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Background: Systematic evaluation of the effects of vitamin D supplementation in heart failure (HF) patients. Methods: Searches were conducted on National Library of Medicine, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and WANFANG databases. We analyzed data by using Review Manager 5.4 software. All are from the earliest records to March 2023. Outcome indicators analyzed the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), the left ventricular end-diastolic internal diameter (LVEDD), the B-type brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) level and the 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) level. Results: Ten studies with 1099 patients were included. LVEF (mean difference (MD) = 0.74, 95% CI: –0.29 to 1.76, p = 0.41), LVEDD (MD = –0.59, 95% CI: –1.83 to 0.66, p = 0.25), BNP (MD = –0.08, 95% CI: –0.24 to 0.08, p = 0.34), 25(OH)D (MD = 0.41, 95% CI: –0.28 to 1.11, p = 0.25) are not statistically significant. And there is no heterogeneity in the results of LVEF, LVEDD and BNP indicators. Conclusions: Vitamin D supplementation may not be helpful in the clinical management of patients with HF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Clinical outcome in patients who received thrombectomy treatment is time-dependent. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the one-stop stroke management (OSSM) platform in reducing in-hospital workflow times in patients receiving thrombectomy compared with the traditional model. Methods: The data of patients who received thrombectomy treatment through the OSSM platform and traditional protocol transshipment pathway were retrospectively analyzed and compared. The treatment-related time interval and the clinical outcome of the two groups were also assessed and compared. The primary efficacy endpoint was the time from door to groin puncture (DPT). Results: There were 196 patients in the OSSM group and 210 patients in the control group, in which they were treated by the traditional approach. The mean DPT was significantly shorter in the OSSM group than in the control group (76 vs. 122min; P < 0.001). The percentages of good clinical outcomes at the 90-day time point of the two groups were comparable (P = 0.110). A total of 121 patients in the OSSM group and 124 patients in the control group arrived at the hospital within 360min fromsymptomonset. Themean DPT and time fromsymptomonset to recanalization (ORT) were significantly shorter in the OSSM group than in the control group. Finally, a higher rate of good functional outcomes was achieved in the OSSM group than in the control group (53.71 vs. 40.32%; P = 0.036). Conclusion: Compared to the traditional transfer model, the OSSM transfer model significantly reduced the in-hospital delay in patients with acute stroke receiving thrombectomy treatment. This novel model significantly improved the clinical outcomes of patients presenting within the first 6 h after symptom onset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. This study aims to investigate whether a systematic digital training system can improve the learning efficiency of residents in the first-year orthognathic surgery training course and evaluate its effectiveness in teaching orthognathic surgery. Methods. A digital training system was applied, and a comparative research approach was adopted. 24 first-year orthognathic surgery residents participated in the experiment as part of their professional skill training. The Experimental group was required to use a digital training system, and the Control group was trained in lectures without digital technologies. Three indicators, including theoretical knowledge and clinical operation, were assessed in tests, and evaluations from instructors were analyzed to evaluate learning efficiency. Results. The results showed that the scores in theoretical tests, practical operations, and teacher evaluations, the Experimental groups were all higher than the Control group (P = 0:002 for anatomy, P = 0:000 for operation theory) after using digital technology, except for the understanding of complications (P =0:771). In addition, the questionnaire survey results showed that the study interest (P =0:001), self-confidence (P = 0:001), satisfaction (P = 0:002), and academic performance (P = 0:001) of the residents of the Experimental group were higher than those of the Control group. Conclusions. The outcomes indicated that the digital training system could benefit orthognathic residents' learning efficiency, and learning interest and teaching satisfaction will also improve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate global terrestrial evapotranspiration (ET) estimation is essential to better understand Earth's energy and water cycles. Although several global ET products exist, recent studies indicate that ET estimates exhibit high uncertainty. With the increasing trend of extreme climate hazards (e.g., droughts and heat waves), accurate ET estimation under extreme conditions remains challenging. To overcome these challenges, we used 3-hour and 0.25° Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) datasets (net radiation, land surface temperature (LST), and air temperature) and three-temperature (3T) model, without resistance and parameter calibration, in global terrestrial ET product development. The results demonstrated that the 3T model-based ET product agreed well with both global eddy covariance (EC) tower (root mean square error RMSE) = 24.9 mm month-1) and basin-scale water balance observations (RMSE =116.0 mm yr-1). The 3T model-based global terrestrial ET product was comparable to other common ET products, i.e., MOD16, P-LSH, PML, GLEAM, GLDAS, and Fluxcom, retrieved from various models, but the 3T model performed better under extreme weather conditions in croplands than did the GLDAS, attaining 9.0-20% RMSE reduction. The proposed ET product could provide periodic and large-scale information to support water cycle-related studies. The dataset is freely available at the Science Data Bank. