Role of Charlson comorbidity index in predicting the ICU admission in patients with thoracic aortic aneurysm undergoing surgery.

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the value of the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) in predicting ICU admission in patients with aortic aneurysm (AA).

Methods: The clinical data of patients were obtained from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-IV database. The association between CCI and ICU admission was explored by restricted cubic spline (RCS), threshold effect analysis, generalized linear model, logistic regression, interaction, and mediation analyses.

Biotoxicity of Halide Perovskites in Mice.

Halide perovskites are crystalline semiconductors with exceptional optoelectronic properties, rapidly developing toward large-scale applications. Lead (II) (Pb ) is the core element used to prepare halide perovskites. Pb can displace key 2+ elements, including calcium, zinc and iron, that regulate vital physiological functions.

A mass defect filtering combined background subtraction strategy for rapid screening and identification of metabolites in rat plasma after oral administration of Yindan Xinnaotong soft capsule.

The absorbed prototypes and metabolites of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) serves an important part in pharmacological action and clinical effects. However, the comprehensive characterization of which is facing actual or possible rigorous challenges due to the lack of data mining methods and the complexity of metabolite samples. Yindan Xinnaotong soft capsule (YDXNT), a typical traditional Chinese medicine prescription consisting of extracts from 8 herbal medicines, is widely used for the treatment of angina pectoris and ischemic stroke in the clinic.

A sensitive LC-MS/MS method-based pharmacokinetic study of fifteen active ingredients of Yindan Xinnaotong soft capsule in rats and its potential mechanism in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Yindan Xinnaotong soft capsule (YDXNT) is a commonly used Chinese herbal preparation for the clinical treatment of coronary disease. However, there is a lack of pharmacokinetic studies on YDXNT, and its active ingredients and their mechanism in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are still unclear. In this study, 15 absorbed ingredients in rat plasma after oral administration of YDXNT were quickly identified based on liquid chromatography tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF MS), and then a sensitive and accurate quantitative method based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QQQ MS) was established and validated for simultaneous determination of the 15 ingredients of YDXNT in rat plasma, which was then applied to the pharmacokinetic study.

Swimming exercise prevents hippocampal dendritic spine changes and memory loss caused by aging: An application of a new semi-automated spine analysis software.

Dendritic spines are small, ratchet-like protrusions on neuronal dendrites that form synapses for receiving neuronal messages. Dendritic spine morphology is associated with synapse function. If neurons degrade or are damaged, the spine morphology of neurons changes.

The miR-23b/27b/24-1 Cluster Inhibits Hepatic Fibrosis by Inactivating Hepatic Stellate Cells.

Background & Aims: Hepatic fibrosis is characterized by hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation and transdifferentiation-mediated extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition, which both contribute to cirrhosis. However, no antifibrotic regimen is available in the clinic. microRNA-23b/27b/24-1 cluster inhibition of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling during hepatic development prompted us to explore whether this cluster inhibits HSC activation and hepatic fibrosis.

Sodium bicarbonate transporter NBCe1 regulates proliferation and viability of human prostate cancer cells LNCaP and PC3.

Studies on cultured cancer cells or cell lines have revealed multiple acid extrusion mechanisms and their involvement in cancer cell growth and progression. In the present study, the role of the sodium bicarbonate transporters (NBCs) in prostate cancer cell proliferation and viability was examined. qPCR revealed heterogeneous expression of five NBC isoforms in human prostate cancer cell lines LNCaP, PC3, 22RV1, C4-2, DU145, and the prostate cell line RWPE-1.

Elevated frequencies of CD14HLA-DR MDSCs in COVID-19 patients.

Background: The immune responses, hyper-inflammation or immunosuppression, may be closely related to COVID-19 progression. We aimed to evaluate the changes of frequency of CD14HLA-DR MDSCs, a population of cells with potent immunosuppressive capacity, in COVID-19 patients.

Methods: The levels of CD14HLA-DR MDSCs were determined by flow cytometry in 27 COVID-19 patients, and their association with clinical characteristics and laboratory data were analyzed.

Increased Alcohol Consumption in Mice Lacking Sodium Bicarbonate Transporter NBCn1.

