Ginger protects against vein graft remodeling by precisely modulating ferroptotic stress in vascular smooth muscle cell dedifferentiation.

Vein graft (VG) failure (VGF) is associated with VG intimal hyperplasia, which is characterized by abnormal accumulation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Most neointimal VSMCs are derived from pre-existing VSMCs via a process of VSMC phenotypic transition, also known as dedifferentiation. There is increasing evidence to suggest that ginger or its bioactive ingredients may block VSMC dedifferentiation, exerting vasoprotective functions; however, the precise mechanisms have not been fully characterized.

Placental mesenchymal stem cells suppress inflammation and promote M2-like macrophage polarization through the IL-10/STAT3/NLRP3 axis in acute lung injury.

Introduction: Acute lung injury (ALI) is a clinically severe respiratory disorder that currently lacks specific and effective pharmacotherapy. The imbalance of M1/M2 macrophage polarization is pivotal in the initiation and progression of ALI. Shifting macrophage polarization from the proinflammatory M1 phenotype to the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype could be a potential therapeutic strategy.

Catechol-rich gelatin microspheres as restorative medical implants intended for inhibiting seroma formation and promoting wound healing.

Seroma formation and poor wound healing are common complications of many surgeries that create anatomical dead space (i.e., mastectomy), often causing tissue infection and even necrosis.

NLRP12/C1qA positive feedback in tumor-associated macrophages regulates immunosuppression through LILRB4/NF-κB pathway in lung adenocarcinoma.

The anti-tumor immune response is greatly hindered by the protumor polarization of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Cancer-related inflammation plays a central role in TAMs protumor polarization. Our study explored the unique positive feedback loop between inflammasome and complement in TAMs.

Morphological risk of acute type A aortic dissection in the mildly to moderately dilated aorta.

Objectives: This study aimed to analyse and determine the role of aortic length and curvature in the pathogenesis of acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) with ascending aortic diameters (AADs) <5 cm.

Methods: We reviewed the clinical and imaging data of patients with ATAAD (n = 201) and ascending aortic dilation (n = 83). Thoracic aortic bending index (TABI) was used to quantify aortic curvature and analyse its role in ATAAD below the diameter risk threshold.

MEGF6 prevents sepsis-induced acute lung injury in mice.

Objective: Acute lung injury (ALI) is featured as excessive inflammatory response and oxidative damage, and results in high death rate of septic patients. This research intends to determine the function of multiple EGF like domains 6 (MEGF6) in sepsis-induced ALI.

Methods: Mice were intratracheally treated with adenovirus to knock down or overexpress MEGF6 in lung tissues, and then were subjected to cecum ligation and puncture (CLP) operation to induce ALI.

Limonin, a novel AMPK activator, protects against LPS-induced acute lung injury.

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation plays crucial roles in the treatment of many oxidative stress- and inflammation-induced diseases, including acute lung injury (ALI). Limonin is a naturally occurring tetracyclic triterpenoid extracted from the plants of Rutaceae and Meliaceae. Limonin also serves as an AMPK activator with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidation effects.

Nesfatin-1, a novel energy-regulating peptide, alleviates pulmonary fibrosis by blocking TGF-β1/Smad pathway in an AMPKα-dependent manner.

Pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic progressive disease which steadily causes a critical public health concern. Nesfatin-1, a novel energy-regulating peptide discovered in 2006, could increase the level of AMPK phosphorylation. Previous studies have unveiled that Nesfatin-1 possessed many pharmacological effects including anti-inflammation, anti-oxidative stress, anti-fibrosis, and the regulation of lipid metabolism.

Two-Centimeter Single-Port Incision Minimizing Intercostal Nerve Damage Applied in Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery Segmentectomy for Pulmonary Ground Glass Nodules.

