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BackgroundAlthough frequently used in the early pandemic, data on the effectiveness of COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) remain mixed. We investigated the effectiveness and safety of CCP in hospitalized COVID-19 patients in real-world practices during the first two waves of the pandemic in a multi-hospital healthcare system in Texas.Methods and findingsAmong 11,322 hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection from July 1, 2020 to April 15, 2021, we included patients who received CCP and matched them with those who did not receive CCP within ±2 days of the transfusion date across sites within strata of sex, age groups, days and use of dexamethasone from hospital admission to the match date, and oxygen requirements 4-12 hours prior to the match date. Cox proportional hazards model estimated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for effectiveness outcomes in a propensity score 1:1 matched cohort. Pre-defined safety outcomes were described. We included 1,245 patients each in the CCP treated and untreated groups. Oxygen support was required by 93% of patients at the baseline. The pre-defined primary effectiveness outcome of 28-day in-hospital all-cause mortality (HR = 0.85; 95%CI: 0.66,1.10) were similar between treatment groups. Sensitivity and stratified analyses found similar null results. CCP-treated patients were less likely to be discharged alive (HR = 0.82; 95%CI: 0.74, 0.91), and more likely to receive mechanical ventilation (HR = 1.48; 95%CI: 1.12, 1.96). Safety outcomes were rare and similar between treatment groups.ConclusionThe findings in this large, matched cohort of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 and mostly requiring oxygen support at the time of treatment, do not support a clinical benefit in 28-day in-hospital all-cause mortality for CCP. Future studies should assess the potential benefits with specifically high-titer units in perhaps certain subgroups of patients (e.g. those with early disease or immunocompromised).

(E)-N,N-dimethyl-4-oxo-4-(4-(pyridin-4-yl)phenyl)but-2-enamide hydrochloride (IMB-YH-4py5-2H) is a novel Protein Kinase B (PknB) inhibitor with potent activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains. In the present study, a sensitive and specific liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed and validated to determine IMB-YH-4py5-2H in rat plasma. Sample pretreatment was achieved by liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate, and separation was performed on an XTerra MS C18 column (2.1×50 mm, 3.5 μm) with gradient elution (methanol and 0.1% formic acid) at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. Detection was performed in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. Linear calibration curves were obtained over a concentration range of 1-100 ng/mL. The intra-day and inter-day precisions were lower than 8.46%, and the accuracies ranged from -8.71% to 12.36% at all quality control levels. The extraction recoveries were approximately 70%, and the matrix effects were negligible. All quality control samples were stable under different storage conditions. The validated method was successfully applied to a preclinical pharmacokinetic study in Sprague-Dawley rats. IMB-YH-4py5-2H demonstrated improved pharmacokinetic properties (higher exposure level) compared with its leading compound. IMB-YH-4py5-2H was also distributed throughout the lung pronouncedly, especially inside alveolar macrophages, indicating its effectiveness against lower respiratory infections.

ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to assess network-based weight loss interventions in the Chinese setting using agent-based simulation.MethodsAn agent-based model incorporating social, environmental and personal influence is developed to simulate the obesity epidemic through an interconnected social network among a population of 2197 individuals from the nationally representative survey. Model parameters are collected from literature and existing database. To ensure the robustness of our findings, the model is validated against empirical observations and sensitivity analyses are performed on calibrated parameters.ResultsWhen compared with the baseline model, significant weight difference is detected using paired samples t tests for network-based intervention strategies (p0.05). Targeting the most connected individuals minimizes the average population weight, average BMI, and generates a reduction of 2.70% and 1.38% in overweight and obesity prevalence.ConclusionsThe simulations shows that targeting individuals on the basis of their social network attributes outperforms conventional targeting strategies. Future work needs to focus on how to further leverage social networks to curb obesity prevalence and enhance interventions for other chronic conditions using agent-based simulation.

