The therapeutic effects of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound in musculoskeletal soft tissue injuries: Focusing on the molecular mechanism

Musculoskeletal soft tissue injuries are very common and usually occur during both sporting and everyday activities. The intervention of adjuvant therapies to promote tissue regeneration is of great importance to improving people’s quality of life and extending their productive lives. Though many studies have focused on the positive results and effectiveness of the LIPUS on soft tissue, the molecular mechanisms standing behind LIPUS effects are much less explored and reported, especially the intracellular signaling pathways. We incorporated all research on LIPUS in soft tissue diseases since 2005 and summarized studies that uncovered the intracellular molecular mechanism. This review will also provide the latest evidence-based research progress in this field and suggest research directions for future experiments

Human Papillomaviruses and Papillomatosis Lesions of the Female Lower Genital Tract

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are involved in the development of papillomatosis lesions of the lower female genital tract

Association of family function and suicide risk in teenagers with a history of self-harm behaviors: mediating role of subjective wellbeing and depression

BackgroundA history of self-harm behaviors is closely associated with subsequent suicide death. Although many factors associated with suicide have been identified, it remains unclear how these factors interact to influence suicide risk, especially among teenagers with a history of self-harm behaviors.MethodsData were collected from 913 teenagers with a history of self-harm behaviors through a cross-sectional study. The Family Adaptation, Partnership, Growth, Affection, and Resolve index was used to assess teenagers' family function. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 were used to evaluate depression and anxiety in teenagers and their parents, respectively. The Delighted Terrible Faces Scale was used to assess teenagers' perception of subjective wellbeing. The Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised was used to evaluate teenagers' suicide risk. Student's t-test, one-way ANOVA, multivariate linear regression, Pearson's correlation, and a structural equation model (SEM) were applied to data analysis.ResultsOverall, 78.6% of teenagers with a history of self-harm behaviors were at risk for possible suicide. Female gender, severity of teenagers' depression, family function, and subjective wellbeing were significantly associated with suicide risk. The results of SEM suggested that there was a significant chain mediation effect of subjective wellbeing and depression between family function and suicide risk.ConclusionFamily function was closely associated with suicide risk in teenagers with a history of self-harm behaviors, and depression and subjective wellbeing were sequential mediators in the association between family function and suicide risk

Genetic map of Triticum turgidum based on a hexaploid wheat population without genetic recombination for D genome

BACKGROUND: A synthetic doubled-haploid hexaploid wheat population, SynDH1, derived from the spontaneous chromosome doubling of triploid F(1) hybrid plants obtained from the cross of hybrids Triticum turgidum ssp. durum line Langdon (LDN) and ssp. turgidum line AS313, with Aegilops tauschii ssp. tauschii accession AS60, was previously constructed. SynDH1 is a tetraploidization-hexaploid doubled haploid (DH) population because it contains recombinant A and B chromosomes from two different T. turgidum genotypes, while all the D chromosomes from Ae. tauschii are homogenous across the whole population. This paper reports the construction of a genetic map using this population. RESULTS: Of the 606 markers used to assemble the genetic map, 588 (97%) were assigned to linkage groups. These included 513 Diversity Arrays Technology (DArT) markers, 72 simple sequence repeat (SSR), one insertion site-based polymorphism (ISBP), and two high-molecular-weight glutenin subunit (HMW-GS) markers. These markers were assigned to the 14 chromosomes, covering 2048.79 cM, with a mean distance of 3.48 cM between adjacent markers. This map showed good coverage of the A and B genome chromosomes, apart from 3A, 5A, 6A, and 4B. Compared with previously reported maps, most shared markers showed highly consistent orders. This map was successfully used to identify five quantitative trait loci (QTL), including two for spikelet number on chromosomes 7A and 5B, two for spike length on 7A and 3B, and one for 1000-grain weight on 4B. However, differences in crossability QTL between the two T. turgidum parents may explain the segregation distortion regions on chromosomes 1A, 3B, and 6B. CONCLUSIONS: A genetic map of T. turgidum including 588 markers was constructed using a synthetic doubled haploid (SynDH) hexaploid wheat population. Five QTLs for three agronomic traits were identified from this population. However, more markers are needed to increase the density and resolution of this map in the future study

