Association of growth differentiation factor-15 level with adverse outcomes in patients with stable coronary artery disease: A meta-analysis.

Background And Aims: Studies on the association between growth-differentiation factor-15 (GDF-15) level and adverse outcomes have yielded conflicting results in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the association of baseline GDF-15 level with adverse outcomes in stable CAD patients.

Methods: Two authors independently searched PubMed and Embase databases from inception to May 31, 2021 for available studies that investigated the association of baseline GDF-15 level with all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, or major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in stable CAD patients.

Potential inhibitors of microglial activation from the roots of Vernicia montana Lour.

During our continuous investigation of natural, herbal inhibitors of microglial over-activation in the Euphorbiaceae family, two plants of the Vernicia genus showed remarkable inhibitory effects on nitric oxide (NO) production in over-activated microglia. In this study, bioactivity-guided phytochemical research on the active fraction of the roots of V. montana was carried out.

Bamboo shavings derived O-acetylated xylan alleviates loperamide-induced constipation in mice.

BSH-1 is an O-acetylated xylan obtained from bamboo shavings. This study determined the protective effects of BSH-1 against loperamide (Lop)-induced constipation in mice. Mice received BSH-1 by gavage daily for 14 days.

Effects of ultra-long fermentation time on the microbial community and flavor components of light-flavor Xiaoqu Baijiu based on fermentation tanks.

Microbial structure and succession of fermented grains play a significant role in Baijiu's flavor and quality. In this study, high-throughput sequencing (HTS) coupled with headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) were used to analyze the microbial community structures and flavor components in the fermented grains at the end of fermentation from different fermentation time of light-flavor Xiaoqu Baijiu. HTS results showed that Lactobacillus acetotolerans, Lactobacillus helveticus, Lactobacillus buchneri, Wickerhamomyces, Saccharomyces, and Condenascus were identified as the dominant microbes, but Lactobacillus (96.

Single-stage debridement via autogenous iliac bone graft through the OLIF corridor and lateral fixation in treating spontaneous single-level lumbar pyogenic spondylodiscitis.

Background: The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of mini-open oblique debridement and lumbar interbody fusion combined with lateral screw fixation for treating single-level pyogenic spondylodiscitis.

Methods: Twelve patients with single-level lumbar pyogenic spondylodiscitis underwent OLIF combined with lateral screw fixation were analyzed. Patients underwent follow-up for 12 to 24 months.

Reproducibility of pathologic scoring systems for periprosthetic adverse local tissue reactions: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Several previous studies have described broad histologic classifications of peri-prosthetic reactions that likely reflect the underlying mechanism of arthroplasty failure; however, a consensus has not yet been reached about the relative importance of individual observations.

Question/purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the inter-examiner repeatability of commonly used histopathologic grading methods, and to determine the utility of assigning a more simple, global categorization in patients undergoing revision THA surgery of implants with a variety of bearing combinations.

Methods: Between March 2013 and February 2020, a total of 2131 patients underwent revision hip arthroplasty surgery at a one center, of which 12% (248 of 2131) of patients were enrolled.

Combination of an Asphalt Stabilizer and a Cellulose-Chitosan Composite Aerogel Used for the Separation of Oil-Water Mixtures Containing Asphalt.

In this paper, cellulose chitosan composite aerogels were prepared through sol-gel and freeze-drying processes. The porous morphology of the aerogels was controlled by adjusting the cellulose concentration. Within a certain range, as the concentration of cellulose increases, the pore diameter of the composite aerogel becomes smaller and the pore structure becomes denser.

Co-grafts of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Derived Retina Organoids and Retinal Pigment Epithelium for Retinal Reconstruction in Immunodeficient Retinal Degenerate Royal College of Surgeons Rats.

End-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinitis pigmentosa (RP) are two major retinal degenerative (RD) conditions that result in irreversible vision loss. Permanent eye damage can also occur in battlefields or due to accidents. This suggests there is an unmet need for developing effective strategies for treating permanent retinal damages.

Development of Near-Infrared Nucleic Acid Mimics of Fluorescent Proteins for In Vivo Imaging of Viral RNA with Turn-On Fluorescence.

GFP-like fluorescent proteins and their molecular mimics have revolutionized bioimaging research, but their emissions are largely limited in the visible to far-red region, hampering the in vivo applications in intact animals. Herein, we structurally modulate GFP-like chromophores using a donor-acceptor-acceptor (D-A-A') molecular configuration to discover a set of novel fluorogenic derivatives with infrared-shifted spectra. These chromophores can be fluorescently elicited by their specific interaction with G-quadruplex (G4), a unique noncanonical nucleic acid secondary structure, via inhibition of the chromophores' twisted-intramolecular charge transfer.

Improvement of peripheral nerve visualization using a deep learning-based MR reconstruction algorithm.

Objective: To assess a new deep learning-based MR reconstruction method, "DLRecon," for clinical evaluation of peripheral nerves.

Methods: Sixty peripheral nerves were prospectively evaluated in 29 patients (mean age: 49 ± 16 years, 17 female) undergoing standard-of-care (SOC) MR neurography for clinically suspected neuropathy. SOC-MRIs and DLRecon-MRIs were obtained through conventional and DLRecon reconstruction methods, respectively.

Tissue-Specific Gamma-Flicker Light Noninvasively Ameliorates Retinal Aging.

Aging is a risk factor for multiple retinal degeneration diseases. Entraining brain gamma oscillations with gamma-flicker light (γFL) has been confirmed to coordinate pathological changes in several Alzheimer's disease mouse models and aged mice. However, the direct effect of γFL on retinal aging remains unknown.

Structural elucidation of spiro cyclohexandienonyl naphthalenes with potential anti-neuroinflammatory activities from Caragana acanthophylla Kom.

