Silencing Huwe1 reduces apoptosis of cortical neurons exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation and reperfusion.

HECT, UBA and WWE domain-containing 1 (Huwe1), an E3 ubiquitin ligase involved in the ubiquitin-proteasome system, is widely expressed in brain tissue. Huwe1 is involved in the turnover of numerous substrates, including p53, Mcl-1, Cdc6 and N-myc, thereby playing a critical role in apoptosis and neurogenesis. However, the role of Huwe1 in brain ischemia and reperfusion injury remains unclear.

Comparison of the fenestrated pedicle screw and conventional pedicle screw in minimally percutaneous fixation for the treatment of spondylolisthesis with osteoporotic spine.

Objectives: To assess the feasibility of cement-augmented fenestrated pedicle screw for patients with spondylolisthesis with osteoporotic spine.

Patients And Methods: From January 2014 to March 2018, a retrospective study of 88 patients with spondylolisthesis and osteoporosis treated with minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF) using the conventional pedicle screw (CPS group, n = 52) and the fenestrated pedicle screw (FPS group, n = 36) was performed with a follow-up of 30 months (range, 10-58 months). Clinical outcomes, overall changes in slip degree, and interbody fusion rates were evaluated via questionnaires and radiographic parameters.

Inhibition of the Notch1 Pathway Promotes the Effects of Nucleus Pulposus Cell-Derived Exosomes on the Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Nucleus Pulposus-Like Cells in Rats.

Stem cell therapies for intervertebral disc degeneration have been demonstrated as a promising strategy. Previous studies have shown that human nucleus pulposus cell- (NPC-) derived exosomes can induce the differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into NP-like cells in vitro. However, the mechanism of MSC differentiation into NP-like cells with the induction of NPC exosomes is still unclear.

Plasma proteomic and autoantibody profiles reveal the proteomic characteristics involved in longevity families in Bama, China.

Background: Chinese Bama Yao Autonomous County is a well-known longevity region in the world. In the past 30 years, population and genome studies were undertaken to investigate the secret of longevity and showed that longevity is the result of a combination of multiple factors, such as genetic, environmental and other causes. In this study, characteristics of the blood plasma proteomic and autoantibody profiles of people from Bama longevity family were investigated.

Prospective Study on the Excretion of Mucous Stools and its Association with Age, Gender, and Feces Output in Captive Giant Pandas.

The giant panda () has evolved a large number of mucous glands in the intestinal lining to adapt to the digestion of high-fiber foods. However, in captive pandas, excessive mucus might form a mass and then be eliminated, which is often accompanied by discomfort and decreased activity. This event is called 'mucous excretion'.

FeNi-Based Coordination Crystal Directly Serving as Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction Catalyst and Its Density Functional Theory Insight on the Active Site Change Mechanism.

Although most metal-organic coordination materials are promising materials used as templates to develop highly efficient electrocatalysts via pyrolysis in situ, few studies have explored the use of these materials for direct catalysis of oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, inspired by the natural synthesis and the inherent properties of metal-organic coordination materials, the FeNi-tannic acid coordination crystal was in situ grown on Ni foam ((FeNi)-Tan/NF) to directly catalyze the OER. It was found that (FeNi)-Tan/NF exhibited predominant OER activity, which required a low overpotential of 208 mV to reach a current density of 50 mA·cm under a small Tafel slope of 33.

Factors affecting in-hospital delay of intravenous thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke: A retrospective cohort study.

This study was designed to investigate the factors affecting the in-hospital delay of intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS).Two hundred and forty-eight consecutive AIS patients treated with intravenous administration of alteplase in Gansu Provincial Hospital from December 2014 to August 2018 were enrolled retrospectively in this study. According to door-to-needle (DTN) time, the patients were divided into either a delay group (DTN time > 60 minutes; n = 184) or a non-delay group (DTN time ≤60 minutes; n = 64).

Biomechanical comparison of posterior intermediate screw fixation techniques with hybrid monoaxial and polyaxial pedicle screws in the treatment of thoracolumbar burst fracture: a finite element study.

