Search

Objective. Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy has been explored in Huntington disease (HD) as a potential therapeutic approach; however, a complete synthesis of these results is lacking. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of MSCs on HD. Method. Eligible studies published before November 2022 were screened from Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, and Cochrane in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. ClinicalTrial.gov and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform were also searched for registered clinical trials. The outcomes in rodent studies evaluated included morphological changes (striatal volume and ventricular volume), motor function (rotarod test, wire hang test, grip strength test, limb-clasping test, apomorphine-induced rotation test, and neuromuscular electromyography activity), cognition (Morris water maze test), and body weight. Result. The initial search returned 362 records, of which 15 studies incorporating 346 HD rodents were eligible for meta-analysis. Larger striatal and smaller ventricular volumes were observed in MSC-treated animals compared to controls. MSCs transplanted before the occurrence of motor dysfunction rescued the motor incoordination of HD. Among different MSC sources, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were the most investigated cells and were effective in improving motor coordination. MSC therapy improved muscle strength, neuromuscular electromyography activity, cortex-related motor function, and striatum-related motor function, while cognition was not changed. The body weight of male HD rodents increased after MSC transplantation, while that of females was not affected. Conclusion. Meta-analysis showed a positive effect of MSCs on HD rodents overall, as reflected in morphological changes, motor coordination, muscle strength, neuromuscular electromyography activity, cortex-related motor function, and striatum-related motor function, while cognition was not changed by MSC therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aimed to explore the performance of concrete with iron tailings sand modified by polypropylene fibers under aggressive environment. Three kinds of concrete (ordinary concrete, concrete with iron tailings sand (ITS), and concrete with ITS modified by polypropylene fibers) were exposed to drying-wetting cycles in 5% Na2SO4 solution for 28, 56, 84, 112, and 140 days. The performance, such as pores distribution, crack width, corrosion products, mass variation, expansion variation, compressive strength, flexural strength, and the diffusion of sulfate ion were measured at regular time intervals during the whole exposure period to describe the associated evolution laws. The results show that, in the process of the corrosion of sodium sulfate solution, the formation of gypsum and ettringite (AFT) has an important impact on the harmful pores (>0.1 μm), cracks, mass variation, expansion variation, compressive strength, and flexural strength of the three concrete. Polypropylene fibers can refine the pores development and inhabit the crack development of the concrete with ITS, further alleviating the rate of sulfate ion attack on concrete and the rate of increase of corrosion products, so that the mass variation, the expansion variation, and the reduction of compressive strength and flexural strength can be limited effectively. Furthermore, in the concrete with ITS modified by 0.1% polypropylene fibers, the content of sulfate ions diffused is always the lowest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aimed to explore the performance of concrete with iron tailings sand modified by polypropylene fibers under aggressive environment. Three kinds of concrete (ordinary concrete, concrete with iron tailings sand (ITS), and concrete with ITS modified by polypropylene fibers) were exposed to drying-wetting cycles in 5% Na2SO4 solution for 28, 56, 84, 112, and 140 days. The performance, such as pores distribution, crack width, corrosion products, mass variation, expansion variation, compressive strength, flexural strength, and the diffusion of sulfate ion were measured at regular time intervals during the whole exposure period to describe the associated evolution laws. The results show that, in the process of the corrosion of sodium sulfate solution, the formation of gypsum and ettringite (AFT) has an important impact on the harmful pores (>0.1 μm), cracks, mass variation, expansion variation, compressive strength, and flexural strength of the three concrete. Polypropylene fibers can refine the pores development and inhabit the crack development of the concrete with ITS, further alleviating the rate of sulfate ion attack on concrete and the rate of increase of corrosion products, so that the mass variation, the expansion variation, and the reduction of compressive strength and flexural strength can be limited effectively. Furthermore, in the concrete with ITS modified by 0.1% polypropylene fibers, the content of sulfate ions diffused