BACKGROUND:Hepatitis C is the second fastest growing infectious disease in China. The standard-of-care for chronic hepatitis C in China is Pegylated interferon plus ribavirin (PR), which is associated with tolerability and efficacy issues. An interferon- and ribavirin-free, all-oral regimen comprising daclatasvir (DCV) and asunaprevir (ASV), which displays higher efficacy and tolerability, has recently been approved in China. OBJECTIVES:This study is to estimate the cost-effectiveness of DCV+ASV (24 weeks) for chronic hepatitis C genotype 1b treatment-naïve patients compared with PR regimen (48 weeks) in China. METHODS:A cohort-based Markov model was developed from Chinese payer perspective to project the lifetime outcomes of treating 10,000 patients with an average age of 44.5 with two hypothetical regimens, DCV+ASV and PR. Chinese-specific health state costs and efficacy data were used. The annual discount rate was 5%. Base-case analysis and sensitivity analysis were conducted. RESULTS:For HCV Genotype 1b treatment-naïve patients, DCV+ASV proved to be dominant over PR, with a cost saving of ¥33,480(5,096 USD) and gains in QALYs and life years of 1.29 and 0.85, respectively. The lifetime risk of compensated cirrhosis, decompensated cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and liver-related death was greatly reduced with DCV+ASV. Univariate sensitivity analysis demonstrated that key influencers were the discount rate, time horizon, initial disease severity and sustained virological response rate of DCV+ASV, with all scenarios resulting in additional benefit. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis demonstrated that DCV+ASV has a high likelihood (100%) of being cost-effective. CONCLUSION:DCV+ASV is not only an effective and well-tolerated regimen to treat chronic HCV genotype 1b infection treatment-naïve patients, but also is more cost-effective than PR regimen. DCV+ASV can benefit both the public health and reimbursement system in China.

Non-syndromic tooth agenesis (or non-syndromic congenitally missing tooth) is one of the most common congenital defects in humans affecting the craniofacial function and appearance. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been associated with an individual's susceptibility to these anomalies. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate the roles of the potentially functional SNPs of BMP2 in the occurrence of tooth agenesis. Overall, four potentially functional SNPs of BMP2 (rs15705, rs235768, rs235769 and rs3178250) were selected, and their associations with the susceptibility of tooth agenesis were evaluated in a case-control study of 335 non-syndromic tooth agenesis cases and 444 healthy controls. The SNPs rs15705 and rs3178250 were found to be associated with an individual's risk of tooth agenesis (P = 0.046 and P = 0.039, respectively). Both SNPs showed an increased risk of mandibular incisor agenesis (rs15705, AA/AC vs. CC = 1.58, 95% CI = [1.06-2.34], P = 0.024; rs3178250, TT/TC vs. CC = 1.60, 95% CI = [1.08-2.37], P = 0.020). Bioinformatics analysis indicated that these two SNPs located at the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of BMP2 might alter the binding ability of miR-1273d and miR-4639-5p, respectively, which was confirmed by luciferase activity assays in the 293A and COS7 cell lines (P < 0.001 in 293A and P < 0.01 in COS7 for miR-1273d; and P < 0.001 in both cells for miR-4639-5p). Furthermore, BMP2 mRNA expression decreased after transfecting either miR-1273d or miR-4639-5p into these two cell lines (P < 0.01 in 293A and P < 0.001 in COS7 for miR-1273d, and P < 0.01 in both cell lines for miR-4639-5p). Taken together, our findings indicate that rs15705 and rs317250 are associated with the susceptibility of non-syndromic tooth agenesis by possibly affecting miRNAs and mRNA interaction.

