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Background Circular RNA (circRNA) has been receiving increased attention in the research of atrial fibrillation (AF). Our study aims to find potential circRNAs and identify the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network in AF based on bioinformatics analysis. Methods GSE129409 was retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and we used R software to analyze the differentially expressed circRNAs (DECs). Subsequently, we used several bioinformatics methods to obtain the target miRNAs and the target genes. Next, we performed Gene Ontology (GO) classification and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis of the target genes. Then, we used Cytoscape 3.8.2 software to visualize and construct the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network, the protein–protein interaction (PPI) network, and the autophagy-related genes network. Results We identified a total of 21 DECs, including 6 upregulated DECs and 15 downregulated DECs. After further analysis, we obtained a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network consisting of 11 DECs, 9 target miRNAs and 410 target genes, and a PPI network. Finally, the potential novel genes of autophagy in AF were revealed by bioinformatics analysis. Conclusion This study could explore the potential role of circRNA, autophagy-related genes and construct the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulation network in AF., Graphical Abstract

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common forms of cardiac arrhythmia. Novel evidence has indicated that a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) mechanism may occur in AF. The present study aimed to identify differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) in AF and predict their targeting long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) to identify a potential ceRNA network involved in AF using bioinformatics analysis. The GSE68475 microarray dataset was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and differentially expressed miRNAs in AF were obtained. In addition, right atrial appendage (RAA) tissues from patients with AF were collected to determine the expression levels of the miRNAs identified following bioinformatics analysis using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (n=8 per group). Subsequently, Gene Ontology (GO) functional term and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) signaling pathway enrichment analyses of the target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs of interest were performed. The potential upstream lncRNAs targeting the identified miRNAs were predicted using bioinformatics analysis. A dual luciferase reporter assay was used to verify the existence of a targeted relationship between the differentially expressed miRNA and lncRNA of interest. The results identified 43 differentially expressed miRNAs, including 23 upregulated miRNAs. The trends in the expression levels of miR-223-3p were inconsistent between the microarray data and those recorded in the RAA tissues from patients with persistent AF. Therefore, miR-223-3p was selected as the miRNA of interest for further investigations. The target gene of miR-233-3p was found to be enriched in 57 GO terms and 21 KEGG signaling pathways. According to the bioinformatics prediction, 69 lncRNAs targeting miR-223-3p were identified, including the lncRNA growth arrest-specific transcript 5, lncRNA KCNQ1 opposite strand/antisense transcript 1 (KCNQ1OT1) and lncRNA MYC-induced long non-coding RNA. The results from dual luciferase assay confirmed that miR-223-3p was a direct target of KCNQ1OT1. A ceRNA regulatory relationship may exist between KCNQ1OT1 and miR-223-3p in AF, providing therefore a novel potential research target for further studies.

Purpose Many studies have reported the relationship between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and bone mineral density (BMD) among adults. However, fewer studies on this topic have been reported in adolescents. We thus conducted a meta-analysis to show the association between NAFLD and BMD in adolescents with obesity. Materials and methods Computer retrieval was carried out via PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception to September 2018. Six published case-control studies that assessed the relationship between NAFLD and BMD were included. Results The six studies included 217 obese adolescents with NAFLD and 236 controls. The meta-analysis indicated that obese children with NAFLD had a lower BMD and Z-score than the control group (weighted mean difference [WMD]-0.03, 95% CI [-0.05, -0.02], P=0.000; [WMD] -0.26, 95% CI [-0.37, -0.14], P=0.000). However, we analyzed the factor of bone mineral content, and there was no correlation between the two groups ([WMD]-55.99, 95% CI [-132.16, 20.18], P=0.150). Conclusion Obese children with NAFLD are more susceptible to osteoporosis than children with only obesity. Because of the limitations related to the quantity and quality of the included literature, further studies are still needed.

