that the effect of arthroscopic Bankart repair is unreliable. AIM: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of arthroscopy with subscapularis upper one-third tenodesis for treatment of anterior shoulder instability, and to develop a method to further improve anterior stability and reduce the recurrence rate. METHODS: Between January 2015 and December 2018, male patients with recurrent anterior shoulder instability were selected. One hundred and twenty patients had a glenoid defect < 20% and 80 patients had a glenoid defect > 20%. The average age was 25 years (range, 18-45 years). Patients with a glenoid defect < 20% underwent arthroscopic Bankart repair with a subscapularis upper one-third tenodesis. The patients with a glenoid defect > 20% underwent an arthroscopic iliac crest bone autograft with a subscapularis upper one-third tenodesis. All patients were assessed with Rowe and Constant scores. RESULTS: The average shoulder forward flexion angle was 163.6° ± 8.3° and 171.8° ± 3.6° preoperatively and at the last follow-up evaluation, respectively. The average external rotation angle when abduction was 90° was 68.4° ± 13.6° and 88.5° ± 6.2° preoperatively and at the last follow-up evaluation, respectively. The mean Rowe scores preoperatively and at the last follow-up evaluation were 32.6 ± 3.2 and 95.2 ± 2.2, respectively (P < 0.05). The mean Constant scores preoperatively and at the last follow-up evaluation were 75.4 ± 3.5 and 95.8 ± 3.3, respectively (P < 0.05). No postoperative dislocations were recorded by the end of the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Arthroscopy with subscapularis upper one-third tenodesis was effective for treatment of recurrent anterior shoulder instability independent of the size of the glenoid bone defect, enhanced anterior stability of the shoulder, and did not affect postoperative range of motion of the affected limb.

[Remediation of Heavy-Metal-Contaminated Soil by EGTA Washing Enhanced with Reduction Solubilization].

This study used a reducing agent to regulate the activity of heavy metals in soil, with the aim of enhancing the washing efficiency of heavy metals in soil by ethylene glycol bis (2-aminoethyl ether) tetraacetic acid (EGTA). The effects of EGTA dosage, reductant type, liquid-solid ratio, and leaching time on washing efficiency were studied. The heavy metal concentrations in the washing solution and the chemical specification under different washing conditions were analyzed. Scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy were used to characterize the soil samples under different treatments. The results showed that the washing efficiencies of Cu, Zn, Pb, and Cd were 85.0%, 60.7%, 88.6%, and 66.4%, respectively, when the liquid-solid ratio was 7.5:1, the leaching time was 2 h, and the dosage of EGTA and sodium thiosulfate (Na2S2O3) was 5 g·L-1. Compared with single EGTA treatment, the leaching concentration of the four heavy metals all decreased, with the Pb decreasing most significantly. The soil particles became smaller, the aggregate structure was destroyed, the O and Al content decreased, the Si content increased, and therefore the adsorption capacity of soil mineral components was supposed to decrease. The soil organic matter content decreased significantly, and the -OH vibration was significantly weakened, indicating that the organic functional groups with stronger coordination ability were reduced, and the adsorption of organic components in the soil was reduced. The decrease in content of strongly adsorbed components in soil is an important mechanism for Na2S2O3 to enhance heavy metal elution by EGTA.

Experimental study on the treatment of acid mine drainage by modified corncob fixed SRB sludge particles.

In view of the characteristics of high content of SO4 2-, Fe2+ and Mn2+ in acid mine drainage and low pH value, based on the microbial immobilization technology, the single factor test and the orthogonal test were set respectively to determine the optimum alkaline H2O2 modification conditions for corncob. Then combining with sulfate reducing bacteria sludge, the modified corncob immobilized SRB sludge particles were prepared to treat acid mine drainage. On this basis, three dynamic column test models, including Column 1 without corncob particles, Column 2 with unmodified corncob particles, and Column 3 with modified corncob particles, were constructed. Through dynamic experiments, the three dynamic columns were compared to study the efficacy of AMD and their ability to resist changes in pollution load. The results of the orthogonal experiment showed that: when the corncob modified time was 24 h, the concentration of NaOH was 6% and the concentration of H2O2 was 1.5%, the prepared immobilized particles performed best. The results of the dynamic test showed that the treatment effect of Column 3 on AMD was better than that of Column 1 and 2. In the dynamic tests before and after the increase of pollution load, the highest removal percentages of SO4 2-, Mn2+, Fe2+ in Column 3 were 72.65%, 56.72%, 62.47% and 62.58%, 30.07%, 46.87% respectively, the average COD emission was 234 mg L-1 and 102.75 mg L-1, the effluent pH value was 6.96 and 6.65. In the dynamic tests before and after the increase of pollution load, the highest removal percentages of SO4 2-, Mn2+, Fe2+ in Column 2 were 52.94%, 46.93%, 72.55% and 48.92%, 26.43%, 43.23% respectively, the average COD emission was 508.14 mg L-1 and 152.88 mg L-1, the effluent pH value was 6.56 and 6.36. The high COD value of Column 2 is due to the organic matter leakage and poor metabolic activity of SRB contained in immobilized particles. Therefore, it indicated that Column 3 could better treat pollutants and resist changes of pollution load.

