Effects of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on the nutritional status of patients in a persistent vegetative state: A pilot study.

Purpose: This paper presents a preliminary study on whether repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can modulate the nutritional status of persistent vegetative state (PVS) patients (the primary endpoint) by regulating the intestinal flora and the metabolites, with the correlation between them also investigated.

Methods: Seventy-six patients with PVS were selected and divided into the observation group ( = 38) and the control group ( = 38) by random numerical grouping. All subjects' stool samples were examined for metabolites and analyzed regarding the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) content.

Phase-change composite filled natural nanotubes in hydrogel promote wound healing under photothermally triggered drug release.

It is of great importance to treat a bacterial-infected wound by a smart dressing capable of delivering antibiotics in a smart manner without causing drug resistance. The construction of smart release nanocontainers responsive to near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation in an on-demand and stepwise way is a promising strategy for avoiding the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria. Here, we develop a hydrogel composite made of alginate and nanotubes with an efficient NIR-triggered release of rifampicin and outstanding antibacterial ability.

Synthesis of 1,3,5-trisubstituted pyrazoles 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of nitrile imines with ninhydrin-derived Morita-Baylis-Hillman carbonates.

An effective synthetic method for 1,3,5-trisubstituted pyrazoles 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction has been developed. This reaction could smoothly proceed between ninhydrin-derived Morita-Baylis-Hillman carbonates and nitrilimines to provide a wide scope of differently substituted pyrazoles in high yields (up to 95%). In addition, the reaction mechanism was also proposed to explain its regioselectivity.

Anion-Dependent Structure and Luminescence Diversity in Zn-Ln Heterometallic Architectures Supported by a Salicylamide-Imine Ligand.

To advance the structural development and fully explore the application potential, it is highly desirable but challenging to elucidate the relationship between the structures and properties of Zn-Ln heterometallic species. Herein, three types of Zn-Ln heterometallic compounds (Ln = Gd, Tb) formulated as [ZnLnL(μ-O)(NO)]·8CHCN (), [ZnLnL(NO)(HO)]·3CHCN (), and [ZnLnL(OAc)]·CHCN (: for Ln = Gd, = 5; for Ln = Tb, = 4) were dictated by common inorganic anions, NO and OAc, with the aid of the multidentate ligand with propane as the central skeleton and 3-methoxysalicylamide and 3-methoxysalicylaldimine as terminal groups. features cubic cages with four {ZnL} tetrahedral subunits and four Ln centers positioned at the eight vertices alternately when NO was introduced into the reaction system exclusively.

A hydrostable Zn coordination polymer for multifunctional detection of inorganic and organic contaminants in water.

From the perspective of human health and environmental safety, the development of hydrostable fluorescent sensors for the detection of heavy metal ions and nitroaromatics is an important but a challenging issue. To this end, a water-stable Zn coordination polymer formulated as {[Zn(HL)]·2DMF·3HO} (ZnCP) was prepared elaborately by a solvothermal method using a multidentate ligand (HL) with 2,6-pyridine-dicarboxylic acid spaced by -substituted benzene. Single-crystal analysis shows that the new ZnCP exhibits one-dimensional chain structural features, which further promoted to afford a wrinkled two-dimensional network structure inter-chain hydrogen bonding.

[Research progress on mechanisms of bidirectional regulation of acupuncture].

Bidirectional regulation is one of the key function of acupuncture. The stimulator, mediator and receptor are the basis while the specificity of acupoints and the multi-target regulation of receptors receiving stimulation signals are the essential link of the bidirectional regulation of acupuncture. The possible mechanisms of bidirectional regulation of acupuncture are discussed in 4 aspects, i.

Diagnostic possibility of the combination of exhaled nitric oxide and blood eosinophil count for eosinophilic asthma.

Background: Tests to identify reversible airflow limitation are important in asthma diagnosis, but they are time-consuming and it may be difficult for patients to cooperate. We aimed to evaluate whether the combination of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and blood eosinophil (B-Eos) can be used to distinguish some asthma patients who could avoid objective tests.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study on 7463 suspected asthma cases between January 2014 and December 2019 in Chongqing, China, and identified 2349 patients with complete FeNO, B-Eos count, and spirometry data.

