Ultrathin NiV Layered Double Hydroxide for Methanol Electrooxidation: Understanding the Proton Detachment Kinetics and Methanol Dehydrogenation Oxidation.

Electrochemical methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) is regarded as a promising pathway to obtain value-added chemicals and drive cathodic H2 production, while the rational design of catalyst and in-depth understanding of the structure-activity relationship remains challenging. Herein, the ultrathin NiV-LDH (u-NiV-LDH) with abundant defects is successfully synthesized, and the defect-enriched structure is finely determined by X-ray adsorption fine structure etc. When applied for MOR, the as-prepared u-NiV-LDH presents a low potential of 1.41 V versus RHE at 100 mA cm-2, which is much lower than that of bulk NiV-LDH (1.75 V vs RHE) at the same current density. The yield of H2 and formate is 98.2% and 88.1% as its initial over five cycles and the ultrathin structure of u-NiV-LDH can be well maintained. Various operando experiments and theoretical calculations prove that the few-layer stacking structure makes u-NiV-LDH free from the interlayer hydrogen diffusion process and the hydrogen can be directly detached from LDH laminate. Moreover, the abundant surface defects upshift the d-band center of u-NiV-LDH and endow a higher local methanol concentration, resulting in an accelerated dehydrogenation kinetics on u-NiV-LDH. The synergy of the proton detachment from the laminate and the methanol dehydrogenation oxidation contributes to the excellent MOR performance of u-NiV-LDH.

Directional Activation of Oxygen by the Au-Loaded ZnAl-LDH with Defect Structure for Highly Efficient Photocatalytic Oxidative Coupling of Methane.

Photocatalytic oxidative coupling of CH4 (OCM) is a promising CH4 conversion process that can achieve efficient methane conversion with the assistance of O2. It remains to be highly challenging to improve the photocatalytic OCM activity from catalyst design and to deepen the understanding of the reactant activation in the OCM process. In this work, the Au-loaded ZnAl-layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with and without oxygen vacancy are constructed (denoted as Au/ZnAl and Au/ZnAl-v), respectively. When applied for photocatalytic OCM, the Au/ZnAl-v shows a CH4 conversion rate of 8.5 mmol g-1 h-1 with 92% selectivity of C2H6 at 40 °C, outperforming most reported photocatalytic OCM systems at low temperature reported in the literature. Furthermore, the catalytic performance of Au/ZnAl-v can be stable for 100 h. In contrast, the An/ZnAl exhibits a CH4 conversion rate of 0.8 mmol g-1 h-1 with 46% selectivity of C2H6. Detailed characterizations and DFT calculation studies reveal that the introduced Ov sites on Au/ZnAl-v are able to activate O2, and the resulting superoxide radical O2·- greatly promotes the activation of CH4. The coupling of CH3· groups with the assistance of Au cocatalyst leads to the formation of C2H6 with high photocatalytic activity.

Local treatment benefits patients with oligometastatic prostate cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of local treatment (LT), including radiotherapy (RT) and cytoreductive prostatectomy (CRP), in improving outcomes for patients with oligometastatic prostate cancer (OmPCa). METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of articles from PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science published between 2010 and November 2023 were conducted. The study included 11 articles, comprising three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and eight retrospective analyses. The study assessed overall survival (OS), radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS), prostate-specific antigen (PSA) PFS, cancer-specific survival (CSS), and complication rate (CR). RESULTS: OS was significantly improved in the LT group, with both RCTs and non-RCTs showing statistical significance [hazard ratios (HR) = 0.64; 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs), 0.51-0.80; p < 0.0001; HR = 0.55; 95% CIs, 0.40-0.77; p = 0.0004]. For rPFS, RCTs did not show statistically significant outcomes (HR = 0.60; 95% CIs, 0.34-1.07; p = 0.09), whereas non-RCTs demonstrated significant results (HR = 0.42; 95% CIs, 0.24-0.72; p = 0.002). Both RCTs and non-RCTs showed a significant improvement in PSA-PFS (HR = 0.44; 95%CI, 0.29-0.67; p = 0.0001; HR = 0.51; 95% CIs, 0.32-0.81; p = 0.004). For CSS, RCTs demonstrated statistical differences (HR = 0.65; 95% CIs, 0.47-0.90; p = 0.009), whereas non-RCTs did not (HR = 0.61; 95% CIs, 0.29-1.27; p = 0.19). Regarding CR, the risk difference was -0.22 (95% CIs, -0.32 to -0.12; p < 0.00001). CONCLUSION: LT significantly improved OS and PFS in patients with OmPCa. Further RCTs are necessary to confirm these results.

