Can Renal Resistive Index Predict Acute Kidney Injury After Acute Type A Aortic Dissection Repair?

Background: This study sought to determine whether assessment of the renal resistive index (RRI) can predict the short-term reversibility of acute kidney injury (AKI) after repair of acute type A aortic dissection (TAAD).

Methods: This prospective study included 62 patients undergoing repair of acute TAAD. Doppler-based RRIs were obtained preoperatively, immediately after the surgical procedure, and 6, 24, and 48 hours postoperatively.

Preparation, characterization, and performance evaluation of UiO-66 analogues as stationary phase in HPLC for the separation of substituted benzenes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

UiO-66 analogues are good candidates as stationary phase in HPLC because of their chemical/thermal stability, large surface area, and two cage structures. Here, two UiO-66 analogues, UiO-66-NH2 and UiO-67, were synthesized and used as stationary phase in HPLC to evaluate their performance in the separation of substituted benzenes (SBs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The results showed that SBs could be well separated on UiO-66-NH2 column but not on UiO-67 column.

Thyroid hormone treatment activates protective pathways in both in vivo and in vitro models of neuronal injury.

Thyroid hormone plays an important role in brain development and adult brain function, and may influence neuronal recovery after Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). We utilized both animal and cell culture models to determine the effects of thyroid hormone treatment, post TBI or during hypoxia, on genes important for neuronal survival and neurogenesis. We show that TBI in rats is associated with a reduction in serum thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3).

Transcriptomic analysis of the response of Pseudomonas fluorescens to epigallocatechin gallate by RNA-seq.

Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is a main constituent of green tea polyphenols that are widely used as food preservatives and are considered to be safe for consumption. However, the underlying antimicrobial mechanism of EGCG and the bacterial response to EGCG are not clearly understood. In the present study, a genome-wide transcriptional analysis of a typical spoilage bacterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens that responded to EGCG was performed using RNA-seq technology.

Risk factors for continuous renal replacement therapy after surgical repair of type A aortic dissection.

Background: To identify the risk factors for continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) following surgical repair of type A aortic dissection (TAAD) using the total arch replacement and frozen elephant trunk (TAR + FET) technique.

Methods: The study included 330 patients with TAAD repaired using TAR + FET between January 2014 and April 2015. Mean age was 47.

Role of the Inositol Polyphosphate Multikinase Ipk2 in Regulation of Hyphal Development, Calcium Signaling and Secretion in Candida albicans.

Inositol polyphosphates are a family of inositol derivatives and ubiquitously distributed in various organisms. Their generation is catalyzed by inositol polyphosphate multikinases, which play essential roles in abundant cellular processes. However, little is known about the kinds and functions of inositol polyphosphate multikinases in the important fungal pathogen, C.

CO Capture and Separations Using MOFs: Computational and Experimental Studies.

This Review focuses on research oriented toward elucidation of the various aspects that determine adsorption of CO in metal-organic frameworks and its separation from gas mixtures found in industrial processes. It includes theoretical, experimental, and combined approaches able to characterize the materials, investigate the adsorption/desorption/reaction properties of the adsorbates inside such environments, screen and design new materials, and analyze additional factors such as material regenerability, stability, effects of impurities, and cost among several factors that influence the effectiveness of the separations. CO adsorption, separations, and membranes are reviewed followed by an analysis of the effects of stability, impurities, and process operation conditions on practical applications.

Effect of 6-gingerol on physicochemical properties of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) surimi fortified with perilla oil during refrigerated storage.

Background: Surimi is produced from deboned fish muscle through washing to remove blood, lipids, sarcoplasmic proteins and other impurities. There is an increasing interest in the fortification of surimi with ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids because of their health benefits. However, lipid oxidation should be considered as an important factor during storage.

The characteristic and dispersion stability of nanocellulose produced by mixed acid hydrolysis and ultrasonic assistance.

Axiolitic shape nanocellulose particles were prepared using a combined mixed acid hydrolysis and ultrasonic treatment. The crystallinity, morphology and stability properties of cellulose were characterized to investigate the mechanism of nanocellulose formation and stability. It was found the hydrodynamic radius decreased from 205nm to 89nm, and the crystallinity index of the nanocellulose increased from 62.

