Search

Bamboo furniture, as an emerging low-carbon industry, has become a significant component of the furniture sector’s sustainable development. However, unclear design elements and challenges in quantifying user needs hinder its competitiveness and product quality. To address these issues, this study employs an integrated approach combining the SECI knowledge creation model, text mining, and the AHP-QFD framework. The SECI model establishes the research process framework, while BERTopic analyzes online reviews to extract key user needs. AHP is then applied to prioritize these needs, and QFD transforms them into specific design elements and technical attributes with corresponding weights and rankings. The findings reveal that safety, comfort, and ease of use are the most critical factors, with safety identified as the core element throughout the product lifecycle. Enhancing connector performance, selecting durable materials, and optimizing ergonomic design are key strategies for improving safety and extending product lifespan. This study provides valuable insights into design elements to prioritize in bamboo furniture product development. This contributes to improved design quality and promoting sustainable growth of the industry.

Abstract Background No reliable clinical tools exist to predict acute kidney injury (AKI) progression. We aim to explore a scoring system for predicting the composite outcome of progression to severe AKI or death within seven days among early AKI patients after cardiac surgery. Methods In this study, we used two independent cohorts, and patients who experienced mild/moderate AKI within 48 h after cardiac surgery were enrolled. Eventually, 3188 patients from the MIMIC-IV database were used as the derivation cohort, while 499 patients from the Zhongshan cohort were used as external validation. The primary outcome was defined by the composite outcome of progression to severe AKI or death within seven days after enrollment. The variables identified by LASSO regression analysis were entered into logistic regression models and were used to construct the risk score. Results The composite outcome accounted for 3.7% (n = 119) and 7.6% (n = 38) of the derivation and validation cohorts, respectively. Six predictors were assembled into a risk score (AKI-Pro score), including female, baseline eGFR, aortic surgery, modified furosemide responsiveness index (mFRI), SOFA, and AKI stage. And we stratified the risk score into four groups: low, moderate, high, and very high risk. The risk score displayed satisfied predictive discrimination and calibration in the derivation and validation cohort. The AKI-Pro score discriminated the composite outcome better than CRATE score, Cleveland score, AKICS score, Simplified renal index, and SRI risk score (all P

This is the first report of NUP98::LEDGF positive malignant hematological tumor expressing T cell and myeloid lineage antigens. Patients carrying this fusion gene have a high relapse rate and a poor prognosis, allo-HSCT may be an option to cure this disease. This patient underwent allo-HSCT, a relapse occurred three months post-transplantation. Subsequent screening at our hospital confirmed the presence of the NUP98::LEDGF fusion gene, salvage therapy was administered, followed by a successful second allo-HSCT. Furthermore, we included eight previously reported cases from the literature for analysis and discuss.

Tumor-derived exosomes have been shown to play a key role in organ-specific metastasis, and the androgen receptor regulates prostate cancer (PCa) progression. It is unclear whether the androgen receptor regulates the recruitment of prostate cancer cells to the bone microenvironment, even bone metastases, through exosomes. Here, we found that exosomes isolated from PCa cells after knocking down androgen receptor (AR) or enzalutamide treatment can facilitate the migration of prostate cancer cells to osteoblasts. In addition, AR silencing or treatment with the AR antagonist enzalutamide may increase the expression of circular RNA-deoxyhypusine synthase (circ-DHPS) in PCa cells, which can be transported to osteoblasts by exosomes. Circ-DHPS acts as a competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) against endogenous miR-214-3p to promote C-C chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5) levels in osteoblasts. Increasing the level of CCL5 in osteoblasts could recruit more PCa cells into the bone microenvironment. Thus, blocking the circ-DHPS/miR-214-3p/CCL5 signal may decrease exosome-mediated migration of prostate cancer cells to osteoblasts.