Background: To compare the biomechanical characteristics of different posterior intermediate screw fixation techniques (ISFTs) with hybrid monoaxial pedicle screws (Mps) and polyaxial pedicle screws (Pps) used in thoracolumbar burst fractures.

Methods: Fixation techniques are compared with regard to the von Mises stress (VMS) of the instrumentations and intradiscal pressures (IDPs) of the adjacent segments by finite element method (FEM).

Results: The redistributed ROM of the fixation models with Pps fixed at the lowest segment was twice of the other fixation models in flexion and extension.

ALK5 signaling pathway mediates neurogenesis and functional recovery after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion in rats via Gadd45b.

Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) serves critical functions in brain injury, especially in cerebral ischemia; however, apart from its neuroprotective effects, its role in regulating neurogenesis is unclear. TGF-β acts in different ways; the most important, canonical TGF-β activity involves TGF-β receptor I (TβRI) or the activin receptor-like kinase 5 (ALK5) signaling pathway. ALK5 signaling is a major determinant of adult neurogenesis.

Tunable titanium metal-organic frameworks with infinite 1D Ti-O rods for efficient visible-light-driven photocatalytic H evolution.

Infinite 1D Ti-O rod-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are promising photocatalysts for water splitting due to their high optical response and favourable photo-redox properties and stability, but have not been explored yet. In this study, three isoreticular porous 1D rod-based Ti-MOFs , and are successfully constructed from infinite secondary building units (SBUs) and tritopic carboxylate linkers 4,4',4″-nitrilotribenzoic acid (HTCA), 1,3,5-tris(4-carboxyphenyl) benzene (HBTB) and tris(4'-carboxybiphenyl)amine (HBTCA), respectively. Their porosities systematically increase with the larger and longer organic linkers.

Alterations of Human Plasma Proteome Profile on Adaptation to High-Altitude Hypobaric Hypoxia.

For individuals migrating to or residing permanently in high-altitude regions, environmental hypobaric hypoxia is a primary challenge that induces several physiological or pathological responses. It is well documented that human beings adapt to hypobaric hypoxia via some protective mechanisms, such as erythropoiesis and overproduction of hemoglobin; however, little is known on the alterations of plasma proteome profiles in accommodation to high-altitude hypobaric hypoxia. In the present study, we investigated differential plasma proteomes of high altitude natives and lowland normal controls by a TMT-based proteomic approach.

Background luminescence in x-ray luminescence computed tomography (XLCT) imaging.

X-ray luminescence computed tomography (XLCT) is an emerging hybrid imaging modality. It has been recently reported that materials such as water, tissue, or even air can generate optical photons upon x-ray irradiation, which can increase the noises in measurements of XLCT. In this study, we have investigated the x-ray luminescence from water, air, as well as tissue mimicking phantoms, including one embedded with a 0.

Time domain X-ray luminescence computed tomography: numerical simulations.

X-ray luminescence computed tomography (XLCT) has the potential to image the biodistribution of nanoparticles inside deep tissues. In XLCT, X-ray excitable nanophosphors emit optical photons for tomographic imaging. The lifetime of the nanophosphor signal, rather than its intensity, could be used to extract biological microenvironment information such as oxygenation in deep tumors.

Focused x-ray luminescence computed tomography: experimental studies.

X-ray luminescence computed tomography (XLCT) is an emerging hybrid molecular imaging modality and has shown great promises in overcoming the strong optical scattering in deep tissues. Though the narrow x-ray beam based XLCT imaging has been demonstrated to obtain high spatial resolution at depth, it suffers from a relatively long measurement time, hindering its practical applications. Recently, we have designed a focused x-ray beam based XLCT imaging system and have successfully performed imaging in about 7.

Age, gender, and etiology differences of sports-related fractures in children and adolescents: A retrospective observational study.

To investigate the age, gender, and etiology differences of sports-related fractures in children and adolescents (6-18 years old).We retrospectively reviewed 410 child and adolescent patients (335 males and 75 females aged 13.5 ± 3.

Correlation between RBC changes and coagulation parameters in high altitude population.

Objective: To explore the correlations between RBCs indexes and the basic coagulation parameters, and provide data for further studies on high altitude-induced thrombotic disease.

