Association of whole blood heavy metal concentrations with kidney function.

Relatively elevated concentrations of arsenic, lead, and mercury are toxic to the kidneys. However, it is unknown whether kidney function is influenced by these metals in the general population without kidney diseases and without known exposure to these metals. We did a retrospective analysis of data collected from 58,864 outpatients in Germany from January 2014 to October 2022 undergoing measurements of arsenic, lead, and mercury.

Fibroblast growth factor 23 is associated with the development of gestational diabetes mellitus.

Background: Besides its established impact on bone and mineral metabolism, it was suggested that fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) might play an important role in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. The impact of FGF23 on gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), however, is not well understood. iFGF23 ELISAs measure the intact FGF23 molecule, whereas cFGF23 assays measure intact FGF23 as well as degradation products of FGF23.

Inverse correlation of intact PTH, oxidized PTH as well as non-oxidized PTH with 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 in kidney transplant recipients.

Background: 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and potentially also 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) inhibits the synthesis of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in the chief cells of the parathyroid gland. Clinical studies showing a negative correlation between (25(OH)D and PTH are in good agreement with these findings in basic science studies. However, PTH was measured in these studies with the currently clinically used 2nd or 3rd generation intact PTH (iPTH) assay systems.

Empagliflozin reduces kidney fibrosis and improves kidney function by alternative macrophage activation in rats with 5/6-nephrectomy.

Background: Sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors originally developed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes are clinically very effective drugs halting chronic kidney disease progression. The underlying mechanisms are, however, not fully understood.

Methods: We generated single-cell transcriptomes of kidneys from rats with 5/6 nephrectomy before and after SGLT2 inhibitors treatment by single-cell RNA sequencing.

Head-to-Head Comparison of Oxidative Stress Biomarkers for All-Cause Mortality in Hemodialysis Patients.

Oxidative stress (OS) presents even in the early chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage and is exacerbated in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). There is still a debate over the association between oxidative stress and mortality. Our study aims to compare head-to-head the prognostic value of different oxidative markers for all-cause mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients.

Publisher Correction: Use of RNAi technology to develop a PRSV-resistant transgenic papaya.

A correction to this article has been published and is linked from the HTML version of this paper. The error has been fixed in the paper.

Use of RNAi technology to develop a PRSV-resistant transgenic papaya.

Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV) seriously limits papaya (Carica papaya L.) production in tropical and subtropical areas throughout the world. Coat protein (CP)- transgenic papaya lines resistant to PRSV isolates in the sequence-homology-dependent manner have been developed in the U.

Genome-wide characterization and analysis of bZIP transcription factor gene family related to abiotic stress in cassava.

The basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor family plays crucial roles in various aspects of biological processes. Currently, no information is available regarding the bZIP family in the important tropical crop cassava. Herein, 77 bZIP genes were identified from cassava.

A Comprehensive Assessment of the Effects of Transgenic Cry1Ac/Cry1Ab Rice Huahui 1 on Adult Micraspis discolor (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae).

Micraspis discolor (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) is a widely distributed coleoptera predator in southern Asia in rice ecosystem, and adult M. discolor feed on both rice pollen and soft-bodied arthropods. Bitrophic bioassay and tritrophic bioassay were conducted to evaluate the potential impact of Cry1Ac/Cry1Ab-expressing rice Huahui 1 and its non-transgenic counterpart Minghui 63 on fitness parameters of adult M.

The auxin response factor gene family in banana: genome-wide identification and expression analyses during development, ripening, and abiotic stress.

Auxin signaling regulates various auxin-responsive genes via two types of transcriptional regulators, Auxin Response Factors (ARF) and Aux/IAA. ARF transcription factors act as critical components of auxin signaling that play important roles in modulating various biological processes. However, limited information about this gene family in fruit crops is currently available.

Multivesicular liposomes for the sustained release of thymopentin: stability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.

