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Background: Balance performance is considered as an indicator of functional status in the elderly, a large scale population screening and evaluation in the community context followed by proper interventions would be of great significance at public health level. However, there has been no suitable balance testing scale available for large scale studies in the unique community context of urban China. Methods: A balance scale named X16 balance testing scale was developed, which was composed of 3 domains and 16 items. A total of 1985 functionally independent and active community-dwelling elderly adults' balance abilities were tested using the X16 scale. The internal consistency, split-half reliability, content validity, construct validity, discriminant validity of X16 balance testing scale were evaluated. Results: Factor analysis was performed to identify alternative factor structure. The Eigenvalues of factors 1, 2, and 3 were 8.53, 1.79, and 1.21, respectively, and their cumulative contribution to the total variance reached 72.0%. These 3 factors mainly represented domains static balance, postural stability, and dynamic balance. The Cronbach alpha coefficient for the scale was 0.933. The Spearman correlation coefficients between items and its corresponding domains were ranged from 0.538 to 0.964. The correlation coefficients between each item and its corresponding domain were higher than the coefficients between this item and other domains. With the increase of age, the scores of balance performance, domains static balance, postural stability, and dynamic balance in the elderly declined gradually (P < 0.001). With the increase of age, the proportion of the elderly with intact balance performance decreased gradually (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The reliability and validity of the X16 balance testing scale is both adequate and acceptable. Due to its simple and quick use features, it is practical to be used repeatedly and routinely especially in community setting and on large scale screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the author explores the effectiveness of acupuncture in stroke rehabilitation. He tackles the limitations of a study that shows the lack of a positive effect of acupuncture in stroke rehabilitation. He contends that it is premature to refute the influence of acupuncture in the treatment of stroke rehabilitation, stressing the significance of rigorously designed, multicentre randomized trials to assess further the effects of acupuncture on stroke rehabilitation.

Endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndoMT) is a complex biological process in which endothelial cells are transformed into mesenchymal cells, and dysregulated EndoMT causes a variety of pathological processes. Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-ß) signaling effectively induces the EndoMT process in endothelial cells, and Smad2 is the critical protein of the TGF-ß signaling pathway. However, whether small ubiquitin-like modifier modification (SUMOylation) is involved in EndoMT remains unclear. Here, we show that Smad2 is predominantly modified by SUMO1 at two major SUMOylation sites with PIAS2a as the primary E3 ligase, whereas SENP1 (sentrin/SUMO-specific protease 1) mediates the deSUMOylation of Smad2. In addition, we identified that SUMOylation significantly enhances the transcriptional activity and protein stability of Smad2, regulating the expression of downstream target genes. SUMOylation increases the phosphorylation of Smad2 and the formation of the Smad2-Smad4 complex, thus promoting the nuclear translocation of Smad2. Ultimately, the wildtype, but not SUMOylation site mutant Smad2 facilitated the EndoMT process. More importantly, TGF-ß enhances the nuclear translocation of Smad2 by enhancing its SUMOylation and promoting the EndoMT process. These results demonstrate that SUMOylation of Smad2 plays a critical role in the TGF-ß-mediated EndoMT process, providing a new theoretical basis for the treatment and potential drug targets of EndoMT-related clinical diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The histone deacetylase HDAC3 is associated with the NCoR/SMRT co-repressor complex, and its canonical function is in transcriptional repression, but it can also activate transcription. Here, we show that the repressor and activator functions of HDAC3 can be genetically separated in Drosophila. A lysine substitution in the N terminus (K26A) disrupts its catalytic activity and activator function, whereas a combination of substitutions (HEBI) abrogating the interaction with SMRTER enhances repressor activity beyond wild type in the early embryo. We conclude that the crucial functions of HDAC3 in embryo development involve catalytic-dependent gene activation and non-enzymatic repression by several mechanisms, including tethering of loci to the nuclear periphery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A response by Lutfi Abu-Elheiga and colleagues to a letter to the editor about their article "Acetyl-CoA carboxylase 2 mutant mice are protected against fatty liver under high-fat, high-carbohydrate dietary and de novo lipogenic conditions" in the 2012 issue is presented.

