Abstract Objective To explore the molecular mechanism of neuropathologic damage induced by radiofrequency ablation at different temperatures. Methods This is basic research, and 36 SD rats were used to construct the neuropathological injury model. The rats were subjected to radiofrequency stimulation at different temperatures and were divided into 6 groups according to the temperature injury: 42°, 47°, 52°, 57°, 62°, and 67°C groups. Conduction time, conduction distance, and nerve conduction velocity were recorded after temperature injury. HE-staining was used to observe the histopathological morphology of the sciatic nerve. The expression of SCN9A, SCN3B, and NFASC protein in sciatic nerve tissue were detected by western blot. Results With the increase in temperature, nerve conduction velocity gradually decreased, and neurons were damaged when the temperature was 67°C. HE-staining showed that the degrees of degeneration of neurons in rats at 47°, 52°, 57°, 62°, and 67°C were gradually increased. The expression of SCN9A, SCN3B protein in 57°, 62°, 67°C groups were much higher than that of NC, 42°, 47°, 52°C groups. However, the expression of NFASC protein in 57°, 62°, 67°C groups was much lower than that of the NC, 42°, 47°, 52°C groups. Conclusion There was a positive correlation between temperature caused by the radiofrequency stimulation to neuropathological damage. The mechanism is closely related to the expression of SCN9A, SCN3B, and NFASC protein in nerve tissue caused by heat transfer injury.

RESUMO Objetivo: Este estudo teve por objetivo determinar a expressão de esclerostina (SOST) em pacientes com fraturas vertebrais osteoporóticas por compressão na coluna toracolombar antes e depois da Cifoplastia Percutânea (PKP). Métodos: Os níveis de SOST no soro foram quantificados por meio de um Ensaio de Imunoadsorção Ligado à Enzima (ELISA) sanduíche, realizado no pré-operatório e aos seis meses pós-operatório. Foram também registrados a altura do corpo vertebral anterior, os ângulos cifóticos, e os valores obtidos na escala analógica visual (VAS). Resultados: O nível de SOST no soro foi altamente expresso nos pacientes, e permaneceu correlacionado negativamente com a densidade mineral óssea (DMO). As alturas vertebrais, os ângulos cifóticos locais, e as pontuações obtidas na escala VAS foram significativamente melhores após o PKP. No entanto, o SOST foi correlacionado positivamente com a DMO aos seis meses pós-operatório. Conclusão: O PKP foi uma estratégia eficaz para o tratamento de fraturas vertebrais osteoporóticas por compressão na coluna toracolombar, melhorando os níveis de DMO e diminuindo os níveis de SOST no soro. Nível de Evidência II, Estudo prospectivo comparativo.

ABSTRACT Objective: This study sought to determine serum sclerostin (SOST) expression in patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral compression fractures before and after percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP). Methods: Serum SOST levels were quantified with a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) preoperatively and six months postoperatively. Anterior vertebral height, kyphotic angles, and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores were also recorded. Results: Serum SOST was highly expressed in patients and remained negatively correlated with bone mineral density (BMD). Vertebral heights, local kyphotic angles, and VAS scores were all significantly improved after PKP. However, serum SOST was positively correlated with BMD six months after surgery. Conclusion: PKP was an effective treatment strategy for osteoporotic thoracolumbar vertebral compression fractures, improving BMD and decreasing serum SOST levels. Level of Evidence II, Prospective comparative study.

Abstract Purpose: To investigate the therapeutic benefits of Hydroxysafflor yellow A (HSYA) on blood-brain barrier (BBB) vulnerability after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and identify its potential action of mechanisms on TBIinduced injuries. Methods: The rat TBI model was performed by using a controlled cortical impact device. The BBB permeability induced by TBI was measured through Evans Blue dye superflux and western blotting or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for tight junctional proteins (TJPs). The post-TBI changes in oxidative stress markers, inflammatory response and neuron apoptosis in brain tissue were also tested. Results: Herein, the results showed that HSYA acutely attenuated BBB permeability via increasing the production of the TJPs, including occludin, claudin-1 and zonula occludens protein 24 h after TBI. Additionally, HSYA could suppress the secretion of proinflammatory factors, such as interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α), and also concurrently down-regulate the expression of inflammation-related Toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor kappa-B (TLR4/NF-kB) protein. These HSYA challenged changes were accompanied by the decreased TBI induced oxidative stress markers and inhibited the expression of apoptosis proteins Bax, caspase-3 and caspase-9. Conclusions: Taken together, all findings suggested that HSYA (30 mg/kg) are against TBI through improving the integrity in BBB, which are associated with the antioxidant, anti-inflammation and antiapoptosis via the probable mechanism of down-regulation of the TLR4/NF-kB pathway, and its in-detail protective mechanisms are under study.

