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Background. To explore the normal changes in bone turnover markers (BTMs) and the correlations between the different BTMs after osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF). Meanwhile, we explored the related differences that exist between sexes. Methods. A total of 130 OVCF patients were retrospectively reviewed. Using IBM SPSS 19.0 statistical software, the differences in the levels of BTMs and clinical parameters between sexes were assessed using Student's unpaired t test, and one-way ANOVA was used for the comparison of the three groups of samples. The correlations between P1NP, CTX, and clinical factors were assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results. P1NP was 52.15 ng/ml within two weeks in male patients, and the level increased to 96.33 ng/ml after 12 weeks; in female patients, the increase was not as obvious as in male patients. CTX in male patients reached as much as approximately twice the initial value after 12 weeks. However, the situation in female patients was diverse. CTX was 0.58 ng/ml within two weeks and increased to 0.61 ng/ml within 2-12 weeks after the onset of OVCF. Subsequently, CTX decreased suddenly after 12 weeks. The increase in P1NP levels within 2 weeks after OVCF was significantly correlated with the levels of osteocalcin (OC) and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP). Changes in CTX within 2 weeks after OVCF were considerably related to phosphorus, 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD), OC, and BAP. Conclusion. The levels of P1NP and CTX increased differently in males and females after OVCF. The levels of OC and BAP were correlated with the levels of P1NP and CTX within 2 weeks of OVCF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common subtype of nonsmall cell lung cancer. Cytochrome c (Cyt c), which is produced from mitochondria, interacts with a protein called Apaf-1 to form the heptameric apoptosome. This heptameric apoptosome then activates the caspase cascade, which ultimately results in the execution of apoptosis. The purpose of our research was to discover a new prognostic model that is based on cytochrome c-related genes (CCRGs) for LUAD patients. Through LASSO regression analysis conducted on the LUAD datasets included in the TCGA datasets, a CCRGs signature was created. The diagnostic accuracy of the multigene signature was verified by an independent source using the GSE31210 and GSE72094 datasets. The GO and KEGG enrichment analysis were performed. In this study, there were 159 differentially expressed CCRGs in the TCGA dataset, while there were 68 differentially expressed CCRGs in the GSE31210 dataset. Additionally, there were 57 genes that overlapped across the two datasets. Using LASSO and Cox regression analysis, a signature consisting of 12 differentially expressed CCRGs was developed from the total of 57 such genes. On the basis of their risk ratings, patients were categorized into high-risk and low-risk categories, with low-risk patients having lower risk scores and a greater likelihood of surviving the disease. Univariate and multivariate analyses both concluded that this signature is an independent risk factor for LUAD. ROC curves demonstrated that this risk signature is capable of accurately predicting the 1-year, 2-year, 3-year, and 5-year survival rates of patients who have LUAD. The infiltration of antigen-presenting cells was higher in the low-risk group, such as aDCs, DCs, pDCs, and iDCs. The expression of multiple immune checkpoints was significantly higher in the low-risk group, such as BTLA, CD28, and CD86. Finally, we showed that the signature can be used to predict the drug sensitivity of already available or under investigational drugs. Overall, patient classification and individualized therapy options may benefit from this study's development of a powerful gene signature with high value for prognostic prediction in LUAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lung cancer is still the major contributor to cancer-related mortality. Over 85% of patients suffer from non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Mucins (MUCs) are large glycoproteins secreted or membrane-bound produced by epithelial cells in normal and malignant tissues. They are the major components of the mucous gel that covers the surface of the respiratory epithelium. Certain MUCs have been used or proposed to act as biomarkers for lung cancer. Nevertheless, the expression, messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels, and the prognostic value of MUCs in NSCLC are yet to be investigated systematically. In this research, the biological information of MUC proteins in patients with NSCLC was examined using a series of databases. The results based on gene expression profiling interactive analysis (GEPIA) illustrated that the expression of MUC3A, MUC4, MUC5B, MUC13, MUC16, and MUC21 mRNAs was remarkably upmodulated