Overexpression of macrophage migration inhibitory factor protects against pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy through regulating the miR-29b-3p/HBP1 axis.

Cardiac hypertrophy is an adaptive response to stressors such as high cardiac workload, which might lead to abnormal cardiac function and heart failure. Previous studies have indicated that macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) might play a protective role in cardiac hypertrophy. Here, we aimed to illustrate the mechanism of MIF in protecting against pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy.

Evaluation of combining ultrapulse CO with fractional CO laser for the treatment of atrophic scars in Asians.

Various treatment modalities have been applied to atrophic scars. Fractional CO laser treatment has attracted increasingly more attention because of its quicker recovery time and fewer side effects. However, its limitation of sculpting the edge is an urgent shortcoming.

Dynamics of the surface carbonate system in oil fields with a high concentration of wells on the northwestern South China Sea shelf.

Oil exploitation may pose adverse effects on marine ecosystems, but its impacts on surface carbonate dynamics remain unknown. In a carbonate system with low air-sea ∆pCO, such as the South China Sea (SCS), human activities may affect the pCO distribution patterns and potentially alter CO sink or source at the surface. This study investigates the surface carbonate system in two oil fields, namely the Wenchang Oil Feld and Enping Oil Feld, located on the northwestern SCS (NWSCS) shelf.

TLQP-21 facilitates diabetic wound healing by inducing angiogenesis through alleviating high glucose-induced injuries on endothelial progenitor cells.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disease with multiple complications, including diabetic cutaneous wounds, which lacks effective treating strategies and severely influences the patients' life. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are reported to participate in maintaining the normal function of blood vessels, which plays a critical role in diabetic wound healing. TLQP-21 is a VGF-derived peptide with promising therapeutic functions on DM.

The inhibition effect of caffeic acid on NOX/ROS-dependent macrophages M1-like polarization contributes to relieve the LPS-induced mice mastitis.

The mammary gland is an adipose tissue containing not only adipocytes but also epithelial, endothelial, and immune cells. Epithelial cells and macrophages, as the integral components of the immune system, are on the front line of defense against infection. Our preliminary work proved that caffeic acid (CA) can effectively inhibit the inflammatory cascade of bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMEC) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and maintain cellular integrity and viability.

Individualized Blind Techniques for Puncture of Intrathoracic and Extrathoracic Subclavian Vein: Three Simple Experience Tips.

Background: Although several procedures of subclavian venipuncture have been reported, no standard method has been established yet. The purpose of this study was to investigate some more accurate and improved blind puncture tips.

Methods: A prospective study was conducted on patients who underwent cardiac radio-frequency ablation with the blind technique of subclavian venipuncture from August 2018 to June 2022.

Caffeic acid, but not ferulic acid, inhibits macrophage pyroptosis by directly blocking gasdermin D activation.

Regulated pyroptosis is critical for pathogen elimination by inducing infected cell rupture and pro-inflammatory cytokines secretion, while overwhelmed pyroptosis contributes to organ dysfunction and pathological inflammatory response. Caffeic acid (CA) and ferulic acid (FA) are both well-known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phenolic acids, which resemble in chemical structure. Here we found that CA, but not FA, protects macrophages from both Nigericin-induced canonical and cytosolic lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced non-canonical pyroptosis and alleviates LPS-induced mice sepsis.

Detection of serum human neutrophil lipocalin is an effective biomarker for the diagnosis and monitoring of children with bacterial infection.

Background: The study aimed to investigate the diagnostic efficiency of human neutrophil lipocalin (HNL) in bacterial infections in children.

Methods: This study included 49 pediatric patients with bacterial infections, 37 patients with viral infections, 30 patients with autoimmune diseases (AID) and 41 healthy controls (HCs). HNL, procalcitonin (PCT), C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell (WBC) and neutrophil counts were detected in the initial diagnosis and the following days.

Comparisons of the effects of topical anti-scar drugs on post-surgical facial scar formation: a clinical investigation.

Objectives: Scarring is a common but intricate problem, and topical anti-scarring drugs are the most widely used treatment. However, the wide range of drugs available makes it difficult for doctors and patients to choose from because of the lack of clinical comparisons. Therefore, we conducted an observational study to compare the clinical efficacy of different topical anti-scarring drugs.

Island carrying capacity for three development types: ecological resource, agricultural production, and urban construction.

The evaluation of island carrying capacity is the premise for conducting the island spatial planning and can contributes to guiding island ecological conservation and socioeconomic developments. In this study, the island carrying capacities were evaluated for the three major development types, namely, ecological resource, agricultural production, and urban construction, based on the quantity and quality. The occupancy and vacancy rates of island carrying capacity were measured in different scenarios.

Comparison of the Performance of 24 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Antibody Assays in the Diagnosis of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients.

Background: The accurate detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the key to control Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19). The performance of different antibody detection methods for diagnosis of COVID-19 is inconclusive.

Methods: Between 16 February and 28 February 2020, 384 confirmed COVID-19 patients and 142 healthy controls were recruited.

A lung adenocarcinoma patient with co-mutations of MET and EGFR exon20 insertion responded to crizotinib.