Four undescribed spiro cyclohexandienonyl naphthalenes (acanthophyllas A-D) and a revised compound were isolated from the roots of Caragana acanthophylla Kom. (Fabaceae). They were identified using extensive spectroscopic data and via chemical methods.

Versatile Integration of Liquid-Phase Microextraction and Fluorescent Aptamer Beacons: A Synergistic Effect for Bioanalysis.

Fluorescent aptamer beacons (FABs) are a major category of biosensors widely used in environmental analysis. However, due to their low compatibility, it is difficult to use the common FABs for biological samples. To overcome this challenge, construction of FABs with complex structures to adapt the nature of biological samples is currently in progress in this field.

Effect of acceptance and commitment therapy on rehabilitation patients with spinal cord injury.

This study aimed to explore the differences between the effectiveness of using a combination of rehabilitation and acceptance commitment therapy (ACT), and rehabilitation therapy alone for the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI). The newly admitted patients with spinal cord injury whose post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) score was higher than 38 points were randomly categorized into the treatment group and control group, with 30 patients in each group. One group underwent ACT and rehabilitation treatment, while the other underwent rehabilitation treatment only.

Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome with cerebral infarction caused by acute high-level vapor exposure of ethylene oxide: a case report.

Background: With the increasing production and use of ethylene oxide (EO) worldwide, its explicit bio-toxicity has drawn more and more attention. At present, most studies focus on chronic EO exposure. Studies on acute EO exposure are rare, especially with imaging studies.

End-to-end pattern optimization technology for 3D shape measurement.

The nonlinear errors caused by the gamma effect seriously affect the measurement accuracy of phase-measuring profilometry systems. We present a novel robust end-to-end pattern optimization technology for phase-height mapping. This method generates standard sinusoidal patterns on the reference plane on a camera image instead of on a projection image by optimizing the projection image, which can avoid phase errors due to phase conversion from projector to camera.

Three Unusual Sesquiterpenes with Distinctive Ring Skeletons from Uncovered by Molecular Networking Strategies.

Daphnenoids A-C (-), three unusual sesquiterpenes with distinctive ring skeletons, together with a biogenetically related daphnenoid D () were obtained from the herb of by molecular networking strategies. Daphnenoid A () possesses a unique caged tetracyclo [5.3.

Discovery of novel ID2 antagonists from pharmacophore-based virtual screening as potential therapeutics for glioma.

Glioma, especially the most aggressive type glioblastoma multiforme, is a malignant cancer of the central nervous system with a poor prognosis. Traditional treatments are mainly surgery combined with radiotherapy and chemotherapy, which is still far from satisfactory. Therefore, it is of great clinical significance to find new therapeutic agents.

Efficient fabrication of stretching hydrogels with programmable strain gradients as cell sheet delivery vehicles.

Fabricating functional cell sheets with excellent mechanical strength for tissue regeneration remains challenging. Therefore, we devised a novel 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl) carbodiimide/N-hydroxy-succinimide crosslinked hydrogel carrier composed of gelatin (Ge) and beta-cyclodextrin (β-CD) that promoted the adhesion and proliferation of keratinocytes (Kcs) compared with those cultured on a Ge hydrogel due to significantly higher pore size, porosity, and stiffness, as confirmed using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and shear wave elastography (SWE). Upon exposure to a programmable gradient microenvironment, cells displayed a stress/strain-dependent spatial-temporal distribution of extended cellular phenotypes and cytoskeletons.

Energy Loss and Radial Force Variation Caused by Impeller Trimming in a Double-Suction Centrifugal Pump.

Impeller trimming is an economical method for broadening the range of application of a given pump, but it can destroy operational stability and efficiency. In this study, entropy production theory was utilized to analyze the variation of energy loss caused by impeller trimming based on computational fluid dynamics. Experiments and numerical simulations were conducted to investigate the energy loss and fluid-induced radial forces.

The Power of Unrequited Love: The Parasocial Relationship, Trust, and Organizational Identification Between Middle-Level Managers and CEOs.

Previous studies have found that CEOs manage their firms through traditional methods such as leadership and management practices. In this study, we investigate how the parasocial relationship (PSR) between middle-level managers and CEOs affects the organizational trust and the organizational identification (OI) of middle managers. We find that the PSR between middle managers and CEOs has a positive effect on the OI of middle managers, which is mediated by the organizational trust of middle managers.

Cephalotaxine-type alkaloids with antiproliferation effects from the branches and leaves of Cephalotaxus fortunei var. alpina.

Eight cephalotaxine-type alkaloids (1-8), including two new compounds cephafortunines A and B (1-2), were isolated from the branches and leaves of Cephalotaxus fortunei var. alpina. Their structures were identified by a series of spectroscopic methods (MS, UV, IR, 1D, and 2D NMR) and comparison with the reported data of known analogs.

A thrombophilia family with protein S deficiency due to protein translation disorders caused by a Leu607Ser heterozygous mutation in PROS1.

Background: Protein S deficiency (PSD) is an autosomal dominant hereditary disease. In 1984, familial PSD was reported to be prone to recurrent thrombosis. Follow-up studies have shown that heterozygous protein S (PROS1) mutations increase the risk of thrombosis.

Structural Revisions of Two Highly Aromatic Naphthoquinone-Derived Dimers Based on NMR Analysis, Computer-Assisted Structure Elucidation Methods, and Computations.

Eleucanainones A and B are two structurally complex naphthoquinone-derived dimers whose structure identification is difficult. Large yellow fragments of the preliminary CASE (computer-assisted structure elucidation) analysis revealed that the original structures might be questionable. Structural revisions of the two compounds were proposed on the basis of NMR analysis, CASE methods, conformation analysis, and DFT (density functional theory) NMR calculations with a custom DP4+ analysis.