Thrombolysis for acute intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism: A meta-analysis.

Background: The use of thrombolytic therapy in patients with intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism is controversial. To compare with anticoagulation alone, no analysis before has determined whether thrombolytic therapy is associated with improved survival or lower incidence of adverse clinical outcomes for intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism.

Objective: This meta-analysis was performed to assess mortality benefits, bleeding and recurrent pulmonary embolism risks associated with thrombolytic therapy compared with anticoagulation in patients with intermediate-risk pulmonary embolism.

The human ATF1 rs11169571 polymorphism increases essential hypertension risk through modifying miRNA binding.

Activating transcription factor 1 (ATF1) may be involved in essential hypertension (EH) by induction of NADPH oxidase 1 (NOX1) and radical oxygen species (ROSs) production. Abnormal expression of ATF1 was found in EH in previous microarray analysis. Here we tested whether a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) located in the 3'-untranslated region (3'UTR) of ATF1 was associated with EH susceptibility by affecting microRNA (miRNA) binding.

Ultrasound-mediated microbubble destruction enhances the therapeutic effect of intracoronary transplantation of bone marrow stem cells on myocardial infarction.

Objective: The combination of intracoronary transplantation and ultrasound-mediated microbubble destruction may promote effective and accurate delivery of bone marrow stem cells (BMSCs) into the infarct zone. To test this hypothesis in this study we examined the effectiveness of ultrasound-mediated microbubble destruction in combination with intracoronary transplantation of BMSCs for the treatment of myocardial infarction in canine model of acute myocardial infarction.

Method: The dogs were randomly assigned to four groups: PBS, ultrasound-mediated microbubble destruction, BMSCs, BMSCs together with ultrasound-mediated microbubble destruction.

Regulation of renal fibrosis by macrophage polarization.

Background/aims: Since renal fibrosis always predisposes end-stage renal disease, elucidation of the molecular mechanisms that underlie the progression of renal fibrosis may substantially improve the understanding and treatment for renal failure. Previous studies have highlighted an important counteraction between transforming growth factor β 1 (TGFβ1) and bone morphogenic protein 7 (BMP7) in the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of renal tubular epithelial cells during chronic renal injury. Macrophages are also believed to play a critical role in renal fibrosis.

The genome sequence of the orchid Phalaenopsis equestris.

Orchidaceae, renowned for its spectacular flowers and other reproductive and ecological adaptations, is one of the most diverse plant families. Here we present the genome sequence of the tropical epiphytic orchid Phalaenopsis equestris, a frequently used parent species for orchid breeding. P.

Retracted: Association of ACE I/D gene polymorphism with T2DN susceptibility and the risk of T2DM developing into T2DN in a Caucasian population.

Background And Objective: The association of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion (I/D) gene polymorphism with type-2 diabetic nephropathy (T2DN) susceptibility and the risk of type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) developing into T2DN in Caucasian populations is still controversial. A meta-analysis was performed to evaluate the association of ACE I/D gene polymorphism with T2DN susceptibility and the risk of T2DM developing into T2DN in Caucasian populations.

Method: A predefined literature search and selection of eligible relevant studies were performed to collect data from electronic databases.

Controlled chondrogenesis from adipose-derived stem cells by recombinant transforming growth factor-β3 fusion protein in peptide scaffolds.

Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) are promising for cartilage repair due to their easy accessibility and chondrogenic potential. Although chondrogenesis of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) mediated mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is well established in vitro, clinical tissue engineering requires effective and controlled delivery of TGF-β in vivo. In this work, a self-assembled peptide scaffold was employed to construct cartilages in vivo through the chondrogenesis from ADSCs controlled by recombinant fusion protein LAP-MMP-mTGF-β3 that was transfected by lentiviral vectors.

Malignant ventricular tachycardia in acromegaly: a case report.

Context: In patients with acromegaly, cardiovascular complications are the main cause of death; sudden death has been associated with ventricular tachyarrhythmias. In other patients with life-threatening malignant ventricular tachyarrhythmias, surgical placement of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) has proved highly effective in reducing sudden death rates.

Case Report: The present article reports the case of a 50-year-old male acromegalic patient who presented symptoms of syncope induced by ventricular tachycardia.

Phase 1 study of twice-weekly ixazomib, an oral proteasome inhibitor, in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma patients.

Ixazomib is the first investigational oral proteasome inhibitor to be studied clinically. In this phase 1 trial, 60 patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (median of 4 prior lines of therapy; bortezomib, lenalidomide, thalidomide, and carfilzomib/marizomib in 88%, 88%, 62%, and 5%, respectively) received single-agent ixazomib 0.24 to 2.

[Deletion of marker gene in transgenic goat by Cre/LoxP system].

In producing transgenic livestock, selectable marker genes (SMGs) are usually used to screen transgenic cells from numerous normal cells. That results in SMGs integrating into the genome and transmitting to offspring. In fact, SMGs could dramatically affect gene regulation at integration sites and also make the safety evaluation of transgenic animals complicated.

Therapeutic effectiveness of endoscopic vidian neurectomy for the treatment of vasomotor rhinitis.

Conclusion: Our results indicate that vidian neurectomy may be recommended as an effective method for the treatment of vasomotor rhinitis (VMR).

Objective: The aim of this work was to study the feasibility and effectiveness of vidian neurectomy treatment under the nasal endoscope for VMR.