AbstractBackground Venetoclax monotherapy is an effective option for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Venetoclax has also been used in non-myeloablative conditioning allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) for high-risk AML with a tolerable toxicity profile. However, the efficacy and safety of a venetoclax-containing myeloablative conditioning (MAC) allo-HSCT regimen for high-risk AML have not been evaluated.Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a MAC regimen containing venetoclax for high-risk AML.Study design From 25 February 2021 to 4 September 2022, a total of 31 patients with high-risk AML who underwent allo-HSCT and a MAC regimen with venetoclax were analyzed.Results At the time of transplantation, 21 patients were in first complete remission (CR1), 4 were in a second complete remission (CR2), and 6 in non-remission (NR). Twenty-four patients (77.4%) were minimal residual disease (MRD)-positive before transplant. The FLT3-ITD gene mutation was present in 51.6% of patients. NUP98 rearrangement, MLL rearrangement or MLL-PTD and DEK::CAN fusion genes were found in 5 (16.1%), 7(22.6%) and 2 (6.5%) patients, respectively. Twenty-nine (93.6%) patients underwent haploidentical allo-HSCT. The median follow-up time was 278 days (range: 52–632 days). The 100-day cumulative incidence of grade 3 to 4 acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) was 16.1% (95%CI, 7.2–36.0%). The 180-day cumulative incidence of moderate to severe chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) was 7.1% (95%CI, 1.9–26.9%). Cumulative incidence of 100-day cytomegalovirus (CMV) viraemia and 100-day Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) viraemia was 61.6% (95%CI, 46.5–81.4%) and 3.2% (95%CI, 0.4–22.2%), respectively. The 600-day overall survival (OS) and leukemia-free survival (LFS) were 80.9% (95%CI, 63.5–93.6%) and 81.3% (95%CI, 64.2–93.7%), respectively. The 600-day relapse incidence (RI) and non-relapse mortality (NRM) was 6.9% (95%CI, 1.8–26.3%) and 11.7% (95%CI, 3.9–35.0%).Conclusion Our study shows that the addition of venetoclax to a MAC allo-HSCT was feasible, safe and effective for high-risk AML patients.

Abstract Objective To explore the effect of a health (E)-coach chronic disease management model on the rehabilitation behaviour management of patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO). Methods The E-coach chronic disease management model was constructed based on a literature review and expert interviews. The effect of the E-coach model on patients with ASO during hospitalisation was analysed by comparing the compliance rates of blood glucose control, blood pressure control, drug compliance, ankle-brachial index, 6-min walking test (6MWT) and pain-free walking distance (PFWD) scores between the E-coach and control groups. Results In total, 212 patients with ASO were included in this study. After the intervention, the blood pressure compliance rate (44.8% vs. 65.7%) and blood glucose compliance rate (48.6% vs. 66.8%) were higher in the E-coach group than in the control group (p

O—butyl—N—isobutyl thionocarbamate (NBIB) is a novel collector for copper sulfur flotation separation. The adsorption capacity of NBIB was measured using a UV–vis spectrophotometer. The effects of the adsorption temperature, pH value, stirring time, and collector concentration on the adsorption capacity of NBIB on chalcopyrite surfaces, as well as its adsorption thermodynamics and kinetics, were investigated. Results of a pure mineral flotation experiment indicate that NBIB has a high recovery rate for chalcopyrite, strong collection capacity, and little influence by pH. The adsorption capacity of NBIB on a chalcopyrite surface increases with an increase in the collector concentration at 288, 298, and 308 K and pH 6, 9, and 12, respectively. When the equilibrium concentration reaches 0.5×10−4 mol·L−1, the adsorption capacity has a small increase range. At the same pH value, the adsorption capacity increases with an increase in the adsorption temperature. It is speculated that NBIB adsorption on a chalcopyrite surface is an endothermic process. At pH 6 and 9, little difference exists in adsorption capacity, which slightly decreases when pH increases to 12. Meanwhile, the pulp pH value has little effect on the adsorption capacity, which is consistent with the flotation test results. The adsorption capacity data were linearly fitted by Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms, and the Langmuir equation has a better correlation coefficient of the fitting curve. The adsorption process of NBIB on the chalcopyrite surface is more consistent with the Langmuir adsorption model, and it is speculated that the adsorption process may be monolayer adsorption. The parameters of the Langmuir equation are considered based on a thermodynamic formula. The results indicate that the linear fitting results are good, ∆G is negative, and ∆H and ∆S are positive. Therefore, the process of chalcopyrite adsorbing NBIB may be spontaneous, entropy-driven, and endothermic chemical adsorption. Meanwhile, the adsorption capacity of NBIB on the chalcopyrite surface increases with an increase in the adsorption time at temperatures from 288 K to 308 K. The increasing trend of adsorption capacity slows down after the adsorption time reaches 20 min. Moreover, the adsorption capacity increases with increasing temperature. Evidently, the adsorption is an endothermic process, which is consistent with the results of the thermodynamic analysis. The kinetic calculation shows that the correlation coefficients of the second-order reaction fitting curve are greater than those of first-order reaction, indicating that the second-order reaction rate equation has a better linear fitting result. The equilibrium adsorption capacity calculated by the second-order reaction rate equation is closer to the experimental equilibrium adsorption capacity. Therefore, it is speculated that the NBIB adsorption on the chalcopyrite surface conforms to the second-order adsorption kinetic model.

