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Purpose. To perform a systematic review on the application of leukocyte- and platelet-rich plasma (L-PRP) in tendon models by reviewing in vivo/in vitro studies. Methods. The searches were performed via electronic databases including PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library up to September 2022 using the following keywords: ((tenocytes OR tendon OR tendinitis OR tendinosis OR tendinopathy OR tendon injury) AND (platelet-rich plasma OR PRP OR autologous conditioned plasma OR leukocyte- and platelet-rich plasma OR L-PRP OR leukocyte-richplatelet-rich plasma Lr-PRP)). Only in vitro and in vivo studies that assessed the potential effects of L-PRP on tendons and/or tenocytes are included in this study. Description of PRP, study design and methods, outcomes measured, and results are extracted from the data. Results. A total of 17 studies (8 in vitro studies and 9 in vivo studies) are included. Thirteen studies (76%) reported leukocyte concentrations of L-PRP. Four studies (24%) reported the commercial kits. In in vitro studies, L-PRP demonstrated increased cell proliferation, cell migration, collagen synthesis, accelerated inflammation, and catabolic response in the short term. In addition, most in vivo studies indicated increased collagen type I content. According to in vivo studies reporting data, L-PRP reduced inflammation response in 71.0% of studies, while it enhanced the histological quality of tendons in 67.0% of studies. All 3 studies reporting data found increased biomechanical properties with L-PRP treatment. Conclusions. Most evidence indicates that L-PRP has some potential effects on tendon healing compared to control. However, it appears that L-PRP works depending on the biological status of the damaged tendon. At an early stage, L-PRP may accelerate tendon healing, but at a later stage, it could be detrimental.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease. The triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (TREM-1) plays a crucial role in inflammatory diseases; recently, it was identified as a major upstream proatherogenic receptor, but its mechanism is still unclear. In this study, we explore the role of TREM-1 on dendritic cells maturation and inflammatory responses induced by ox-LDL and its possible mechanism. Human dendritic cells were differentiated from blood monocytes and treated with ox-LDL. Naive autologous T cells were cocultured with pretreated DCs or treated directly. The expression of TREM-1 and inflammatory factors were evaluated by real-time PCR, western blot, and ELISA methods. And the expression of immune factors to evaluate the DCs maturation and T-cell activation were determined by the FACS. Our study showed that ox-LDL induced TREM-1 expression, DC maturation, and T-cell activation. T cells exposed to ox-LDL-treated DCs produced interferon-γ and interleukin-17 (IL-17). Blocking TREM-1 suppressed the DC maturation, showing lower expression of CD1a, CD40, CD86, CD83, and HLA-DR, and limited their production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), IL-1β, IL-6, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), meanwhile increased transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β) and IL-10 production. Ox-LDL induced miR-155, miR-27, Let-7c, and miR-185 expression; however, TREM-1 inhibiting decreased miRNA-155 expression. Furthermore, silencing miRNA-155 restores SOCS1 repression induced by ox-LDL. Experiments with T cells derived from carotid atherosclerotic plaques or healthy individuals showed similar results. Our results uncover a new link between ox-LDL and TREM-1 and may provide insight into this interaction in the context of atherosclerosis.

Classified retrieval is one of the important factors of library management. It can help readers and administrators quickly find the required materials and better enjoy the convenience of modern network. Through data mapping, hash algorithm can directly convert high-dimensional data into low-dimensional data and store it in Hamming space, which greatly reduces storage consumption and increases computational convenience. For the multimedia retrieval and classification in the era of big data, hash algorithm is right to the point. This paper is aimed at studying the classification and retrieval method of multimedia book cloud resources, extracting different classification categories, determining classification items; cloud resources contain a large amount of image text information, and according to the characteristics of the image text, the features can be well extracted for classification and retrieval, find the optimal book retrieval and classification method, and realize the classification and retrieval of multimedia book cloud resources with the help of hash algorithm. The experimental results show that the hash algorithm can help the classification and retrieval of multimedia books, optimize the classification of multimedia book cloud resources, and improve the efficiency by 20% and user satisfaction by 30%.

