Study of the Interactions of Zwitterions and Carbon Nanotubes by Nonlinear Rheology in an Aqueous Environment.

Aqueous nanocomposite solutions of P(NIPAM) and P(NIPAM- co- N-(3-Sulfopropyl)- N-(methacryloxyethyl)- N,N-dimethylammonium betaine), a zwitterionic monomer with carbon nanotubes (CNT) as filler, were synthesized and characterized rheologically. While the influence of P(NIPAM) content and CNT content can be considered to be relatively minor, the introduction of a zwitterionic monomer (Zw) into the polymer leads to clear rheological traces of strong interactions between zwitterionic moieties and surface moieties on the CNTs, namely, a significantly lower nonlinearity limit and a lower modulus at high Zw contents and a higher modulus at intermediate contents due to adsorption of zwitterionic moieties on the CNT surface as well as a significantly lengthened time for the sample to adjust itself to the applied deformation, suggesting that the adsorbed polymer chains need to reorganize themselves significantly to accommodate to the applied strain γ.

A novel device in parathyroid autotransplantation for 6 patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism - Case series.

Background: Secondary hyperparathyroidism(sHPT) is one of the most serious complications in long-term hemodialysis patients. Patients may suffer from metabolic bone diseases, severe atherosclerosis and undesirable cardiovascular events. Endoscopic parathyroidectomy with autotransplantation is a treatment option for those who do not respond to clinical management.

Combining Cerebral Perfusion With Retrograde Inferior Vena Caval Perfusion for Aortic Arch Surgery.

Hypothermic circulatory arrest and selective cerebral perfusion are standard procedures during total arch replacement to treat acute type A aortic dissection. However, organ ischemia during anastomosis between the graft and descending aorta contribute to high risk of mortality and morbidity. Here we describe the combination of antegrade cerebral perfusion and retrograde inferior vena caval perfusion as a way to ensure continual perfusion of the brain, abdominal viscera, and spinal cord during anastomosis and thereby improve outcomes of total arch replacement.

Peptidomimetics for Targeting Protein-Protein Interactions between DOT1L and MLL Oncofusion Proteins AF9 and ENL.

MLL-fusion proteins, AF9 and ENL, play an essential role in the recruitment of DOT1L and the H3K79 hypermethylation of MLL target genes, which is pivotal for leukemogenesis. Blocking these interactions may represent a novel therapeutic approach for MLL-rearranged leukemia. Based on the 7 mer DOT1L peptide, a class of peptidomimetics was designed.

A practical self-made device in parathyroid autotransplantation for patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Objective: Secondary hyperparathyroidism (sHPT) is one of the most serious complications in patients on long-term hemodialysis. These patients may suffer from metabolic bone diseases, severe atherosclerosis, and undesirable cardiovascular events. Endoscopic parathyroidectomy with autotransplantation is a treatment option for those who do not respond to clinical management.

Effect of a functional polymer on the rheology and microstructure of sodium alginate.

Here, we report on the effect of functional copolymer poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-4-vinyl-phenylboronic acid) (NIBA) on the rheology and network structure formed by sodium alginate (SA) through linear and nonlinear viscoelasticity measurements. The hydrogel moduli at pH 3 increased with increasing NIBA addition, while the yield point decreased. Furthermore, these hydrogels showed strain-softening behavior, weak G″-overshoot marking the onset of nonlinearity, and good self-healing properties after large deformation.

Impact of iterative model reconstruction combined with dose reduction on the image quality of head and neck CTA in children.

This study aimed to evaluate the imaging quality of head and neck computed tomographic angiography (CTA) in pediatric patients at a lowered radiation dose by combining an iterative model reconstruction (IMR) with low voltage scanning. Eighty-three pediatric patients were randomized into two groups as follows: Group A (n = 42), 100 kV/50 ml contrast media (CM), using filtered back projection (FBP); and Group B (n = 41), 80 kV/30 ml CM, using IMR. The enhanced CT value of the arteries, the image noise, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)/contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), the image quality, the effective radiation dose (ED) and the iodine intake were compared between the two groups.

Small-Conductance Ca-Activated K Channel 2 in the Dorsal Horn of Spinal Cord Participates in Visceral Hypersensitivity in Rats.