Molecular responses to salinity stress in Salix matsudana (Koidz) females and males

Sexual dimorphism has commonly been found in many species. The phenotypes of Salix matsudana females and males are different under salinity stress. An F1 population was selected to compare the differences between males and females. As a result, males showed stronger roots and heavier dry weights than females. The unique molecular mechanisms of males and females under salinity stress were further analyzed based on the root transcriptome of males and females. Both males and females up-regulated systemic acquired resistance genes, such as ADH and oxygenase-related genes, to resist salt. Moreover, many other abiotic stress response genes were up-regulated in males to adjust to salinity stress, while females showed more down-regulation of nitrogen metabolism-related genes to decrease the harm from salinity stress. The research on salinity tolerance in Salix matsudana males and females would help to further understand sexual dimorphism under selection pressure and provide benefits to the ecological environment

Subunit Characteristics of Pig Pancreas Ferritin Revealed by MALDI-TOF MS and RP-HPLC

Pig pancreas ferritin(PPF) was purified by ultra-centrifugation, ion-exchange chromatography, and native gradient polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis(PAGE(NG)). Sodium dodecyl sulfate(SDS)-PAGE indicates that PPF consists of two subunit types, namely, H(21000) and L(19000) subunits, and its core shows an average element composition of 1698 Fe3+ and 179 phosphate molecules within the hollow shell, giving a 9.51 ratio of Fe3+ to phosphate. An off line approach combining reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography(RP-HPLC) with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry(MALDI-TOF MS) made the decomposition of PPF shell into H and L subunits for the analysis of mass spectrometry(MS), giving molecular weights of both H(21014.4) and L(18319.9) subunits. Both subunit types were further identified by an approach combining peptide mass fingerprint(PMF) with database search. A ratio of 1H to 2L subunits in PPF was determined by SDS-PAGE, RP-HPLC, and MALDI-TOF MS. respectively. It is well known that the non-covalent interaction of L-L or H-L subunits is stronger than that of H-H subunits in PPF, which may be further used to explain the unclear physiological function between H and L subunits in PPF.National Natural Science Foundation of China [40776060]; Program for Innovative Research Team in Science and Technology in Fujian Province Universit

Activation of the NF-κB pathway as a mechanism of alcohol enhanced progression and metastasis of human hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of primary liver cancer, is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in human. Alcohol is a known risk factor for HCC. However it is still unclear whether and how alcohol enhances the progression and metastasis of existing HCC. METHODS AND RESULTS: We first retrospectively investigated 52 HCC patients (24 alcohol-drinkers and 28 non-drinkers), and found a positive correlation between alcohol consumption and advanced Tumor-Node-Metastasis (TNM) stages, higher vessel invasion and poorer prognosis. In vitro and in vivo experiments further indicated that alcohol promoted the progression and migration/invasion of HCC. Specifically, in a 3-D tumor/endothelial co-culture system, we found that alcohol enhanced the migration/invasion of HepG2 cells and increased tumor angiogenesis. Consistently, higher expression of VEGF, MCP-1 and NF-κB was observed in HCC tissues of alcohol-drinkers. Alcohol induced the accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the activation of NF-κB signaling in HepG2 cells. Conversely, blockage of alcohol-mediated ROS accumulation and NF-κB signaling inhibited alcohol-induced expression of VEGF and MCP-1, the tumor growth, angiogenesis and metastasis. CONCLUSION: This study suggested that chronic moderate alcohol consumption may promote the progression and metastasis of HCC; the oncogenic effect may be at least partially mediated by the ROS accumulation and NF-ĸB-dependent VEGF and MCP-1 up-regulation

DEM numerical investigation of wet particle flow behaviors in multiple-spout fluidized beds