is always the lowest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination of Eucommia ulmoides and Tribulus terrestris (ET) has been widely utilized in clinical practice for thousands of years, but the mechanism underlying its efficacy has not been elucidated to date. This study attempted to investigate the role played by the intestinal microbiota and fecal metabolism in the response of elderly spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHRs) to ET administration as a treatment for hypertension. Fourteen male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs, 18 months old) were randomly divided into an ET group and an SHR group, and 7 Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats of the same age were employed as the control group. The ET group was intragastrically administered 1.0 g/kg/d ET for 42 days, and SHRs and WKY rats were administered an equal amount of normal saline intragastrically. The intestinal microbiota and fecal metabolism were analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing and the GC-MS (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry)/MS assay. ET treatment decreased blood pressure steadily, improved the colonic tissue morphology, and changed the structure and composition of the imbalanced microbiota in SHRs. Specifically, ET treatment increased the abundance of Eubacterium, which might be one of the target microbes for ET, and had a negative correlation with the levels of α-tocopherol, chenodeoxycholic acid, and deoxycholic acid according to the Spearman correlation analysis. The change in the intestinal microbiota affected the fecal metabolic pattern of SHRs. Eight potential biomarkers were determined to be primarily enriched in ABC transporters, phenylalanine metabolism, central carbon metabolism in cancer, purine metabolism, and protein digestion and absorption. The correlation analysis demonstrated that the abundance of Eubacterium and the decreased levels of α-tocopherol, chenodeoxycholic acid, and deoxycholic acid in the ET group were highly correlated. Our results suggest that ET has a good antihypertensive effect, which may be driven by the intestinal microbiota and their beneficial metabolites. The results of this study may help to elucidate the antihypertensive mechanism of ET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. To investigate the roles of ER stress in Kupffer cells (KCs) and KC-derived TNF-α in the apoptosis of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Methods. A rat model of liver fibrosis was established. Liver and blood serum samples were collected. Liver function assays, Masson staining, Sirius Red staining, ELISAs, and TUNEL and immunohistochemical staining were performed. Liver function, liver fibrosis, KC phenotype, inflammatory factors, and number of active HSCs were investigated. KCs were isolated, treated with tunicamycin, and then, cocultured with primary hepatic stellate cells. ELISAs, immunofluorescence staining, flow cytometry, and Western blotting were performed. KC phenotype, inflammatory factors, HSC apoptosis, and TNF-R1/caspase 8 pathway activity were examined. Results. ER stress in KCs reduced the levels of liver function markers, reduced the degree of liver fibrosis, and increased the number of KCs with the M1 phenotype and the expression of TNF-α. The increase in KC-derived TNF-α reduced the number of active HSCs and increased the activity of TNF-R1/caspase 8. Furthermore, ER stress in KCs promoted the polarization of KCs towards the M1 phenotype and increased the expression of TNF-α. The increase in KC-derived TNF-α triggered the apoptosis of HSCs and the activation of TNF-R1/caspase 8 in vitro, which was consistent with the in vivo results. Conclusion. ER stress in KCs promotes the polarization of these cells towards the M1 phenotype and increases the expression of TNF-α. Then, the increase in KC-derived TNF-α triggers the apoptosis of HSCs through TNF-R1/caspase 8. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider a new system of multivalued mixed variational inequality problem, which includes some known systems of variational inequalities as special cases. Under suitable conditions, the existence of solutions for the system of multivalued mixed variational inequality problem and the convergence of iterative sequences generated by the generalized ƒ-projection algorithm are proved. A perturbational algorithm for solving a special case of multivalued mixed variational inequality problem is formally constructed. The results concerned with the existence of solutions and the convergence of iterative sequences generated by the perturbational algorithm are also given. Some known results are improved and generalized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Healthcare utilization and costs associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a US Medicaid population were examined. Methods. Patients > 18 years old with SLE diagnosis (ICD-9-CM 710.0x) were extracted from a large Medicaid database 2002-2009. Index date was date of the