Cervical cancer is a common female malignant tumor that seriously threatens human health. This study explored the anticervical cancer effects and potential mechanisms of Rotundifuran (RTF), a natural product isolated from Vitex trifolia L. In this study, we found that RTF can suppress the proliferation of cervical cancer cell lines, including HeLa and SiHa cells (with the IC50 less than 10 μM), via induction of apoptosis in vitro, and the antitumor effect of RTF is further confirmed on the HeLa cell-inoculated xenograft model. In addition, our results proved that the antitumor effects of RTF might be related with the reactive oxygen species- (ROS-) induced mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis through MAPK and PI3K/Akt signal pathways. Using proteomics analysis and the drug affinity responsive target stability- (DARTS-) combined mass spectrometry (DARTS-MS), Cyr61 was indicated as a potential target for RTF in cervical cancer cells. Our present study would be beneficial for the development of RTF as a candidate for treatment of cervical cancer in the future.

Quite a few studies have revealed the clinical values regarding the outcome predictions in the cohort of the Synergy between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery (SYNTAX) trial and decision-making with the SYNTAX score. The Evaluation of Xience Everolimus-Eluting Stent Versus Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery for Effectiveness of Left-Main Revascularization (EXCEL) and Nordic-Baltic-British left main revascularization (NOBLE) studies are the largest international randomized studies so far, comparing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) in the treatment of left main coronary artery disease. Unfortunately, both studies failed to validate the value of the SYNTAX score in the selection of revascularization strategies for patients with coronary artery diseases (CAD).. This scenario prompted us to reconsider the inherent fallacies of the SYNTAX score in its derivation. We pointed out eight fallacies for the SYNTAX score in this paper. A recently developed Coronary Artery Tree description and Lesion EvaluaTion (CatLet) score, available at http://www.catletscore.com, a novel angiographic scoring system, could be the remedies for the SYNTAX score.

Objective. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a metabolic disease with high incidence, which has seriously affected human life and health. MicroRNA, a short-chain noncoding RNA, plays an important role in T2DM. Identification of meaningful microRNA modules and the role of microRNAs provide a basis for searching potential biomarkers of T2DM. Materials and Methods. In this study, three newly diagnosed patients with T2DM and three controls were selected for Whole Peripheral Blood RNA Sequencing to establish a microRNA library. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) was applied to construct coexpression modules and to detect the trait-related microRNA modules; then, KEGG enrichment analysis was performed to predict the biological function of the interest modules, and candidate hub microRNAs were screened out by the value of module membership (MM) and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Result. Four microRNA modules (blue, brown, magenta, and turquoise) were highly associated with the T2DM; the number of miRNAs in these modules ranged from 41 to 469. The Fc gamma R-mediated phagocytosis pathway, Rap1 signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, and Lysosome pathway were common pathways in three of the four modules. RPS27A, UBC, and RAC1 were the top three proteins in our study; their corresponding RNAs were miR-1271-5p, miR-130a-3p, miR-130b-3p, and miR-574-3p. Conclusion. In summary, this study identified blood miRNAs in human T2DM using RNA sequencing. The findings may be the foundation for understanding the potential role of miRNAs in T2DM.

