Skeletal muscle alterations indicate poor prognosis in cirrhotic patients: a multicenter cohort study in China.

Introduction: We aimed to determine the diagnostic criteria of myosteatosis in a Chinese population and investigate the effect of skeletal muscle abnormalities on the outcomes of cirrhotic patients.

Methods: Totally 911 volunteers were recruited to determine the diagnostic criteria and impact factors of myosteatosis, and 480 cirrhotic patients were enrolled to verify the value of muscle alterations for prognosis prediction and establish new noninvasive prognostic strategies.

Results: Multivariate analysis showed age, sex, weight, waist circumference, and biceps circumference had a remarkable influence on the L3 skeletal muscle density (L3-SMD).

Sarcopenia as a prognostic predictor of liver cirrhosis: a multicentre study in China.

Background: Diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia have not been established in Chinese. This study established criteria based on the L3-skeletal muscle index (L3-SMI) and assessed its value for outcomes predicting in cirrhotic Chinese patients.

Methods: Totally 911 subjects who underwent a CT scan at two centres were enrolled in Cohort 1 (394 male and 417 female subjects, aged 20-80 years).

Glucose-responsive hydrogel enhances the preventive effect of insulin and liraglutide on diabetic nephropathy of rats.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most serious complications of diabetes mellitus. The combination of insulin (Ins) with liraglutide (Lir) has a greater potential for preventing DN than monotherapy. However, the renal protective effect of the combined Ins/Lir therapy is largely compromised due to their short half-lives after subcutaneous injection.

Bone-Inspired Tube Filling Decellularized Matrix of Toad Cartilage Provided an Osteoinductive Microenvironment for Mesenchymal Stem Cells to Facilitate the Radius Defect Repair of Rabbit.

Toad bone not only contains the rich cartilage-like matrix but also presents low immunogenicity. It is inferred that decellularized toad bone matrix (dBECM) may provide the more profitable osteoinductive microenvironment for mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to promote the repair of bone defects. Herein, a hollow bone-inspired tube is first made from hydroxyapatite (HA) and poly (γ-glutamic acid) (PGA), and then MSCs/dBECM hydrogel is uniformly filled to its central cavity, constructing a biomimetic bone (dBECM + MSCs - PGA + HA).

Aloe/poloxamer hydrogel as an injectable β-estradiol delivery scaffold with multi-therapeutic effects to promote endometrial regeneration for intrauterine adhesion treatment.

Intrauterine adhesion (IUA) is characterized by endometrial stromal replaced with fibrous tissue during the trauma or operation induced injury. Current clinic IUA management mainly involves surgical removal of the connective tissues and physical separation and often results in reoccurrence. It is of clinic interest to directly address the issue via facilitating the endometrial repair and thereby inhibiting the formation of re-adhesion.

Exploring Dual-Substrate Cultivation Strategy of 1,3-Propanediol Production Using Klebsiella pneumoniae.

1,3-Propanediol (1,3-PDO) has numerous industrial applications in the synthesis of the monomer of the widely used fiber polytrimethylene terephthalate. In this work, the production of 1,3-PDO by Klebsiella pneumoniae is increased by dual-substrate cultivation and fed-batch fermentation. Experimental results indicate that the production of 1,3-PDO can be elevated to 16.

Exploiting crosslinked decellularized matrix to achieve uterus regeneration and construction.

Decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM) has been considered as a promising scaffold in xenotransplantation, yet natural tissue dECM is often mechanically weak and rapidly degraded, compromising the outcomes. How to restore the mechanical strength and optimise the degradation, but maintain the microstructure and maximumly suppress the immune rejection, remains challenging. For this aim, we prepared and characterised various crosslinked decellularized rabbit uterus matrix (dUECM) and evaluated performance after uterus xenotransplantation from rabbit to rat.

Cross-linked nanoparticles of silk fibroin with proanthocyanidins as a promising vehicle of indocyanine green for photo-thermal therapy of glioma.

Instability of silk fibroin nanoparticles (SFNPs) in physiologic condition hinders its application as drug delivery vehicle. Herein, indocyanine green (ICG) loaded silk fibroin nanoparticles (ICG-SFNPs) was firstly prepared and then crosslinked by proanthocyanidins to obtain the stable ICG-CSFNPs for killing the residual tumour niche under near infra-red irradiation (NIR) after surgery. The particle size and zeta potentials of ICG-CSFNPs was 120.

GPX7 promotes the growth of human papillary thyroid carcinoma via enhancement of cell proliferation and inhibition of cell apoptosis.

Background: Abnormal expression of glutathione peroxidase 7 (GPX7) has been linked to the occurrence and development of a variety of tumors. However, the role of GPX7 in the progression of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) has not been elucidated. This study investigated the role of GPX7 in the progression of PTC.

Ectoine production with indigenous sp. MAR2 isolated from the marine environment.

Ectoine has fostered the development of products for skin care and cosmetics. In this study, we employed the marine bacterial strain sp. MAR2 to increase ectoine production by optimizing medium constituents using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and a fed-batch strategy.

Enhancing production of lutein by a mixotrophic cultivation system using microalga Scenedesmus obliquus CWL-1.

This work studies a series of strategies in the production of lutein by Scenedesmus obliquus CWL-1 under mixotrophic cultivation. Our experimental results revealed that the optimal conditions associated with light-related strategies were 12 h light period followed by a 12 h dark period and blue to red light under mixotrophic cultivation. Under such conditions, the biomass, lutein content and lutein productivity were maximized to 9.