IntroductionRecently, enhanced activation of NLRP3 has been reported to be involved in atrial fibrillation (AF). This study aimed to detect the correlation between oxidative stress and NLRP3 and explore the role of miR-223-3p in the injury of ROS induced by Ang II.Material and methodsSerum Ang II levels were examined by ELISA kit. Fibrosis levels of right atrial appendages were determined by Masson’s staining. H9c2 cells tansfected with miR-223-3p mimics were treated with Ang II with or without MCC950 (a potent selective NLRP3 inhibitor). Cell viability was detected by CCK-8 assay. Protein abundance was detected by Western blot. MDA assay and DCFH-DA were used to measured oxidative stress. RT-qPCR was used to assay the expression of miR-223-3p and NLRP3.ResultsTotally, 43 patients enrolled in this study, including 20 patients with persistent (chronic) AF (cAF). Comparing with sinus rhythm (SR) group, we found an enhanced activation of NLRP3 inflammasome which were positively correlated with oxidative stress and serum Ang II level in cAF patients. Ang II induced ROS generation and inhibited the H9c2 cell viability. In addition, overexpression of miR-223-3p functioned as MCC950 which inhibited the expression of NLRP3 inflammasome and partly attenuated the effects of ROS induced by Ang II on H9c2 cell viability. Lastly, we used luciferase assay to confirm NLRP3 as a direct target gene of miR-223-3p.ConclusionsmiR-223-3p has protective effects on oxidative stress induced by Ang II in AF by targeting NLRP3 and could provide a new potential intervention targets for treatment of AF.

Background With increasing research on non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFLD) and acute myocardial infarction (AMI), many studies show a tight correlation between NAFLD and AMI, but the underlying pathophysiology is still not clear. This study was performed to identify the potential hub genes and pathways related to these 2 diseases by using the bioinformatics method. Material/Methods The Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset GSE63067 of NAFLD patients and normal controls was downloaded from the GEO database. The GSE60993 and GSE66360 datasets for AMI patients and healthy controls were also obtained. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of NAFLD and AMI datasets and the common genes between them were obtained. Further GO and KEGG enrichment analyses for common genes were performed. To define the pathogenesis associated with both NAFLD and AMI, a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed. Finally, SPSS software was utilized to analyze the diagnostic value of hub genes in the NAFLD and AMI datasets, respectively. Results Seventy-eight common genes were obtained in NAFLD and AMI with the threshold of P-value

BACKGROUND Osteoporosis is a metabolic osteopathy characterized by abnormal bone mass and microstructure that has become a public health problem worldwide. Cuscutae semen (CS) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that has a positive effect on the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. However, the mechanism of CS is unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to reveal the possible molecular mechanism involved in the effects of CS on osteoporosis based on a network pharmacology approach. MATERIAL AND METHODS The inactive and active ingredients of CS were identified by searching the pharmacology analysis platform of the Chinese medicine system (TCMSP), and the targets of osteoporosis were screened in the relevant databases, such as GeneCards, PubMed, and the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database (CTD). The network of "medicine-ingredients-disease-targets (M-I-D-T)" was established by means of network pharmacology, and the key targets and core pathways were determined by R analysis. Molecular docking methods were used to evaluate the binding activity between the target and the active ingredients of CS. RESULTS Eleven active ingredients were identified in CS, and 175 potential targets of the active ingredients were also identified from the TCMSP. Moreover, we revealed 22 539 targets related to osteoporosis in the 3 well-established databases, and we determined the intersection of the disease targets and the potential targets of the active ingredients; 107 common targets were identified and used in further analysis. Additionally, biological processes and signaling pathways involved in target action, such as fluid shear stress, atherosclerosis, cancer pathways, and the TNF signaling pathway, were determined. Finally, we chose the top 5 common targets, CCND1, EGFR, IL6, MAPK8, and VEGFA, for molecular docking with the 11 active ingredients of CS. CONCLUSIONS This study suggested that CS has multiple ingredients and multiple targets relevant to the treatment of osteoporosis. We determined that the active ingredient, sesamin, may be the most crucial ingredient of CS for the treatment of osteoporosis. Additionally, the network pharmacology method provided a novel research approach to analyze the function of complex ingredients.