The objective of the present study was to investigate the storage stability of thymopentin multivesicular liposomes (TP5-MVLs) prepared with different emulsifiers, and to study the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the produced TP5-MVLs in vivo. The stability studies of TP5-MVLs indicated that MVLs particles prepared with mixed emulsifiers (Myrj52:solutolHS15 = 2:3) were stable at the storage temperature of 4 +/- 2 degrees C within 3 months. In addition, FITC-TP5-loaded MVLs was prepared for pharmacokinetic studies that after subcutaneous administration, the fluorescence signal lasted for about 5 days in plasma demonstrating that the rate of drug release from MVLs was very slow.

Innate factors causing differences in gene flow frequency from transgenic rice to different weedy rice biotypes.

Background: The compatibility and outcrossing rates between transgenic rice and weedy rice biotypes have been studied in some previous cases. However, few studies have addressed the reasons for these differences. The present study compared the compatibility and outcrossing rates between transgenic rice and selected weedy rice biotypes using manual and natural crossing experiments to elucidate the key innate factors causing the different outcrossing rates.

Inhalable microparticles as carriers for pulmonary delivery of thymopentin-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles.

Purpose: Microparticles containing solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) are receiving increased attention as carriers for the lung delivery of the SLNs. Thus, we aim to prepare the hybrid microparticles and thoroughly evaluate their feasibility for the pulmonary drug delivery.

Methods: The microparticles were prepared by co-spray-drying the thymopentin (TP5)-loaded SLNs with bulking agents.

Effects of music intervention on physiological stress response and anxiety level of mechanically ventilated patients in China: a randomised controlled trial.

Aim: To examine the effects of music intervention on the physiological stress response and the anxiety level among mechanically ventilated patients in intensive care unit.

Background: Despite the fact that previous studies have found music interventions to be effective in stress and anxiety reduction, effects of music on the Chinese population are inconclusive and warranted systematic study to evaluate its effect fully for a different Asian culture.

Design: A randomised placebo-controlled trial.

Mechanisms of phospholipid complex loaded nanoparticles enhancing the oral bioavailability.

The purpose of the present study was to study the mechanisms of salvianolic acid B phospholipid complex loaded nanoparticles (SalB-PLC-NPs) enhancing the oral bioavailability of SalB by in situ perfusion model in rats and to evaluate the potential of phospholipid complex loaded nanoparticles (PLC-NPs) serving as an efficient oral delivery system to enhance the bioavailability of highly water-soluble drugs. SalB-PLC-NPs, prepared by a solvent evaporation method, exhibited a spherical shape with a mean particle size and a zeta potential of 112.2 nm and -44.

Potential gene flow of two herbicide-tolerant transgenes from oilseed rape to wild B. juncea var. gracilis.

Four successive reciprocal backcrosses between F(1) (obtained from wild Brassica juncea as maternal plants and transgenic glyphosate- or glufosinate-tolerant oilseed rape, B. napus, as paternal plants) or subsequent herbicide-tolerant backcross progenies and wild B. juncea were achieved by hand pollination to assess potential transgene flow.

Development of rat urinary HPLC-UV profiling for metabonomic study on Liuwei Dihuang Pills.

Since urine contains thousands of metabolites, there are no universal analytical techniques to analyze these compounds simultaneously. Therefore, a readily obtained and simple sample pretreatment high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet (UV) detection urinary profiling with good reproducibility was developed for metabonomic study in this paper. The results of current study clearly showed that there were different phenotypes of metabolites based on HPLC-UV urinary profiling after administration of Liuwei Dihuang Pills (LWPs) or Carrageenan-stimulated inflammation model, and those could be conveniently discriminated by principal component analysis (PCA).

Enhanced oral bioavailability of salvianolic acid B by phospholipid complex loaded nanoparticles.

With a simple and feasible method, a salvianolic acid B-phospholipid complex was prepared to increase the absorption of salvianolic acid B in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Because the solubility of the complex in water was very poor, the complex was encapsulated into nanoparticles to facilitate its administration. The physicochemical properties of the complex were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), infrared scanning, ultraviolet scanning and X-ray diffraction (XRD), and the solubility of salvianolic acid B and the complex in water or n-octanol was measured.