[Degradation of α-HCH in Soil Washing Solutions with nZVI and CaO2].

Nano zerovalent iron (nZVI) and CaO2 were used to construct a heterogeneous Fenton-like system to degrade α-hexachlorocyclohexane (α-HCH) in soil solution, and the degradation efficiency and mechanism were investigated. The results showed that nZVI/CaO2 can degrade α-HCH in an extensive pH range. When the dosage of nZVI and CaO2 was 1 g·L-1 and pH was 5, the degradation rate of α-HCH reached 93.23%. The degradation process of nZVI, CaO2, and nZVI/CaO2 treatments accorded with the first-order reaction kinetics model. The reaction rate constant of nZVI/CaO2 was greater than the sum of individual treatments, showing that nZVI/CaO2 has a synergistic effect on the degradation of α-HCH. Through quenching free radical experiments, the contribution rate of superoxide radicals was shown to be greater than that of hydroxyl radicals. Intermediates, including trichlorobenzene and chlorobenzene, were detected. The content of trichlorobenzene showed a sharp increase initially, and then decreased quickly. The chlorobenzene content was low and showed little change. The α-HCH in the soil washing solution was first reduced to trichlorobenzene, which was further reduced to chlorobenzene or mineralized into CO2 and water directly.

[Variation Analysis of Daily PM2.5 Concentrations Based on Boosted Regression Tree: A Case Study in Changzhou].

Based on hourly concentration data from six state-controlled air quality monitoring stations in urban area of Changzhou from December 2014 to November 2015, the seasonal variation of PM2.5 pollution was analyzed, and the contributions of PM10, four kinds of gaseous pollutants and seven meteorological factors to daily changes of ρ(PM2.5) were quantified by boosted regression tree (BRT). The results showed that:the seasonal differences of PM2.5 pollution were significant, the pollution was serious in winter and the pollution duration was long, while the pollution was light in summer. The spatial distribution of ρ(PM2.5) in four seasons was different, but the six monitoring stations showed similar trends in each season. Daily average ρ(PM2.5) was simulated and verified by BRT. The correlation coefficient of the training data was 0.981, and the cross-validation correlation coefficient was 0.957. In addition, the mean deviation between the simulated values and the measured values was 1.80%, and the standardized mean error was 10.41%, which showed that the model fitted well. The contribution percentages of four kinds of impact types (PM10, gaseous pollutants, meteorological factors and regional transport and diffusion) to daily average ρ(PM2.5) changes of four seasons were 23.4%, 28%, 36.2% and 12.6%, respectively. So, the most significant affecting factor was meteorological condition, followed by secondary formation, primary emission, and regional transport and diffusion. In the factors with contribution percentages of more than 5%, the daily average ρ(PM2.5) was positively associated with PM10, relative humidity, CO and O3, and was negatively correlated with temperature, SO2 and mixed layer high. In addition, the daily average ρ(PM2.5) had complex relationships with atmospheric pressure and NO2. For regional transport and diffusion, the polluted air flow from southeast, west and north had a relatively great negative impact on PM2.5 pollution of urban area in Changzhou.

[Pollution Risk of Heavy Metals in Dust from the Building Along Elevated Road: A Case Study in Changzhou].