Methods: The study included 45 patients with VMR.

H2S inhibition of chemical hypoxia-induced proliferation of HPASMCs is mediated by the upregulation of COX-2/PGI2.

The hypoxia-induced proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) is the main cause of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), in which oxidative stress, cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) all play an important role. In the present study, we aimed to examine the effects of H(2)S on the hypoxia-induced proliferation of human PASMCs (HPASMCs) and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. The HPASMCs were treated with cobalt chloride (CoCl(2)), a hypoxia-mimicking agent, to establish a cellular model of hypoxic PAH.

Relationship between PPARγ Pro12Ala gene polymorphism and type 2 diabetic nephropathy risk in Asian population: results from a meta-analysis.

The relationship between peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) Pro12Ala gene polymorphism and type 2 diabetic nephropathy (T2DN) risk in Asians is still unclear. This study was performed to evaluate if there was an association between the PPARγ Pro12Ala gene polymorphism and T2DN risk in Asians using meta-analysis. The relevant reports were searched and identified from PubMed, Cochrane Library and CBM-disc (China Biological Medicine Database) on 1 October 2013, and eligible studies were included and synthesized.

Association of dialysate calcium concentration with fetuin A level and carotid intima-media thickness in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Serum fetuin A has been shown to be associated with the risk of vascular calcification and atherosclerosis, and it can predict the onset of cardiovascular mortality in dialysis patients. The carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) is an accessible and reliable method to identify the subclinical atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between dialysate calcium concentrations and fetuin A or cIMT in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD).

Induction of chondrogenesis of adipose-derived stem cells by novel recombinant TGF-β3 fusion protein.

A new type of TGF-β3 fusion protein with targeted therapy function was constructed, and its feasibility and target specificity of inducing chondrogenesis were investigated by transfecting LAP-MMP-mTGF-β3 gene into adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs). The recombinant pIRES-EGFP-MMP was constructed by inserting the sense and antisense DNA of encoding the amino acid of the synthetic MMP enzyme cutting site into the eukaryotic expression vector pIRES-EGFP. LAP and mTGF-β3 fragments were obtained by using RT-PCR and inserted into the upstream and downstream of MMP from pIRES-EGFP-MMP respectively, and the recombinant plasmid of pIRES-EGFP-LAP-MMP-mTGF-β3 was constructed, which was transferred to ADSCs.

A blind area of family planning services in China: unintended pregnancy among unmarried graduate students.

Background: Status of premarital sex, unintended pregnancy and associated factors among Chinese graduate students remain unclear. And unmarried graduate students' needs of family planning services seem to be ignored. In the present study, we ascertained the prevalence rate of premarital sex and unintended pregnancy, as well as estimated the possible factors associated with unintended pregnancy among unmarried Chinese graduate students, and evaluated their reproductive health needs.

Establishment of a rapid and scalable gene expression system in livestock by site-specific integration.

Somatic cell-mediated transgenesis is routinely used to transfer exogenous genes to livestock genomes. However, transgene insertion events are essentially random which may lead to transgene silencing or alter animal phenotype because of insertional mutagenesis. To overcome these problems, we established a gene manipulation system in goat somatic cells based on homologous recombination and flp recombinase-mediated site-specific integration.

Zn2+-SCMC versus HA for preventing intraperitoneal adhesions: a rat model study.

Background: Intraperitoneal adhesion is a serious surgical postoperative complication. Using a rat model, we compared the effectiveness of intraperitoneally administered zinc-modified sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (Zn(2+)-SCMC) and hyaluronic acid (HA) in preventing postoperative intraperitoneal adhesions.

Materials And Methods: Peritoneal adhesions were induced in 120 Wistar rats by scraping the cecal mucosa.

Lipopolysaccharide induced activin A-follistatin imbalance affects cardiac fibrosis.

Background: Inflammation plays a pivotal role in cardiac remodeling, especially in myocardial fibrosis. Abnormal growth of cardiac fibroblasts is critically involved in the pathophysiology of cardiac hypertrophy/remodeling. Previous study has demonstrated that many inflammation stimulating factors trigger transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) induction and reactive myocardial fibrosis.

The dominant expression of functional human lactoferrin in transgenic cloned goats using a hybrid lactoferrin expression construct.

Human Lactoferrin (hLF) is an iron-binding protein with multiple physiological functions. As the availability of natural hLF is limited, alternative means of producing this biopharmaceutical protein have been extensively studied. Here we report on the dominant expression of recombinant human lactoferrin (rhLF) in transgenic cloned goats using a novel optimised construct made by fusing a 3.

[IFN-gamma enzyme-linked immunospot assay versus PPD tuberculin skin test in the diagnosis of tuberculous epididymitis].

Objective: To explore the potential application of IFN-gamma enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay in the diagnosis of tuberculous epididymitis (TE) by comparing ELISPOT assay with the traditional purified protein derivative (PPD) tuberculin skin test.

Methods: We examined 13 TE patients using an in-house ELISPOT kit, another 11 TE patients by PPD skin testing, and 57 healthy male volunteers by parallel test with both the methods.

Results: Twelve (92.

[Effect of community intervention model of clonorchiasis in Zhaoyuan County].

After the community interventions of clonorchiasis control in Zhaoyuan County, the infection rate of Clonorchis sinensis of residents decreased from 67.43% to 7.12%, and the awareness rates of healthy knowledge and healthy behavior increased by 124.