Background. Ursolic acid (UA) is an antitumor component derived from Chinese herbal medicine; this study is to observe the effects of UA on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in gastric cancer. Methods. (1) In vitro experiments: 25μmol/L and 50μmol/L UA were applied to BGC-823, AGS, MGC-803, and HGC-27 cells; MTT staining, Transwell assay, and flow cytometry were used to assess cell proliferation, cell migration, and apoptosis, respectively. Western blot was performed to detect the expressions of N-Cadherin, Vimentin, Snail, Twist, Axl, p-Axl, IKK, p-IKK, NF-κB, and p-NF-κB. (2) In vivo experiments: Ten BALB/c-nu mice were used to establish gastric cancer xenograft model. Five were orally given UA for 4 weeks and five were given normal saline. Expressions of N-Cadherin and Snail were examined by immunohistochemical assay; expressions of N-Cadherin, Snail, Twist, Axl, p-Axl, IKK, and p-IKK were detected by Western blot. Results. (1) UA inhibited cell proliferation in BGC-823 and HGC-27 cells in dose-dependent manners. (2) UA inhibited cell migration in BGC-823, AGS, and MGC-803 cells while inducing apoptosis in BGC-823 cells. (3) UA significantly decreased the expressions of N-Cadherin, Vimentin, Snail, Twist p-Axl, p-IKKα/β, and p-NF-κB in BGC-823 and MGC-803 cells. (4) UA distinctly decreased the expressions of N-Cadherin, Snail, p-Axl, and p-IKKα/β in gastric cancer xenograft model rats. Conclusion. UA can effectively inhibit the proliferation and migration and induce apoptosis of gastric cancer cells. The antitumor effect of UA is conducted by EMT inhibition, which may be associated with the regulation of Axl/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder in elderly people. The personalized diagnosis and treatment remain challenges all over the world. In recent years, natural products are becoming potential therapies for many complex diseases due to their stability and low drug resistance. With the development of informatics technologies, data-driven natural product discovery and healthcare is becoming reality. For PD, however, the relevant research and tools for natural products are quite limited. Here in this review, we summarize current available databases, tools, and models for general natural product discovery and synthesis. These useful resources could be used and integrated for future PD-specific natural product investigations. At the same time, the challenges and opportunities for future natural-product-based PD care will also be discussed.

Gastric cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancer and poses a serious threat to health system in the world. Upregulation of meningioma-associated protein (MAC30) has been found in many solid tumors and can regulate the proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of different tumor cells. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to detect the expression of MAC30 in 68 patients with gastric cancer and their adjacent tissues. Lentiviral vector pGCSIL-shMAC30-GFP of the RNA interference (RNAi) of the MAC30 gene was transfected into gastric cancer BGC-823 cell line and the expression of lentivirus label protein GFP was observed via fluorescence microscope, while cell proliferation and apoptosis were determined with flow cytometry and MTT assay, respectively. Also, related protein expressions on Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway were analyzed by Western blot method. The expression of MAC30 was abnormally elevated in gastric cancer tissues, while interfering of its expression could significantly inhibit the proliferation of gastric cancer BGC-823 cell line. However, the promotion of apoptosis by mitochondrial pathway was mediated by Bax/Bcl-2 upregulation. Present work showed the effect of downregulated MAC30 expression on proliferation and apoptosis of gastric cancer cell through Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Thus, this investigation provides an experimental basis for future development of chemotherapeutic agent on gastric cancer.

Background. Shoutai Pill (STP), a famous classic herbal formula documented in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), is widely available in China for treating unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA). This systematic review and meta-analysis aims at evaluating the efficacy and safety of STP in the first trimester of pregnancy in women with a history of unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion. Methods. The following eight databases were searched from their establishment to Dec 31, 2019, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs): PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), the Chinese BioMedical database (CBM), Chinese Scientific Journal Database (VIP), and the Wanfang database. The quality of evidence was estimated by the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE). Results. A total of 12 studies (916 patients) with URSA were contained in this meta-analysis. The forest plot showed that patients treated with Shoutai Pill and western medicine had a significantly lower incidence of early pregnancy loss (RR: 0.42; 95% CI: 0.34–0.52; P<0.01, I2=0%). Subgroup analysis revealed that different types of TCM syndrome differentiation had the similar results. Also, in the combined group, patients had a lower TCM syndromes and symptoms and serum D-dimer level, while higher incidence of live birth. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that cotreatment with STP and western medicine might be superior to western medicine alone in the first trimester of pregnancy to prevent miscarriage in women with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion, and there was no adverse event in the experimental group reported. However, the methodological quality of included RCTs was unsatisfactory; it is necessary to verify its effectiveness with further more standardized researches of rigorous design.

