Preparation of ultra-light, highly compressible, and biodegradable chitosan porous materials for heavy metal adsorption, dye adsorption and oil-water separation.

Chitosan materials are much important in adsorption, separation and water treatment due to their hydrophilicity, biodegradability and easy functionalization. However, they were difficult to form structural materials, which limited its application in engineering. In this paper, a new type of chitosan porous materials was prepared with two-step strategy involving the freezing crosslinking of chitosan with glutaraldehyde to form cryogels, and their subsequent reduction with NaBH4 to transform CN bonds into CN bonds, resulting in remarkable improvement of mechanical property. That is, the strength remained almost unchanged after 80 % deformation. The abundant -NH2 and -OH on the surface of materials, as well as the unique pore structure from cryogels, gave relatively high adsorption capacity for metals and dyes (88.73 ± 4.25 mg·g-1 for Cu(II) and 3261.05 ± 36.10 mg·g-1 for Congo red). The surface hydrophilicity of materials made it possible for selective water permeation with over 95 % separation efficiency for oil-water mixtures. In addition, simple hydrophobic modification using bromotetradecane achieved selective oil permeation with over 96 % separation efficiency for oil-water mixtures. This study not only provides a new strategy to endow chitosan materials with excellent mechanical property, large adsorption capacity and good oil-water separation performance, but also offers environmentally friendly materials for sewage treatment applications.

Endothelial Response to Type I Interferon Contributes to Vasculopathy and Fibrosis and Predicts Disease Progression of Systemic Sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: Interferon (IFN)-1 signatures are a hallmark of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). However, its significance in clinical stratification and contribution to deterioration still need to be better understood. METHODS: For hypothesis generation, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) on skin biopsies (four patients with SSc and two controls) using the BD Rhapsody platform. Two publicly available data sets of skin scRNA-seq were used for validation (GSE138669: 12 patients with diffuse cutaneous SSc [dcSSc] and 10 controls; GSE195452: 52 patients with dcSSc and 41 patients with limited cutaneous SSc [lcSSc] and 54 controls). The IFN-1 signature was mapped, functionally investigated in a bleomycin plus IFNα-2 adenovirus-associated virus (AAV)-induced model and verified in an SSc cohort (n = 61). RESULTS: The discovery and validation data sets showed similar findings. Endothelial cells (ECs) had the most prominent IFN-1 signature among dermal nonimmune cells. The EC IFN-1 signature was increased both in patients with SSc versus controls and in patients with dcSSc versus those with lcSSc. Among EC subclusters, the IFN-1 signature was statistically higher in the capillary ECs of patients with dcSSc, which was higher than those in patients with lcSSc, which in turn was higher than those in healthy controls (HCs). Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT) scores increased in parallel. Deteriorated bleomycin-induced dermal fibrosis, EndoMT, and perivascular fibrosis and caused blood vessel loss with EC apoptosis. Vascular myxovirus resistance (MX) 1, an IFN-1 response protein, was significantly increased both in total SSc versus HC skin and in dcSSc versus lcSSc skin. Baseline vascular MX1 performed similarly to skin score in predicting disease progression over 6 to 34 months in total SSc and was superior in the dcSSc subpopulation. CONCLUSION: The EC IFN-1 signature distinguished SSc skin subtypes and disease progression and may contribute to vasculopathy and fibrosis.

Role of the RNA-binding protein family in gynecologic cancers.

Gynecological cancers pose a threat to women's health. Although early-stage gynecological cancers show good outcomes after standardized treatment, the prognosis of patients with advanced, met-astatic, and recurrent cancers is poor. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are important cellular proteins that interact with RNA through RNA-binding domains and participate extensively in post-transcriptional regulatory processes, such as mRNA alternative splicing, polyadenylation, intracellular localization and stability, and translation. Abnormal RBP expression affects the normal function of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes in many malignancies, thus leading to the occurrence or progression of cancers. Similarly, RBPs play crucial roles in gynecological carcinogenesis. We summarize the role of RBPs in gynecological malignancies and explore their potential in the diagnosis and treatment of cancers. The findings summarized in this review may provide a guide for future research on the functions of RBPs.

A robust and efficient AI assistant for breast tumor segmentation from DCE-MRI via a spatial-temporal framework.

Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) allows screening, follow up, and diagnosis for breast tumor with high sensitivity. Accurate tumor segmentation from DCE-MRI can provide crucial information of tumor location and shape, which significantly influences the downstream clinical decisions. In this paper, we aim to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) assistant to automatically segment breast tumors by capturing dynamic changes in multi-phase DCE-MRI with a spatial-temporal framework. The main advantages of our AI assistant include (1) robustness, i.e., our model can handle MR data with different phase numbers and imaging intervals, as demonstrated on a large-scale dataset from seven medical centers, and (2) efficiency, i.e., our AI assistant significantly reduces the time required for manual annotation by a factor of 20, while maintaining accuracy comparable to that of physicians. More importantly, as the fundamental step to build an AI-assisted breast cancer diagnosis system, our AI assistant will promote the application of AI in more clinical diagnostic practices regarding breast cancer.

Overexpression of cannabinoid receptor 2 is associated with human breast cancer proliferation, apoptosis, chemosensitivity and prognosis via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.

INTRODUCTION: The cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) is mainly involved in the immune system. However, although CB2 has been reported to play an anti-tumor function in breast cancer (BC), its specific mechanism in BC remains unclear. METHODS: We examined the expression and prognostic significance of CB2 in BC tissues by qPCR, second-generation sequencing, western blot, and immunohistochemistry. We assessed the impacts of overexpression and a specific agonist of CB2 on the growth, proliferation, apoptosis, and drug resistance of BC cells in vitro and in vivo using CCK-8, flow cytometry, TUNEL staining, immunofluorescence, tumor xenografts, western blot, and colony formation assays. RESULTS: CB2 expression was significantly lower in BC compared with paracancerous tissues. It was also highly expressed in benign tumors and ductal carcinoma in situ, and its expression was correlated with prognosis in BC patients. CB2 overexpression and treatment of BC cells with a CB2 agonist inhibited proliferation and promoted apoptosis, and these actions were achieved by suppressing the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Moreover, CB2 expression was increased in MDA-MB-231 cell treated with cisplatin, doxorubicin, and docetaxel, and sensitivity to these anti-tumor drugs was increased in BC cells overexpressing CB2. CONCLUSIONS: These findings reveal that CB2 mediates BC via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. CB2 could be a novel target for the diagnosis and treatment of BC.

ILP-2: A New Bane and Therapeutic Target for Human Cancers.

Inhibitor of apoptosis protein-related-like protein-2 (ILP-2), also known as BIRC-8, is a member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAPs) family, which mainly encodes the negative regulator of apoptosis. It is selectively overexpressed in a variety of human tumors and can help tumor cells evade apoptosis, promote tumor cell growth, increase tumor cell aggressiveness, and appears to be involved in tumor cell resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. Several studies have shown that downregulation of ILP-2 expression increases apoptosis, inhibits metastasis, reduces cell growth potential, and sensitizes tumor cells to chemotherapeutic drugs. In addition, ILP-2 inhibits apoptosis in a unique manner; it does not directly inhibit the activity of caspases but induces apoptosis by cooperating with other apoptosis-related proteins. Here, we review the current understanding of the various roles of ILP-2 in the apoptotic cascade and explore the use of interfering ILP-2, and the combination of related anti-tumor agents, as a novel strategy for cancer therapy.

Proteomic analysis of inhibitor of apoptosis protein­like protein­2 on breast cancer cell proliferation.

Although inhibitor of apoptosis protein­like protein­2 (ILP­2) is considered to be a novel enhancer of breast cancer proliferation, its underlying mechanism of action remains unknown. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the expression profile of ILP­2­related proteins in MCF­7 cells to reveal their effect on promoting breast cancer cell proliferation. The isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) method was used to analyse the expression profile of ILP­2­related proteins in MCF­7 breast cancer cells transfected with small interfering (si)RNA against ILP­2 (siRNA­5 group) and the negative control (NC) siRNA. The analysis of the iTRAQ data was carried out using western blotting and reverse transcription­quantitative PCR. A total of 4,065 proteins were identified in MCF­7 cells, including 241 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs; fold change ≥1.20 or ≤0.83; P<0.05). Among them, 156 proteins were upregulated and 85 were downregulated in the siRNA­5 group compared with in the NC group. The aforementioned DEPs were mainly enriched in 'ECM­receptor interaction'. In addition, the top 10 biological processes related to these proteins were associated with signal transduction, cell proliferation and immune system processes. Furthermore, ILP­2 silencing upregulated N(4)­(ß­N­acetylglucosaminyl)­L­asparaginase, metallothionein­1E and tryptophan 2,3­dioxygenase, whereas ILP­2 overexpression exerted the opposite effect. The results of the present study suggested that ILP­2 could promote breast cancer growth via regulating cell proliferation, signal transduction, immune system processes and other cellular physiological activities.

