Publications by authors named "Lifang Shao"
Article Synopsis
- Traditional methods for diagnosing onychomycosis are slow, less sensitive, and dependent on lab personnel skills.
- The new RPA-LFD molecular assay provides a fast, easy-to-use, and reliable way to detect common nail fungi, showing high sensitivity (91.0% for tinea unguium) and specificity (95.7%).
- This assay could be a better alternative to traditional fungal cultures because it offers quicker results and is technically simpler to perform.
Article Synopsis
- This study investigates factors leading to adverse reactions in HIV/AIDS patients using central venous catheters (CVCs) to improve care and outcomes.
- A systematic review of recent randomized controlled trials from 2010 to 2023 was performed, analyzing data on opportunistic infections, venous inflammation, and thrombosis associated with CVCs.
- Results showed that CVC usage was linked to lower rates of opportunistic infections and venous inflammation, but did not significantly affect venous thrombosis, highlighting the need for further research due to biases and variability in existing studies.
Article Synopsis
- Fracture liaison services (FLS) have shown potential benefits for hip fracture patients but their effectiveness needed further evaluation.
- A systematic review and meta-analysis of 12 randomized controlled trials with 2,136 patients indicated that FLS improves hip function, medication adherence, reduces weakness, and lowers the rate of recurrent fractures.
- The results suggest that implementing FLS management can significantly enhance recovery and overall outcomes for patients suffering from hip fractures.
Fat necrosis of liver in a patient with mixed type liver cirrhosis.
Hepatobiliary Pancreat Dis Int
October 2024
Protection Effect of Elbow Joint Airbag on Patients with Upper Limb Fractures: A Quasi-Randomized Controlled Trial.
Altern Ther Health Med
October 2023
Article Synopsis
- This study investigates the effectiveness of a new elbow joint airbag protection device in treating patients with upper arm fractures, aiming to address delayed wound healing caused by swelling.
- Participants included 70 hospitalized patients with unilateral upper arm fractures, divided into an experimental group (airbag device) and a control group (traditional methods) to compare results.
- Results show that the experimental group experienced significantly reduced waiting time for surgery, lower resting pain scores, and higher comfort levels, indicating the potential benefits of the airbag device in orthopedic care.
Lymphoepithelioma-like Carcinoma of the Stomach: A Case Successfully Treated with Chemotherapy.
J Coll Physicians Surg Pak
December 2022
Article Synopsis
- Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma of the stomach is a rare type of gastric cancer characterized by undifferentiated carcinoma and significant lymphoid infiltration, predominantly affecting men and often found in the upper stomach.
- Generally, this cancer shows fewer lymph node metastases and a better prognosis compared to other gastric cancers, but due to its rarity, there’s no standardized treatment protocol.
- A case study highlights successful treatment with a chemotherapy regimen that included two cycles of tegafur, gimeracil, oteracil, and oxaliplatin.
Article Synopsis
- The PDGF/PDGFR pathway is linked to atherosclerosis, but the exact mechanisms, particularly involving the protein Pim-1, are still unclear.
- Researchers created a cell model to study the effects of PDGF-BB on smooth muscle cells, finding that it enhances cell migration through the regulation of Pim-1 by miR-214.
- Their results indicate that targeting the PDGF/miR-214/Pim-1 axis could offer new therapeutic strategies for coronary atherosclerotic heart disease.
Article Synopsis
- The study explored the relationship between gut microbiota and Alzheimer's disease (AD), finding significant differences in microbial metabolites between individuals with pre-onset mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), AD, and healthy controls.
- Identified metabolites included tryptophan metabolites and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), with levels correlating to cognitive impairment and worsening from aMCI to AD.
- Key findings suggest that specific metabolites, like indole-3-pyruvic acid and certain SCFAs, could serve as potential biomarkers for AD progression and indicate that targeting gut microbiota may help in AD prevention.
Article Synopsis
- A meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the link between the EGF gene +61A/G polymorphism and the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), revealing inconsistent prior findings.
- The analysis included 16 studies with a total of 2,475 HCC cases and 5,381 controls, demonstrating a significant association between the polymorphism and increased risk of HCC across various genetic models.