Visceral hypersensitivity is a highly complex and subjective phenomenon associated with multiple levels of the nervous system and a wide range of neurotransmission. The dorsal horn (DH) in spinal cord relays the peripheral sensory information into the brain. Small conductance Ca-activated K (SK) channels regulate neuronal excitability and firing by allowing K to efflux in response to increase in the intracellular Ca level.

Dose fall-off during the treatment of thoracic spine metastasis with CyberKnife stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT).

CyberKnife stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is becoming increasingly used for cancer treatment and, to maximize its clinical application, it is important to define the dosimetric characteristics, optimal dose, and fractionation regimens. The aim of this study was to evaluate the dose fall-off in two fractionated regimens of CyberKnife SBRT during the treatment of thoracic spinal metastasis. Patients with spinal metastasis involving a vertebra and pedicle were treated with 40 Gy in 5 fractions (n = 4), and patients with spinal metastasis involving only a vertebra received 33 Gy in 3 fractions (n = 4).

Reduced local segregation of single-subject gray matter networks in adult PTSD.

To psychoradiologically investigate the topological organization of single-subject gray matter networks in patients with PTSD. Eighty-nine adult PTSD patients and 88 trauma-exposed controls (TEC) underwent a structural T1 magnetic resonance imaging scan. The single-subject brain structural networks were constructed based on gray matter similarity of 90 brain regions.

Enhancement of glyoxalase 1, a polyfunctional defense enzyme, by quercetin in the brain in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Glyoxalase 1 (Glo-1) is an ubiquitous cellular enzyme that participates in the detoxification of methylglyoxal (MG), a cytotoxic byproduct of glycolysis that induces protein modification (advanced glycation end products [AGEs]), oxidative stress, and inflammation. The concentration of MG is elevated under high-glucose conditions, such as diabetes. Therefore, Glo-1 and MG have been implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic encephalopathy.

FUN14 Domain-Containing 1-Mediated Mitophagy Suppresses Hepatocarcinogenesis by Inhibition of Inflammasome Activation in Mice.

Mitochondria lie at the heart of innate immunity, and aberrant mitochondrial activity contributes to immune activation and chronic inflammatory diseases, including liver cancers. Mitophagy is a selective process for removing dysfunctional mitochondria. The link between mitophagy and inflammation in tumorigenesis remains largely unexplored.

The Role of Neuroimaging in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Depressive Disorder: A Recent Review.

Depression is a mental disorder with serious negative health outcomes. Its main clinical manifestations are depressed mood, slow thinking, loss of interest, and lack of energy. The rising incidence of depression has a major impact on patients and their families and imposes a substantial burden on society.

DNA methylation age is associated with an altered hemostatic profile in a multiethnic meta-analysis.

Many hemostatic factors are associated with age and age-related diseases; however, much remains unknown about the biological mechanisms linking aging and hemostatic factors. DNA methylation is a novel means by which to assess epigenetic aging, which is a measure of age and the aging processes as determined by altered epigenetic states. We used a meta-analysis approach to examine the association between measures of epigenetic aging and hemostatic factors, as well as a clotting time measure.

Gene expression profiles of germ-free and conventional piglets from the same litter.

Germ-free (GF) pigs have clear microbiological backgrounds, and are extensively used as large animal models in the biomedical sciences. However, investigations of the transcriptomic differences between GF and cesarean-derived conventional (CV) piglets are limited. To improve our understanding of GF pigs, and to increase the utility of pigs as an alternative non-rodent model, we used RNA sequencing to profile gene expression in five tissues (the oral mucosae, jejunum, colon, liver, and spleen) of four male GF piglets and four male CV piglets from the same litter.

Resveratrol represses estrogen-induced mammary carcinogenesis through NRF2-UGT1A8-estrogen metabolic axis activation.

Estrogen plays a pivotal role in the pathological development of breast cancer. Resveratrol has chemo-preventive effects against breast cancer, whereas, the mechanism of antitumor activities of resveratrol remains unanswered. In this study, we showed that estrogen homeostasis profile was disturbed in both breast cancer patients and in experimental breast cancer model rats, with carcinogenic catechol estrogens significantly accumulated in the mammary tissues.

Resting-state fMRI study on drug-naive patients of essential tremor with and without head tremor.