In this study, we examined the existence of relationship between sleep quality and dementia in subjects aged 90 years and above. The sample included 216 men and 444 women. Dementia and sleep quality were measured with 30-item mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and the Pittsburgh sleep quality index, respectively. Subjects with dementia had higher sleep quality score (7.83 ± 2.15 vs. 5.22 ± 2.49; P < 0.0001), longer sleep latency (50.97 ± 21.33 vs. 37.61 ± 12.53; P < 0.0001), and a lower sleep efficiency percentage (73.95 ± 8.783 vs. 81.32 ± 10.21; P < 0.0001) and more likely to report poor sleep quality (25.42 vs.17.13 %; P = 0.035). Subjects with poor sleep quality had significantly lower MMSE scores ( P = 0.007) and higher prevalence of dementia ( P = 0.042). Multiple logistic regressions were performed by adjusting clinical factors that are thought to be associated with dementia or sleep quality. We found that poor sleep quality was a risk factor for dementia (unadjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.719, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.138-2.597; adjusted OR 1.759, 95 % CI 1.012-3.057). There was no significant difference in MMSE scores (11.25 ± 3.40, 16.26 ± 5.14, and 15.43 ± 5.51; P = 0.105) among participants with daily average sleep durations of <5, 5-9, and >9 h, respectively. Among Chinese nonagenarians and centenarians, dementia was correlated with poor sleep quality, longer sleep latency, and lower sleep efficiency percentage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high-order harmonic generation of the HD molecule is studied in non-Born-Oppenheimer approximation. It is found that there are only the odd harmonics in the harmonic spectrum of the HD molecule though the generation of even harmonics is possible in principle. Theoretical analysis [T. Kreibich et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 103901 (2001)] reveals that the nuclear dipole moment can contribute to the generation of the even harmonics, but the acceleration of the nucleus is about three orders of magnitude less than that of the electron. Hence, the even harmonics cannot be observed in the harmonic spectrum of the HD molecule [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sentrin/small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO)-specific pro-tease 2 (SENP2)-deficient mice develop spontaneous seizures in early life because of a marked reduction in M currents, which regulate neuronal membrane excitability. We have previously shown that hyper-SUMOylation of the Kv7.2 and Kv7.3 channels is critically involved in the regulation of the M currents conducted by these potassium voltage-gated channels. Here, we show that hyper-SUMOylation of the Kv7.2 and Kv7.3 proteins reduced binding to the lipid secondary messenger PIP2. CaM1 has been shown to be tethered to the Kv7 subunits via hydrophobic motifs in its C termini and implicated in the channel assembly. Mutation of the SUMOylation sites on Kv7.2 and Kv7.3 specifically resulted in decreased binding to CaM1 and enhanced CaM1-mediated assembly of Kv7.2 and Kv7.3, whereas hyper-SUMOylation of Kv7.2 and Kv7.3 inhibited channel assembly. SENP2-deficient mice exhibited increased acetylcholine levels in the brain and the heart tissue because of increases in the vagal tone induced by recurrent seizures. The SENP2-deficient mice develop seizures followed by a period of sinus pauses or atrioventricular conduction blocks. Chronic administration of the parasympathetic blocker atropine or unilateral vagotomy significantly prolonged the life of the SENP2-deficient mice. Furthermore, we showed that retigabine, an M-current opener, reduced the transcription of SUMO-activating enzyme SAE1 and inhibited SUMOylation of the Kv7.2 and Kv7.3 channels, and also prolonged the life of SENP2-deficient mice. Taken together, the previously demonstrated roles of PIP2, CaM1, and retigabine on the regulation of Kv7.2 and Kv7.3 channel function can be explained by their roles in regulating SUMOylation of this critical potassium channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: The protective effect of garlic against nonalcoholic fatty live r disease (NAFLD) has been reported in animal studies. However, in humans, the association between garlic consumption and NAFLD is unclear. The study sought to explore the association between habitual raw garlic i ntake and newly diagnosed NAFLD among Chinese adults. Methods: We performed a study of 11,326 men and 12,780 women aged 20-90 years. Habitual food intake was assessed using a validated and standardized 100-item food frequ ency questionnaire. Diagnosis of NAFLD was based on the liver ultrasonography and self-reported alcohol intake. Multiple logistic regression was used to evaluate the association of raw garlic intake with newly diagnosed