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Myocardial work (MW) derived from the left ventricular pressure-strain loop is a novel and noninvasive method for assessing left ventricular function that accounts for loading conditions. We aimed to explore whether global MW combined with treadmill exercise stress could detect significant coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with angina pectoris.Eighty-five patients with angina pectoris and no prior CAD history were included. All patients underwent treadmill exercise stress echocardiography and coronary angiography. Global MW was constructed from speckle-tracking echocardiography indexed to the brachial systolic blood pressure. The association between MW parameters and the presence of significant CAD was assessed with logistic regression. The discriminative power of MW parameters to detect CAD was assessed with receiver operative characteristic curve, net reclassification improvement, and integrated discrimination improvement analysis.Twenty-five patients had a positive exercise echocardiogram, while significant coronary artery stenosis (≥70% in one or more major epicardial vessels or ≥50% in the left main coronary artery) was observed in 41 patients. The global wasted work (GWW) and global work efficiency (GWE) were significantly higher or lower, respectively, in patients with significant CAD compared with those of nonsignificant CAD at the peak exercise and during recovery periods (P .05 for all). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that peak GWE and recovery GWW could predict significant CAD. Peak GWE had the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) among all global MW parameters (AUC = 0.836). Furthermore, a model comprising peak GWE and recovery GWW performed better for the identification of significant CAD than peak GWE alone (AUC = 0.856).Peak GWE could detect significant CAD. The new model, incorporating peak GWE and recovery GWW, not only identified but also provided additional value for estimating the probability of significant CAD. Global MW parameters combined with exercise stress perform as an accurate noninvasive screening before the invasive diagnostic technique.

Aim: There lacks a predictive model for overall survival (OS) of node-negative perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (PHC). This study aimed at developing and validating a prognostic nomogram to predict OS of node-negative PHC after resection. Methods: We established a nomogram via multivariate regression analysis by using the design cohort (n = 410, obtained from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database), and its external verification was done in the validation cohort (n = 100, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University). Predictive accuracy of the nomogram was assessed by concordance-index (C-index), calibration curves, and decision curve analysis (DCA). Performance of the nomogram was compared with the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system. Results: Multivariate regression analysis revealed that age, tumor grade, and the count of examined lymph nodes were independent prognostic factors for OS of node-negative PHC. The nomogram had a C-index of 0.603 and 0.626 in design cohort and validation cohort, respectively, which was better than that of AJCC staging system (both p

Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) from the olfactory bulb (OB) and the olfactory mucosa (OM) have the capacity to repair nerve injury. However, the difference in the therapeutic effect between OB-derived OECs and OM-derived OECs remains unclear. In this study, we extracted OECs from OB and OM and compared the gene and protein expression profiles of the cells using transcriptomics and non-quantitative proteomics techniques. The results revealed that both OB-derived OECs and OM-derived OECs highly expressed genes and proteins that regulate cell growth, proliferation, apoptosis and vascular endothelial cell regeneration. The differentially expressed genes and proteins of OB-derived OECs play a key role in regulation of nerve regeneration and axon regeneration and extension, transmission of nerve impulses and response to axon injury. The differentially expressed genes and proteins of OM-derived OECs mainly participate in the positive regulation of inflammatory response, defense response, cytokine binding, cell migration and wound healing. These findings suggest that differentially expressed genes and proteins may explain why OB-derived OECs and OM-derived OECs exhibit different therapeutic roles. This study was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University (approval No. 2017-073) on February 13, 2017.

The objective of this study was to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms of mitochondrial Ca2+ homeostasis disequilibrium in mitochondrial apoptosis and its impact on yak meat tenderness. Results indicated that CaCl2 treatment significantly promoted glycolysis by increasing lactic acid level and decreasing glycogen content, pH, and ATP production (P +-K+-ATPase pump and Ca2+-ATPase pump in the early aging stage were significantly influenced by CaCl2 treatment. The activities of synchronous digital hierarchy and citrate synthase were also significantly improved by CaCl2 treatment (P 2 group than in the control group (P 2+ group was 64.27% higher than that in the control group. Furthermore, CaCl2 treatment significantly enhanced the mitochondrial apoptosis cascade reaction and meat tenderization by improving the myofibril fragmentation index and shear force (P 2+ homeostasis played a significant role in the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway by regulating energy metabolism factors, meat intracellular environment, mitochondrial functions, and ROS-mediated oxidative stress. These conditions further improved meat tenderization during postmortem aging.

Background:. Whether regional anesthesia may help to prevent disease recurrence in cancer patients is still controversial. The stage of cancer at the time of diagnosis is a key factor that defines prognosis and is one of the most important sources of heterogeneity for the treatment effect. We sought to update existing systematic reviews and clarify the effect of regional anesthesia on cancer recurrence in late-stage cancer patients. Methods:. Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched from inception to September 2020 to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies that assessed the effect of regional anesthesia on cancer recurrence and overall survival (OS) compared with general anesthesia. Late-stage cancer patients were primarily assessed according to the American Joint Committee on Cancer Cancer Staging Manual (eighth edition), and the combined hazard ratio (HR) from random-effects models was used to evaluate the effect of regional anesthesia. Results:. A total of three RCTs and 34 cohort studies (including 64,691 patients) were identified through the literature search for inclusion in the analysis. The risk of bias was low in the RCTs and was moderate in the observational studies. The pooled HR for recurrence-free survival (RFS) or OS did not favor regional anesthesia when data from RCTs in patients with late-stage cancer were combined (RFS, HR = 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.58–2.18, P = 0.729, I2 = 76%; OS, HR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.63–1.18, P = 0.345, I2 = 48%). Findings from observational studies showed that regional anesthesia may help to prevent disease recurrence (HR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.78–0.96, P = 0.008, I2 = 71%) and improve OS (HR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.79–0.98, P = 0.022, I2 = 79%). Conclusions:. RCTs reveal that OS and RFS were similar between regional and general anesthesia in late-stage cancers. The selection of anesthetic methods should still be based on clinical evaluation, and changes to current practice need more support from large, well-powered, and well-designed studies.