Periodontal disease (Periodontitis) is a serious disease that affects a majority of adult Americans and is associated with other systemic diseases, including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and other inflammatory diseases. While great efforts have been devoted toward understanding the pathogenesis of periodontitis, there remains a pressing need for developing potent therapeutic strategies for targeting this pervasive and destructive disease. In this study, we utilized novel adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated Atp6v1c1 knockdown gene therapy to treat bone erosion and inflammatory caused by periodontitis in mouse model. Atp6v1c1 is a subunit of the V-ATPase complex and regulator of the assembly of the V0 and V1 domains of the V-ATPase complex. We demonstrated previously that Atp6v1c1 has an essential function in osteoclast mediated bone resorption. We hypothesized that Atp6v1c1 may be an ideal target to prevent the bone erosion and inflammation caused by periodontitis. To test the hypothesis, we employed AAV RNAi knockdown of Atp6v1c1 gene expression to prevent bone erosion and gingival inflammation simultaneously. We found that lesion-specific injection of AAV-shRNA-Atp6v1c1 into the periodontal disease lesions protected against bone erosion (>85%) and gingival inflammation caused by P. gingivalis W50 infection. AAV-mediated Atp6v1c1 knockdown dramatically reduced osteoclast numbers and inhibited the infiltration of dendritic cells and macrophages in the bacteria-induced inflammatory lesions in periodontitis. Silencing of Atp6v1c1 expression also prevented the expressions of osteoclast-related genes and pro-inflammatory cytokine genes. Our data suggests that AAV-shRNA-Atp6v1c1 treatment can significantly attenuate the bone erosion and inflammation caused by periodontitis, indicating the dual function of AAV-shRNA-Atp6v1c1 as an inhibitor of bone erosion mediated by osteoclasts, and as an inhibitor of inflammation through down-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. This study demonstrated that Atp6v1c1 RNAi knockdown gene therapy mediated by AAV-shRNA-Atp6v1c1 is a promising novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of bone erosion and inflammatory related diseases, such as periodontitis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Plant activators are chemicals that induce plant defense responses to a broad spectrum of pathogens. Here, we identified a new potential plant activator, 5-(cyclopropylmethyl)-6-methyl-2-(2-pyridyl)pyrimidin-4-ol, named PPA (pyrimidin-type plant activator). Compared with benzothiadiazole S-methyl ester (BTH), a functional analog of salicylic acid (SA), PPA was fully soluble in water and increased fresh weight of rice (Oryza sativa) and Arabidopsis plants at low concentrations. In addition, PPA also promoted lateral root development. Microarray data and real-time PCR revealed that PPA-treated leaves not challenged with pathogen showed up-regulation of genes related to reactive oxygen species (ROS), defenses and SA. During bacterial infection, Arabidopsis plants pretreated with PPA showed dramatically decreased disease symptoms and an earlier and stronger ROS burst, compared with plants pretreated with BTH. Microscopy revealed that H2O2 accumulated in the cytosol, plasma membrane and cell wall around intracellular bacteria, and also on the bacterial cell wall, indicating that H2O2 was directly involved in killing bacteria. The increase in ROS-related gene expression also supported this observation. Our results indicate that PPA enhances plant defenses against pathogen invasion through the plant redox system, and as a water-soluble compound that can promote plant growth, has broad potential applications in agriculture.

BACKGROUND: Staphylococcus aureus can cause severe infections, including bacteremia and sepsis. The spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) highlights the need for novel treatment options. Sodium new houttuyfonate (SNH) is an analogue of houttuynin, the main antibacterial ingredient of Houttuynia cordata Thunb. The aim of this study was to evaluate in vitro activity of SNH and its potential for synergy with antibiotics against hospital-associated MRSA. METHODOLOGY: A total of 103 MRSA clinical isolates recovered in two hospitals in Beijing were evaluated for susceptibility to SNH, oxacillin, cephalothin, meropenem, vancomycin, levofloxacin, minocycline, netilmicin, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole by broth microdilution. Ten isolates were evaluated for potential for synergy between SNH and the antibiotics above by checkerboard assay. Time-kill analysis was performed in three isolates to characterize the kill kinetics of SNH alone and in combination with the antibiotics that engendered synergy in checkerboard assays. Besides, two reference strains were included in all assays. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: SNH inhibited all test strains with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 16 to 64 µg/mL in susceptibility tests, and displayed inhibition to bacterial growth in concentration-dependent manner in time-kill analysis. In synergy studies, the combinations of SNH-oxacillin, SNH-cephalothin, SNH-meropenem and SNH-netilmicin showed synergistic effects against 12 MRSA strains with median fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) indices of 0.38, 0.38, 0.25 and 0.38 in checkerboard assays. In time-kill analysis, SNH at 1/2 MIC in combination with oxacillin at 1/128 to 1/64 MIC or netilmicin at 1/8 to 1/2 MIC decreased the viable colonies by ≥ 2log(10) CFU/mL. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: SNH demonstrated in vitro antibacterial activity against 103 hospital-associated MRSA isolates. Combinations of sub-MIC levels of SNH and oxacillin or netilmicin significantly improved the in vitro antibacterial activity against MRSA compared with either drug alone. The SNH-based combinations showed promise in combating MRSA.