first SLE diagnosis. Patients with and without SLE were matched. All patients had a variable length of followup with a minimum of 12 months. Annualized healthcare utilization and costs associated with SLE and costs of SLE flares were assessed during the followup period. Multivariate regressions were conducted to estimate incremental healthcare utilization and costs associated with SLE. Results. A total of 14,777 SLE patients met the study criteria, and 14,262 were matched to non-SLE patients. SLE patients had significantly higher healthcare utilization per year than their matched controls. The estimated incremental annual cost associated with SLE was $10,984, with the highest increase in inpatient costs (P < 0.001). Cost per flare was $11,716 for severe flares, $562 for moderate flares, and $129 for mild flares. Annual total costs for patients with severe flares were $49,754. Conclusions. SLE patients had significantly higher healthcare resource utilization and costs than non-SLE patients. Patients with severe flares had the highest costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammatory mediators are closely associated with the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative changes in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Osteopontin (OPN) is a proinflammatory cytokine that has been shown to play an important role in various neuroinflammatory diseases. However, the function of OPN in AD and MCI progression is not well defined. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma samples were obtained from35 AD patients, 31 MCI patients, and 20 other noninflammatory neurologic diseases (OND). Concentrations of OPN in the CSF and plasma were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. During a 3-year clinical followup, 13 MCI patients convert ed to AD (MCI converters), and 18 were clinically stable (MCI nonconverters). CSF OPN concentrations were significantly increased in AD and MCI converters compared to OND, and increased levels of OPN in AD were associated with MMSE score; OPN protein levels both in the CSF and plasma of newly diagnosed AD patients were higher than that of chronical patients. In MCI converters individuals tested longitudinally, both plasma and CSF OPN concentrations were significantly elevated when they received a diagnosis of AD during followup. Further wide-scale studies are necessary to confirm these results and to shed light on the etiopathogenic role of osteopontin in AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. This study sets out to investigate the incidence of acute left ventricular failure in peritoneal dialysis patients with different volume loads and to analyze the related risk factors for LVF in these patients. Methods. This study involved patients who received peritoneal dialysis in our hospital between September 2018 and January 2021. The demographic data and biochemical indicators of the patients were collected. The bioimpedance analysis method was used to determine the volume overload [overhydration (OH)] level of patients, and cardiac color Doppler ultrasound was used to detect changes in their cardiac structure. According to the LVF diagnostic criteria of symptoms and laboratory tests, the patients were divided into the LVF and non-LVF groups and then divided according to their OH level into the normal volume (OH ≤1.1 L) and volume overload (OH >1.1 L) groups. The incidence of LVF in was analyzed in patients with different volume loads, and logistic regression was used to identify the risk factors for LVF. Results. Among the 226 peritoneal dialysis patients enrolled in this study, 125 patients (55.3%) had LVF. The normal volume group (n = 68 , 30.1%) included 22 patients (32.4%) with LVF, and the volume overload group (n = 158 , 69.9%) included 84 patients (53.2%) with LVF. In the volume overload group, 74 patients (46.8%) had subclinical volume overload, including 35 patients (47.3%) with LVF, and 84 patients (53.2%) had clinical volume overload, including 65 patients (77.4%) LVF. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed a high OH level (OR = 1.862 , 95% CI: 1.353–2.668, P < 0.001) and low hemoglobin level (OR = 0.845 , 95% CI: 0.721–0.980, P = 0.008) to be independent risk factors for LVF. Conclusions. LVF has a high incidence in peritoneal dialysis patients, especially those with volume overload. A high OH level and low hemoglobin level are independent risk factors for LVF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disease in women of reproductive age, whose clinical characteristics are hyperandrogenism (HA), ovulatory dysfunction, and polycystic ovary, often accompanied by insulin resistance (IR) and metabolic abnormalities. Glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1Ra), such as exenatide, can bind to specific receptors on tissues such as the ovaries to improve the clinical phenotype of PCOS, while insulin-sensitizing agents, such as metformin, can also benefit to metabolic abnormalities in PCOS. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS) metabolomics revealed differences between the mechanisms of exenatide and metformin treatment of PCOS to some extent. Methods. In this study, 50 obese subjects with PCOS were randomly divided into the exenatide combined with metformin group (COM group, n = 28) and the metformin group (MF group, n = 22) for 12-week treatment. Before and after, serum samples were subjected to LC/MS analysis. Results. After treatment, there were 153 named differential metabolites in the COM group and 99 in the MF group. Most phosphatidylcholines (PC) and deoxycholic acid 3-glucuronide (DA3G) were significantly upregulated, while most glycerophosphoethanolamine (PE-NMe2), glycerophosphocholine (GPC), and threonine were downregulated in both groups. Only the decrease of neuromedin B, glutamate, and glutamyl groups and the increase of chenodeoxycholic acid sulfate docosadienoate (22: 2n6), and prostaglandin E2 have been observed in the COM group. In addition, salicylic acid and spisulosine increased and decanoylcarnitine decreased in the MF group. Both groups were enriched in glycerophospholipid, choline, and sphingolipid metabolism, while the COM group was especially superior in the glutamine and glutamate, bile secretion, and amino acid metabolism. Conclusion. Compared with metformin alone in the treatment of PCOS, the differential metabolites of the exenatide combined with metformin group are more extensive. The COM group may act on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPO) and its bypass, regulate multiple metabolism pathways such as phospholipids, amino acids, fatty acids, carnitine, bile acids, and glucose directly or indirectly in obese PCOS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the disturbance change control problem with an active deformation adjustment mechanism on a 5-meter deployable antenna panel. A fuzzy neural network Q-learning control (FNNQL) strategy is proposed in this paper for the disturbance change to improve the accuracy of the antenna panel. In the proposed method, the error of the model disturbance is reduced by introducing the fuzzy radial basis function (RBF) neural network into Q-learning, and the parameters of the fuzzy RBF neural network were optimized and adjusted by a Q-learning method. This allows the FNNQL controller to have a strong adaptability to deal with the disturbance change. Finally, the proposed method has been adopted in the middle plate of a 5-meter deployable antenna panel, and it was found that the method could successfully adapt the model disturbance change in the antenna panel. Results of the simulation also show that the whole control system meets the required accuracy requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is among the most globally prevalent cancers, is strongly associated with liver cirrhosis. Using a bioinformatics approach, we have identified and investigated the hub genes responsible for the progression of cirrhosis into HCC. We analyzed the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) microarray datasets, GSE25097 and GSE17549, to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in these two conditions and also performed protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis. STRING database and Cytoscape software were used to analyze the modules and locate hub genes following which the connections between hub genes and the transition from cirrhosis to HCC, progression of HCC, and prognosis of HCC were investigated. We used the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis to detect the molecular mechanisms underlying the action of the primary hub genes. In all, 239 DEGs were obtained, with 94 of them showing evidence of upregulation and 145 showing evidence of downregulation in HCC tissues as compared to cirrhotic liver tissues. We identified six hub genes, namely, BUB1B, NUSAP1, TTK, HMMR, CCNA2, and KIF2C, which were upregulated and had a high diagnostic value for HCC. Besides, these six hub genes were positively related to immune cell infiltration. Since these genes may play a direct role in the progression of cirrhosis to HCC, they can be considered as potential novel molecular indicators for the onset and development of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept for general α,m,r-convex functions, as a generalization of convex functions, is introduced. Then, Sandor type inequalities for the Sugeno integral based on this kind of function are established. Our work generalizes the previous results in the literature. Finally, some conclusions and problems for further investigations are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the most common form of developmental malformation affecting the heart and endothoracic great vessels, congenital heart disease (CHD) confers substantial morbidity and mortality as well as socioeconomic burden on humans globally. Aggregating convincing evidence highlights the genetic origin of CHD, and damaging variations in over 100 genes have been implicated with CHD. Nevertheless, the genetic basis underpinning CHD remains largely elusive. In this study, via whole-exosome sequencing analysis of a four-generation family inflicted with autosomal-dominant CHD, a heterozygous SMAD1 variation, NM_005900.3: c.264C > A; p.