Predictive Risk Factors of the Conversion from Video-Assisted Treatment of Anal Fistula to Seton Fistulotomy.

Background: To identify the risk factors of converting from video-assisted anal fistula treatment (VAAFT) to seton fistulotomy. Materials and Methods: A total of 180 patients registered to undergo VAAFT between January 2016 and June 2020 at the Erlonglu Hospital. Intraoperative examination of the fistula tract revealed that the patients were assigned to undergo the VAAFT operation and seton fistulotomy. Results: Among 180 patients aged 37 (±10.4) years who underwent intraoperative examination of the fistula tract, 101 completed the standard VAAFT and 79 converted to seton fistulotomy. Univariate analyses revealed that age, necrotic cavity diameter ≥1 cm, scars at the anal entrance, tissue edema, Parks classification, fistula stenosis, and fistula branches were significantly different between the VAAFT and converted groups (P < .05). Multivariate analysis revealed a significant correlation between the risk of surgery conversion and the presence of necrotic cavity with a diameter of ≥1 cm (odds ratio [OR]: 3.668, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.366-9.853, P = .01), scars at the anal entrance (OR: 9.462, 95% CI: 1.562-57.32, P = .014), fistula stenosis (OR: 25.14, 95% CI: 5.211-121.3, P < .001), and fistula branches (OR: 2.90, 95% CI: 1.088-7.73, P = .033). The nomogram based on the logistic model was fitted with high accuracy and area under curve of 0.793 (95% CI: 0.726-0.861). Conclusions: The independent risk factors of conversion from surgery for VAAFT to seton fistulotomy were the presence of necrotic cavity with a diameter of ≥1 cm, scars at the anal entrance, fistula stenosis, and fistula branches. The protocol of this systematic review was registered a priori in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) under the registration number of ChiCTR1900022810.

Unraveling Adhesion Strength between Gas Hydrate and Solid Surfaces.

Natural gas hydrate is a promising future energy source, but it also poses a huge threat to oil and gas production due to its ability to deposit within and block pipelines. Understanding the atomistic mechanisms of adhesion between the hydrate and solid surfaces and elucidating its underlying key determining factors can shed light on the fundamentals of novel antihydrate materials design. In this study, large-scale molecular simulations are employed to investigate the hydrate adhesion on solid surfaces, especially with focuses on the atomistic structures of intermediate layer and their influences on the adhesion. The results show that the structure of the intermediate layer formed between hydrate and solid surface is a competitive equilibrium of induced growth from both sides, and is regulated by the content of guest molecules. By comparing the fracture behaviors of the hydrate-solid surface system with different intermediate structures, it is found that both the lattice areal density of water structure and the adsorption of guest molecules on the interface together determine the adhesion strength. Based on the analysis of the adhesion strength distribution, we have also revealed the origins of the drastic difference in adhesion among different water structures such as ice and hydrate. Our simulation indicates that ice-adhesion strength is approximately five times that of lowest hydrate adhesion strength. This finding is surprisingly consistent with the available experimental results.

Stability, deformation and rupture of Janus oligomer enabled self-emulsifying water-in-oil microemulsion droplets.

Microemulsions exist widely in nature, daily life and industrial manufacturing processes, including petroleum production, food processing, drug delivery, new material fabrication, sewage treatment, etc. The mechanical properties of microemulsion droplets and a correlation to their molecular structures are of vital importance to those applications. Despite studies on their physicochemical determinants, there are lots of challenges of exploring the mechanical properties of microemulsions by experimental studies. Herein, atomistic modelling was utilized to study the stability, deformation, and rupture of Janus oligomer enabled water-in-oil microemulsion droplets, aiming at revealing their intrinsic relationship with Janus oligomer based surfactants and oil structures. The self-emulsifying process from a water, oil and surfactant mixture to a single microemulsion droplet was modulated by the amphiphilicity and structure of the surfactants. Four microemulsion systems with an interfacial thickness in the range of 7.4-17.3 Å were self-assembled to explore the effect of the surfactant on the droplet morphology. By applying counter forces on the water core and the surfactant shell, the mechanical stability of the microemulsion droplets was probed at different ambient temperatures. A strengthening response and a softening regime before and after a temperature-dependent peak force were identified followed by the final rupture. This work demonstrates a practical strategy to precisely tune the mechanical properties of a single microemulsion droplet, which can be applied in the formation, de-emulsification, and design of microemulsions in oil recovery and production, drug delivery and many other applications.