in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) patients, whereas the MUC1 expression was downregulated in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) patients. Kaplan–Meier plotter (KM Plotter) analysis revealed that elevated mRNA expression levels of MUC3A and MUC16 were linked to unfavourable overall survival (OS) in NSCLC, while increased mRNA expression of MUC1 and MUC15 was linked to good OS, especially in LUAD patients. In addition, differential expression of MUC1, MUC3A/3B, MUC8, MUC12, MUC15, and MUC16 mRNA was linked to the prognoses of NSCLC patients with varied clinical-pathological subtypes. Genetic alterations of MUCs in NSCLC primarily involved mutations, fusion, amplification, deep deletion, and multiple alterations according to cancer genomics (cBioPortal). Therefore, we propose that combinations of MUC proteins can act as prognostic biomarkers and demonstrate the therapeutic potential for NSCLC-related therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Ewing's sarcoma (ES) is the most common malignant primary bone tumor in children and adolescents. This study is aimed at developing new prognostic markers and building a microRNA-mRNA network in the development of ES. Method. GSE80201 and GSE39262 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Bioinformatics analysis was used to download and process data. The coexpression of differentially expressed microRNAs (DEMs) and genes (DEGs) was selected by using R software. The FunRich database was utilized to perform cellular component (CC), molecular function (MF), and biological process (BP) enrichment analysis. Cytoscape and ClueGO were used to perform Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis and construct the mRNA-microRNA network. The Kaplan-Meier Plotter was used to perform prognosis analysis between the expression level of genes we selected and overall survival (OS) of patients with ES. Univariate analysis and multivariate analysis were carried out to research the prognostic value of identified mRNA expression in ES according to TCGA database. Results. By using bioinformatics analysis, 10 DEMs and 5 target mRNAs were identified. Based on the KmPlot software, COL1A2, COL3A1, and TGFBI were significantly related to the OS of patients with ES. High COL3A1 mRNA expression was correlated with distant metastasis, margin status, and poor overall survival of ES. Besides, multivariate analysis indicated that COL3A1 was an independent risk factor for ES patients. Conclusions. In conclusion, our results suggest that COL3A1 and its related molecules may be a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for patients with ES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was to analyze the clinical application value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image features based on intelligent algorithms in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer and to provide an effective reference assessment for breast cancer diagnosis. The MRI diagnosis model (ACO-MRI) based on the ant colony algorithm (ACO) was proposed, which was compared with the diagnosis methods based on support vector machine (SVM) and proximity (KNN) algorithm, and the proposed algorithm was applied to MRI images to diagnose breast cancer. The results showed that the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the ACO-MRI model were greater than those of the KNN and SVM algorithm. Moreover, the specificity was statistically considerable compared with the two algorithms of KNN and SVM (P < 0.05). By comparing 1/5 number of ants and the average gray path of the ACO-MRI model under 1/8 number of ants, it was found that the average gray path value of 1/8 number of ants was greatly higher than the average gray path value of 1/5 number of ants (P < 0.05). The differences in the overall distribution of breast MRI imaging features among Luminal A, Luminal B, HER-2 overexpression, and TN were compared. There were considerable differences in the overall distribution of the three breast MRI imaging features of the boundaries, morphology, and enhancement methods among the four groups (P < 0.05). In short, MRI image based on the intelligent algorithm ACO-MRI diagnosis model can effectively improve the diagnosis effect of breast cancer. Its image feature boundaries, morphology, and enhancement methods had good imaging features in the diagnosis of breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The purpose is to observe the effects and neural mechanism of cutting upper thoracic sympathetic trunk (TST) on the ventricular rate (VR) during persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods. Twelve beagle dogs were halving to the control group and experimental group, 6 dogs for each group. Both groups were performed with left atrial rapid pacing (600 beats/min) to induce sustained AF. The experimental group underwent cutting upper TST after a sustained AF model was established, while the control group received thoracotomy without cutting TST. Bilateral