Salvianic acid A ameliorates atherosclerosis through metabolic-dependent anti-EndMT pathway and repression of TGF-β/ALK5 signaling.

Background: Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) has been identified as a key factor to the initiation and progression of the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis (AS). Salvianic acid A (SAAS) is the primary water-soluble bioactive ingredient found in Salvia miltiorrhiza, is renowned for its therapeutic effects on cardiovascular diseases. However, the efficacy and mechanisms of SAAS in treating EndMT-induced AS remain underexplored.

Interactions between SDBS and Hydrilla verticillata - epiphytic biofilm in wetland receiving STPs effluents: Nutrients removal and epiphytic microbial assembly.

The fate and effects of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) in sewage treatment plants effluents on nutrients and submerged macrophytes are far from clear in wetlands. This study conducted a 24-day experiment to investigate changes in nutrients and epiphytic biofilm of Hydrilla verticillata in wetlands receiving effluents with 0.5, 2 and 5 mg L SDBS.

Nanocarriers Loaded with Danshensu for Treating Ischemic Stroke by Reducing Oxidative Stress and Glial Overactivation.

Ischemic stroke is a complex health condition that can cause ischemia and necrosis of brain tissue. Subsequently, the excessive activation of glial cells can result in various inflammatory and oxidative stress reactions that exacerbate ischemic brain injury. In this paper, we propose the targeted self-assembly of a three-dimensional nanoparticle network containing Danshensu to rescue ischemic penumbra by reducing oxidative stress and glial overactivation.

Development and validation of an interpretable machine learning for mortality prediction in patients with sepsis.

Introduction: Sepsis is a leading cause of death. However, there is a lack of useful model to predict outcome in sepsis. Herein, the aim of this study was to develop an explainable machine learning (ML) model for predicting 28-day mortality in patients with sepsis based on Sepsis 3.

External stimulation: A potential therapeutic strategy for tendon-bone healing.

Injuries at the tendon-bone interface are very common in the field of sports medicine, and healing at the tendon-bone interface is complex. Injuries to the tendon-bone interface can seriously affect a patient's quality of life, so it is essential to restore stability and promote healing of the tendon-bone interface. In addition to surgical treatment, the healing of tendons and bones can also be properly combined with extracorporeal stimulation therapy during the recovery process.

Analysis of the Efficacy and Recurrence of Omalizumab Use in the Treatment of Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria and Chronic Inducible Urticaria.

Introduction: Chronic urticaria (CU) is a common skin condition that can be divided into chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) and chronic inducible urticaria (CIndU). Omalizumab is one treatment option for CU, but currently there are limited clinical studies of omalizumab's efficacy for treating CU in Chinese patients. This study sought to investigate the efficacy and safety of omalizumab treatment for CU patients in a Chinese patient population.

Evidence-Based Care Can Improve Treatment Compliance and Quality of Life of Patients with Acute Pancreatitis.

Acute pancreatitis represents a disease characterized by acute necro-inflammatory changes in the pancreas, which is histologically characterized by destruction of alveolar cells. We aim to explore whether evidence-based care can improve treatment compliance and quality of life of patients with acute pancreatitis. The changes of hemoglobin (HGB), serum pre-albumin (PAB), and serum albumin (ALB) before and after care were observed, as well as the incidence of complications after care, total effective rate after care, disease severity (bedside index for severity in acute pancreatitis, BISAP) before and after care, and psychological scores of the two groups before and after care were observed.

Comparison of Myriophyllum Spicatum and artificial plants on nutrients removal and microbial community in constructed wetlands receiving WWTPs effluents.

The impacts of WWTPs effluents on nutrients removal and epiphytic microbial community in constructed wetlands dominated by submersed macrophytes remain to be fully illustrated. In this study, compared to M. Spicatum, artificial submersed macrophytes (control) generally had higher NH-N (78.

A PD-1 peptide antagonist exhibits potent anti-tumor and immune regulatory activity.

Antibodies blocking the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway have achieved great success. However, some disadvantages of antibodies have been found, which limit their clinical applications. Peptide antagonists are alternatives to antibodies in PD-1/PD-L1 blockage, but successful studies in this area are limited.

[Effectiveness comparison of LARS artificial ligament and autogenous hamstring tendon in one-stage reconstruction of anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments].

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of arthroscopic one-stage reconstruction of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) with LARS artificial ligament and autogenous hamstring tendon, respectively.

Methods: A retrospective study was performed on 23 patients with ACL and PCL injuries, who were treated with one-stage reconstruction, between June 2013 and June 2017. The ACL and PCL were reconstructed with LARS artificial ligament in 11 patients (artificial ligament group) and autogenous hamstring tendon in 12 patients (autogenous tendon group).

Bacterial succession in epiphytic biofilms and deciduous layer sediments during Hydrilla verticillata decay: A field investigation.

Submersed macrophytes decay is an important natural process and has important role in mass and energy flow in aquatic ecosystems. However, little is known about the dynamical changes in nutrients release and bacterial community during submersed macrophyte decay in natural environment. In this study, a field observation was conducted in a wetland dominated with Hydrilla verticillata for 36 days.

[Two-stage reverse total shoulder arthroplasty for treating postoperative deep infection after internal fixation of proximal humeral fracture].

Objective: To summarize the effectiveness of two-stage reverse total shoulder arthroplasty for treating postoperative deep infection after internal fixation of the proximal humeral fracture.

Methods: Between June 2014 and January 2018, 17 patients with deep infection and humeral head necrosis or bone nonunion after internal fixation of proximal humeral fractures were treated. There were 8 males and 9 females, aged from 52 to 78 years (mean, 63.

