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Tendon's natural healing potential is extremely low and inefficient, with significant dysfunction and disability due to hypocellularity and hypovascularity of tendon tissues. The application of stem cells can aid in significantly enhanced repair of tendon rupture; therefore, the main aim of this study is to assess the potential of using periodontal ligament cells (PDL), usually obtained from patients undergoing orthodontic treatment, as a novel cell source for cell-based therapy for tendon injuries in a clinically relevant rat full-size Achilles tendon defect. In addition, the study compares the differences between the healing effects of Achilles tendon-derived cells (AT) versus PDL and, hence, comprises of four experimental groups, native tendon (NT), empty defect (ED), PDL and human AT (hAT). The tendon healing in each group was assessed in the late remodelling phase at 16 weeks after surgery using a combination of methods, including evaluation of gross morphological appearance; various histological and immunohistological stainings; and detailed analyses of cell morphometry. Based on these outcome measures, PDL cell-implanted tendons exhibited not only advanced tissue maturation, less ectopic fibrocartilage formation, more organised collagen fibres, tendon matrix expression corresponding to the final healing stage, and better cell-morphometry parameters when compared with the ED group, but were also very similar to the tendons treated with hAT-derived cells. Taken together, our study clearly demonstrates the feasibility of using PDL cells as a novel cell source for tendon repair and strongly recommends this cell type for the future development of innovative regenerative applications for treatment of different tendon or ligament pathologies.

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OBJECTIVES: Prior research has focused on the relationship between weight change and incidence of metabolic syndrome. Change in body mass index (BMI), components of metabolic syndrome and metabolic syndrome status were investigated over 1 year of follow-up. METHODS: Subjects with metabolic syndrome from a community health screening project were recruited. Logistic regression was used to analyse the disappearance or remission of metabolic syndrome during 1 year according to changes in BMI, waist circumference, triglycerides, blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG). RESULTS: The study included 490 subjects with metabolic syndrome. After 1 year, metabolic syndrome had disappeared in 30.0% (147/490) of subjects. Decreased triglycerides, blood pressure and HDL-C were significantly associated with the 1-year disappearance of metabolic syndrome, whereas BMI, waist circumference and FPG levels were not. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term weight reduction has no impact on the status of metabolic syndrome. The disappearance of metabolic syndrome was common during a 1-year follow-up. This finding might impact on the treatment and management of people with metabolic syndrome.

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BACKGROUND: To survey the accuracy of fetal gender determination during first trimester screening and scan for congenital anomalies. METHODS: A prospective observational study was performed on 496 singleton pregnancies at the first trimester ultrasound screening. The doctor was a certified sonographer of first trimester screening by the Fetal Medicine Foundation(FMF). Ultrasound examination was performed on a GE Voluson 730 Pro, transabdominally, between 11 and 13(+6) weeks. Both transverse and mid-sagittal planes of a section of the fetal genital tubercle were performed to identify the gender. The subsequent gender at birth was obtained from karyotyping reports or hospital birth records. RESULTS: During the study, 496 patients requested gender information at the time of first trimester screening. Of the patients it was possible to determine gender (441 out of 496), the scan achieved an overall success rate of 91.8% in correctly identifying gender. The success rate for correctly identifying fetal gender (where identification was possible) increased with gestational age, from 71.9% at 11 weeks, 92% at 12 weeks, and 98.3% at 13 weeks, respectively, where gestational age was calculated from the crown-rump length in conjunction with menstrual or ovulation dating (p<0.001). Of the 55 cases where no identification of gender was possible, 39 were in the 11-week gestational age group, representing 40.6% of this category. The overall fetal gender accuracy rate for male fetus was slightly better than female (92.5 versus 91.2%), but was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that the gestational age of the fetus has a material effect on the accuracy rate of gender determination. At 12 weeks and over, the average success rate for correctly identifying gender, where gender identification was possible, was 94.8%, with the accuracy at 13 weeks of 98.3% approaching that achieved by invasive testing. Fetal gender identification at 11

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Four additional neolignans, comprising obovatifol [(2S,3S)-2,3-dihydro-2- (3,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxyphenyl)-7-methoxy-3-methyl-5-trans-propenyl benzofuran], obovaten [2-(3,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxyphenyl)-7-methoxy-3- methyl-5-trans-propenyl benzofuran], perseal C [(2S,3R)-2,3-dihydro-2-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-5- formyl-3-hydroxymethyl-7-methoxy benzofuran] and perseal D [2-(3,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxyphenyl)-5-formyl-7- methoxy-3-methyl benzofuran] were isolated in a continuing study of the leaves of Persea obovatifolia. Obovatifol had been reported previously in a mass spectrometric analysis without any other spectroscopic data. Obovaten and perseals C and D are new compounds, bearing a C-1' formyl side-chain, instead of a propenyl group. Their structures were elucidated from spectroscopic data; they showed significant cytotoxic activities against P-388, KB16, A549 and HT-29 cancer cell lines in vitro.

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