Blockade of Endogenous Angiotensin-(1-7) in Hypothalamic Paraventricular Nucleus Attenuates High Salt-Induced Sympathoexcitation and Hypertension.

Angiotensin (Ang)-(1-7) is an important biologically-active peptide of the renin-angiotensin system. This study was designed to determine whether inhibition of Ang-(1-7) in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) attenuates sympathetic activity and elevates blood pressure by modulating pro-inflammatory cytokines (PICs) and oxidative stress in the PVN in salt-induced hypertension. Rats were fed either a high-salt (8% NaCl) or a normal salt diet (0.

Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase to platelet ratio predicts short-term outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma patients undergoing minor liver resection.

Background: There is a strong correlation between liver fibrosis and postoperative morbidity after hepatectomy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate which noninvasive fibrosis index (gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase to platelet ratio [GPR], aspartate aminotransferase to platelet ratio index, fibrosis-4 index, or Forns index) was best able to predict complications in patients undergoing hepatectomy for HCC.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective analysis included 275 patients who underwent hepatectomy for HCC from January 2008 to December 2012.

Exercise Training Attenuates Proinflammatory Cytokines, Oxidative Stress and Modulates Neurotransmitters in the Rostral Ventrolateral Medulla of Salt-Induced Hypertensive Rats.

Background/aims: Exercise training (ExT) was associated with cardiovascular diseases including hypertension. The rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) is a key region for central control of blood pressure and sympathetic nerve activity. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the mechanisms within RVLM that can influence exercise training induced effects in salt-induced hypertension.

A Randomized, Double-Blind, Multicenter, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Qi-Zhi-Wei-Tong Granules on Postprandial Distress Syndrome-Predominant Functional Dyspepsia.

Background: Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a common upper gastrointestinal disorder worldwide, but the current treatments for FD are still unsatisfactory. The aims of this study were to investigate the efficacy and safety of Qi-Zhi-Wei-Tong granules in patients with postprandial distress syndrome (PDS)-predominant FD.

Methods: The study was conducted as a randomized, double-blinded, multicenter, placebo-controlled design in 197 patients with PDS.

Blockade of TLR4 Within the Paraventricular Nucleus Attenuates Blood Pressure by Regulating ROS and Inflammatory Cytokines in Prehypertensive Rats.

Background: Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) has been implicated in the progression of cardiovascular disease, including hypertension. However, the role of TLR4 in the development of prehypertension is uncertain.

Methods: Prehypertensive rats were treated with 8% salt for 12 weeks to induce prehypertension.

Human Glioblastoma-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell to Pericytes Transition and Angiogenic Capacity in Glioblastoma Microenvironment.

Background/aims: Tumor vascular formation and maintenance are crucial events in glioblastoma development. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been shown to differentiate into pericytes and contribute to neovascularization in the glioma microenvironment. Moreover, glioblastoma-derived mesenchymal stem cells (gb-MSCs), which consist of CD90-MSCs and CD90+MSCs, are a subpopulation of MSCs that are more active in glioma vascularization.

Relative Contribution of Fasting and Postprandial Blood Glucose in Overall Glycemic Control: Post Hoc Analysis of a Phase IV Randomized Trial.

Introduction: Few prospective clinical trials have investigated the role of fasting blood glucose (FBG) and/or postprandial glucose (PPG) in assessing overall glycemic control by using different insulin regimens. In the present post hoc analysis, we assessed the contribution of FBG and/or PPG in overall glycemic control in Chinese patients under insulin treatment.

Methods: CLASSIFY is a phase IV, randomized, open-label, 26-week, parallel-arm, treat-to-target, multinational, controlled study in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus to compare the efficacy and safety of insulin lispro mix 25 (LM25) and insulin lispro mix 50 (LM50) as starter insulins.

Central blockade of NLRP3 reduces blood pressure via regulating inflammation microenvironment and neurohormonal excitation in salt-induced prehypertensive rats.

Background: Inflammation has been implicated in the development of cardiovascular disease. We determined whether nod-like receptor with pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) involved in the process of prehypertension, central blockade of NLRP3 decreased inflammation reaction, regulated neurohormonal excitation, and delayed the progression of prehypertension.

Methods: Prehypertensive rats were induced by 8% salt diet.

Rapid and damage-free outgassing of implanted helium from amorphous silicon oxycarbide.