Microglial activation is a characteristic feature of the pathogenesis of prion diseases. The molecular mechanisms that underlie prion-induced microglial activation are not very well understood. In the present study, we investigated the role of the class B scavenger receptor CD36 in microglial activation induced by neurotoxic prion protein (PrP) fragment 106-126 (PrP(106-126)). We first examined the time course of CD36 mRNA expression upon exposure to PrP(106-126) in BV2 microglia. We then analyzed different parameters of microglial activation in PrP(106-126)-treated cells in the presence or not of anti-CD36 monoclonal antibody (mAb). The cells were first incubated for 1 h with CD36 monoclonal antibody to block the CD36 receptor, and were then treated with neurotoxic prion peptides PrP(106-126). The results showed that PrP(106-126) treatment led to a rapid yet transitory increase in the mRNA expression of CD36, upregulated mRNA and protein levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α), increased iNOS expression and nitric oxide (NO) production, stimulated the activation of NF-κB and caspase-1, and elevated Fyn activity. The blockade of CD36 had no effect on PrP(106-126)-stimulated NF-κB activation and TNF-α protein release, abrogated the PrP(106-126)-induced iNOS stimulation, downregulated IL-1β and IL-6 expression at both mRNA and protein levels as well as TNF-α mRNA expression, decreased NO production and Fyn phosphorylation, reduced caspase-1 cleavage induced by moderate PrP(106-126)-treatment, but had no effect on caspase-1 activation after treatment with a high concentration of PrP(106-126). Together, these results suggest that CD36 is involved in PrP(106-126)-induced microglial activation and that the participation of CD36 in the interaction between PrP(106-126) and microglia may be mediated by Src tyrosine kinases. Our findings provide new insights into the mechanisms underlying the activation of microglia by neurotoxic prion peptides and open perspectives for new therapeutic strategies for prion diseases by modulation of CD36 signaling.

SOX2 (Sry-box 2) is required to maintain a variety of stem cells, is overexpressed in some solid tumors, and is expressed in epithelial cells of the lung.We show that SOX2 is overexpressed in human squamous cell lung tumors and some adenocarcinomas. We have generated mouse models in which Sox2 is upregulated in epithelial cells of the lung during development and in the adult. In both cases, overexpression leads to extensive hyperplasia. In the terminal bronchioles, a trachea-like pseudostratified epithelium develops with p63-positive cells underlying columnar cells. Over 12-34 weeks, about half of the mice expressing the highest levels of Sox2 develop carcinoma. These tumors resemble adenocarcinoma but express the squamous marker, Trp63 (p63).These findings demonstrate that Sox2 overexpression both induces a proximal phenotype in the distal airways/alveoli and leads to cancer.

