Overgrowth of long bone in rabbits by growth stimulation through metaphyseal hole creation.

Overgrowth of long bones was noted in pediatric patients who underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Hyperaemia during creating a metaphyseal hole and the microinstability made by the drill hole may induce overgrowth. This study aimed to determine whether metaphyseal hole creation accelerates growth and increases bone length and compare the effects of growth stimulation between metaphyseal hole creation and periosteal resection. We selected 7- to 8-week-old male New Zealand white rabbits. Periosteal resection (N = 7) and metaphyseal hole creation (N = 7) were performed on the tibiae of skeletally immature rabbits. Seven additional sham controls were included as age-matched controls. In the metaphyseal hole group, the hole was made using a Steinman pin at the same level of periosteal resection, and the cancellous bone beneath the physis was removed by curettage. The vacant space in the metaphysis below the physis was filled with bone wax. Tibiae were collected 6 weeks after surgery. The operated tibia was longer in the metaphyseal hole group (10.43 ± 0.29 cm vs. 10.65 ± 0.35 cm, P = 0.002). Overgrowth was higher in the metaphyseal hole group (3.17 ± 1.16 mm) than in the sham group (- 0.17 ± 0.39 mm, P < 0.001). The overgrowth in the metaphyseal hole group was comparable to that in the periosteal resection group (2.23 ± 1.52 mm, P = 0.287). In rabbits, metaphyseal hole creation and interposition with bone wax can stimulate long bone overgrowth, and the amount of overgrowth is similar to that seen in periosteal resection.

Clinical application of protein-enhanced diet using mealworms in patients undergoing hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with or without cancers who undergo major gastrointestinal surgery experience malnutrition owing to their catabolic status during the postoperative period. In this study, we evaluated the effect of the clinical application of protein-enhanced diet using mealworms in patients who underwent hepato-pancreato-biliary surgeries. METHODS: This study was designed as a prospective, two-armed, and double-blinded phase III study. The target number of enrolled patients was 216, and the patients were randomized on a 1:1 basis, either to the trial group (consuming mealworms) or to the control group (consuming grain powder). The primary endpoint was to examine the changes in body composition, including phase angle. For secondary outcomes, the activities of immune cells were evaluated using the patients' blood samples. RESULTS: No difference in the demographic characteristics of patients was observed. The ratio of the actual protein intake to the recommended daily intake in the trial group was significantly higher than that in the control group (110.03% vs. 98.80%, P = 0.023). In the data on body composition measured by InBody S-10 (Biospace, Seoul, South Korea), the ratios in body cell mass, fat free mass, muscle mass, and phase angle at the study endpoint compared with those at admission showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups. Immune cell analyses suggested that cytotoxic T cells in the trial group had higher activity than in the study group (1.192 vs. 0.974, P = 0.028). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, protein-enhanced diet using mealworms clinically improved the activity of immune cells. However, it did not significantly improve the patients' nutritional status after they experienced hepato-pancreato-biliary surgeries.

Antidepressant-Like and Neuroprotective Effects of Ethanol Extract from the Root Bark of Hibiscus syriacus L.

Hibiscus syriacus L. (Malvaceae) is an important ornamental shrub in horticulture and has been widely used as a medical material in Asia. The aim of this study was to assess the antidepressant and neuroprotective effects of a root bark extract of H. syriacus (HSR) and to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Using an animal model of restraint stress, we investigated the effects of HSR on depressive-like behaviors and on the expression levels of serotonin, corticosterone, and neurotrophic factors in the brain. The mice were exposed to restraint stress for 2 h per day over a period of 3 weeks and orally treated with HSR (100, 200, or 400 mg/kg/day). We also examined the neuroprotective effect of HSR using corticosterone-treated human neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells. The cells were incubated with the extract for 24 h, followed by corticosterone stimulation for 1 h, and then cell viability assay, cellular ATP assay, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) assay, cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) assay, and western blotting were used to investigate the neuroprotective effects of HSR. Administration of HSR not only reduced the immobility times of the restraint-stressed mice in the forced swimming and tail suspension tests, but also significantly increased sucrose preference in the sucrose preference test. In addition, HSR significantly reduced the plasma levels of corticosterone and increased the brain levels of serotonin. The extract also increased the phosphorylation level of cyclic AMP response element-binding (CREB) protein and the expression level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The in vitro assays showed that HSR pretreatment increased cell viability and ATP levels, recovered MMP, decreased ROS levels, and increased the expression of CREB and BDNF in corticosterone-induced neurotoxicity. Taken together, our data suggest that HSR may have the potential to control neuronal cell damage and depressive behaviors caused by chronic stress.

Effect of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC)-induced ethylene on cellulose synthase A (CesA) genes in flax (Linum usitatissimum L. 'Nike') seedlings.

INTRODUCTION: Cellulose microfibril is a major cell wall polymer that plays an important role in the growth and development of plants. The gene cellulose synthase A (CesA), encoding cellulose synthases, is involved in the synthesis of cellulose microfibrils. However, the regulatory mechanism of CesA gene expression is not well understood, especially during the early developmental stages. OBJECTIVE: To identify factor(s) that regulate the expression of CesA genes and ultimately control seedling growth and development. METHODS: The presence of cis-elements in the promoter region of the eight CesA genes identified in flax (Linum usitatissimum L. 'Nike') seedlings was verified, and three kinds of ethylene-responsive cis-elements were identified in the promoters. Therefore, the effect of ethylene on the expression of four selected CesA genes classified into Clades 1 and 6 after treatment with 10-4 and 10-3 M 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) was examined in the hypocotyl of 4-6-day-old flax seedlings. RESULTS: ACC-induced ethylene either up- or down-regulated the expression of the CesA genes depending on the clade to which these genes belonged, age of seedlings, part of the hypocotyl, and concentration of ACC. CONCLUSION: Ethylene might be one of the factors regulating the expression of CesA genes in flax seedlings.