Major, trace and rare earth element (REE) geochemistry of the late Cretaceous lower Zhoutian Formation from the Jitai Basin of Southeast China were measured by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analysis to infer the provenance of the sediments and to reconstruct the palaeoenvironment and palaeoclimate. The wide range of Sr/Cu ratios point to a fluctuating palaeoclimate, and the negative correlation between the FeO/MnO and Al2O3/MgO ratios and the Sr/Cu ratio indicates that the late Cretaceous climate during the lower Zhoutian Formation in the Jitai Basin can be divided into two parts. The lower part experienced two cooling periods, whilst the upper part was dominated by warm-humid climate. Mostly corresponding trends of the B/Ga, Sr/Ba and Sr/Cu ratios show that the salinity changed consistently with the late Cretaceous climate during the lower Zhoutian Formation in the Jitai Basin. During the lower part, the salinity changed from salt water to fresh/brackish water. In the upper part, water was mainly fresh/brackish, and there were many changes from fresh/brackish water to salt water. The relatively stable Ni/Co, V/Cr, V/(V + Ni) and Ce/Ce* data indicate a long period of oxic conditions. The La-Th-Sc, Th-Sc-Zr/10 and La/Th-Hf data of the silt- and sandstones of the lower Zhoutian Formation show that its provenance was mainly a mixture of felsic upper crust sediments and older sedimentary rocks.

Antibiotics are widely used for treatment of bacterial infections, and their overuse has contributed to microbial resistance. Currently, an alternative antibiotic-free therapy for inactivating bacteria is of great interest. Black phosphorus (BP), a biocompatible and nontoxic rising-star two-dimensional layered material, has gained remarkable interest in many bioapplications including biosensing, cancer therapy, drug delivery, and also antibacterial treatment. However, BP nanosheets suffer from instability in ambient environments due to rapid oxidation and degradation. To address this issue, BP nanosheets were modified with quaternized chitosan (QCS) by electrostatic adsorption to prepare a BP-QCS composite for photothermal/pharmaco treatment of bacterial infection. The BP-QCS has obviously enhanced solubility and chemical stability in aqueous suspensions. We have demonstrated that under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation, the BP-QCS can synergistically inactivate more than 95% methicillin-resistant

Background The study aimed at establishing a nodal staging score (NSS) to quantify the likelihood that pathologic node-negative gallbladder cancer (GBC) patients are indeed free of lymph node (LN) metastasis. Methods Clinicopathological data of 1374 GBC patients with T1b-T2 stages were collected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Result database (design cohort [DC], n = 1289) and the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University (validation cohort [VC], n = 85). NSS was derived from the count of examined LNs (ELNs) and T stage by using a beta-binomial model, and represented the probability that a node-negative patient is correctly staged. The prognostic value of NSS in node-negative GBC was evaluated by survival analysis. Results The probability of missing a nodal disease in node-negative GBC patients with T1b-T2 stages (pT1bN0 and pT2N0) decreased as the number of ELNs increased. NSS increased as the number of ELNs increased. For pT1bN0 and pT2N0 patients, examination of 5 and 27 lymph nodes could ensure an NSS of 90.0%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that NSS was an independent predictor for overall survival in pT1bN0 and pT2N0 GBC patients (DC, HR:0.53, 95%CI: 0.42–0.66, p Conclusion NSS could evaluate the adequacy of nodal staging and predict the prognosis in pT1bN0 and pT2N0 GBC patients, and hence was helpful to guide their treatment strategies.

Emerging evidence has demonstrated that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are abnormally expressed in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). However, the contributions of circRNAs to the tumorigenesis of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), one of the subtypes of NSCLC, remain unclear. Based on a microarray assay, we found that hsa_circ_0072309 was significantly upregulated in NSCLC compared with matched normal samples. Moreover, functional experiments demonstrated that hsa_circ_0072309 promotes the proliferation, migration, and invasion of NSCLC cells. In vitro precipitation of circRNAs, luciferase reporter assays, and biotin-coupled microRNA capture assays were carried out to investigate the mechanisms by which hsa_circ_0072309 regulates NSCLC. Through the above work, we found that hsa_circ_0072309 interacted with miR-607 via its miRNA response element to upregulate the expression of FTO, an m6A demethylase and downstream target of miR-607, thus promoting tumorigenesis of NSCLC. In total, our findings indicated the oncogenic role of hsa_circ_0072309 in NSCLC and provide a potential target for treatment.

Delayed gastric emptying (DGE) is the main complication after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD), but the mechanism is still unclear. The aim of this study was to elucidate the role of complete resection of the gastric antrum in decreasing incidence and severity of DGE after PD.Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups: expanded resection (ER group), complete resection (CR group), and incomplete resection (IR group) of the gastric antrum. The tension (g) of remnant stomach contraction was observed. We analyzed the histological morphology of the gastric wall by different excisional methods after distal gastrectomy. Moreover, patients underwent PD at our department between January 2012 and May 2016 were included in the study. These cases were divided into IR group and CR group of the gastric antrum, and the clinical data were retrospectively analyzed.The ex vivo remnant stomachs of CR group exhibited much greater contraction tension than others (P0.05). The contraction tension of the remnant stomach increased with increasing acetylcholine concentration, while remained stable at the concentration of 10 × 10The complete resection of the gastric antrum is associated with decreased incidence and severity of DGE after PD. Gastric electrophysiological and physiopathological disorders caused by damage to gastric smooth muscles might be the mechanism underlying DGE.

Rapid diagnostic tests as an attractive alternative to enzyme immunoassay could identify hepatitis C virus (HCV) infected persons more expeditiously. The availability of high performing and quality-assured rapid diagnostic tests are essential to scale-up HCV screening. The study was undertaken to evaluate the performance of seven domestic HCV rapid diagnostic tests kits. The kits were evaluated by using HCV serum panels, including HCV basic panel, analytical specificity panel, mixed titre performance panel, characteristic panel, seroconversion panel, and genotype qualification panel. The results showed that clinical sensitivity, clinical specificity and analytical specificity of seven rapid diagnostic tests kits ranged from 94% (95% CI: 83.2-98.6) to 100% (95% CI: 91.5-100). Furthermore, specimens with HCV genotypes 1b, 2a, 3a, 4a, 5a, 6 could be detected by HCV rapid diagnostic tests kits, whereas specimens with genotypes 1a and 2b could not be detected. Additionally, most HCV rapid diagnostic tests kits had great performance in diagnosing different titres and/or different bands samples, but some low S/CO value specimens may not be fully detected by few rapid diagnostic test kits. In conclusion, seven HCV rapid diagnostic tests reagents presented high sensitivity, specificity, good anti-interference and detection ability of early infection, which could meet the requirements of clinical HCV antibody screening.

