Mineralocorticoids, glucose homeostasis and type 2 diabetes mellitus: The Henan Rural Cohort study.

Aims: We aimed to evaluate the associations of mineralocorticoids with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and glucose homeostasis among rural Chinese adults.

Methods: A total of 2713 participants were selected from the Henan Rural Cohort study. Serum mineralocorticoids were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Adiposity and insulin resistance as mediators between age at menarche and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the association between age at menarche and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and whether the association is mediated by adiposity and insulin resistance (IR) in rural Chinese women.

Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed data for 7,460 women (median age 56 y) from a rural Chinese area from 2013 to 2014. Data were collected by standardized interviews and anthropometric and laboratory measurements.

Facile Synthesis of FePS Nanosheets@MXene Composite as a High-Performance Anode Material for Sodium Storage.

Searching for advanced anode materials with excellent electrochemical properties in sodium-ion battery is essential and imperative for next-generation energy storage system to solve the energy shortage problem. In this work, two-dimensional (2D) ultrathin FePS nanosheets, a typical ternary metal phosphosulfide, are first prepared by ultrasonic exfoliation. The novel 2D/2D heterojunction of FePS nanosheets@MXene composite is then successfully synthesized by in situ mixing ultrathin MXene nanosheets with FePS nanosheets.

Different conbercept injection strategies for the treatment of exudative age-related macular degeneration: A retrospective cohort study.

Conbercept is a novel anti-vascular endothelial growth factor for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). The most optimal injection strategy is unknown. To assess the effectiveness of intravitreal injection of conbercept using the 3 + pro re nata (PRN) and 3 + Q3 M strategies for the treatment of exudative AMD.

Structure and Properties of Hybrid Film Fabricated by Spin-Assisted Layer-by-Layer Assembly of Sacran and Imogolite Nanotubes.

A free-standing (biomacomolecule/synthetic inorganic nanotubes) hybrid film was fabricated through an alternative layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly of sacran and imogolite nanotubes. Sacran is a natural polysaccharide extracted from the cyanobacterium , while imogolite is a natural tubular aluminosilicate clay found in volcano ash. The hybrid film thickness increased linearly with the number of the bilayers, because of the interaction between the negatively charged surface of sacran and the positively charged surface of imogolite.

Tumor Targeting Chemo- and Photodynamic Therapy Packaged in Albumin for Enhanced Anti-Tumor Efficacy.

Purpose: Combination therapy for tumors is an important and promising strategy to improve therapeutic efficiency. This study aims at combining tumor targeting, chemo-, and photodynamic therapies to improve the anti-tumor performance.

Patients And Methods: Human serum albumin (HSA), as a nontoxic and biodegradable drug carrier, was used to load hydrophobic photosensitizers (mono-substituted β-4-pyridyloxy phthalocyanine zinc, mPPZ) by a dilution-incubation-purification (DIP) strategy to form molecular complex HSA:mPPZ.

Spleen associated immune-response mediates brain-heart interaction after intracerebral hemorrhage.

Background And Purpose: Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) patients frequently encounter cardiovascular complications which may contribute to increased mortality and poor long term outcome. ICH induces systemic oxidative stress and activates peripheral immune responses which are involved in the pathological cascade leading to cardiac dysfunction and heart failure after ICH. We have previously reported that ICH induces progressive cardiac dysfunction in mice without primary cardiac diseases.

Molecular cytogenetic characterization of an isodicentric Yq and a neocentric isochromosome Yp in an azoospermic male.

Isodicentric Y chromosomes are considered one of the most common structural abnormalities of the Y chromosome. Neocentric marker chromosomes, with neocentromeres, have drawn increasing attention in recent years. The present study reported an azoospermic male with a neocentric isochromosome Yp, neo(Yp), and an isodicentric Yq, idic(Yq).

Rs11655237 polymorphism of LINC00673 affects the prognosis of cervical cancer by interfering with the interaction between LINC00673 and microRNA-1231.

