Deficiency of 5-HT receptors alleviates atherosclerosis by regulating macrophage phenotype through inhibiting interferon signalling.

Background And Purpose: Elevated levels of 5-HT have been correlated with coronary artery disease and cardiac events, suggesting 5-HT is a potential novel factor in the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. However, the underlying pathological mechanisms of the 5-HT system in atherosclerosis remain unclear. The 5-HT receptor (5-HT2BR), which establishes a positive feedback loop with 5-HT, has been identified as a contributor to pathophysiological processes in various vascular disorders.

Discharge Against Medical Advice After Hospitalization for Sepsis: Predictors, 30-Day Readmissions, and Outcomes.

Background: Sepsis is a leading cause of death worldwide. However, little has been known concerning the status of discharge against medical advice (DAMA) in sepsis patients.

Objective: To identify factors associated with DAMA, evaluate the association of DAMA with 30-day unplanned readmission and readmitted outcomes after sepsis hospitalization.

Ultrasound-Guided Dynamic Needle-Tip Positioning Method Is Superior to Conventional Palpation and Ultrasound Method in Arterial Catheterization.

Background: Dynamic needle-tip positioning (DNTP) was shown to improve arterial cannulation efficiency with fewer complications than conventional palpation and ultrasound methods by some studies. However, this is still controversial, and we performed this meta-analysis to comprehensively assess its value in arterial cannulation. Methods: A literature search of randomized controlled trials was conducted, and 11 studies were finally included.

Activation of the endocannabinoid system mediates cardiac hypertrophy induced by rosiglitazone.

Rosiglitazone (RSG) is a synthetic agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ), which plays a central role in the regulation of metabolism. Meta-analyses have suggested that RSG is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. However, the mechanisms underlying such adverse cardiac effects are still poorly understood.

Overexpression of Krüppel-Like Factor 4 Suppresses Migration and Invasion of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Through c-Jun-NH2-Terminal Kinase/Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Signaling Pathway.

Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) is a transcription factor and plays a vital role in cancer initiation and development. However, the role of Krüppel-like factor 4 in the metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is not clear. Here, we demonstrated that the expression of Krüppel-like factor 4 was significantly decreased in human non-small cell lung cancer tissues compared with that in normal tissues using Western blot.

S-nitrosation impairs KLF4 activity and instigates endothelial dysfunction in pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) is a transcription factor with conserved zinc finger domains. As an essential regulator of vascular homeostasis, KLF4 exerts a protective effect in endothelial cells (ECs), including regulating vasodilation, inflammation, coagulation and oxidative stress. However, the underlying mechanisms modifying KLF4 activity in mediating vascular function remain poorly understood.

A GA-based parameters tuning method for an ADRC controller of ISP for aerial remote sensing applications.

This paper presents a parameters tuning method based on the genetic algorithm (GA) for an active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) of a three-axis inertially stabilized platform (ISP) with imaging sensors. To improve the stabilization accuracy and robustness of an aerial ISP under multi-source disturbances environment, an ADRC control scheme is first proposed. Then, to accurately identify and tune the parameters in the ADRC controller, a GA-based parameters tuning method is proposed.

Inhibition of mTOR ameliorates bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis by regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition.

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a pivotal role in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). In bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis mice, we observed that inhibition of mTOR (mammalia target of rapamycin) attenuated IPF. Rapamycin suppressed the down-regulation of E-cadherin and up-regulation of fibronectin in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis mice.

Inhibition of 5-Hydroxytryptamine Receptor 2B Reduced Vascular Restenosis and Mitigated the β-Arrestin2-Mammalian Target of Rapamycin/p70S6K Pathway.

Background: As a monoamine neurotransmitter, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) or serotonin modulates mood, appetite, and sleep. Besides, 5-HT also has important peripheral functions. 5-HT receptor 2B (5-HT2BR) plays a key role in cardiovascular diseases, such as pulmonary arterial hypertension and cardiac valve disease.

Rapid development of metastatic pulmonary calcifications in primary hyperparathyroidism: a case report and literature review.

Background: Metastatic pulmonary calcification (MPC) is rarely reported in primary hyperparathyroidism, especially MPC develops quickly. We report such a case here with a literature review.

Case Presentation: A 41-year-old woman presented with cough and dyspnea.

Acute fibrinous and organizing pneumonia: A case report and literature review.

Acute fibrinous and organizing pneumonia (AFOP) is a rare lung disease with distinct histological characteristics that include the diffuse presence of intra-alveolar fibrin, and the absence of eosinophils and hyaline membrane. In the present study, a case of AFOP that was diagnosed by lung biopsy is described. The patient presented with high fever and a cough with expectoration.

A compound scheme on parameters identification and adaptive compensation of nonlinear friction disturbance for the aerial inertially stabilized platform.

A compound scheme is proposed to compensate the effect of nonlinear friction disturbance on the control precision of a three-axis inertially stabilized platform (ISP) for aerial remote sensing applications. The scheme consists of friction parameters identification and adaptive compensation. A LuGre model-based ISP friction model is first developed.

Important factors mediates the adhesion of aspergillus fumigatus to alveolar epithelial cells with E-cadherin.

Aspergillus is widely distributed in the Earth's biosphere. It has strong adaptive capacity, and lives as saprophytic or parasitic life. This study aims to investigate the role of E-cadherin for adhesion of Aspergillus fumigatus blastospores in a human epithelial cell line (A549) and search the correlated molecule in aspergillus.

Control Parameters Optimization Based on Co-Simulation of a Mechatronic System for an UA-Based Two-Axis Inertially Stabilized Platform.