Ultrasensitive detection of clenbuterol by a covalent imprinted polymer as a biomimetic antibody.

As an ideal biomimetic antibody, molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) has shown great promise in immunoassays. Here, we developed a covalent imprinting method to prepare MIP artificial antibody towards clenbuterol on the well surface of a microtiter plate. Template molecule (clenbuterol) was splited by hydrolysis with functional monomer and removed by methanol/acetic acid solution, and then three-dimensional cavities were fabricated in the MIP, which can rebind template molecule via hydrogen bond interaction.

Stable Zr(IV)-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks with Predesigned Functionalized Ligands for Highly Selective Detection of Fe(III) Ions in Water.

Metal-organic frameworks are a class of attractive materials for fluorescent sensing. Improvement of hydrolytic stability, sensitivity, and selectivity of function is the key to advance application of fluorescent MOFs in aqueous media. In this work, two stable MOFs, [ZrO(OH)(HO)(L)] (BUT-14) and [ZrO(OH)(HO)(L)] (BUT-15), were designed and synthesized for the detection of metal ions in water.

Effects of Fish-Derived Biological Preservatives on Cold Storage of Grass Carp ( Ctenopharyngodon idellus ) Fillets.

Two kinds of fish-derived natural antimicrobial substances, protamine and catfish ( Clarias fuscus ) epidermal mucus extract (CEME), were evaluated for their effect on the quality of grass carp fillets. Fillets were atmosphere packaged in cast polypropylene bags and were stored at 4°C in a low-temperature incubator without light. Solutions (0.

Why Porous Materials Have Selective Adsorptions: A Rational Aspect from Electrodynamics.

Gas storage/separation is a typical application of porous materials such as metal organic frameworks (MOFs). The adsorption/separation behavior results from the host-guest and/or guest-guest interaction and equilibration (host, porous material; guest, adsorbates). Although the driving forces for gas adsorption have been investigated, a detailed picture of interactions between gas molecules and MOFs has not clearly emerged.

Effect of zinc oxide film morphologies on the formation of Shewanella putrefaciens biofilm.

Zinc oxide (ZnO) films were prepared on aluminum substrate by a hydrothermal method to investigate the effect of their surface characteristics, including morphology and hydrophobicity, on the corresponding antibiofilm performance. The surface characteristics of the prepared ZnO films were examined by a comprehensive range of methodologies, suggesting that films of distinctive surface morphologies were successfully formed. Subsequently, their antibiofilm activities, using Shewanella putrefaciens as a model bacterium, were assessed.

Water-Stable In(III)-Based Metal-Organic Frameworks with Rod-Shaped Secondary Building Units: Single-Crystal to Single-Crystal Transformation and Selective Sorption of CH over CO and CH.

Three new water-stable In(III)-based metal-organic frameworks, namely, [In(TTTA)(OH)(HO)]·(DMA) (BUT-70, DMA = N,N-dimethylacetamide), [In(TTTA)(CHO)] (BUT-70A), and [In(TTTA)(OH)] (BUT-70B), with rod-shaped secondary building units (SBUs) and an new acrylate-based ligand, (2E,2'E,2″E)-3,3',3″-(2,4,6-trimethylbenzene-1,3,5-triyl)-triacrylate (TTTA) were obtained and structurally characterized. BUT-70A and -70B were generated in a single-crystal to single-crystal transformation fashion from BUT-70 through guest exchange followed by their removal. The solvents used for guest exchange were methanol and dichloromethane, respectively.

Microbes Are Associated with Host Innate Immune Response in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Rationale: Differences in the lung microbial community influence idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) progression. Whether the lung microbiome influences IPF host defense remains unknown.

Objectives: To explore the host immune response and microbial interaction in IPF as they relate to progression-free survival (PFS), fibroblast function, and leukocyte phenotypes.

BECN1-dependent CASP2 incomplete autophagy induction by binding to rabies virus phosphoprotein.

Autophagy is an essential component of host immunity and used by viruses for survival. However, the autophagy signaling pathways involved in virus replication are poorly documented. Here, we observed that rabies virus (RABV) infection triggered intracellular autophagosome accumulation and results in incomplete autophagy by inhibiting autophagy flux.