(Tyr88 ∗), was detected and validated by Sanger sequencing analysis to be in cosegregation with CHD in the whole family. The truncating variation was not observed in 362 unrelated healthy volunteers employed as control persons. Dual-luciferase reporter gene assay in cultured COS7 cells demonstrated that Tyr88 ∗ -mutant SMAD1 failed to transactivate the genes TBX20 and NKX2.5, two already well-established CHD-causative genes. Additionally, the variation nullified the synergistic transcriptional activation between SMAD1 and MYOCD, another recognized CHD-causative gene. These data indicate SMAD1 as a new gene responsible for CHD, which provides new insight into the genetic mechanism underlying CHD, suggesting certain significance for genetic risk assessment and precise antenatal prevention of the family members inflicted with CHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To compare healthcare utilization (HCU) and costs of women newly diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer (mBC) by receipt of HER2-targeted agents (H2T) and among H2T subgroups. Methods. Adult women newly diagnosed with mBC (index date) during 2008-2012 were followed until enrollment end or inpatient death. Study cohorts were antineoplastic ± H2Ts, and no treatment; and subgroups of H2T patients stratified by receipt of hormonal therapy (HT+/HT-), by de novo versus recurrent disease status, and by age group. All-cause (ALL) and breast cancer related (BCR) HCU and costs (in 2012 dollars) were estimated using a generalized linear model. Results. Of 18,059 women, 14.6% were H2T users 71.1% nonusers, and 14.3% untreated. No treatment patients had the highest ALL and BCR inpatient HCU, and ALL emergency room HCU. H2Ts users had the highest ALL and BCR office visits, lab and diagnostic radiology, radiation treatments, other outpatient services, and prescription antineoplastics. Adjusted ALL and BCR costs were the highest for H2T users and, in H2T subgroups, higher for HT--versus HT+ and de novo versus recurrent, and declined with older age. Conclusions. Receipt of H2Ts was associated with greater levels of ALL and BCR HCU and costs. H2T subgroups of HT-, de novo, and younger age had higher HCU and costs, possibly indicating more aggressive treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is devoted to the convergence of the implicit Ishikawa iteration processes for approximating a common fixed point of nonexpansive semigroup in CAT(0) spaces. We obtain the -convergence results of the implicit Ishikawa iteration sequences for a family of nonexpansive mappings in CAT(0) spaces. Under certain and different conditions, we also get the strong convergence theorems of implicit Ishikawa iteration sequences for nonexpansive semigroups in the CAT(0) spaces. The results presented in this paper extend and generalize some previous results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with EGFR gene mutation often obtain de novo resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) or develop secondary resistance to EGFR-TKIs after taking EGFR-TKI therapy. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with different treatment principles, in combination with EGFR-TKIs, plays an important role in the treatment of cancers including resistant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, inappropriate use of TCM herbs may induce resistance to gefitinib. Therefore, it is of a great value to evaluate which TCM treatment principle should be combined with EGFR-TKIs, and which one should be avoided, and find out the potential mechanisms. The lentiviral transfection assay was used for overexpression of PIK3CA mutation gene in PC-9 cells to construct PC-9-PIK3CA-mutation (PC-9-PIK3CA-M) cells. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, and the expression of EGFR/PI3K/AKT and EGFR/RAS/RAF/ERK in PC-9-PIK3CA-M and H1975 cells treated by the typical cooling-heat drug, Qing-kai-ling (QKL) and Tan-re-qing (TRQ), or the typical warming-yang drug, Shen-fu (SF) and gefitinib treatment, were detected by MTT, Annexin V/PI double labeling, and Western blot assays, respectively. Tumor xenograft and immunohistochemistry experiments were carried out to confirm the in vitro findings. PC-9-PIK3CA-M cells were less sensitive to gefitinib, when compared with PC-9 cells. QKL injection and TRQ injection, not SF injection, combined with gefitinib induced significantly increased cell growth inhibition and apoptosis in PC-9-PIK3CA-M and H1975 cells. SF injection antagonized the effect of gefitinib in promoting cancer cell apoptosis. QKL injection and TRQ injection increased the sensitivity of gefitinib by inhibiting the phosphorylation of AKT or ERK in H1975 and PC-9-PIK3CA-M cells. Similar findings were observed in vivo in H1975 xenograft mouse model. QKL and TRQ, with cooling-heat TCM treatment principle, should be combined