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Air pollution (PM2.5) has been associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) globally and with early atherosclerosis surrogate markers in modernized China. A sizeable number of Chinese have migrated overseas, with an increase in their vulnerability to CVD. To evaluate the impact of PM2.5 air pollution on atherogenesis in native vs. overseas Chinese, we recruited 756 asymptomatic native Chinese and 507 age- and gender-matched overseas Chinese from Sydney and San Francisco. Their cardiovascular profiles were evaluated. PM2.5 was derived from remote sensing technology; atherosclerosis surrogate markers, flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) were measured by ultrasound. The native Chinese had a higher proportion of smokers as well as higher blood pressure, glucose, metabolic syndrome and PM2.5 exposure (p < 0.001), but lower lipids and folate than the overseas Chinese (p < 0.0001). Carotid IMT was lower in the native Chinese (p < 0.0001), but the other vascular parameters were similar. A multivariate regression revealed that FMD in the native Chinese was related to the male gender, age and location; in the overseas Chinese, it was related to age, but not to PM2.5. Carotid IMT in the native Chinese was related to PM2.5, independent of atherosclerotic risk factors and location (R2 = 0.384, F = 34.5, p < 0.0001) whereas in the overseas Chinese, IMT was related to the male gender and age, but not to PM2.5 or overseas location (R2 = 0.282, F = 19.7, p < 0.0001). PM2.5 had a greater impact on atherogenesis in the native Chinese, independent of traditional risk factors, with implications for preventive strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has become a global public health emergency. Objective. To evaluate the characteristics and outcomes of patients with COVID-19 in Anhui and to identify predictors of viral clearance. Methods. We retrospectively analyzed the data collected from discharged patients with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infections. We compared clinical features between viral clearance and viral persistence, and evaluated factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 shedding using multiple linear regression. Results. Among the 83 patients involved in the study, the median age was 43 years, while 60.2% were male, 35.4% had comorbidities, and the mortality was zero. The median time from illness onset to admission was 5 days (interquartile range (IQR), 2-7 days), and the median time from the illness onset to SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection was 16 days (IQR, 13-18 days). The factors influencing viral clearance were as follows: (1) delayed admission (beta 1.057, 95% CI 0.810-1.304; p ≤ 0.001) and (2) underlying comorbidities (beta 1.907, 95% CI 0.198-3.616; p = 0.029). No significant differences were observed in the length of stay (p = 0.246) and pneumonia between asymptomatic and symptomatic patients based on computed tomography (CT) (p = 0.124). Conclusions. Delayed admission and underlying comorbidities may effectively predict SARS-CoV-2 RNA clearance. For those infected with SARS-CoV-2, even asymptomatic patients without any clinical symptoms should be traced and isolated. This practice may reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and slow the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the virus. Clinical Trial Registration Number: This trial is registered with 2020-051. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have drawn growing attention because of the role which they play in various diseases, including colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the potential functions of lncRNA MCF2L antisense RNA 1 (MCF2L‐AS1) in tumors remained largely unclear. The present study aimed to explore the clinical significance and the biological effects of lncRNA MCF2L antisense RNA 1 (MCF2L‐AS1) in CRC. Methods: Reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction was performed to determine the expression of MCF2L‐AS1 in CRC. The clinical significance of MCF2L‐AS1 in CRC patients was analyzed statistically. In vitro experiments were performed to determine the effects of MCF2L‐AS1 on the cellular progression of CRC cells. Bioinformatic assays, luciferase reporter assays and RNA‐pulldown assays were performed to predict for potential microRNAs that can interact with MCF2L‐AS1 and mRNAs that can interact with miR‐874‐3p. Results: We identified a novel CRC‐related lncRNA, MCF2L‐AS1, which is distinctly highly expressed in CRC. Its diagnostic value for CRC patients was also demonstrated. Clinical assays revealed that high MCF2L‐AS1 expression is associated with advanced stages, positive metastasis and the poor prognosis of CRC patients. Multivariate assays confirmed that MCF2L‐AS1 expression is an independent poor prognostic factor for both 5‐year overall survival and 5‐year disease‐free survival of CRC patients. Functionally, we confirmed that knockdown of MCF2L‐AS1 distinctly suppresses the proliferation, migration and invasion of CRC cells and also promotes apoptosis. Mechanistic investigation showed that MCF2L‐AS1 functions as an endogenous sponge for miR‐874‐3p to increase the expression of CCNE1. Conclusions: Our findings identified a novel CRC‐related