Mechanism of Qili Qiangxin Capsule for Heart Failure Based on miR133a-Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress.

Objective: To investigate the pharmacological mechanism of Qili Qiangxin Capsule (QLQX) improvement of heart failure (HF) based on miR133a-endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) pathway.

Methods: A left coronary artery ligation-induced HF after myocardial infarction model was used in this study. Rats were randomly assigned to the sham group, the model group, the QLQX group [0.

Established sensitization of ethanol-induced locomotor activity is not reversed by psilocybin or the 5-HT receptor agonist TCB-2 in male DBA/2J mice.

Rationale: Psychedelic drugs, which share in common 5-HT receptor agonist activity, have shown promise in treating alcohol-use disorders (AUDs). Repeated exposure to ethanol (EtOH) induces molecular and behavioural changes reflective of neuroadaptations that may contribute to addiction. Psychedelic drugs can induce neuroplasticity also, raising the possibility that their potential clinical effects in AUD may involve an action to reverse or offset effects of long-term changes induced by EtOH.

Long-term outcomes of endoscopic papillary large-balloon dilation (12-15 mm) with or without limited sphincterotomy for removal of bile duct stones.

Background: Limited endoscopic sphincterotomy with large balloon dilation (ES-LBD) and endoscopic papillary large-balloon dilation (EPLBD) have been proven safe and effective for removal of bile duct stones. However, the long-term outcomes are not clear. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term outcomes of EPLBD (12-15 mm) with or without limited sphincterotomy for removal of common bile duct (CBD) stones.

Over-activation of EFTUD2 correlates with tumor propagation and poor survival outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Purpose: Elongation factor Tu GTP-binding domain containing 2 (EFTUD2) is an essential constituent of U5 small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs) and plays a crucial role in spliceosome activation and cancer. The mechanism of EFTUD2 on carcinogenesis and development of liver cancer still need further study.

Methods: Bioinformatic analysis was performed to find differential expressed genes and related pathways.

Shikonin Inhibits Cholangiocarcinoma Cell Line QBC939 by Regulating Apoptosis, Proliferation, and Invasion.

This study was designed to clarify whether Shikonin causes proliferation, apoptosis, and invasion in cholangiocarcinoma cells and to investigate the mechanism of action. QBC939 cells were cultured with different doses of Shikonin, and then 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) -2,5-diphenyltetrazolium assay was used to detect cell viability. Apoptosis of cells was detected using flow cytometry with Annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) assay after being stained with Hoechst 33242.

Pathologic comparisons of enucleated eyes with retinoblastoma after superselective ophthalmic arterial chemotherapy with or without intravenous chemotherapy.

Aim: To describe and compare pathologic findings in eyes enucleated after superselective ophthalmic arterial chemotherapy (SOAC) or SOAC with intravenous chemotherapy (IVC) for retinoblastoma.

Methods: Medical records between January 1, 2014 and June 30, 2017 were retrospectively analyzed, and pathologic findings were recorded. This study included 36 eyes from 22 (61.

3D Finite Element Modeling of Blast Wave Transmission from the External Ear to Cochlea.

As an organ that is sensitive to pressure changes, the ear is often damaged when a person is subjected to blast exposures resulting in hearing loss due to tissue damage in the middle ear and cochlea. While observation of middle ear damage is non-invasive, examining the damage to the cochlea is difficult to quantify. Previous works have modeled the cochlear response often when subjected to an acoustic pressure input, but the inner ear mechanics have rarely been studied when the ear is exposed to a blast wave.

Combined intra-arterial chemotherapy and intravitreal melphalan for the treatment of advanced unilateral retinoblastoma.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of combined intra-arterial chemotherapy (IAC) and intravitreal melphalan (IVM) for the treatment of advanced unilateral retinoblastoma.

Methods: This retrospective study involved 30 consecutive eyes from 30 Chinese patients with advanced unilateral retinoblastoma. All patients were initially treated with IAC combined with IVM.

Clozapine reliably increases the motivation for food: parsing the role of the 5-HT and H receptors.

Rationale And Objectives: Although clozapine is effective in treating schizophrenia, it is associated with adverse side effects including weight gain and metabolic syndrome. Despite this, the role of clozapine on feeding behaviour and food intake has not been thoroughly characterised. Clozapine has a broad pharmacological profile, with affinities for several neurotransmitter receptors, including serotonin (5-hydroxytriptamine, 5-HT) and histamine.

Characterization of Protection Mechanisms to Blast Overpressure for Personal Hearing Protection Devices - Biomechanical Measurement and Computational Modeling.

Hearing damage induced by blast exposure is a common injury in military personnel involved in most operation activities. Personal hearing protection devices such as earplugs come as a standard issue for Service members; however, it is not clear how to accurately evaluate the protection mechanisms of different hearing protection devices for blast overpressures (BOP). This paper reports a recent study on characterization of earplugs' protective function to BOP using human cadaver ears and 3D finite element (FE) model of the human ear.

