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Double epoxy group double quaternary ammonium salts (DEpDQAS) were synthesized by epichlorohydrin (ECH) reacting with N,N,N'N'-tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) and N,N,N'N'-tetramethyl-1,6-hexanediamine (TMHDA), respectively. The results of orthogonal experiments showed that temperature and time were the key factors influencing on epoxy value and quaternarization ratio respectively. The optimal condition for higher epoxy value was the reaction temperature at 15 °C and methanol as solvent. The reaction kinetic process was determined by conductivity, which showed that the reaction had a short induction period and appeared discontinuity in progress that the reaction rate of the first stage was almost constant, while the reaction rate of the second stage decreased gradually. The product was characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR). The results of surface tension testing showed that DEpDQAS-6 with longer spacer chain had better surface activity and lowered the solution surface tension to 26 mN·m−1 at 25 °C and CMC 0.27 mol·L−1. The thermodynamic parameters of micellization were obtained basing on charged pseudo-phase model. The studies of cytotoxicity in vitro and antibacterial activity showed that DEpDQAS was biocompatible and its antibacterial activity was more effective against Escherichia coli than against Staphylococcus aureus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Character strengths and development is one of the most important and influential areas of positive psychology. Yet most of this research involves – as per the field generally – research in high income countries, with relatively little awareness of its dynamics in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, there is a burgeoning research base in such countries, but this has hitherto been neither consolidated nor widely disseminated. To remedy this lacuna, this paper reports on a systematic review of the peer-reviewed journal articles on character development in LMICs, analysing 164 articles selected from 1,507 initial abstracts. Our analysis shows that research into character in LMICs is developing rapidly, noting various significant trends with respect to countries, populations, outcomes, and interventions. We also point where further efforts are needed, showing how research on this important topic can continue to prosper in regions that have been relatively neglected in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is one of the most common and severe complications of multiple myeloma (MM). The aim of this study was to learn about the current awareness regarding MM-associated VTE among Chinese hematologists. A nationwide, online, questionnaire-based survey was sent to the specialized hematologists in mainland China. The questionnaire investigated respondents' demographic and occupational characteristics, their ability to identify VTE risk factors, and their thromboprophylaxis decisions for different anti-MM regimens. Six clinical vignettes were used to evaluate hematologists' awareness of stratified thromboprophylaxis. The data were analyzed using SPSS software. A total of 518 valid questionnaires were received. Of the 518 hematologists investigated, only 23.7% of them could identify VTE-related risk factors correctly. Most hematologists could select appropriate thromboprophylaxis for common anti-MM regimens such as VCd (bortezomib, cyclophosphamide, and dexamethasone) and VRd (bortezomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone), but not for uncommon ones such as VTD-PACE (bortezomib, thalidomide, dexamethasone, cisplatin, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide) and KRd (carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone). The results from the vignettes suggested that only 19.5% of the hematologists could be defined as the 'stratified thromboprophylaxis' group, and the awareness of stratified thromboprophylaxis depended significantly on physicians' age and working seniority. The results of our study showed that a large proportion of Chinese hematologists failed to recognize the VTE risk factors, most of them cannot select appropriate thromboprophylaxis for different MM therapeutic regimens and lack awareness of stratified thromboprophylaxis for MM-associated VTE. A standard VTE prevention guideline is urgently needed for the Chinese myeloma group. Continuous education for new professionals should be encouraged. A VTE collaborative group is supposed to be established in each hospital to enhance the overall medical care for VTE patients. The substantial myeloma patient population and extensive use of immunomodulatory drugs indicate that MM-associated VTE deserves more attention in China. The results from our cross-sectional study showed that a significant proportion of Chinese hematologists failed to identify the VTE risk factors, most of them cannot select appropriate thromboprophylaxis for different MM therapeutic regimens and lack awareness of stratified thromboprophylaxis for MM-associated VTE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have reported that microRNA-221 (miR-221) is abnormally expressed in various cancers, and there has not been a study to systematically analyze the association between miR-221 and chemoresistance in different cancers. We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, Ovid, and Cochrane for relevant studies. