Identification of miRNAs as prognostic factors for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

The prognostic value of microRNAs for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is still not be well identified. The microRNA expression profiles of 119 paired ESCC tissue samples and para-carcinoma tissues from GEO database under accession number of GSE43732. A mutation information based feature selection method was applied to identify the discriminative microRNAs between paired ESCC tissues and para-carcinoma tissues.

[Preventive and Therapeutic Effects of Exogenous Apelin Regulating Autophagy on the Formation of Pulmonary Artery Hhypertension in Rats].

Objective: To investigate the effect of exogenous Apelin on pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) and its related mechanism.

Methods: 26 male SD rats were randomly divided into Control group ( =6), Model group ( =10) and Intervention group ( =10). The rat model of PAH was established by left pneumonectomy combined with monocrotaline injection (PE+MCT) in the Model group and the Intervention group, while the Control group rats were opened chest cavity and injected the same amount of normal saline.

The study on the safety and efficacy of amnion graft for preventing the recurrence of moderate to severe intrauterine adhesions.

Transcervical resection of adhesion (TCRA) is the standard treatment for the intrauterine adhesions, but the recurrence of adhesions is a tough problem for the gynecologist. In addition, the therapeutic strategy after TCRA about prevention of recurrence remains controversial especially for the patients with moderate to severe intrauterine adhesions (IUAs). Hence, we designed this study to explore the safety and efficacy of fresh amnion grafts for preventing the recurrence after TCRA for patients with moderate to severe IUAs.

Adult primary testicular lymphoma: clinical features and survival in a series of patients treated at a high-volume institution in China.

Background: To retrospectively investigate the clinical characteristics, initial treatment, relapse, therapy outcome, and prognosis of Chinese patients with primary testicular lymphoma (PTL) through analysis of the cases of our institute.

Methods: From December 2008 to July 2018, all patients with PTL were included in this study. Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate PFS and OS.

Anti-inflammatory properties and gut microbiota modulation of an alkali-soluble polysaccharide from purple sweet potato in DSS-induced colitis mice.

In this study, the potential effects of a novel alkali-soluble polysaccharide (ASPP) from purple sweet potato on colonic histopathology, inflammation and microbiota composition in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mice were evaluated. The results indicated that ASPP restored the immune organ indices, increased colon length, improved colonic histopathology in colitis mice as well as inhibited the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α) in colonic tissue and serum. Moreover, 16S rRNA phylogenetic sequencing revealed that ASPP ameliorated the compositions and functions of gut microbiota in DSS-induced colitis mice.

Sugarcane/soybean intercropping with reduced nitrogen input improves crop productivity and reduces carbon footprint in China.

Global climate change and decreases in available land are significant challenges that humans are currently facing. Alternative management approaches for sugarcane fields have great potential to help mitigate these problems in China. We hypothesized that soybean intercropping with reduced nitrogen input could increase crop productivity and reduce the carbon footprint (CF) of sugarcane fields in China.

Analysis of Short-Term Effects of Air Pollution on Cardiovascular Disease Using Bayesian Spatio-temporal Models.

There has been an increasing number of clinical and epidemiologic research projects providing supporting evidence that short-term exposure to ambient air pollution contributes to the exacerbation of cardiovascular disease. However, few studies consider measurement error and spatial effects in the estimate of underlying air pollution levels, and less is known about the influence of baseline air pollution levels on cardiovascular disease. We used hospital admissions data for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) collected from an inland, heavily polluted city and a coastal city in Shandong Province, China.

Identification and Evaluation of Reference Genes for Normalization of Gene Expression in Developmental Stages, Sexes, and Tissues of Diaphania caesalis (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae).

Diaphania caesalis (Walker) is an important boring insect mainly distributed in subtropical and tropical areas and attacked tropical woody grain crops, such as starchy plants of Artocarpus. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) is a powerful approach for investigating target genes expression profiles at the transcriptional level. However, the identification and selection of internal reference genes, which is often overlooked, is the most vital step before the analysis of target gene expression by qRT-PCR.

Removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and the response of indigenous bacteria in highly contaminated aged soil after persulfate oxidation.

Integrated chemical-biological treatment is a promising alternative to remove PAHs from contaminated soil, wherein indigenous bacteria is the key factor for the biodegradation of residual PAHs after the application of chemical oxidation. However, systematical study on the impact of persulfate (PS) oxidation on indigenous bacteria as well as PAHs removal is still scarce. In this study, the influences of different PS dosages (1%, 3%, 6%, and 10% [w/w]), as well as various activation methods (native iron, HO, alkaline, ferrous iron, and heat) on PAHs removal and indigenous bacteria in highly contaminated aged soil were investigated.

Sheathless Inertial Focusing Chip Combining a Spiral Channel with Periodic Expansion Structures for Efficient and Stable Particle Sorting.

Efficient and reliable manipulation of biological particles is crucial in medical diagnosis and chemical synthesis. Inertial microfluidic devices utilizing passive hydrodynamic forces in the secondary flow have drawn considerable attention for their high throughputs, low costs, and harmless particle manipulation. However, as the dominant mechanism, the inertial lift force is difficult to quantitatively analyze because of the uncertainties of its magnitude and direction.

Leaf Morphological and Biochemical Responses of Three Potato ( L.) Cultivars to Drought Stress and Aphid ( Sulzer) Infestation.

Drought stress on plants can cause cellular water deficits and influence the physiology of host plants, which alter the performance of insect pests. This study was conducted to determine the effect of drought and aphid ( Sulzer) infestation on three potato ( L) genotypes under greenhouse conditions. A factorial experiment involving three potato genotypes, two levels of drought, and two levels of aphid infestation was conducted.