Experimental Investigation of a Slip in High-Performance Steel-Concrete Small Box Girder with Different Combinations of Group Studs.

Due to the significant advantages of steel-concrete composite beams, they are widely used for accelerated bridge construction (ABC). However, there is still a lack of experimental research on the proper design of ABC, especially in the slip with a different group of shear connectors. As a component of steel-concrete composite structure, shear studs play a vital role in the performance of composite structures.

Micromorphology and environmental behavior of oxide deposit layers in sulfide-rich tailings in Tongling, Anhui Province, China.

Sulfide-rich tailings produced by mineral processing are prone to oxidation and cause many pollution problems in the surrounding environment; therefore, this issue has become a focus of attention. The Tongling Shuimuchong tailings reservoir contains a large amount of sulfide minerals, especially pyrrhotite and pyrite. This reservoir features obvious oxidation in the surface layer, and the slab is very hard.

Serum soluble TWEAK levels in severe traumatic brain injury and its prognostic significance.

Background: Severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) is characterized by a high mortality. Tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) participates in inflammation. We determined serum soluble TWEAK (sTWEAK) levels with respect to its prognostic ability.

A Semi-Empirical Deflection-Based Method for Crack Width Prediction in Accelerated Construction of Steel Fibrous High-Performance Composite Small Box Girder.

Accelerated construction in the form of steel⁻concrete composite beams is among the most efficient methods to construct highway bridges. One of the main problems with this type of composite structures, which has not yet been fully clarified in the case of continuous beam, is the crack zone initiation that gradually expands through the beam width. In the current study, a semi-empirical model was proposed to predict the size of cracks in terms of small box girder deflection and intensity of load applied on the structure.

Comparison of immune responses induced by porcine parvovirus virus-like particles and inactivated vaccine.

Laboratory-prepared inactivated porcine parvovirus (PPV) vaccines and VP2 virus-like particles (VLPs) were utilized to immunize gilts. PPV BQ strain and SP2/0 cells were used. Hemagglutination-inhibiting (HI) antibody titers were measured in the immunized gilts and the differences in cytokine production of interferon gamma (IFN-γ, IL-2 and IL-4) were compared.

Chlorogenic acid attenuates virulence factors and pathogenicity of Pseudomonas aeruginosa by regulating quorum sensing.

Quorum sensing (QS) is a cell-to-cell communication that is used by bacteria to regulate collective behaviors. Quorum sensing controls virulence factor production in many bacterial species and it is regarded as an attractive target to combat bacterial pathogenicity, especially against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Chlorogenic acid (CA), abundant in fruits, vegetables, and Chinese herbs, processes multiple activities.

NOB suppression in pilot-scale mainstream nitritation-denitritation system coupled with MBR for municipal wastewater treatment.

The high energy consumption associated with biological treatment of municipal wastewater is posing a serious impact and challenge on the current global wastewater industry and is also inevitably linked to the issue of global climate change. To tackle such an emerging situation, this study aimed to develop strategies to effectively suppress nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB) in pilot-scale mainstream nitritation-denitritation system coupled with MBR for municipal wastewater treatment. The results showed that stable nitrite shunt was achieved, while more than 90% of COD and NH-N removal were obtained via nitritation-denitritation in the pilot plant fed with real municipal wastewater.

Identification of a peptide for folate receptor alpha by phage display and its tumor targeting activity in ovary cancer xenograft.

The expression level of folate receptor alpha (FRα) is located highly rate in ovarian cancer though it is remained absent in normal tissues. This highly tumor restricted expression profile makes FRα a promising target for tumor therapy and diagnosis. In this research we report a FRα binding peptide C7(Met-His-Thr-Ala-Pro-Gly-Trp-Gly-Tyr-Arg-Leu-Ser) discovered by phage display and this peptide showed specific binding to FRα expressing cells by cell ELISA and flow cytometry.

A fusion antitumor peptide regulates proliferation and apoptosis of endothelial cells.

The present research has been carried out to elicit the mechanism of antiangiogenic activity of a fusion peptide P2. Peptide P2 was designed by the connection of a heptapeptide MMP inhibitor to ES-2, a fragment of Endostatin. In a previous study, P2 demonstrated strong antiangiogenic and antitumor effect, and the current work explains the antiangiogenic mechanism of P2 through endothelial cell proliferation and apoptosis.

Dissolved organic matter release in overlying water and bacterial community shifts in biofilm during the decomposition of Myriophyllum verticillatum.

This study investigated the alterations in biomass, nutrients and dissolved organic matter concentration in overlying water and determined the bacterial 16S rRNA gene in biofilms attached to plant residual during the decomposition of Myriophyllum verticillatum. The 55-day decomposition experimental results show that plant decay process can be well described by the exponential model, with the average decomposition rate of 0.037d.

A novel A-B process for enhanced biological nutrient removal in municipal wastewater reclamation.

This study developed an innovative A-B process for enhanced nutrients removal in municipal wastewater reclamation, in which a micro-aerated moving bed biofilm reactor served as A-stage and a step-feed sequencing batch reactor (SBR) as B-stage. In the A-stage, 55% of COD and 15% of ammonia nitrogen was removed, while more than 88% of the total nitrogen was removed via nitritation and denitritation, together with 93% of phosphorous removal at the B-stage where ammonia oxidizing bacteria activity was significantly higher than nitrite oxidizing bacteria activity. Meanwhile substantial phenotype of polyphosphate accumulating organisms (PAOs) was also observed in the B-stage SBR.