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) and hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to estimate. A total of 30 studies with 1670 patients were enrolled in our study. Thirteen cancer types have been studied, and traditional chemotherapy, targeted drugs, endocrine therapy, chemoradiotherapy, and other treatments were used. High miR-221 expression was associated with poor chemotherapy response in most studies, and the meta-analysis confirmed this result (OR = 3.64, 95%CI: 1.73–7.62, p = 0.001). Besides, the higher level of miR-221 was related to shorter overall survival (OS) (HR = 2.16, 95%CI: 1.47–3.16, p < 0.001) and progression-free survival (PFS) (HR = 1.81, 95%CI: 1.51–2.16, p < 0.001) in patients after chemotherapy. Our results highlight that high miR-221 expression has possible associations with chemoresistance and poor prognosis in multiple cancers. Further studies are needed to discover the molecular mechanisms underlying these associations to provide a solid evidence base for it being used as biomarkers of response to chemotherapeutic interventions in cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aim to develop and validate a nomogram model for predicting severe acute kidney injury (AKI) after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). A total of 576 patients who received OLT in our center were enrolled. They were assigned to the development and validation cohort according to the time of inclusion. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression using the forward variable selection routine were applied to find risk factors for post-OLT severe AKI. Based on the results of multivariable analysis, a nomogram was developed and validated. Patients were followed up to assess the long-term mortality and development of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Overall, 35.9% of patients were diagnosed with severe AKI. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that recipients' BMI (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.04–1.17, p = 0.012), hypertension (OR 2.32, 95% CI 1.22–4.45, p = 0.010), preoperative serum creatine (sCr) (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.95–0.97, p < 0.001), and intraoperative fresh frozen plasm (FFP) transfusion (OR for each 1000 ml increase 1.34, 95% CI 1.03–1.75, p = 0.031) were independent risk factors for post-OLT severe AKI. They were all incorporated into the nomogram. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.73 (p < 0.05) and 0.81 (p < 0.05) in the development and validation cohort. The calibration curve demonstrated the predicted probabilities of severe AKI agreed with the observed probabilities (p > 0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that patients in the high-risk group stratified by the nomogram suffered significantly poorer long-term survival than the low-risk group (HR 1.92, p < 0.01). The cumulative risk of CKD was higher in the severe AKI group than no severe AKI group after competitive risk analysis (HR 1.48, p < 0.05). With excellent predictive abilities, the nomogram may be a simple and reliable tool to identify patients at high risk for severe AKI and poor long-term prognosis after OLT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that the progression of hyperuricemia disease often contributes to renal dysfunction. However, there have been few studies on uric acid nephropathy (UAN), especially its relationship with gut microbiota. UAN is usually accompanied by disordered intestinal flora, and damaged gut barrier, which are closely related to tubulointerstitial fibrosis, and systemic inflammation. In previous studies, it has been confirmed that curcumin could alleviate tubulointerstitial fibrosis, and improve renal function through its antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory efficacies. However, the effects curcumin exerts on intestinal flora in uric acid nephropathy are still unknown. Therefore, we used next-generation sequencing technology to investigate the effects of curcumin on gut microbiota in a rat model of UAN induced by adenine and potassium oxonate, and rats were randomly divided into control, model or curcumin treatment groups. The results demonstrated that, compared to the model group, the treatment group showed decreased serum uric acid (156.80 ± 11.90 μmol/L vs. 325.60 ± 18.65 μmol/L, p < 0.001), serum creatinine (66.20 ± 11.88 μmol/L vs. 182.20 ± 8.87 μmol/L, p < 0.001) and BUN level (13.33 ± 3.16 mmol/L vs. 36.04 ± 6.60 mmol/L, p < 0.001). The treatment group also displayed attenuated renal pathological lesions and metabolic endotoxemia (25.60 ± 5.90 ng/mL vs. 38.40 ± 4.98 ng/mL, p < 0.01), and improved tightly linked proteins expression. Besides, curcumin altered the gut microbiota structure in UAN rats. More specifically, curcumin treatment protected against the overgrowth of opportunistic pathogens in UAN, including Escherichia-Shigella and Bacteroides, and increased the relative abundance of bacteria producing short‐chain fatty acids (SCFAs), such as Lactobacillus and Ruminococcaceae. These results suggest that curcumin could modulate gut microbiota, fortify the intestinal barrier, attenuate metabolic endotoxemia, and consequently protect the renal function in UAN rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]