Dual Engineering of Lattice Strain and Valence State of NiAl-LDHs for Photoreduction of CO2 to Highly Selective CH4.

Converting CO2 to clean-burning fuel such as natural gas (CH4 ) with high activity and selectivity remains to be a grand challenge due to slow kinetics of multiple electron transfer processes and competitive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Herein, the fabrication of surfactants (C11 H23 COONa, C12 H25 SO4 Na, C16 H33 SO4 Na) intercalated NiAl-layered double hydroxides (NiAl-LDH) is reported, resulting in the formation of LDH-S1 (S1 = C11 H23 COO- ), LDH-S2 (S2 = C12 H25 SO4 - ) and LDH-S3 (S3 = C16 H33 SO4 - ) with curved morphology. Compared with NiAl-LDH with a 1.53% selectivity of CH4 , LDH-S2 shows higher selectivity of CH4 (83.07%) and lower activity of HER (3.84%) in CO2 photoreduction reaction (CO2 PR). Detailed characterizations and DFT calculation indicates that the inherent lattice strain in LDH-S2 leads to the structural distortion with the presence of VNi/Al defects and compressed MOM bonds, and thereby reduces the overall energy barrier of CO2 to CH4 . Moreover, the lower oxidation states of Ni in LDH-S2 enhances the adsorption of intermediates such as OCOH* and *CO, promoting the hydrogenation of CO to CH4 . Therefore, the coupling effect of both lattice strain and electronic structure of the LDH-S2 significantly improves the activity and selectivity for CO2 PR.

Enabling Specific Benzene Oxidation by Tuning the Adsorption Behavior on Au Loaded MgAl Layered Double Hydroxides.

Direct and selective oxidation of benzene to phenol is a long-term goal in industry. Although great efforts have been made in homogenous catalysis, it still remains a huge challenge to drive this reaction via heterogeneous catalysts under mild conditions. Herein, a single-atom Au loaded MgAl-layered double hydroxide (Au1 -MgAl-LDH) with a well-defined structure, in which the Au single atoms are located on the top of Al3+ with Au-O4 coordination as revealed by extended x-ray-absorption fine-structure (EXAFS)and density-functional theory (DFT)calculation is reported. The photocatalytic results prove the Au1 -MgAl-LDH is capable of driving benzene oxidation reaction with O2 in water, and exhibits a high selectivity of 99% for phenol. While contrast experiment shows a ≈99% selectivity for aliphatic acid with Au nanoparticle loaded MgAl-LDH (Au-NP-MgAl-LDH). Detailed characterizations confirm that the origin of the selectivity difference can be attributed to the profound adsorption behavior of substrate benzene with Au single atoms and nanoparticles. For Au1 -MgAl-LDH, single Au-C bond is formed in benzene activation and result in the production of phenol. While for Au-NP-MgAl-LDH, multiple AuC bonds are generated in benzene activation, leading to the crack of CC bond.

Primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism present different expressions of calcium-sensing receptor.

BACKGROUND: Decreased calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) has been observed in hyperparathyroidism (HPT) without a known mechanism. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the expression of CaSR in primary (PHPT) and secondary (SHPT) subtypes. METHODS: Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assay were used to measure the differences in expression of CaSR protein and gene in PHPT and SHPT human samples, compared to matched controls. RESULTS: CaSR protein was differentially downregulated in SHPT and PHPT compared to normal parathyroid tissues (2.42 ± 0.5 vs. 3.2 ± 0.62, P < 0.05; 1.8 ± 0.83 vs. 3.2 ± 0.62, P < 0.05, respectively). Furthermore, SHPT tissues exhibited significantly higher levels of CaSR mRNA (0.29 ± 0.23 vs. 0.01 ± 0.12, P < 0.05) and protein (2.42 ± 0.5 vs. 1.8 ± 0.83, P < 0.05) than those in PHPT tissue samples. CONCLUSION: Depressed CaSR expression was a critical pathological hallmark of HPT. We found a differential decline of CaSR, in terms of both mRNA and protein levels, in PHPT and SHPT human samples. We think that CaSR dysregulation occurred at the very beginning of disease onset in PHPT, while a similar pathological scenario appeared at the later stage of SHPT. Future studies should be directed to dissect the mechanistic involvement of CaSR in PHPT and SHPT in order to bring treatment precisions in HPT management.