- The study highlighted a particularly strong association in Asian, European, and African populations, suggesting the need for additional research to further validate these findings.
Article Synopsis
- The study compared two surgical techniques for treating thoracolumbar fractures: single-segment pedicle screw fixation and double-segment fixation.
- Results showed that both methods had similar operative times and neurological recovery, but the single-segment approach resulted in less blood loss and quicker recovery from lumbar and back pain.
- Follow-up indicated no significant complications, with one case of fixation breakage in the control group and overall better outcomes for the treatment group.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how microRNA-939 (miR-939) regulates the expression of the human inducible nitric oxide synthase (hiNOS) gene through its 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR).
- MiR-939 binding leads to posttranscriptional repression of hiNOS protein levels, but does not affect its mRNA levels, indicating a translational blockade mechanism.
- Cytokine stimulation increases miR-939 levels, suggesting a regulatory feedback loop where cytokines promote both hiNOS transcription and miR-939 expression, thereby inhibiting hiNOS translation.
Article Synopsis
- Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) is shown to inhibit the growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells (Huh7) and induces cell death without apoptosis.
- IFN-γ promotes autophagosome formation and activates the conversion of LC3 protein, which is essential for autophagy.
- The study highlights that IRF-1 plays a key role in mediating the autophagy induced by IFN-γ, and silencing either IRF-1, Beclin-1, or Atg5 reduces the effectiveness of IFN-γ in suppressing cell growth and promoting cell death.
Article Synopsis
- Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is a major risk factor for complications after liver transplantation, and the study focuses on the role of the protein B7-H1 in this context.
- Researchers used mice with B7-H1 knockout liver grafts to show that the absence of B7-H1 led to increased liver damage and inflammation in the transplanted grafts.
- The findings indicate that B7-H1 is essential for regulating immune responses during I/R injury in liver transplants, highlighting its potential as a target for improving transplant outcomes.
Article Synopsis
- The human inducible nitric oxide synthase (hiNOS) gene is regulated by a complex interaction of positive and negative transcription factors, with limited information available about its far-upstream region.
- The study identifies a crucial Oct-1 binding site located 10.2 kb upstream in the hiNOS promoter, which plays a significant role in regulating cytokine-induced hiNOS expression.
- Mutations or reductions in Oct-1 activity lead to decreased hiNOS promoter activity, highlighting its importance in maintaining the gene's transcriptional regulation.
Article Synopsis
- The hiNOS gene is regulated by NF-kappaB and the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway, which affects its expression in response to cytokines.
- In colon and liver cancer cells, a mixture of cytokines like TNFalpha showed varying effects on hiNOS promoter activity based on the cell type, with some cells experiencing increased activity and others showing a decrease.
- Overexpression of beta-catenin negatively impacted NF-kappaB activity and hiNOS expression, indicating an intricate relationship between these signaling pathways in inflammation-related conditions.
Transcriptional suppression of cytokine-induced iNOS gene expression by IL-13 through IRF-1/ISRE signaling.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun
October 2007
Article Synopsis
- IL-13 acts as a significant inhibitor for iNOS expression in rat hepatocytes, reducing both mRNA and protein levels in a concentration-dependent manner.
- IL-13's most effective dose for inhibiting iNOS was found to be around 5 ng/ml, with no impact on mRNA stability.
- The study highlighted that IL-13 decreases the binding activity of IRF-1 to the iNOS promoter, thereby suppressing transcriptional activation.
Article Synopsis
- Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) is crucial for dopamine production in neurons, and there's emerging evidence that traumatic brain injury (TBI) disrupts dopamine neurotransmission.
- Researchers studied the effects of controlled cortical impact (CCI) injury on TH levels in rats at different recovery times (1, 7, and 28 days).
- Results showed that TH protein levels increased bilaterally in the nigrostriatal system of injured rats at 28 days, suggesting a compensatory response in dopaminergic neurons to enhance dopamine synthesis after TBI.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how glycine conjugated chenodeoxycholic acid (GCDC), a bile acid, affects iNOS expression during liver inflammation, which is important for understanding cholestatic liver dysfunction.