Abstract Background Patients receiving surgical treatment of acute type A Aortic Dissection (aTAAD) are common to suffer organ dysfunction in the intensive care unit due to overwhelming inflammation. Previous studies have revealed that glucocorticoids may reduce complications in certain patient groups, but evidence between postoperative glucocorticoids administration and improvement in organ dysfunction after aTAAD surgery are lacking. Methods This study will be an investigator-initiated, prospective, single-blind, randomized, single-center study. Subjects with confirmed diagnosis of aTAAD undergoing surgical treatment will be enrolled and 1:1 randomly assigned to receive either glucocorticoids or normal treatment. All patients in the glucocorticoids group will be given methylprednisolone intravenously for 3 days after enrollment. The primary endpoint will be the amplitude of variation of Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score on post-operative day 4 compared to baseline. Discussion The trial will explore the rationale for postoperative application of glucocorticoids in patients after aTAAD surgery. Trial registration This study has been registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04734418).

Narrow-linewidth lasers mainly depend on the development of advanced laser linewidth measurement methods for related technological progress as key devices in satellite laser communications, precision measurements, ultra-high-speed optical communications, and other fields. This manuscript provides a theoretical analysis of linewidth characterization methods based on the beat frequency power spectrum and laser phase noise calculations, and elaborates on existing research of measurement technologies. In addition, to address the technical challenges of complex measurement systems that commonly rely on long optical fibers and significant phase noise jitter in the existing research, a short-delay self-heterodyne method based on coherent envelope spectrum demodulation was discussed in depth to reduce the phase jitter caused by 1/f noise. We assessed the performance parameters and testing conditions of different lasers, as well as the corresponding linewidth characterization methods, and analyzed the measurement accuracy and error sources of various methods.

Abstract Background The Isoleucyl-tRNA synthetase (IARS) catalyzes isoleucine to the corresponding tRNA, maintaining the accuracy of gene translation. Its role in psoriasis has been not investigated so far. In this study, we aimed to investigate the mechanisms underlying the efficacy of IARS inhibitor, mupirocin, treatment for psoriasis. Methods The expression of IARS was determined by immunofluorescence, Western blot and qRT-PCR in normal healthy control- and psoriatic human skin. An imiquimod (IMQ) -induced psoriasis-like skin disease model was used to study the phenotypes changed by an IARS inhibitor, mupirocin (MUP). Endotypes were analyzed by RNA-seq, R&D Luminex multi-factor technique, ELISA, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. Additionally, the effect of MUP on epidermal keratinocytes (KCs) were conducted in-vitro in primary cultured human KCs. Results We found the expression of IARS was higher in psoriatic skin than in healthy controls. In IMQ-induced psoriasis-like C57BL/6 J mouse model, MUP reversed IMQ-induced keratinocytes proliferation, expression of inflammatory cytokines and infiltration of immune cells. Furthermore, in cultured human keratinocytes, MUP inhibited proliferation, but promoted apoptosis, which may be related with STAT3 signaling pathway. Conclusion Our finding of blocking the infiltration of immune cells by inhibiting the formation of IARS, could be one mechanism to explain the effect of MUP in the treatment of psoriasis. Developing strategies targeting suppression IARS should open new perspectives for the treatment of psoriasis. Graphical Abstract Video Abstract