Pd Loaded NiCo Hydroxides for Biomass Electrooxidation: Understanding the Synergistic Effect of Proton Deintercalation and Adsorption Kinetics.

The key issue in the 5-hydroxymethylfurfural oxidation reaction (HMFOR) is to understand the synergistic mechanism involving the protons deintercalation of catalyst and the adsorption of the substrate. In this study, a Pd/NiCo catalyst was fabricated by modifying Pd clusters onto a Co-doped Ni(OH)2 support, in which the introduction of Co induced lattice distortion and optimized the energy band structure of Ni sites, while the Pd clusters with an average size of 1.96 nm exhibited electronic interactions with NiCo support, resulting in electron transfer from Pd to Ni sites. The resulting Pd/NiCo exhibited low onset potential of 1.32 V and achieved a current density of 50 mA/cm2 at only 1.38 V. Compared to unmodified Ni(OH)2 , the Pd/NiCo achieved an 8.3-fold increase in peak current density. DFT calculations and in situ XAFS revealed that the Co sites affected the conformation and band structure of neighboring Ni sites through CoO6 octahedral distortion, reducing the proton deintercalation potential of Pd/NiCo and promoting the production of Ni3+ -O active species accordingly. The involvement of Pd decreased the electronic transfer impedance, and thereby accelerated Ni3+ -O formation. Moreover, the Pd clusters enhanced the adsorption of HMF through orbital hybridization, kinetically promoting the contact and reaction of HMF with Ni3+ -O.

Electrodeposition of Defect-Rich Ternary NiCoFe Layered Double Hydroxides: Fine Modulation of Co3+ for Highly Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction.

The low-cost, high-abundance and durable layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have been considered as promising electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). However, the easy agglomeration of lamellar LDHs in the aqueous phase limits their practical applications. Herein, a series of ternary NiCoFe LDHs were successfully fabricated on nickel foam (NF) via a simple electrodeposition method. The as-prepared Ni(Co0.5 Fe0.5 )/NF displayed an unique nanoarray structural feature. It showed an OER overpotential of 209 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm-2 in alkaline solution, which was superior to most systems reported so far. As evidenced by the XPS and XAFS results, such excellent performance of Ni(Co0.5 Fe0.5 )/NF was attributed to the higher Co3+ /Co2+ ratio and more defects exposed, comparing with Ni(Co0.5 Fe0.5 )-bulk and Ni(Co0.5 Fe0.5 )-mono LDHs prepared by conventional coprecipitation method. Furthermore, the ratio of Co to Fe could significantly tune the Co electronic structure of Ni(Cox Fe1-x )/NF composites (x=0.25, 0.50 and 0.75) and affect the electrocatalytic activity for OER, in which Ni(Co0.5 Fe0.5 )/NF showed the lowest energy barrier for OER rate-determining step (from O* to OOH*). This work proposes a facile method to develop high-efficiency OER electrocatalysts.

Implications of regulator of G-protein signaling 5 expression in the pathogenesis of primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism.

OBJECTIVE: To study the protein and mRNA expressions of regulator of G-protein signaling 5 (RGS5) in the pathogenesis of hyperparathyroidism. METHODS: The expression of RGS5 protein in 20 primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), 31 secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT), and 20 control cases were studied by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The expression of RGS5 mRNA in 15 PHPT, 102 SHPT, and 7 normal parathyroid tissue were measured by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) method. RESULTS: The expressions of RGS5 in PHPT tissues were significantly higher than that in SHPT and normal parathyroid tissues (P < 0.05). While the differences in RGS5 protein expressions between SHPT and respective control samples were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Likewise, the RGS5 mRNA expression in PHPT was significantly higher than that in SHPT (P < 0.05) and normal parathyroid (P < 0.05) samples. In a similar line, the differences in RGS5 gene expressions between SHPT and control tissues were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The characteristic RGS5 protein and mRNA levels in hyperparathyroidism might be helpful in discovering the pathomechanism of hyperparathyroidism and novel therapeutic targets as well.

