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Objective: To investigate the causal relationship between blood metabolite levels and the occurrence of prostate cancer by using two-sample Mendelian randomization method. Methods: Pooled data from public databases for genome-wide association analyses of blood metabolites and prostate cancer were selected, and inverse variance weighting (IVW) was used as the primary method for estimating the causal effects, while heterogeneity tests, gene multiplicity tests and sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the stability and reliability of the results. Results: A total of six known metabolites were found to potentially increase the risk of prostate cancer development (P < 0.05), namely fructose, allantoin, 5-hydroxytryptophan, potassium ketoisocaproate, glycyltryptophan, and 1-heptadecanoyl-glycerol-3-phosphorylcholine, with no heterogeneity or genetic pleiotropy found. Conclusion: Six known blood metabolites may be potential risk factors for prostate cancer development in European populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatic fibrosis (HF) refers to the pathophysiological process of connective tissue dysplasia in the liver caused by various pathogenic factors. Nowadays, HF is becoming a severe threat to the health of human being. However, the drugs available for treating HF are limited. Currently, increasing natural agents derived from traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) have been found to be beneficial for HF. A systemic literature search was conducted from PubMed, GeenMedical, Sci-Hub, CNKI, Google Scholar and Baidu Scholar, with the keywords of "traditional Chinese medicine," "herbal medicine," "natural agents," "liver diseases," and "hepatic fibrosis." So far, more than 76 natural monomers have been isolated and identified from the TCMs with inhibitory effect on HF, including alkaloids, flavones, quinones, terpenoids, saponins, phenylpropanoids, and polysaccharides, etc. The anti-hepatic fibrosis effects of these compounds include hepatoprotection, inhibition of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) activation, regulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis & secretion, regulation of autophagy, and antioxidant & anti-inflammation, etc. Natural compounds and extracts from TCMs are promising agents for the prevention and treatment of HF, and this review would be of great significance to development of novel drugs for treating HF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoinduced phase transition (PIPT) is always treated as a coherent process, but ultrafast disordering in PIPT is observed in recent experiments. Utilizing the real-time timedependent density functional theory method, here we track the motion of individual vanadium (V) ions during PIPT in VO2 and uncover that their coherent or disordered dynamics can be manipulated by tuning the laser fluence.We find that the photoexcited holes generate a force on each V–V dimer to drive their collective coherent motion, in competing with the thermal-induced vibrations. If the laser fluence is so weak that the photoexcited hole density is too low to drive the phase transition alone, the PIPT is a disordered process due to the interference of thermal phonons. We also reveal that the photoexcited holes populated by the V–V dimerized bonding states will become saturated if the laser fluence is too strong, limiting the timescale of photoinduced phase transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The impact of electrocardiography (ECG) morphology on clinical outcomes in patients with non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) receiving percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is unknown. This study investigated whether different ST morphologies had different clinical outcomes in patients with NSTEMI receiving PCI. Methods. This retrospective study analyzed record-linked data of 362 patients who had received PCI for NSTEMI between January 2008 and December 2010. ECG revealed ST depression in 67 patients, inverted T wave in 91 patients, and no significant ST-T changes in 204 patients. The primary endpoint was long-term all-cause mortality. The secondary endpoint was long-term cardiac death and non-fatal major adverse cardiac events. Results. Compared to those patients whose ECG showed an inverted T wave and non-specific ST-T changes, patients whose ECG showed ST depression had more diabetes mellitus, advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) and left main artery disease, as well as more in-hospital mortality, cardiac death and pulmonary edema during hospitalization. Patients with ST depression had a significantly higher rate of long-term total mortality and cardiac death. Finally, multiple