Single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) is known to disrupt the binding between lncRNAs and microRNAs. In this paper, we aimed to explore the role of LINC00673 rs11655237 SNP in the survival of cervical cancer (CC). Real-time polymerase chain reaction and western-blot analysis were used to detect expressions of LINC00673 and microRNA-1231 (miR-1231) in CC patients with different rs11655237 SNP genotypes.

Flavanomarein inhibits high glucose-stimulated epithelial-mesenchymal transition in HK-2 cells via targeting spleen tyrosine kinase.

Flavanomarein (FM) is a major natural compound of Coreopsis tinctoria Nutt with protective effects against diabetic nephropathy (DN). In this study, we investigated the effects of FM on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in high glucose (HG)-stimulated human proximal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2) and the underlying mechanisms, including both direct targets and downstream signal-related proteins. The influence of FM on EMT marker proteins was evaluated via western blot.

An Effective Encoder-Decoder Network for Neural Cell Bodies and Cell Nucleus Segmentation of EM Images.

Neural systems are complicated networks connected by a large number of neurons through gap junctions and synapse. At present, for electron microscopy connectomics research, neuron structure recognition algorithms mostly focus on synapses, dendrites, axons and mitochondria, etc. However, effective methods for automatic recognition of neuronal cell bodies are rare.

Automatic Classification for the Type of Multiple Synapse Based on Deep Learning.

Recent studies have shown that the synaptic plasticity induced by development and learning can promote the formation of multiple synapse. With the rapid development of electron microscopy (EM) technology, we can closely observe the multiple synapse structure with high resolution. Although the multiple synapse has been widely researched by recent researchers, the classification accuracy for the type of multiple synapse has not been documented.

Characterization of the intestinal graft in a swine hypotensive after brain death model.

Purpose: To establish a hypotensive brain death pig model and observe the effects of hypotension on small bowel donors.

Methods: The hypotensive brain death model was produced using the modified intracranial water sac inflation method in ten domestic crossbred pigs. Effects of hypotensive brain death on small bowel tissue morphology were evaluated through changes in intestinal tissue pathology, tight junction protein of the intestinal mucosa and plasma intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (i-FABP) levels.

Fecal microbiota transplantation improves metabolism and gut microbiome composition in db/db mice.

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has become an effective strategy to treat metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We previously reported that the intestinal microbiome had significant difference between individuals with normal glucose tolerance and T2DM in Chinese Kazak ethnic group. In this study, we investigated the effects of transplanted fecal bacteria from Kazaks with normal glucose tolerance (KNGT) in db/db mice.

Evaluation of cardiac synchrony in left bundle branch pacing: Insights from echocardiographic research.

Aim: The aim of this study is to assess if left bundle branch pacing (LBBP) can preserve physiological cardiac synchrony and deliver favorable hemodynamic effects.

Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing dual chamber pacemaker implantation for sick sinus syndrome (SSS) and a normal cardiac function with a narrow QRS complex were recruited for the study. Electrocardiogram and echocardiographic examinations were performed during ventricular pacing-on and native-conduction modes.

Effect of the Age at Menarche and Menopause Status Interaction on Type 2 Diabetes: The Henan Rural Cohort Study.

Purpose: The aims of this study were to evaluate the effect of age at menarche (AM) on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and to assess whether the fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index responses to AM and menopause status interact in Chinese rural adults.

Methods: A cross-sectional, population-based study including 23 138 participants was performed. Logistic regression and multivariable linear regression were performed to investigate the relationship between AM and glucose status.

Enhanced Antitumor Efficacy and Imaging Application of Photosensitizer-Formulated Paclitaxel.

Paclitaxel (PTX) is a widely used anticancer drug that works by inhibiting microtubule disassembly. PTX safety was greatly enhanced by embedding it with human albumin. Here, we study the synergistic effects of PTX with photodynamic therapy (PDT) both in vitro and in vivo by constructing photosensitizer-PTX nanotheranostics (PPNTs).