Evaluation of cystoprostatectomy on patients with prostate cancer extending to bladder: a retrospective study from single center.

BACKGROUND: This is an exploratory research of cystoprostatectomy (CP) in treating prostate cancer (PCa) extending to the bladder, which aimed to evaluate the effects of CP on survival outcomes and improving quality of life (QoL) in these patients. METHODS: A total of 27 PCa patients extending to the bladder were subjected to CP and followed up at regular intervals in our center. Prostate cancer-specific survival (PCSS) and prostate-specific antigen recurrence-free survival (PFS) were assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Multivariate Cox regression was performed to evaluate clinical characteristics predicting survivals. QoL and pelvic symptoms were also evaluated. RESULTS: Median PCSS was not reached over the period of follow-up. 5-year PCSS rate was 82.1%. Median PFS was 66.0 months. 5-year PFS rate was 58.5%. Multivariate analysis showed Gleason score (≥ 8) (hazard ratio (HR) 2.55, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.28-4.04, p = 0.033), positive local lymph node status (HR 3.52, 95% CI 1.57-7.38, p = 0.006) and bladder muscle-invasion (HR 4.75, 95% CI 1.37-7.53, p < 0.001) were independent predictors of worse PCSS. The number of patients suffering pelvic symptoms was significantly decreased, and QoL scores were significantly down-regulated after surgeries. CONCLUSION: CP offered effective and durable palliation in patients of locally advanced prostate cancer with invasion of the bladder, providing better QoL and relieving local symptoms.

180-W GreenLight laser photoselective vaporization with multiple triamcinolone acetonide injections for the treatment of bladder neck contractures.

Bladder neck contracture (BNC), one of the most challenging complications after transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) and photoselective vaporization of the prostate (PVP), lacks effective treatment. In the present study, our experience in treating BNC using GreenLight laser vaporization with triamcinolone acetonide (TA) injections was shared. This is a retrospective cohort study that included 46 patients with BNC after TURP and PVP in our center. GreenLight laser surgeries (180 W) were carried out and TA was administrated simultaneously. TA injections were repeated every week for three times after surgeries. The perioperative and postoperative parameters were reviewed and compared. Bladder neck tissues were examined by immunohistochemical staining to explore the expressions of collagen I, matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3), and transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) after treatments. The chief complaint symptoms of all patients were significantly relieved after our treatments. None of them showed BNC recurrence during the follow-up. Complications were rare and mild. Postoperative assessments including maximal urinary flow rate (P < 0.01), International Prostate Symptom Score (P < 0.01), quality of life index (P < 0.01), and post-void residual volume (P < 0.001) were significantly better than baseline values, respectively. Immunohistochemical staining showed significantly lower expressions of collagen I (P < 0.001), MMP-3 (P < 0.001), and TGF-ß (P < 0.001) after treatments. In conclusion, 180-W GreenLight laser with repeated TA injections demonstrated the safety and long-term efficacy in treating BNC, by inhibiting the expressions of fibrotic factors. Our procedure was a promising treatment for BNC after PVP and TURP.

A case study: a continuous improvement project of lecturing skills for clinical teachers in Chinese residency standardized training.