Background. Acute exacerbation of IPF (AE-IPF) is associated with high mortality. We studied changes in pathogen involvement during AE-IPF and explored a possible role of infection in AE-IPF. Objectives. Our purpose is to investigate the role of infection in AE-IPF. Methods. Overall, we recruited 170 IPF patients (48 AE-IPF, 122 stable) and 70 controls at Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital. Specific IgM against microbial pathogens and pathogens in sputum were assessed. RNA sequences of pathogens in nasopharyngeal swab of IPF patients were detected by PathChip. A panel of serum parameters reflecting immune function were assessed. Results. Antiviral/bacterial IgM was higher in IPF vs. controls and in AE-IPF vs. stable IPF. Thirty-eight different bacterial strains were detected in IPF patient sputum. Bacteria-positive results were found in 9/48 (18.8%) of AE-IPF and in 26/122 (21.3%) stable IPF. Fifty-seven different viruses were detected in nasopharyngeal swabs of IPF patients. Virus-positive nasopharyngeal swabs were found in 18/30 (60%) of tested AE-IPF and in 13/30 (43.3%) of stable IPF. AE-IPF showed increased inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IFN-γ, MIG, IL-17, and IL-9) vs. stable IPF and controls. Mortality of AE-IPF in one year (39.5%) was higher compared to stable IPF (28.7%).Conclusions. IPF patients had different colonization with pathogens in sputum and nasopharyngeal swabs; they also displayed abnormally activated immune response, which was exacerbated during AE-IPF.

Our and other groups have discovered that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived exosomes are a novel therapeutical modality for many diseases. In this study, we summarized a method to extract and purify hucMSCs-exosomes using ultrafiltration and gradient centrifugation in our laboratory and proved that hucMSCs-exosomes prepared according to our procedure were stable and bioactive. Results showed that exosomes derived from hucMSC were 40~100 nm and CD9 and CD81 positive. Functionally, hucMSCs-exosomes promoted cell proliferation and protected against oxidative stress-induced cell apoptosisin vitroby activation of ERK1/2 and p38. Interestingly, UV exposure abrogated the regulatory roles of exosomes under oxidative stress, indicating that hucMSCs-exosomes may regulate cell growth and apoptosis by exosomal shuttle of RNA. Furthermore, cytokine profile analysis revealed that hucMSCs-exosomes contained high dose of IL-6, IL-8, and other cytokines. The established method is practical and efficient, which provides a basis for further evaluating the potential of hucMSCs-exosomes as therapeutic agents.

In this paper, the polynomial solutions in terms of Jacobi’s elliptic functions of the KdV equation with a self-consistent source (KdV-SCS) are presented. The extended (G′/G)-expansion method is utilized to obtain exact traveling wave solutions of the KdV-SCS, which finally are expressed in terms of the hyperbolic function, the trigonometric function, and the rational function. Meanwhile we find the Lie point symmetry and Lie symmetry group and give several group-invariant solutions for the KdV-SCS. Finally, we supplement the results of the Painlevé property in our previous work and get the Bäcklund transformations of the KdV-SCS.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder. Using discrete disease status as the phenotype and computing statistics at the single marker level may not be able to address the underlying biological interactions that contribute to disease mechanism and may contribute to the issue of “missing heritability.” We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and a genome-wide interaction study (GWIS) of an amyloid imaging phenotype, using the data from Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. We investigated the genetic main effects and interaction effects on cingulate amyloid-beta (Aβ) load in an effort to better understand the genetic etiology of Aβdeposition that is a widely studied AD biomarker. PLINK was used in the single marker GWAS, and INTERSNP was used to perform the two-marker GWIS, focusing only on SNPs withp≤0.01for the GWAS analysis. Age, sex, and diagnosis were used as covariates in both analyses. Correctedpvalues using the Bonferroni method were reported. The GWAS analysis revealed significant hits within or proximal toAPOE,APOC1, andTOMM40genes, which were previously implicated in AD. The GWIS analysis yielded 8 novel SNP-SNP interaction findings that warrant replication and further investigation.