De Winter syndrome as an emergency electrocardiogram sign of ST-elevation myocardial infarction: a case report.

The case report aims to reveal de Winter's electrocardiogram (ECG) pattern as an equivalent to anterior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). We report a case of a 49-year-old man with a history of smoking who presented to the emergency department with a 1 day history of chest pain that was exacerbated 5 h prior to presentation. Detailed clinical investigations and coronary angiographic characteristics were recorded. The first ECG of the patient was consistent with de Winter syndrome. Acute coronary artery angiography showed that the proximal left anterior descending coronary artery was completely occluded after the first diagonal branch artery was given off. A percutaneous coronary intervention was immediately performed. Our case indicates that early identification and diagnosis of such ECGs and timely reperfusion therapy of de Winter syndrome as a STEMI equivalent are required to improve the prognosis of such patients.

Enabling phase transition of infused lubricant in porous structure for exceptional oil/water separation.

The fundamental mechanism behind oil/water separation materials is their surface wettability that allows either oil or water to pass through. The conventional materials for oil/water separation generally have extreme wettability, namely superhydrophilic for water separation and superhydrophobic for oil separation. Using easily accessible materials that are medium hydrophobic or even relatively hydrophilic for preparing highly efficient oil/water separators have rarely been reported. In this work, a new strategy by triggering phase transition of infused lubricant from liquid to solid state in porous structure is realized in fabricating slippery lubricant infused porous structure for oil/water separations. By infusing polyester fabric with coconut oil, after phase transition, excellent water repellency and oil permeability by an absorbing-permeating mechanism are achieved, despite the low water contact angle on the new material. Although the new phase transformable slippery lubricant infused porous structure, features much milder hydrophobicity than conventional oil/water separators, it can remove diverse types of oil from water with high efficiencies. The phase transformable slippery lubricant infused porous structure is able to maintain their water repellency after immersing in high concentration salt (10 wt% NaCl), acid (25 % HCl), alkaline (25 % NH3·H2O) solutions for 120 h, showing remarkably functional durability in harsh environment. The lubricant phase transition mechanism proposed in this study is universally applicable to porous substrates with various chemical compositions and pore structures, such as porous sponges or even daily life breads, for creating efficient oil/water separators, which can serve as a novel accessible design principle of phase transformable slippery lubricant infused porous structure for eco-friendly oil/water separators.

[Clinical effects of robot-assisted total knee arthroplasty compared with traditional surgery: a Meta-analysis].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the difference between robotic-assisted TKA and traditional TKA by Meta-annlysis in order to determine whether robotic-assisted TKA can provide better lower limb force line and clinical prognosis. METHODS: Computerized searches of Embase, Pubmed, Web of Science and CNKI, Wanfang and VIP databases were conducted until November 2018 to find out the difference between robotic assisted TKA and traditional TKA. After screening, quality evaluation and data extraction according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, Revman 5.3 software was used for meta-analysis of literature data. RESULTS: Six clinical controlled studies were included, 253 in robot-assisted TKA group and 231 in traditional TKA group. Meta-analysis showed that the incidence of coronal force line angle[WMD=-1.00, 95%CI(-1.66, -0.35), P=0.003], coronal force line inversion or valgus>3°[RR=0.04, 95% CI(0.01, 0.13), P=0.000 01] in robot-assisted TKA group was significantly better than that in traditional TKA group, but there were no statistical differences between two groups in range of knee joint motion[WMD=0.06, 95%CI(-5.43, 5.55)], P=0.98], anterior position tibial angle[WMD=-0.19, 95% CI(-0.81, 0.43), 95%, P=0.55] and lateral tibial angle[WMD=-1.37, 95%CI(-3.73, 0.99), P=0.25], anterior position femoral angle[WMD=0.30, 95%CI(-1.37, 1.96), P=0.72] and lateral femoral angle[WMD=-0.93, 95%CI(-1.98, 0.013), P=0.08], the incidence of complications[RR=0.84, 95%CI(0.45, 1.58), P=0.60]. The operation time of robot-cassisted TKA group was longer than that of traditional TKA group[WMD=14.28, 95%CI(0.79, 27.77), P=0.04]. CONCLUSIONS: The application of robotic assistant system in TKA surgery can significantly improve the accuracy of prosthesis fixation, better reconstruct the lower limb line of force, and has the potential advantages of reducing postoperative pain and promoting the recovery of knee joint function. Due to the limitation of the quantity and quality of the included literature, a high-quality randomized controlled study with long-term follow-up is still needed in the future to support the conclusions of this paper.