Transcription factor FvTCP9 promotes strawberry fruit ripening by regulating the biosynthesis of abscisic acid and anthocyanins.

The plant-specific transcription factor TEOSINTE BRANCHED 1, CYCLOIDEA, and PROLIFERATING4 CELL FACTORS (TCP) plays a crucial role in plant growth and development. However, there have been no studies reporting on the function of strawberry TCP in regulating fruit development. In this study, FvTCP9, a woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca) TCP gene, was isolated to explore its function in fruit ripening.

Novel Brain-Tumor-Inhibiting Copper(II) Compound Based on a Human Serum Albumin (HSA)-Cell Penetrating Peptide Conjugate.

It is a great challenge to design drugs that penetrate the blood-brain barrier to inhibit brain tumor growth by acting against multiple targets and also improve their delivery efficacy and targeting ability to cancer cells. To overcome the above problems, we designed a multitarget metal agent for treating brain tumors based on an human serum albumin (HSA)-cell penetrating peptide conjugate. Thus, we rationally screened copper (Cu) and 2-acetyl-3-ethylpyrazine thiosemicarbazones to synthesize six compounds, and we investigated their structure-activity relationships and confirmed multiple mechanisms for brain glioma cells.

Assembled superlattice with dynamic chirality in a mixture of biased-active and passive particles.

We introduce a general model of biased-active particles (BAPs) with anisotropic interactions, where the direction of the active force has a nonzero biased angle from the principal orientation of the anisotropic interaction between particles, and investigate the self-assembly behaviors of a mixture of BAPs with passive particles by using Langevin dynamics simulations. Remarkably, a highly ordered superlattice consisting of small hexagonal clusters with dynamic chirality emerges within a proper range of active force, given that the biased angle is not too small. In addition, there exists an optimal level of particle activity, being dependent on the biased-angle, which is the most favorable for both the long-range order and global dynamic chirality of the system.

Sedative depth on neurological outcomes in a juvenile rat model of cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

The guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in pediatric advanced life support suggest that midazolam is the preferred agent for sedation in patients with mild hypothermia, whereas children with cardiac arrest (CA) are at a crucial stage regarding their immature nervous system. Studies have shown that midazolam may have a detrimental effect on the developmental of the pediatric nervous system. Our previous study found that midazolam induced neuronal damage after CPR in young rats.

The Caregiver Burden of Delirium in Older Adults With Alzheimer Disease and Related Disorders.

Objectives: To measure the burden of delirium in older adults with or without Alzheimer disease or related disorders (ADRDs).

Design: Prospective, observational cohort.

Setting: Inpatient hospital and study participants' homes.

Membrane TLR9 Positive Neutrophil Mediated MPLA Protects Against Fatal Bacterial Sepsis.

Sepsis is a major cause of patient mortality and morbidity from bacterial infections. Although neutrophils are known to be important in the development of sepsis, how distinctive neutrophil subtypes regulate inflammatory processes involved in septicemia remains unclear. Preconditioning protects organisms against subsequent higher-dose exposures to the same, or even different, stimuli.

Evaluation and Validation of Reference Genes for Quantitative Real-Time PCR in Helopeltis theivora Waterhouse (Hemiptera: Miridae).

Helopeltis theivora Waterhouse is a predominant sucking pest in many tropic economic crops, such as tea, cocoa and coffee. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) is one of the most powerful tools to analyze the gene expression level and investigate the mechanism of insect physiology at transcriptional level. Gene expression studies utilizing qRT-PCR have been applied to numerous insects so far.

Antioxidant Effects of Tea Extracts on d-Galactose-Induced Aging Model in Mice.

As a traditional Chinese medicinal drink, , a local tea from Xinjiang, China, is favored for its rich flavor and biological functionality. This study looked at aging mice induced by d-galactose to determine the in vivo anti-aging effect of tea extracts (AVTEs) and its bioactive components. We evaluated the weight of major organs (via organ index) and pathological changes in the liver.

Protective Effect of Alendronate on Lumbar Facet Degeneration in Ovariectomized Rats.

BACKGROUND Facet joint degeneration (FJD) is a potential source of lower back pain, and estrogen deficiency can accelerate FJD. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of alendronate (ALN) on FJD induced by ovariectomy (OVX) in rats. MATERIAL AND METHODS Thirty female Sprague-Dawley rats underwent either bilateral OVX (n=20) or sham surgery (n=10).

Sandwich method with or without lauromacrogol in the treatment of gastric variceal bleeding with liver cirrhosis: A meta-analysis.

Background: To compare the efficacy and safety of the modified sandwich method with lauromacrogol in the treatment of gastric variceal bleeding (GVB) caused by liver cirrhosis with the traditional sandwich method no accompanied by lauromacrogol via a meta-analysis.

Methods: The Cochrane Library, Pubmed, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) database, the Chinese Wanfang database, and the Chongqing VIP database were searched to identify cohort studies comparing modified to traditional sandwich method in the treatment of GVB with liver cirrhosis. The relative risk for hemostasis rate, gastric varices (GV) remission rate, re-bleeding rate, the incidence of post-operative complications (pain, fever, ulcer or erosion, ectopic embolism), and all-cause mortality were calculated.

Analysis on Effects of Comprehensive Nursing Care Applied in Interventional Therapy for Patients with Liver Cirrhosis and Liver Cancer.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effects of comprehensive nursing intervention in interventional therapy for patients with liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Methods: Overall, 512 liver cirrhosis patients complicated with liver cancer receiving interventional therapy in the Department of Oncology of the Second Hospital of Dalian Medical University (Dalian, China) from March 2010 to March 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into observation group (n=310) and control group (n=202).