Adipose-Derived Extract Suppresses IL-1ß-Induced Inflammatory Signaling Pathways in Human Chondrocytes and Ameliorates the Cartilage Destruction of Experimental Osteoarthritis in Rats.

We investigated the effects of adipose-derived extract (AE) on cultured chondrocytes and in vivo cartilage destruction. AE was prepared from human adipose tissues using a nonenzymatic approach. Cultured human chondrocytes were stimulated with interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß) with or without different concentrations of AE. The effects of co-treatment with AE on intracellular signaling pathways and their downstream gene and protein expressions were examined using real-time PCR, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence staining. Rat AE prepared from inguinal adipose tissues was intra-articularly delivered to the knee joints of rats with experimental osteoarthritis (OA), and the effect of AE on cartilage destruction was evaluated histologically. In vitro, co-treatment with IL-1ß combined with AE reduced activation of the p38 and ERK mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and nuclear translocation of the p65 subunit of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), and subsequently downregulated the expressions of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1, MMP-3, MMP-13, a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs (ADAMTS)-4, IL-6, and IL-8, whereas it markedly upregulated the expression of IL-1 receptor type 2 (IL-1R2) in chondrocytes. Intra-articular injection of homologous AE significantly ameliorated cartilage destruction six weeks postoperatively in the rat OA model. These results suggested that AE may exert a chondroprotective effect, at least in part, through modulation of the IL-1ß-induced inflammatory signaling pathway by upregulation of IL-1R2 expression.

The use of 33 MHz ultra-high-frequency ultrasonography for the evaluation of sweat glands in the axilla with osmidrosis.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the use of 33 MHz ultra-high-frequency ultrasonography (33MHz-UHFUS) for evaluating axillary sweat glands with osmidrosis in comparison with histological techniques. Axillary osmidrosis is a common problem in Asian societies, and the number and size of apocrine sweat glands have a strong relationship with osmidrosis severity. Currently, there are no methods to evaluate sweat gland distribution non-invasively. METHODS: In this study, 35 skin specimens from 10 fresh human cadavers without osmidrosis and retrospective ultrasonographic images from 20 patients with osmidrosis were used. Skin specimens were embedded in paraffin, thinly sliced, and finally stained with hematoxylin and eosin. Histologically, the apocrine and eccrine glands were evaluated, and the top and bottom depths of follicles were measured from the skin surface. In 33 MHz ultrasonography images, the depths of sweat glands were measured, and the mean grey value was calculated using Image J. RESULTS: Compared to histological data, 33MHz-UHFUS could be used to identify sweat glands as a hyperechoic structure between the dermis and fat layer. Furthermore, it could evaluate sweat gland distribution but could not distinguish between types of sweat glands. CONCLUSIONS: The distribution of sweat glands in the axilla can be non-invasively evaluated via 33MHz-UHFUS.

Boronic acid-protected gold clusters capable of asymmetric induction: spectral deconvolution analysis of their electronic absorption and magnetic circular dichroism.

Gold clusters protected by 3-mercaptophenylboronic acid (3-MPB) with a mean core diameter of 1.1 nm are successfully isolated, and their absorption, magnetic circular dichroism (MCD), and chiroptical responses in metal-based electronic transition regions, which can be induced by surface D-/L-fructose complexation, are examined. It is well-known that MCD basically corresponds to electronic transitions in the absorption spectrum, so simultaneous deconvolution analysis of electronic absorption and MCD spectra of the gold cluster compound is conducted under the constrained requirement that a single set of Gaussian components be used for their fitting. We then find that fructose-induced chiroptical response is explained in terms of the deconvoluted spectra experimentally obtained. We believe this spectral analysis is expected to benefit better understanding of the electronic states and the origin of the optical activity in chiral metal clusters.