Totally 126 samples of windowsill dust were collected from different floors along elevated road in Changzhou. The concentrations of Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Ni and Cr were determined, and the vertical distribution and chemical speciation were analyzed. The enrichment factor, bioaccessiblity, potential ecological risk and health risk were evaluated. The results showed that the average contents of Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Ni and Cu were 181.95, 709.99, 211.24, 2.76, 101.59 and 257.55 mg·kg-1 respectively, which were all higher than the background value. The enrichment factor of Cd was 33.05, with enrichment degree of strongly enriched. The enrichment degrees of Cu, Pb and Zn were all significantly enriched. These four heavy metals may come not only from transportation source, but also from natural source and regional industrial polluted gas. The enrichment factors of Ni and Cr were low, which may result from natural source. With the elevation of house height, the concentration of Cd increased, the concentrations of Pb and Zn increased first and then decreased, while Cu showed no significant differences. Zn, Cd, Cu and Pb mainly existed in the active form, while Ni and Cr mainly existed in the residual form. The bioaccessiblity of Zn and Cd was high, while that of other heavy metals was low. The modified potential ecology risk evaluation results showed that the risk of Cd was extremely high, and contributed mainly to the potential risk index of multi-element. The Cd from the windowsill of high height showed higher potential ecological risk. The carcinogenic risk of Cr to children was higher than the threshold value, while the carcinogenic risk and non-carcinogenic risk of other metals to children and adults were all below the safety thresholds.

Effect of stem cell-based therapy for ischemic stroke treatment: A meta-analysis.

Stroke is a major cause of death and long-term disability worldwide. Cell-based therapies improve neural functional recovery in pre-clinical studies, but clinical results require evaluation. We aimed to assess the effects of mesenchymal stem cells on ischemic stroke treatment. We searched the PubMed, Embase and Cochrane databases until July 2015 and selected the controlled trials using mesenchymal stem cells for ischemic stroke treatment compared with cell-free treatment. We assessed the results by meta-analysis using the error matrix approach, and we assessed the association of mesenchymal stem cell counts with treatment effect by dose-response meta-analysis. Seven trials were included. Manhattan plots revealed no obvious advantage of the application of stem cells to treat ischemic stroke. For the comprehensive evaluation index, stem cell treatment did not significantly reduce the mortality of ischemic stroke patients (relative risk (RR) 0.59, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.29-1.19; ln(RR) 0.54, 95% CI -0.18 to 1.25, p=0.141). The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale was also not significantly improved by stem cell treatment (standardized mean difference (SMD) 0.94, 95% CI -0.13 to 2.01, p=0.072). The European Stroke Scale was significantly improved using the stem cell treatment (SMD 1.15, 95% CI 0.37-1.92). The dose-response meta-analysis did not reveal a significant linear regression relationship between the number of stem cells and therapeutic effect, except regarding the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale index. In conclusion, our assessments indicated no significant difference between stem cell and cell-free treatments. Further research is needed to discover more effective stem cell-based therapies for ischemic stroke treatment.

Complexation of different transition metals with 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine: Crystal structure, UV spectra and Hirshfeld surfaces.

Four new complexes, [Co(dmbpy)2(dca)2]·CH3OH (1), [Ni(dmbpy)2(dca)2]·CH3OH (2), [Zn(dmbpy)2(dca)2]·(3) and [Cu(dmbpy)2(OH)2]·5H2O (4) (dca=dicyanamide), derived from 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine (dmbpy) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, TGA and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Crystal structures and Hirshfeld surfaces analysis revealed that the complexes 1-3 were mainly supported by OH⋯N, CH⋯N and π⋯π intermolecular interactions, and for complex 4, the uncoordinated water molecules play a key role in the construction of the 3D stacking motif. UV spectrum measurements demonstrate that all of the complexes show typical metal to ligand charge transfer (MLCT) absorption bands between 301 and 306nm. Moreover, after complexation, the absorption maximum bands about intraligand π→π* transitions similarly show slightly red shift compared to dmbpy ligand, consisting with the DFT calculations.

Cigarette smoking and risk of adult glioma: a meta-analysis of 24 observational studies involving more than 2.3 million individuals.

BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking has been shown to be a risk factor for adult glioma by some but not all studies. We conducted a meta-analysis to systematically assess the potential association. METHODS: PubMed and EMBASE were searched from the date of their inception to October 1, 2015, to identify relevant articles. Reference lists from these articles were reviewed to identify additional studies. Both cohort and case-control studies were included. Fixed-effects models were used to calculate the overall relative risk (RR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: The final analysis included 24 studies (seven cohort and 17 case-control studies), involving more than 2.3 million individuals. The combined RR was 1.04 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.09; P=0.073) for ever-smokers, 0.97 (95% CI: 0.88, 1.07; P=0.574) for current-smokers, and 1.07 (95% CI: 0.98, 1.16; P=0.130) for past smokers, with little evidence of heterogeneity. Omission of any single study from the analysis had little effect on the result. No evidence of publication bias was found. A small but statistically significant increase was found in past smokers in females (RR: 1.13, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.28; P=0.046) but not in males. CONCLUSION: In general, there was no association between cigarette smoking and adult glioma. The small but statistically significant association in females requires further investigation.

MicroRNA-26a inhibits proliferation by targeting high mobility group AT-hook 1 in breast cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the crucial role of miR-26a in breast cancer and to validate whether miR-26a could regulate proliferation of breast cancer cells by targeting high mobility group AT-hook 1 (HMGA1). METHODS: Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to quantify the expression levels of miR-26a in breast cancer and adjacent non-cancerous breast tissues. MTT, cell migration and invasion assay were carried out to characterize the miR-26a function. Finally, to validate the target gene of miR-26a, luciferase reporter assay was employed, followed by RT-PCR and Western blot confirmation. RESULTS: Compared with normal tissues, a significant down-regulation of miR-26a expression was observed in breast cancer tissues (P=0.002). miR-26a suppresses MDA-MB-231 and Mcf-7 breast cancer cell lines proliferation and motility. The luciferase activity was significantly decreased after co-transfection with psiCHECK-2/HMGA1 3'-UTR and miR-26a mimics in comparison with control cells, and qRT-PCR and Western blotting analysis found that HMGA1 expression at the mRNA and protein levels decreased in the miR-26a mimic-treatment group relative to NC. MTT assay showed that down regulation of HMGA1 by siRNA could significantly enhance the tumor-suppressive effect of miR-26a (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study indicate that miR-26a may be associated with human breast carcinogenesis, which inhibits tumor cell proliferation by targeting HMGA1.

Enhancement of meniscal repair in the avascular zone using connective tissue growth factor in a rabbit model.

BACKGROUND: Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) is a secreted protein containing several domains that mediate interactions with growth factors, integrins and extracellular matrix components. CTGF plays an important role in extracellular matrix production by its ability to mediate collagen deposition during wound healing. CTGF also induces neovascularization in vitro, suggesting a role in angiogenesis in vivo. We herein evaluated whether CTGF was required for extracellular matrix synthesis of meniscal fibrochondrocytes and/or angiogenesis during the repair of meniscal tears. METHODS: Meniscal fibrochondrocytes were isolated from the inner-1/2 of rabbit meniscus by trypsin collagenase treatment and further treated with 100 ng/ml CTGF in vitro. Characterization of fibrochondrocytes was identified by flow cytometry analyzing CD31, CD44, CD45 and CD105, and was further tested by type II collagen immunocytochemistry. Changes in gene expression of meniscal fibrochondrocytes were monitored by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Histological sections prepared from a 3-mm portion of a longitudinal tearing defect in the middle of the rabbit meniscus were subjected to fluorescence-immunohistochemistry analysis at 1, 4 and 10 weeks following surgical treatment with 1.5 µg of CTGF/fibrin-glue composites. RESULTS: Quantitative RT-PCR assay showed that types I and II collagen and vascular endothelial growth factor mRNA expression in the 100 ng/ml CTGF group were remarkably enhanced as compared to levels in the no-dose group at 14 days ((2.38 ± 0.63) fold, (2.96 ± 0.87) fold, (2.14 ± 0.56) fold, respectively). Likewise, fluorescence-immunohistochemical analysis revealed that in the group implanted with CTGF-fibrin glue, types I and II collagen, as well as the capillaries, completely filled the defect by 10 weeks, postoperatively. In contrast, only soft tissue repair occurred when PBS-fibrin glue was implanted. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that CTGF can significantly promote extracellular matrix deposition (types I and II collagen) within the meniscal avascular zone; CTGF can greatly heighten the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor activity simultaneously in vivo, further enhancing the repair of meniscal tears in the avascular zone.