MicroRNA-21-5p are involved in apoptosis and invasion of fibroblast-like synoviocytes through PTEN/PI3K/AKT signal.

The function of microRNA-21-5p (miR-21) in fibroblast-like synoviocytes in RA was still unclear. In our study, we used tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) (10 ng/ml) to mimic RA-FLSs and we found that normal FLS stimulated with TNFα caused the increasing expression of miR-21, a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 5 and matrix metalloproteinase 3, which were in accord with RA-FLSs changes. Our data showed that miR-21 overexpression significantly increased cell invasion and decreased apoptosis in FLSs.

TNF-α regulates microglial activation via the NF-κB signaling pathway in systemic lupus erythematosus with depression.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) on systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The animal model of MRL/MpJ-Faslpr mice (MRL/lpr; lupus-prone mice) showed depression-like behaviors based on tail suspension, sucrose preference, and open field tests. Brain microglia were significantly activated with obvious increases in proinflammatory cytokines.

Associated factors with adherence to standard exercise therapy and health-related quality of life in Chinese patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

The aim of this study is to assess the current situations of standard exercise treatment and predictors of non-standard exercise in Chinese patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). An analysis of the effect of standard exercise on health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) was also conducted. In the cross-sectional study, a total of 259 AS patients were constantly invited to participate in this study and complete the questionnaire under the researchers' supervision in a clinical setting including sociodemographic variables, clinical variables, psychological variables, and HR-QoL.

Artificial Sandwich Base for Monitoring Single-Nucleobase Changes and Charge-Transfer Rates in DNA.

Developing a convenient method to discriminate among different types of DNA nucleotides within a target sequence of the human genome is extremely challenging. We herein report an artificial ferrocene-base (Fe-base) that was synthesized and incorporated into different loci of a DNA strand. The Fe-base replacement on a nucleobase can interact with DNA bases and efficiently discriminate among A, T, G, and C DNA bases of the complementary locus on the basis of interacting electrochemical properties.

Antibiotic-Induced Dysbiosis of Gut Microbiota Impairs Corneal Nerve Regeneration by Affecting CCR2-Negative Macrophage Distribution.

Although antibiotics are useful, they can also bring negative effects. We found that antibiotic-treated mice exhibit an alteration in the gene expression profile of corneal tissues and a decrease in corneal nerve density. During corneal wound healing, antibiotic treatment was found to impair corneal nerve regeneration, an effect that could be largely reversed by reconstitution of the gut microbiota via fecal transplant.

The impact of systemic sclerosis on health-related quality of life assessed by SF-36: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: The purpose of this meta-analysis was to systematically review the literature to evaluate the impact of systemic sclerosis (SSc) on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) assessed by the Medical Outcomes Short-Form-36 questionnaire (SF-36).

Methods: A systematic literature search was performed on PubMed, Web of Science and Embase until April 2017 to obtain eligible studies. Random effect model was performed to summarize the scores of each domain.

Percutaneous nerve electrical stimulation for fatigue caused by chemotherapy for cervical cancer.

This retrospective study investigated the effectiveness of percutaneous nerve electrical stimulation (PNES) for fatigue caused by chemotherapy for cervical cancer survivors.Totally, 83 cases of fatigue caused by chemotherapy for cervical cancer survivors were analyzed. All these cases were assigned to a treatment group (n = 43), and a control group (n = 40).

Treatment with 3-Bromo-4,5-Dihydroxybenzaldehyde Improves Cardiac Function by Inhibiting Macrophage Infiltration in Mice.

Background And Objectives: Appropriate inflammatory response is necessary for cardiac repairing after acute myocardial infarction (MI). Three-Bromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (BDB) is a potent antioxidant and natural bromophenol compound derived from red algae. Although BDB has been shown to have an anti-inflammatory effect, it remains unclear whether BDB affects cardiac remolding after MI.

Daphnetin inhibits RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis in vitro.

Osteoporosis is a common orthopedic disease which is associated with hyper-activated osteoclastogenesis. Daphnetin is a natural coumarin derivative isolated from Genus Daphne, which possesses antiarthritis effect. However, the role of daphnetin in osteoclastogenesis has not been illustrated.

The impact of disease activity and psychological status on quality of life for Chinese patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Objective: The primary purpose of the present study was to survey the quality of life (QoL) in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) and to analyze the relationships between disease activity, anxiety/depression, fatigue, pain, age, oral disorders, impaired swallowing, sicca symptoms, and QoL.

Patients And Methods: A survey was conducted on 185 pSS patients and 168 healthy individuals using the Short Form 36 health survey for QoL. Disease activity was assessed using the European League Against Rheumatism Sjögren's Syndrome Disease Activity Index.

Sitagliptin improves renal function in diabetic nephropathy in male Sprague Dawley rats through upregulating heme oxygenase-1 expression.

Purpose: Oxidative stress is an important mechanism for diabetic nephropathy. Studies showed that hemo oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression in renal tissue of patients with diabetic nephropathy has upregulated, while the HO-1 can protect the body through anti-oxidative stress. The study aimed to preliminarily explore the molecular mechanism by observing the effect of Sitagliptin on HO-1 expression in renal tissue of rats with diabetic nephropathy.

Prevalence, severity, and predictors of dry eye and dry mouth in Chinese patients with primary Sjögren syndrome.