BACKGROUND: Aiming at the poor quality of small lectures due to the lack of lecturing skills of the clinical teachers in residency standardized training, the Teaching and Training Department of Shanghai East Hospital set up a continuous improvement project of lecturing skills for the clinical teachers to search for effective ways to improve lecture quality, then the effect was evaluated. METHODS: Based on the ADDIE model of training design, the department conducted the project in accordance with a process of analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation. A special course "Clinical Teacher Presentation Training" (CTPT) was developed to convey and train the 5 key behaviors in presentation to improving lecture quality of the clinical teachers. Ninety-nine clinical teachers who give lectures to the residents were recruited as subjects for the project. Adopted the model of "intensive training + practice transference" to strengthen lecturing skills, and applied the Kirkpatrick Four Levels to evaluate the effect of the project from multi-role and multi-stage. RESULTS: The training satisfaction of the CTPT course from the subjects reaches 100%. The subjects have a high degree of knowledge acquisition through CTPT and the knowledge of the 5 key behaviors has been actually used in their lectures at the stage of practice transference. Comparing the data before training and after transference, it is found that the average increasing of the subjects' 5 key behavior scores made by teaching secretaries is 14.12 points (14.12%) and that of the subjects' self-efficacy scores is 9.31 points (9.31%); the performance values were modeling based on the scores from different types of evaluators and increased by an average of 12.61 points (12.61%); and the star ratings of the overall performance increased by an average of 1.17 points (23.4%). The results showed statistically difference (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The project effectively promoted the improvement of the clinical teachers' lecturing skills and the quality of small lectures.

Three-dimensional-printed titanium implants for severe acetabular bone defects in revision hip arthroplasty: short- and mid-term results.

PURPOSE: Severe acetabular bone defect is challenging in revision hip arthroplasty. In the present study, we aimed to present new treatment options with the 3D printing technique and analyze the clinical and radiographic outcomes of 3D-printed titanium implants for the treatment of severe acetabular bone defects in revision hip arthroplasty. METHODS: A total of 35 patients with Paprosky type 3 bone defect and pelvic discontinuity (PD), who underwent hip revisions using 3D-printed titanium implants between 2016 and 2019 at our institution, were retrospectively reviewed. Patient-specific 3D-printed titanium augments and shells (strategy A) were used in 22 type 3A and two type 3B patients. Custom 3D-printed flanged components (strategy B) were used in 11 type 3B patients, including five PD. The clinical outcomes were evaluated with the Harris hip score (HHS). In addition, radiographic results were analyzed by the hip centre of rotation (V-COR and H-COR), implant failure, and survivorship. RESULTS: The mean follow-up was 41.5 months (range, 16-62). The HHS was improved from 47.8 ± 8.2 pre-operatively to 78.1 ± 10.1 at one year follow-up and 86.4 ± 5.1 at the last follow-up (p < 0.01). Post-operative V-COR and H-COR of the operated side were 20.8 ± 2.0 mm and 30.2 ± 1.6 mm compared with 51.4 ± 4.1 mm and 33.9 ± 9.0 mm pre-operatively (p < 0.01). The complications included one dislocation and one partial palsy of the sciatic nerve. At the latest follow-up, no radiological component loosening or screw breakage was present. CONCLUSIONS: 3D-printed titanium implants showed satisfactory short- and mid-term clinical and radiographic outcomes. It was an effective therapeutic regimen with a low rate of complications, providing a patient-specific and reliable strategy for the severe acetabular bone defect in revision hip arthroplasty.

RNF38 inhibits osteosarcoma cell proliferation by binding to CRY1.

The PI3K/AKT pathway plays an important role in the development of osteosarcoma. RNF38 interferes with activation of the AKT pathway. Cryptochrome1 (CRY1) inhibits osteosarcoma proliferation through the AKT pathway. We aimed to clarify whether RNF38 affects the proliferation of osteosarcoma cells by regulating the PI3K/AKT pathway through its interaction with CRY1. The mRNA levels of RNF38 were determined using qRT-PCR. Protein levels of RNF38, p-p70S6, p70S6, +p-AKT, AKT, p-mTOR, mTOR, and CRY1 were detected by western blotting. The proliferation of osteosarcoma cells was detected using CCK-8 and colony formation assays. The interaction between CRY1 and RNF38 was detected by co-immunoprecipitation and GST pull-down assays. RNF38 expression was higher in Saos-2 and U20S cells than in hFOB cells. Overexpression of RNF38 promoted the proliferation of osteosarcoma cells, the number of colonies, and p-AKT and p-mTOR levels, suggesting that overexpression of RNF38 activated the PI3K/AKT pathway. In addition, RNF38 directly binds to the N-terminal of CRY1. The simultaneous knockdown of RNF38 and CRY1 restored the level of p-AKT, which was reduced by RNF38 knockdown alone. RNF38 affects the proliferation of osteosarcoma cells by regulating the PI3K/AKT pathway through its interaction with CRY1.