The previous reports on an addiction vulnerability marker in the human SLC4A7 gene encoding the Na/HCO transporter NBCn1 suggest that this pH-regulating protein may affect alcohol-related behavior and response. Here, we examined alcohol consumption and sensitivity to the sedative effects of alcohol in male NBCn1 knockout mice. These mice displayed lower pH in neurons than wildtype controls, determined by intracellular pH in hippocampal neuronal cultures.

T-Cell Subset Counts in Peripheral Blood Can Be Used as Discriminatory Biomarkers for Diagnosis and Severity Prediction of Coronavirus Disease 2019.

This study evaluated the significance of lymphocyte subset detection in peripheral blood in the diagnosis and prognosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Our results revealed that CD3+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, and natural killer cells were significantly decreased in patients with COVID-19. These patients had a relatively slight decrease in CD4+ T cells but a severe decrease in CD8+ T cells.

Deletion of the Na/HCO Transporter NBCn1 Protects Hippocampal Neurons from NMDA-induced Seizures and Neurotoxicity in Mice.

The Na/HCO cotransporter NBCn1/SLC4A7 can affect glutamate neurotoxicity in primary cultures of rat hippocampal neurons. Here, we examined NMDA-induced neurotoxicity in NBCn1 knockout mice to determine whether a similar effect also occurs in the mouse brain. In primary cultures of hippocampal neurons from knockouts, NMDA had no neurotoxic effects, determined by lactate dehydrogenase release and nitric oxide synthase (NOS)-dependent cGMP production.

Infection Induces Low-Density Granulocyte Generation by Promoting Neutrophil Extracellular Trap Formation ROS Pathway.

The roles and characteristics of low-density granulocytes (LDGs) have recently attracted attention; however, the mechanism of the formation of LDGs is yet unclear. In one of our previous studies, the frequency of LDGs was significantly elevated in the peripheral blood of tuberculosis patients, and activation contributed to the generation of LDGs upon infection. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are yet to be elucidated.

A Scan of Obesogenic Environments and a Spatial Inference of Obesity Prevalence in Chinese Children and Adolescents: Based on the Chinese Health and Nutrition Survey 2011 Data.

Objective: To identify the characteristics of Chinese obesogenic environments at a provincial level, infer a spatial distribution map of obesity prevalence in 31 provinces, and provide a foundation for development of policy to reduce obesity in children and adolescents.

Methods: After scanning obesity data on subjects aged 7-17 years from 12 provinces in the China Health and Nutrition Survey 2011 and environmental data on 31 provinces from the China Statistical Yearbook 2011 and other sources, we selected 12 predictors. We used the 12 surveyed provinces as a training sample to fit an analytical model with partial least squares regression and prioritized the 12 predictors using variable importance in projection.

Nickel-catalyzed direct C-H bond sulfenylation of acylhydrazines.

A Ni-catalyzed direct C-H bond sulfenylation of acylhydrazines was developed. The reaction used N-(pyridinyl)hydrazine as the bidentate-directing group, which can be smoothly removed through reductive N-N cleavage. This system can bear various important functional groups, providing an efficient route for the preparation of diverse diaryl sulfides.

Study on influencing factors of Pickering emulsions stabilized by hydroxyapatite nanoparticles with nonionic surfactants.

Emulsions were prepared using hydroxyapatite nanoparticles and nonionic surfactant sorbitan monooleate (Span 80) as emulsifier. Effects of Span 80 concentration, emulsification time, emulsification rate, poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) concentration and the surface chemical properties of hydroxyapatite nanoparticles on emulsion properties were systematically studied. The results showed that emulsion would undergo a phase inversion from oil-in-water (O/W) type to water-in-oil (W/O) type with an increase in Span 80 concentration.

Microarray Expression Profile of Circular RNAs in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells from Active Tuberculosis Patients.

Background/aims: Dysregulated expression of circular RNAs (circRNAs) was demonstrated to be implicated in many diseases. Here, we aimed to determine circRNA profile in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from active tuberculosis (TB) patients to identify novel biomarkers for TB.

Methods: Expression profile of circRNAs in PBMCs from 3 active pulmonary TB patients and 3 healthy controls were analyzed by microarray assay.

Evidence for ammonium conductance in a mouse thick ascending limb cell line.

In this study, we examined an ammonium conductance in the mouse thick ascending limb cell line ST-1. Whole cell patch clamp was performed to measure currents evoked by NHCl in the presence of BaCl, tetraethylammonium, and BAPTA Application of 20 mmol/L NHCl induced an inward current (-272 ± 79 pA,  = 9). In current-voltage (-) relationships, NHCl application caused the - curve to shift down in an inward direction.