Dry eye and dry mouth are typical clinical symptoms of primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS), yet not considered in the assessment of severity and predictors in China. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence, severity, and potential predictors of dry eye/dry mouth among Chinese pSS patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted from the Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University.

Three-Dimensional Copper Foil-Powder Sintering Current Collector for a Silicon-Based Anode Lithium-Ion Battery.

In this work, we propose a facile method for manufacturing a three-dimensional copper foil-powder sintering current collector (CFSCC) for a silicon-based anode lithium-ion battery. We found that the CFSCC is suitable as a silicon-based paste electrode, and the paste-like electrodes are commonly used in industrial production. Compared with flat current collectors, the CFSCC better constrained the silicon volume change during the charging-discharging process.

Motion analysis of the wrist joints in Chinese rheumatoid arthritis patients: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The wrist is often severely affected in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients; however, little is known about the potential risk factors of the reduced wrist range of motion. In this study, we explored a broad range of possible risk factors of wrist range of motion in RA patients. We also determined whether measurements of wrist range of motion reflect Sharp score for the wrists.

Efficient phosphate accumulation in the newly isolated strain LH4.

Phosphate (PO) accumulation associated with bacteria contributes to efficient remediation of eutrophic waters and has attracted attention due to its low cost, high removal efficiency and environmental friendliness. In the present study, we isolated six strains from sludge with high concentrations of chemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen and total phosphorus levels. Among them, strain LH4 exhibited the greatest PO removal ability.

Long chain ionic liquid-assisted synthesis of PS/Pd beads and hierarchical porous Pd-SiO.

Long-chain ionic liquid, 1-hexadecyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (CmimCl), was firstly used as a linking agent to construct polystyrene (PS)/CmimCl/palladium (Pd) beads. Subsequently, the PS/CmimCl/Pd beads were used as a macroporous templating agent and CmimCl was used as a mesoporous templating agent to prepare Pd-loaded hierarchical porous silica. A systematic study was carried out addressing the influence of the amount of CmimCl and the mass ratios of (Pd)/(PS) on the PS/CmimCl/Pd beads and the Pd-loaded hierarchical porous structures.

The mouse autonomic nervous system modulates inflammation and epithelial renewal after corneal abrasion through the activation of distinct local macrophages.

Inflammation and reepithelialization after corneal abrasion are critical for the rapid restoration of vision and the prevention of microbial infections. However, the endogenous regulatory mechanisms are not completely understood. Here we report that the manipulation of autonomic nervous system (ANS) regulates the inflammation and healing processes.

Targeted regulationof STAT3 by miR-29a in mediating Taxol resistance of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line CNE-1.

STAT3 is an important molecule in Janus kinase (JAK) signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signal pathway, and facilitates expression of various oncogenic genes such as Bcl-2, thus is correlated with tumor onset, progression and drug resistance. MiR-29a down-regulation is associated with the pathogenesis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Bioinformatics analysis demonstrated a complementary binding between miR-29a and 3'-UTR of STAT3.

DNA-Based Dynamic Reaction Networks.

Deriving from logical and mechanical interactions between DNA strands and complexes, DNA-based artificial reaction networks (RNs) are attractive for their high programmability, as well as cascading and fan-out ability, which are similar to the basic principles of electronic logic gates. Arising from the dream of creating novel computing mechanisms, researchers have placed high hopes on the development of DNA-based dynamic RNs and have strived to establish the basic theories and operative strategies of these networks. This review starts by looking back on the evolution of DNA dynamic RNs; in particular' the most significant applications in biochemistry occurring in recent years.

Green Tea Liquid Consumption Alters the Human Intestinal and Oral Microbiome.

Scope: GTPs (green tea polyphenols) exert anti-CRC (colorectal cancer) activity. The intestinal microbiota and intestinal colonization by bacteria of oral origin has been implicated in colorectal carcinogenesis. GT modulates the composition of mouse gut microbiota harmonious with anticancer activity.

The risk of herpes simplex virus and human cytomegalovirus infection during pregnancy upon adverse pregnancy outcomes: A meta-analysis.

Background And Objectives: Herpes simplex virus (HSV) and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) are widespread infections in humans, yet their impact on adverse pregnancy outcomes is controversial. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of HSV and HCMV infections during pregnancy on adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Methods: A systematic literature search was performed using Web of Science, Scopus, Medline, Embase, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library database for relevant publications up to 2nd August 2017.

Yangonin protects against cholestasis and hepatotoxity via activation of farnesoid X receptor in vivo and in vitro.

Cholestasis is a clinical syndrome with systemic and intrahepatic accumulation of excessive toxic bile acids that ultimately cause hepatobiliary injury. Recently obeticholic acid (OCA) which is a farnesoid X receptor (FXR) agonist was approved by FDA to treat cholestatic liver diseases, which provided us a newly therapeutic strategy against cholestasis. The purpose of the current study is to screen novel FXR agonists and verify the anti-cholestasis effect of yangonin in vivo and in vitro.

The role of interleukin-4 in rheumatic diseases.

Rheumatism is a group of diseases, most of which are autoimmune diseases, that violate joints, bones, muscles, blood vessels and related soft tissue. As is well known, cytokines play a role in the pathogenesis of several rheumatic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, spondyloarthritides, and systemic lupus erythematosus. Recently, the role of interleukin-4 (IL-4), which may participate in the mechanism of rheumatism, have been discovered.