A fast, simple, and sensitive ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method was established for the quantification of safinamide in rat plasma. Plasma samples were treated with acetonitrile for protein precipitation, and diazepam was used as an internal standard (IS). The analytes were separated on an Acquity UPLC C18 (2.1 mm × 50 mm, 1.7 μm) chromatographic column with gradient elution using a mobile phase (0.1% formic acid-acetonitrile). Then, the eluates were detected by electrospray ionization (ESI) in positive ion mode. The analytes were quantified by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) using the transition m/z 303.3→215.0 of safinamide and m/z 285.0→154.0 of IS. Safinamide had good linearity in the concentration range of 1.0–2000 ng/mL, and the lower limit of quantitation (LLOQ) was 1.0 ng/mL. The intra- and inter-day precision and accuracy of safinamide were less than 7.63%, while the average recovery rate was 92.98%–100.29%. The method was validated to be stable and had low noise, short chromatographic run time, wide linear range, small sample volumes, low sample injection volumes, and high sensitivity. Therefore, it can be used in pharmacokinetics and preclinical and clinical studies.

Malignant syphilis (MS) is a rare dermatological manifestation of secondary syphilis. This case report describes a young woman that presented with a 15-day history of generalized condyloma lata and seborrheic dermatitis-like lesions at various stages. Laboratory tests showed a toluidine red unheated serum test titre of 1:128 and Treponema pallidum particle agglutination positivity. Serology for HIV antibodies was repeatedly negative. MS was diagnosed according to established MS diagnostic criteria. The lesions regressed after treatment with 2 400 000 units penicillin G benzathine by intramuscular injection weekly for three consecutive weeks. MS is more frequently associated with HIV-infected patients, which makes this current case more interesting because MS in HIV-negative patients has rarely been reported.

Introduction: Systemic sclerosis is a complex disease characterized by the fibrosis and vasculopathy. Aim: We aimed to assess scleroderma by examining involucrin, an early terminal differentiation marker of epidermal keratinocytes. Material and methods: Immunolocalization of involucrin was performed in healthy controls and patients with scleroderma lesions by using an immunofluorescence (IF) assay. Normal and scleroderma keratinocytes were incubated in low-Ca basal-defined K-SFM overnight. Cells were pre-treated with Y-27632 (a Rho signalling pathway inhibitor) or interleukins (ILs), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), endothelin-1 (ET-1), interferon-γ (IFN)-γ, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) - BB. The involucrin protein expression level was measured by western blot. Results: Compared with the normal skin, involucrin was detected in the granular layer and the upper stratum spinosum in patients with scleroderma lesions. However, involucrin protein expression was decreased in cultured scleroderma keratinocytes. IL-6, IL-10, IL-17A, TNF-α, TGF-β1, ET-1, IFN-γ, VEGF165, and PDGF-BB increased involucrin expression in normal keratinocytes but decreased it in scleroderma keratinocytes. IFN-γ and IL-13 remarkably downregulated involucrin levels in normal and scleroderma keratinocytes, respectively, by Y-27632 intervention. Conclusions: Inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6, IL-10, TGF-β1, ET-1, IFN-γ, VEGF, PDGF-BB, and Rho signalling pathway may be associated with the delayed epidermal differentiation in scleroderma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundWe previously demonstrated that flurbiprofen increased arterial oxygen partial pressure and reduced intrapulmonary shunts. The present study aims to investigate whether flurbiprofen improves intraoperative regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rScO2) and reduces the incidence of postoperative delirium (POD) in elderly patients undergoing one-lung ventilation (OLV).MethodsOne hundred and twenty patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy were randomly assigned to the flurbiprofen-treated group (n = 60) and the control-treated group (n = 60). Flurbiprofen was intravenously administered 20 minutes before skin incision. The rScO2 and partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2) were recorded during the surgery, and POD was measured by the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) within 5 days after surgery. The study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry with the number ChiCTR1800020032.ResultsCompared with the control group, treatment with flurbiprofen significantly improved the mean value of intraoperative rScO2 as well as the PaO2 value (P < 0.05, both) and significantly reduced the baseline values of the rScO2 area under threshold (AUT) (P < 0.01) at 15, 30, and 60 min after OLV in the flurbiprofen-treated group. After surgery, the POD incidence in the flurbiprofen-treated group was significantly decreased compared with that in the control group (P < 0.05).ConclusionTreatment with flurbiprofen may improve rScO2 and reduce the incidence of POD in elderly patients undergoing thoracoscopic one-lung ventilation surgery for lung cancer.Clinical trial registrationhttp://www.chictr.org/cn/, identifier ChiCTR1800020032.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most malignant and multiple tumors of the central nervous system. The survival rate for GBM patients is less than 15 months. We aimed to uncover the potential mechanism of GBM in tumor microenvironment and provide several candidate biomarkers for GBM prognosis. In this study, ESTIMATE analysis was used to divide the GBM patients into high and low immune or stromal score groups. Microenvironment associated genes were filtered through differential analysis. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was performed to correlate the genes and clinical traits. The candidate genes’ functions were annotated by enrichment analyses. The potential prognostic biomarkers were assessed by survival analysis. We obtained 81 immune associated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) for subsequent WGCNA analysis. Ten out of these DEGs were significantly associated with targeted molecular therapy of GBM patients. Three genes (S100A4, FCGR2B, and BIRC3) out of these genes were associated with overall survival and the independent test set testified the result. Here, we obtained three crucial genes that had good prognostic efficacy of GBM and may help to improve the prognostic prediction of GBM.

