A xonotlite nanofiber bioactive 3D-printed hydrogel scaffold based on osteo-/angiogenesis and osteoimmune microenvironment remodeling accelerates vascularized bone regeneration.

BACKGROUND: Coordination between osteo-/angiogenesis and the osteoimmune microenvironment is essential for effective bone repair with biomaterials. As a highly personalized and precise biomaterial suitable for repairing complex bone defects in clinical practice, it is essential to endow 3D-printed scaffold the above key capabilities. RESULTS: Herein, by introducing xonotlite nanofiber (Ca6(Si6O17) (OH)2, CS) into the 3D-printed silk fibroin/gelatin basal scaffold, a novel bone repair system named SGC was fabricated. It was noted that the incorporation of CS could greatly enhance the chemical and mechanical properties of the scaffold to match the needs of bone regeneration. Besides, benefiting from the addition of CS, SGC scaffolds could accelerate osteo-/angiogenic differentiation of bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and meanwhile reprogram macrophages to establish a favorable osteoimmune microenvironment. In vivo experiments further demonstrated that SGC scaffolds could efficiently stimulate bone repair and create a regeneration-friendly osteoimmune microenvironment. Mechanistically, we discovered that SGC scaffolds may achieve immune reprogramming in macrophages through a decrease in the expression of Smad6 and Smad7, both of which participate in the transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: Overall, this study demonstrated the clinical potential of the SGC scaffold due to its favorable pro-osteo-/angiogenic and osteoimmunomodulatory properties. In addition, it is a promising strategy to develop novel bone repair biomaterials by taking osteoinduction and osteoimmune microenvironment remodeling functions into account.

Quercetin-loaded mesoporous nano-delivery system remodels osteoimmune microenvironment to regenerate alveolar bone in periodontitis via the miR-21a-5p/PDCD4/NF-κB pathway.

BACKGROUND: Impaired osteo-/angiogenesis, excessive inflammation, and imbalance of the osteoimmune homeostasis are involved in the pathogenesis of the alveolar bone defect caused by periodontitis. Unfortunately, there is still a lack of ideal therapeutic strategies for periodontitis that can regenerate the alveolar bone while remodeling the osteoimmune microenvironment. Quercetin, as a monomeric flavonoid, has multiple pharmacological activities, such as pro-regenerative, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects. Despite its vast spectrum of pharmacological activities, quercetin's clinical application is limited due to its poor water solubility and low bioavailability. RESULTS: In this study, we fabricated a quercetin-loaded mesoporous bioactive glass (Quercetin/MBG) nano-delivery system with the function of continuously releasing quercetin, which could better promote the bone regeneration and regulate the immune microenvironment in the alveolar bone defect with periodontitis compared to pure MBG treatment. In particular, this nano-delivery system effectively decreased injection frequency of quercetin while yielding favorable therapeutic results. In view of the above excellent therapeutic effects achieved by the sustained release of quercetin, we further investigated its therapeutic mechanisms. Our findings indicated that under the periodontitis microenvironment, the intervention of quercetin could restore the osteo-/angiogenic capacity of periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs), induce immune regulation of macrophages and exert an osteoimmunomodulatory effect. Furthermore, we also found that the above osteoimmunomodulatory effects of quercetin via macrophages could be partially blocked by the overexpression of a key microRNA--miR-21a-5p, which worked through inhibiting the expression of PDCD4 and activating the NF-κB signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: In summary, our study shows that quercetin-loaded mesoporous nano-delivery system has the potential to be a therapeutic approach for reconstructing alveolar bone defects in periodontitis. Furthermore, it also offers a new perspective for treating alveolar bone defects in periodontitis by inhibiting the expression of miR-21a-5p in macrophages and thereby creating a favorable osteoimmune microenvironment.

[Pregnant Outcomes of Multiparae in Women with Advanced Age (≥35 years)after the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate pregnancy outcomes of multiparae in women with advanced age (≥35 yr.) after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. METHODS: Clinical data of 542 pregnant women with prenatal care in Wenchuan during 20082013 were reviewed,comparing preconception conditions,pregnant rates,pregnant complications,and perinatal outcomes between those younger ( n=176) and older ( n=366) than 35 years. RESULTS: In the 542 women,622 conceptions were reported,with 517 deliveries and 522 live births. The women with advanced age had lower cumulative pregnancy rate (twoyear),higher incidence of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy,gestational diabetes,multiple pregnancy,fetal distress,low birth weight and birth defects than their younger counterparts. The younger women also had higher term live birth rate and lower miscarriage rate. But the differences showed no statistical significance. CONCLUSION: Prenatal care brings similar pregnant outcomes to multiparae in women with advance aged and younger aged.

The unique structure of carbonic anhydrase αCA1 from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii α-type carbonic anhydrase (Cr-αCA1) is a dimeric enzyme that catalyses the interconversion of carbon dioxide and carbonic acid. The precursor form of Cr-αCA1 undergoes post-translational cleavage and N-glycosylation. Comparison of the genomic sequences of precursor Cr-αCA1 and other αCAs shows that Cr-αCA1 contains a different N-terminal sequence and two insertion sequences. A 35-residue peptide in one of the insertion sequences is deleted from the precursor during maturation. The crystal structure of the mature form of Cr-αCA1 has been determined at 1.88 Šresolution. Each subunit is cleaved into the long and short peptides, but they are linked together by a disulfide bond. The two subunits are linked by a disulfide bond. N-Glycosylations occur at three asparagine residues and the attached N-glycans protrude into solvent regions. The subunits consist of a core ß-sheet structure composed of nine ß-strands. At the centre of the ß-sheet is the catalytic site, which contains a Zn atom bound to three histidine residues. The amino-acid residues around the Zn atom are highly conserved in other monomeric and dimeric αCAs. The short peptide runs near the active site and forms a hydrogen bond to the zinc-coordinated residue in the long chain, suggesting an important role for the short peptide in Cr-αCA1 activity.