The truncated E protein of DTMUV provide protection in young ducks.

Duck Tembusu virus (DTMUV) is a major pathogen of duck industry in China. In the current study, we generated different constructs containing envelope (E) protein, pre-membrane-envelope (prM-E) protein, and C-terminally truncated E protein of the DTMUV. The constructed proteins could induce specific antibody responses in young ducks.

Associations of SRD5A1 gene variants and testosterone with dysglycemia: Henan Rural Cohort study.

Background And Aim: Multiple studies support a complex relationship between testosterone and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and the transformation of testosterone is affected by several reductases. Thus, we aimed to explore the associations of steroid-5α-reductase type 1 (SRD5A1) gene polymorphism with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and T2DM and the interactive effects of testosterone and genotypes on glycometabolism.

Methods And Results: A case-control study including 2365 participants was performed.

Temperature Responsive Shape-Memory Scaffolds with Circumferentially Aligned Nanofibers for Guiding Smooth Muscle Cell Behavior.

Structural simulation of the smooth muscle layer plays an important role in tissue engineering of blood vessels for the replacement of damaged arteries. However, it is difficult to construct small-diameter tubular scaffolds to homogenously locate and align smooth muscle cells (SMCs). In this work, novel temperature responsive shape-memory scaffolds are designed for SMC culturing.

Grain boundary decohesion by nanoclustering Ni and Cr separately in CrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloys.

The loss of ductility with temperature has been widely observed in tensile tests of single-phase face-centered cubic structured high-entropy alloys (HEAs). However, the fundamental mechanism for such a ductility loss remains unknown. Here, we show that ductility loss in the CrMnFeCoNi HEA upon deformation at intermediate temperatures is correlated with cracking at grain boundaries (GBs).

[Effect of Serum Free Light Chain on Renal Function and Prognosis in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma].

Objective: To analyze the effect of serum free light chain (sFLC) on renal function and prognosis in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM).

Methods: The clinical data of 70 newly diagnosed MM patients who received sFLC examination in Fujian Medical University Union Hospital were retrospectively analyzed from April 2012 to November 2016. Univariate analysis was used to analyze the risk factors that associated with renal impairment (RI) and prognosis.

Synthesis of novel technetium-99m tricarbonyl-HBED-CC complexes and structural prediction in solution by density functional theory calculation.

HBED-CC (-bis[2-hydroxy-5-(carboxyethyl)benzyl]ethylene diamine--diacetic acid, ) is a common bifunctional chelating agent in preparation of Ga-radiopharmaceuticals. Due to its high stability constant for the Ga complex (logK = 38.5) and its acyclic structure, it is well known for a rapid and efficient radiolabelling at ambient temperature with Gallium-68 and its high stability.

Colorimetric film based on polyvinyl alcohol/okra mucilage polysaccharide incorporated with rose anthocyanins for shrimp freshness monitoring.

In this work, a colorimetric film was designed for shrimp freshness monitoring by incorporating rose anthocyanins (RAs) in polyvinyl alcohol/okra mucilage polysaccharide (PVA/OMP) composite film. The presence of OMP changed the film-forming solution from Newtonian to non-Newtonian fluid. The addition of OMP and RAs decreased the crystalline of PVA due to the hydrogen bonds among RAs, OMP and PVA.

Monoclonal immunoglobulin mediates complement activation in monoclonal gammopathy associated-C3 glomerulonephritis.

Background: C3 glomerulonephritis (C3GN) is a rare disease caused by inherited or acquired complement alternative pathway (CAP) dysregulation, which could also be secondary to monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). Herein, we described a patient presenting with C3GN and monoclonal gammopathy, and the pathogenic association between the two diseases was further explored in vitro.

Case Presentation: A 76-year-old Chinese man presented with low serum C3 level, haematuria and nephrotic syndrome, and experienced rapid worsening of renal function over a period of 10 months.