Smoothed aggregation multigrid method is considered for computing stationary distributions of Markov chains. A judgement which determines whether to implement the whole aggregation procedure is proposed. Through this strategy, a large amount of time in the aggregation procedure is saved without affecting the convergence behavior. Besides this, we explain the shortage and irrationality of the Neighborhood-Based aggregation which is commonly used in multigrid methods. Then a modified version is presented to remedy and improve it. Numerical experiments on some typical Markov chain problems are reported to illustrate the performance of these methods.

Summary At the end of 2012 and beginning of 2013, the authors conducted a nationwide survey of sturgeon aquaculture in China from 2010 to 2012. The survey results, combined with previous data, show that the dominant cultured species are Acipenser baerii, Huso dauricus♀ × A. schrenckii♂, A. baerii♀ × A. schrenckii♂, A. schrenckii, and A. gueldenstaedtii, accounting for 90% of the total production. Sturgeon farms have grown to include almost all provinces except Xizang, and are grouped principally in Shandong, Hubei, Sichuan and Chongqing, Beijing. The main culture systems are cage culture, and cement pond culture with running water. Sturgeon production rose from 34800 tonnes (t) in 2010 to 44500 t in 2012. The commercial sturgeon price dropped from 45 yuan per kg (5.5€/7.3$) in 2010 to 25 yuan per kg (3€/4$) in 2012. Nine caviar-processing enterprises qualified for or were striving to process caviar, for a total production of 56.6 t caviar in 2012, of which 90% was exported. Major problems were also identified during the survey, including: disorderly hybridization and germplasm degradation; a stagnant domestic consumption demand; dramatic price fluctuations in different regions and at different times. Specialized sturgeon cooperatives had obtained government support to a certain extent, but did not use this to their advantage because of a lack of policy guidance and technical support. The processing of sturgeon products developed slowly. In view of the existing problems, certain proposals are discussed: publication of propagation standards, culture and processing to define the parental source of the commercial sturgeon and their by-products; promulgate sturgeon consumption to expand market demand; establish a ‘Sturgeon Industry Association’ to constrain bad competition and cultivate good competitive mechanisms; build a protective pricing system to secure effectively the interests of some of the weaker farms; and conduct professional technical training courses on culture improvement and deep processing technology.

Summary Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis Gray, 1835) eggs from wild females (‘wild eggs’) and eggs from females reconditioned in freshwater (‘freshwater eggs’) were compared for biochemical factors related to their good chemical and physical condition and successful fertilization. Dry weights did not differ between the two groups of eggs. Wild eggs had a significantly higher protein content but lower lipid content than freshwater eggs. There were multiple and significant differences in the fatty acids between eggs from the two groups, but there was no difference for vitellin (Vn). The levels of phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), vitamin A (VA) and vitamin E (VE) in wild eggs were significantly higher than in freshwater eggs, but calcium (Ca) and zinc (Zn) levels did not differ between the two groups. These results can be used to discriminate wild eggs and reconditioned eggs. Also suggested is to decrease lipids and increase protein levels in freshwater eggs for better egg quality. Mg, P, VA and VE should also be given as sturgeon food supplements.