Gas-driven exfoliation for producing high-quality graphene.

A novel simple gas-driven exfoliation method with mild operating conditions is explored for producing graphene. The obtained graphene, with 97% of flakes being ≤2 layers and 62% mono-layers, is of high-quality and free of defects. A high sheer rate of up to 3.3 × 107 s-1 generated due to the driving of high-speed gas at a working pressure as low as 0.5 MPa is responsible for the exfoliation.

In-Situ Grown Silver Nanoparticles on Nonwoven Fabrics Based on Mussel-Inspired Polydopamine for Highly Sensitive SERS Carbaryl Pesticides Detection.

The rapid sampling and efficient collection of target molecules from a real-world surface is fairly crucial for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) to detect trace pesticide residues in the environment and in agriculture fields. In this work, a versatile approach was exploited to fabricate a flexible SERS substrate for highly sensitive detection of carbaryl pesticides, using in-situ grown silver nanoparticles (AgNPs)on non-woven (NW) fabric surfaces based on mussel-inspired polydopamine (PDA) molecules. The obtained NW@PDA@AgNPs fabrics showed extremely sensitive and reproducible SERS signals toward crystal violet (CV) molecules, and the detection limit was as low as 1.0 × 10-12 M. More importantly, these NW@PDA@AgNPs fabrics could be directly utilized as flexible SERS substrates for the rapid extraction and detection of trace carbaryl pesticides from various fruit surfaces through a simple swabbing approach. It was identified that the detection limits of carbaryl residues from apple, orange, and banana surfaces were approximately decreased to 4.02 × 10-12, 6.04 × 10-12, and 5.03 × 10-12 g, respectively, demonstrating high sensitivity and superior reliability. These flexible substrates could not only drastically increase the collection efficiency from multifarious irregular-shaped matrices, but also greatly enhance analytical sensitivity and reliability for carbaryl pesticides. The fabricated flexible and multifunctional SERS substrates would have great potential to trace pesticide residue detection in the environment and bioscience fields.

Robotics-assisted versus conventional manual approaches for total hip arthroplasty: A systematic review and meta-analysis of comparative studies.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have compared robotics-assisted (RA) and conventional manual (CM) approaches for total hip arthroplasty (THA), but their results are controversial. METHODS: A literature search was conducted for controlled clinical trials (CCTs) comparing the clinical efficacy of the RA and CM approaches for THA and published between August 1998 and August 2018. The obtained data were analyzed using the statistical software Review Manager 5.3. RESULTS: Fourteen articles were included in the meta-analysis, which revealed that the RA group had less intraoperative complications, better cup angle, and more cases of cup placement in the safe zone than the CM group. However, the operation time required for the CM group was less than that required for the RA group. Moreover, postoperative complications (eg, dislocation and revision surgery) were less frequent in the CM group than in the RA group. However, the two groups had similar functional scores, total number of complications, and rate of occurrence of limb length discrepancy. CONCLUSION: Compared with the CM approach, the RA approach yields better radiological outcomes and fewer intraoperative complications in THA, but similar functional scores.

Clinical efficacy of OrthoPilot navigation system versus conventional manual total hip arthroplasty: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to compare the clinical efficacy between the OrthoPilot navigation system and conventional manual surgery in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty. METHODS: The Embase, PubMed, CINAHL, and Cochrane databases were searched for clinical trials. The outcome measurements were the anteversion angle, inclination angle, and complications. Review Manager 5.3 statistical software was used for the data analysis. RESULTS: Significant differences were found in the femoral offset and overall complication rate between the conventional and navigation groups. Additionally, the conventional group had significantly less anteversion than the navigation group. However, the navigation group had significantly better inclination. The operation time was significantly shorter in the conventional than navigation group. CONCLUSION: Both the OrthoPilot navigation system and conventional total hip arthroplasty result in significant improvements in patient function with similar overall complication rates and have their own advantages in achieving good cup position. The conventional procedure has a shorter operation time than does use of a navigation system.