Spout fluidized beds are important for industrial processing, and multiple-spout fluidized beds play an important role in chemical reactions. However, particle flow behaviors in multiple-spout fluidized beds are not well known in wet particle systems. In this study, the flow behaviors of particles were investigated in dry and humid multiple-spout fluidized beds using a discrete element method (DEM). The simulated spout fluidized beds are similar to the ones used in the Buijtenen et al.’s experiment (published in Chemical Engineering Science, 2011, 66(11): 2368-2376). In the reference, particle flow behaviors were measured and investigated by PIV and PEPT in multiple spout fluidized beds. In this work, the simulated results are compared with the experimental data in single and double spout fluidized beds from Buijtenen et al., and the time-averaged particle velocities are compared to validate the simulation method. In contrast, simulated results with a liquid content of 1% in the bed showed good agreement with the data in the experimental results with an air relative humidity of 50%. Different liquid contents of the particles were applied to investigate the particle flow behaviors in wet granular systems. The liquid bridge force had a strong influence on the flow behaviors of the particles in the dense region, which resulted in different hydrodynamic characteristics between the dry and wet particles. In addition, the drag force dominated the particle flow behavior in the dry and wet particle systems. Moreover, in a wet granular system, the mass particle fluxes decreased, and the fluctuation of the pressure drops increased with an increasing influence of the liquid bridge force on the particles. Furthermore, with an increasing liquid content, the energy fluctuation of the particles and bubbles weakened gradually with less active motions. A comparison of the hydrodynamic flow behaviors in single-spout and double-spout fluidized beds was carried out as well. Comparisons of the solid circulation rate and the colliding characteristics between single-spout and double-spout fluidized beds were conducted. Particularly, a comparison of the mixing characteristics demonstrated that the particles were mixed more completely in a double-spout fluidized bed. Therefore, the double-spout fluidized bed could provide more adequate space for mass and heat transfer under the same condition. This was important in providing a theory for designing the industrial reactor

A Nation-Wide multicenter 10-year (1999-2008) retrospective clinical epidemiological study of female breast cancer in china

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>According to the very limited cancer registry, incidence and mortality rates for female breast cancer in China are regarded to be increasing especially in the metropolitan areas. Representative data on the breast cancer profile of Chinese women and its time trend over years are relatively rare. The aims of the current study are to illustrate the breast cancer profile of Chinese women in time span and to explore the current treatment approaches to female breast cancer.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This was a hospital-based nation-wide and multi-center retrospective study of female primary breast cancer cases. China was divided into 7 regions according to the geographic distribution; from each region, one tertiary hospital was selected. With the exception of January and February, one month was randomly selected to represent each year from year 1999 to 2008 at every hospital. All inpatient cases within the selected month were reviewed and related information was collected based on the designed case report form (CRF). The Cancer Hospital/Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CICAMS) was the leading hospital in this study.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Four-thousand two-hundred and eleven cases were randomly selected from the total pool of 45,200 patients and were included in the analysis. The mean age at diagnosis was 48.7 years (s.d. = 10.5 yrs) and breast cancer peaked in age group 40-49 yrs (38.6%). The most common subtype was infiltrating ductal carcinoma (86.5%). Clinical stage I & II accounted for 60.6% of 4,211 patients. Three-thousand five-hundred and thirty-four cases had estrogen receptor (ER) and progestin receptor (PR) tests, among them, 47.9% were positive for both. Two-thousand eight-hundred and forty-nine cases had human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER-2) tests, 25.8% of them were HER-2 positive. Among all treatment options, surgery (96.9% (4,078/4,211)) was predominant, followed by chemotherapy (81.4% (3,428/4,211). Much less patients underwent radiotherapy (22.6% (952/4,211)) and endocrine therapy (38.0% (1,599/4,211)).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The younger age of breast cancer onset among Chinese women and more advanced tumor stages pose a great challenge. Adjuvant therapy, especially radiotherapy and endocrine therapy are of great unmet needs.</p