Cultured myceliumCordyceps sinensis(CMCS) is a Chinese herbal medicine, which is widely used for a variety of diseases including liver injury in clinic. The current study aims to investigate the protective effects of CMCS against liver fibrosis and to exploit its active antifibrotic substancesin vivoandin vitro. For evaluating the antifibrotic effect of CMCS and ergosterol, male C57BL/6 mice were injected intraperitoneally with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and treated with CMCS (120 mg/kg/d) or ergosterol (50 mg/kg/d). Four weeks later, serum liver function, hepatic hydroxyproline (Hyp) content, liver inflammation, collagen deposition, and expression of alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in liver tissue were evaluated. Besides, toxicological effects of active compounds of CMCS on hepatocytes and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) were detected and expressions of permeability of the lysosomal membrane, EdU, F-actin, andα-SMA of activated HSCs were analyzed to screen the antifibrotic substance in CMCSin vitro. Our results showed that CMCS could significantly alleviate levels of serum liver functions, attenuate hepatic inflammation, decrease collagen deposition, and relieve levels ofα-SMA in liver, respectively. Ergosterol, the active compound in CMCS that was detected by HPLC, played a dose-dependent inhibition role on activated HSCs via upregulating expressions of permeability of the lysosomal membrane and downregulating levels of EdU, F-actin, andα-SMA on activated HSCsin vitro. Moreover, ergosterol revealed the antifibrotic effect alikein vivo. In conclusion, CMCS is effective in alleviating liver fibrosis induced by CCl4and ergosterol might be the efficacious antifibrotic substance in CMCSin vivoandin vitro.

An improved method to determine the small-signal equivalent circuit model for HEMTs is presented in this study, which is combination of the analytical approach and empirical optimization procedure. The parasitic inductances and resistances are extracted under pinch-off condition. The initial intrinsic elements are determined by conventional analytical method. Advanced design system agilent commercial circuit simulator is used to optimize the whole model parameters with small deviation of initial values. An excellent agreement between measured and simulated S-parameters is obtained for 2 × 20 µm2 gate width HEMT up to 40 GHz. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE 24:464-469, 2014.

Visfatin/Nampt, vaspin, and retinol binding protein-4 (RBP-4) play an important role in insulin resistance. The objectives of this study were to measure visfatin/Nampt, vaspin, and RBP-4 concentrations in blood, liver, muscle, subcutaneous, omental, and mesenteric adipose tissues in morbidly obese subjects and investigate their relationship to insulin resistance. Blood and tissue samples were collected from 38 morbidly obese subjects during Roux-en-Y surgery. Insulin resistance biomarkers were measured using standard kits. Visfatin/Nampt, vaspin, and RBP-4 gene expression levels in tissues were measured using real-time PCR. Their protein concentrations in blood and tissues were measured using ELISA kits. Diabetic subjects had significantly higher homeostasis model of assessment-insulin resistance and age and lower blood HDL-cholesterol concentrations than nondiabetic and prediabetic subjects. Diabetic and prediabetic subjects had significantly higher blood concentrations of visfatin/Nampt and vaspin than nondiabetic subjects. Liver RBP-4 concentrations were positively associated with blood glucose concentrations. Blood insulin resistance biomarker levels were positively associated with visfatin/Nampt concentrations in omental adipose tissue and liver, and vaspin concentrations in mesenteric adipose tissue. In conclusion, the correlations of visfatin/Nampt, vaspin, and RBP-4 with insulin resistance are tissue dependent.

Previous research from our group has demonstrated arsenic trioxide eluting stents significantly reduced neointimal area and thickness compared with bare metal stents. In the present study, the anti-inflammatory effects of arsenic trioxidein vitroand arsenic trioxide eluting stents in a porcine coronary model have been explored. Sixty-five pigs underwent placement of 139 oversized stents in the coronary arteries with histologic analysis, endothelial function analysis, and immunohistochemical and western blot analyses. Arsenic trioxide eluting stents effectively inhibited local inflammatory reactions, while no significant difference in endothelialization and endothelial function between arsenic trioxide eluting stents and bare metal stents was observed. Arsenic trioxide eluting stents favorably modulate neointimal formation due to less augmentation of early inflammatory reactions, and quick endothelialization of the stent surface, which might contribute to long-term safety and efficacy of drug eluting stents.