NAFLD. Results: The prevalence of newly diagnosed NAFLD was 28.9% in men and 1 0.1% in women, respectively. In men, the fully adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of having N AFLD across increasing frequency of raw garlic intake were 1.00 (reference) for <1 time/week, 0.81 (0.73, 0.90) for 1-3 times/week, 0.66 (0.54, 0.80) for 4-6 times/week, and 0.71 (0.55, 0.90) for =7 times/week (P for trend <0.0001). The odds ratio for NAFLD associated with each 1 g of raw garlic/1000 kcal was 0.93 (0.90, 0.97) in men. In women, no significant association between raw garlic intake and NAFLD was identified. These associations between raw garlic inta ke and NAFLD were consistent in several sensitivity analyses. Conclusions: Frequent consumption of raw garlic is inversely associated wit h NAFLD in Chinese men. Further investigations are needed to confirm this finding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Hypoadiponectinemia contributes to the development of obesity and related disorders such as diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and cardiovascular diseases. In this study we investigated the effects of green tea polyphenols (GTPs) on adiponectin levels and fat deposits in high fat (HF) fed rats, the mechanism of signaling pathway was explored as well. Methods and Results: Male Wistar rats were fed with high-fat diet. GTPs (0.8, 1.6, 3.2 g/L) were administered via drinking water. Serum adiponectin and insulin were measured by ELISA, mRNA levels of adiponectin and PIP5KIγ in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) were determined by Real-time PCR, protein levels of PIP5KIγ, phospho (p) - PIP5KIγ, extracellular signal regulated kinase (erk) 1/2 and p-erk1/2 in VAT were determined by western blot. GTPs treatment attenuated the VAT accumulation, hypoadiponectinemia and the decreased mRNA level of adiponectin in VAT induced by HF. Decreased expression and increased phosphorylation of PIP5KIγ (the master regulator of adiponectin), and increased activation of erk1/2 were observed in HF group, and these effects could be alleviated by GTPs treatment. To explore the underlying mechanism, VAT was cultured in DMEM with high glucose to mimic the hyperglycemia condition in vitro. Similar to the results of in vivo study, decreased adiponectin levels, decreased expression and increased phosphorylation of PIP5KIγ, and elevated erk1/2 phosphorylation in cultured VAT were observed. These effects could be ameliorated by co-treatment with GTPs or PD98059 (a selective inhibitor of erk1/2). Conclusion: GTPs reduced fat deposit, ameliorated hypoadiponectinemia in HF-fed rats, and relieved high glucose-induced adiponectin decrease in VAT in vitro. The signaling pathway analysis indicated that PIP5KIγ regulation mediated via erk1/2 pathway was involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reduced renal function is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease mortality, and persistently elevated cardiac troponin T (cTnT) is frequently observed in patients with end-stage renal disease. In the general population the relationship between renal function and cTnT levels may not be clear because of the low sensitivity of the assay. In this study, we investigated the level of cTnT using a highly sensitive assay (hs-cTnT) and evaluated the association of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) with detectable hs-cTnT levels in a community-based population. Methods: The serum hs-cTnT levels were measured in 1365 community dwelling population aged ≥45 years in Beijing, China. eGFR was determined by the Chinese modifying modification of diet in renal disease (C-MDRD) equation. Results: With the highly sensitive assay, cTnT levels were detectable (≥3pg/mL) in 744 subjects (54.5%). The result showed that eGFR was associated with Log hs-cTnT (r =20.14, P<0.001). After adjustment for the high predicted Framingham Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) risk (10-year risk >20%) and other prognostic indicators, moderate to severe reduced eGFR was independently associated with detectable hs-cTnT, whereas normal to mildly reduced eGFR was not independently associated with detectable hs-cTnT. In addition, after adjustment for other risk factors, the high predicted Framingham CHD risk was associated with detectable hs-cTnT in the subjects with different quartile levels of eGFR. Conclusion: The levels of hs-cTnT are detectable in a community-based Chinese population and low eGFR is associated with detectable hs-cTnT. Moreover, eGFR and high predicted Framingham CHD risk are associated with detectable hs-cTnT in subjects with moderate-to-severe reduced renal function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A range of new iminoborylcomplexes of the type [LnMBNR), which are isoelectronic with α-alkynyl complexes [LnMCCR], was obtained