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Introduction: Oxidative stress is the main cause of osteoarthritis (OA). Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) have antioxidant properties. Thus, the potential effect of LBP on H2O2-stimulated chondrocytes was examined.Material and Methods: The cell viability was detected by CCK-8. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and apoptosis rates were determined by flow cytometric analysis. The DNA damage was detected by comet assay. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and Western blot assays were performed to examine the expression of histone 2A family member X (γH2AX), checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1), poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP), cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase (caspase)-3/8/9, and nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) and its antioxidant-response element (ARE) dependent factors including heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and quinine oxidoreductase-1 (NQO-1).Results: Compared to the H2O2 group, LBP inhibited the ROS production and DNA damage caused by H2O2 (p < 0.05), respectively. LBP inhibited the mRNA and protein expressions of γH2AX and Chk1 (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, LBP significantly decreased apoptosis (p < 0.05). And LBP inhibited the expression levels of PARP and Caspase-3/8/9 (p < 0.05). Moreover, LBP increased the expression of Nrf2, HO-1and NQO-1 (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the depletion of Nrf2 that mediated by RNA interference reversed the apoptosis and DNA damage inhibition effect of LBP (p < 0.05).Conclusions: LBP protected chondrocytes through inhibiting DNA damage and apoptosis caused by H2O2, in which the Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway played a positive role. It provided an inspiration for clinical application - developing LBP as a therapeutic agent and Nrf2 as a promising candidate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surgery is the preferred treatment for intertrochanteric fractures. This study aimed to analyze risk factors for predicting mortality after intertrochanteric hip fracture surgery by arthroplasty and internal fixation. We performed a retrospective analysis of 1,263 patients who received surgical treatment for intertrochanteric fractures from January 2005 to December 2010. The clinical and follow-up data from 491 eligible patients were collected and analyzed. The age, activity before surgery, activity after surgery, anesthesia, medical illness, and the time between fracture and surgery were significantly associated with the mortality as single factor. Multifactor analysis showed that the activity after surgery, medical illness, and the time between fracture and surgery were correlated with postoperative mortality. In conclusion, these data suggest that the age, activity after surgery, medical illness could affect postoperative mortality of patients of intertrochanteric fractures. These factors may be used to predict the postoperative mortality of intertrochanteric fractures.