Imaging characterization of myocardial function, fibrosis, and perfusion in a nonhuman primate model with heart failure-like features.

Introduction: The availability of a human-like chronic heart failure (HF) animal model was critical for affiliating development of novel therapeutic drug treatments. With the close physiology relatedness to humans, the non-human primate (NHP) HF model would be valuable to better understand the pathophysiology and pharmacology of HF. The purpose of this work was to present preliminary cardiac image findings using echocardiography and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) in a HF-like cynomolgus macaque model.

[Risk Factors for Sepsis Associated-Acute Kidney Injury in Intensive Care Unit Patients].

Objective: To explore the risk factors of acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients with sepsis in intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: The medical records of patients diagnosed with sepsis in ICU of West China Hospital of Sichuan University from March 2009 to June 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. Differences between AKI group and Non-AKI group in general data, background disease, ICU entry and exit dates, complications, laboratory data and other related data were analyzed through univariate and multivariate statistical methods.

Liver extracellular volume fraction values obtained with magnetic resonance imaging can quantitatively stage liver fibrosis: a validation study in monkeys with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Objectives: This study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of liver extracellular volume (LECV) for the staging of liver fibrosis in a cynomolgus monkey model of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).

Methods: Forty-eight cynomolgus monkeys were enrolled in this prospective study. There are 17 healthy monkeys and 31 monkeys with NASH.

In Vivo Confocal Microscopic Study of Hard Contact Lens-Induced Lipid Keratopathy Secondary to Corneal Neovascularization in a Rabbit Hypercholesterolemic Model.

Objectives: In vivo confocal microscopy was used to observe the morphological presentations and anatomical correlations between corneal neovascularization (NV) and intracorneal lipid deposition in a rabbit model of contact lens (CL)-induced lipid keratopathy secondary to corneal NV.

Methods: Rabbits were divided into 3 groups: (1) 8-week normal diet, (2) 8-week high-cholesterol diet, and (3) 4-week normal diet followed by 4-week high-cholesterol diet. Corneal NV was induced by closed-eye CL.

Neurons Differentiated from Transplanted Stem Cells Respond Functionally to Acoustic Stimuli in the Awake Monkey Brain.

Here, we examine whether neurons differentiated from transplanted stem cells can integrate into the host neural network and function in awake animals, a goal of transplanted stem cell therapy in the brain. We have developed a technique in which a small "hole" is created in the inferior colliculus (IC) of rhesus monkeys, then stem cells are transplanted in situ to allow for investigation of their integration into the auditory neural network. We found that some transplanted cells differentiated into mature neurons and formed synaptic input/output connections with the host neurons.

Inhibition to DRP1 translocation can mitigate p38 MAPK-signaling pathway activation in GMC induced by hyperglycemia.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is a serious complication of diabetes with a poorly defined etiology and limited treatment options. Early intervention is a key to preventing the progression of DN. Dynamin-related protein 1 (DRP1) regulates mitochondrial morphology by promoting its fission and is involved in the pathogenesis of numerous diseases.

Novel risk score of contrast-induced nephropathy after percutaneous coronary intervention.

Aim: Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a major cause of acute kidney injury. In this study, we established a comprehensive risk score model to assess risk of CIN after PCI procedure, which could be easily used in a clinical environment.

Methods: A total of 805 PCI patients, divided into analysis cohort (70%) and validation cohort (30%), were enrolled retrospectively in this study.

Clinicopathological and outcome analysis of adult lupus nephritis patients in China.

Background: The objective of this study was to assess clinicopathological characteristics and outcomes of lupus nephritis adult patients in China.

Methods: Clinicopathological features, treatment strategies, responses and outcome of 681 adult patients with biopsy-proved lupus nephritis were retrospectively analyzed.

Results: Six hundred and eighty-one LN patients were included and followed up for 52.

Efficacy and safety of alcohol sclerotherapy involving single-session multiple injections to treat simple renal cysts: a multicenter, prospective, randomized, controlled trial.