stellate ganglion (SG) and left atrial myocardium were harvested for tyrosine-hydroxylase (TH) immunohistochemical staining. Results. After cutting upper TST for 30 minutes, the average VR was 121.5 ± 8.7 bpm (95% CI, 114.8 to 128.0) in the experimental group, which was significantly slower than that of the control group (144.5 ± 4.2 bpm (95% CI, 141.5 to 148.0)) (P < 0.001). After cutting upper TST for 1 month, the average VR of the experimental group (106.5 ± 4.9 bpm (95% CI, 102.0 to 110.0)) was also significantly slower versus that of the control group (139.2 ± 5.6 bpm (95% CI, 135.0 to 143.8)) (P < 0.001). Compared with the control group, both left stellate ganglion (LSG) and right stellate ganglion (RSG) of the experimental group caused neural remodeling characterized by decreased ganglionic cell density and reduced TH staining. TH-positive component was significantly decreased in the left atrium of the experimental group compared with the control group. Conclusions. Cutting upper TST could reduce fast VR during persistent AF. Cutting upper TST induced bilateral SG neural remodeling and reduced sympathetic nerve density in the left atrium, which could contribute to the underlying mechanism of VR control during AF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cooperative control in complex multitasks using unmanned aerial vehicle and unmanned ground vehicle (UAV/UGV) is an important and challenging issue in the multirobot cooperative field. The main goal of the task studied in this paper is to minimize the time and energy consumed by the system to complete the assigned tasks. In this paper, a complex multitask problem using the hybrid UAV/UGV system is studied, which is divided into three stages, namely, the stage of finding the optimal locations of the relay stations for the UGV; the stage of solving the path planning problem for the UGV; and the stage of the task assignment for multi-UAVs. Furthermore, an improved integrated method is proposed to deal with the cooperative control problems in these three stages. Firstly, an adaptive clustering method is proposed to determine the locations of the UGV relay stations, and then an improved cuckoo search algorithm is used to find the shortest path for the UGV. Finally, a grouping method is presented to solve the multitask allocation problem of UAVs, based on an improved dynamic programming algorithm. In addition, some simulations are carried out and the results show that the proposed method has better performance when it comes to the time and energy consumption and can effectively guide the hybrid UAV/UGV system to carry out the complex multitasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are endogenous RNAs with a covalently closed continuous loop, generated through various backsplicing events of pre-mRNA. An accumulating number of studies have shown that circRNAs are potential biomarkers for major human diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Thus, identification and prediction of human disease-associated circRNAs are of significant importance. To this end, a computational analysis-assisted strategy is indispensable to detect, verify, and quantify circRNAs for downstream applications. In this review, we briefly introduce the biology of circRNAs, including the biogenesis, characteristics, and biological functions. In addition, we outline about 30 recent bioinformatic analysis tools that are publicly available for circRNA study. Principles for applying these computational strategies and considerations will be briefly discussed. Lastly, we give a complete survey on more than 20 key computational databases that are frequently used. To our knowledge, this is the most complete and updated summary on publicly available circRNA resources. In conclusion, this review summarizes key aspects of circRNA biology and outlines key computational strategies that will facilitate the genome-wide identification and prediction of circRNAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geothermal energy will become an important part of energy in the future because of its advantages in source stability, sustainability, and potential high utilization ratio. In particular, the development and utilization of deep geothermal energy from HDR have gradually attracted people's attention. Aiming at solution to the bottleneck of EGS-D, a new EGS-E based on excavation technology is proposed. In this paper, a concise and direct method for estimating the early performance of this disruptive and innovative geothermal development scheme is established as a viable alternative to supercomputing for the subsequent quantitative research of the corresponding relationship between a typical deep engineering structure and its heat extraction efficiency. Firstly, the effects of the fixed temperature at a tunnel wall, the radius of a tunnel, and the rock type on the annual heat extraction rate of the tunnel are studied based on the analytical solution of a one-dimensional radial