Oxytocin neurons represent one of the major subsets of neurons in the paraventricular hypothalamus (PVH), a critical brain region for energy homeostasis. Despite substantial evidence supporting a role of oxytocin in body weight regulation, it remains controversial whether oxytocin neurons directly regulate body weight homeostasis, feeding or energy expenditure. Pharmacologic doses of oxytocin suppress feeding through a proposed melanocortin responsive projection from the PVH to the hindbrain. In contrast, deficiency in oxytocin or its receptor leads to reduced energy expenditure without feeding abnormalities. To test the physiological function of oxytocin neurons, we specifically ablated oxytocin neurons in adult mice. Our results show that oxytocin neuron ablation in adult animals has no effect on body weight, food intake or energy expenditure on a regular diet. Interestingly, male mice lacking oxytocin neurons are more sensitive to high fat diet-induced obesity due solely to reduced energy expenditure. In addition, despite a normal food intake, these mice exhibit a blunted food intake response to leptin administration. Thus, our study suggests that oxytocin neurons are required to resist the obesity associated with a high fat diet; but their role in feeding is permissive and can be compensated for by redundant pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid present in high concentrations in mammalian tissues. It has been implicated in several processes involving brain development and neurotransmission. However, the role of taurine in hippocampal neurogenesis during brain development is still unknown. Here we show that taurine regulates neural progenitor cell (NPC) proliferation in the dentate gyrus of the developing brain as well as in cultured early postnatal (P5) hippocampal progenitor cells and hippocampal slices derived from P5 mice brains. Taurine increased cell proliferation without having a significant effect on neural differentiation both in cultured P5 NPCs as well as cultured hippocampal slices and in vivo. Expression level analysis of synaptic proteins revealed that taurine increases the expression of Synapsin 1 and PSD 95. We also found that taurine stimulates the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 indicating a possible role of the ERK pathway in mediating the changes that we observed, especially in proliferation. Taken together, our results demonstrate a role for taurine in neural stem/ progenitor cell proliferation in developing brain and suggest the involvement of the ERK1/2 pathways in mediating these actions. Our study also shows that taurine influences the levels of proteins associated with synapse development. This is the first evidence showing the effect of taurine on early postnatal neuronal development using a combination of in vitro, ex-vivo and in vivo systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Within the past 10 years, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has not only been a hospital pathogen but also a community pathogen. To understand the carriage rate of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among the adult patients visiting emergency department (ED), we conducted this study. Methodology/Principal Findings: From May 21 to August 12, 2009, a total of 502 adult patients visiting emergency department (ED) of a tertiary care hospital in northern Taiwan were recruited in this study and surveyed for nasal carriage of MRSA. A questionnaire regarding the risk factors for MRSA acquisition was also obtained. The overall prevalence of MRSA nasal carriage among the patients was 3.8%. The carriage rate was significantly higher in patients with risk factors for MRSA acquisition (5.94%) than those without risk factors (2.12%). Patients with urinary complaints, diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease and current percutaneous tube usage were significantly associated with MRSA colonization. By multiple logistic regression analysis, only current usage of catheters or tubes was the independent predictor for MRSA nasal colonization. Of the 19 MRSA, most isolates belonged to one of two linages, characterized as sequence type (ST) 239 (32%) and ST 59 (58%). The latter linage, accounting for 83% of 6 isolates from patients without risk factors, is a communityassociated (CA) clone in Taiwan, while the former linage is among healthcare-associated clones. Conclusion/Significance: A substantial proportion of patients visiting ED, particularly with current usage of percutaneous catheter or tubes, in northern Taiwan carried MRSA, mostly community strains, in nares. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The features of the asynchronous correlation between accident indices and the factors that influence accidents can provide an effective reference for warnings of coal mining accidents. However, what are the features of this correlation? To answer this question, data from the China coal price index and the number of deaths from coal mining accidents were selected as the sample data. The fluctuation modes of the asynchronous correlation between the two data sets were defined according to the asynchronous correlation coefficients, symbolization, and sliding windows. We then built several directed and weighted network models, within which the fluctuation modes and the transformations between modes were represented by nodes and edges. Then, the features of the asynchronous correlation between these two variables could be studied from a perspective of network topology. We found that the correlation between the price index and the accidental deaths was asynchronous and fluctuating. Certain aspects, such as the key fluctuation modes, the subgroups characteristics, the transmission medium, the periodicity and transmission path length in the network, were analyzed by using complex network theory, analytical methods and spectral analysis method. These results provide a scientific reference for generating warnings for coal mining accidents based on economic indices.