Several studies have indicated that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs)-HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR) is involved in some cardiovascular diseases by regulating gene expression as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA). GJA1 encoding Cx43 is one potential target gene of microRNA-613 (miR-613). Meanwhile, there is a potential target regulatory relationship between HOTAIR and miR-613. The present study is aimed at investigating whether HOTAIR functions as a ceRNA to regulate the Cx43 expression in atrial fibrillation (AF) by sponging miR-613. The expressions of HOTAIR, miR-613, and Cx43 were detected in the right atrial appendages of 45 patients with heart valve disease, including 23 patients with chronic AF. The HOTAIR overexpressed and underexpressed HL-1 cell model were constructed to confirm the effect of HOTAIR on Cx43. Then, the Cx43 expression was detected to testify the interplay between HOTAIR and miR-613 after cotransfecting HOTAIR and miR-613. Furthermore, luciferase assays were performed to verify that HOTAIR could regulate Cx43 remolding as a ceRNA by sponging miR-613. The expression of HOTAIR and Cx43 was significantly downregulated in chronic AF group. HOTAIR regulated positively the Cx43 expression in HL-1 cells. The upregulated effect of HOTAIR on the Cx43 expression could be remarkably attenuated by miR-613. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of miR-613 on the Cx43 expression could be obviously mitigated by HOTAIR. At last, luciferase assays confirmed HOTAIR functioned as a ceRNA in the Cx43 expression by sponging miR-613. Our study suggests that HOTAIR, functioning as a ceRNA by sponging miR-613, is an important contributor to Cx43 remolding in AF.

Hongqing Li, Wenqin Guo, Weiran Dai, Lang Li Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guangxi Cardiovascular Institute, Nanning, Guangxi, China Background: The optimal dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) duration after second-generation drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation remains unclear. We aim to evaluate the efficacy and safety of short-term (≤6 months) and long-term (≥12 months) DAPT after second-generation DES implantation. Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were searched in PubMed, the Cochrane Library, the Embase and ClinicalTrials.gov in the English language. The endpoints included all-cause mortality, cardiac death, non-cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI), stent thrombosis (ST), stroke, all bleeding, and major bleeding. The effect estimate was expressed by using the hazard ratio (HR) with 95% CI and random effect models. Results: Seven RCTs with 13,571 patients were included in this study. In terms of survival endpoints, there was no significant difference in all-cause mortality (HR: 0.91; 95% CI: 0.71–1.17), cardiac death (HR: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.67–1.29), and non-cardiac death (HR: 0.89; 95% CI: 0.62–1.28) in the 2 groups. Moreover, there was no significant difference in ischemic outcomes, including MI (HR: 1.15; 95% CI: 0.91–1.45), ST (HR: 1.11; 95% CI: 0.75–1.66), and stroke (HR: 0.85; 95% CI: 0.53–1.35) in the 2 groups. In terms of bleeding endpoints, there was no significant difference in all bleeding (HR: 0.81; 95% CI: 0.64–1.04) and major bleeding (HR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.49–1.36) in the 2 groups. The subgroup analysis showed that the proportion of patients with acute coronary syndrome was not associated with the benefit of long-term versus short-term DAPT. Conclusion: Short-term DAPT is not inferior to long-term DAPT in patients implanted with second-generation DES. Keywords: dual antiplatelet therapy, second-generation drug-eluting stent implantation, meta-analysis

// Weiran Dai 1 , Ziliang Ye 1, 2 , Haili Lu 2 , Qiang Su 1 , Hui Li 3 and Lang Li 1 1 Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guangxi Cardiovascular Institute, Nanning, Guangxi, China 2 Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China 3 Department of Infectious Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China Correspondence to: Lang Li, email: drrlilang@126.com Keywords: IL-10-1082G/A; single nucleotide polymorphism; rheumatic heart disease; correlation; meta-analysis Received: July 10, 2017 Accepted: November 09, 2017 Published: January 03, 2018 ABSTRACT Background: The results showed that there was a certain correlation between the single nucleotide polymorphism of IL-10-1082G/A and rheumatic heart disease, but there was no systematic study to verify this conclusion. Aims: Systematic review of the association between single nucleotide polymorphism of IL-10-1082G/A locus and rheumatic heart disease. Materials and Methods: Computer retrieval PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane Library, CBM, CNKI, VIP and Data WanFang, the retrieval time limit from inception to June 2017. A case control study of single nucleotide polymorphisms and rheumatic heart disease in patients with rheumatic heart disease in the IL-10-1082G/A was collected. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted data and evaluated the risk of bias in the study, and using RevMan5.3 software for data analysis. Results: A total of 3 case control studies were included, including 318 patients with rheumatic heart disease and 502 controls. Meta-analysis showed that there was no correlation between IL-10-1082G/A gene polymorphism and rheumatic heart disease [AA+AG VS GG: OR = 0.62, 95% CI (0.28, 1.39), P = 0.25; AA VS AG+GG: OR = 0.73, 95% CI (0.54, 1.00), P = 0.05; AA VS GG: OR = 0.70, 95% CI(0.47, 1.05), P = 0.08; AG VS GG: OR = 0.65, 95% CI (0.22, 1.92), P = 0.43; A VS G: OR = 0.87, 95% CI (0.71, 1.06), P = 0.17]. Conclusions: When AA is a recessive gene, the single nucleotide polymorphism of IL-10-1082G/A is associated with the presence of rheumatic heart disease. Due to the limitations of the quantity and quality of the included literatures, the further research results were still needed.

