Mechanical load inhibits IL-1 induced matrix degradation in articular cartilage

Summary Objective: Osteoarthritis is a disease process of cellular degradation of articular cartilage caused by mechanical loads and inflammatory cytokines. We studied the cellular response in native cartilage subjected to a mechanical load administered simultaneously with an inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1), hypothesizing that the combination of load and cytokine would result in accelerated extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation. Methods: Mature bovine articular cartilage was loaded for 3 days (stimulation) with 0.2 and 0.5 MPa stresses, with and without IL-1 (IL-1a, 10 ng/ml), followed by 3 days of no stimulation (recovery). Aggrecan and collagen loss were measured as well as aggrecan cleavage using monoclonal antibodies AF-28 and BC-3 for cleavage by aggrecanases (ADAMTS) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), respectively. Results: Incubation with IL-1 caused aggrecan cleavage by aggrecanases and MMPs during the 3 days of stimulation. A load of 0.5 MPa inhibited the IL-1-induced aggrecan loss while no inhibition was found for the 0.2 MPa stress. There was no collagen loss during the treatments but upon load and IL-1 removal proteoglycan and collagen loss increased. Load itself under these conditions was found to have no effect when compared to the unloaded controls. Conclusions: A mechanical load of sufficient magnitude can inhibit ECM degradation by chondrocytes when stimulated by IL-1. The molecular mechanisms involved in this process are not clear but probably involve altered mechanochemical signal transduction between the ECM and chondrocyte

Gender and School Ownership on Mathematics Anxiety of Junior Secondary School Students in Mezam Division

The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of gender and school ownership on Mathematics anxiety of junior secondary school students in North West and South West regions of Cameroon. Three research questions were formulated and three null hypotheses stated to guide the study. Relevant literature materials to the study were reviewed. The subjects were composed through a multistage random sampling technique. The subjects were form three students and they were 960 in number. The instrument used for the collection of data was Mathematics Anxiety Rating Scale (MARS). The instrument was face validated by five experts, two in Mathematics education, one in Psychology, one in Measurement and Evaluation and one in Curriculum studies.  The two instruments were trial tested. The internal consistency of MARS was computed as 0.815 using Cronbach alpha (α). The data obtained were analyzed using Means and Standard Deviation for answering research questions while the hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance using ANOVA and t-test. The results of the study revealed that gender did not have any significant influence on students' Mathematics anxiety. Also school ownership did not have any significant influence on students' Mathematics anxiety. Results again showed that there was no significant interaction of gender and school ownership on students' Mathematics anxiety.  Following the discussions of these findings the educational implications were pointed out and recommendations made. Mathematics teachers are encouraged to employ teaching practices that do not promote gender bias and must consider giving the same treatment and Mathematics tasks to both males and females. This can be done through organizing seminars, workshops and conferences sponsored by the government or professional associations. In view of the fact that gender has no significant influence on students' Mathematics anxiety, more women can be encouraged into Mathematics, Science and Information technology fields