Damage caused by implanted helium (He) is a major concern for material performance in future nuclear reactors. We use a combination of experiments and modeling to demonstrate that amorphous silicon oxycarbide (SiOC) is immune to He-induced damage. By contrast with other solids, where implanted He becomes immobilized in nanometer-scale precipitates, He in SiOC remains in solution and outgasses from the material via atomic-scale diffusion without damaging its free surfaces.

miR199a-5p inhibits hepatic insulin sensitivity via suppression of ATG14-mediated autophagy.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known to contribute to many metabolic diseases, including diabetes. In this study, we investigated the role of miR199a-5p in the regulation of hepatic insulin sensitivity. Ad-anti-miR199a-5p adenoviruses were injected into male C57BL/6J WT mice fed a high-fat diet to inhibit miR199a-5p expression before the glucose levels and insulin resistance were assessed.

Stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 promotes colorectal cancer metastasis in response to glucose by suppressing PTEN.

Background: Diabetic patients have a higher risk factor for colorectal cancer (CRC) metastasis. Stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1), the main enzyme responsible for producing monounsaturated fatty acids(MUFA) from saturated fatty acids, is frequently deregulated in both diabetes and CRC. The function and mechanism of SCD1 in metastasis of CRC and its relevance to glucose remains largely unknown.

Angiotensin-(1-7) attenuates hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy modulation of nitric oxide and neurotransmitter levels in the paraventricular nucleus in salt-sensitive hypertensive rats.

Angiotensin-(1-7) [Ang-(1-7)] is a multifunctional bioactive angiotensin peptide which exerts a cardiovascular protective function mainly by opposing the effects of angiotensin II. We aimed to determine whether brain Ang-(1-7) regulates nitric oxide (NO) and neurotransmitter levels in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN), and influences sympathetic activity, blood pressure and cardiac hypertrophy in salt-sensitive hypertension. Dahl salt-sensitive rats receiving a high-salt (HS, 8% NaCl) or a normal-salt (NS, 0.

Impact of cigarette smoking on recurrence of hyperlipidemic acute pancreatitis.

Aim: To investigate the impact of cigarette smoking on the recurrence rate and recurrence-free survival in patients with hyperlipidemic acute pancreatitis (HLAP).

Methods: A total of 863 patients were admitted to our hospital for acute pancreatitis (AP) from January 2013 to March 2016, of whom 88 diagnosed with HLAP were enrolled in this retrospective study. Demographic data, medical history, previous episodes of pancreatitis, consumption of alcohol and cigarettes, as well as biochemical and hematological data were carefully recorded for univariate and multivariate analyses.

Carbon isotopes of C3 herbs correlate with temperature on removing the influence of precipitation across a temperature transect in the agro-pastoral ecotone of northern China.

Plant δC-temperature (δ-T) relation has been established in many systems and is often used as paleotemperature transfer function. However, it is still unclear about the exact contributions of temperature variation to plant C discrimination because of covariation between temperature and precipitation (aridity), which reduces confidence in reconstruction of paleoclimate. In this study, we measured carbon isotope composition (δC) of 173 samples of C3 perennial herbs from 22 sites across a temperature gradient along the 400 mm isohyet in the farming-pastoral zone of North China.

Glucose-derived AGEs enhance human gastric cancer metastasis through RAGE/ERK/Sp1/MMP2 cascade.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) have been reported to take part in many cancer processes. Whether AGEs contribute to gastric cancer (GC) course and the underlying mechanism are still unclear. Here, glucose-derived AGEs are detected to be accumulated in tumor tissues and blood of patients with GC.

Enhancing the antiviral potency of ER α-glucosidase inhibitor IHVR-19029 against hemorrhagic fever viruses in vitro and in vivo.

Targeting host functions essential for viral replication has been considered as a broad spectrum and resistance-refractory antiviral approach. However, only a few host functions have, thus far, been validated as broad-spectrum antiviral targets in vivo. ER α-glucosidases I and II have been demonstrated to be essential for the morphogenesis of many enveloped viruses, including members from four families of viruses causing hemorrhagic fever.

Activation of NLRP3 Inflammasome by Advanced Glycation End Products Promotes Pancreatic Islet Damage.

Accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) contributes to ageing and age-related diseases, especially type 2 diabetes. The NLRP3 inflammasome, as a vital component of the innate immune system, is implicated in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. However, the role of the NLRP3 inflammasome in AGE-induced pancreatic islet damage remains largely unclear.

Analyses of gut microbiota and plasma bile acids enable stratification of patients for antidiabetic treatment.

Antidiabetic medication may modulate the gut microbiota and thereby alter plasma and faecal bile acid (BA) composition, which may improve metabolic health. Here we show that treatment with Acarbose, but not Glipizide, increases the ratio between primary BAs and secondary BAs and plasma levels of unconjugated BAs in treatment-naive type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients, which may beneficially affect metabolism. Acarbose increases the relative abundances of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in the gut microbiota and depletes Bacteroides, thereby changing the relative abundance of microbial genes involved in BA metabolism.

Association between smoking and glycemic control in diabetic patients: Results from the Risk Evaluation of cAncers in Chinese diabeTic Individuals: A lONgitudinal (REACTION) study.

Background: A number of primary studies suggested that active smoking could be independently associated with incident diabetes. However less is known about the effect of active smoking and smoking cessation on glycemic control in patients with diabetes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations of active smoking and smoking cessation with glycemic control in diabetic patients.

Effect of microRNA-128 on cisplatin resistance of glioma SHG-44 cells by targeting JAG1.

This current study intends to investigate the effect of microRNA-128 (miR-128) on cisplatin (DDP) resistance in glioma SHG-44 cells. SHG-44/DDP cells were transfected with miR-128 antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) and assigned into blank, resistance, NC, anti-miR-128, miR-128 mimic, si-JAG1, and anti-miR-128 + si-JAG1 groups. qRT-PCR and Western blotting were employed for determining expression of miR-128, JAG1, Bax and Bcl-2.

microRNA-802 is involved in palmitate-induced damage to pancreatic β cells through repression of sirtuin 6.

Free fatty acid (FFA)-induced pancreatic β-cell loss is implicated in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). It has been documented that circulating microRNA (miR)-802 levels are significantly greater in T2DM patients than in healthy subjects. However, the role of miR-802 in FFA-induced damage to β cells is still unclear.

NLRC5 deficiency ameliorates diabetic nephropathy through alleviating inflammation.

NOD-like receptor family caspase recruitment domain family domain containing 5 (NLRC5) has important roles in inflammation and innate immunity. NLRC5 was highly expressed in kidney from streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice, db/ db mice and patients with diabetes. Based on that evidence, the present study was designed to explore the roles of NLRC5 in the progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN).

HBV core protein allosteric modulators differentially alter cccDNA biosynthesis from de novo infection and intracellular amplification pathways.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) core protein assembles viral pre-genomic (pg) RNA and DNA polymerase into nucleocapsids for reverse transcriptional DNA replication to take place. Several chemotypes of small molecules, including heteroaryldihydropyrimidines (HAPs) and sulfamoylbenzamides (SBAs), have been discovered to allosterically modulate core protein structure and consequentially alter the kinetics and pathway of core protein assembly, resulting in formation of irregularly-shaped core protein aggregates or "empty" capsids devoid of pre-genomic RNA and viral DNA polymerase. Interestingly, in addition to inhibiting nucleocapsid assembly and subsequent viral genome replication, we have now demonstrated that HAPs and SBAs differentially modulate the biosynthesis of covalently closed circular (ccc) DNA from de novo infection and intracellular amplification pathways by inducing disassembly of nucleocapsids derived from virions as well as double-stranded DNA-containing progeny nucleocapsids in the cytoplasm.

Resting heart rate and impaired glucose regulation in middle-aged and elderly Chinese people: a cross-sectional analysis.

Background: Elevated resting heart rate (RHR) has been reported to be associated with metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to explore whether a positive relationship exists between RHR and impaired glucose regulation (IGR) among middle-aged and older Chinese individuals.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis that included a total of 9898 subjects (3194 men and 6704 women) in a Chinese population.

OGTT 1h serum C-peptide to plasma glucose concentration ratio is more related to beta cell function and diabetes mellitus.

Objective: To clarify the association between C-peptide index and pancreatic beta cell function and diabetes.

Materials And Methods: We carried out a retrospective analysis of 1021 patients aged 27 to 80 without diabetes from January 2012 to January 2016. All subjects underwent a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test.