Selective and sensitive determination of trace kanamycin in complex food samples is of great importance for food safety because of its high toxicity. Here, we report a sensitive and autofluorescence-free persistent luminescence (PL) aptasensor for selective, sensitive, and autofluorescence-free determination of kanamycin in food samples. The aptamer for kanamycin was first conjugated onto the surface of magnetic nanoparticles Fe3O4 to serve as the recognition unit as well as the separation element, while the PL nanoparticles ZnGa2O4:Cr (PLNPs) were functionalized with the aptamer complementary DNA (cDNA) as the PL signal. The PL aptasensor consisted of the aptamer-conjugated MNPs (MNPs-apt) and cDNA-functionalized PLNPs (PLNPs-cDNA) and combined the merits of the long-lasting luminescence of PLNPs, the magnetic separation ability of MNPs as well as the selectivity of the aptamer, offering a promising approach for autofluorescence-free determination of kanamycin in food samples. The proposed aptasensor showed excellent linearity in the range from 1 pg mL-1 to 5 ng mL-1 with a limit of detection of 0.32 pg mL-1. The precision for 11 replicate determinations of 100 pg mL-1 kanamycin was 3.1% (relative standard deviation). The developed aptasensor was applied for the determination of kanamycin in milk and honey samples with the recoveries of 95.4-106.3%. The proposed aptasensor is easily extendable to other analytes by simply replacing the aptamer, showing great potential as a universal aptasensor platform for selective, sensitive, and autofluorescence-free detection of hazardous analytes in food samples.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a plasma cell malignancy of bone marrow. In the present study, we aimed to study the function and potential mechanism of the antisense non-coding RNA in the INK4 Locus (ANRIL) in MM. The expression levels of ANRIL in MM patients and healthy donors were evaluated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The effects and mechanisms of ANRIL in MM were evaluated by cell viability assay, BrdU incorporation assay, tumor xenograft model, flow cytometry, western blot, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), transcriptome RNA sequencing, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). We found that ANRIL was upregulated in MM patients and cell lines, and associated with advanced international staging system (ISS) stage and poor overall survival. Enforced ANRIL expression promoted proliferation and tumor xenograft growth of MM cells, while knockdown of ANRIL exhibited opposite effects. Moreover, ANRIL overexpression increased the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of bortezomib and reduced bortezomib-induced apoptosis in MM cells. ANRIL was found to accumulate in the nuclei of MM cells, and interact with EZH2 by RIP assay. Transcriptome RNA sequencing identified PTEN as a target of ANRIL in MM cells. In the ChIP assay, knockdown of ANRIL reduced EZH2 occupancy and H3K27me3 binding to the promoter region of PTEN. Furthermore, EZH2 knockout or PTEN restoration abrogated the effects caused by ANRIL overexpression in MM cells. Our results indicated that ANRIL exerted oncogenic functions and conferred chemoresistance of MM cells by EZH2-mediated epigenetically silencing of PTEN.

Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most leading cause of tumor related mortality worldwide. However, the prognosis of NSCLC remained to be poor and the mechanisms remained to be further investigated. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate whether GPRIN1 could be a potential biomarker for NSCLC. Methods: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA, https://cancergenome.nih.gov/) and GEO database(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo) were used to analyze the GPRIN1 expression between normal and human cancers. The protein-protein interaction among centromere proteins was determined using STRING database (http://www.bork.emblheidelberg.de/STRING/). GraphPad Prism 5.0 software was utilized for the independent and paired samples’ t-test or ANOVA to analyze the difference of GPRIN1 expression between two groups. Results: This study showed GPRIN1 was overexpressed and correlated to shorter OS time in human cancers. In NSCLC, we found that GPRIN1 was up-regulated in NSCLC samples compared to normal lung tissues by analyzing TCGA and GEO datasets. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that this gene was involved in regulating cancer proliferation and metabolism. Finally, we identified key targets of GPRIN1 in NSCLC by constructing PPl networks, including MCM3, KIF20A, UHRF1, BRCA1, KIF4A, HMMR, KIF18B, KIFC1, ASPM, and NCAPG2. Conclusion: These analyses showed GPRIN1 could act as a prognosis biomarker in patients with NSCLC.

Objective To observe the effects of the thumb-tack needling therapy on knee joint pain and joint function in the elderly patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and compared with medication. Methods A total of 60 patients were randomized into a thumb-tack needling group and a medication group, 30 cases in each one. In the thumb-tack needling group, the therapy with the thumb-tack needle retaining and waiting for qi was adopted. The acupoints were Hedĭng (EX-LE2鹤顶), Neixīyan (内膝眼EX-LE4), Dubi (犊鼻ST35), Xuehai (血海SP10), Liangqiū (梁丘ST34) and Ashi points on the affected side. The needles were retained for 24 h. This therapy was given once every two days, 3 times a week. The treatment for 2 weeks was as one course and consecutive 2 courses of treatment were required. In the medication group, diclofenac sodium sustained release tablets were taken orally, 75 mg each time, once daily, consecutively for 4 weeks. Successively, the score of visual analogue scale (VAS) at the affected knee before treatment, after treatment and 3 months after treatment as well as Lequesne indicator before and after treatment were evaluated. The clinical therapeutic effect was observed in the patients of the two groups after treatment. Results (1) After treatment, VAS scores were reduced as compared with those before treatment in the patients of the two groups (both P Conclusion The thumb-tack needling therapy effectively relieves knee joint pain and improves joint function in the patients and the therapeutic effect is better than medication group. Hence, this therapy deserves to be promoted in clinical practice.

Hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is suggested to potentially promote HSC activation. Superoxide dismutase 3 (SOD3) is an extracellular antioxidant defense against oxidative damage. Here, we found downregulation of SOD3 in a mouse model of liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4 ). SOD3 deficiency induced spontaneous liver injury and fibrosis with increased collagen deposition, and further aggravated CCl4 -induced liver injury in mice. Depletion of SOD3 enhanced HSC activation marked by increased α-smooth muscle actin and subsequent collagen synthesis primarily collagen type I in vivo, and promoted transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-induced HSC activation in vitro. SOD3 deficiency accelerated EMT process in the liver and TGF-β1-induced EMT of AML12 hepatocytes, as evidenced by loss of E-cadherin and gain of N-cadherin and vimentin. Notably, SOD3 expression and its pro-fibrogenic effect were positively associated with sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) expression. SOD3 deficiency inhibited adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling to downregulate SIRT1 expression and thus involving in liver fibrosis. Enforced expression of SIRT1 inhibited SOD3 deficiency-induced HSC activation and EMT, whereas depletion of SIRT1 counteracted the inhibitory effect of SOD3 in vitro. These findings demonstrate that SOD3 deficiency contributes to liver fibrogenesis by promoting HSC activation and EMT process, and suggest a possibility that SOD3 may function through modulating SIRT1 via the AMPK pathway in liver fibrosis.