This paper presents a method based on co-simulation of a mechatronic system to optimize the control parameters of a two-axis inertially stabilized platform system (ISP) applied in an unmanned airship (UA), by which high control performance and reliability of the ISP system are achieved. First, a three-dimensional structural model of the ISP is built by using the three-dimensional parametric CAD software SOLIDWORKS(®); then, to analyze the system's kinematic and dynamic characteristics under operating conditions, dynamics modeling is conducted by using the multi-body dynamics software ADAMS™, thus the main dynamic parameters such as displacement, velocity, acceleration and reaction curve are obtained, respectively, through simulation analysis. Then, those dynamic parameters were input into the established MATLAB(®) SIMULINK(®) controller to simulate and test the performance of the control system.

Activation of PPAR-δ induces microRNA-100 and decreases the uptake of very low-density lipoprotein in endothelial cells.

Background And Purpose: Increased level of very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) is a key feature of the metabolic syndrome and is associated with cardiovascular diseases. PPAR-δ agonists play a protective role in lipid metabolism and vascular function. In this study, we aimed to investigate the role of PPAR-δ in the uptake of VLDL in endothelial cells and its underlying mechanism(s).

Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ Regulates the Expression of Lipid Phosphate Phosphohydrolase 1 in Human Vascular Endothelial Cells.

Lipid phosphate phosphohydrolase 1 (LPP1), a membrane ectophosphohydrolase regulating the availability of bioactive lipid phosphates, plays important roles in cellular signaling and physiological processes such as angiogenesis and endothelial migration. However, the regulated expression of LPP1 remains largely unknown. Here, we aimed to examine a role of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPAR γ ) in the transcriptional control of LPP1 gene expression.

Metabonomic profiling revealed an alteration in purine nucleotide metabolism associated with cardiac hypertrophy in rats treated with thiazolidinediones.

Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) including rosiglitazone (RSG) and pioglitazone (PIO) are synthetic agonists selective for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) and have been clinically used to treat type-II diabetes as insulin sensitizers. Recent meta-analyses have shown that TZDs are associated with an increased risk for the development of heart failure. To elucidate the mechanism underlying such a cardiac adverse effect, we used a (1)H NMR-based approach to examine the metabonomic profiles in the cardiac tissues treated with RSG (15 mg/kg body weight/day) or PIO (45 mg/kg/day) for 4 weeks and found that the TZD treatments resulted in a significantly altered metabolic profile in hearts, which was associated with cardiac hypertrophy.

Epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate, a green tea polyphenol, induces expression of pim-1 kinase via PPARγ in human vascular endothelial cells.

Pim-1 is a serine/threonine kinase and involved in cell survival and proliferation. Recently, it has been shown that pim-1 signaling pathway plays an important role in cardiovascular protection and differentiation. In this study, we sought to explore the expression of pim-1 in human vascular endothelial cells (ECs) and its regulation by epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG), a green tea polyphenol which has anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and vascular protective effects.

Shear stress activation of nuclear receptor PXR in endothelial detoxification.

Endothelial cells (ECs) are constantly exposed to xenobiotics and endobiotics or their metabolites, which perturb EC function, as well as to shear stress, which plays a crucial role in vascular homeostasis. Pregnane X receptor (PXR) is a nuclear receptor and a key regulator of the detoxification of xeno- and endobiotics. Here we show that laminar shear stress (LSS), the atheroprotective flow, activates PXR in ECs, whereas oscillatory shear stress, the atheroprone flow, suppresses PXR.

E-cadherin mediates adhesion and endocytosis of Aspergillus fumigatus blastospores in human epithelial cells.

Background: Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) is a ubiquitous saprophytic fungus responsible for the majority of invasive mold infections in patients undergoing chemotherapy, organ transplantation or with persistent neutropenia. This study aimed to determine the role of E-cadherin for adhesion and endocytosis of A.

[Invasive aspergillosis after near-drowning: case reports and review of the literature].

Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze the clinical presentations and disease courses of invasive aspergillosis (IA) in patients after near-drowning.

Methods: The clinical data of 3 cases of invasive aspergillosis after near-drowning from Oct. 2005 to Aug.

Krüppel-like factor 4 is induced by rapamycin and mediates the anti-proliferative effect of rapamycin in rat carotid arteries after balloon injury.

Background And Purpose: The transcription factor, Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4), plays an important role in regulating the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells. This study aimed to examine the effect of rapamycin on the expression of KLF4 and the role of KLF4 in arterial neointimal formation.

Experimental Approach: Expression of KLF4 was monitored using real-time PCR and immunoblotting in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells.

[Evaluation of the galactomannan assay for the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis in patients].

Objective: To assess the value of Aspergillus galactomannan (GM) double-direct sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis (IA).

Methods: Forty nine patients were divided into IA group (n = 11), other invasive fungal infection group (n = 20) and Aspergillus colonization group (n = 18). The serum samples of all patients and 6 patients with IA after 7 day treatment were used for GM detection.

Klotho is a target gene of PPAR-gamma.

Klotho is an anti-aging gene whose expression is regulated by many stimuli. Here we examined the transcriptional regulation of the klotho gene by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma). The PPAR-gamma agonists thiazolidinediones increased both klotho mRNA and protein expression in HEK293 cells and several renal epithelial cell lines.

[Evaluation of the galactomannan assay for the diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis in an animal model].

Objective: To assess the value of Aspergillus galactomannan (GM) double-direct sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA).

Methods: Ninety adult SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups, including 4 groups of pulmonary infection by Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus), Candida albicans, mucor, and Streptococcus pneumoniae, respectively, and a colonization group by A.