Methods: A total of eligible 433 volunteers were divided into different groups according to HGB concentration and HCT, respectively. PT, APTT, TT and Fbg were measured by clotting assays.

Tertiary Amines Differentiated from Primary and Secondary Amines by Active Ester-Functionalized Hexabenzoperylene in Field Effect Transistors.

Herein, we report two novel derivatives of hexabenzoperylene (HBP) that are functionalized with ester groups. Methyl acetate functionalized HBP (1) in single crystals self-assembles into a supramolecular nanosheet, which has a two-dimensional π-stack of HBP sandwiched between two layers of ester groups. With the same self-assembly motif, active ester-functionalized HBP (2) in field effect transistors has enabled differentiation of tertiary amines from primary and secondary amines, in agreement with the fact that active ester reacts with primary and secondary amines but not with tertiary amines to form amides.

Approved drugs screening against the nsP1 capping enzyme of Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus using an immuno-based assay.

Alphaviruses such as the Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) are important human emerging pathogens transmitted by mosquitoes. They possess a unique viral mRNA capping mechanism catalyzed by the viral non-structural protein nsP1, which is essential for virus replication. The alphaviruses capping starts by the methylation of a GTP molecule by the N7-guanine methyltransferase (MTase) activity; nsP1 then forms a covalent link with mGMP releasing pyrophosphate (GT reaction) and the mGMP is next transferred onto the 5'-diphosphate end of the viral mRNA to form a cap-0 structure.

Individual differences of plasma proteins and factors in fresh frozen plasma from Chinese regional blood donors.

Currently, single fresh frozen plasma (FFP) for clinical use is derived from individual blood donors. The objective of this study is to investigate the differences in single FFP units to make related strategies for improving FFP transfusion efficacy. 120 units of single FFP were selected randomly from Chinese PLA Clinical Blood Transfusion Center in Beijing, China.

Plasma proteome profiling of high-altitude polycythemia using TMT-based quantitative proteomics approach.

High-altitude polycythemia (HAPC) is one of the classic chronic mountain sicknesses and has been a serious public health problem in high-altitude regions. Despite numerous studies on HAPC via genomics or transcriptomics approaches, the pathogenesis of HAPC is still unclear. Here, we performed a TMT- based comparative quantitative proteomics analysis to reveal the changes of plasma proteomics profiles between HAPC subjects and healthy controls.

NDRG4 protects against cerebral ischemia injury by inhibiting p53-mediated apoptosis.

Cerebral ischemia is one of the leading causes of death and long-term disability worldwide. N-myc downstream-regulated gene 4 (NDRG4) is predominantly expressed in the brain as well as in the heart and has been reported to be involved in resistance to neuronal cell death caused by ischemic injury. However, the underlying mechanism of NDRG4 in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury remains unknown.

Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Interbody Fusion: Technical Note and Preliminary Clinical Experience with 2-Year Follow-Up.

Objective: Endoscopic surgeries have been attempted in the field of lumbar decompression and fusion surgery in the past decade. Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar interbody fusion (PELIF) is a new-emerging technique taking advantages of an anatomical (Kambin's triangle) to achieve simultaneous decompression and fusion under endoscopic visualization. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and safety of PELIF technique with general anesthesia and neuromonitoring.

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided needle-based confocal laser endomicroscopy for diagnosis of gastric subepithelial tumors: a pilot study.

Background: The diagnostic yield of current techniques for gastric subepithelial tumors (SETs) is suboptimal. This prospective study aimed to develop diagnostic criteria for needle-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (nCLE) of gastric SETs, and to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy, feasibility, and safety of endoscopic ultrasound-guided nCLE (EUS-nCLE).

Methods: Eligible patients were prospectively recruited to undergo EUS-nCLE.

Analysis of sialic acid levels in Chinese intravenous immunoglobulins by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) is increasingly used for the treatment of autoimmune and systemic inflammatory diseases with both licensed and off-label indications. Recent studies indicated that IVIg-mediated immunomodulation and anti-inflammation are closely associated with the IgG sialylation, especially with IgG crystallizable fragment (Fc) sialylation. The sialic acid levels of the IgG molecules and Fc fragments in 12 IVIg preparations from six Chinese manufacturers were evaluated.