There lacks an ideal model for accurately predicting clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (CR-POPF) after pancreatoduodenectomy (PD). This study aimed at developing a nomogram with high accuracy in predicting CR-POPF after PD. A total of 1182 patients undergoing PD in the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University (FAHSYSU, n = 762) and Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (FUSCC, n = 420) between January 2010 and May 2018 were enrolled. The patients from FAHSYSU were assigned as testing cohort, and those from FUSCC were used as external validation cohort. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the predictive factors for CR-POPF. Nomogram was developed on the basis of significant predictors. The performance of nomogram was evaluated by area under receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis. In testing cohort, 87 out of 762 patients developed CR-POPF. Three predictors were significantly associated with CR-POPF, including body mass index ≥24.0 kg/m2, pancreatic duct diameter

To evaluate the influence of flavonoids on the biogeochemistry of sulfur in mangrove sediments polluted with Cd, Avicennia marina individuals were cultivated in rhizoboxes under different concentrations of Cd and flavonoid. The reduced inorganic sulfur concentrations in the rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere sediments were examined. According to the results, acid-volatile sulfide concentrations in non-rhizosphere sediments were from 12.77 ± 1.01 to 19.21 ± 0.05 umol/g (DW) and significantly higher than those in rhizosphere, and flavonoids increased acid-volatile sulfide concentrations under Cd stress. High Eh (from 103.00 ± 3.21 to 197.33 ± 14.74 mV) and Cd stress in the rhizosphere led to more elemental sulfur formation, and flavonoid applications significantly increased elemental sulfur in both rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere sediments. Chromium-reducible sulfur from the non-rhizosphere was the source of the Chromium-reducible sulfur in the rhizosphere sediments, in addition to acid-volatile sulfide and elemental sulfur in both rhizosphere and non-rhizosphere sediments. In the rhizosphere with high Eh microenvironments, acid-volatile sulfide could be converted into Chromium-reducible sulfur effectively, while its conversion efficiency was significantly lower in non-rhizosphere. In addition, flavonoid applications reduced acid-volatile sulfide to Chromium-reducible sulfur conversion efficiency. In conclusion, flavonoid treatments in mangrove rhizosphere sediments polluted with Cd increased reduced inorganic sulfur concentrations and influenced sulfur biogeochemistry significantly.

Background Probiotics regulate host immune balance, which may reduce immune-related diseases. The effects and mechanisms of Lactobacillus rhamnosus 2016SWU.05.0601 (Lr-0601) on the immune response in ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized mice were explored. Results Lr-0601 reduced serum immunoglobulin (Ig)E and OVA-IgE and attenuated the alteration in lung pathology in OVA-sensitized mice. Lr-0601 blocked OVA-induced up-regulation in serum T helper (Th) 2 and Th17 cytokines but increased the serum levels of Th1 and regulatory T (Treg) cytokines in OVA-sensitized mice. OVA also markedly reduced the protein levels of spleen T-box transcription factor and forkhead/winged helix transcription factor p3, leading to the reduced mRNA expression of interferon-γ and interleukin (IL)-10. By contrast, OVA markedly increased the protein expression of spleen GATA-binding protein 3 and retinoid-related orphan receptor γt, as well as the mRNA expression of spleen IL-4 and IL-17. These changes induced by OVA were reversed by Lr-0601. Moreover, Lr-0601 helped alleviate OVA-induced intestinal microbiota dysbiosis. A correlation was found between specific genera and immune-associated cytokines. Conclusion The combined results indicate that Lr-0601 modulated the balance of Th1/Th2 and Treg/Th17 in OVA-sensitized mice, which was associated with the regulation of immune-related transcription factors and gut microbiota. Lr-0601 can potentially be used as a probiotic for preventing immune-related diseases. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Objectives: We performed this meta-analysis to assess the correlation of retinal vein occlusion (RVO) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library for population-based studies reporting the CKD as associated factor to RVO, central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) or branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO). Then we pooled the data for analysis. Results: After screening potential literature, 12 eligible studies with 23,656,214 individuals were finally included in quantitative synthesis. The pooled prevalence (95% confidence interval [CI]) of CKD in RVO group was 10.9% (95% CI: 6.6%, 15.1%). The pooled prevalence of any RVO in end stage renal disease (ESRD) group was 1.8% (95% CI: 1.6%, 2.1%). The prevalence of CKD was significantly higher in subjects diagnosed with RVO than non-RVO participants (odds ratio [OR]: 3.30; 95% CI: 2.28, 4.76; p Conclusion: The prevalence of CKD increases in RVO patients, especially in CRVO. And in turn, the prevalence of RVO also increases in ESRD patients. The data support a correlation of RVO and CKD.

Insulation oil is an important dielectric in power devices, and many studies on mixed insulation oil have been conducted in recent years to improve the performance of insulation oils. To replace mineral oil directly, the authors previously developed a novel three-element mixed insulation oil successfully; the main parameters of which satisfy the IEC 60296-2012 standard for mineral oil. In the present study, the AC breakdown properties of insulation paper (pressboard) immersed by the new mixed oil and naphthenic mineral oil were compared. For both insulation oils, the increase in temperature cannot significantly reduce the breakdown strength of oil-immersed insulation paper (pressboard) at a low moisture content, and the increment of moisture content cannot reduce the breakdown voltage at a low temperature (25°C). The breakdown voltage decreases only when the two factors increase simultaneously. For the mixed and mineral oils, the AC breakdown voltage of oil-immersed paper (pressboard) with different thicknesses has significant difference. The mineral oil has a high breakdown voltage for the thin insulation paper, whereas the mixed oil has a high breakdown voltage when the thickness of the insulation paper (pressboard) exceeds 0.2 mm. This phenomenon is mainly caused by the breakdown field strength that varies with the increase of dielectric thickness and the different change trends of paper (pressboard) immersed with the mixed and the mineral oils. Moreover, the stack of thin multilayer insulation paper enables the mixed oil-immersed paper to have a higher breakdown strength than the mineral oil-immersed paper. For the AC breakdown voltage of oil-immersed pressboard with an oil-gap structure, the mixed oil is comprehensively superior to the mineral oil due to its larger relative permittivity.