We introduced a novel modified 2-cm single-port incision made by blunt separation minimizing intercostal muscle and nerve damage applied in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) segmentectomy, and compared it with the traditional single-port incision or the novel incision plus a 3-mm tiny port, aiming to explore a more minimally invasive single-port technique for VATS segmentectomy. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 174 pulmonary ground glass nodule patients who received single-port VATS segmentectomy (54 modified 2-cm single port, 67 modified single port plus tiny port, and 53 traditional single port, respectively) in our medical center from May 2020 to December 2022. Three kinds of approaches were compared retrospectively, concerning their safety, feasibility, and postoperative pain.

A catechol bioadhesive for rapid hemostasis and healing of traumatic internal organs and major arteries.

Uncontrolled hemorrhage caused by trauma to internal organs or major arteries poses critical threats to lives. However, rapid hemostasis followed by tissue repair remains an intractable challenge in surgery owing to the lack of ideal internal-use adhesives that can achieve fast and robust wet adhesion and accelerate wound healing. Herein, we develop a robust hemostatic bioadhesive (CAGA) from novel highly-branched aminoethyl gelatin with end-grafted abundant catechol (Gel-AE-Ca).

The Application of Two-Stage Operation for High-Risk Patients with Oesophageal Cancer Following Gastrectomy.

Background: Oesophageal replacement by colonic interposition remains a major challenge due to its complexity and high incidence of complications; here we applied the two-stage operation strategy to oesophageal replacement by colonic interposition in high-risk oesophageal cancer patients following gastrectomy.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis on the data of patients with a history of distal gastrectomy who underwent one-stage and two-stage oesophageal replacement by colonic interposition from February 2012 to February 2020, and explored the relationship between the staging strategy and postoperative outcomes.

Results: The clinical data of 93 patients were collected and analysed.

Relationship Between Length and Curvature of Ascending Aorta and Type a Dissection.

Background: Type A aortic dissection (TAAD) has a rapid onset and high mortality. Currently, aortic diameter is the major criterion for evaluating the risk of TAAD. We attempted to find other aortic morphological indicators to further analyze their relationships with the risk of type A dissection.

Extracellular Circular RNAs Act as Novel First Messengers Mediating Cell Cross-Talk in Ischemic Cardiac Injury and Myocardial Remodeling.

Myocardial infarction (MI) causes most of the mortality worldwide. Coronary obstruction-caused myocardial ischemic injury leads to permanent loss of the myocardium. Subsequent compensatory myocardial remodeling and heart failure would result in arrhythmia and even sudden death.

Upregulation of long non-coding RNA myocardial infarction-associated transcription is correlated with coronary artery stenosis and elevated inflammation in patients with coronary atherosclerotic heart disease.

Coronary atherosclerotic heart disease (CAD) is a chronic disease caused by multiple risk factors. Aberrant expression of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) has been regarded as an independent risk factor of CAD. This study evaluated lncRNA myocardial infarction-associated transcription (MIAT) expression in CAD patients and its clinical significance.

Modified 2-cm super single port vs. the traditional 3-cm single port for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery lobectomy.

Purposes: We introduce a novel 2-cm single port designed to minimize intercostal muscle and nerve damage in video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy, and compared it with the 3-cm traditional single port.

Methods: We analyzed, retrospectively, the clinical data, safety, convenience, incision complications, and postoperative pain and numbness in 81 patients who underwent either modified (n = 42) or traditional (n = 39) single-port VATS lobectomy.

Results: The preoperative variables were comparable between both single-port VATS lobectomy groups after matching.

Effect of cardiopulmonary bypass reoxygenation on myocardial dysfunction following pediatric tetralogy of Fallot repair.

Background: Little is known regarding the effect of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) reoxygenation on cardiac function following tetralogy of Fallot repair. We hypothesized that hyperoxic reoxygenation would be more strongly associated with myocardial dysfunction in children with tetralogy of Fallot.

Methods: We investigated the association of perfusate oxygenation (PpO2) associated with myocardial dysfunction among children aged 6-72 months who underwent complete repair of tetralogy of Fallot in 2012-2018.

LDH, CRP and ALB predict nucleic acid turn negative within 14 days in symptomatic patients with COVID-19.