The important role of ephrinB2-EphB4 signaling pathway in bone remodeling has been well established. However, it is still unclear whether this bidirectional signaling also has effects on the regenerative processes of bone defects created in an inflammatory microenvironment. In this study, an experimental animal model of bone defects treated with lentiviruses was prepared and an inflammatory microenvironment was established. Expression levels of bone marker genes were monitored in the newly formed bone tissue using quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and western blot. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining and histomorphometric analysis were also performed to evaluate bone healing processes. Compared with the pLenti6.3-ctrl group, the pLenti6.3-ephb4siRNA group exhibited lower expression levels of bone formation marker genes and a higher level of NFATc1 in the new bone tissue. In addition, the newly formed bone was thinner and the number of giant osteoclasts was higher in the pLenti6.3-ephb4siRNA group than that in the pLenti6.3-ctrl group. In contrast, there was no significant difference between the pLenti6.3-efnb2siRNA group and the pLenti6.3-ctrl group. In conclusion, EphB4 plays an irreplaceable role in bone regeneration in an inflammatory microenvironment, whereas the functional loss of ephrinB2 can be effectively compensated, most possibly by other ephrins with similar chemical structures.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic condition characterized by degeneration of cartilage and its underlying bone within a joint. With no cure currently available, the goals of treating OA are to alleviate pain, maintain, or improve joint mobility, increase the muscle strength of the joints, and minimize the disabling effects of the disease. Recent research has suggested that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) exercises may improve OA symptoms. This paper covers CAM mind-body exercises—Tai Chi, qigong, and yoga—for OA management and evaluates their benefits in pain reduction, muscle strength, physical function, stiffness, balance, fear of falling, self-efficacy, quality of life, and psychological outcomes in patients with OA, based on randomized controlled trials published. Findings from the literature suggest that CAM exercises demonstrate considerable promise in the management of OA. Future studies require rigorous randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes.

Summary Due to the rarity of Chinese paddlefish (Psephurus gladius), very little information is available on this species. In order to save this critically endangered giant species, four large-range hydroacoustic surveys (using an echo sounder with a 199 kHz, 6.8° split-beam transducer) and capture surveys (by drift nets and setlines) were conducted in the upper Yangtze River during 2006–2008. According to the target strength (TS) study on Polyodon spathula (Hale et al., 2003) and Love’s formula about TS-fish length relationships (Love, 1971), the four acoustic surveys identified nine potential targets (TS > −26.29 dB) of P. gladius, two (TS > −22.40 dB) of them very probably the fish species sought. A total of 4762 setlines, 111 anchored setlines and 950 drift net catches were conducted in which 472 large fish specimens of various species were caught. However, no single P. gladius was caught directly. The gear used did not allow quantitative capture over rough ground with deep holes, perhaps allowing some large fish to effectively hide or escape; the hydroacoustic signals indicated this as likely. In any case, it is strongly suggested that P. gladius is on the verge of extinction and further rigid measures are proposed to save the very few remaining specimens.

A Bayesian hierarchical model is presented to classify very high resolution (VHR) images in a semisupervised manner, in which both a maximum entropy discrimination latent Dirichlet allocation (MedLDA) and a bilateral filter are combined into a novel application framework. The primary contribution of this paper is to nullify the disadvantages of traditional probabilistic topic models on pixel-level supervised information and to achieve the effective classification of VHR remote sensing images. This framework consists of the following two iterative steps. In the training stage, the model utilizes the central labeled pixel and its neighborhood, as a squared labeled image object, to train the classifiers. In the classification stage, each central unlabeled pixel with its neighborhood, as an unlabeled object, is classified as a user-provided geoobject class label with the maximum posterior probability. Gibbs sampling is adopted for model inference. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms two classical SVM-based supervised classification methods and probabilistic-topic-models-based classification methods.