Background & Aims Mucin 13 (MUC13) is reportedly overexpressed in human malignancies. However, the clinicopathological and biological significance of MUC13 in human intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) remain unclear. The aim of this study was to define the role of MUC13 in the progression of iCCA. Methods Expression levels of MUC13 in human iCCA samples were evaluated by immunohistochemistry, western blot, and real-time PCR. In vitro and in vivo experiments were used to assess the effect of MUC13 on iCCA cell growth and metastasis. Crosstalk between MUC13 and EGFR/PI3K/AKT signaling was analyzed by molecular methods. The upstream regulatory effects of MUC13 were evaluated by Luciferase and DNA methylation assays. Results MUC13 was overexpressed in human iCCA specimens and iCCA cells. MUC13 overexpression positively correlated with clinicopathological characteristics of iCCA, such as vascular invasion and lymph node metastasis, and was independently associated with poor survival. Results from loss-of-function and gain-of-function experiments suggested that knockdown of MUC13 attenuated, while overexpression of MUC13 enhanced, the proliferation, motility, and invasiveness of iCCA cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, we found that the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-AKT signal pathway and its downstream effectors, such as tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 1 and matrix metallopeptidase 9, were required for MUC13-mediated tumor metastasis of iCCA. MUC13 interacted with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and subsequently activated the EGFR/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway by promoting EGFR dimerization and preventing EGFR internalization. We also found that MUC13 was directly regulated by miR-212-3p, whose downregulation was related to aberrant CpG hypermethylation in the promoter area. Conclusions These findings suggest that aberrant hypermethylation-induced downregulation of miR-212-3p results in overexpression of MUC13 in iCCA, leading to metastasis via activation of the EGFR/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Lay summary Mucin 13 overexpression has been implicated in the development of malignancies, although its role in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma has not been studied. Herein, we show that mucin 13 plays a critical role in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Mucin 13 could have therapeutic value both as a prognostic marker and as a treatment target.

Objective To explore the therapeutic effect of acupoint catgut embedding combined with ginger-separated moxibustion for sequelae of peripheral facial paralysis and whether surface electromyography (sEMG) can be an outcome to evaluate the effect of this disease. Methods Thirty-five patients with sequelae of peripheral facial paralysis were treated with catgut embedding at the acupoints selected according to their individual symptoms and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) differentiated syndromes. At the same time, the ginger-separated moxibustion was applied at Yīfēng (翳风 TE17) and Qiānzheng (牵正 EX-HN16) of the affected side. The catgut embedding was applied once every 15 days, one time of treatment is of one course, and a total of three courses were given. The moxibustion would be taken after 5 days of catgut embedding each time, once every other day, 5 times as one course, a total of 3 courses are given. After treatment, the recovery of facial nerve functions was evaluated by House–Brackmann (H-B) facial nerve function evaluation grading system. Before and after treatment, the surface electromyography (sEMG) was used to detect the root-mean-square (RMS) of frontal muscles, cheek muscles, and orbicularis oris muscles to compare the RMS ratio of these muscles of affected side and healthy side. Results After 3 courses of treatment, 9 cases were cured, 22 cases were effective, and 4 cases were ineffective. The total effective rate was 88.6% (31/35). After treatment, the RMS of frontal muscles, cheek muscles, and orbicularis oris muscles of the affected side were 31.56±4.25, 34.13±4.28, and 7.46±1.53 respectively, significantly increased in comparing with 11.69±2.45, 12.98±3.34, and 2.62±1.41 respectively before treatment (all P Conclusion Acupoint catgut embedding and ginger-separated moxibustion in combination can significantly improve the facial nerve functions, and sEMG used for evaluating the therapeutic effect can objectively reflect the effect of treatment.

BackgroundCombined hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-CC) is a rare subtype of primary liver cancers. Its prognostic factors remain unclear. The study aimed to evaluate its long-term outcome and prognostic factors by retrospectively reviewing the series of cHCC-CC after curative resection from our institute.MethodsA total of 55 pathologically confirmed cHCC-CC patients undergoing curative resections between January 2003 and January 2018 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University (Guangzhou, China) were included. The clinicopathological and follow-up data were retrieved. Overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survivals (RFS) were analysed by Kaplan–Meier curve. The independent prognostic factors were determined by using univariate and multivariate Cox analyses.ResultsThere were 41 males and 14 females, with a median age of 51.0 (interquartile range, 44.0–60.0) years. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS and RFS rates in cHCC-CC were 80.0%, 25.5%, and 16.4%, respectively, and 52.7%, 21.8%, and 10.9%, respectively. The median OS and RFS were 24.9 and 14.5 months, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that elevated alpha-fetal protein (AFP) and/or CA19-9, vascular invasion, local extra-hepatic invasion, and lymph-node metastasis (LNM) were independent unfavorable prognostic factors for OS and RFS (all P ConclusionsElevated AFP and/or CA19-9, vascular invasion, local extra-hepatic invasion, and LNM were independent unfavorable prognostic factors for long-term survival of cHCC-CC undergoing curative resections. Patients with normal levels of AFP and CA19-9 had better prognosis.

A computational hemodynamics method was employed to investigate how the morphotype and functional state of aortic valve would affect the characteristics of blood flow in aortas with pathological dilation, especially the intensity and distribution of flow turbulence. Two patient-specific aortas diagnosed to have pathological dilation of the ascending segment while differential aortic valve conditions (i.e., one with a stenotic and regurgitant RL bicuspid aortic valve (RL-BAV), whereas the other with a quasi-normal tricuspid aortic valve (TAV)) were studied. When building the computational models, in addition to in vivo data-based reconstruction of geometrical model and boundary condition setting, the large eddy simulation method was adopted to quantify potential flow turbulence in the aortas. Obtained results revealed the presence of complex flow patterns (denoted by time-varying changes in vortex structure), flow turbulence (indicated by high turbulent eddy viscosity (TEV)), and regional high wall shear stress (WSS) in the ascending segment of both aortas. Such hemodynamic characteristics were significantly augmented in the aorta with RL-BAV. For instance, the space-averaged TEV in late systole and the wall area exposed to high time-averaged WSS (judged by WSS> two times of the mean WSS in the entire aorta) in the ascending aortic segment were increased by 176% and 465%, respectively. Relatively, flow patterns in the descending aortic segment were less influenced by the aortic valve disease. These results indicate that aortic valve disease has profound impacts on flow characteristics in the ascending aorta, especially the distribution and degree of high WSS and flow turbulence.