[Raman spectrum study of the calcium phosphate glass structure affected by the addition of TiO2].

Calcium phosphate glasses in which part of CaO was replaced by TiO2 were prepared by the conventional melt quench method. The structures and their thermal properties were studied by XRD, Raman and DSC techniques. The results show that, TiO2 and calcium phosphate form homogeneous glass with the amount of the additive less than 3 mol%. The glasses matrix generates a Ca2P2O7 and CaTi4 (PO4)6 crystal phase with the amount of the additives in the range of 6-12 mol%. With the addition of TiO2, the structural changes of the glass system are from metaphosphate to pyrophosphate and orthophosphate. With the TiO2 less than 3 mol%, the cohesion of the glasses structure and the glasses thermal stability is enhanced, and the glasses transition temperature is gradually increased.

Crystallographic study of wild-type carbonic anhydrase alpha CA1 from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) are ubiquitously distributed and are grouped into three structurally independent classes (alphaCA, betaCA and gammaCA). Most alphaCA enzymes are monomeric, but alphaCA1 from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a dimer that is uniquely stabilized by disulfide bonds. In addition, during maturation an internal peptide of 35 residues is removed and three asparagine residues are glycosylated. In order to obtain insight into the effects of these structural features on CA function, wild-type C. reinhardtii alphaCA1 has been crystallized in space group P6(5), with unit-cell parameters a=b=134.3, c=120.2 A. The crystal diffracted to 1.88 A resolution and a preliminary solution of its crystal structure has been obtained by the MAD method.

[Raman spectra analysis of calcium metaphosphate glass-ceramics].

In the present paper, calcium metaphosphate glass with molar ratio of Ca/P = 0.45 was prepared and Ca(PO3)2 glass-ceramics were obtained by reheating the glass at 300-700 degrees C. The Raman spectra of samples were measured. The bands of these Raman spectra were assigned and analyzed. The length of P-O bonds was calculated by using Raman wavenumbers. The results show that the crystal phase in glass was obtained when preserved at 300 degrees C for 3 h; Along with temperature increase, upsilon(s) (PO2) and upsilon(s) (POP) bands are stable in frequency, the bands intensity increases and fine structure appears in the Raman spectra fingerprint. The crystallization degree of glass-ceramics surface is higher than the inner. The length of P-O bonds changes during the heating process and crystallization. The length of O--P--O chain bonds changes to 158.27 pm from 159.96 pm, and terminal P--O changes to 149.02 pm from 147.92 pm, when Ca(PO3)2 glass becomes beta-Ca(PO3)2 crystal.

SYSTEMATIC REVISION OF THE GENERA LIAGORA AND IZZIELLA (LIAGORACEAE, RHODOPHYTA) FROM TAIWAN BASED ON MOLECULAR ANALYSES AND CARPOSPOROPHYTE DEVELOPMENT, WITH THE DESCRIPTION OF TWO NEW SPECIES(1).

Some Liagora and Izziella distributed in Taiwan display a wide range of morphological variation and can be difficult to distinguish. To clarify species concepts, we applied DNA sequence analyses and examined carposporophyte development in detail. These studies revealed two new species, which are described herein as Izziella hommersandii sp. nov. and Izziella kuroshioensis sp. nov. I. kuroshioensis superficially resembles Izziella formosana and Izziella orientalis in that its involucral filaments subtend rather than surround the lower portion of the gonimoblast mass (= Izziella type) and a fusion cell is formed from cells of the carpogonial branch, but it can be separated by differences in the cell numbers and branching pattern of the involucral filaments, as well as thallus morphology. In contrast to other species that also bear short lateral branchlets, I. hommersandii is unique in possessing a mixture of short and long involucral filaments, a phenomenon not reported before. The length of the involucral filaments is species specific among species of Izziella and contrasts to the behavior of the involucral filaments after fertilization in species such as "Liagora"setchellii [= Titanophycus setchellii comb. nov.], in which the filaments completely envelop the gonimoblast. In addition, the cells of the carpogonial branch in Titanophycus do not fuse after fertilization to form a fusion cell. Thus, a combination of characters with respect to the behavior of the carpogonial branch and the involucral filaments after fertilization is very useful for delineating species boundaries in Izziella and for separating Titanophycus from Izziella and Liagora.

[Preparing of Al2O3/ZrO2 composite dental ceramics through isostatic pressing technology].

OBJECTIVE: To find out how to prepare high-density dental ceramics through isostatic pressing so that sintering shrinkage will be reduced. METHODS: To prepare Al2O3/ZrO2 composite powder first, then to mold through dry-pressing, and to shape the green-body through isostatic pressing. The green-bodies were sintered at the temperature of 1 400 degrees C and kept at the temperature for different period of time (2 h, 3 h, 4 h). After that, the density and fracture strength were measured and the microstructure observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). RESULTS: The sample product's density, line-shrinkage, and fracture strength of ceramics was rising with the sintering time lengthened. The sample product kept under the temperature of 1 400 degrees C for 4 hours, the fracture strength was (497.27 +/- 78.45) MPa and glass phase distributed evenly in the ceramics and the grains were integrated owing to the glass phase. The longer the sintering time, the more even the microstructure was. CONCLUSION: The sintering quality and the efficiency were improved through isostatic pressing.