FOXO1 mediates RANKL-induced osteoclast formation and activity.

We have previously shown that the transcription factor FOXO1 is elevated in conditions with high levels of bone resorption. To investigate the role of FOXO1 in the formation of osteoclasts, we examined mice with lineage-specific deletion of FOXO1 in osteoclast precursors and by knockdown of FOXO1 with small interfering RNA. The receptor activator for NF-κB ligand (RANKL), a principal bone-resorbing factor, induced FOXO1 expression and nuclear localization 2 d after stimulation in bone marrow macrophages and RAW264.

Effects of TGF-β1 on OPG/RANKL expression of cementoblasts and osteoblasts are similar without stress but different with mechanical compressive stress.

Introduction: This study aimed to explore the effects of TGF-β1 on regulating activities of cementoblasts and osteoblasts with or without stress.

Material And Methods: Human recombinant TGF-β1 was added with different doses. Immunohistochemical test of osteoprotegerin (OPG)/receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand (RANKL) and Alizarin Red-S staining were conducted.

Fast cooling in dispersively and dissipatively coupled optomechanics.

The cooling performance of an optomechanical system comprising both dispersive and dissipative coupling is studied. Here, we present a scheme to cool a mechanical resonator to its ground state in finite time using a chirped pulse. We show that there is distinct advantage in using the chirp-pulse scheme to cool a resonator rapidly.

Diabetes reduces mesenchymal stem cells in fracture healing through a TNFα-mediated mechanism.

Aims/hypothesis: Diabetes interferes with bone formation and impairs fracture healing, an important complication in humans and animal models. The aim of this study was to examine the impact of diabetes on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) during fracture repair.

Methods: Fracture of the long bones was induced in a streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetic mouse model with or without insulin or a specific TNFα inhibitor, pegsunercept.

Ultrasound hepatic/renal ratio and hepatic attenuation rate for quantifying liver fat content.

Aim: To establish and validate a simple quantitative assessment method for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) based on a combination of the ultrasound hepatic/renal ratio and hepatic attenuation rate.

Methods: A total of 170 subjects were enrolled in this study. All subjects were examined by ultrasound and (1)H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) on the same day.

Influence of capsular repair versus unrepaired capsulotomy on 2-year clinical outcomes after arthroscopic hip preservation surgery.

Purpose: The primary objective of this study was to determine whether capsular management technique influences clinical outcomes at a minimum of 2 years after arthroscopic hip preservation surgery.

Methods: A retrospective review of prospectively collected data was conducted to determine the relative influence of 2 capsular management strategies on clinical outcomes: unrepaired capsulotomy (group A) and capsular repair (group B). Four hundred three patients who had undergone arthroscopic hip preservation surgery met the inclusion criteria and had 2-year outcome data available.

c-Myc plays part in drug resistance mediated by bone marrow stromal cells in acute myeloid leukemia.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a malignant and aggressive disease not sensitive to chemotherapy. The dynamic interaction between AML cells and bone marrow (BM) microenvironment plays a critical role in response of this disease to chemotherapy. It is reported that mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) are essential component of bone marrow microenvironment which affects the survival of AML cells.

Polymerization topochemistry of cellulose nanocrystals: a function of surface dehydration control.

The activation (dehydration) of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) toward surface "brush" polymerization is accomplished either by freeze drying or solvent exchange. However, the question of which one of these protocols to choose over the other is generally open-ended. The current study attempts to shed light on this question by installing a standard polymer, polycaprolactone (PCL), onto the surface of both freeze-dried and solvent-exchanged CNCs by ring-opening polymerization (ROP) and examining the differences in polymerization and final product properties.

Liver stiffness measurement-based scoring system for significant inflammation related to chronic hepatitis B.

Objectives: Liver biopsy is indispensable because liver stiffness measurement alone cannot provide information on intrahepatic inflammation. However, the presence of fibrosis highly correlates with inflammation. We constructed a noninvasive model to determine significant inflammation in chronic hepatitis B patients by using liver stiffness measurement and serum markers.

Abdominal regional fat distribution on MRI correlates with cholecystolithiasis.

Aims: To determine whether abdominal regional fat distribution pattern on MRI is correlated with cholecystolithiasis.

Methods: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of 163 patients with cholecystolithiasis and 163 non-cholecystolithiasis control subjects admitted to our institution between March 2011 and September 2013 were included in this cross-sectional evaluation. There were 98 women and 65 men in cholecystolithiasis group with an average age of 57±16 years (range 25-86 years).

Effects of repeated Cr(VI) intratracheal instillation on club (Clara) cells and activation of nuclear factor-kappa B pathway via oxidative stress.

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] exposure is known to induce respiratory inflammation and contribute to lung cancer development, but little is known about its target cell type in lung. In the current study, we investigated the effects of repeated Cr(VI) intratracheal instillation on club (Clara) cells and club (Clara) cell secretory protein (CC16) in rats and explored whether the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) related pathway was involved. We also studied the role of orally delivered Zn against Cr-induced adverse health effects.