Abnormal alteration of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling is implicated in many types of diseases including cancer and heterotopic ossifications. Hence, small molecules targeting BMP type I receptors (BMPRI) to interrupt BMP signaling are believed to be an effective approach to treat these diseases. However, lack of understanding of the molecular determinants responsible for the binding selectivity of current BMP inhibitors has been a big hindrance to the development of BMP inhibitors for clinical use. To address this issue, we carried out in silico experiments to test whether computational methods can reproduce and explain the high selectivity of a small molecule BMP inhibitor DMH1 on BMPRI kinase ALK2 vs. the closely related TGF-β type I receptor kinase ALK5 and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor type 2 (VEGFR2) tyrosine kinase. We found that, while the rigid docking method used here gave nearly identical binding affinity scores among the three kinases; free energy perturbation coupled with Hamiltonian replica-exchange molecular dynamics (FEP/H-REMD) simulations reproduced the absolute binding free energies in excellent agreement with experimental data. Furthermore, the binding poses identified by FEP/H-REMD led to a quantitative analysis of physical/chemical determinants governing DMH1 selectivity. The current work illustrates that small changes in the binding site residue type (e.g. pre-hinge region in ALK2 vs. ALK5) or side chain orientation (e.g. Tyr219 in caALK2 vs. wtALK2), as well as a subtle structural modification on the ligand (e.g. DMH1 vs. LDN193189) will cause distinct binding profiles and selectivity among BMP inhibitors. Therefore, the current computational approach represents a new way of investigating BMP inhibitors. Our results provide critical information for designing exclusively selective BMP inhibitors for the development of effective pharmacotherapy for diseases caused by aberrant BMP signaling.

Isorhamnetin (Iso) is a flavonoid compound extracted from the Chinese herb Hippophae rhamnoides L. Previous studies have revealed its anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant activities. This study investigated the ability of Iso to inhibit oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-induced cell apoptosis in THP-1-derived macrophages. The effects of Iso on atherosclerosis in vivo were also evaluated in apolipoprotein E knockout (ApoE-/-) mice fed a high fat diet.Iso showed significant inhibitory effects on ox-LDL-induced THP-1-derived macrophage injuries via decreasing reactive oxygen species levels, lipid deposition, and caspase-3 activation, restoring mitochondrial membrane potential, reducing the number of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL)-positive cells, and regulating apoptosis-related proteins. We also determined the protective effects of Iso by PI3K/AKT activation and HO-1 induction. Iso reduced the atherosclerotic plaque size in vivo in ApoE-/- mice as assessed by oil red O, Sudan IV staining, and CD68-positive cells, and reduced macrophage apoptosis as assessed by caspase-3 and TUNEL assays in lesions.In conclusion, our results show that Iso inhibited atherosclerotic plaque development in ApoE-/- mice by PI3K/AKT activation and HO-1 induction.

Morbidity and mortality of prostate cancer (PCa) have increased in recent years worldwide. Currently existing methods for diagnosis and treatment do not make the situation improve, especially for hormone refractory prostate cancer (HRPC). The lack of molecular probes for PCa hindered the early diagnosis of metastasis and accurate staging for PCa. In this work, we have developed a new aptamer probe Wy-5a against PCa cell line PC-3 by cell-SELEX technique. Wy-5a shows high specificity to the target cells with dissociation constants in the nanomolar range, and does not recognize other tested PCa cell lines and other tested tumor cell lines. The staining of clinical tissue sections with fluorescent dye labeled Wy-5a shows that sections from high risk group with metastasis exhibited stronger fluorescence and sections from Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) did not exhibit notable fluorescence, which suggests that aptamer Wy-5a may bind to protein related to the progression of PCa. The high affinity and specificity of Wy-5a makes this aptamer hold potential for application in diagnosis and target therapy of PCa.