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is a common subtype of thyroid carcinoma with a rising incidence rate. The purpose of this study was to provide a better understanding of age and PTC using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program.The study derived patients' information from the SEER Program (2010-2015). Chi-square or Fisher exact tests, and Kaplan-Meier method were used to analyze survival. Prognostic factors associated with survival were analyzed by Cox multivariate regression.A total of 1738 records were included from SEER, with 1079 PTC in the age group55 years, and 659 PTC in the age group ≥55 years. The 5-year survival rate was 94% and the overall survival (OS) curve in different age groups indicated that patients younger than 55yr have a longer survival time (P0.05). In multivariate Cox regression, age, M stage and surgery treatment were independent risk factors (P0.05). Regarding PTC-specific survival, age and surgery treatment were the two main independent prognostic factors in multivariate regression. However, AJCC and M stage were not in the disease specific survival.Age is a prognostic factor in OS and PCT specific survival. AJCC I stage and surgery treatment are also significant in predicting prognosis.

Purpose Many studies have reported the relationship between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and bone mineral density (BMD) among adults. However, fewer studies on this topic have been reported in adolescents. We thus conducted a meta-analysis to show the association between NAFLD and BMD in adolescents with obesity. Materials and methods Computer retrieval was carried out via PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from inception to September 2018. Six published case–control studies that assessed the relationship between NAFLD and BMD were included. Results The six studies included 217 obese adolescents with NAFLD and 236 controls. The meta-analysis indicated that obese children with NAFLD had a lower BMD and Z-score than the control group (weighted mean difference [WMD]–0.03, 95% CI [−0.05, –0.02], P=0.000; [WMD] −0.26, 95% CI [−0.37, −0.14], P=0.000). However, we analyzed the factor of bone mineral content, and there was no correlation between the two groups ([WMD]–55.99, 95% CI [−132.16, 20.18], P=0.150). Conclusion Obese children with NAFLD are more susceptible to osteoporosis than children with only obesity. Because of the limitations related to the quantity and quality of the included literature, further studies are still needed.

Wen-Qin Guo, Lang Li, Qiang Su, Yu-Han Sun, Xian-Tao Wang, Wei-Ran Dai, Hong-Qing Li Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China Introduction: The optimal revascularization strategy for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and multivessel disease is unclear. In this study, we performed a meta-analysis to determine the optimal revascularization strategy for treating these patients.Methods: Searches of PubMed, the Cochrane Library, clinicaltrial.gov, and the reference lists of relevant papers were performed covering the period between the year 2000 and March 20, 2017. A pairwise analysis and a Bayesian network meta-analysis were performed to compare the effectiveness of early complete revascularization (CR) during the index hospitalization, delayed CR, and culprit only revascularization (COR). The primary endpoint was the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), which were defined as the composite of recurrent myocardial infarction (MI), repeat revascularization, and all-cause mortality. The secondary endpoints were the rates of all-cause mortality, recurrent MI, and repeat revascularization. This study is registered at PROSPERO under registration number CRD42017059980.Results: Eleven randomized controlled trials including a total of 3,170 patients were identified. A pairwise meta-analysis showed that compared with COR, early CR was associated with significantly decreased risks of MACE (relative risk [RR] 0.47, 95% CI 0.39–0.56), MI (RR 0.55, 95% CI 0.37–0.83), and repeat revascularization (RR 0.35, 95% CI 0.27–0.46) but not of all-cause mortality (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.52–1.16). These results were confirmed by trial sequential analysis. The network meta-analysis showed that early CR had the highest probability of being the first treatment option during MACE (89.2%), MI (83.3%), and repeat revascularization (80.4%).Conclusion: Early CR during the index hospitalization was markedly superior to COR with respect to reducing the risk of MACE, as CR significantly decreased the risks of MI and repeat revascularization compared with COR. However, further study is warranted to determine whether CR during the index hospitalization can improve survival in patients with concurrent ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and multivessel disease. The optimal timing of CR remains inconclusive considering the small number of studies and patients included in the analysis comparing early and delayed CR. Keywords: ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, multivessel disease, percutaneous coronary intervention, meta-analysis, trial sequential analysis

