Use of the improved tug-of-war acupuncture for promoting cartilage repair by inducing macrophage polarization in knee osteoarthritis.

Introduction: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a type of joint disease causing degenerative changes that are challenging to treat. The improved tug-of-war acupuncture (BHZF) can improve joint pain in KOA. However, the associated mechanism has not been validated. Methods: The KOA rabbit model was established. After the surgery, the improved BHZF was provided as an intervention, and the animals were euthanized after 2 weeks. Histopathological changes in the synovium and cartilage were observed on hematoxylin & eosin staining and Safranin O-Fast Green staining. Synovial fluid and serum samples were collected to assess the presence of cytokines using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression of M1 macrophage (CD86) and M2 macrophage (ARG1) markers in the cartilage and synovium was detected via immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence assays. Results: The improved BHZF could reduce KOA-related pain and inhibit joint swelling. Further, it significantly maintained the morphology of articular chondrocytes in KOA and reduced the decomposition of the cartilage matrix. Then, it significantly reduced the expression of CD86-positive cells (P < 0.05), and increased the expression of ARG1-positive cells in the cartilage and synovium (P < 0.05). Moreover, it significantly decreased the expression of inflammatory factors interleukin (IL)-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the serum and synovial fluid (P < 0.05), and significantly increased the expression levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The improved BHZF can relieve pain and improve cartilage damage by regulating macrophage polarization in KOA.

Self-Motion of Water Droplets along a Spacing Gradient of Micropillar Arrays on Copper.

Self-driven droplet transport along an open gradient surface is increasingly becoming popular for various microfluidics applications. In this work, a gradient copper oxide layer is formed on a copper sheet (as a bipolar electrode, BPE) in a KOH solution by bipolar electrochemistry. The deposits at different positions present a rich variety of colors, compositions, and microstructures along the longitudinal axis of the BPE. More than half the length of the anodic pole is covered by a Cu(OH)2/CuO composite layer of several micrometers thick, which is composed of dense micropillars with a decreasing spacing gradient to the anodic direction. The micropillar arrays are superhydrophilic, and after modified with 1-dodecanethiol, the tops of the dense micropillars constitute a hydrophobic and microscopically discontinuous surface with a wettability gradient. On such a gradient surface water droplets can move spontaneously to more hydrophilic direction at a velocity of about 16 mm s-1. The superhydrophobicity of the modified micropillar arrays is discussed through a comparison with the wax tubules on a lotus leaf. Theoretical analysis of the driving force reveals that the concave surface effect of water at the spacings between the micropillars is the critical factor for driving the rolling motion of the droplets along the gradient micropillar arrays.

Factors associated with non-compliance with breastfeeding recommendation: a retrospective survey in hepatitis B virus-infected mothers who had taken Nucleos(t)ide analogs during pregnancy.

BACKGROUND: We encourage Hepatitis B virus-infected mothers to breastfeed postpartum, even when continuing pregnancy category B nucleos(t)ide analogs (NAs) treatment. However, a large proportion of the Hepatitis B virus-infected mothers were noncompliant with this breastfeeding recommendation. This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with noncompliance with breastfeeding recommendation in Hepatitis B virus-infected mothers who had received NAs treatment during pregnancy. METHODS: A total of 155 mothers with chronic hepatitis B receiving NAs treatment for preventing mother-to-child transmission during the late gestation period were included and divided into exclusive breastfeeding (n = 63), mixed feeding (n = 34), and artificial feeding (n = 58) groups according to the postpartum feeding methods. Independent variables associated with feeding methods were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Compared to the breastfeeding and mixed feeding groups, the artificial feeding group had significantly more multiparity, later postpartum timing of stopping NAs treatment, and a lower proportion of having knowledge of NAs medications (all P < 0.05). In addition, multivariable logistic regression analysis confirmed that multiparity, later postpartum timing of stopping NAs treatment, and lacking knowledge of medication were independent factors associated with noncompliance with breastfeeding recommendation. CONCLUSIONS: Hepatitis B virus-infected mothers who stopped NAs treatment at late postpartum period or had less knowledge of medication were more likely to be noncompliant with breastfeeding recommendation. Strengthening health education for participants taking NAs may be an important method to improve compliance with breastfeeding recommendation.

[Studies on character variation of parent of "Ganzaoxian 47" by space mutation].

OBJECTIVE: To breed a new variety from "86-70 selective line"--a late-maturing early indica rice variety with small spike, light grain and weak disease resistance by space mutation. METHOD: Dry seeds of "86-70 selective line" were carried by recoverable satellite, to a near earth orbit and sowed and planted on the earth after recovery, heritance and variation of the characters of SP1- SP9 generation were observed. RESULT: Because of comprehensive space mutation, the characters of their progenies were segregated and varied in many aspects and directions, and the segregated and varied characters were found to be heritable; by selecting early-maturing mutants from these progenies and cultivating them directionally, a new rice variety "Ganzaoxian 47 " was bred. In comparison with its parent, "Ganzaoxian 47" had superior agronomic and economic characters, significantly strong resistance to rice blast and so on, its filled grains per spike [correction of spile], kilo-grain weight and yield were increased by 37.9%, 5.3% and 22.5% respectively, but its growth and developmental duration were shortened by 14 d. CONCLUSION: This study provided a new demonstration for space mutation breeding by recoverable satellite, and indicated that space mutation was an effective and new approach to agricultural crops breeding.