- GCDC was found to significantly reduce iNOS activity by inhibiting key proteins (IkappaB and NF-kappaB) involved in its expression, suggesting a mechanism for its effects on liver inflammation.
- The results also showed that GCDC induces caspase-3 activity associated with apoptosis in liver cells, but this effect can be countered by nitric oxide (NO), indicating a complex relationship between bile salts and liver cell survival.
Article Synopsis
- The human inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) promoter is regulated by a 16 kb upstream region with cytokine-responsive elements, essential for gene expression.
- Researchers discovered a key enhancer between -5 and -6 kb that activates cytokine-inducible transcription in human lung and liver cell lines.
- Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis revealed increased binding of NF-kappaB and Stat-1alpha proteins to the enhancer following cytokine stimulation, confirming its role in enhancing iNOS transcription.
Liver I/R injury is improved by the arginase inhibitor, N(omega)-hydroxy-nor-L-arginine (nor-NOHA).
Am J Physiol Gastrointest Liver Physiol
February 2007
Article Synopsis
- Liver ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury causes significant depletion of arginine due to arginase release from damaged liver cells, which can lead to increased liver damage.
- A study investigated the effects of the arginase inhibitor N(omega)-hydroxy-nor-l-arginine (nor-NOHA) on reducing liver damage during this injury, showing that it can maintain arginine levels and enhance liver health post-surgery.
- Results indicated that nor-NOHA significantly reduced serum liver enzyme levels and preserved liver tissue integrity in a rat model of orthotopic liver transplantation, suggesting it could be a new strategy for managing liver I/R injuries.
Nitric oxide (NO.), an important mediator of inflammation, and beta-catenin, a component of the Wnt-adenomatous polyposis coli signaling pathway, contribute to the development of cancer. We have identified two T-cell factor 4 (Tcf-4)-binding elements (TBE1 and TBE2) in the promoter of human inducible NO synthase 2 (NOS2).
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- The study explores the controversial role of inducible NOS (iNOS) in liver ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and investigates whether gene therapy with iNOS can improve outcomes after liver transplantation.
- Rats undergoing liver transplantation showed better liver function and reduced liver damage when pretreated with adenovirus encoding iNOS (AdiNOS), indicated by lower enzyme levels and decreased necrosis compared to control groups.
- iNOS pretreatment improved transplant survival rates and was linked to reduced inflammation markers (ICAM-1) and neutrophil accumulation, although it did not prevent apoptosis in liver grafts.
Differential effects of TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma on gene transcription mediated by NF-kappaB-Stat1 interactions.
J Interferon Cytokine Res
November 2005
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how cytokines TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma regulate gene transcription through interactions between NF-kappaB and Stat transcription factors.
- The position and orientation of specific DNA elements (NF-kappaB-Stat cis-elements) are crucial for the effective transcription of genes when both cytokines are present, influencing their cooperative interaction.
- The findings reveal that while TNF-alpha promotes transcription in tandem with Stat1, IFN-gamma can inhibit this effect through a Stat1-dependent mechanism, highlighting the complexity of cytokine signaling in gene regulation.
Article Synopsis
- Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (I/R) can occur during liver surgeries or transplantation, with reactive oxygen species (ROS) contributing to the damage.
- Ethyl pyruvate (EP), a derivative of pyruvate, was tested for its ability to prevent liver damage by reducing ROS levels.
- In a study with Lewis rats, EP treatment significantly reduced liver damage markers, inflammation, and cell death compared to controls, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic option for liver injury.
Article Synopsis
- The human iNOS (hiNOS) gene is specifically activated in liver cells through a key DNA element known as the A-activator binding site (AABS) in its promoter region.
- Mutating this AABS significantly reduces the hiNOS promoter activity in liver cells but does not affect it in non-hepatic cells, indicating its crucial role in liver specificity.
- The transcription factor C/EBPbeta binds to the AABS, enhancing hiNOS promoter activity in liver cells and acting as a switch for cytokine-induced expression across different cell types.