BACKGROUND The accuracy of the current staging system for predicting the overall survival (OS) of patients with ampullary carcinoma (AC) is still unsatisfactory, especially in node-negative (N0) patients. We aimed at establishing a nomogram to accurately predict OS in N0 AC. METHODS This study enrolled 697 N0 AC patients from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database (design cohort [DC], n = 697) and the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University (validation cohort [VC], n = 112), who underwent surgical resection. The nomogram was established by using prognostic factors determined by univariate and multivariate regression analyses. RESULTS The nomogram for OS was developed by using four independent prognostic factors, including age, grade, T stage, and a number of examined lymph nodes. The C-index of a nomogram for OS in DC and VC was 0.665 and 0.731, respectively. Calibration curves showed good consistency of the nomogram. The nomogram had a better accuracy in predicting OS compared with conventional staging system (P

Multifunctional nanoprobes with both imaging and drug delivery capabilities represent an emerging approach to the diagnosis and treatment of tumor. However, poor accumulation in tumor cells and low drug availability are the main limitations for their further application. Here we show a pH-driven targeting nanoprobe with dual-responsive drug release for persistent luminescence imaging and chemotherapy of tumor. The nanoprobe is constructed by conjugating the pH-low-insertion-peptide (pHLIP) to the surface of the core-shell structure of mesoporous silica-coated persistent luminescence nanoparticles (MSPLNPs) with the peptide GFLG and disulfide bond as bridges. The pHLIP functionalized nanoprobe exhibits higher cellular uptake for A549 and HepG2 cells in an acidic extracellular microenvironment (pH < 6.5) than in normal physiological condition (pH 7.4). The nanoprobe possesses well-defined NIR persistent luminescence performance and can be effectively accumulated in the tumor site, leading to the visual HepG2 tumor target imaging without autofluorescence interference. Furthermore, the nanoprobe realizes the dual-responsive release of doxorubicin loaded in the mesoporous channels in systems containing cathepsin B and glutathione, and can effectively kill tumor cells and inhibit the growth of tumor. This integrated nanoprobe possesses great potential for the diagnosis and treatment of tumors with high specificity and efficiency.

Objective: Renal fibrosis is the most common manifestation of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Noting that existing treatments of renal fibrosis only slow disease progression but do not cure it, there is an urgent need to identify novel therapies. Hydrogen sulfide(H2S) is a newly discovered endogenous small gas signaling molecule exerting a wide range of biologic actions in our body. This review illustrates recent experimental findings on the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of H2S against renal fibrosis and highlights its potential in future clinical application. Data sources: Literature was collected from PubMed until February 2019, using the search terms including "Hydrogen sulfide," "Chronic kidney disease," "Renal interstitial fibrosis," "Kidney disease," "Inflammation factor," "Oxidative stress," "Epithelialto-mesenchymal transition," "H2S donor," "Hypertensive kidney dysfunction," "Myofibroblasts," "Vascular remodeling," "transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta/Smads signaling," and "Sulfate potassium channels." Study selection: Literature was mainly derived from English articles or articles that could be obtained with English abstracts. Article type was not limited. References were also identified from the bibliographies of identified articles and the authors’ files. Results: The experimental data confirmed that H2S is widely involved in various renal pathologies by suppressing inflammation and oxidative stress, inhibiting the activation of fibrosis-related cells and their cytokine expression, ameliorating vascular remodeling and high blood pressure, stimulating tubular cell regeneration, as well as reducing apoptosis, autophagy, and hypertrophy. Therefore, H2S represents an alternative or additional therapeutic approach for renal fibrosis. Conclusions: We postulate that H2S may delay the occurrence and progress of renal fibrosis, thus protecting renal function. Further experiments are required to explore the precise role of H2S in renal fibrosis and its application in clinical treatment. Key words: Hydrogen sulfide; Renal interstitial fibrosis; Chronic kidney disease

Phototheranostics has attracted great interest in cancer therapy. Small-molecule self-reporting photosensitizers, one kind of idea agent in phototheranostics, enables simultaneous photodynamic therapy (PDT) and feedback of therapeutic efficacy. However, previous such photosensitizers exclusively employed the change of single emission to monitor cell death, which can be disturbed by variations in photosensitizer concentration and the excitation intensity. Herein, we report a unique self-reporting photosensitizer TPA-3PyA+ constructed from a twisted triphenylamine unit (TPA), three benzene ring units and three cyanovinyl-pyridinium units (PyA) for PDT and its real-time monitoring in a dynamic dual-color mode. TPA-3PyA+ possesses a rotatable electron donor-π bridge-electron acceptor framework and exhibits high singlet oxygen quantum yield (124%) and a twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) effect. TPA-3PyA+ not only enables effective staining of cancer cells with dual-color fluorescence due to the TICT effect but also shows excellent PDT performance. The simultaneous change in emission color, intensity and intracellular location of TPA-3PyA+ during cell death allows it to self-report cell death. Moreover, the change of dual-emission color allows distinguishing living and dead cells and effectively avoids interference in previous single-emission self-reporting photosensitizers. This work highlights the great potential of a self-reporting photosensitizer with dual-color emissions for efficient feedback of theranostics.

Background Sarcoidosis is a multi-system, idiopathic, inflammatory disorder that affects the lungs in over 90% of patients. The incidence of bone lesions in sarcoidosis is only 1-13%. Case report This study describes a 60-year-old woman with a previous history of thyroid cancer, and a more recent diagnosis of lung cancer with suspicious metastatic lesions, which were confirmed to be sarcoidosis. Conclusion This case suggests that pulmonary neoplasms and pulmonary sarcoidosis can coexist and be easily confused. When lung cancer is accompanied by symmetric hilar lymph node enlargement and multiple lung nodules, sarcoidosis should be considered in addition to metastasis, and a biopsy should be performed for confirmation.