plane problem of the transient heat conduction through high-temperature surrounding rock to the tunnel wall covering 30 years. Then, three different estimation methods of EGS-E efficiency with comb-shaped and chessboard-shaped underground tunnels, respectively, are studied, and the research ideas for the estimation of the EGS-E system with more complicated cobweb-shaped tunnels are pointed out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity is a major risk factor for many chronic diseases, including diabetes, fatty livers, and cancer. Expansion of the adipose mass has been shown to be related to adipogenic differentiation of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs). However, the underlying mechanism of this effect has yet to be elucidated. We found that osteopontin (OPN) is downregulated in ASCs and adipose tissues of obese mice and overweight human beings because of methylation on its promoter, indicating that OPN may affect the development of obesity. Silencing of OPN in wild-type ASCs promotes adipogenic differentiation, while reexpression of OPN reduced adipogenic differentiation in OPN−/− ASCs. The role of extracellular OPN in ASC differentiation was further demonstrated by supplementation and neutralization of OPN. Additionally, OPN suppresses adipogenic differentiation in ASCs through the C/EBP pathways. Consistent with these in vitro results, by intravenous injection of OPN-expressing adenovirus to the mice, we found OPN can delay the development of obesity and improve insulin sensitivity. Therefore, our study demonstrates an important role of OPN in regulating the development of obesity, indicating OPN might be a novel target to attenuate obesity and its complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. Tumor mutational burden (TMB), microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H), and expression of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) have emerged as predictive biomarkers for responsiveness to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in several cancer types. However, for patients with negative PD-L1 expression, or microsatellite stability (MSS), some cases may experience favorable response to immunotherapy, and there is currently a lack of good relevant predictors. We tried to introduce several peripheral blood markers for predicting treatment outcome and immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in PD-L1 negative and MSS patients. Methods. A retrospective study of 142 PD-L1 negative and MSS patients was carried out. The association of peripheral blood markers including lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), albumin-to-globulin ratio (AGR), prognostic nutrition index (PNI), and other factors with clinicopathological characters and prognosis were assessed by Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier methods. Results. Lower level of PNI and poor performance status (ECOG score of 2) was correlated with significantly shorter overall survival (OS) and worse outcome of ICIs. The multivariate analysis revealed that PNI (for OS HR = 0.465 , 95% CI: 0.236–0.916, p = 0.027 ; for PFS HR = 0.493 , 95% CI: 0.251–0.936, p = 0.031) and ECOG score (for OS HR = 4.601 , 95% CI: 2.676–7.910, p < 0.001 ; for PFS HR = 2.830 , 95% CI: 1.707–4.691, p < 0.001) were independent prognostic factors for OS and PFS. NLR was related to the onset of irAEs. Conclusions. Pretreatment level of PNI and NLR, beyond PD-L1 expression and MSS, can improve the predictive accuracy for immunotherapy outcomes and has the potential to expand the candidate pool of patients for treatment with ICIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the mechanical properties and failure mechanism of the axial braided C/C composites, the microscopic and macroscopic mechanical properties of the composite were investigated. In view of the size effect of the samples, the properties of the samples with different thickness were tested. The strain during loading was measured by optical method, and the failure morphology was observed by SEM. The changing characteristics of stress-strain curve were analyzed, and the failure characteristics of materials and failure mechanism under various loads were obtained. It was found that brittle fracture was observed during the tensile process of axial braided C/C composites, and the main failure forms were fiber rod pulling and partial fiber rod breaking in the axial direction. Radial failure was mainly in the form of fiber bundle fracture and crack stratification propagation. When compressed, the material exhibited pseudoplastic characteristics. The radial compression sample was cut along a 45-degree bevel. The axial compression curve was in the form of double fold, the axial fiber rod was unstable, and the transverse fiber bundle was cut. During in-plane shearing, the axial fracture was brittle and the fiber rod was cut. The radial direction showed the fracture and pulling of the fiber bundle, and the material