Weiran Dai, Ziliang Ye, Lang Li, Qiang Su Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guangxi Cardiovascular Institute, Nanning, Guangxi, China Background: Previous studies have shown that ticagrelor is more effective than clopidogrel in platelet inhibition. However, this conclusion remains controversial. Therefore, we performed this meta-analysis to assess the effect of preoperative loading dose ticagrelor and clopidogrel on no-reflow (NRF) during intervention in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI). Materials and methods: Randomized controlled trials and observational studies were reviewed. The retrieval time was limited from inception to October 1, 2017. The retrieved databases included PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CBM, CNKI, the VIP database, and the Wang Fang database. RevMan 5.3 software was used for data analysis. Results: Fourteen randomized controlled trials and one observational study, including 4,162 patients, were included. In these articles, 1,521 patients were in the ticagrelor group (180 mg) and 2,641 patients were in the clopidogrel group (600 mg). The meta-analysis showed that compared with clopidogrel group, preoperative loading dose ticagrelor: 1) significantly reduced the incidence of NRF during PPCI (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.15, 0.39, P

Background Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is an important disease threatening human life and health. Many studies have shown that the loading dose of atorvastatin can significantly improve the prognosis of patients with ACS, and reduce the mortality. However, this conclusion is not consistent. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the effect of high-dose rosuvastatin loading before percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in Chinese patients with ACS using a meta-analysis based on a systematic review of published articles. Methods We systematically reviewed published studies, evaluating the effect of high-dose rosuvastatin loading before percutaneous coronary intervention in Chinese patients with ACS. The retrieval time is limited from inception to 2 November 2016, and the retrieved databases included PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CBM, CNKI, the VIP database and the Wang Fang database. Two researchers independently assessed the quality of the included studies and then extracted the data. Stata 11.0 was used for data analysis. Results In total, 11 articles, which included 802 patients, were included in our meta-analysis. Among these patients, 398 patients were in the high-dose group (20 mg/day) and 404 patients were in the conventional dose group (10 mg/day). Meta-analysis results showed that compared with the conventional dose group: 1) The loading dose of rosuvastatin can significantly reduce the hs-CRP level after PCI, including at 24 hours (SMD = -0.65, 95%CI -0.84 ~ -0.47, P = 0.000), 48 hours (SMD = -0.40, 95%CI -0.68 ~ -0.11, P = 0.006), and four weeks (SMD = -1.64, 95%CI -2.01 ~ -1.26, P = 0.000). 2) The loading dose of rosuvastatin can significantly reduce the levels of LDL-C and cTnT, including the level of LDL-C at 30 d after PCI (SMD = -0.89, 95%CI -1.10 ~ -0.69, P = 0.000), and the level of cTnT at 24 h after PCI (SMD = -1.93, 95%CI -2.28 ~ -1.59, P = 0.000), and increase the level of HDL-C at 48 h after PCI (SMD = 0.61, 95%CI 0.34 ~ 0.88, P = 0.000). 3) The loading dose of rosuvastatin can significantly reduce the levels of TG and TC, including the level of TG at 30 d after PCI (SMD = -0.94, 95%CI -1.17 ~ -0.71, P = 0.000), the level of TC at 48 h after PCI (SMD = -0.35, 95%CI -0.68 ~ -0.01, P = 0.043), and the level of TC at 30 d after PCI (SMD = -0.77, 95%CI -0.98 ~ -0.56, P = 0.000). Conclusions Our systematic review and meta-analysis showed that, compared with the conventional dose, the loading dose of rosuvastatin was more beneficial to patients with ACS in China and is suitable for clinical application. Due to the limitations of the quality and quantity of included articles, this conclusion still needs to be confirmed by multicenter clinical trials.