The risk factors of bronchiectasis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have not yet been established. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate and identify potential risk factors for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease accompanied by bronchiectasis. We reviewed eight electronic journal databases from their inception to November 2019 for observational studies with no language restrictions. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was applied to evaluate the quality of the literature. Binary variables were pooled using odds ratios and continuous variables using the standardized mean difference with 95% confidence intervals. The confidence of evidence was assessed according to the grading of the recommendations assessment, development, and evaluation method. Eight case-control studies met the inclusion criteria. Tuberculosis history, smoking history, hospitalization stays, admissions in the past year, and duration of symptoms were considered risk factors. In addition, the ratio between the forced expiratory volume in 1s and forced vital capacity, the percentage of forced expiratory volume in 1s, the forced expiratory volume in 1s as a percentage of the predicted value, purulent sputum, purulent mucus sputum, positive sputum culture, Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, arterial oxygen pressure, daily dyspnea, C-reactive protein, leukocytes, and the percentage of neutrophils were found to be closely related to bronchiectasis. However, these were not considered risk factors. The evidence of all outcomes was judged as ‘‘low’’ or ‘‘very low.’’ Additional prospective studies are required to elucidate the underlying risk factors and identify effective preventive interventions.

Hyperlipidemia is an important lipid disorder and a risk factor for health. Aspirin eugenol ester (AEE) is a novel synthetic compound which is made up of two chemical structural units from aspirin and eugenol. Therapeutic effect of AEE on hyperlipidemia has been confirmed in animal model. But the action mechanism of AEE on hyperlipidemia is still poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of AEE on liver and feces metabolic profile through UPLC-Q-TOF/MS-based untargeted metabolomics in hyperlipidemia hamster induced with high fat diet (HFD), and the effects of AEE on the expression of genes and proteins related to cholesterol and bile acid (BA) in HFD-induced hyperlipidemia SD rat. The concentrations of 26 bile acids (BAs) in the liver from hyperlipidemia SD rat were also quantified with the application of BA targeted metabolomics. The results of untargeted metabolomics showed that the underlying mechanism of AEE on hyperlipidemia was mainly associated with amino acid metabolism, glutathione metabolism, energy metabolism, BA metabolism, and glycerophospholipid metabolism. AEE induced the expression of the BA-synthetic enzymes cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) by the inhibition of BA nuclear receptor farnesoid X receptor (FXR) in liver, which resulted in accelerating the conversion of cholesterol into bile acids and excrete in feces. The results of BA targeted metabolomics showed that AEE elevated the glycine-conjugated BA level and decreased the tauro-conjugated BA level. In conclusion, this study found that AEE decreased FXR and increased CYP7A1 in the liver, which might be the possible molecular mechanisms and targets of AEE for anti-hyperlipidemia therapies.

Purpose. A specific and efficacious method for treatment of pneumonia-derived sepsis is lacking. Chengqi decoction has been used for treatment of pneumonia-derived sepsis, but a clinical trial on patients with pneumonia-derived sepsis is lacking, a gap in the literature that we sought to fill. Patients and Methods. 282 patients with pneumonia-derived sepsis admitted to the intensive care unit of our hospital were selected. They were divided into the treatment group (141 cases) and control group (141 cases). Both groups underwent conventional treatment, but Chengqi decoction (in the form of enema) was given to the treatment group. Mortality, morbidity (abdominal distension and gastrointestinal bleeding), duration of antibiotic use, and use of vasoactive agents were documented 28 days after the drug was used. Results. The treatment group reduced mortality and morbidity (abdominal distension) ( P < 0.05 ). After adjustment for significant covariates, 28-day survival was similar for the whole group (hazard ratio (HR): 0.48; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.23–0.97; P = 0.037 ), for the subgroup (n = 120) with Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score ≥25 (HR: 0.180; 95% CI: 0.032–0.332; P = 0.039 ) and for the subgroup (n = 66) with N-terminal B-type natriuretic peptide

Methamphetamine (METH) is a major psychostimulant drug of abuse worldwide, and its neurotoxicity has been studied extensively. In addition to neurotoxicity, METH can also induce hepatotoxicity. The underlying mechanism of intestinal microorganisms in METH-induced hepatotoxicity remains unclear. In this study, mice have received antibiotics intragastrically or PBS once each day for 1 week, followed by METH or saline. The antibiotics attenuated METH-induced hepatotoxicity as evidenced by histopathological observation and biochemical analysis; furthermore, they alleviated METH-induced oxidative stress. The effect of antibiotics on METH-induced hepatotoxicity was investigated using RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq). The RNA-seq results demonstrated that antibiotics could regulate 580 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), of which 319 were upregulated after METH treatment and then downregulated with antibiotic pretreatment and 237 were first downregulated after METH administration and then upregulated after antibiotic pretreatment, in addition to 11 upregulated and 13 downregulated ones simultaneously in METH and antibiotic-pretreated groups. RNA-seq analyses revealed that TLR4 is one of the hub genes. Western blot analysis indicated that antibiotics inhibited the increase of TLR4, MyD88 and Traf6 induced by METH. This research suggests that antibiotics may play an important role in preventing METH-induced liver injury by regulating oxidative stress and TLR4/MyD88/Traf6 axis, though further investigation is required.

BackgroundBorder malaria remain as one of the greatest challenges facing elimination in China. Malaria control interventions among migrant population across border relies on personal protection from mosquito bites. Understanding the knowledge of the link between mosquitoes and malaria will inform malaria control and elimination programmes on those targeted risk population.MethodsFrom March 2018 to September 2019, 108 migrant workers from Vietnam were enrolled conducted in Ning Ming County in Guangxi. Each people were interviewed using the structured questionnaires. Blood samples were collected and sent to the PCR detection and sequenced.ResultsMalaria knowledge was poor with 19.4% on transmission, 23.2% on clinical symptoms, 7.4% on awareness of the risk of death, and 14.8% on awareness of prevention methods. No significant difference was found among occupations except for migrant workers, whose knowledge rate were higher than other occupations. Most of the participants (80.6%) had mosquito nets and 73.2% of them had 2 persons who were under the bed net at night. The usage rate of bed-nets accounted for over 49.1%. For parasitological study, 5.6% (n = 6) of all participants infected tested positive for malaria, and no statistically significant differences in the positive rate among different age, sex, family size, nationality, occupation and different behaviors.ConclusionThe health education focus on the high risk population such as migrant workers and forest goers should be strengthened. Therefore, health education based on verbal communication such as web, radio, and mobile phone may be required under the COVID-19 pandemic situation. Further risk assessment of importation and proactive case detection should also be carried out, not only in Ningming County, but also in other border counties in Guangxi, which aimed to timely detect the patients, as well as the asymptomatic infections that could cause the re-establishment of malaria.