Topological Transformation of Mg-Containing Layered Double Hydroxide Nanosheets for Efficient Photodriven CH4 Coupling.

Direct conversion of methane (CH4 ) to fuels and other high value-added chemicals is an attractive technology in the chemical industry; however, practical challenges to sustainable processes remain. Herein, we report the preparation of a heterostructured Co-doped MgO-based catalyst through topological transformation of a MgCo-layered double hydroxide (LDH) calcination from 200 to 1100 °C. Remarkably, the catalyst can activate CH4 coupling to produce C2 H6 with a selectivity of 41.60 % within 3 h under full-spectrum irradiation through calcination of LDH at 800 °C. Characterization studies and catalytic results suggest that the highly dispersed active sites and large interfaces amongst the Co-doped MgO-based catalysts enable surface activation of CH4 to methyl (CH3 *), in turn promoting coupling of CH3 * to C2 H6 . This study introduces a promising pathway for photodriven CH4 coupling to give high value-added chemicals by using layered double hydroxides as a precursor.

Concurrent arthroscopic meniscal repair during open-wedge high tibial osteotomy is not clinically beneficial for medial meniscus posterior root tears.

PURPOSE: This prospective study aimed to investigate the clinical benefits of meniscal repair during open-wedge high tibial osteotomies (OWHTOs) in patients with medial meniscus posterior root tears (MMPRTs) and to identify potential risk factors for meniscal healing. METHODS: Ninety patients with degenerative MMPRTs were included in the final cohort and randomized into three groups. The patients in Group A (n = 30) underwent OWHTO and arthroscopic all-inside meniscal repair concurrently, those in Group B (n = 34) underwent OWHTO only, and those in Group C (n = 26) underwent arthroscopic partial meniscectomy. Clinical and radiological outcomes were recorded, and meniscal healing was evaluated during second-look arthroscopy. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors for meniscal healing. RESULTS: After a minimum follow-up of 24 months, no significant differences between Groups A and B regarding the final Lysholm (p = 0.689) or Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) scores (p = 0.256) were observed. There were significant differences among the three groups regarding the hip-knee-ankle angle (HKA), weight-bearing line (WBL) ratio, medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA), and joint line convergence angle (JLCA) (p < 0.001, respectively), but the differences between Groups A and B were not significant. During second-look arthroscopy, the healing rate of the MMPRTs was significantly higher in Group A (63.3%) than in Group B (35.3%). Concurrent meniscal repair and changes in the HKA, and MPTA were risk factors for meniscal healing. CONCLUSION: Concurrent arthroscopic meniscal repair during OWHTO did not lead to significant clinical benefits in the treatment of MMPRTs, except for an increased rate of meniscal healing, which was not associated with clinical outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II, prospective comparative study.

Surgical hip dislocation for treatment of synovial chondromatosis of the hip.

PURPOSE: In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of surgical hip dislocation in patients with synovial chondromatosis (SC) of the hip. METHODS: Seven patients with primary SC of the hip treated with open synovectomy and removal of loose bodies by surgical hip dislocation from 2016 to 2019 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients had numerous and widespread loose bodies based on pre-operative images, including routine radiographs, CT, and MRI. The visual analog scale (VAS) score and Harris hip score (HHS) were collected and analyzed before and after surgery. The post-operative radiographs were reviewed to evaluate disease recurrence and osteoarthritis progression. RESULTS: The mean operative time was 61 minutes (range, 42-75 min). An average of 33 loose bodies in each patient (range, 16-67) was removed, and extra-articular pathology was found in one patient. Patients were followed up for a mean duration of 30 months (range, 18-42 months). The average VAS scores were decreased from 3.7 (range, 2-6) pre-operatively to 0.9 (range, 0-2) at the last follow-up, and the HHS was improved from 60.1 (range, 50-73) to 90.1 (range, 82-95). All results demonstrated significant improvements (P < 0.05). Post-operative radiographs showed no recurrence, osteoarthritis progression, or osteonecrosis of the femoral head in all hips. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical hip dislocation was a practical approach for managing both intra-articular and extra-articular pathologic lesions around the hip. It was an effective treatment for SC of the hip with short surgical time, good joint functions, a lower recurrence rate, and few complications.