[Efficacy observation of post-stroke dysphagia treated with acupuncture at Lianquan (CV 23)].

Objective: To verify the clinical efficacy on post-stroke dysphagia treated with acupuncture at Lianquan (CV 23).

Methods: One hundred and eighty patients were randomized into an acupuncture A group, an acupuncture B group and a rehabilitation group, 60 cases in each one. On the basis of the conventional medication, in the acupuncture A group, acupuncture was applied at Lianquan (CV 23); in the acupuncture B group, acupuncture was applied at Hegu (LI 4) and Neiguan (PC 6) and in the rehabilitation group, the swallowing rehabilitation training was adopted.

Extracting work from magnetic-field-coupled Brownian particles.

Thermodynamics of the magnetic-field-coupled Brownian particles is studied. We show that in the presence of the magnetic field, work can be extracted from the reservoir even when the measurement operation and the potential change operation are applied in different spatial directions. In particular, we show that more work can be extracted if the measurements are applied in two different directions simultaneously.

Secular changes of stature in rural children and adolescents in China, 1985-2010.

Objective: To analyze and assess secular change in stature in rural children and adolescents in China from 1985 to 2010.

Methods: Data were obtained from the 6 rounds of the Chinese National Survey on Student's Constitution and Health. The subjects enrolled in the study were children and adolescents aged 7-18 years in rural areas of provincial capitals.

Foxo1 inhibits diabetic mucosal wound healing but enhances healing of normoglycemic wounds.

Re-epithelialization is an important part in mucosal wound healing. Surprisingly little is known about the impact of diabetes on the molecular events of mucosal healing. We examined the role of the transcription factor forkhead box O1 (Foxo1) in oral wounds of diabetic and normoglycemic mice with keratinocyte-specific Foxo1 deletion.

Magnetic resonance imaging for the normal mesostenium and involvement of the mesostenium in acute pancreatitis.

The main point of this paper is to study MRI findings of the normal mesostenium and the involvement of the mesostenium in acute pancreatitis and to discuss the relationship between the involvement of the mesostenium and the severity of acute pancreatitis. In clinical practice, the mesenterical involvement in acute pancreatitis was often observed on MRI in daily works, which was little recorded in the reported studies. We conducted the current study to assess the mesenterical involvement in acute pancreatitis with MRI.

Log-transformation and its implications for data analysis.

The log-transformation is widely used in biomedical and psychosocial research to deal with skewed data. This paper highlights serious problems in this classic approach for dealing with skewed data. Despite the common belief that the log transformation can decrease the variability of data and make data conform more closely to the normal distribution, this is usually not the case.

Treatment effectiveness of Fränkel function regulator on the Class III malocclusion: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: The Fränkel function regulator III appliance (FR-3) has been used to correct Class III malocclusions for many years; however, its treatment effectiveness is controversial. In this study, we aimed to assess the effectiveness of the FR-3 in treating patients with Class III malocclusion in the growth and development period.

Methods: Medline (via PubMed), Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Embase, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP Database for Chinese Technical Periodicals, Scirus, Lilacs, Scopus, and World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform were searched electronically.

GRE T2∗-weighted MRI: principles and clinical applications.

The sequence of a multiecho gradient recalled echo (GRE) T2*-weighted imaging (T2*WI) is a relatively new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique. In contrast to T2 relaxation, which acquires a spin echo signal, T2* relaxation acquires a gradient echo signal. The sequence of a GRE T2*WI requires high uniformity of the magnetic field.

The effect of superparamagnetic iron oxide with iRGD peptide on the labeling of pancreatic cancer cells in vitro: a preliminary study.

The iRGD peptide loaded with iron oxide nanoparticles for tumor targeting and tissue penetration was developed for targeted tumor therapy and ultrasensitive MR imaging. Binding of iRGD, a tumor homing peptide, is mediated by integrins, which are widely expressed on the surface of cells. Several types of small molecular drugs and nanoparticles can be transfected into cells with the help of iRGD peptide.

[Comparison of genetic damage in mice exposed to black carbon and ozone-oxidized black carbon].

Objective: To make an assessment on the genotoxicity caused by black carbon (BC) and ozonized black carbon (O₃-BC).

Methods: In this study, 74 healthy male ICR mice [weighed (28 ± 1.5) g] were randomly divided into 7 groups, including one phosphate buffer solution (PBS) control group and six particles exposed groups by intratracheal instillation with either BC or O₃-BC at the doses of 50, 100, 200 μg/mouse, respectively.

Stepwise and cooperative assembly of a cytokinetic core complex in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Actomyosin ring (AMR) contraction and the synthesis of an extracellular septum are interdependent pathways that mediate cytokinesis in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and other eukaryotes. How these interdependent pathways are physically connected is central for understanding cytokinesis. The yeast IQGAP (Iqg1p) belongs to the conserved AMR.