with gefitinib in the treatment of NSCLC. Furthermore, warming-yang drug SF should be avoided to be used together with EGFR-TKIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relatively nonexpansive mappings and equilibrium problems are considered based on a shrinking projection method. Using properties of the generalized f-projection operator, a strong convergence theorem for relatively nonexpansive mappings and equilibrium problems is proved in Banach spaces under some suitable conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The majority of studies on road traffic flow prediction have focused on the flow of passenger cars or the flow of traffic as a whole, which ignore the significant impact of trucks with different sizes and operational characteristics on traffic flow efficiency. Therefore, in this paper, we focus on truck traffic flow and propose a Multifeatures Spatial-Temporal-Based Neural Network model (M-BiCNNGRU) to improve its prediction. The proposed model not only comprises conventional temporal characteristics and spatial relationships but also includes a range of multifeatures. These multifeatures include policy limit, optimal time delay, road resistance, and traffic congestion state. The impacts of upstream and downstream road sections are considered on the spatial relationship by using a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN). A Bidirectional Gated Recurrent Unit (Bi-GRU) is employed to account for the temporal characteristics. To evaluate the proposed model, traffic flow data were collected from a major expressway in Beijing and the results were compared with those derived from existing models. The results show that the prediction accuracy of the BiCNNGRU model, with spatial-temporal characteristics, and the M-BiGRU model, with multifeatures and temporal, is, respectively, 4.13% and 2.15% greater than that of the Bi-GRU model, with temporal characteristics. The prediction accuracy of the proposed M-BiCNNGRU model is 92.86%, which is 7.12% greater than that of the Bi-GRU model and 13.83% greater than that of the Support Vector Regression (SVR) model. In general, therefore, the proposed M-BiCNNGRU model, which combines multifeatures, temporal characteristics, and spatial relationships, can significantly improve accuracy in predicting truck traffic flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the bone marrow mononuclear cell (BMMNC) is known as an ideal cell type for cell-based therapy for MI treatment, the effective subpopulation still remains unknown. Our study aimed at identifying the optimal subset of BMMNCs suited for cardiac regeneration. In this study, we observed that MI led to (i) a significant increase of the c-kit+AT2R+ BMMNC subpopulation in mice and (ii) a modest increase of AT2R+ BMMNCs in humans. c-kit+AT2R+ and c-kit+AT2R− BMMNC subpopulations were obtained from mice after MI. Then, we cocultured cardiac H9C2 cells with c-kit+AT2R+, c-kit+AT2R−, and unfractionated BMMNCs; finally, we found that the c-kit+AT2R+ subset is superior to the c-kit+AT2R− subset in improving cardiomyocyte protection in vitro. Of note, c-kit+AT2R+ BMMNCs showed a more robust migration capacity than c-kit+AT2R− and unfractionated BMMNCs in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, compared to c-kit+AT2R− and unfractionated BMMNCs, intravenous transplantation of c-kit+AT2R+ BMMNC resulted in smaller infarct size and lower levels of inflammatory reactions in heart tissue, leading to a higher global heart function improvement. In conclusion, our results indicate that the c-kit+AT2R+ BMMNC subpopulation exerts a protective effect against MI and shows promising therapeutic possibilities with regard to the treatment of ischemic heart disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This retrospective study aims to examine the association of plasma Epstein-Barr virus- (EBV-) DNA levels with the tumor volume and prognosis in patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). A total of 165 patients with newly diagnosed locally advanced NPC were identified from September 2011 to July 2012. EBV-DNA was detected using fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification. The tumor volume was calculated by the systematic summation method of computer software. The median copy number of plasma EBV-DNA before treatment was 3790 copies/mL. The median gross tumor volume of the primary nasopharyngeal tumor (GTVnx), the lymph node lesions (GTVnd), and the total GTV before treatment were 72.46, 23.26, and 106.25 cm3, respectively; the EBV-DNA levels were significantly correlated with the GTVnd and the total GTV (P<0.01). The 2-year overall survival (OS) rates in patients with positive and negative pretreatment plasma EBV-DNA were 100% and 98.4% (P=1.000), and the disease-free survival (DFS) rates were 94.4% and 80.8% (P=0.044), respectively. These results indicate that high pretreatment plasma EBV-DNA levels in patients with locally advanced NPC are associated with the degree of lymph node metastasis, tumor burden, and poor prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyzed the effects of a traditional Chinese medicine, Qizhi Jiangtang Jiaonang (QJJ), on insulin resistance (IR) in vitro. After an in vitro model of IR was established by treating human liver cancer cells (HepG2 cells) with palmitic acid, the cells were then treated with various concentrations of QJJ. Treatment with 400 µM palmitic acid for 24 h induced IR in HepG2 cells. The survival rate for HepG2 cells in the IR group was significantly lower than that of the untreated control group (P < 0.001); however, QJJ restored HepG2 cell survival (P < 0.001). As compared with HepG2 cells in the IR group, QJJ at all doses analyzed significantly increased glucose consumption (all P < 0.05). Moreover, treatment with all the QJJ doses significantly reduced the mean intracellular reactive oxygen species levels as compared with the IR group (all P < 0.05). Furthermore, high-dose QJJ reduced both TNF-α and IL-6 levels as compared to the IR group (all P < 0.05). QJJ ameliorated the altered PI3K, GLUT4, and RAGE expression observed with IR. In conclusion, QJJ can improve IR in HepG2 cells, which may be mediated through the IRS-1/PI3K/GLUT4 signaling pathway as well as regulation of NF-κB-mediated inflammation and oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structural integrity of the corticospinal tract (CST) after stroke is closely linked to the degree of motor impairment. However, current methods for measurement of fractional atrophy (FA) of CST based on region of interest (ROI) are time-consuming and open to bias. Here, we used tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) together with a CST template with healthy volunteers to quantify structural integrity of CST automatically. Two groups of patients after ischemic stroke were enrolled, group 1 (10 patients, 7 men, and Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) scores ⩽ 50) and group 2 (12 patients, 12 men, and FMA scores = 100). CST of FAipsi, FAcontra, and FAratio was compared between the two groups. Relative to group 2, FA was decreased in group 1 in the ipsilesional CST (P < 0.01), as well as the FAratio (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference between the two subgroups in the contralesional CST (P = 0.23). Compared with contralesional CST, FA of ipsilesional CST decreased in group 1 (P < 0.01). These results suggest that the automated method used in our study could detect a surrogate biomarker to quantify the CST after stroke, which would facilitate implementation of clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By using surjectivity theorem of pseudomonotone and coercive operators rather than the KKM theorem and fixed point theorem used in recent literatures, we obtain some conditions under which a system of generalized variational-hemivariational inequalities concerning set-valued mappings, which includes as special cases many problems of hemivariational inequalities studied in recent literatures, is solvable. As an application, we prove an existence theorem of solutions for a system of generalized variationalhemivariational inequalities involving integrals of Clarke's generalized directional derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been widely used in cancer in China. Case series report a series of cases exposed to a certain intervention. To understand the current situation of case series of TCM for cancer, we performed this review.We included case series of cancer patients treated with TCM therapy. Electronic searches were conducted in four main Chinese databases until February 2011. A total of 1,217 reports of case series (92,945 patients) were included. The top five types of cancer were lung cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer, leukemia, and esophageal cancer. Leukopenia and hiccup treated by TCM were the most common adverse reactions after surgery or induced by chemo/radiotherapy. More than half of the patients were treated with TCMtherapies alone. The application of herbal medicines especially formula based on syndrome differentiation was highly prevalent, and the typical administration route was oral usage. 1,182 reports were published in a structured format. The quantity of TCM case series for cancer treatment is substantial. Further studies should focus on the most common types of cancer and the most frequently applied TCM therapies.We presented a recommendation from the methodological point of view for the format of reporting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We generalize the concept of well-posedness by perturbations for optimization problem to a class of variational-hemivariational inequalities. We establish some metric characterizations of the well-posedness by perturbations for the variational-hemivariational inequality and prove their equivalence between the well-posedness by perturbations for the variational-hemivariational inequality and the well-posedness by perturbations for the corresponding inclusion problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]