The impacts of dietary sphingomyelin supplementation on metabolic parameters of healthy adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Studies have shown that sphingomyelin (SM) and its metabolites play signaling roles in the regulation of human health. Endogenous SM is involved in metabolic syndrome (MetS), while dietary SM supplementation may maintain lipid metabolism and prevent or alleviate MetS. Therefore, we hypothesized that dietary SM supplementation is beneficial for human health.

Wrist-ankle acupuncture combined with pain nursing for the treatment of urinary calculi with acute pain.

Background: Urological calculi often cause renal colic, which is characterized by paroxysmal or persistent severe pain in the upper abdomen or lumbar region. Development of methods to quickly relieve these pain symptoms has garnered clinical attention. Wrist-ankle acupuncture is a type of floating acupuncture therapy administered at selected points in the carpal and ankle areas, and it has good pain-relieving effects.

LncRNA NIPA1-SO confers atherosclerotic protection by suppressing the transmembrane protein NIPA1.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as important players in gene regulation and cardiovascular diseases. However, the roles of lncRNAs in atherosclerosis are poorly understood. In the present study, we found that the levels of NIPA1-SO were decreased while those of NIPA1 were increased in human atherosclerotic plaques.

Status of maternal serum B vitamins and pregnancy outcomes: New insights from fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) treatment.

The influence of B vitamins on human fertility and infertility treatments remains elusive. Therefore, this study investigated the association of most B vitamins with IVF-ET outcomes. A total of 216 subjects aged <35 year in their first oocyte retrieval cycle were recruited.

Suspicious symptom monitoring for leprosy: an optimal practice for early detection under a low endemic situation in Zhejiang Province, China.

Background: Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease that causes disabilities and deformities. Early detection is a major strategy for leprosy control. This study reported a new practice of suspicious symptom monitoring for early detection of leprosy.

Thinning or Opening: A Randomized Sibling-Embryo Pilot Trial on the Efficacy of Two Laser-Assisted Hatching Modes During the Extended Culture of Highly Fragmented Cleavage Embryos.

A randomized sibling-embryo pilot trial investigated whether two ways of laser-assisted hatching result in different blastulation and clinical outcomes after extended culture process of highly fragmented day-3 cleavage embryos. From 92 couples, a total of 315 highly fragmented day-3 embryos (the fragmentation >25%) were recruited and randomized into laser-assisted zona thinning (LAT, n=157) and opening (LAO, n=158) groups, and then underwent a blastocyst culture . The main endpoint measurements including blastocyst formation and grading as well as the clinical pregnancy after blastocyst transfer were obtained during the treatment procedure of fertilization and embryo transfer, and then analyzed with generalized estimating equation (GEE) and/or time-to blastocyst analysis models.

EPSTI1 promotes monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells in vitro via upregulating VCAM-1 and ICAM-1 expression.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease of arterial wall, and circulating monocyte adhesion to endothelial cells is a crucial step in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Epithelial-stromal interaction 1 (EPSTI1) is a novel gene, which is dramatically induced by epithelial-stromal interaction in human breast cancer. EPSTI1 expression is not only restricted to the breast but also in other normal tissues.

The patterns of distant metastasis and prognostic factors in patients with primary metastatic Ewing sarcoma of the bone.

Background: Ewing sarcoma (ES) of bone is accounting for the second most common type of primary bone cancer in children and adolescents. However, the patterns of distant metastasis (DM) and the effect of the sites of DM on survival outcomes were not investigated.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the patterns of DM and the prognostic factors related to outcomes in primary metastatic ES of the bone.

Parthenolide Augments the Chemosensitivity of Non-small-Cell Lung Cancer to Cisplatin the PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway.

The mortality rate of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains high worldwide. Although cisplatin-based chemotherapy may greatly enhance patient prognosis, chemotherapy resistance remains an obstacle to curing patients with NSCLC. Therefore, overcoming drug resistance is the main route to successful treatment, and combinatorial strategies may have considerable clinical value in this effort.

Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Genes Predisposing to Leprosy in Leprosy Household Contacts in Zhejiang Province, China.

Purpose: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified multiple genetic variants associated with leprosy. To investigate the single and combined associations between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the development of leprosy, we therefore performed generalized multi-analytical (GMDR) analysis in Chinese leprosy household contacts and constructed a risk prediction model.

Patients And Methods: This case-control study included 229 leprosy cases and 233 healthy household contacts in Zhejiang province, China.

TM4SF19 aggravates LPS-induced attenuation of vascular endothelial cell adherens junctions by suppressing VE-cadherin expression.

Atherosclerosis is a chronic vascular inflammatory disease that initially starts from an arterial intima lesion and endothelial barrier dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of TM4SF19, a recently identified member of the transmembrane 4L six superfamily, in vascular endothelial cell adherens junctions. We found TM4SF19 expression was significantly increased in atherosclerotic plaques and sera of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) compared with healthy people by immunohistochemistry and ELISA.