Contribution of groundwater discharge and associated contaminants input to Dongting Lake, Central China, using multiple tracers (222Rn, 18O, Cl-).

Lacustrine groundwater discharge (LGD) can play an important role in water and contaminant mass balance of lakes. Dongting Lake is the second largest fresh lake in China which is connected to Yangtze River and has quite prominent ecological status and function within Yangtze River basin. However, the effect of groundwater discharge on the balance of water and contaminant in Dongting Lake has long been overlooked. This study estimated the groundwater discharge and associated contaminants input into Dongting Lake during the dry season using multiple tracers (222Rn, 18O, Cl-). After sensitivity analysis of different models, it is found that the result of 222Rn mass balance model is the most reliable. Based on the 222Rn mass balance model, the groundwater discharge rate is estimated to be 73.94 mm/d and the contribution of LGD to water balance is 10.94%. As the main nutrient components, NH3-N, P and Si from groundwater input account for 23.65%, 5.12% and 30.15%  % of the total input, respectively. As the main heavy metal components, Fe, Mn and As from groundwater input all account for more than 50% of the total input. Although the LGD rate is relatively small, the contaminant input from LGD is significant enough, which may be a potential threat to the ecological stability of Dongting Lake. In this study, the mass balance models of multiple tracers were integrated to understand the role of groundwater in maintaining the water balance and pollution status of Dongting Lake, which has certain reference significance for the LGD study in plain lakes or reservoirs with complex water systems in humid regions.

Drug-Bearing Peptide-Based Nanospheres for the Inhibition of Metastasis and Growth of Cancer.

Employing a peptide-based nanoscale drug delivery system is an effective strategy to overcome the poor therapeutic outcomes of chemotherapeutic drugs. Here, we developed a self-assembling peptide-drug delivery system comprising a self-assembling anticancer peptide (R-lycosin-I), as revealed in our previous study, and 10-hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT) for cancer therapy. The results showed that peptide-drug conjugates (R-L-HCPT) could assemble into nanospheres of 40-60 nm in water. Compared with free HCPT, R-L-HCPT nanospheres not only inhibited tumor growth but also suppressed pulmonary metastatic nodules on B16-F10 cells in vivo. In summary, these results indicated that the self-assembling R-lycosin-I could provide a promising nanoscale platform for delivering small-molecule drugs. Moreover, our study might provide new opportunities for the development of a new class of functional peptide-drug-conjugated systems based on nanomaterials, which could synergistically enhance anticancer outcomes.

Using cross-linked hyaluronic acid gel to prevent postoperative lumbar epidural space adhesion: in vitro and in vivo studies.

PURPOSE: Hyaluronic acid prevents tissue adhesion after different surgeries. Physical barriers and inflammatory regulation have been suggested to be involved in the mechanism of these clinical effects. However, the molecular mechanism by which hyaluronic acid prevents epidural adhesion has not yet been reported. METHODS: In the current in vivo studies, we investigated cross-linked hyaluronic acid gel in the regulation of scar gene expression, the accumulation of fibroblasts in scar tissue, and the prevention of epidural adhesion. The effect of cross-linked hyaluronic acid gel on the secretion of inflammatory factors was observed in vitro. In addition, to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the in vivo gene expression results, we used a cell model to detect the target genes in vitro. RESULTS: The expression levels of TGFß1 and COL1A1 mRNA were decreased in the cross-linked hyaluronic acid gel-treated group, and the protein expression of levels TGFß1 and COL1A1 were also reduced, as detected by Western blotting in vitro and in vivo (P < 0.05). Histomorphometry results demonstrated that the number of fibroblasts in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group 2 weeks postoperatively. Micro-CT scans showed that the cross-linked hyaluronic acid gel could reduce adhesion in the epidural space after laminectomy. Additionally, the cross-linked hyaluronic acid gel could inhibit IL-6 secretion. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that cross-linked hyaluronic acid gel can prevent epidural adhesion by inhibiting inflammatory factors, such as IL-6, and downregulating TGFß1 and COL1A1 mRNA expression. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material.