Doxorubicin (Dox) is an anthracycline antibiotic for cancer therapy with limited usage due to cardiotoxicity. Isorhamnetin is a nature antioxidant with obvious cardiac protective effect. The aim of this study is going to investigate the possible protective effect of isorhamnetin against Dox-induced cardiotoxicity and its underlying mechanisms. In an in vivo investigation, rats were intraperitoneally (i.p.) administered with Dox to duplicate the model of Dox-induced chronic cardiotoxicity. Daily pretreatment with isorhamnetin (5 mg/kg, i.p.) for 7 days was found to reduce Dox-induced myocardial damage significantly, including the decline of cardiac index, decrease in the release of serum cardiac enzymes and amelioration of heart vacuolation. In vitro studies on H9c2 cardiomyocytes, isorhamnetin was effective to reduce Dox-induced cell toxicity. A further mechanism study indicated that isorhamnetin pretreatment can counteract Dox-induced oxidative stress and suppress the activation of mitochondrion apoptotic pathway and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. Isorhamnetin also potentiated the anti-cancer activity of Dox in MCF-7, HepG2 and Hep2 cells. These findings indicated that isorhamnetin can be used as an adjuvant therapy for the long-term clinical use of Dox.

We investigated the extended-spectrum beta lactamases among 62 Salmonella enterica Typhimurium isolates recovered from children with diarrhea in a Chinese pediatric hospital. A large proportion of S. enterica Typhimurium isolates were resistant to multiple antimicrobial agents, including ampicillin (90.3%), tetracycline (80.6%), trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (74.2%), chloramphenicol (66.1%), cefotaxime (27.4%). Forty-nine (79.0%) of S. enterica Typhimurium isolates were positive for bla(TEM-1b) and resistant to ampicillin. Thirteen S. enterica Typhimurium isolates (21.0%) were positive for bla(CTX-M-1-group) and bla(CTX-M-9-group), and all isolates harboring bla(CTX-M) genes were positive for ISEcp1. Two main clones (PFGE type A and D) accounted for nearly 70% of S. enterica Typhimurium isolates, and 7 CTX-M-producing isolates belonged to PFGE type D. Collectively, our data reveal multi-drug resistance and a high prevalence of extended spectrum beta lactamases among S. enterica Typhimurium isolates from children in China. In addition, we report the first identification of bla(CTX-M-55) within Salmonella spp. Our data also suggest that clonal spread is responsible for the dissemination of S. enterica Typhimurium isolates.

BackgroundThe hemodialysis regimen is an inevitable and mandatory treatment for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). During the dialysis journey, patients may experience maladaptation in terms of sleep disturbances, depressive symptoms, and reduced health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Psychosocial resources such as social support may have beneficial influences on health outcomes, but studies have rarely analyzed the integrated relationships among risk factors which include pain, sleep disturbances, duration since diagnosis and various health outcomes in Taiwan. This study aimed to bridge this gap by investigating the relationships among related risk factors, social support, sleep disturbances, depressive symptoms, and HRQOL, which is composed of physical quality of life (PQOL) and mental quality of life (MQOL), in ESRD patients.MethodA correlational design was used, and 178 patients aged 20 years or older were recruited via convenience sample. The relationships among the risk factors, the mediators, depressive symptoms, PQOL, and MQOL were analyzed using structural equation modeling.ResultsThe findings showed that more than 70% of the participants reported poor sleep quality, and 32% reported depressive symptoms. When participants had greater pain and more sleep disorders, they were more likely to be depressed. When participants had more appraisal support; they had better PQOL and fewer depressive symptoms. Overall, the structural equation model explained 31.8% of the variance in self-reported depressive symptoms, 29.4% of the variance in PQOL, and 5.7% of the variance in MQOL. Moreover, appraisal support enhanced PQOL and reduced depressive symptoms by exerting its two mediating effects on sleep disturbances.ConclusionOur findings indicate that patients with ESRD who have more social support have better PQOL and MQOL and fewer depressive symptoms than those with less social support.

