Use of esophageal balloon pressure-volume curve analysis to determine esophageal wall elastance and calibrate raw esophageal pressure: a bench experiment and clinical study.

Background: Accurate measurement of esophageal pressure (Pes) depends on proper filling of the balloon. Esophageal wall elastance (Ees) may also influence the measurement. We examined the estimation of balloon-surrounding elastance in a bench model and investigated a simplified calibrating procedure of Pes in a balloon with relatively small volume.

Effect of puerarin in promoting fatty acid oxidation by increasing mitochondrial oxidative capacity and biogenesis in skeletal muscle in diabetic rats.

Background: Type 2 diabetes is characterized by dyslipidemia and the accumulation of lipids in non-adipose tissue, including skeletal muscle. Puerarin, which is a natural isoflavonoid isolated from the root of the plant Pueraria lobata, has been shown to have antidiabetic activity. However, the lipid-reducing effect of puerarin, in particular in skeletal muscle, has not yet been addressed.

DHEA-induced ovarian hyperfibrosis is mediated by TGF-β signaling pathway.

Background: The polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common metabolic and endocrine disorder with pathological mechanisms remain unclear. The following study investigates the ovarian hyperfibrosis forming via transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway in Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)- induced polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) rat model. We furthermore explored whether TGF-βRI inhibitor (SB431542) decreases ovarian fibrosis by counterbalancing the expression of fibrotic biomarkers.

Biogenic Hierarchical MIL-125/TiO @SiO Derived from Rice Husk and Enhanced Photocatalytic Properties for Dye Degradation.

The hierarchical porous heterostructured MIL-125/TiO @SiO composites are successfully obtained by biogenic-templated method using rice husk both as biomorphic. The products are characterized by X-ray diffraction, N -adsorption-desorption analysis, scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results reveal that MIL-125/TiO @SiO possesses a hierarchical porous structure in scale from micrometer to nanometer with high Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area (385.

Incidence and radiologic-pathological features of lung cancer in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Objective: To investigate the incidence and risk factors of lung cancer in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and to learn the clinical, imaging and pathological features and of lung cancer in IPF.

Methods: The study population included consecutive 268 IPF patients. Of them, 46 patients had pathologically or cytologically proven lung cancer.

Use of Cardiac Cycle Locating to Minimize the Influence of Cardiac Artifacts on Esophageal Pressure Measurement During Dynamic Occlusion Test.

Background: The dynamic occlusion test is used to guide balloon catheter placement during esophageal pressure (P) monitoring. We introduced a cardiac cycle locating method to attenuate the influence of cardiac artifacts on P measurement. The aim was to provide a reliable analytic algorithm for the occlusion test.

Puerarin acts on the skeletal muscle to improve insulin sensitivity in diabetic rats involving μ-opioid receptor.

Puerarin, a major active isoflavone extracted from the root of Pueraria lobate, significantly increases plasma β-endorphin and insulin levels and improves impaired insulin signaling in diabetic animals. However, the target tissues and underlying mechanisms in and through which puerarin functions to ameliorating insulin resistance remains largely unclear. In this study, we showed that puerarin enhanced μ-opioid receptor expression and phosphorylation, and increased insulin-stimulated glucose transporter 4 translocation to the plasma membrane in the skeletal muscle of diabetic rats, which were recaptured by a direct application of puerarin in the palmitate-induced insulin-resistant L6 myotubes.

Analysis of Ribosome Stalling and Translation Elongation Dynamics by Deep Learning.

Ribosome stalling is manifested by the local accumulation of ribosomes at specific codon positions of mRNAs. Here, we present ROSE, a deep learning framework to analyze high-throughput ribosome profiling data and estimate the probability of a ribosome stalling event occurring at each genomic location. Extensive validation tests on independent data demonstrated that ROSE possessed higher prediction accuracy than conventional prediction models, with an increase in the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve by up to 18.

[Application of injection test in confirming the ideal position of esophageal balloon catheter].