Background This study aims to investigate the clinical significance and prognostic value of mucinous component (MC) in colorectal adenocarcinoma (AC). Methods Patients with colorectal AC and AC with MC (ACMC) (1–100%) underwent surgical resection between January 2007 and February 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed according to a 1:1 ratio. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to identify the optimal cut-off value of MC ratio for prognostic prediction. The clinicopathological features and 3-year overall survival (OS) of AC patients, mucinous adenocarcinoma (MAC) (MC > 50%) patients, and ACMC (1–50%) patients were compared before and after matching. Multivariable analysis was used for analyzing independent risk factors related to prognosis. Results A total of 532 patients were enrolled in this study. Patients with AC, MAC, and ACMC (1–50%) exhibited different clinicopathological features. However, their 3-year OS rates were similar (82.00% vs. 74.11% vs. 81.48%, P = 0.38). After matching, ROC curve determined 70% as the optimal cut-off value. And patients with ACMC > 70% had a much poorer 3-year OS compared with ACMC (1–70%) patients and AC patients (47.37% vs. 86.15% vs. 79.76%, P 70% was revealed as a risk factor for poor survival in univariate analysis (HR = 1.643, 95%CI = 1.025–2.635, P = 0.039), though not an independent risk factor in multivariable analysis (HR = 1.550, 95%CI = 0.958–2.507, P = 0.074). Conclusions MAC is usually diagnosed at an advanced stage. MAC has a similar survival with AC and ACMC (1–50%) patients before and after matching. Patients with ACMC > 70% exhibited a much poorer OS, and should be given more clinical attention.

A vancomycin (Van) modification strategy on a porphyrinic metal-organic framework (MOF) PCN-224 is presented. The obtained Van-PCN-224 gives the combined advantages of porphyrinic MOF and Van with high photosensitive activity and excellent targeted antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. The features make Van-PCN-224 promising for antimicrobial therapy.

L-theanine (LTh), a unique nonproteinic amino acid of tea, is known to possess beneficial effects on diet-induced obesity. This study aimed to evaluate whether orally administrated LTh could improve the adaptive thermogenesis of high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mice through regulating the composition of gut microbiota. Mice were fed control diet or a HFD with or without LTh for 12 weeks. Oral LTh administration ameliorated adiposity and hepatic steatosis in HFD mice. LTh increased the metabolic activities of brown fat and subcutaneous white fat by enhancing the expression of a series of thermogenic genes. More importantly, LTh improved the intestinal dysbiosis by decreasing the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes, along with increases in the fecal short chain fatty acids concentrations. In conclusion, LTh ameliorates metabolic features of obesity by promoting fat browning and improving gut microbiota composition in HFD mice, which may be a mechanism of LTh-induced beneficial metabolic health.

Abuse of methamphetamine (METH), an illicit psychostimulant, is a growing public health issue. METH abuse during pregnancy is on the rise due to its stimulant, anorectic, and hallucinogenic properties. METH can lead to multiple organ toxicity in adults, including neurotoxicity, cardiovascular toxicity, and hepatotoxicity. It can also cross the placental barrier and have long-lasting effects on the fetus. This review summarizes neurotoxicity, cardiovascular toxicity, hepatotoxicity, toxicity in other organs, and biomonitoring of prenatal METH exposure, as well as the possible emergence of sensitization associated with METH. We proposed the importance of gut microbiota in studying prenatal METH exposure. There is rising evidence of the adverse effects of METH exposure during pregnancy, which are of significant concern.

Neuropathic pain (NeuP) is an important clinical problem accompanying negative mood symptoms. Neuroinflammation in the amygdala is critically involved in NeuP, and the dopamine (DA) system acts as an important endogenous anti-inflammatory pathway. Electroacupuncture (EA) can improve the clinical outcomes in NeuP, but the underlying mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. This study was designed to assess the effectiveness of EA on pain and pain-related depressive-like and anxiety-like behaviors and explore the role of the DA system in the effects of EA. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to the chronic constrictive injury (CCI) model to induce NeuP. EA treatment was carried out for 30 min once every other day for 3 weeks. The results showed that CCI caused mechanical hyperalgesia and depressive and anxiety-like behaviors in rats and neuroinflammation in the amygdala, such as an increased protein level of TNFα and IL-1β and activation of astrocytes. EA treatment significantly improved mechanical allodynia and the emotional dysfunction induced by CCI. The effects of EA were accompanied by markedly decreased expression of TNFα, IL-1β, and glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP) in the amygdala. Moreover, EA treatment reversed CCI-induced down-regulation of DA concentration, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) expression, and DRD1 and DRD2 receptors. These results suggest that EA-ameliorated NeuP may possibly be associated with the DA system to inhibit the neuroinflammation in the amygdala.

Introduction: For decades, Aeromonas daca has often been mistaken for Aeromonas hydrophila by phenotypic identification systems and shows obvious characteristics of virulence. To our knowledge, a total of two English-language studies with relatively complete data were retrieved.Case presentation: The patient, a 26-year-old male with no underlying disease, was admitted to our hospital for 3 days because of cough, expectoration and shortness of breath. According to blood and lavage fluid cultures and next-generation sequencing (NGS), the patient was diagnosed with an A. daca infection. He soon deteriorated to a critical condition complicated with septic shock and died after active rescue treatment.Conclusions: A. daca infection is lethal, and an accurate taxonomy can improve our understanding of the epidemiological distribution and virulence potential of this human pathogen. Third-generation cephalosporins and carbapenems should be used cautiously in the treatment of severe A. daca infection, and the best regimen is cefepime or fluoroquinolones.

New analogues of antitubercular drug Delamanid were prepared, seeking drug candidates with enhanced aqueous solubility and high efficacy. The strategy involved replacement of phenoxy linker proximal to the 2-nitroimidazooxazole of Delamanid by piperidine fused 5 or 6-membered ring heterocycles (ring A). The new compounds were all more hydrophilic than Delamanid, and several class of analogues showed remarkable activities against M. bovis. And among these series, the tetrahydro-naphthyridine-linked nitroimidazoles displayed excellent antimycobacterial activity against both replicating (MABA) and nonreplicating (LORA) M. tb H37Rv and low cytotoxicity. Compared to Delamanid, these new compounds (6, 7, 45) demonstrated dramatically improved physicochemical properties and are suitable for further in vitro and in vivo evaluation.