The adipocyte is unique in its capacity to store lipids. In addition to triglycerides, the adipocyte stores a significant amount of cholesterol. Moreover, obese adipocytes are characterized by a redistribution of cholesterol with depleted cholesterol in the plasma membrane, suggesting that cholesterol perturbation may play a role in adipocyte dysfunction. We used methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MβCD), a molecule with high affinity for cholesterol, to rapidly deplete cholesterol level in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. We tested whether this perturbation altered adipocyte secretion of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), a chemokine that is elevated in obesity and is linked to obesity-associated chronic diseases. Depletion of cholesterol by MβCD increased MCP-1 secretion as well as the mRNA and protein levels, suggesting perturbation at biosynthesis and secretion. Pharmacological inhibition revealed that NF-κB, but not MEK, p38 and JNK, was involved in MβCD-stimulated MCP-1 biosynthesis and secretion in adipocytes. Finally, another cholesterol-binding drug, filipin, also induced MCP-1 secretion without altering membrane cholesterol level. Interestingly, both MβCD and filipin disturbed the integrity of lipid rafts, the membrane microdomains enriched in cholesterol. Thus, the depletion of membrane cholesterol in obese adipocytes may result in dysfunction of lipid rafts, leading to the elevation of proinflammatory signaling and MCP-1 secretion in adipocytes.

The growth of myeloma cells depends on bone marrow (BM) stroma consisting of stromal cells, secreted cytokines and the extracellular matrix (ECM). Decorin, a small leucine-rich proteoglycan in the ECM, is a signaling ligand and native anti-tumor agent. However, the role of decorin in patients with myeloma is not clear. We evaluated the correlation between the decorin levels measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in BM plasma from 121 patients with newly diagnosed myeloma based on their clinical features and treatment response. The median decorin levels in the patients and the normal control group were 12.31 ng/mL [standard deviation (SD), 7.50 ng/mL; range, 2.45 to 44.46 ng/mL] and 10.31 ng/mL (SD, 2.42 ng/mL; range, 4.85-15.14 ng/mL), respectively (P < 0.001). Using 15.15 ng/mL as a cut-off, 46 patients (38%) exhibited higher decorin levels (H-DCN), whereas the other patients exhibited normal to lower decorin levels (NL-DCN). Except for the median age, which was significantly younger in the H-DCN than in the NL-DCN group (60.6 ± 14.0 vs. 65.8 ± 12.2 years, respectively; P = 0.034), there were no differences between the two groups. However, in 79 patients who had received novel agent-based induction, the overall response rate was significantly better in the H-DCN than in the NL-DCN (97 vs. 63%, respectively; P < 0.001), as was the depth of responses (P = 0.008), which were not observed in those who had received chemotherapeutic agents alone. Progression-free survival (PFS) was significantly longer in H-DCN than NL-DCN (not reached vs. 19.5 mo, respectively; P = 0.0003). Multivariate analyses indicated that H-DCN, as a significantly independent factor, was associated with better treatment response (odds ratio, 20.014; 95% CI, 2.187-183.150; P = 0.008) and longer PFS (hazard ratio, 0.135; 95% CI, 0.051-0.361; P < 0.001). These findings disclose the potential role of decorin in myeloma and provide a basis for further study on possible synergistic anti-myeloma effects between decorin and the novel agents that target BM stroma.

Thousands of farm ponds disappeared on the tableland in Taoyuan County, Taiwan since 1920s. The number of farm ponds that have disappeared is 1,895 (37%), 2,667 ponds remain (52%), and only 537 (11%) new ponds were created within a 757 km(2) area in Taoyuan, Taiwan between 1926 and 1960. In this study, a geographic information system (GIS) and logistic stepwise regression model were used to detect pond-loss rates and to understand the driving forces behind pondscape changes. The logistic stepwise regression model was used to develop a series of relationships between pondscapes affected by intrinsic driving forces (patch size, perimeter, and patch shape) and external driving forces (distance from the edge of the ponds to the edges of roads, rivers, and canals). The authors concluded that the loss of ponds was caused by pond intrinsic factors, such as pond perimeter; a large perimeter increases the chances of pond loss, but also increases the possibility of creating new ponds. However, a large perimeter is closely associated with circular shapes (lower value of the mean pond-patch fractal dimension [MPFD]), which characterize the majority of newly created ponds. The method used in this study might be helpful to those seeking to protect this unique landscape by enabling the monitoring of patch-loss problems by using simple patchy-based simulators.