Trends in disease burden of type 2 diabetes, stroke, and hypertensive heart disease attributable to high BMI in China: 1990-2019.

Background: High body mass index (BMI) is a significant risk factor for non-communicable diseases; however, its impact on disease burden in China remains understudied. This study aimed to analyze trends in the burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), stroke, and hypertensive heart disease (HHD) attributable to high BMI in China from 1990 to 2019.

Methods: We utilized data from the Global Burden of Disease 2019 study, quantifying disease burden through years lived with disability (YLDs), years of life lost (YLLs), and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs).

Tunable electronic and optoelectronic characteristics of two-dimensional g-GeC monolayer: a first-principles study.

Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor materials have emerged as one of the hotspots in recent years due to their potential applications in beyond-Moore technologies. In this work, we systematically investigate the electronic and optoelectronic properties of the g-GeC monolayer combined with strain engineering using first-principles calculations. The results show that g-GeC monolayer possesses a suitable direct bandgap and a strain-tunable electronic structure.

Tunable electronic and optoelectronic characteristics of two-dimensional β-AsP monolayer: a first-principles study.

Two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors have attracted a great deal of interest from the electrical engineering community due to their intriguing electronic properties. In this study, we have systematically investigated the electronic and optoelectronic properties of β-AsP monolayers by first-principles calculations combined with strain engineering. The results show that the β-AsP monolayer has a suitable indirect bandgap and a strain-tunable electronic structure.

Pyrroloquinoline Quinone Alleviates Mitochondria Damage in Radiation-Induced Lung Injury in a MOTS-c-Dependent Manner.

Radiation-induced lung injury (RILI) is a prevalent complication of thoracic tumor radiotherapy and accidental radiation exposure. Pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), a novel vitamin B, plays a crucial role in delaying aging, antioxidation, anti-inflammation, and antiapoptosis. This study aims to investigate the protective effect and mechanisms of PQQ against RILI.

The role of cardiomyocyte senescence in cardiovascular diseases: A molecular biology update.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death worldwide, and advanced age is a main contributor to the prevalence of CVD. Cellular senescence is an irreversible state of cell cycle arrest that occurs in old age or after cells encounter various stresses. Senescent cells not only result in the reduction of cellular function, but also produce senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) to affect surrounding cells and tissue microenvironment.

LncRNA DANCR deficiency promotes high glucose-induced endothelial to mesenchymal transition in cardiac microvascular cells via the FoxO1/DDAH1/ADMA signaling pathway.

Cardiac fibrosis is the main pathological basis of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM), and endothelial-to-meschenymal transition (EndMT) is a key driver to cardiac fibrosis and plays an important role in the pathogenesis of DCM. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), a crucial pathologic factor in diabetes mellitus, is involved in organ fibrosis. This study aims to evaluate underlying mechanisms of ADMA in DCM especially for EndMT under diabetic conditions.

Beneficial effects and safety of traditional Chinese medicine for chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy: A case report and literature review.

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) is an immune-mediated neuropathy. First-line treatments for CIDP include corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulin, and plasma exchange. However, the application is always limited by high costs, effectiveness, and adverse events.

Efficacy of Baishao Luoshi decoction on synaptic plasticity in rats with post stroke spasticity.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of Baishao Luoshi decoction (, BD) on synaptic plasticity in rats with post stroke spasticity (PSS), and to study the mechanism behind the action.

Methods: The PSS model of rat was established by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). The neurological deficit symptoms were evaluated by modified neurological deficit score (mNSS).

Association between white matter alterations and domain-specific cognitive impairment in cerebral small vessel disease: A meta-analysis of diffusion tensor imaging.

Objective: To investigate the association between diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) findings and domain-specific cognitive impairment in cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD).

Methods: Databases such as PubMed, Excerpta Medical Database (EMBASE), Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Databases (CNKI), Wanfang, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (SinoMed), and Chongqing Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (VIP) were comprehensively retrieved for studies that reported correlation coefficients between cognition and DTI values. Random effects models and meta-regression were applied to account for heterogeneity among study results.

A randomized double-blind controlled study protocol on the efficacy and safety of Sangdantongluo granule in the treatment of post-stroke spasticity.

Introduction: Stroke is the first leading cause of mortality and disability worldwide, and post-stroke spasticity (PSS) is the common complication of stroke. Sangdantongluo Granule (Z20210481000), a modern patent Chinese medicine, is widely used in clinical practice to treat PSS. Whereas, there is limited evidence of effectiveness for Sangdantongluo Granule to treat PSS.

Association between diffusion tensor imaging findings and domain-specific cognitive impairment in cerebral small vessel disease: a protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Cognitive impairment is the main clinical manifestation of cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD). However, the mechanism and structural damage in different domains of cognitive disorders are poorly understood. There is an urgent need to quantify the relation between diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data and impaired cognitive testing in CSVD, which may help to find biomarkers for early diagnosis or treatment evaluation.

Decreased spasticity of Baishaoluoshi Decoction through the BDNF/TrKB-KCC2 pathway on poststroke spasticity rats.