Effects of nimodipine combined with betahistine on CRP and other inflammatory cytokines and vascular endothelial function in patients with hypertensive cerebral vasospasm.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the effect of nimodipine combined with betahistine on the levels of CRP and other inflammatory cytokines, as well as vascular endothelial function in patients with hypertensive cerebral vasospasm.

Methods: A total of 80 patients with hypertensive cerebral vasospasm from March 2016 to September 2018 were enrolled and randomly equally divided into two groups. At 1 week before enrollment, the application of all antihypertensive drugs was stopped.

Downregulation of BRAF-activated non-protein coding RNA in patients with hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been investigated as a novel class of regulators of cellular processes, including cell growth, apoptosis and carcinogenesis. lncRNA BRAF-activated non-protein coding RNA (BANCR) has recently been revealed to be involved in tumorigenesis of numerous types of cancer, including papillary thyroid carcinoma, melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer and colorectal cancer. However, the expression profiles and biological relevance of lncRNA BANCR in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not yet been reported.

Decreased expression of long non-coding RNA LOC728290 in human hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-associated mortality worldwide. Despite progress in the diagnosis and treatment of HCC, prognosis remains unfavorable. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as important factors in tumorigenesis and cancer progression; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms and clinical significance of lncRNAs in HCC remain largely unknown.

[Research progress of Guanxin Danshen formula and its effective components in treating coronary artery heart disease].

Coronary artery heart disease (CHD) is one of the common cardiovascular diseases in clinical. The morbidity and mortality of CHD recently continue increasing in our country, which has aroused wide attention. Many studies confirm that traditional Chinese medicine has better therapeutic effect on CHD.

Successful treatment of diffuse panbronchiolitis in a child from Western China: A case report.

The present report describes a case of diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB) in a child from Western China and the favorable outcome associated with early diagnosis. DPB is an uncommon presentation in pediatric patients. A 13-year-old Chinese boy was admitted to the respiratory outpatient department due to recurrent cough and progressive exertional dyspnea that had persisted for 1 year.

Green Tea Polyphenols Alleviate Autophagy Inhibition Induced by High Glucose in Endothelial Cells.

Bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) were cultured with high glucose (33 mmol/L), 4 mg/L green tea polyphenols (GTPs) or 4 mg/L GTPs co-treatment with high glucose for 24 h in the presence or absence of Bafilomycin-A1 (BAF). We observed that high glucose increased the accumulation of LC3-II. Treatment with BAF did not further increase the accumulation of LC3-II.

[Research progress in epigenetic regulation of myocardial ischemia/ reperfusion injury by traditional Chinese medicine].

Epigenetic is a hotspot of post-genomic era research, and epigenetic modification is a mechanism in the study of cardiovascular disease. Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) is one of the problems in the cardiovascular disease, and many experimental interventions are reported in the protection of the ischemic myocardium in experimental animals. However, with the exception of early reperfusion, none has been translated into clinical practice.

A general strategy to prepare different types of polysaccharide-graft-poly(aspartic acid) as degradable gene carriers.

Owing to their unique properties such as low cytotoxicity and excellent biocompatibility, poly(aspartic acid) (PAsp) and polysaccharides are good candidates for the development of new biomaterials. In order to construct better gene delivery systems by combining polysaccharides with PAsp, in this work, a general strategy is described for preparing series of polysaccharide-graft-PAsp (including cyclodextrin (CD), dextran (Dex) and chitosan (CS)) gene vectors. Such different polysaccharide-based vectors are compared systematically through a series of experiments including degradability, pDNA condensation capability, cytotoxicity and gene transfection ability.

Comparative mitogenomic analysis reveals cryptic species: A case study in Mactridae (Mollusca: Bivalvia).

The Chinese surf clam Mactra chinensis Philippi, 1846 is a commercially important marine bivalve belonging to the family Mactridae (Mollusca: Bivalvia). In this study, the M. chinensis mitochondrial genomic features are analyzed.

