Systematic exploration of the potential material basis and molecular mechanism of the Mongolian medicine Nutmeg-5 in improving cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Nutmeg-5, which consists of Myristica fragrans Houtt., Aucklandia lappa Decne., Inula helenium L.

Circulating IgGs in Type 2 Diabetes with Atrial Fibrillation Induce IP-Mediated Calcium Elevation in Cardiomyocytes.

Higher risk of cardiac arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation (AF) associates with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with the underlying mechanism largely unknown. The present study reported a subset of circulating immunoglobulin G autoantibodies (IgGs) from patients with T2DM with AF (T2DM/AF)-induced intracellular calcium elevation in both human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived and mouse atrial cardiomyocytes, whereas (identical concentrations of) IgGs from patients with T2DM without AF could not. The IgG-evoked intracellular calcium elevation was insensitive to verapamil, mibefradil, or BTP-2, indicating calcium source from neither voltage-gated calcium channels nor store-operated calcium entry.

Identification lncRNA LOC102551149/miR-23a-5p pathway in hepatic fibrosis.

Background: Hepatic fibrosis is a worldwide incurable disease; due to the complex and unclear mechanism, there lack the effective therapeutic targets. However, the mechanism of miR-23a-5p underling this pathological process is largely not clear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of miR-23a-5p in hepatic fibrosis and HSC activation.

[Study on protective effect of vanillic acid from Astragalus membranaceus on hypertensive cardiac remodeling based on network pharmacology screen].

To identify and verify the active ingredients from Astragalus membranaceus on hypertensive cardiac remodeling based on network pharmacology and heart RNA-sequencing data. The monomers of A. membranaceus and their intervention target database were established by using network pharmacology.

Astragaloside IV reduces cardiomyocyte apoptosis in a murine model of coxsackievirus B3-induced viral myocarditis.

Apoptosis plays a crucial role in regulating cardiomyopathy and injuries of coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3)-induced viral myocarditis (VM). It has been reported that Astragaloside IV (AST-IV) from Astragalus membranaceus could inhibit apoptosis under a variety of pathological conditions in vivo or in vitro. However, the functional roles of AST-IV in CVB3-induced VM still remain unknown.

Efficacy and safety of direct oral anticoagulants versus low-molecular-weight heparin in patients with cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The efficacy and safety of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) versus low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) are still debated in the treatment of patients with cancer, and the optimal duration of therapy remains uncertain. Electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library) were searched to retrieve studies on the efficacy and safety of DOACs versus LMWH in treating patients with cancer from January 1980 to October 2018. The primary efficacy and safety endpoints were recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) and major bleeding.

lncRNA GAS5 restrains CCl-induced hepatic fibrosis by targeting miR-23a through the PTEN/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Hepatic fibrosis is chronic liver damage with many causes that has a relatively high death rate. The current study showed that long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) growth arrest-specific transcript 5 (GAS5), microRNA-23a (miR-23a), and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) play important roles in the pathological process of hepatic fibrosis but have a relatively unclear regulatory mechanism. This study aimed to investigate the roles of lncRNA GAS5, miR-23a, and PTEN in the pathological process of hepatic fibrosis and hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation.

Astragalus polysaccharide from Astragalus Melittin ameliorates inflammation via suppressing the activation of TLR-4/NF-κB p65 signal pathway and protects mice from CVB3-induced virus myocarditis.

Inflammation plays a crucial role in regulating cardiomyopathy and injuries of coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3)-induced viral myocarditis (VM). It has been reported that Astragalus polysaccharide (AP) from Astragalus Melittin could inhabit inflammatory gene expression under a variety of pathological conditions. However, the functional roles of AP in CVB3-induced VM still remain unknown.

Electrical Stimulation Enhances Cardiac Differentiation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells for Myocardial Infarction Therapy.

Aims: Electrical stimulation (EleS) can promote cardiac differentiation, but the underlying mechanism is not well known. This study investigated the effect of EleS on cardiomyocyte (CM) differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and evaluated the therapeutic effects for the treatment of myocardial infarction (MI).

Results: Cardiac differentiation of hiPSCs was induced with EleS after embryoid body formation.

Immunogenicity of varicella zoster virus glycoprotein E DNA vaccine.

In the present study a eukaryotic expression vector of varicella zoster virus (VZV) glycoprotein E (gE) was constructed and enabled to express in COS7 cells. Furthermore, a specific immune response against the VZV gE eukaryotic expression plasmid was induced in BALB/c mice. The VZV gE gene was amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cloned into a eukaryotic expression vector, pcDNA3.

Apoptosis-inducing effects of lentinan on the proliferation of human bladder cancer T24 cells.

The aim of this study was to explore the effects of lentinan on the proliferation of human bladder cancer T24 cells and the mechanism regarding the inhibition of cell growth. When gene regulation technique was used to build pcDNA3-TRPM8 expression plasmid, TRPM8 channel activator-lentinan was used for intervention to observe the proliferation of T24 cells. Flow cytometry cell screening method was used to observe the cell ratio of each cell cycle of T24 cells and the ratio of apoptotic and dying cells under the intervention of different concentrations of lentinan using PI single-staining and Annexin V-FITC/PI double-staining.

Exosomes Secreted from CXCR4 Overexpressing Mesenchymal Stem Cells Promote Cardioprotection via Akt Signaling Pathway following Myocardial Infarction.

Background and Objective. Exosomes secreted from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have demonstrated cardioprotective effects. This study examined the role of exosomes derived from MSC overexpressing CXCR4 for recovery of cardiac functions after myocardial infarction (MI).