This study used resting-state functional MRI (r-fMRI) to evaluate intrinsic brain activity in drug-naive patients with essential tremor (ET) with and without head tremor. We enrolled 20 patients with ET with hand and head tremor (h-ET), 27 patients with ET without head tremor (a-ET), and 27 healthy controls (HCs). All participants underwent r-fMRI scans on a 3-T MR system.

The central mechanism of acupuncture treatment with a long-lasting effect for functional dyspepsia: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The mechanism of the long-lasting effect and the relationship between the long-lasting effect and the deqi sensation, which is the key of achieving the acupuncture effect, has not been well investigated. This trial focuses on investigating the possible central mechanism of the long-lasting effect influenced by the deqi sensation.

Methods: A randomized controlled functional brain imaging trial is currently being conducted in Sichuan, China.

MiR-206 is down-regulated and suppresses cell proliferation by targeting FOXP1 in brain gliomas.

Aberrant expression of miR-206 has been repeatedly found and demonstrated to play crucial roles in cancers. However, the role of miR-206 in brain glioma remains unclear. To address this issue, we detected miR-206 expression of 60 gliomas and 18 normal peritumor tissues, and found that miR-206 is significantly down-regulated in gliomas.

Methylation-mediated miR-155-FAM133A axis contributes to the attenuated invasion and migration of IDH mutant gliomas.

Gliomas with isocitrate dehydrogenases gene mutations (IDH) were found to be less aggressive than their wildtype (IDH) counterparts. However, the mechanism remains unclear. The current study aims to investigate the role of silenced oncogenic microRNAs in IDH gliomas, which were largely ignored and may contribute to the less aggressive behavior of IDH gliomas.

Disrupted grey matter network morphology in pediatric posttraumatic stress disorder.

Introduction: Disrupted topological organization of brain functional networks has been widely observed in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, the topological organization of the brain grey matter (GM) network has not yet been investigated in pediatric PTSD who was more vulnerable to develop PTSD when exposed to stress.

Materials And Methods: Twenty two pediatric PTSD patients and 22 matched trauma-exposed controls who survived a massive earthquake (8.

Hydrogen protects lung from hypoxia/re-oxygenation injury by reducing hydroxyl radical production and inhibiting inflammatory responses.

Here we investigated whether hydrogen can protect the lung from chronic injury induced by hypoxia/re-oxygenation (H/R). We developed a mouse model in which H/R exposure triggered clinically typical lung injury, involving increased alveolar wall thickening, infiltration by neutrophils, consolidation, alveolar hemorrhage, increased levels of inflammatory factors and recruitment of M1 macrophages. All these processes were attenuated in the presence of H.

Melanocortin 4 Receptor Pathway Dysfunction in Obesity: Patient Stratification Aimed at MC4R Agonist Treatment.

Context: The hypothalamic melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) pathway serves a critical role in regulating body weight. Loss of function (LoF) mutations in the MC4R pathway, including mutations in the pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), prohormone convertase 1 (PCSK1), leptin receptor (LEPR), or MC4R genes, have been shown to cause early-onset severe obesity.

Methods: Through a comprehensive epidemiological analysis of known and predicted LoF variants in the POMC, PCSK1, and LEPR genes, we sought to estimate the number of US individuals with biallelic MC4R pathway LoF variants.

Increased Iron Deposition on Brain Quantitative Susceptibility Mapping Correlates with Decreased Cognitive Function in Alzheimer's Disease.

The excessive accumulation of iron in deep gray structures is an important pathological characteristic in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) is more specific than other imaging-based iron measurement modalities and allows noninvasive assessment of tissue magnetic susceptibility, which has been shown to correlate well with brain iron levels. This study aimed to investigate the correlations between the magnetic susceptibility values of deep gray matter nuclei and the cognitive functions assessed by mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA) in patients with mild and moderate AD.

A variant of GRK5 is associated with the therapeutic efficacy of repaglinide in Chinese Han patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Post-Market Research We aimed to investigate the impact of G protein-coupled receptor kinase 5 (GRK5) rs10886471 polymorphism on repaglinide efficacy in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). A total of 300 T2DM patients and 210 healthy controls were genotyped for GRK5 rs10886471 on a three-dimensional polyacrylamide gel-based DNA microarray. Eighty-five patients with the same genotypes of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C8*3 139Arg and organic anion-transporting polypeptide 1B1 (OATP1B1) 521TT were randomly selected to orally take repaglinide for eight consecutive weeks.