stepwise Cox regression analysis showed that an advanced Killip score, age, advanced CKD, prior percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and ST depression were independent predictors of the primary endpoint. Conclusions. Among NSTEMI patients undergoing coronary angiography, those with ST depression had more in-hospital mortality and cardiac death. Long-term follow-up of patients with ST depression consistently reveals poor outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Differentially expressed genes in the left atria of mitral regurgitation (MR) pigs have been linked to peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway in the KEGG pathway. However, specific genes of the PPAR signaling pathway in the left atria of MR patients have never been explored.Methods: This study enrolled 15 MR patients with heart failure, 7 patients with aortic valve disease and heart failure, and 6 normal controls. We used PCR assay (84 genes) for PPAR pathway and quantitative RT-PCR to study specific genes of the PPAR pathway in the left atria.Results: Gene expression profiling analysis through PCR assay identified 23 genes to be differentially expressed in the left atria of MR patients compared to normal controls. The expressions of APOA1, ACADM, FABP3, ETFDH, ECH1, CPT1B, CPT2, SLC27A6, ACAA2, SMARCD3, SORBS1, EHHADH, SLC27A1, PPARGC1B, PPARA and CPT1A were significantly up-regulated, whereas the expression of PLTP was significantly down-regulated in the MR patients compared to normal controls. The expressions of HMGCS2, ACADM, FABP3, MLYCD, ECH1, ACAA2, EHHADH, CPT1A and PLTP were significantly up-regulated in the MR patients compared to patients with aortic valve disease. Notably, only ACADM, FABP3, ECH1, ACAA2, EHHADH, CPT1A and PLTP of the PPAR pathway were significantly differentially expressed in the MR patients compared to patients with aortic valve disease and normal controls.Conclusions: Differentially expressed genes of the PPAR pathway have been identified in the left atria of MR patients compared with patients with aortic valve disease and normal controls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Ketanserin, a 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor antagonist, is clinically used as an antihypertensive agent and could enhance baroreflex function. The present work tested the hypothesis that restoration of baroreflex function is an effective treatment for lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced shock. Methods. Kunming mice were injected with LPS (30 mg/kg; intraperitoneal) to induce endotoxic shock. Ketanserin (0.3, 1, 3, or 10 mg/kg; intraperitoneal) was administered immediately after LPS injection. Survival time was monitored, and serum cytokines were analyzed after the onset of LPS. Effects of ketanserin were also examined in IL-10-deficient mice and mice with sinoaortic denervation. Finally, effects of ketanserin on blood pressure, heart rate, and baroreflex sensitivity were examined in Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats with endotoxic shock. Results. Ketanserin significantly increased survival time and decreased serum levels of tumor necrosis factor &agr; and interleukin (IL) 1&bgr; in mice with endotoxic shock. At a dose of 10 mg/kg, ketanserin also significantly increased serum IL-10 concentration. The antishock effect of ketanserin was also apparent in IL-10-knockout mice. In mice with sinoaortic denervation, however, ketanserin had little antishock effects. In WKY rats, ketanserin significantly prevented the baroreflex impairment induced by LPS and prolonged the survival time. Conclusions. Ketanserin could ameliorate endotoxic shock by restoring baroreflex function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Myolysis of atrial cardiomyocytes occurs in patients with severe mitral and tricuspid regurgitation. This morphological remodelling may involve autophagy. Methods This study comprised 20 patients (10 with long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation and 10 with sinus rhythm) with severe mitral and tricuspid regurgitation. Atrial appendageal tissues were obtained during surgery. The appearance of autophagosomes (LC3B) in myocytes can reflect autophagy induction. Complement 9 is used as a reliable marker of oncosis. Results In the fibrillating right atria, 68·4 ± 18·9% of total myocytes showed moderate-to-severe myolysis, while 64·2 ± 15·8% of total myocytes comprised these cells in right atrial myocardium with sinus rhythm. Immunohistochemical study revealed LC3B-positive myocytes in 8·0% of myocytes without myolysis, 11·9% of myocytes with mild myolysis and 49·4% of myocytes with moderate-to-severe myolysis in right atrial myocardium with sinus rhythm (P < 0·0001). Similarly, in the