Psoriasis is a chronic multisystem inflammatory disease that affects ~0.1–1.5% of the world population. The classic cutaneous manifestation of psoriasis is scaly erythematous plaques, limited or widely distributed. Moreover, psoriasis could be associated with comorbidities like psoriatic arthritis, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, nephropathy, bowel disease, and brain diseases. In this review, we suggest that psoriasis should be classified as cutaneous psoriasis or systemic psoriasis and propose the classification for distinction. This would help to better understand and manage psoriasis.

The tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri) has long been proposed as a suitable alternative to non-human primates (NHPs) in biomedical and laboratory research due to its close evolutionary relationship with primates. In recent years, significant advances have facilitated tree shrew studies, including the determination of the tree shrew genome, genetic manipulation using spermatogonial stem cells, viral vector-mediated gene delivery, and mapping of the tree shrew brain atlas. However, the limited availability of tree shrews globally remains a substantial challenge in the field. Additionally, determining the key questions best answered using tree shrews constitutes another difficulty. Tree shrew models have historically been used to study hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, myopia, and psychosocial stress-induced depression, with more recent studies focusing on developing animal models for infectious and neurodegenerative diseases. Despite these efforts, the impact of tree shrew models has not yet matched that of rodent or NHP models in biomedical research. This review summarizes the prominent advancements in tree shrew research and reflects on the key biological questions addressed using this model. We emphasize that intensive dedication and robust international collaboration are essential for achieving breakthroughs in tree shrew studies. The use of tree shrews as a unique resource is expected to gain considerable attention with the application of advanced techniques and the development of viable animal models, meeting the increasing demands of life science and biomedical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant N starvation response is closely associated with the N signaling components that involve transduction of the low-N cues. In this study, we functionally characterized TaARR1, a cytokinin (CK) response regulator gene in Triticum aestivum, in mediating the N starvation adaptation in plants. TaARR1 harbors two conserved domains specified by plant ARR family members; subcellular localization analysis indicated its target onto nucleus after endoplasmic reticulum assortment. TaARR1 displayed modified expression upon the N starvation stressor, showing upregulated expression in roots and leaves over a 27-h N starvation treatment and whose induced transcripts were gradually recovered along with progression of the N recovery treatment. The tobacco lines overexpressing TaARR1 displayed improved low-N stress tolerance, displaying enlarged phenotype, increased biomass and N accumulation, and enhanced glutamine synthetase (GS) activities compared with wild type (WT) following the N starvation treatment. Expression analysis on genes encoding the nitrate transporter (NRT) and GS proteins in Nicotiana tabacum revealed that NtNRT2.2 and NtGS3 are upregulated in expression in the N-deprived transgenic lines, whose expression patterns were contrasted to other above family genes that were unaltered on transcripts between the transgenic lines and WT. Transgene analysis validated the function of NtNRT2.2 and NtGS3 in regulating N accumulation, GS activity, growth traits, and N use efficiency in plants. These results suggested the internal connection between the TaARR1-mediated N starvation tolerance and the modified transcription of distinct N acquisition- and assimilation-associated genes. Our investigation together indicates that TaARR1 is essential in plant N starvation adaptation due to the gene function in transcriptionally regulating distinct NRT and GS genes that affect plant N uptake and assimilation under the N starvation condition.