Bilirubin Improves the Quality and Function of Hypothermic Preserved Islets by Its Antioxidative and Anti-inflammatory Effect.

Background: Islet transplantation is a promising option for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. However, the current lack of practical techniques for the isolated islets preservation still hampers the advancement of life-saving islet transplantation. Islet suffers from internal or external stimuli-induced oxidative stress and subsequent inflammation during preservation, which leads to disappointing outcomes regarding islet yield, survival, and function.

Thiolated γ-polyglutamic acid as a bioadhesive hydrogel-forming material: evaluation of gelation, bioadhesive properties and sustained release of KGF in the repair of injured corneas.

Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) has a good therapeutic effect on injured corneas. However, due to the washout of tears and blinking, locally administrated KGF usually has a short residence time on the surface of an injured cornea, resulting in its poor bioavailability. Herein, a bioadhesive hydrogel is described produced using cysteine-modified γ-polyglutamic acid (PGA-Cys) as the hydrogel-forming material to locally deliver KGF.

Exploring useful fermentation strategies for the production of hydroxyectoine with a halophilic strain, Halomonas salina BCRC 17875.

Hydroxyectoine, an ectoine derivative, is the most common compatible solute in halophilic microorganisms for resisting harsh environments. Compatible solutes can be utilized in fields such as cosmetics, medicine, and biochemistry. Moderately halophilic microorganisms produce much less hydroxyectoine as compared with ectoine.

The pattern-recognition molecule mindin binds integrin Mac-1 to promote macrophage phagocytosis via Syk activation and NF-κB p65 translocation.

Mindin has a broad spectrum of roles in the innate immune system, including in macrophage migration, antigen phagocytosis and cytokine production. Mindin functions as a pattern-recognition molecule for microbial pathogens. However, the underlying mechanisms of mindin-mediated phagocytosis and its exact membrane receptors are not well established.

MMP-1 is overexpressed in triple-negative breast cancer tissues and the knockdown of MMP-1 expression inhibits tumor cell malignant behaviors .

Matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP-1) is a member of the zinc-dependent endopeptidase family, which cleaves the extracellular matrix. The present study investigated the functional role of MMP-1 in breast cancer and in order to determine the underlying molecular mechanisms. The levels of MMP-1 were analyzed in 99 breast cancer specimens using immunohistochemistry and western blotting.

Liraglutide ameliorates beta-cell function, alleviates oxidative stress and inhibits low grade inflammation in young patients with new-onset type 2 diabetes.

Background: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes in youth is escalating rapidly. We aimed to evaluate the effects of liraglutide on beta-cell function, metabolic productions of oxidative stress, low grade inflammation compared with metformin in young patients with recent onset type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: Sixty patients were randomly assigned to receive 8-week liraglutide or metformin treatment.

Construction and co-cultivation of two mutant strains harboring key precursor genes to produce prodigiosin.

The biosynthesis of prodigiosin (PG) from Serratia marcescens involves the coupling of a bipyrrole, 4-methoxy-2,2'-bipyrrole-5-carboxaldehyde (MBC), with a monopyrrole, 2-methyl-3-n-amyl-pyrrole (MAP), and formation of a linear tripyrrole (PG). We constructed mutant strains in which either the MBC biosynthesis by S. marcescens BMJ816 or the MAP biosynthesis by S.

Skin-permeable liposome improved stability and permeability of bFGF against skin of mice with deep second degree scald to promote hair follicle neogenesis through inhibition of scar formation.

Excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) usually resulted in scar formation during wound healing, which caused skin dysfunction, such as hair loss. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was very helpful for promoting hair follicle neogenesis and regulating the remodeling of ECM during wound healing. Because of its poor stability in wound fluids and low permeability against the dense wound scar, the repairing quality of bFGF on wound was hindered largely in clinical practice.

Liraglutide suppresses non-esterified free fatty acids and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 compared with metformin in patients with recent-onset type 2 diabetes.

Background: It has been suggested that liraglutide could have an impact on glucose and lipid metabolism disorder and adhesion molecule activation, which may play important roles in the vascular damage of diabetes. In this study, we examined the effects of liraglutide versus metformin on non-esterified free fatty acids, beta-cell insulin secretion, and adhesion molecule levels in patients with recent-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: In this study, 60 patients newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (mean age 33.

CoQ10-loaded liposomes combined with UTMD prevented early nephropathy of diabetic rats.

Nephropathy is one of the most severe complications of diabetic patients. The therapeutic strategies for diabetic patients should not only focus on the control of blood glucose but also pay attention to the occurrence of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) has great therapeutic potential for DN.

Production and characterization of ectoine using a moderately halophilic strain Halomonas salina BCRC17875.

This study attempted to utilize Halomonas salina BCRC17875 to produce ectoine by optimizing the agitation speed and medium composition. In addition, the chemical structure of ectoine produced by H. salina BCRC17875 was determined.

[Association of heart valve calcification with cardiovascular outcomes in patients on maintenance hemodialysis].

Objective: To investigate the impact of heart valve calcification (HVC) on cardiovascular outcomes in patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD).

Methods: We enrolled 302 Chinese patients on MHD between 2009 and 2011 including 99 with HVC identified by echocardiography screening. All the patients were followed up for 2 years and survival analysis was performed with all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality and new onset cardiovascular events as the endpoints.

Dragon (RGMb) induces oxaliplatin resistance in colon cancer cells.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers and a major cause of cancer mortality. Chemotherapy resistance remains a major challenge for treating advanced CRC. Therefore, the identification of targets that induce drug resistance is a priority for the development of novel agents to overcome resistance.