Aims: To search for biochemical indicators that can identify symptomatic patients with COVID-19 whose nucleic acid could turn negative within 14 days, and assess the prognostic value of these biochemical indicators in patients with COVID-19.

Patients And Methods: We collected the clinical data of patients with COVID-19 admitted to our hospital, by using logistic regression analysis and AUC curves, explored the relationship between biochemical indicators and nucleic acid positive duration, the severity of COVID-19, and hospital stay respectively.

Results: A total of two hundred and thirty-three patients with COVID-19 were enrolled in the study.

The growing landscape of succinylation links metabolism and heart disease.

Post-translational modification of proteins is an important biochemical process that occurs at the protein level. Succinylation is a newly discovered post-translational modification with the hallmark of a significant chemical and structural change. Succinylation has many similarities with other modifications, but succinylation may lead to more functional changes.

Reversible N6-methyladenosine of RNA: The regulatory mechanisms on gene expression and implications in physiology and pathology.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant inner RNA modification in eukaryotes. Due to the development of RNA sequencing technology, the distribution pattern of m6A in the transcriptome has been uncovered. Dynamically, the reversible N6-methylation is mediated by two types of proteins, which are classified as "writers" and "erasers".

MicroRNA-31-5p Exacerbates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Lung Injury via Inactivating Cab39/AMPK Pathway.

Acute lung injury (ALI) and the subsequent acute respiratory distress syndrome remain devastating diseases with high mortality rates and poor prognoses among patients in intensive care units. The present study is aimed at investigating the role and underlying mechanisms of microRNA-31-5p () on lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced ALI. Mice were pretreated with agomir, antagomir, and their negative controls at indicated doses for 3 consecutive days, and then they received a single intratracheal injection of LPS (5 mg/kg) for 12 h to induce ALI.

The role of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and lymphocyte-monocyte ratio in the prognosis of type 2 diabetics with COVID-19.

Objectives: To assess the prognostic value of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, lymphocyte-monocyte ratio and red cell distribution width in type 2 diabetics with COVID-19.

Methods: We collected the data of type 2 diabetics with COVID-19 treated in our hospital from January 28 to March 15, 2020 and performed a retrospective analysis. Using severity, duration of hospital stay, and the time required for nucleic acid results became negative as prognostic indicators, we explored the relationship between these inflammation-based markers and prognosis of type 2 diabetics with COVID-19.

Reconstruction of the esophagus of patients with middle thoracic esophageal carcinoma using the remnant stomach following Billroth II gastrectomy.

It seems impossible to reconstruct the esophagus of patients with middle thoracic esophageal carcinoma with a history of distal gastrectomy using the remnant stomach. Although surgeons have made multiple efforts to reconstruct the esophagus using the remnant stomach, it can only be successfully used in cases of lower thoracic esophageal cancer. Additionally, the surgery is more complex than traditional esophagogastrostomy due to challenges including mobilization of the remnant stomach with the spleen and transposition of the pancreatic tail into the left hemithorax.

Baicalein attenuates cardiac hypertrophy in mice via suppressing oxidative stress and activating autophagy in cardiomyocytes.

Baicalein is a natural flavonoid extracted from the root of Scutellaria baicalensis that exhibits a variety of pharmacological activities. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms underlying the protective effect of baicalein against cardiac hypertrophy in vivo and in vitro. Cardiac hypertrophy was induced in mice by injection of isoproterenol (ISO, 30 mg·kg·d) for 15 days.

Apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain promotes cell proliferation and phenotypic modulation through 14-3-3ε/YAP signaling in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Aims: In response to vascular injury, vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) may change from a contractile phenotype to a proliferative phenotype and consequently become conducive to neointima formation. Apoptosis repressor with caspase recruitment domain (ARC) was initially discovered as an endogenous apoptosis inhibitor, but whether ARC plays a role in VSMCs and whether it can participate in the regulation of atherosclerosis are unknown.

Methods And Results: Protein and mRNA levels of ARC in tissues and cells were detected by western blot and quantitative real-time PCR.