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have presented potential for detection of specific species and catalytic application due to their diverse framework structures and functionalities. In this work, two novel pillar-layered MOFs [Cd6(DPA)2(NTB)4(H2O)4]n·n(DPA·5DMA·H2O) (1) and [Cu2(DPA)(OBA)2]n·n(2.5DMF·H2O) (2) [DPA = 2,5-di(pyridin-4-yl)aniline, H3NTB = 4,4′,4′′-nitrilotribenzoic acid, H2OBA = 4,4′-oxydibenzoic acid, DMA = N,N-dimethylacetamide, DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide] were successfully synthesized and structurally characterized. Both 1 and 2 have three-dimensional framework structures. The fluorescent property of 1 makes it possible for sensing specific amino acid such as L-glutamic acid (Glu) and L-aspartic acid (Asp). While MOF 2 was found to be suitable for photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) in the presence of H2O2. The results imply that MOFs are versatile and metal centers are important in determining their properties.

We demonstrate a narrow-linewidth, high side-mode suppression ratio (SMSR) semiconductor laser based on the external optical feedback injection locking technology of a femtosecond-apodized (Fs-apodized) fiber Bragg grating (FBG). A single frequency output is achieved by coupling and integrating a wide-gain quantum dot (QD) gain chip with a Fs-apodized FBG in a 1-μm band. We propose this low-cost and high-integration scheme for the preparation of a series of single-frequency seed sources in this wavelength range by characterizing the performance of 1030 nm and 1080 nm lasers. The lasers have a maximum SMSR of 66.3 dB and maximum output power of 134.6 mW. Additionally, the lasers have minimum Lorentzian linewidths that are measured to be 260.5 kHz; however, a minimum integral linewidth less than 180.4 kHz is observed by testing and analyzing the power spectra of the frequency noise values of the lasers.

ObjectiveTo assess the cardiovascular safety of celecoxib compared to non-selective non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs or placebo.MethodsWe included randomized controlled trials of oral celecoxib compared with a non-selective NSAID or placebo in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis patients. We conducted searches in EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL, MEDLINE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP, Wanfang, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database. Study selection and data extraction were done by two authors independently. The risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane's risk-of-bias Tool for Randomized Trials. The effect size was presented as a risk ratio with their 95% confidence interval.ResultsUntil July 22nd, 2021, our search identified 6279 records from which, after exclusions, 21 trials were included in the meta-analysis. The overall pooled risk ratio for Antiplatelet Trialists Collaboration cardiovascular events for celecoxib compared with any non-selective non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs was 0.89 (95% confidence interval: 0.80-1.00). The pooled risk ratio for all-cause mortality for celecoxib compared with non-selective non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs was 0.81 (95% confidence interval: 0.66-0.98). The cardiovascular mortality rate of celecoxib was lower than non-selective non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (risk ratio: 0.75, 95% confidence interval: 0.57-0.99). There was no significant difference between celecoxib and non-selective non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs or placebo in the risk of other cardiovascular events.ConclusionCelecoxib is relatively safe in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis patients, independent of dose or duration. But it remains uncertain whether this would remain the same in patients treated with aspirin and patients with established cardiovascular diseases.