had the characteristics of pseudoplasticity. The research methods and results in this paper could provide important references for the optimization and rational application of C/C composite materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Aim: Median nerve stimulation (MNS) is a novel neuromodulation approach for treatment of ventricular arrhythmia, but little is known about its chronic effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of chronic MNS on ventricular arrhythmia and ventricular dysfunction postmyocardial infarction (MI). Method: Two weeks after MI, 12 rabbits were randomly divided into control and MNS groups, and chronic MNS was performed in MNS group for 2 weeks. Ventricular function and arrhythmias; sympathetic innervation and activity; and interleukin‐1 β (IL‐1 β) and norepinephrine (NE) levels were analyzed. Results: Both the total number of premature ventricular complex and episodes of ventricular tachycardia were lower in MNS group than in control group (20 560 ± 10 314 beats vs 70 079 ± 37 184 beats, P = .021, and 115 ± 63 episodes vs 307 ± 164 episodes, P = .034, respectively). Compared with control group, MNS decreased the cardiac sympathetic nerve density and level of circulating NE in MNS group (1798.42 ± 644.07 μm2/mm2 vs 1003.79 ± 453.00 μm2/mm2, P = .041, and 20.86 ± 4.54 pg/mL vs 11.07 ± 1.43 pg/mL, P = .002, respectively). MNS also improved the left ventricular ejection fraction (59.07 ± 1.91% vs 49.77 ± 3.47%, P = .003) and inhibited the level of IL‐1 β in serum (69.19 ± 4.71 pg/mL vs 85.93 ± 12.80 pg/mL, P = .013). Conclusion: Chronic MNS appears to protect against ventricular arrhythmia and improves ventricular function post‐MI, which may be mediated by suppressing cardiac sympathetic activity and anti‐inflammatory effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 3 (IGF2BP3) plays a key role in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in men and women all over the world. However, the relationship between IGF2BP3 and small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) has not been reported yet. Methods. SCLC and normal samples (GSE19945 and GSE149507) were obtained in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset. Differential genes were screened by R software, and functional analysis and signal pathway enrichment analysis were carried out. In addition, we used the survival analysis database to analyze the relationship between prognosis and gene expression. Besides, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) were used for further research. Results. Five differentially expressed miRNAs and 9 differentially expressed mRNAs were selected by using R software. Survival analysis database results show that C7, CLIC5, PRDX1, IGF2BP3, and LDB2 were related the overall survival of patients with SCLC. Furthermore, multivariate analysis included that IGF2BP3 was independent risk factors for SCLC patients. Besides, gene function and signal pathway enrichment analysis showed that differentially expressed miRNAs were involved in the process of tumorigenesis and development. Furthermore, IHC and qPCR outcomes showed that the expression level of hsa-miR-182, hsa-miR-183, and IGF2BP3 was differentially expressed in normal lung tissues (NLTs) and SCLC tissues (SCLCTs). Conclusions. Our results concluded that hsa-miR-182, hsa-miR-183, and IGF2BP3 may take part in the development of SCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 3 (IGF2BP3) plays a key role in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in men and women all over the world. However, the relationship between IGF2BP3 and small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) has not been reported yet. Methods. SCLC and normal samples (GSE19945 and GSE149507) were obtained in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset. Differential genes were screened by R software, and functional analysis and signal pathway enrichment analysis were carried out. In addition, we used the survival analysis database to analyze the relationship between prognosis and gene expression. Besides, immunohistochemistry (IHC) and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) were used for further research. Results. Five differentially expressed miRNAs and 9 differentially expressed mRNAs were selected by using R software. Survival analysis database results show that C7, CLIC5, PRDX1, IGF2BP3, and LDB2 were related the overall survival of patients with SCLC. Furthermore, multivariate analysis included that IGF2BP3 was independent risk factors for SCLC patients. Besides, gene function and signal pathway enrichment analysis showed that differentially expressed miRNAs were involved in the process of tumorigenesis and development. Furthermore, IHC and qPCR outcomes showed that the expression level of hsa-miR-182, hsa-miR-183, and IGF2BP3 was differentially expressed in normal lung tissues (NLTs) and SCLC tissues (SCLCTs). Conclusions. Our results concluded that hsa-miR-182, hsa-miR-183, and