Effect of egg albumen protein addition on physicochemical properties and nanostructure of gelatin from fish skin.

The physicochemical properties and nanostructure of mixtures of egg albumen protein (EAP) and gelatin from under-utilised grass carp () skins were studied. The gelatin with 1% EAP had an acceptable gel strength. The addition of 5% EAP significantly increased the melting and gelling temperatures of gelatin gels.

Effect of combined ultrasonic and alkali pretreatment on enzymatic preparation of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides from native collagenous materials.

The combined effect of ultrasonic and alkali pretreatment for the hydrolysis of native collagenous materials and release of ACE inhibitory peptides was investigated. The ultrasonic and alkali pretreatment of pig skin could accelerate the release of the ACE inhibitory peptides from the triple helix of collagen in early stages of hydrolysis. Furthermore, the pretreatment could also accelerate collapse of the triple helix and release more ACE inhibitory peptides during hydrolysis than collagen samples left untreated.

A Base-Resistant Metalloporphyrin Metal-Organic Framework for C-H Bond Halogenation.

A base-resistant porphyrin metal-organic framework (MOF), namely PCN-602 has been constructed with 12-connected [Ni(OH)(HO)Pz] (Pz = pyrazolate) cluster and a newly designed pyrazolate-based porphyrin ligand, 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-(pyrazolate-4-yl)phenyl)porphyrin under the guidance of the reticular synthesis strategy. Besides its robustness in hydroxide solution, PCN-602 also shows excellent stability in aqueous solutions of F, CO, and PO ions. Interestingly, the Mn-porphyrinic PCN-602, as a recyclable MOF catalyst, presents high catalytic activity for the C-H bond halogenation reaction in a basic system, significantly outperforming its homogeneous counterpart.

Endoplasmic reticulum-derived reactive oxygen species (ROS) is involved in toxicity of cell wall stress to Candida albicans.

The cell wall is an important cell structure in both fungi and bacteria, and hence becomes a common antimicrobial target. The cell wall-perturbing agents disrupt synthesis and function of cell wall components, leading to cell wall stress and consequent cell death. However, little is known about the detailed mechanisms by which cell wall stress renders fungal cell death.

MMP-2 gene polymorphisms are associated with type A aortic dissection and aortic diameters in patients.

Matrix metalloproteinases-2 (MMP-2) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of type A aortic dissection (AD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of 3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the MMP-2 gene with type A AD risk and aortic diameters in patients. We performed a case-control study with 172 unrelated type A AD patients and 439 controls.

Cell Entry of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Coronavirus Is Activated by Lysosomal Proteases.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea coronavirus (PEDV) is currently devastating the United States pork industry by causing an 80-100% fatality rate in infected piglets. Coronavirus spike proteins mediate virus entry into cells, a process that requires the spike proteins to be proteolytically activated. It has been a conundrum which proteases activate PEDV entry.

From ACQ to AIE: the suppression of the strong π-π interaction of naphthalene diimide derivatives through the adjustment of their flexible chains.

Unlike normal ACQ-to-AIE conversion by the introduction of aromatic rotors accompanying the realization of a twisted conformation and a prolonged π-system, in this communication, the adjustment of the flexible chains can reach this point with the tunable packing modes while the original π-system core and related properties of the aromatic naphthalene diimide remain nearly unchanged, providing an alternative approach for the inhibition of unwanted π-π stacking.

Novel hybrid probe based on double recognition of aptamer-molecularly imprinted polymer grafted on upconversion nanoparticles for enrofloxacin sensing.

A novel luminescent "double recognition" method for the detection of enrofloxacin (ENR) is developed to overcome some of the challenges faced by conventional molecularly imprinting. Biotinylated ENR aptamers immobilised on upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) surface are implemented to capture and concentrate ENR as the first imprinting recognition safeguard. After correct folding of the aptamer upon the existing targets, polymerization of methacrylic acid monomers around the ENR-aptamer complexes to interact with the residual functional groups of ENR by using molecularly imprinting techniques is the second imprinting recognition safeguard.