fibrillating right atria, LC3B-positive myocytes were observed in 5·9% of myocytes without myolysis, 12·2% of myocytes with mild myolysis and 50·7% of myocytes with moderate-to-severe myolysis (P < 0·0001). Moreover, in the fibrillating left atria, LC3B-positive myocytes were observed in 4·9% of myocytes without myolysis, 12·6% of myocytes with mild myolysis and 52·0% of myocytes with moderate-to-severe myolysis (P < 0·0001). None of the atrial myocytes displayed intracellular deposition of complement 9. Conclusions Induction of autophagy, but not oncosis, occurs in most cases of atrial cardiomyocytes with severe mitral and tricuspid regurgitation, even those without atrial fibrillation, and is closely associated with the development of myolysis in this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous study demonstrated that the percentage of circulating endothelial progenitor cells was reduced in patients with coronary artery disease. However, the relationship of the percentage of circulating endothelial progenitor cells to the severity of coronary artery disease has not been investigated. The percentages of circulating endothelial progenitor cells were measured in 78 consecutive patients with unstable angina, as well as in 32 healthy volunteers. Dual-stained cells expressing CD34 and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 were judged to be endothelial progenitor cells and were analyzed using flow cytometry. On stepwise multiple linear regression analysis, the percentages of circulating endothelial progenitor cells were independently decreased in patients with unstable coronary artery disease compared with those in the healthy volunteers ( P < 0.05). Among patients with unstable coronary artery disease, the percentage of patients with at least one occluded vessel was significantly higher in patients with multi-vessel disease than in patients with single-vessel disease ( P < 0.04). On stepwise multiple linear regression analysis, the percentages of circulating endothelial progenitor cells were independently decreased in patients with multi-vessel coronary artery disease compared with those in patients with single-vessel coronary artery disease ( P < 0.03). Among patients with unstable coronary artery disease, the percentage of circulating endothelial progenitor cells was significantly related to the severity of coronary artery disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to estimate the influence of TYR and MC1R on the color of the cattle hide, the MC1R and TYR in Luxi Yellow, Bohai Black, China Holstein black-white and China Holstein red-white cattle (20 animals of each of the four breeds) were sequenced. The comparison of TYR among the four hide color phenotypes revealed no sequence difference. The sequences of the MC1R coding region revealed three alleles ( ED, E+ and e), which were previously reported. Furthermore, we found an important single nucleotide polymorphism at 725 position of the MC1R coding region, which may help in cattle breed identification. A polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism was performed to investigate the gene frequencies of the four breeds. Most China Holstein black-white cattle had ED and E+ alleles ( ED = 0.12, E+ = 0.80) and no homozygous e/e and most Bohai Black cattle had ED and E+ alleles ( ED = 0.52, E+ = 0.47). Therefore it is consistent with the hypothesis that E D and E+ induce black pigment synthesis. On the other hand, most of the China Holstein red-white cattle and Luxi Yellow cattle had the e allele ( e/e = 0.95). Unexpectedly, the E+/ e genotype was present in China Holstein red-white cattle and Luxi Yellow cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, Adomian decomposition method (ADM) with high accuracy and fast convergence is introduced to solve the fractional-order piecewise-linear (PWL) hyperchaotic system. Based on the obtained hyperchaotic sequences, a novel color image encryption algorithm is proposed by employing a hybrid model of bidirectional circular permutation and DNA masking. In this scheme, the pixel positions of image are scrambled by circular permutation, and the pixel values are substituted by DNA sequence operations. In the DNA sequence operations, addition and substraction operations are performed according to traditional addition and subtraction in the binary, and two rounds of addition rules are used to encrypt the pixel values. The simulation results and security analysis show that the hyperchaotic map is suitable for image encryption, and the proposed encryption algorithm has good encryption effect and strong key sensitivity. It can resist brute-force attack, statistical attack, differential attack, known-plaintext, and chosen-plaintext attacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]