IGF2BP3 may take part in the development of SCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reverse pedal operational property in front crosswind flight condition is a potential hazard for accidents involving loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE), which is closely related to the main rotor (MR) wake interference on the tail rotor (TR). As understanding of this interaction is vital for the early warning strategy development, the MR wake influence effect on TR thrust and the effect of helicopter yaw stability are examined in this study. For this purpose, the comparison of TR thrust and flow field with wind azimuth and speed in front crosswind environment was performed by experiment and CFD simulation, respectively. Test campaign was performed at a 5.5 m × 4 m wind tunnel in the China Aerodynamics Research and Development Center using a high-position bottom-blade forward-rotating TR and a counterclockwise rotating MR to address the TR thrust under wind speeds of 8–22 m/s with 50°, 60°, and 70° wind azimuths. The influence of MR disc loading was also contrasted. CFD analysis was used to gain insight into the flow physics responsible for the interference effect. It was conducted with unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes simulations, where the MR using the actuator disk approach and the TR blade rotation was modeled via a sliding mesh method. Results indicated that the MR disc vortex has a remarkable interference effect on the TR aerodynamic performance characteristic and that the effect is sensitive to the wind speed, wind direction, and MR disc loading. The observed yaw instability is considered to be related to the lesser inflow introduced by the MR disc vortex due to the change in the relative position of the disc vortex filament and TR with the wind azimuth. The increase in TR thrust at moderate wind speeds is due to the increase in leading edge dynamic pressure caused by the opposite swirl direction of the disc vortex contrasted to the TR. The MR disc loading affects the TR thrust due to the change of disc vortex strength and position. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although several studies have documented a higher prevalence of psychiatric disorders in children of depressed than nondepressed parents, previous research was conducted in predominantly White, middle, or upper-middle class populations. Only limited information is available on psychiatric disorders and psychosocial functioning in children of low-income depressed mothers. Methods: We report the findings in children of mothers with and without a lifetime history of major depressive disorder, who were recruited from a large urban primary-care practice. Bilingual clinical interviewers assessed 58 children with structured diagnostic interviews administered to most children (90%) and to their mothers as informants. Diagnostic assessments and best estimate diagnoses of the children were blind to the mothers' diagnostic status. Results: The families were poor and predominantly Hispanic, more than half of them headed by single mothers. After adjusting for child age and gender, and for any possible sibling correlation, children of depressed mothers had significantly higher rates of lifetime depressive, separation anxiety, oppositional defiant, and any psychiatric disorders than children of control mothers, with a lifetime prevalence of any psychiatric disorder of 84.6 versus 50.0%, respectively. Children of depressed mothers also reported significantly lower psychosocial functioning and had higher rates of psychiatric treatment. Conclusions: We conclude that the risk for psychiatric disorders may be particularly high in children of low-income depressed mothers. The primary-care setting offers a unique opportunity for early intervention with this underserved group. Depression and Anxiety, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lonicera japonica is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine with antioxidation, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and immunoregulation functions. A method to isolate polysaccharides from Lonicera japonica (LJP) has been reported previously by our group. We also reported previously that LJP was consisted of 6 types of monosaccharides and had the characteristic absorption of typical polysaccharides. In this study, we investigated the protective effect of LJP on cardiomyocytes of mice injured by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The results showed that LJP can increase the cardiomyocyte viability and the activities of the enzyme (SOD, CAT, GSH-Px, AST, CPK, and LDH) in cardiomyocytes of mice injured by hydrogen peroxide. The results of intracellular ROS contents showed that a high dose (40 μg mL-1) of LJP had the best effects on protecting the cardiomyocytes of mice injured by H2O2. In addition, the measurement results of the cardiomyocyte apoptosis and the activity of caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9 in cardiomyocytes confirmed this conclusion from another perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Great success has been made in the targeting therapy of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Nowadays, next generation sequencing (NGS) is acquirable and affordable in developed area of China. Using this feasible and accurate method of detecting therapeutic genes would help to select optimal treatments to extend patients survival. Here, we identified somatic mutations by NGS and analyzed the value for treatment of NSCLC in a real-world clinical setting. Methods. NGS was carried out on biopsy samples obtained from 66 advanced unresectable NSCLC patients who had not received any treatment. 