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Xingnao Kaiqiao acupuncture involves needling of the Neiguan (PC6), Renzhong (DU26), and Sanyinjiao (SP6) acupoints. The technique has a significant clinical effect in many neurological diseases. In the present report, we have developed a protocol for a scientific trial to analyze whether Xingnao Kaiqiao can be used to treat gastrointestinal dysfunction after laparoscopic surgery. In this context, we intend to execute a double-blind, randomized controlled trial to assess the efficacy and safety of Xingnao Kaiqiao acupuncture via intradermal needling.Methods/design: This will be a single-center, double-blind, randomized controlled clinical trial. It has been designed on the basis of the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT 2010) guidelines and the Standards for Reporting Interventions in Controlled Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA). The subjects will be recruited from among inpatients scheduled for laparoscopic surgery at the Department of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Tianjin Nankai Hospital, Tianjin, China. Using random numbers generated in SPSS 19.0, the recruited subjects will be allocated to either the "Xingnao Kaiqiao" group or the sham stimulation group. A specially appointed investigator will be in charge of the randomization. Xingnao Kaiqiao via intradermal needling (or sham needling) will be administered 6 h after laparoscopic surgery, and then every 12 h for a total of six sessions, each of which will last 3 min. The subjects will undergo their first evaluation shortly before the first treatment (6 h after laparoscopic surgery); evaluations will be repeated every 12 h until a total of seven evaluations have been completed. The primary outcome will be the time until the first postoperative flatus. The secondary outcomes will be: the time until the first postoperative defecation; levels of abdominal pain, abdominal distension, and nausea; blood ghrelin level; occurrence of vomiting; psychological status; and quality of life.Discussion: This upcoming randomized clinical trial was designed as a standardized method to assess the efficacy and safety of Xingnao Kaiqiao acupuncture using intradermal needles on PC6, DU26, and SP6 in the treatment of gastrointestinal dysfunction after laparoscopic surgery. We aim to provide evidence and thus improve the clinical application of this technique.Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR-IOR-17010763 . Registered on 2 March 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Primary dysmenorrhoea (PD), defined as painful menses in women with normal pelvic anatomy, is one of the most common gynaecological syndromes. Acupoint-stimulation could potentially be an effective intervention for PD. Our aim was to determine the effectiveness of acupoint-stimulation compared with Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NASIDs) in the treatment of PD. Methods: Six databases were searched to December 2014. Sixteen studies involving 1679 PD patients were included. We included randomized controlled trials that compared acupoint-stimulation with NASIDs for the treatment of PD. The main outcomes assessed were clinical effectiveness rate, symptom score, visual analogue score, variation in peripheral blood prostaglandin F2a (PGF2a) and side effects. All analyses were performed using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis statistical software. Results: (1) The total efficacy was better than control group: odds ratio = 5.57; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 3.96, 7. 83; P < 0.00001; (2) The effect of intervention was positive in relieving the severity of PD symptoms: mean difference (MD) = 2.99; 95%CI = 2.49, 3.49; P < 0.00001; (3) No statistical difference existed between two groups in terms of a reduction in the VAS: MD = 1.24; 95%CI = -3.37, 5.85; P = 0.60; (4) The effect of intervention on the variation in peripheral blood PGF2a between two groups was positive: MD = 7.55; 95%CI = 4.29,10.82; P < 0.00001; (5) The side effects of control groups was more than the acupoint-stimulation group: OR = 0.03; 95%CI =0.00,0.22; P = 0.0005. Conclusions: According to this article, acupoint-stimulation can relieve pain effectively in the treatment of PD and offers advantages in increasing the overall effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel catalyst based on g-C3N4/activated carbon was prepared by adding CuCl2. The catalytic performance of the as-prepared catalyst was investigated in the acetylene hydrochlorination reaction. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, temperature programmed desorption, low temperature N2 adsorption/desorption (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller), and thermal gravity analysis showed that Cu-g-C3N4/AC significantly enhanced the catalytic performance of the original catalyst by increasing the relative pyrrolic N content. Cu-g-C3N4/AC also affected the adsorption of hydrogen chloride and acetylene, as well as inhibited the coke deposition during acetylene hydrochlorination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To evaluate the recanalization efficacy and safety of a novel stent retriever in a swine model of acute arterial occlusion. Methods The JRecan thrombectomy device, a stent retriever with a weaving stent design, was evaluated in 18 occluded cervicocerebral vessels of swine. The flow restoration effect immediately upon deployment, the reperfusion rate after retrieval, thromboembolic events, and