Introduction Athletes have attempted to glean the ergogenic benefits of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) since it became available in the 1980s. However, there is limited consensus in the literature regarding its true performance-enhancing effects. In fact, some studies suggest there is no conclusive evidence; therefore, it is necessary to evaluate and quantify the strength of the evidence.Objective To determine the effects of erythropoietin on enhancing athletic performance.Design At least two independent reviewers conducted citation identification through abstract and full-text screening, and study selection, and extracted raw data on demographics, descriptions of interventions and all outcomes to predesigned abstraction forms. Outcomes were stratified by treatment periods and dosages. Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool and Cochrane Grading of Recommendations Assessment Development and Education (GRADE) scale. Where appropriate, quantitative analysis was performed.Data sources EMBASE, MEDLINE and SPORTDiscus were searched from their inception to January 2020.Eligibility criteria Trials that examined any enhancement in sport in healthy participants aged 18–65 using rHuEPO compared with placebo were included.Results Overall, there is low-to-moderate quality evidence suggesting rHuEPO may be more beneficial than placebo in enhancing haematological parameters, pulmonary measures, maximal power output and time to exhaustion independent of dosage. However, these improvements are almost exclusively seen during maximal exercise intensities, which may be less relevant to athletic competition conditions.Conclusion Due to heterogeneity among trials, more high-quality randomised controlled trials with larger sample sizes in conditions that mirror actual competition are needed to further elucidate these effects.

The Chinese tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri chinensis) has the potential to replace the use of non-human primates in biomedical research. To increase the availability of this species, we have undertaken the ambitious task of establishing inbred lines of the Chinese tree shrew; however, we have been hindered by a low survival rate of inbred pups. Here, we report our artificial rearing (AR) of Chinese tree shrew pups using four different milk substitutes: the formula described by Tsang and Collins (milk TC) and three commercially available milk substitutes intended for possums (milk A and milk C) and for guinea pigs (milk B). We compared the effects of these milk substitutes and maternal milk on the daily milk consumption, growth performance, and survival of the pups. We also assessed the life span and reproductive performance of the F1 individuals given the best milk substitute as compared to the maternally reared (MR) pups. Milk B was found to be appropriate for AR. Pups fed with milk B had a high survival rate at the weaning age compared to those fed with the other milk substitutes. The AR pups fed with milk B had a life span similar to that of MR pups. AR females fed with milk B had an earlier age of the first reproduction, a larger number of litters, and a higher rate of survival of the offspring at the weaning age compared with the MR females. The successful optimization of a milk substitute for AR of Chinese tree shrew pups will undoubtedly facilitate the wide usage of this experimental animal.

Tetrandrine (TET), a traditional Chinese medicine, exerts remarkable anticancer activity on various cancer cells. However, little is known about the effect of TET on human prostate cancer cells, and the mechanism of function of TET on prostate cancer has not yet been elucidated. To investigate the effects of TET on the suppression of proliferation, induction of apoptosis, and inhibition of migration and invasion in human prostate cancer cell lines, DU145 and PC-3. Inhibition of growth was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay and clone formation assay, and flow cytometry analysis was performed to detect the induction of apoptosis. Activation of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, caspase-3, Akt, phospho-Akt, Bcl-2, and Bax was analyzed by Western blotting. Wound healing assay and transwell migration assay were used to evaluate the effect of TET on migration and invasion of cancer cells. TET inhibited the growth of DU145 and PC-3 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Cell cloning was inhibited in the presence of TET in DU145 and PC-3 cells. TET suppressed the migration of DU145 and PC-3 cells. Transwell invasion assay showed that TET significantly weakened invasion capacity of DU145 and PC-3 cells. TET exhibited strong inhibitory effect on proliferation, migration, and invasion of prostate cancer cells. In addition, TET induced apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner by activating the caspase cascade and inhibiting phosphoinositide 3-kinase-Akt signal pathway. The accumulating evidence suggests that TET could be a potential therapeutic candidate against prostate cancer in a clinical setting.