23 patients received liquid biopsy after failure of first-line targeted treatment. The mutation profiling as well as associations between mutations and clinicopathological characters was analyzed. The study also assessed the values of NGS for choosing treatment options and predicting prognosis in NSCLC patients. Results. 152 somatic mutations were identified in 45 (68.18%) tissue samples. The most frequently mutated genes were EGFR (42.42%), TP53 (31.82%) and KRAS (15.15%). Specifically, the most frequent EGFR mutation subtypes were exon 19 deletion (60.71%) and L858R in exon 21 (46.43%). 83.33% mutated patients received targeted therapy. Among the adenocarcinoma cases, patients with EGFR exon 19 deletion mutation have longer overall survival (OS) than the wide-type (36.0 months versus 19.0 months p = 0.046). In addition, in the smoking group, patients with EGFR exon 19 deletion mutation tended to have longer OS (38.0 months versus 16.5 months p < 0.01). After the failure of first-line targeted therapy, 23 EGFR mutated patients received liquid biopsy, and the positive rate of T790M mutation in EGFR exon 20 was 47.83%. T790M positive patients have longer progression-free survival (PFS) than the others (15 months versus 9.5 months p = 0.025). Conclusions. The observational study from real-world demonstrated that using NGS in routine clinical detection may be useful in guiding the therapy decisions and benefit more Chinese NSCLC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the macroslip friction model, a new dynamic model of the shrouded blades for rotating machinery is developed to study the impact vibration between the adjacent blades. Unlike the traditional analytical method of the shrouded blade based on the simple Coulomb friction model, a new approach is developed that the macroslip friction model is used to represent a more accurate rubbing behavior (more closer to reality) between the shrouds. By means of the harmonic balance method, the friction force and the normal pressure are translated into the equivalent stiffness and the equivalent damping. The Galerkin method is adopted to reduce the dimension of the equation to obtain the 1-DOF equation of motion, and the dynamic response of the shrouded blade is solved by Runge–Kutta numerical method. The effects of parameters such as the gap of shrouds, the mass of the tip, the contact angle, and the normal stiffness between the shrouded blades on the damping characteristics are discussed. The results show that the gap of tips has a significant effect on the vibration amplitude of the blade. Within a certain range, with the decrease of the gap, the amplitude of the blade tip is getting smaller while the resonant speed is increasing. The mass of the shroud has little effect on the damping characteristics, while the contact angle has a great influence on the equivalent stiffness and damping. Increasing the contact angle to a certain extent can effectively reduce the vibration amplitude of the blade, and the normal contact stiffness also has an important influence in reducing the vibration. The research results based on the new method in this paper are compared with the published articles and agree well. The research work is important to the accurate calculations and design and control of the shrouded blades for rotating machinery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Catheter-based renal denervation (RDN) could reduce cardiac sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) and inhibit atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the reliability is uncertain, because the renal sympathetic nerves are mainly distributed in the adventitial surface of the renal artery. Objective. The aims of this study were to test the hypothesis that renal artery adventitial ablation (RAAA) definitely had the effects of RDN and to study the effects of RDN via renal artery adventitial cryoablation (RAAC) on AF and cardiac neural remodeling. Methods. Twenty beagle canines were randomly assigned to two groups: the left RDN group (LRDN, n=10), which underwent left RDN via RAAC; the Sham group (n=10). After 2 months of postoperative recovery, AF vulnerability, AF duration, and histological examination were performed in both groups. Results. Compared