lncRNA, MCF2L‐AS1, which may be used as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for CRC patients. In addition, the newly identified MCF2L‐AS1/miR‐874‐3p/CCNE1 axis can modulate the initiation and progression of CRC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Enhanced Recovery after Surgery has been proven effective for patients with gastrointestinal cancer. But radical enhanced recovery could also lead to adverse clinical outcomes. Compared with reports on the estimation of successful implementation of enhanced recovery, studies on risk factors of enhanced recovery failure are still lacking. Methods: A retrospective analysis was carried out on 102 patients in ERAS who underwent elective colon cancer surgery. This study included 102 patients with colon cancer between 2015 and 2019, defining enhanced recovery failure as postoperative length of stay over 10 days, stay in ICU over 24 h after surgery, reoperation, death, or unplanned readmission within 30 days after surgery. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to explore potential risk factors of failure. Results: Aged ≥ 75, open operation, number of drainage tube over 1, re-urethral catheterization, and Clavien-Dindo grade over 2 were associated with ERAS failure, according to univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis showed that age ≥ 75 [OR 7.231; P = 0.009]; open operation (OR 3.599; P = 0.021); and number of drainage tube over 1 (OR 3.202; P = 0.020) were independent risk factors for ERAS failure. Conclusions: We found age ≥ 75, open operation, and number of drainage tube over 1 are independent risk factors associated with ERAS failure after colon cancer surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Single-incision laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SILSG) has been proposed as an alternative to conventional laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (CLSG) in obese patients. This study aims to compare the surgical outcomes of these two techniques. Methods: A meta-analysis of existing literature obtained through a systematic literature search in the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library CENTRAL databases from 2009 to 2019 was conducted. Results: Eleven articles including 1168 patients were analyzed. Patients in the SILSG group reported greater satisfaction with cosmetic scar outcomes than those in the CLSG group (SMD = 2.47, 95% CI = 1.10 to 3.83, P = 0.00). There was no significant difference between the SILSG group and the CLSG group regarding operative time, intraoperative estimated blood loss, conversion rate, intraoperative complications, length of hospital stay, postoperative analgesia, postoperative complications, excess weight loss (EWL), and improvements in comorbidities (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Compared to CLSG, SILSG resulted in improved cosmetic satisfaction and showed no disadvantages in terms of surgical outcomes; thus, SILSG can serve as an alternative to CLSG for obese patients. Nonetheless, high-quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with large study populations and long follow-up periods are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Procaterol hydrochloride (Prh) can inhibit KClO3 oxidation of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) to form a non-phosphorescent compound, which causes room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) of FITC in the system to enhance sharply the linear relationship between ∆ Ip and the Prh content. Thus, a rapid response and highly sensitive phosphorescence sensor for the determination of Prh has been developed based on the inhibiting effect of Prh on KClO3 oxidation of FITC. This simple, high sensitivity (detection limit (LD) calculated by 3Sb/k was 0.019 fg/spot, sample volume 0.40 µl, corresponding concentration 4.8 × 10-14 g ml-1) and selective sensor with a wide linear range (0.080-11.20 g/spot) has been applied to detect Prh in blood samples, and the results were consistent with those obtained by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Simultaneously, the mechanism of the phosphorescence sensor for the detection of Prh was also investigated using infrared spectroscopy. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorescein (HFin) could emit strong and stable room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) signal on polyamide membrane (PAM) using Pb as the ion perturber. Carbaryl could activate effect on NaIO oxidating HFin, which caused the RTP signal of the system to quench sharply. The phosphorescence intensity (Δ I) of activating system higher 3.3 times (119.4/36.0) than that of non-activating system, and is directly proportional to the content of carbaryl. Thus, an activating solid substrate room temperature phosphorimetry (SSRTP) for carbaryl detection has been established. This sensitive (the limit of quantification (LOQ) was 2.0 × 10 g mL), selective, simple and rapid method has been applied to determine trace carbaryl in water samples with the results consisting with those obtained by fluorimetry, showing its high accuracy. The apparent activation energy ( E) and rate constant ( k) of this activating reaction were 20.77 kJ mol and 1.85 × 10 s, respectively. Meanwhile, the mechanism of activating SSRTP for carbaryl detection was also discussed using infrared spectra (IR). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A highly sensitive fluorescent probe for clenbuterol hydrochloride (CLB) detection has been first designed based on its catalytic effect on NaIO oxidating eosine Y (R). And this environment-friendly, simple, rapid, selective and sensitive fluorescent probe has been utilized to detect CLB in the practical samples with the results consisting with those obtained by GC/MS. The structures of R and CLB were characterized by infrared spectra. The mechanism of the proposed assay for the detection of CLB was also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT 3.5-Generation polyamidoamine dendrimers (3.5-G-D) emitted strong and stable room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) on filter paper when Pb2+ was used as a heavy atom perturber. The RTP signal of 3.5-G-D was sharply enhanced upon the formation of 3.5-G-D-Tween-80 micelle compound. The complex Cd2+-3.5-G-D-Tween-80, generated in the coordination reaction between Cd2+ and the tertiary amidocyanogen on the outer layer of 3.5-G-D in 3.5-G-D-Tween-80 micelle compound, could catalyze KBrO3 to oxidize 3.5-G-D in 3.5-G-D-Tween-80, which caused the sharp quenching of the RTP signal of the system. The phosphorescence intensity change (Δ Ip) of the system had a linear relationship with the content of Cd2+. Thus a new catalytic solid substrate-room-temperature phosphorimetry (SS-RTP) for the determination of trace cadmium has been established. This highly selective and sensitive method has been applied to determine trace cadmium in biological samples with a limit of detection (LD) of 1.2 ag per spot (when the sample volume was 0.4 μL per spot, the corresponding concentration was 3.0 × 10−15 g mL−1), the results agreeing with those obtained by atomic absorption spectrometry. The mechanism of catalytic SS-RTP for the determination of trace cadmium was also discussed. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel solid substrate-room temperature phosphorimetry (SS-RTP) was developed for determination of bumetanide (BMTN). It was validated by determining selectivity, linearity, accuracy, precision, and signal to noise ratio (S/N) for analysis. And all the experiments presented in this work were based on that BMTN inhibited the formation of [Fe-morin]3+ ([FeR]3+) complex by the reaction between Fe3+ and R, which led to severe quenching of room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) signal. The rate constant of the reaction (k) was 2.44 × 10−4 s−1, the activation energy (E) was 21.39 kJ mol−1. Detection limit of this method (LD, 5.0 ag spot−1, corresponding concentration was 1.2 × 10−14 g mL−1) was evaluated and compared with other methods, indicating better sensitivity for BMTN determination using this technique. And due to the high sensitivity of the method, it has been successfully applied to determine BMTN in human urine samples. The linear range was from 0.040 pg mL−1 to 4.0 pg mL−1, allowing wide determined range of BMTN. Meanwhile, the mechanism of this method was also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) could be modified as water soluble MWNTs (it was called as MWNTs-A and MWNTs-B) by chemical methods. MWNTs-A and MWNTs-B could emit room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) signal on the surface of nitrocellulose membrane (NCM). A new solid substrate-room temperature phosphorimetry (SS-RTP) for the determination of trace alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was established based on the signal magnification effect of tween-80 and ALP on MWNTs-B’s RTP intensity and the linear relationship between the content of ALP and the Δ IP of the system. The linear range of this method was 0.0020–0.80 (fg spot−1, sample volume: 0.40 μl spot−1), the regression equation of working curve was $$ \Delta {I_P} = 0.8170 + 96.84{m_{ALP}}\left( {fg{ }spo{t^{ - 1}}} \right) $$, correlation coefficient ( r) was 0.9986. This method had high sensitivity (detection limit (LD): 1.4 ag spot−1), good selectivity (Er ≤ ± 5c/o, coexistence species were of no interference), high precision (RSDs were 4.4%-1.2%) and accuracy. It was applied to the determination of trace ALP in human serum and the diagnosis of human diseases. The results were tallied with those of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mechanism of new SS-RTP for the determination of trace ALP was discussed, which laid the theory foundation for the analytical application of MWNTs in life science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research combined the self-ordered ring (SOR) technology with solid substrate-room temperature phosphorimetry (SS-RTP) and developed a new (ARS)n-P-SOR (ARS is alizarin red S, (ARS)n refers to multiple ARS molecules, P is piperidine). (ARS)n-P-SOR could increase the number of ARS molecules in the biological target, which could further improve the sensitivity of SS-RTP. Thus, a new SS-RTP for the determination of trace deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) was established using (ARS)n-P-SOR as a phosphorescent probe. This method was successfully applied to the determination of DNA in nectar. Meanwhile, the mechanism of determining trace DNA by (ARS)n-P-SOR was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]