Objective: To evaluate the safety and feasibility of injection test which is used to locate esophageal balloon catheter.

Methods: A prospective study was conducted. The patients undergoing invasive mechanical ventilation (MV) admitted to general intensive care unit (ICU) of Beijing Tiantan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University from May 2015 and March 2017 were enrolled.

Meta-Analysis for Clinical Evaluation of Xingnaojing Injection for the Treatment of Cerebral Infarction.

Xingnaojing injection (XNJ) is derived from An-Gong-Niu-Huang pill, a well-known traditional Chinese patent medicine, which is widely used for stroke. To evaluate the therapeutic effect of XNJ on cerebral infarction, an extensive meta-analysis was used. Six major electronic databases including the Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM), Wanfang, the VIP medicine information system (VMIS) and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were examined to retrieve randomized controlled trials designed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of XNJ in treating CI before November 26, 2016.

Frequent respiratory events in postoperative patients aged 60 years and above.

There is limited information on the occurrence of respiratory events in postoperative patients after discharge from the postanesthesia care unit. We studied the respiratory rate (RR) of 68 patients aged 60 years and above during the first 6 hours following elective surgery under general anesthesia to assess the frequency of respiratory events in the care unit and on the ward. RR was derived from the continuous RR counter RespiR8, measuring RR by quantifying the humidity of exhaled air.

Reduction pathway and mechanism of chloronitrobenzenes synergistically catalyzed by bioPd and Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 assisted by calculation.

Although microbial synthesized palladium nanoparticles (bioPd) have been demonstrated to exhibit a great activity toward dechlorination of several chlorinated pollutants, there is no systematic investigation into the substituent effect on dechlorination. Chloronitrobenzenes are widely used for manufacturing and known as persistent pollutants with recalcitrance of biodegradation for nitro groups. In this work, bioPd was synthesized by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1.

Optimal esophageal balloon volume for accurate estimation of pleural pressure at end-expiration and end-inspiration: an in vitro bench experiment.

Background: Esophageal pressure, used as a surrogate for pleural pressure, is commonly measured by air-filled balloon, and the accuracy of measurement depends on the proper balloon volume. It has been found that larger filling volume is required at higher surrounding pressure. In the present study, we determined the balloon pressure-volume relationship in a bench model simulating the pleural cavity during controlled ventilation.

Effects of iron supplementation on growth, gut microbiota, metabolomics and cognitive development of rat pups.

Background: Iron deficiency is common during infancy and therefore iron supplementation is recommended. Recent reports suggest that iron supplementation in already iron replete infants may adversely affect growth, cognitive development, and morbidity.

Methods: Normal and growth restricted rat pups were given iron daily (30 or 150 μg/d) from birth to postnatal day (PD) 20, and followed to PD56.

Postprandial metabolic response of breast-fed infants and infants fed lactose-free vs regular infant formula: A randomized controlled trial.

Lactose intolerance is a major concern driving the growth of lactose-free foods including lactose-free infant formula. It is unknown what the metabolic consequence is of consumption of a formula where lactose has been replaced with corn syrup solids (CSS). Here, a randomized double-blinded intervention study was conducted where exclusively formula-fed infants were fed formula containing either lactose or CSS-based infant formula and compared with an equal number of exclusively breast-fed infants.

Serum YKL-40 is a reliable biomarker for pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.

Background And Objective: Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (PAP) is a rare disease characterized by alveolar filling. YKL-40, a chitinase-like protein produced by macrophages and epithelial cells, is increased in patients with interstitial lung diseases. We aimed to evaluate the role of YKL-40 as a biomarker for PAP.

Heat stress induces intestinal injury through lysosome- and mitochondria-dependent pathway in vivo and in vitro.

Damage to the small intestine secondary to heat stroke is a major factor in heat stroke-related morbidity and mortality. However, the underlying mechanisms by which heat stroke causes small intestinal lesions and dysfunction remain unclear. To explore the pathogenesis of small intestinal tissue and epithelial cell injury, the SW480 cell heat stress model and the mice heat stroke model were established to mimic heat stroke.