New low molecular weight polycation-based nanoparticles for effective codelivery of pDNA and drug.

The development of new cationic nanoparticles that are safe and effective for biomedical applications has attracted considerable attention. Low molecular weight polycations generally exhibit low toxicity; however, their poor efficiency in drug delivery systems hampers their application. In this work, a series of new low molecular weight 2,6-bis(1-methylbenzimidazolyl)pyridinyl (BIP)-terminated ethanolamine-functionalized poly(glycidyl methacrylate)s (BIP-PGEAs) were readily fabricated for effective codelivery of a gene and a drug.

A biocleavable pullulan-based vector via ATRP for liver cell-targeting gene delivery.

Pullulan due to its specificity for liver has been widely exploited for biomedical applications. In this work, a tailor-made biocleavable pullulan-based gene vector (PuPGEA) with good hemocompatibility was successfully proposed via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) for efficient liver cell-targeting gene delivery. A two-step method involving the reaction of hydroxyl groups of pullulan with cystamine was developed to introduce reduction-sensitive disulfide-linked initiation sites of ATRP onto pullulan.

Evaluation of acute toxicity of essential oil of garlic (Allium sativum) and its selected major constituent compounds against overwintering Cacopsylla chinensis (Hemiptera: Psyllidae).

In our screening program for insecticidal activity of the essential oils/extracts derived from some Chinese medicinal herbs and spices, garlic (Allium sativum L.) essential oil was found to possess strong insecticidal activity against overwintering adults of Cacopsylla chinensis Yang et Li (Hemiptera: Psyllidae). The commercial essential oil of A.

Supramolecular pseudo-block gene carriers based on bioreducible star polycations.

A series of supramolecular pseudo-block polycations (CD-SS-pDM/Ad-pPEGs) were realized by assembling bioreducible β-cyclodextrin-cored star poly (2-dimethyl amino)ethyl methacrylate with different molecular weight and an adamantine-ended linear poly(poly(ethylene glycol)ethyl ether methacrylate) (pPEGEEMA) via the host-guest interaction. The pseudo-block CD-SS-pDM/Ad-pPEG carriers were investigated in terms of DNA binding capability, cytotoxicity, gene transfection in HepG2 and COS7 cell lines, and in vivo anti-tumor activity. The pseudo-block carriers exhibited undiminished pDNA-condensing abilities compared with the starting star carriers.

Versatile functionalization of gene vectors via different types of zwitterionic betaine species for serum-tolerant transfection.

For ideal polymeric gene vectors, their serum stability is of crucial importance. Polycation vectors usually suffer from colloidal aggregation, which makes them easily cleared from the bloodstream. Recently, we reported a comb-shaped vector (DPD) consisting of a dextran backbone and disulfide-linked cationic poly((2-dimethyl amino)ethyl methacrylate) side chains for efficient gene delivery.

Evaluation of repellency of some Chinese medicinal herbs essential oils against Liposcelis bostrychophila (Psocoptera: Liposcelidae) and Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae).

The screening for repellency against the booklouse, Liposcelis bostrychophila (Badonnel), and the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), from 14 Chinese medicinal herbs showed that the essential oils of Curcuma longa L., Epimedium pubescens Maximouwicz, Lindera aggregate (Sims) Kostermans, Nardostachys chinensis Battandier, Schizonepeta tenuifolia Briquet, Zanthoxylum schinifolium Sieber et Zuccarini, and Z. officinale Roscoe exhibited strong repellency against L.

Identification of insecticidal constituents of the essential oil of Curcuma wenyujin rhizomes active against Liposcelis bostrychophila Badonnel.

The aim of this research was to determine the chemical composition and insecticidal activity of the essential oil of Curcuma wenyujin Y.H. Chen et C.

Repellent constituents of essential oil of Cymbopogon distans aerial parts against two stored-product insects.

The screening for bioactive principles from several Chinese medicinal herbs showed that the essential oil of Cymbopogon distans aerial parts possessed strong repellency against the booklouse, Liposcelis bostrychophila , and the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum . A total of 36 components of the essential oil were identified by GC and GC-MS. trans-Geraniol (16.