Diosmin ameliorates renal fibrosis through inhibition of inflammation by regulating SIRT3-mediated NF-κB p65 nuclear translocation.

Background: Renal fibrosis is considered an irreversible pathological process and the ultimate common pathway for the development of all types of chronic kidney diseases and renal failure. Diosmin is a natural flavonoid glycoside that has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antifibrotic activities. However, whether Diosmin protects kidneys by inhibiting renal fibrosis is unknown.

Emerging role of air pollution in chronic kidney disease.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD), a global disease burden related to high rates of incidence and mortality, manifests as progressive and irretrievable nephron loss and decreased kidney regeneration capacity. Emerging studies have suggested that exposure to air pollution is closely relevant to increased risk of CKD, CKD progression and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). Inhaled airborne particles may cause vascular injury, intraglomerular hypertension, or glomerulosclerosis through non-hemodynamic and hemodynamic factors with multiple complex interactions.

Effects of bamboo shoots (Phyllostachys edulis) dietary fibers prepared by different processes on the adsorption characteristics of polyphenols.

In this work, adopting bamboo shoots as raw materials, three kinds of bamboo shoots dietary fibers were prepared by physical, chemical, and enzymatic methods, termed BSPDF, BSCDF, and BSEDF, respectively, and then investigating their adsorption characteristics for polyphenols through soaked them in different concentrations and different types of polyphenol solutions. The results of the adsorption kinetics showed that the adsorption amounts of polyphenols significantly increased during the initial 30 s of soaking, and the subsequent adsorption rate became slower and slower achieving adsorption kinetics after 2 hr. Moreover, their adsorption isotherms met well with the Langmuir model, but differences in saturated adsorption capacity and adsorption rate.

The efficacy of rituximab in the treatment of refractory nephrotic syndrome: a meta-analysis.

Objective: The evidence from epidemiological research on whether the efficacy of rituximab in treatment of refractory nephrotic syndrome (NS) is better than other agents is inconsistent. This meta-analysis aimed to assess the efficacy of rituximab in the treatment of NS compared with other immunosuppressive agents.

Methods: Relevant literatures were identified and evaluated for quality before October 2019 through multiple search strategies on PubMed and EMBASE.

[Accuracy of paralleling technique in measuring the depth of approximal infrabony pocket].

Objective: To assess the accuracy of paralleling technique in measuring the depth of approximal infrabony pocket after periodontal flap surgery by comparing the measured and actual depths.

Methods: The study population included 26 patients with infrabony defects who had undergone periodontal flap surgery, bone graft surgery, and guided tissue regene-ration. The measured and actual depths of approximal infrabony pocket after periodontal flap surgery were compared.

Increased Serum Levels of Soluble B7-H4 in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Background: Members of B7 family are reported to regulate lymphocytes activation, transmit both costimulatory and co-inhibitory signals, control T cell-mediated immune responses and tolerance. Among which B7-H4 is reported to regulate the immune response negatively.

Objective: To investigate the plasma concentration of soluble B7-H4 (sB7-H4) and its clinical significance in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Decreased Serum/Plasma Vitamin D levels in SLE Patients: A Meta-Analysis.

Background And Objective: The evidence regarding the association between serum/plasma vitamin D (VitD) concentrations and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is inconsistent. The study was based on relevant results from literatures that were identified and evaluated. The aim of this meta-analysis is to determine circulating VitD in SLE patients and explore influencing factors.

Increased ratio of Th17 cells to SIGIRRCD4 T cells in peripheral blood of patients with SLE is associated with disease activity.

To investigate the clinical significance of the ratio of T helper cell 17 (Th17) cells to single immunoglobulin IL-1-related receptor (SIGIRR) cluster of differentiation (CD4) T cells in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), novel data and data from previous studies were analyzed. The frequency of Th17 cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and their correlation with clinical data were evaluated in 48 patients with SLE and 38 healthy controls through flow cytometry. Compared with healthy controls, the percentage of Th17 cells was significantly increased in the PBMCs of patients with SLE (Z=-5.

Lower maternal and fetal vitamin D status and higher placental and umbilical vitamin D receptor expression in preeclamptic pregnancies.

Objective: To explore associations between maternal and fetal vitamin D status in preeclamptic pregnancies.

Methods: A case-control experiment was carried out with proportion ratio of 1:1 (controls: n = 60 vs cases: n = 60). Blood collection of both maternal and cord were performed before and during delivery, respectively, and 25(OH)D measurement was conducted.

Restless legs syndrome in maintenance hemodialysis patients: an epidemiologic survey in Hefei.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of restless legs syndrome (RLS) in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients and its possible influencing factors.

Methods: MHD patients were consecutively enrolled from five hemodialysis centers in Hefei. Clinical, demographics, and laboratory data were recorded from December 2013 to March 2014.

Noninvasive chromosome screening of human embryos by genome sequencing of embryo culture medium for in vitro fertilization.

Preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) is widely used to select in vitro-fertilized embryos free of chromosomal abnormalities and to improve the clinical outcome of in vitro fertilization (IVF). A disadvantage of PGS is that it requires biopsy of the preimplantation human embryo, which can limit the clinical applicability of PGS due to the invasiveness and complexity of the process. Here, we present and validate a noninvasive chromosome screening (NICS) method based on sequencing the genomic DNA secreted into the culture medium from the human blastocyst.

Prognostic effect of symptomatic extracranial lesions on survival of recursive partitioning analysis Class III brain metastatic patients treated with stereotactic radiotherapy.

Objective: To explore the outcome and prognostic factors of recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) Class III brain metastatic patients treated with stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT).

Materials And Methods: Fifty-six consecutive patients with metastatic brain tumors and Karnofsky performance scale (KPS) scores <70 treated with SRT from January 2008 to October 2013 were involved in the analysis. Twenty-five patients (44.

Association between rs6887695 and 3'-untranslated region polymorphisms within the interleukin-12B gene and susceptibility to autoimmune diseases in Asian and European population: A meta-analysis.

Background: The associations between rs6887695 and 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within interleukin-12B (IL-12B) and autoimmune diseases (ADs) remain controversial and inconclusive. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between IL-12B (3'-UTR A/C and rs6887695 C/G SNPs) and ADs by meta-analysis.

Methods: PubMed and EMBASE were exhaustively searched for studies on the association between IL-12B SNPs and ADs.

Long-term outcomes of patients with esthesioneuroblastomas: A cohort from a single institution.

Objective: Esthesioneuroblastoma is a rare cancer. The purpose of this study was to review the long-term outcomes of patients with esthesioneuroblastomas (ENBs) who were treated at a single institution.

Materials And Methods: One hundred thirteen patients with biopsy-proven ENBs between June of 1979 and November of 2014 were retrospectively reviewed.

Spread patterns of lymph nodes and the value of elective neck irradiation for esthesioneuroblastoma.

Objectives: This study was aimed to characterize patterns of lymphatic spread and assess the value of prophylactic elective neck irradiation (ENI) for esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB).

Methods: A retrospectively analysis of 116 patients with newly diagnosed ENB at our institution over 35-year period was undertaken.

Results: 32 patients (28%) presented lymph node metastasis at initial diagnosis, the common sites involved were level II, Ib, level III and VIIa.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma with intracranial extension in the era of intensity-modulated radiotherapy: case-control study using propensity score matching method.

The objective of the study was to evaluate long-term survival outcomes and toxicity of T4 classification nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) with intracranial extension (IE group) or without intracranial extension (non-IE group) after intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) using the propensity score matching method. After generating propensity scores given the covariates of age, sex, N classification, and concurrent chemotherapy, 132 patients in each group were matched. The 5-year local failure-free survival rate and the 5-year overall survival rate in the IE group were lower than the patients in the non-IE group (74.

Concurrent chemotherapy for T4 classification nasopharyngeal carcinoma in the era of intensity-modulated radiotherapy.

Objective: To evaluate concurrent chemotherapy for T4 classification nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated by intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).

Methods: From July 2004 to June 2011, 180 non-metastatic T4 classification NPC patients were retrospectively analyzed. Of these patients, 117 patients were treated by concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) using IMRT and 63 cases were treated by IMRT alone.

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy for cervical esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: clinical outcomes and patterns of failure.

The objective of the study was to report clinical outcomes and patterns of failure for these patients with cervical esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (CESCC) treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). A total of 64 patients with CESCC treated with definitive IMRT from May 2005 to March 2012 in our center were analyzed. Forty-two patients received radiotherapy alone and 22 patients received concurrent chemoradiotherapy.

Low maternal vitamin D status during the second trimester of pregnancy: a cross-sectional study in Wuxi, China.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is common in pregnant women, but an optimal serum vitamin D level during pregnancy has not been determined and remains an area of active research. Vitamin D data from large populations of pregnant Chinese women are still limited.

Objective: To evaluate the vitamin D status of women in Eastern China during the second trimester of pregnancy.

Update report of T4 classification nasopharyngeal carcinoma after intensity-modulated radiotherapy: an analysis of survival and treatment toxicities.

Objective: To evaluate the long-term survival outcomes and toxicity of a larger series of patients with non-metastatic T4 classification nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).

Materials And Methods: From March 2004 to June 2011, 335 non-metastatic T4 classification NPC patients treated by IMRT were analyzed retrospectively. Treatment induced toxicities were scored according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 3.

Fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for small-cell lung cancer patients with brain metastases.

Objective: Patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) are at high risk of developing brain metastases (BM). Fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) alone or combined with whole brain radiation therapy can be used to treat intracranial metastases. This study was aimed to explore FSRT for BM from SCLC.

Primary radiotherapy compared with primary surgery in cervical esophageal cancer.

Importance: The management of cervical esophageal cancer (CEC) is controversial. The advantages of radiotherapy (RT) for CEC are lower rates of acute morbidity and mortality compared with surgery and potential for larynx preservation. The advantage of surgery is that the transposed stomach may function better over the long term than an irradiated esophagus, which tends to become stenotic over time.