Utilization of a Wheat660K SNP array-derived high-density genetic map for high-resolution mapping of a major QTL for kernel number.

In crop plants, a high-density genetic linkage map is essential for both genetic and genomic researches. The complexity and the large size of wheat genome have hampered the acquisition of a high-resolution genetic map. In this study, we report a high-density genetic map based on an individual mapping population using the Affymetrix Wheat660K single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array as a probe in hexaploid wheat.

Effect of stearic acid modified HAp nanoparticles in different solvents on the properties of Pickering emulsions and HAp/PLLA composites.

Stearic acid (Sa) was used to modify the surface properties of hydroxyapatite (HAp) in different solvents (water, ethanol or dichloromethane(CHCl)). Effect of different solvents on the properties of HAp particles (activation ratio, grafting ratio, chemical properties), emulsion properties (emulsion stability, emulsion type, droplet morphology) as well as the cured materials (morphology, average pore size) were studied. FT-IR and XPS results confirmed the interaction occurred between stearic acid and HAp particles.

Factors influencing the stability and type of hydroxyapatite stabilized Pickering emulsion.

Hydroxyapatite (HAp) nanoparticle stabilized Pickering emulsion was fabricated with poly(l-lactic acid) dissolved in dichloromethane (CHCl) solution as oil phase and HAp aqueous dispersion as aqueous phase. Pickering emulsion was cured via in situ solvent evaporation method. Effect of PLLA concentrations, pH value, HAp concentrations, oil-water ratio, emulsification rates and times were studied on emulsion stability and emulsion type, etc.

Liganded Vitamin D Receptor Through Its Interacting Repressor Inhibits the Expression of Type I Collagen α1.

Hepatic fibrosis is a reversible process involving plenty of transcription factors and pathways. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) as a member of ligand-induced transcription factors can interact with 9-cis retinoid X receptor (RXR) and VDR-interacting repressor (VDIR) to mediate transactivation or transrepression in the absence or in the presence of VDR ligand to regulate the expression of VDR target genes. The active form of vitamin D [1α,25(OH)2D3] can downregulate the expression of type I collagen both α1 and α2 (COLIα1 and COLIα2) in hepatic stellate cells (HSC-T6) in a time-dependent fashion, which provides a new direction for hepatic fibrosis therapy.

Photocurable high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) containing hydroxyapatite for additive manufacture of tissue engineering scaffolds with multi-scale porosity.

Porous composites containing hydroxyapatite (HA) were templated from high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) and were further structured using direct-write UV stereolithography to produce composite scaffolds with multi-scale porosity. FTIR, TGA and SEM analyses confirmed that HA was retained after photocuring and subsequent treatments and was incorporated within the polymerised HIPE (polyHIPE). The addition of HA particles to the polyHIPE caused changes in the mechanical properties of the material.

Efficient therapeutic delivery by a novel cell-permeant peptide derived from KDM4A protein for antitumor and antifibrosis.

Cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) based delivery have provided immense potential for the therapeutic applications, however, most of nonhuman originated CPPs carry the risk of possible cytotoxicity and immunogenicity, thus may restricting to be used. Here, we describe a novel human-derived CPP, denoted hPP10, and hPP10 has cell-penetrating properties evaluated by CellPPD web server, as well as In-Vitro and In-Vivo analysis. In vitro studies showed that hPP10-FITC was able to penetrate into various cells including primary cultured cells, likely through an endocytosis pathway.

Evaluation of embryonic age and the effects of different proteases on the isolation and primary culture of chicken intestinal epithelial cells in vitro.

The present study evaluates the effects of embryonic age and proteolytic enzymes on the isolation and primary culture of chicken enterocyte and to establish an effective technique for chicken intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) cultivation. Fourteen-day-old, 16-day-old and 18-day-old embryos (average weight: 52.23 ± 0.

Assessment of RANTES levels as the indicators of plaque vulnerability in rabbit models of atherosclerosis.

The aim of the present study was to determine the chemokine RANTES (regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed, and secreted) levels in plasma and atherosclerotic plaques and to assess their diagnostic efficacy in the evaluation of vulnerable plaques. The rabbit models of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaque (VAP) were established by high fat diet and pharmaceutical triggering. The serum RANTES levels of VAP group (91.