Background: At present, there are a lot of research about the effect of Alprostadil on preventing contrast-induced nephropathy for percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in diabetic patients, but the clinical efficacy is not consistent, so we conduct this study and therefore determine the dominant strategy for the treatment of PCI in diabetic patients based on the best evidence currently. Methods: An electronic database search was conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane library, CBM, CNKI, VIP, and WanFang to retrieve randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing Alprostadil versus hydration on preventing CIN for PCI in diabetic patients. Reference lists of relevant articles were also screened manually to retrieve additional ones. Two investigators independently assessed the eligibility of retrieved articles using predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. All characteristics as well as outcome variables including incidence of CIN, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), cystatin C (CysC), glomerular filtration rate (GFR), serum creatinine (Scr), serum beta 2-microspheres (β2-MG) presented in each included study were extracted. Heterogeneity was thought to be significant when I2 > 50%. All of the meta-analytic procedures were performed by using Review Manager software, version 5.3. Results: Finally, data from 8 articles including 969 patients were included into this meta-analysis, among them, 487 patients in the experience group, and 482 patients in the control group. Meta analysis showed that the incidence of CIN in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group (OR = 0.28,95%CI[0.18,0.42]). The incidence of adverse reactions in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group (OR = 0.46,95%CI[0.24,0.85]). The BUN of 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours in the experimental group were significantly lower than that of control group (MD = –0.77, 95%CI [−1.22, –0.32]; MD = –1.38, 95%CI [−1.83,–0.92]; MD = –2.43, 95%CI [−2.68,–2.19], respectively). The CysC of 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours in the experimental group were significantly lower than that of control group (MD = –0.30, 95%CI [−0.40, –0.21]; MD = –0.54, 95%CI [−0.68,–0.41]; MD = –0.49, 95%CI [−0.63, –0.35], respectively). The GFR of 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours in the experimental group were significantly higher than that of control group (MD = 7.86, 95%CI [4.44, 11.29], MD = 18.23, 95%CI [13.76,22.69], MD = 12.81, 95%CI [8.51,17.11], respectively). The Scr of 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours in the experimental group were significantly lower than that of control group (MD = –9.09, 95%CI [−12.67, –5.51], MD = –19.14, 95%CI [−23.61, –14.66], MD = –6.50, 95%CI [−8.29, –4.71], respectively). The β2-MG of 24 hours, 48 hours, and 72 hours in the experimental group were significantly lower than that of control group (MD = –0.12, 95%CI [−0.27, 0.03], MD = –0.55, 95%CI [−0.71, –0.39], MD = –0.50, 95%CI [−0.60, –0.39], respectively). Conclusion: Our result suggested that comparing with conventional Hydration, Alprostadil can significantly reduce the incidence of CIN, adverse reaction, and protect renal function in PCI in diabetic patients. Due to the limitations of the quality and quantity of the articles, this conclusion still needs further research to confirm.

Background Previous meta-analyses evaluating the effectiveness of individual dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors on the risk of heart failure (HF) were limited because of the small number of trials with direct comparisons between two treatments. Methods A Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed to investigate the relationship between DPP-4 inhibitors and the risk of HF in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus. The primary outcome was the occurrence of HF or hospital admission for HF. Results Fifty randomized controlled trials were identified. Relative to placebo, no increased risk of HF events was seen for vildagliptin (risk ratio [RR] 0.71; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.25–1.68), sitagliptin (RR 0.86; CI 0.43–1.57), or saxagliptin (RR 0.84; 95% CI 0.33–1.61), but alogliptin was associated with a higher risk of HF (RR 2.13; 95% CI 1.06–6.26). Vildagliptin and sitagliptin were associated with a significantly decreased risk of HF compared with alogliptin. Vildagliptin had the highest probability to be the safest option with regard to the risk of HF (49.18%), followed by saxagliptin (26.56%), sitagliptin (20.76%), linagliptin (0.25%), and alogliptin (0.12%). A statistically significant inconsistency was noted in some comparisons. Conclusions The risk of HF needs to be taken into account when prescribing DPP-4 inhibitors. Evidence suggests that vildagliptin may be the least harmful agent with regard to the risk of HF. However, a statistically significant inconsistency was identified in the Bayesian network meta-analysis. Therefore, further studies are warranted to evaluate the cardiovascular safety of DPP-4 inhibitors.

