The proliferation, differentiation, and mineralization effects of puerarin on osteoblasts in vitro

AIM: Osteoblasts are key functional cells in the process of bone metabolic balance. Phytoestrogens have an important influence on the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts. Puerarin, a plant estrogen, has a wide range concentration in vitro on the function of osteoblasts. The current study investigates the effect of the phytoestrogen puerarin on the proliferation, differentiation, and mineralization of osteoblasts in vitro. METHODS: The calvaria bone of eight-ten Wistar rats which were born within 24 h were obtained in aseptic condition. After enzyme digestion, isolation, purified osteoblasts of rats were cultured for further study. The cells of the first to third generation were divided into a control group and a puerarin-treated group with 10-3–10-10 mol·L-1 puerarin. The cells were exposed to the medium containing a low level of carbohydrates, 10%(V/V) FBS for 24 h. After 1 to 4 days of culture, the OD values on the proliferation of osteoblasts in each group were determined by microplate reader. The cells were cultured in the medium containing 50 μg·mL-1 vitamin C, 10-2 mol·L-1 sodium glycerophosphate, 10% FBS and the medium was changed every 3 to 4 days. After 2 to 8 days of culture, expression of alkaline phosphatase were tested and compared by microplate reader. The mineral nodes of osteoblasts were dyed using alizarin red or improved Von Kossa way after four weeks. RESULTS: Compared with those in the 10-5–10-9 mol·L-1 puerarin, the proliferation of osteoblasts, the expression of alkaline phosphatase, and the number of mineral nodes of osteoblasts were significantly decreased in the control group. The increase was the fastest in the third day, while on the fourth day it was decreased, and arrived at statistical significance compared with the alkaline phosphatase activities and control group. The 10-6 mol·L-1 group was the most distinct, and formed the most mineralized nodule. Compared with the 10-3 mol·L-1 puerarin group, those changes were markedly increased in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Puerarin has proliferation, differentiation, and mineralization effects on osteoblasts in a dose-dependent manner, and has a double-way effect on the osteoblasts in vitro. A low-dose showed positive effects on the development of osteoblasts, and high-dose puerarin could inhibit the formation of bone.

The Survey of Birth Defects Rate Based on Birth Registration System

Background：To investigate the surveillance trend of birth defects,incidence,distribution,occurrence regularity,and their relevant factors in Xi＇an City in the last 10 years for proposing control measures.Methods：The birth defects monitoring data of infants during perinatal period （28 weeks of gestation to 7 days after birth） were collected from obstetrics departments of all hospitals during 2003-2012.Microsoft Excel 2003 was used for data input,and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 16.0 （International Business Machines Corporation,New York,NY,USA） was used for descriptive analysis.χ^2 test,Spearman correlation and linear-by-linear association trend test were used for statistical analyses.Results：The birth defect rate declined from 9.18% in 2003 to 7.00% in 2012 （χ^2 =45.001,P 〈 0.01） with a mean value of 7.85%,which is below the Chinese national average level （χ^2 =20.451,P 〈 0.01）.The order of five most common birth defects has changed.The incidence of congenital heart disease （CHD） increased with time,particularly after 2012,it became the most frequent type （rs =0.808,P 〈 0.001）.Till then,the number of neural tube defects （NTDs） declined significantly （χ^2 =76.254,P 〈 0.01）.The average birth defects rate of 8.11% in rural areas was higher than that in urban areas （7.56%,χ^2 =7.919,P 〈 0.01） and much higher in males （8.28%） than that in females （7.18%,χ^2 =32.397,P 〈 0.0 1）.Maternal age older than 35 years （χ^2 =35.298,P 〈 0.01） is the most dangerous age bracket of birth defects than maternal age younger than 20 years （χ^2 =7.128,P 〈 0.0l）.Conclusions：A downward trend of birth defects was observed in Xi＇an City from 2003 to 2012.NTDs significantly decreased after large-scale supplemental folic acid intervention,while the incidence rate of CHD significantly increased.

Clinical association between coagulation indicators and bone metastasis in patients with gastric cancer

BACKGROUND Bones are one of the most common target organs for cancer metastasis.Early evaluation of bone metastasis(BM)status is clinically significant.Cancer patients often experience a hypercoagulable state.AIM To evaluate the correlation between coagulation indicators and the burden of BM in gastric cancer(GC).METHODS We conducted a single-center retrospective study and enrolled 454 patients.Clinical information including routine blood examination and coagulation markers were collected before any treatment.Patients were grouped according to the status of BM.Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to assess diagnostic performance and determine the optimal cutoff values of the above indicators.Cutoff values,sensitivity and specificity were based on the maximum Youden index.Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the relationships between biomarkers and BM.RESULTS Of the 454 enrolled patients,191 patients were diagnosed with BM.The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis suggested that prothrombin time(PT)Wang X et al.Coagulation indicators predict bone metastasis WJGO https://www.wjgnet.com 1254 July 15,2023 Volume 15 Issue 7[cutoff:13.25;sensitivity:0.651;specificity:0.709;area under receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC)=0.738],activated partial thromboplastin time(aPTT)(cutoff:35.15;sensitivity:0.640;specificity:0.640;AUC=0.678)and fibrin degradation products(FDP)(cutoff:2.75;sensitivity:0.668;specificity:0.801;AUC=0.768)act as novel predictors for BM.Based on multivariate logistic regression analysis,the results showed the independent correlation between PT[odds ratio(OR):3.16;95%confidence interval(CI):1.612-6.194;P=0.001],aPTT(OR:2.234;95%CI:1.157-4.313;P=0.017)and FDP(OR:3.17;95%CI:1.637-6.139;P=0.001)and BM in patients with GC.Moreover,age,carcinoembryonic antigen,erythrocyte and globulin were found to be significantly associated with BM.CONCLUSION Coagulation markers,namely PT,aPTT and FDP,might be potential predictors for screening BM in patients with GC.

Evaluation of a new frequency-volume chart for children with primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis:a prospective,comparative study

Introduction To improve compliance with voiding diaries in children with primary monosymptomatic nocturnal enuresis(PMNE),a new modified 3-day weekend frequency-volume chart(FVC)was designed,and the compliance and validity of this modified FVC was evaluated by comparing with the International Children's Continence Society(ICCS)recommended voiding diary.Methods A total of 1200 patients with PMNE were enrolled in the study from 13 centers in China and were randomly assigned to record this modified FVC or the ICCS-recommended voiding diary.The primary outcome measure was the compliance,assessed by comparing the completing index and the quality score of diaries between two groups.The secondary outcome measure was the validity,evaluated by comparing the constituent of subtypes,micturition parameters and response rate to desmopressin.Results Among the 1200 participants enrolled in the study,447 patients completed the ICCS-recommended voiding diary and 469 completed the modified diary.The diurnal completing index and the quality score of the modified FVC group were better than those of the ICCS group.In addition,there was no significant difference between these two groups in the subtype classification,or in the response rate to desmopressin.Conclusions The modified FVC could be applied to obtain the voiding characteristics of children with PMNE as the ICCS-recommended voiding diary does and offers a reasonable and better choice for children with PMNE from the unselected population in the future.