Non-contact, synchronous dynamic measurement of respiratory rate and heart rate based on dual sensitive regions.

Background: Currently, many imaging photoplethysmography (IPPG) researches have reported non-contact measurements of physiological parameters, such as heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), etc. However, it is accepted that only HR measurement has been mature for applications, and other estimations are relatively incapable for reliable applications. Thus, it is worth keeping on persistent studies.

Use of the injection test to indicate the oesophageal balloon position in patients without spontaneous breathing: a clinical feasibility study.

Objective To investigate the clinical feasibility of the injection test for balloon placement during oesophageal pressure measurement in patients without spontaneous breathing. Methods The injection test was performed in 12 mechanically ventilated patients under deep sedation and paralysis. During withdrawal of the balloon from the stomach and air injection into the gastric lumen of the catheter, the presence of the injection test wave in the balloon pressure tracing indicated that the whole balloon was positioned above the lower oesophageal sphincter (LES).

Paeoniflorin ameliorates cholestasis via regulating hepatic transporters and suppressing inflammation in ANIT-fed rats.

Paeoniflorin has shown the obvious effect on cholestasis according to our previous research. However, its mechanism has not been absolutely explored yet. This study aims at evaluating the potential effect of paeoniflorin on alpha-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT) -induced cholestasis by inhibiting nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) and simultaneously regulating hepatocyte transporters.

Nopal feeding reduces adiposity, intestinal inflammation and shifts the cecal microbiota and metabolism in high-fat fed rats.

Nopal is a cactus plant widely consumed in Mexico that has been used in traditional medicine to aid in the treatment of type-2 diabetes. We previously showed that chronic consumption of dehydrated nopal ameliorated hepatic steatosis in obese (fa/fa) rats; however, description of the effects on other tissues is sparse. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of nopal cladode consumption on intestinal physiology, microbial community structure, adipose tissue, and serum biochemistry in diet-induced obese rats.

Reactive oxygen species mediate heat stress-induced apoptosis via ERK dephosphorylation and Bcl-2 ubiquitination in human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Heat stress can induce the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway in HUVEC cells, indicating that apoptosis may be a prominent pathological feature of heat stroke, however, little is known about the precise mechani sms involved in it. In this study, we describe the apoptotic effect of intense heat stress on HUVEC cells and our investigation of its underlying mechanisms. Treatment of cells with intense heat stress induced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and a concomitant increase in activation of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.

Bispectral Index Can Reliably Detect Deep Sedation in Mechanically Ventilated Patients: A Prospective Multicenter Validation Study.

Background: Excessively deep sedation is prevalent in mechanically ventilated patients and often considered suboptimal. We hypothesized that the bispectral index (BIS), a quantified electroencephalogram instrument, would accurately detect deep levels of sedation.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 90 critically ill mechanically ventilated patients who were receiving sedation.

Colorimetric sensor arrays based on pattern recognition for the detection of nitroaromatic molecules.

This research demonstrated that, in a colorimetric sensor array, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), 2,6-dinitrotoluene (2,6-DNT), 2,4-dinitrotoluene (2,4-DNT) and 4-nitrotoluene (4-MNT) were identifiable through a unique pattern in a qualitative and semi-quantitative manner. The adsorption capacity of the molecularly imprinted colloidal particles (MICs) for their corresponding templates was 0.27mmol TNT/g, 0.

Integrated Role of subsp. Supplementation in Gut Microbiota, Immunity, and Metabolism of Infant Rhesus Monkeys.

To investigate the impact of probiotic supplementation of infant formula on immune parameters, intestinal microbiota, and metabolism, five individually housed infant rhesus monkeys exclusively fed standard infant formula supplemented with probiotics ( subsp. HN019) from birth until 3 months of age were compared with five standard formula-fed and five breast-fed monkeys. Anthropometric measurements, serum insulin, immune parameters, fecal microbiota, and metabolic profiles of serum, urine, and feces were evaluated.