complications were assessed. The histologic structure of the renal arteries after retriever passage was measured to further assess the safety of JRecan. Results Immediate flow restoration was achieved in 66.7% of occlusions (12/18). The reperfusion rate was 94.4% (two Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction (TICI) 2b and 15 TICI 3). Distal thromboembolic events did not occur. Microscopic examination of the arteries after retrieval showed mild degrees of endothelial loss in 96.6% (29/30), fibrin or platelet deposition in 53.3% (16/30), and disruption of the internal elastic lamina in 10% (3/30), without severe pathologic lesions. Conclusions The JRecan is highly effective at clot removal with a favorable safety profile and merits further development as a stent retriever for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to explore the function of miR-34b promoter methylation in cell proliferation in children's acute leukemia. Quantitative PCR and methylation-specific PCR were performed to measure the levels of miR-34b and its promoter methylation in normal cells, eight leukemia cell lines as well as primary leukemic cells isolated from patients newly diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and mixed lymphocytic lymphoma. miR-34b levels in leukemia cell lines and primary leukemic cells were significantly lower than those in normal cells. The miR-34b promoter was found to be methylated in all leukemia cell lines, 24 of 31 ALL patients and 8 of 19 AML patients, but not in the 23 normal controls. miR-34b expression and methylation of its promoter were not associated with most clinical parameters assessed; however, miR-34b levels in prednisone-sensitive ALL were significantly different from those in insensitive ALL. A cell counting kit-8 assay showed that transfection of miR-34b mimics into K562 cells inhibited their proliferation. Furthermore, treatment with the demethylating agent 5-aza-2-deoxycytidine significantly enhanced miR-34b expression levels and decreased the methylation status of its promoter in HL-60 and K562 cells. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicated that in pediatric leukemia cells and leukemia cell lines, the expression of miR-34b is inhibited by methylation of its promoter, which impairs the restraining effects of miR-34b on cell proliferation. It was also indicated that the expression of miR-34b in ALL patients may affect their response to early treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quick non-destructive assessment of leaf chlorophyll content (LCC) is important for studying phenotypes related to plant growth and stress resistance. This study was undertaken to investigate the quantitative relationship between LCC and different vegetation indices (VIs) on both adaxial and abaxial surfaces of white poplar (Populus alba), which has dense tubular hairs on its abaxial surface, and Chinese elm (Ulmus pumila var. pendula), which does not show obvious superficial differences except for lighter colour on the abaxial surface. Some published and newly developed VIs were tested to relate them to LCC. The results showed that most of the published VIs had strong relationships with LCC on the one-surface dataset, but did not show a clear relationship with LCC when both adaxial and abaxial surface reflectance data were included. Among the reflectance indices tested, the modified Datt index, (R719-R726)/(R719-R743), performed best and is proposed as a new index for remote estimation of chlorophyll content in plants with varying leaf surface structures. It explained 92% of LCC variation in this research, and the root mean square error of the LCC prediction was 5.23 µg/cm2. This new index is insensitive to the effects of adaxial and abaxial leaf surface structures and is strongly related to the variation in reflectance caused by chlorophyll content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this report, a Ti:Sapphire oscillator was utilized to realize synchronization-free stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy. With pump power of 4.6 W and sample irradiance of 310 mW, we achieved super-resolution as high as 71 nm. With synchronization-free STED, we imaged 200 nm nanospheres as well as all three cytoskeletal elements (microtubules, intermediate filaments, and actin filaments), clearly demonstrating the resolving power of synchronization-free STED over conventional diffraction limited imaging. It also allowed us to discover that, Dylight 650, exhibits improved performance over ATTO647N, a fluorophore frequently used in STED. Furthermore, we applied synchronization-free STED to image fluorescently-labeled intracellular viral RNA granules, which otherwise cannot be differentiated by confocal microscopy. Thanks to the widely available Ti:Sapphire oscillators in multiphoton imaging system, this work suggests easier access to setup super-resolution microscope via the synchronization-free STED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The sexual dimorphism of hepatitis B virus (HBV) -related liver diseases is related with estrogen and its receptors. Recent reports indicate that abnormal expression of estrogen receptor alpha (ESR1) may be a hallmark for the progression of liver disease and HBV carriers presenting variant ESR1 have an extremely aggressive clinical course. Here we examine whether the ESR1 polymorphisms or its haplotypes are related to HBV-related acute liver failure (ALF) risk among chronic HBV carriers in a Chinese population. Methods: A total of 1216 unrelated Han Chinese HBV carriers were recruited in this hospital-based case-control study, including 359 HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers affected with ALF and 857 asymptomatic HBsAg carriers. Two ESR1 haplotype tagging polymorphisms, c.30 T>C (rs2077647) and c.453-397 T>C (rs2234693), were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay. Results: We observed a significantly increased susceptibility to HBV-ALF associated with the c.30 C allele (P = 8.65 × 10-4), c.453-397 C allele (5.37 × 10-4) and [c.30 C; c.453-397 C] haplotype (Dominant model, P =0.0004, odds ratio = 1.53, 95% CI 1.23 ~ 1.96) compared with the T alleles and [c.30 T; c.453-397 T] haplotype of c.30 T>C and c.453-397 T>C polymorphisms, respectively. Conclusions: Our study suggests that [c.30 C; c.453-397 C] hapotype may be a risk factor for genetic susceptibility to HBV-related ALF in the Chinese population. It also emphasizes the importance of ESR1 in the pathophysiology of HBV-related ALF on the population level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell transplantation has been well explored for cartilage regeneration. We recently showed that the entire articular surface of a synovial joint can regenerate by endogenous cell homing and without cell transplantation. However, the sources of endogenous cells that regenerate articular cartilage remain elusive. Here, we studied whether cytokines not only chemotactically recruit adipose stem cells (ASCs), mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and synovium stem cells (SSCs) but also induce chondrogenesis of the recruited cells. Recombinant human transforming growth factor-β3 (TGF-β3; 100 ng) and/or recombinant human stromal derived factor-1β (SDF-1β; 100 ng) was control released into an acellular collagen sponge cube with underlying ASCs, MSCs, or SSCs in monolayer culture. Although all cell types randomly migrated into the acellular collagen sponge cube, TGF-β3 and/or SDF-1β recruited significantly more cells than the cytokine-free control group. In 6 wk, TGF-3 alone recruited substantial numbers of ASCs (558±65) and MSCs (302±52), whereas codelivery of TGF-β3 and SDF-1β was particularly chemotactic to SSCs (400±120). Proliferation of the recruited cells accounted for some, but far from all, of the observed cellularity. TGF-β3 and SDF-1β codelivery induced significantly higher aggrecan gene expression than the cytokine-free group for ASCs, MSCs, and SSCs. Type II collagen gene expression was also significantly higher for ASCs and SSCs by SDF-1 and TGF-3β codelivery. Remarkably, the expression of aggrecan and type II collagen was detected among all cell types. Thus, homing of multiple stem/progenitor cell populations may potentially serve as an alternative or adjunctive approach to cell transplantation for cartilage regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Transcription factor T-bet is responsible for the differentiation of naive T lymphocytes, and its expression level is linked with different responses to some viral infections, including hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. In this report we examine whether promoter polymorphisms of the TBX21 gene (encoding T-bet) are associated with susceptibility to HBV persistence or disease progression in chronic HBV carriers. Methods: Three previously reported promoter polymorphisms, T-1993C, T-1514C and G-1499A, were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Two common polymorphisms, T-1993C and T-1514C, were selected for genotyping in 1074 chronic HBV carriers, 310 spontaneously recovered controls and 374 HBV naive controls. Of 1074 HBV carriers, 234 were considered to be asymptomatic carriers and 840 were found to have chronic progressive liver disease including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Haplotypes were constructed for each subject and associations with the susceptibility to persistent HBV infection were estimated by logistic regression. Results: The –1993C allele in the TBX21 promoter was significantly more common among chronic HBV carriers compared with recovered controls (χ2 = 6.65, P = 0.01). In contrast, the frequency of TT haplotype at positions –1993/–1514, was significantly higher in recovered controls than chronic HBV carriers ( P = 0.0027, odds ratio = 1.57; 95% confidence interval, 1.16–2.12). In HBV carriers, the TBX21 promoter polymorphisms were not linked to disease progression. Conclusion: The TBX21 promoter polymorphisms do not appear to be determinant of disease progression in Chinese HBV carriers. The T-1993C polymorphism in the TBX21 promoter influences susceptibility to persistent HBV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of Au-loaded porous g-C3N4 nanosheets were prepared by anchoring Au nanoparticles onto g-C3N4 surfaces. The as-prepared samples were characterized via x-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared, transmission electron microscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, photoluminescence, and ultraviolet–visible measurements, respectively. The activities of Au/g-C3N4 composites were evaluated by the photocatalytic degradation of gaseous isopropyl (IPA) under visible-light illumination. The results indicated that 2% Au/g-C3N4 exhibited the highest photocatalytic efficiency of gaseous IPA oxidation (11.51 ppm min−1), which was 2.4 times higher than that of pure g-C3N4 nanosheets. The remarkable improved photodegradation efficiency derived from the promoted photoinduced carriers separation and larger specific surface area. For one thing, the ultrathin mesoporous g-C3N4 nanosheets provided abundant reactive sites and facilitated electron diffusion. For another, the localized surface plasmon resonance and electron–sink effect of Au particles significantly suppress the recombination of the photoinduced holes and electrons. Therefore, the deposition of Au nanoparticles with porous g-C3N4 nanosheets could be regarded as an efficient way to enhance the photocatalytic activity of gaseous IPA pollutant removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]