Background: Currently, microbial fermentation method has become the research hotspot for acetoin production. In our previous work, an acetoin-producing strain, Bacillus subtilis SF4-3, was isolated from Japanese traditional fermented food natto. However, its conversion of glucose to acetoin was relatively low. In order to achieve a high-efficient accumulation of acetoin in B. subtilis SF4-3, main medium components and fermentation conditions were evaluated in this work. Results: The by-products analysis showed that there existed reversible transformation between acetoin and 2,3-butanediol that was strictly responsible for acetoin production in B. subtilis SF4-3. The carbon sources, nitrogen sources and agitation speed were determined to play crucial role in the acetoin production. The optimal media (glucose-H2O 150 g/L, yeast extract 10 g/L, corn steep dry 5 g/L, urea 2 g/L, K2HPO4 0.5 g/L, MgSO4 0.5 g/L) were obtained. Furthermore, the low agitation speed of 300 r/min was found to be beneficial to the reversible transformation of 2,3-butanediol for acetoin production in B. subtilis SF4-3. Eventually, 48.9 g/L of acetoin and 5.5 g/L of 2,3-butanediol were obtained in a 5-L fermenter, and the specific production of acetoin was 39.12% (g/g), which accounted for 79.90% of the theoretical conversion. Conclusions: The results indicated acetoin production of B. subtilis SF4-3 was closely related to the medium components and dissolved oxygen concentrations. It also provided a method for acetoin production via the reversible transformation of acetoin and 2,3-butanediol.

Objective:To evaluate whether or not highly active antiretroviral therapy is associated with carotid artery stiffness in human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients in Henan Province, China.Method:Fifty human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients with at least a 5-year history of highly active antiretroviral therapy use and 50 human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients without a history of highly active antiretroviral therapy use were enrolled in this study. Carotid artery intima-media thickness and stiffness were determined by quantitative inter-media thickness and quantitative artery stiffness, respectively.Results:No statistically significant difference in carotid artery intima-media thickness and stiffness was observed between groups. A significant association between human immunodeficiency virus infection time and carotid artery stiffness was observed, but no significant association between human immunodeficiency virus infection time and intima-media thickness was found. No significant association between intima-media thickness, stiffness, and CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell counts were observed.Conclusion:The first-line highly active antiretroviral therapy currently used in China is not associated with carotid artery stiffness in human immunodeficiency virus-positive patients with good highly active antiretroviral therapy compliance. Human immunodeficiency virus may play a role in the development of atherosclerosis.

Previous work on gene expression analysis based on RNA sequencing identified a variety of differentially expressed cDNA fragments in the genic male sterile-fertile line 114AB of Capsicum annuum L. In this work, we examined the accumulation of one of the transcript-derived fragments (TDFs), CaMF3 (male fertile 3), in the flower buds of a fertile line. The full genomic DNA sequence of CaMF3 was 1,951 bp long and contained 6 exons and 5 introns, with the complete sequence encoding a putative 25.89 kDa protein of 234 amino acids. The predicted protein of CaMF3 shared sequence similarity with members of the isoamyl acetate-hydrolyzing esterase (IAH1) protein family. CaMF3 expression was detected only in flower buds at stages 7 and 8 and in open flowers of a male fertile line; no expression was observed in any organs of a male sterile line. Fine expression analysis revealed that CaMF3 was expressed specifically in anthers of the fertile line. These results suggest that CaMF3 is an anther-specific gene that may be essential for anther or pollen development in C. annuum.

This study was designed to control plant fertility by cell lethal gene Barnase expressing at specific developmental stage and in specific tissue of male organ under the control of Cre/loxP system, for heterosis breeding, producing hybrid seed of eggplant. The Barnase-coding region was flanked by loxP recognition sites for Cre-recombinase. The eggplant inbred/pure line ('E-38') was transformed with Cre gene and the inbred/pure line ('E-8') was transformed with the Barnase gene situated between loxp. The experiments were done separately, by means of Agrobacterium co-culture. Four T0-plants with the Barnase gene were obtained, all proved to be male-sterile and incapable of producing viable pollen. Flowers stamens were shorter, but the vegetative phenotype was similar to wild-type. Five T0-plants with the Cre gene developed well, blossomed out and set fruit normally. The crossing of male-sterile Barnase-plants with Cre expression transgenic eggplants resulted in site-specific excision with the male-sterile plants producing normal fruits. With the Barnase was excised, pollen fertility was fully restored in the hybrids. The phenotype of these restored plants was the same as that of the wild-type. Thus, the Barnase and Cre genes were capable of stable inheritance and expression in progenies of transgenic plants.