with the Sham group, left stellate ganglion (LSG) tissue fibrosis was increased in the LRDN group. LRDN significantly increased the percentage of TH-negative ganglionic cells and decreased the density of TH-positive nerves in the LSG (P<0.001). Also, the densities of TH-positive nerves and GAP43 immunoreactivity within the left atrium (LA) were significantly decreased in the LRDN group (P<0.05). After LA burst pacing, all 10 canines (100%) could be induced AF in the Sham group, but only 4 of 10 canines (40%) could be induced AF in the LRDN group (P=0.011). The percentage of LA burst stimulation with induced AF was 26.7% (8/30) in the LRDN group, which was significantly decreased compared with that of the Sham group (53.3%, 16/30) (P=0.035). In addition, AF duration was also significantly decreased in the LRDN group (13.3 ± 5.1 s) compared with that of the Sham group (20.3 ± 7.3 s, P=0.024). Conclusions. RDN via RAAC could cause cardiac neural remodeling and effectively inhibit AF inducibility and shorten AF duration. It may be useful in selecting therapeutic approaches for AF patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulin, insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) and essential amino acids activate the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), the main nutrient‐sensitive kinase. Metformin, through inhibition of mTORC1 may improve acne. A 12‐week, randomized, open‐labeled study evaluated the efficacy and safety of metformin as an adjunct for moderate to severe facial acne. In total, 84 patients received either oral tetracycline 250 mg bd and topical benzoyl peroxide 2.5% with or without metformin 850 mg daily. Evaluations constituted lesion counts, the Cardiff Acne Disability Index (CADI), metabolic parameters and treatment success rate (Investigators Global Assessment score of 0 or 1 or improvement of two grades). Treatment success rates were higher in the metformin group (66.7% vs. 43.2%; p = .04). The mean percentage reduction from baseline in total lesion counts at Week 12 was greater in the metformin group (71.4% vs. 65.3%; p =.278). The CADI scores showed a greater mean reduction in the metformin group (4.82 vs. 4.22; p =.451). Metformin was equally efficacious in improving acne in lean and overweight subjects. Gastrointestinal symptoms were noted in 31.7% of subjects on metformin. This study presents favorable data for metformin as an adjunct for acne treatment. Further randomized placebo‐controlled studies are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Histamine H4 receptor has been confirmed to play a role in evoking peripheral pruritus. However, the ionic and intracellular signaling mechanism of activation of H4 receptor on the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons is still unknown. By using cell culture and calcium imaging, we studied the underlying mechanism of activation of H4 receptor on the DRG neuron. Immepip dihydrobromide (immepip)—a histamine H4 receptor special agonist under cutaneous injection—obviously induced itch behavior of mice. Immepip-induced scratching behavior could be blocked by TRPV1 antagonist AMG9810 and PLC pathway inhibitor U73122. Application of immepip (8.3–50 μM) could also induce a dose-dependent increase in intracellular Ca2+ (Ca2+i) of DRG neurons. We found that 77.8% of the immepip-sensitized DRG neurons respond to the TRPV1 selective agonist capsaicin. U73122 could inhibit immepip-induced Ca2+ responses. In addition, immepip-induced Ca2+i increase could be blocked by ruthenium red, capsazepine, and AMG9810; however it could not be blocked by TRPA1 antagonist HC-030031. These results indicate that TRPV1 but not TRPA1 is the important ion channel to induce the DRG neurons’ responses in the downstream signaling pathway of histamine H4 receptor and suggest that TRPV1 may be involved in the mechanism of histamine-induced itch response by H4 receptor activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In this paper, a method incorporating ultrasound technology has been developed to extract the phenolic compounds from areca husk. The experiments were carried out according to a three-variable, five-level central composite rotatable design, and the parameters of ethanol, extraction temperature and extraction time under optimum ultrasound-mediated condition were optimized by response surface methodology. The optimum extraction conditions were as follows: ethanol concentration, 41%; extraction temperature, 53C; and extraction time, 38 min. The ethanol concentration was the most significant parameter. Under the above-mentioned conditions, the experimental total phenolic content extracted from areca husk was 15.37 mg gallic acid equivalents in each gram. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS In this manuscript, a method incorporating ultrasound technology has been developed, which can help to extract the phenolic compounds from areca husk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]