by systematically varying the metal M, the coligands L, and the nitrogen bound substituent A. Selected examples include, for example, trans-[(Cy3P)2(Br)Pt(BNiBu)], which is characterized by a sterically less demanding N-R group or the unprecedented rhodium species cis,mer-[(Br)2(Me3P)3Rh(BNSiMe3)]. All compounds were fully characterized in solution by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy and, where appropriate, in the solid state by X-ray crystallography. Subsequent reactivity studies revealed that particularly the combination of smaller N-R groups with Pt-B linkages of increased stability opens up opportunities for novel reactivity patterns of this class of compounds. Within the scope of these study, we inter alia succeeded in synthesizing the unusual bridged boryl species 1,4-trans-[{(Cy3P)2(Br)Pt(B{NH/Bu}NH)}2C6H4] and a complex bearing both an acetylide ligand and an iminoboryl ligand, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The global health has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic persistently, of which Omicron is currently the predominant variant. However, the impact of vaccination on Omicron remained uncertain., Objective: This study sought to explore the effect of vaccination on patients infected with Omicron., Methods: A retrospective observational cohort was conducted in the largest Fangcang shelter hospital in Shanghai from April 1 to May 30, 2022. The demographics, length of hospital stay, clinical symptoms, the comorbidities and vaccination status were recorded. Clinical outcomes of the vaccinated and non-vaccinated groups were compared and analyzed., Results: Of the 3,119 patients who fulfilled the eligibility criteria and were enrolled in the study, 2,226 (71.4%) patients had received nCoV-19 vaccine while 893 (28.6%) patients had not received it before admission. Patients in the vaccinated group had significantly shorter length of hospital stay than those in the unvaccinated group (15.48 ± 2.708 vs. 15.85 ± 3.102, p < 0.001). More asymptomatic patients were observed in the vaccinated group than the non-vaccinated (70.4 vs. 64.5%, p < 0.001). Further subgroup analysis demonstrated that the older the age, the more significant the difference was ( p < 0.005)., Conclusions: Vaccination was associated with a significant reduction in the severity of Omicron infection compared with no vaccination. Vaccination appears to make Omicron-infected people with milder symptoms than unvaccinated people. This suggests the potential effectiveness of current vaccines against Omicron., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Yu, Fengzhao, Hongmei, Zeyuan, Yu, Yuhang, Rufei, Qingzhu, Xiaorong, Xia, Caiping, Zhi and Chunmei.)

Aims: To evaluate the role of four-dimensional (4D) ultrasound with B-flow imaging and spatiotemporal image correlation (STIC) in the evaluation of normal fetal heart and congenital heart disease during pregnancy., Methods: Volume data sets of the fetal heart were acquired with automated transverse and longitudinal sweeps of the anterior chest wall. We studied 31 normal fetuses and 28 fetuses with congenital heart disease (6 with double-outlet right ventricle, 5 with complete transposition of great arteries, 8 with tetralogy of Fallot, 3 with right aortic arch, 2 with persistent left superior vena cava, 3 with truncus arteriosus communis, and 1 with interruption of aortic arch) at gestation ages ranging from 18 to 39 weeks using transabdominal 4D B-flow sonography with STIC (4D BF-STIC)., Results: Four-dimensional BF-STIC demonstrated dynamic angiographic features in both normal and abnormal fetal hearts. Four-dimensional BF-STIC images could not be obtained in two normal fetuses at 18.9 and 35.6 weeks because of the high fetal heart rate and inappropriate fetal position. Of the other 29 fetuses all extracardiac vessels such as aorta, pulmonary artery, ductus arteriosus, inferior vena cava, and ductus venosus could be detected on reconstructed images. In seven normal cases, a 4D image was recorded to allow simultaneous visualization of all four pulmonary veins. In the 28 fetuses with cardiac anomalies, 4D sonography with B-flow imaging and STIC detected the "digital casts" of the outflow tracts, great arteries, and veins draining into the heart. These results demonstrate spatial relationship among these structures which provide important anatomical information., Conclusion: Four-dimensional BF-STIC provides a means of real time three-dimensional evaluation of fetal extracardiac hemodynamics in the second and third trimesters. This novel technique assists in the evaluation of fetal cardiac hemodynamics and may play an important role in future fetal cardiac research and in the identification of anatomical features of different congenital cardiac anomalies., (© 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)