Tremella-like NiO microspheres embedded with fish-scale-like polypyrrole for high-performance asymmetric supercapacitor.

Tremella-like NiO microspheres embedded with fish-scale-like polypyrrole (PPy) were synthesized by polymerizing pyrrole (Py) onto uniform NiO nanosheets. PPy has a fish-scale-like appearance with a thickness of approximately 10 nm, and is connected to the NiO nanosheet surface. NiO/PPy microspheres (diameter of ∼4 µm) were applied as the electrode material in a supercapacitor. The NiO/PPy-6 obtained under a NiO : Py molar ratio of 6 shows a high specific capacitance of 3648.6 F g-1 at 3 A g-1 and good rate capability (1783 F g-1 at a high current density of 30 A g-1). An asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) was fabricated using NiO/PPy-6 and activated carbon (AC) as the positive electrode and the negative electrode, respectively. NiO/PPy-6//AC can achieve a high specific capacitance of 937.5 F g-1 at 3 A g-1 and a high energy density of 333.3 W h kg-1 at a power density of 2399.99 W kg-1. The excellent supercapacitor performance is assigned to the combined contribution of both components and the unique heterostructure in NiO/PPy-6.

Comprehensively Characterizing the Cytological Features of Saccharum spontaneum by the Development of a Complete Set of Chromosome-Specific Oligo Probes.

Chromosome-specific identification is a powerful technique in the study of genome structure and evolution. However, there is no reliable cytogenetic marker to unambiguously identify each of the chromosomes in sugarcane (Saccharum spp., Poaceae), which has a complex genome with a high level of ploidy and heterozygosity. In this study, we developed a set of oligonucleotide (oligo)-based probes through bioinformatic design and massive synthetization. These probes produced a clear and bright single signal in each of the chromosomes and their eight homologous chromosomes in the ancient species Saccharum spontaneum (2n = 8x = 64). Thus, they can be used as reliable markers to robustly label each of the chromosomes in S. spontaneum. We then obtained the karyotype data and established a nomenclature based on chromosomal sizes for the eight chromosomes of the octoploid S. spontaneum. In addition, we also found that the 45S and 5S rDNAs demonstrated high copy number variations among different homologous chromosomes, indicating a rapid evolution of the highly repeated sequence after polyploidization. Our fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay also demonstrated that these probes could be used as cross-species markers between or within the genera of Sorghum and Saccharum. By comparing FISH analyses, we discovered that several chromosome rearrangement events occurred in S. spontaneum, which might have contributed to the basic chromosome number reduction from 10 in sorghum to 8 in sugarcane. Consistent identification of individual chromosomes makes molecular cytogenetic study possible in sugarcane and will facilitate fine chromosomal structure and karyotype evolution of the genus Saccharum.

Contribution of IL-1ß, 6 and TNF-α to the form of post-traumatic osteoarthritis induced by "idealized" anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in a porcine model.

BACKGROUND: It has been noted that anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury-induced cartilage degeneration is the key risk factor for post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA). However, whether the cartilage degeneration after ACL injury is caused by inflammation, abnormal biomechanics or both remains largely unknown, as there has been no animal model for separating the two factors so far. METHODS: Eighteen-month-old female mini-pigs were divided into an "idealized" anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (IACLR) group and a control group (n = 16 limbs per group). Real-time PCR, safranine O staining and indian ink staining were performed to verify whether animal models were successfully established or not. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between levels of the inflammatory factors (including interferon [IFN]-γ, interleukin [IL]-1ß, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12 and tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α measured by the Luminex method) and changes in cartilage histology (quantified by morphological scoring) after surgery. RESULTS: A significant OA cartilage damage with increased MMP-1, MMP-13 mRNA levels and reduced aggrecan mRNA/protein levels was observed in IACLR groups. As a result, the IACLR gross morphology score was dramatically increased than control. Moreover, IACLR significantly increased the levels of IL-1ß, IL-4, IL-6 and TNF-α in the synovial fluid of the knee. Most importantly, a close relationship was found between IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-α concentrations and morphological score of PTOA, respectively. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrated that inflammatory factors are independently responsible for the onset of PTOA.