Boston Type I keratoprosthesis is currently widely used. In this article, the indication, number of cases, best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA), retention, and complications in all the international published case reports will be sum up; then the main post-operative complications and their respective treatments one by one, which include retrospective membrane, glaucoma, infection will be introduced.

Background: Prior research has established a strong link between cerebral aneurysm (CA) occurrence and inflammation. Tea intake (TI) has been found to have anti-inflammatory properties through multiple mechanisms, potentially lowering CA incidence. This study aims to employ Mendelian Randomization (MR) methodology to explore the genetic causality between TI and CA. Methods: We collected Genome-wide association study (GWAS) data for CA, TI, Green tea intake (GTI), Herbal tea intake (HTI), and Rooibos tea intake (RTI). The MR analysis employed the TwoSampleMR package and utilized the inverse variance-weighted (IVW) method. Results: The findings suggest no genetic causal relationship between TI and CA (IVW: OR = 1.10, 95% CI: 0.59--2.05, P = 0.772). Similarly, there is no genetic causal association between GTI and CA (IVW: OR = 1.07, 95% CI: 0.91--1.26, P = 0.388), HTI and CA (IVW: OR = 1.00, 95% CI: 0.89--1.13, P = 0.943), or RTI and CA (IVW: OR = 1.02, 95% CI: 0.96--1.09, P = 0.472). Conclusion: There is no genetic causal relationship between TI and CA, and the different types of tea do not change this result. Further MR analysis is needed to investigate whether there is a potential genetic causal association between the quantity of TI and CA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keratin 24 (K24) is a new kind of keratin genes, which encodes a novel keratin protein, K24 that bears high similarity to the type I keratins and displays a unique expression profile. However, the role of K24 is incompletely understood. In our study, we investigated the localization of K24 within the epidermis and possible functions. Keratin 24 was found to be modestly overexpressed in senescent keratinocytes and was mainly restricted to the upper stratum spinosum of epidermis. The protein was required for terminal differentiation upon CaCl2-induced differentiation. In vitro results showed that increased K24 in keratinocytes dramatically changed the differentiation of primary keratinocytes. It also inhibited cell survival by G1/S phase cell cycle arrest and induced senescence, autophagy and apoptosis of keratinocytes. In addition, K24 activated PKCδ signal pathway involving in cellular survival. In summary, K24 may be suggested as a potential differentiation marker and anti-proliferative factor in the epidermis.

Rottlerin is a natural polyphenolic compound that was initially indicated as a PKCδ inhibitor. However, it was recently revealed that it may target a number of molecules and have biological effects on various cell types and is considered as a possible agent for tumor and cell proliferative diseases. Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory cutaneous disorder with undefined etiology and is characterized by abnormal cellular proliferation, angiogenesis, and inflammation. Therefore, this paper investigates the regulatory effects of rottlerin on normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs) and imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriasiform (IPI) lesions. In vitro results showed that rottlerin inhibited cell proliferation in NHEKs through growth arrest and NFκB inhibition. It may also induce apoptosis in an autophagy-dependent pathway. We found that rottlerin inhibited human microvascular endothelial cells tube formation on matrigel. Rottlerin also decreased the cell senescence of keratinocytes and intracellular ROS generation, which indicated its antioxidant effect. We also showed that rottlerin affects the expression of keratinocyte proliferation biomarkers. In 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol13-acetate (TPA)-induced keratinocytes, rottlerin significantly inhibited the expression of the induced pro-inflammatory cytokines in keratinocytes. An animal experiment provided the corresponding evidence based on this evidence in vitro, by using IPI model, we found that rottlerin could relieve the psoriasiform of BALB/c mice by inhibiting keratinocyte proliferation, inflammatory cell infiltration, and vascular proliferation. In conclusion, our results suggest that rottlerin may prove useful in the development of therapeutic agents against psoriasis. However, the deep mechanism still requires further study.