[The correlation between findings of whole-body diffusion weighted imaging and clinical result in patients with multiple myeloma].

To explore the relationship between the findings of whole body diffusion weighted imaging (WBDWI) and the clinical result in patients with multiple myeloma. A total of 43 cases of multiple myeloma patients were retrospectively collected from May 2015 to May 2017 in Tianjin First Central Hospital.Twenty-nine cases were male and 14 were female.

Biomechanical Measurement and Modeling of Human Eardrum Injury in Relation to Blast Wave Direction.

Rupture of the eardrum or tympanic membrane (TM) is one of the most frequent injuries of the ear after blast exposure. To understand how the TM damage is related to blast wave direction, human cadaver ears were exposed to blast waves along three directions: vertical, horizontal, and front with respect to the head. Blast overpressure waveforms were recorded at the ear canal entrance (P0), near the TM (P1), and inside the middle ear (P2).

Simultaneous removal of aqueous Zn, Cu, Cd, and Pb by zeolites synthesized from low-calcium and high-calcium fly ash.

In this study, zeolites were synthesized from low-calcium (LCZ) and high-calcium (HCZ) fly ash, respectively. Subsequently, the zeolites were tested for their removal effectiveness for four aqueous cations, namely, Zn, Cu, Cd, and Pb, as a function of contact time, pH value, adsorbent dosage, and initial concentration of heavy metals. Both zeolites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, specific surface area, and cation exchange capacity.

An international survey of classification and treatment choices for group D retinoblastoma.

Aim: To determine which IIRC scheme was used by retinoblastoma centers worldwide and the percentage of D eyes treated primarily with enucleation versus globe salvaging therapies as well as to correlate trends in treatment choice to IIRC version used and geographic region.

Methods: An anonymized electronic survey was offered to 115 physicians at 39 retinoblastoma centers worldwide asking about IIRC classification schemes and treatment patterns used between 2008 and 2012. Participants were asked to record which version of the IIRC was used for classification, how many group D eyes were diagnosed, and how many eyes were treated with enucleation versus globe salvaging therapies.

Recurrence of Retinopathy of Prematurity After Intravitreal Ranibizumab Monotherapy: Timing and Risk Factors.

Purpose: To investigate timing and risk factors of recurrent retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) after intravitreal ranibizumab (IVR) monotherapy.

Methods: Fifty eyes (the more severe eye) of 50 infants treated with IVR monotherapy for type 1 ROP were studied retrospectively. The mean follow-up time was 31 weeks after IVR.

Depression, caregiver burden and social support among caregivers of retinoblastoma patients in China.

The aim of this study is to examine the burden of family caregivers of patients with retinoblastoma in China and the relationships between depression, caregiver burden and social support. A descriptive and correlational survey was conducted with 117 Chinese family caregivers of outpatient patients with retinoblastoma from the Department of Ophthalmology of a tertiary hospital in Shanghai, China. Family caregivers of outpatient patients with retinoblastoma were asked to respond to four questionnaires including sociodemographic questionnaire, Becker Depression Inventory, Caregiver Burden Inventory and Social Support Rating Scale.

Mechanical damage of tympanic membrane in relation to impulse pressure waveform - A study in chinchillas.

Mechanical damage to middle ear components in blast exposure directly causes hearing loss, and the rupture of the tympanic membrane (TM) is the most frequent injury of the ear. However, it is unclear how the severity of injury graded by different patterns of TM rupture is related to the overpressure waveforms induced by blast waves. In the present study, the relationship between the TM rupture threshold and the impulse or overpressure waveform has been investigated in chinchillas.

[Case-control study on locking titanium plate in treating comminuted proximal humeral fracture in elderly].

Objective: To observe therapeutic effects of locking titanium plate for the treatment of comminuted proximal humeral fracture in elderly.

Methods: From June 2011 to May 2013, 72 elderly patients with comminuted proximal humeral- fractures were divided into locking titanium plate group and anatomical plate group, 36 cases in each group. In locking titanium plate group, there were 16 males and 20 females aged from 60 to 79 years old with an average of (69.

Simultaneous immobilization of ammonium and phosphate from aqueous solution using zeolites synthesized from fly ashes.

Zeolites were synthesized from silica-rich (SF-Z) and calcium-rich (CF-Z) fly ashes, respectively, and their performance in immobilizing ammonium and phosphate was investigated through batch experiments. The cation exchange capacity and phosphate immobilization capacity of SF-Z were identified as 2.79 meq/g and 12.

[Expression changes of tumor metastasis-related genes after overexpression of KAI1 in retinoblastoma Y79 cells].

Objective: To investigate the expression changes of tumor metastasis-related genes after overexpression of KAI1 in retinoblastoma Y79 cells.

Methods: Experimental study. Y79 cells were transfected with a lentivirus vector containing KAI1 and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) fusion gene, or a control lentivirus vector containing EGFP.