Objective: K+-Cl- cotransporter-2 (KCC2), which primarily extrudes chloride in mature neurons, triggers hemiplegia limb spasticity after ischemic stroke by affecting neuronal excitability. Our previous study revealed that the Chinese herb Baishaoluoshi Decoction decreases hemiplegia limb spasticity in poststroke spasticity (PSS) patients. This study aimed at elucidating on the effects of Baishaoluoshi Decoction on the BDNF/TrKB-KCC2 pathway in PSS rat models.

Efficacy and safety of Sangbaipi Decoction in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A protocol for systematic review and meta analysis.

Background: Chinese medicine Sangbaipi decoction is extensively applied to the therapy of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) in China. However, owing to the low quality, small sample size, and methodological heterogeneity of these studies, this conclusion is not convincing. Consequently, it is necessary to systematically evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Sangbaipi Decoction in the treatment of AECOPD patients, and provide high-quality evidence for its clinical application.

Excitation-Wavelength-Dependent Photoinduced Electron Transfer in a π-Conjugated Diblock Oligomer.

Control of photoinduced electron transfer through selective excitation of a π-conjugated diblock oligomeric system featuring tetrathiophene (T) and tetra(phenylene ethynylene) (PE) donor blocks capped with a naphthalene diimide (NDI) acceptor (TPENDI) is demonstrated. Each π-conjugated oligomeric segment has its own discrete ionization potential, electron affinity, and optical band gap which provides an absorption profile that has specific wavelengths that offer selective excitation of the PE and T blocks. Therefore, TPENDI can be selectively excited to form a charge-separated state via ultrafast photoinduced electron transfer from the PE segment to NDI when excited at 370 nm, but it does not produce a charge-separated state when excited at 420 nm (T).

Asymmetric dimethylarginine aggravates blood-retinal barrier breakdown of diabetic retinopathy via inhibition of intercellular communication in retinal pericytes.

Blood-retinal barrier breakdown is the main pathological characteristics of diabetic retinopathy (DR). Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) was reported to be elevated in DR patients. In this study, we observed the dynamic profile of ADMA, retinal morphology and permeability of BRB at 2, 4 or 8 week of diabetic rats induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozocin (60 mg/kg) and in cultured rat retinal pericytes pretreated with D-glucose (30 mM) for 1, 3, 5 and 7 days or ADMA (3, 10, 30 μM) for 24, 48 and 72 h, trying to explore the effects of ADMA on blood-retinal barrier in DR.

Asymmetric dimethylarginine: An crucial regulator in tissue fibrosis.

Fibrosis is a reparative process with very few therapeutic options to prevent its progression to organ dysfunction. Chronic fibrotic diseases contribute to an estimated 45% of all death in the industrialized world. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endothelial nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of various cardiovascular diseases associated with endothelial dysfunction.

Polymer Chromophore-Catalyst Assembly for Solar Fuel Generation.

A polystyrene-based chromophore-catalyst assembly (poly-2) has been synthesized and assembled at a mesoporous metal oxide photoanode. The assembly contains water oxidation catalyst centers based on [Ru(trpy) (phenq)] (Ru-Cat) and [Ru(bpy)] derivatives (Ru-C) as chromophores (trpy= 2,2';6,2″- terpyridine, phenq = 2-(quinol-8'-yl)-1,10-phenanthroline and bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine). The photophysical and electrochemical properties of the polychromophore-oxidation catalyst assembly were investigated in solution and at the surface of mesoporous metal oxide films.

Effect of Conjugation Length on Photoinduced Charge Transfer in π-Conjugated Oligomer-Acceptor Dyads.

A series of π-conjugated oligomer-acceptor dyads were synthesized that feature oligo(phenylene ethynylene) (OPE) conjugated backbones end-capped with a naphthalene diimide (NDI) acceptor. The OPE segments vary in length from 4 to 8 phenylene ethynene units (PEn-NDI, where n = 4, 6 and 8). Fluorescence and transient absorption spectroscopy reveals that intramolecular OPE → NDI charge transfer dominates the deactivation of excited states of the PEn-NDI oligomers.

Intercalation of Alkynylplatinum(II) Terpyridine Complexes into a Helical Poly(phenylene ethynylene) Sulfonate: Application to Protein Sensing.

The interactions of two anionic poly(phenylene ethynylene) sulfonate-conjugated polyelectrolytes (mPPESO and pPPESO) with two alkynylplatinum(II) terpyridine complexes (Pt and Pt) were studied. The Pt(II) complexes interact with helical mPPESO by intercalation within the polymer helix to form a "guest-host" ensemble. Titration of Pt(II) complexes into an aqueous solution of mPPESO gives rise to efficient quenching of the polymer's fluorescence; meanwhile, triplet metal-metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MMLCT) state emission from the intercalated Pt(II) complexes appears when the ensembles are excited into the polymer's absorption band.

Involvement of epithelial-mesenchymal transition afforded by activation of LOX-1/ TGF-β1/KLF6 signaling pathway in diabetic pulmonary fibrosis.

Background And Objective: Diabetic pulmonary fibrosis is a severe disease that increases mortality risk of diabetes. However, the molecular mechanisms leading to pulmonary fibrosis in diabetes are poorly understood. This study investigated the roles of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the associated molecular mechanisms in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced rat pulmonary fibrosis.