Background: Targeted therapy has revolutionized the treatment of patients with malignancies harboring mutations in driver genes and has brought a favorable survival benefit to the population with actionable oncogenic mutations. In recent years, the MET exon14 skipping mutation has been recognized as a potentially promising therapeutic target in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). These changes are mutually exclusive with molecular drivers such as EGFR, KRAS, HER-2, BRAF, ALK and ROS1.

Zn(II) coordination polymers: therapeutic activity and nursing application values against coronary heart disease.

In the current research, two coordination polymers (CPs) have been produced solvothermally on the basis of a semi-rigid multifunctional tricarboxylate, i.e., 5-(3,4-dicarboxylphenoxy) nicotic acid (HL), and the chemical compositions of the two compounds are [Zn(HL)(HO)] and [Zn(HL)(2,2'-bpy)] (, 2,2'-bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine), respectively.

Molecular profiles and circulating tumor-DNA detected in Chinese early stage breast cancer.

Background: With the development of gene-sequencing technology, genome biomarkers, including Erb-B2 receptor tyrosine kinase 2 (ERBB2), phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha (pIK3CA), BReast CAncer gene 1 (BRCA1), and BReast CAncer gene 2 (BRCA2), and immunomarkers, including the tumor mutational burden (TMB) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), have become important in the selection of treatment.

Methods: Twenty patients with early stage breast cancer who underwent surgery were enrolled in this study. Tissue samples and paired postoperative peripheral blood samples were collected and subjected to the targeted-capture sequencing of 1,021 cancer-associated genes.

HLA-DR Expression Level in CD8 T Cells Correlates With the Severity of Children With Acute Infectious Mononucleosis.

Background: This study aimed to assess the host immune signatures associated with EBV infection and its clinical value in indicating the severity of children with acute infectious mononucleosis (IM).

Methods: Twenty-eight pediatric patients with IM aged 3-8 years were enrolled. The immune phenotypes and cytokine secretion capability of T cells were detected.

Clinical value of tumor-associated antigens and autoantibody panel combination detection in the early diagnostic of lung cancer.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the efficiency of combining tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) and autoantibodies in the diagnosis of lung cancer.

Methods: The serum levels of TAAs and seven autoantibodies (7-AABs) were detected from patients with lung cancer, benign lung disease and healthy controls. The performance of a new panel by combing TAAs and 7-AABs was evaluated for the early diagnosis of lung cancer.

MiR-17-5p downregulation alleviates apoptosis and fibrosis in high glucose-induced human mesangial cells through inactivation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling by targeting KIF23.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) remains the major cause of end-stage renal disease. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to perform biological functions in many diseases. This investigation elucidated the biological role of miR-17-5p in DN.

Effects of chitosan-collagen dressing on wound healing in vitro and in vivo assays.

The present study was designed to fabricate a new chitosan-collagen sponge (CCS) for potential wound dressing applications. CCS was fabricated by a 3.0% chitosan mixture with a 1.

The effects of elevated CO, elevated O, elevated temperature, and drought on plant leaf gas exchanges: a global meta-analysis of experimental studies.

Global change significantly influences plant leaf gas exchange, which affects the carbon-water cycle of terrestrial ecosystems. However, the magnitudes of the effects of multiple global change factors on leaf gas exchanges are currently lacking. Therefore, a global meta-analysis of 337 published articles was conducted to determine the effects of elevated CO (eCO), elevated O (eO), elevated temperature (eT), and drought on plant leaf gas exchanges.

The efficacy of fractional CO laser in acne scar treatment: A meta-analysis.

Fractional CO laser is a good option for treating acne scars. However, the clinical efficacy of this treatment modality requires further evidence. To perform a meta-analysis to assess clinical improvements in acne scars with fractional CO laser and non-CO laser therapies.

H5N1 avian influenza virus without 80-84 amino acid deletion at the NS1 protein hijacks the innate immune system of dendritic cells for an enhanced mammalian pathogenicity.

NS gene is generally considered to be related to the virulence of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (AIV). In recent years, the strains with five amino acids added to the 80-84 positions of the NS1 protein have become prevalent in H5N1 subtype AIVs isolated from mammals. However, the pathogenicity and mechanism of this pattern in mammals remain unclear.

Quarantine Vehicle Scheduling for Transferring High-Risk Individuals in Epidemic Areas.

In a large-scale epidemic outbreak, there can be many high-risk individuals to be transferred for medical isolation in epidemic areas. Typically, the individuals are scattered across different locations, and available quarantine vehicles are limited. Therefore, it is challenging to efficiently schedule the vehicles to transfer the individuals to isolated regions to control the spread of the epidemic.

Clinical and immunological features of severe and moderate coronavirus disease 2019.

BACKGROUNDSince December 2019, an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in Wuhan, and is now becoming a global threat. We aimed to delineate and compare the immunological features of severe and moderate COVID-19.METHODSIn this retrospective study, the clinical and immunological characteristics of 21 patients (17 male and 4 female) with COVID-19 were analyzed.

Development of a Chitosan-Vaseline Gauze Dressing with Wound-Healing Properties in Murine Models.

Wound dressings are always needed after skin injury; however, most of the dressings still leave room for improvement. Here, we would like to develop an effective dressing with the ability to improve wound healing. A chitosan-Vaseline gauze (CVG) dressing was developed by coating the chitosan mixture and Vaseline on sterile gauze with subsequent drying.