In recent years, manufactures of adjustable speed drive (ASD) make effort to reduce the acoustic noise emitted by electric motors. Traditionally, LC passive filters can be employed to mitigate the pulse-width modulation (PWM) generated current harmonics in the audible noise range. However, the bulky passive filters contribute to additional volume and cannot effectively eliminate harmonics at low switching frequency. In this paper, an active output filter (AOF) is proposed to replace passive filters to achieve higher power density and lower acoustic noise. The proposed AOF can be envisioned as a power semiconductor filter block and is implemented by the harmonic injection strategy, which can compensate voltage/current harmonics at the arbitrary frequency. Advanced wide-band gap devices can be employed in AOF to achieve low power loss and high switching frequency. Experimental results from a 2/3 horsepower ASD prototype verifies the advantages of the proposed AOF.

Cuttings of Populus kangdingensis and P. cathayana originating from high and low altitudes in south-west China, respectively, were used to determine the effect of drought and enhanced UV-B radiation and their combination on plant growth and physiological traits in a greenhouse during one growing season. In both species, cuttings grown under drought conditions exhibited reduced growth and more abscisic acid (ABA) accumulation than did plants kept under well-watered conditions. Enhanced UV-B radiation significantly reduced plant growth and influenced ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activity, proline concentration, the amount of UV-B absorbing compounds and carbon isotope composition (delta C-13) in both species, while it hardly affected ABA accumulation. However, partial differences in responses to each stress were observed between the two species. In P. cathayana, the additive effect of both stresses on plant height and leaf area was observed, and drought significantly increased the free proline concentration. In contrast, distinctly higher APX activity, and ABA and delta C-13 levels were observed in P. kangdingensis when compared to P. cathayana. Moreover, an increase in the amount of UV-B absorbing compounds was detected in P. kangdingensis both after the treatment with UVB alone as well as after its application to drought-stressed plants. In P. cathayana, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity showed a significant increase under enhanced UV-B, while a pronounced increase in the amount of UV-B absorbing compounds was observed only under the combination of the two stresses. Our results suggest that P. kangdingensis, originating from high altitude and being apparently adapted to drought and high levels of UV-B, exhibits greater tolerance to drought and enhanced UV-B radiation than does P. cathayana originating from lower altitude. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

BACKGROUND With the continuous development of cardiac interventional medicine, the incidence of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is increasing every year, which is a serious threat to people's physical and mental health. Trimetazidine (TMZ) is a type of anti-ischemic drug developed in recent years, which can significantly reduce the incidence of CIN. At present, a systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the clinical effect of TMZ on prevention of CIN in patients with renal insufficiency. However, the study did not include patients from other countries and speaking different languages. So we conducted this study to update the previous meta-analysis that investigated the effects of TMZ on prevention of CIN in patients with renal insufficiency, and provided some theoretical reference for clinical. METHODS By searching PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CBM, CNKI, VIP database, and Wang Fang database for randomized controlled trial, which is comparing TMZ versus conventional hydration for prevention of CIN. Two researchers independently screened literature, and then evaluated the quality of literature and extracted the relevant data. Stata 11.0 software was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS Finally, this updated review showed that 3 studies that were not included in the previous meta-analysis were included in our study (3 articles were published in the Chinese Journal, 1 study for CIN, 1 study for CIN, serum creatinine (Scr), and superoxide dismutase, 1 study for CIN and Scr), and 1 outcome (Scr) reflecting the change of renal function was additionally included in our study. Of the 932 studies, 6 randomized controlled trials met the criteria, including 377 patients in TMZ group and 387 patients in control group. This meta-analysis for all studies showed that TMZ can significantly reduce the incidence of CIN (relative risk 0.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.16, 0.46, P = 0.000), and can decrease the level of Scr after operation, including Scr of postoperative 24 hours (standardized mean difference [SMD] -0.30, 95% CI -0.51, -0.09, P = 0.005), Scr of postoperative 48 hours (SMD -0.66, 95% CI -1.23, -0.10, P = 0.022), and Scr of postoperative 7 days (SMD -0.74, 95% CI -1.36, -0.11, P = 0.021). However, the Scr of postoperative 72 hours between TMZ group and control group has no statistical significance (P = 0.362). CONCLUSION Our study showed that when comparing with conventional hydration, TMZ can significantly reduce the incidence of CIN and the level of postoperative Scr. Therefore, we could suggest that TMZ was superior to conventional hydration for the treatment of CIN in patients with renal insufficiency. However, due to the restriction of quality and number of included articles, it still needs to carry out multicenter, randomized, double-blind clinical trials to confirm this conclusion in the future.