MLKL Aggravates Ox-LDL-Induced Cell Pyroptosis via Activation of NLRP3 Inflammasome in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells.

Atherosclerosis is a progressive chronic inflammation in the arterial walls. It is believed that the deposition of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and its damage to endothelial cells play a vital role in atherosclerosis. Oxidized LDL (Ox-LDL) was confirmed to induce endothelial cell pyroptosis which plays an important role in intima inflammation and the development of atherosclerosis, but the underlying molecular mechanism needs to be explored.

Lipopolysaccharide Promotes Inflammatory Response via Enhancing IFIT1 Expression in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells.

Atherosclerosis is an immune inflammatory disease and a major cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. It is generally considered that a number of potent proinflammatory cytokines have a great influence on its pathogenesis, including IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and NF-κB. A growing amount of empirical evidence indicates that the mechanism of cardiac dysfunction caused by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is the activation of inflammation, but the exact mechanism in atherosclerosis is still unclear.

Atorvastatin inhibits pyroptosis through the lncRNA NEXN-AS1/NEXN pathway in human vascular endothelial cells.

Background And Aims: Many clinical trials have demonstrated that statins convey protective effects against atherosclerosis independent of cholesterol-lowering capacities. Other evidence indicates that pyroptosis, a type of programmed cell death, is likely involved in atherosclerosis, but the effects and mechanisms of statins on pyroptosis must be further revealed.

Methods: Here, we explored the effects and mechanisms of atorvastatin on pyroptosis in human vascular endothelial cells by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses.

Comparative studies on the surface/interface properties and aggregation behavior of mono-rhamnolipid and di-rhamnolipid.

The surface properties of mono-rhamnolipid (Rha-C10-C10, R1) and di-rhamnolipid (Rha-Rha-C10-C10, R2) were investigated after separation and purification. The effects of environmental factors on equilibrium surface tension of these surfactants were studied by changing the temperature, salinity, and pH. Results show that R1 possesses a better surface activity than R2, but both are stable at low pH values and high temperature.

Damage Detection of Asphalt Concrete Using Piezo-Ultrasonic Wave Technology.

Asphalt concrete has been widely used in road engineering as a surface material. Meanwhile, ultrasonic testing technology has also been developed rapidly. Aiming to evaluate the feasibility of the ultrasonic wave method, the present work reports a laboratory investigation on damage detection of asphalt concrete using piezo-ultrasonic wave technology.

Long noncoding RNA NEXN-AS1 mitigates atherosclerosis by regulating the actin-binding protein NEXN.

Noncoding RNAs are emerging as important players in gene regulation and disease pathogeneses. Here, we show that a previously uncharacterized long noncoding RNA, nexilin F-actin binding protein antisense RNA 1 (NEXN-AS1), modulates the expression of the actin-binding protein NEXN and that NEXN exerts a protective role against atherosclerosis. An expression microarray analysis showed that the expression of both NEXN-AS1 and NEXN was reduced in human atherosclerotic plaques.

Description of two new species in long-horned crane fly subgenus Tipula (Sivatipula) (Diptera: Tipulidae) from China.

Two new species of subgenus Tipula (Sivatipula) Alexander, 1964, T. (S.) multidentata sp.

Irreversible electroporation-mediated shRNA knockdown of the HPV18 E6 gene suppresses cervical cancer growth and .

Irreversible electroporation (IRE) is a physical, non-thermal cancer therapy, which leads to cell death via permanent membrane permeability. This differs from reversible electroporation (RE), which is used to transfer macromolecules into target cells via transient membrane permeability. Given the electrical impedance of the electric field, RE co-exists outside the central zone of IRE ablation.

Ginsenoside Rh2 and Rg3 inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis by increasing mitochondrial reactive oxygen species in human leukemia Jurkat cells.

Ginsenoside Rh2 (GRh2) and ginsenoside Rg3 (GRg3) are primary bioactive components in Panax ginseng. The present study aimed to investigate the underlying mechanisms of apoptotic cell‑death induced by GRh2 and GRg3 in human leukemia Jurkat cells. The Cell Counting kit‑8 assay was used to determine cell proliferation.

Cortex Dictamni extract induces apoptosis of activated hepatic stellate cells via STAT1 and attenuates liver fibrosis in mice.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: In traditional Chinese medicines, Cortex Dictamni is prescribed for the treatment of a variety of inflammatory diseases such as acute rheumatoid arthritis, skin inflammation and jaundice.

Aim Of The Study: This study was designed to investigate the effect of ethanol extract of Cortex Dictamni on treatment of hepatic fibrosis and its possible mechanisms.

Materials And Methods: The in vivo effect of Cortex Dictamni extract (CDE) was evaluated by measuring histological changes and collagen content in CCl(4)-indcued hepatic fibrosis mice.