Background: Alcohol has been used for treating simple renal cysts since 1981. Since then, various observational studies have examined the technique, but they differ significantly in the details of the procedures and efficacy measures used. This has made it difficult to assess the safety and efficacy of this technique.

[Antibacterial activity determination of six kinds of natural herbs in yunnan on normal oral predominant].

Objective: To determine the antibacterial activity of six kinds of natural herbs in Yunnan on normal oral predominant bacteria in vitro.

Methods: Agar dilution method, the antimicrobial susceptibility testing of anaerobes which was recommended by National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standard (NCCLs), was used to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility of herbs to 21 kinds of oral model strains and clinical isolates. The results were expressed by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC).

[Expression of adhension molecule CD146 in renal tubular epithelial cells and its clinical significance in IgA nephropathy].

Objective: To detect the expression of adhension molecule CD146 in renal tubular epithelial cells and its clinical significance in IgA nephropathy.

Methods: The expression level of CD146 was measured by immunochemistry method in serial sections of 44 specimens from the patients with biopsy-proven IgA nephropathy. The relationship between CD146 expression and clinicopathological changes was analyzed.

Neuroaxonal ion dyshomeostasis of the normal-appearing corpus callosum in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Atrophy of the corpus callosum (CC) is a well-documented observation in clinically definite multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. One recent hypothesis for the neurodegeneration that occurs in MS is that ion dyshomeostasis leads to neuroaxonal damage. To examine whether ion dyshomeostasis occurs in the CC during MS onset, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) was utilized as an animal MS model to induce autoimmunity-mediated responses.

Neuronal dysfunction of a long projecting multisynaptic pathway in response to methamphetamine using manganese-enhanced MRI.

Rationale: Manganese (Mn2+)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI) is an emerging in vivo MR approach for pharmacological research. One new application of MEMRI in this area is to characterize functional changes of a specific neural circuit that is essential to the central effects of a drug challenge.

Objectives: To develop and validate such use of MEMRI in neuropharmacology, the current study applied MEMRI to visualize functional changes within a multisynaptic pathway originating from fasciculus retroflexus (FR) that is central to a commonly abused psychostimulant, methamphetamine (MA).

[The characterization of scaffold made of N,O-carboxymethyl chitosan and tricalcium phosphate].

Purpose: To study the mechanical and chemical characterization of scaffold made of N,O-carboxymethyl chitosan (N,O-CMCS) and tricalcium phosphate(TCP) with various weight ratios.

Methods: Three composites of N,O-CMCS/TCP with weight ratios of 2:1,1:1 and 1:2 were mixed using the same volume of distilled water. The characteristic bands, morphologic structure, compressive strength and Young modulus of the composites were analyzed by infrared spectroscopy (IR),scanning electron microscopy(SEM) and universal testing machine respectively.

[Effect of high glucose on the expression of fibronectin and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 in human peritoneal mesothelial cells].

Objective: To evaluate the effect of high glucose on the expression of fibronectin (FN) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMC).

Methods: The cultured HPMC were exposed to the culture medium containing different concentrations of glucose (1.5%, 2.

[Effects of hepatocyte growth factor on TGF-beta1 triggered tubular epithelial-myofibroblast transdifferentiation by CTGF in vitro].

Objective: To observe the effects of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on TGF-beta1 triggered tubular epithelial-myofibroblast transdifferentiation (TEMT) and on the expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF).

Methods: The morphology of transdifferentiate tubular cells was observed using phase-contrast microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. alpha-SMA was assessed by immunohistochemistry and semiquantified by mean intergrated opitical density (IOD).

[Clinical and pathological analyses of lipoprotein glomerulopathy].

Objective: To investigate the clinical and pathological characteristics of lipoprotein glomerulopathy.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 3 cases of lipoprotein glomerulopathy.

Results: The 3 patients, 1 male and 2 females, were young Hans.