Effect of puerarin on human choriocarcinoma cells.

Objective: To discuss the effect of puerarin on human choriocarcinoma cells.

Methods: Survival rates under puerarin monotherapy, fluorouracil (5-FU) monotherapy and puerarin in combination with 5-FU were detected by MTT assay. Apoptotic morphology was observed with Hoechst 33258 staining.

Significant reduction of antibiotic consumption and patients' costs after an action plan in China, 2010-2014.

Introduction: On July 1, 2011, the Chinese government launched a national Action Plan for antibiotic stewardship targeting antibiotic misuse in public hospitals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impacts of the Action Plan in terms of frequency and intensity of antibiotic utilization and patients costs in public general hospitals.

Methods: Administrative pharmacy data from July 2010 to June 2014 were sampled from 65 public general hospitals and divided into three segments: (1) July 2010 to June 2011 as the preparation period; (2) July 2011 to June 2012 as the intervention period; and (3) July 2012 to June 2014 as the assessment period.

MicroRNA-185 targets SOCS3 to inhibit beta-cell dysfunction in diabetes.

Diabetes is the most common and complex metabolic disorder, and one of the most important health threats now. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a group of small non-coding RNAs that have been suggested to play a vital role in a variety of physiological processes, including glucose homeostasis. In this study, we investigated the role of miR-185 in diabetes.

Detection of human papillomavirus and expression of osteopontin in cervical cancer specimens.

To understand human papillomavirus (HPV) and expression of osteopontin (OPN) in cervical diseased tissues, HPV infection was detected in paraffin-embedded specimens of cervical lesions from 90 patients with cervical cancer. Three polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques were used to determine the detectable rate of HPV infection. Expression of HPV OPN protein was detected using immunohistochemical methods.

Pentraxin 3, long expression in mononuclear cells of patients with acute coronary syndrome: Correlation with C-reactive protein and matrix metalloproteinase-9 levels.

Objectives: To investigate expression of pentraxin 3, long (PTX3) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and its correlation with matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels.

Methods: Patients with ACS were randomly assigned to the ACS group (subdivided into unstable angina pectoris [UAP] and acute myocardial infarction [AMI]). Healthy participants and patients with stable angina pectoris (SAP) were enrolled as controls.

Epidemiological investigation of osteoarthritis in middle-aged mongolian and senior residents of the inner mongolia autonomous region.

Background: To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of osteoarthritis (OA) in Mongolian middle-aged and senior residents of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, compared with the prevalence of OA in different regions, to understand the OA-associated factors and provide theoretical evidences for intervention and prevention.

Objectives: Thereby the prevalence, distribution characteristics and correlative factors of OA in Mongolian middle-aged and senior residents in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region were investigated in this study.

Materials And Methods: Rural and urban residents in Hohhot, Baotou and Erdos were selected using stratified, multi-stage and cluster random sampling.

The anti-atherosclerotic effects of puerarin on induced-atherosclerosis in rabbits.

Background: Cardiovascular disease is a major health issue worldwide, which has been well treated by the extracts of traditional herbs. Radix Puerariae, the dried root of the leguminous plant Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi, is a delicious vegetable in some southern provinces of China.

Correlation between the Xba I polymorphism of apoB gene and serum lipid profiles in Li ethnic group.

Objective: To study correlation between the Xba I polymorphism of apoB gene and plasma lipid profiles in Li ethnic group.

Methods: Total 151 cases of healthy Li people were recruited randomly by cluster sampling and 200 Han people were recruited as control; blood was drawn to analyze Xba I polymorphism distribution of apoB gene and serum lipid levels.

Results: There were lower serum total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in serum of Li people; while, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), X-/X+ genotype and X+ allele frequencies exhibited higher levels than Han people.

Correlation between miR-23a and onset of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background And Aims: To clarify the role of miR-23a in the onset and development of hepatocarcinoma on the cellular, genetic and molecular levels.

Patients And Methods: Seventy-eight patients were included after hepatectomy. Relationships between the clinical pathological factors of tumor and paracancerous tissues were analyzed.

EPC-derived microvesicles protect cardiomyocytes from Ang II-induced hypertrophy and apoptosis.

Cell-released microvesicles (MVs) represent a novel way of cell-to-cell communication. Previous evidence indicates that endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs)-derived MVs can modulate endothelial cell survival and proliferation. In this study, we evaluated whether EPC-MVs protect cardiomyocytes (CMs) against angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced hypertrophy and apoptosis.

Analysis of some common pathogens and their drug resistance to antibiotics.

Objective: To investigate the common bacterial resistance of clinical isolates in our hospital in the second half of 2011.

Methodology: Pathogens isolated from clinical samples in the second half of 2011 were analyzed and categorized to perform susceptibility tests.

Results: In the gram-negative bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae and non-fermenting gram-negative bacilli accounted for 55.

Splenectomy increases the survival time of heart allograft via developing immune tolerance.

Background: The spleen is an active lymphoid organ. The effect of splenectomy on the immune response remains unclear. This study investigated whether splenectomy can induce immune tolerance and has a beneficial role in cardiac allograft.

Association between the GSTP1 codon 105 polymorphism and gastric cancer risk: an updated meta-analysis.

Objective: The current meta-analysis was performed to address a more accurate estimation of the association between glutathione S-transferase P1 (GSTP1) codon 105 polymorphism and risk of gastric cancer (GC), which has been widely reported with conflicting results.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify all the relevant studies. Fixed or random effect models were selected based on the heterogeneity test.