Serum irisin levels are negatively associated with blood pressure in dialysis patients.

Elevated blood pressure is highly prevalent among dialysis patients and is associated with high mortality. Irisin is a newly found myokine that has been indicated to be related to blood pressure regulation in animal experiments. Data regarding the effect of serum irisin levels on blood pressure in dialysis patients are limited.

Computed tomography-determined skeletal muscle density predicts 3-year mortality in initial-dialysis patients in China.

Background: Skeletal muscle mass and quality assessed by computed tomography (CT) images of the third lumbar vertebra (L3) level have been established as risk factors for poor clinical outcomes in several illnesses, but the relevance for dialysis patients is unclear. A few studies have suggested a correlation between CT-determined skeletal muscle mass and quality at the first lumbar vertebra (L1) level and adverse outcomes. Generally, chest CT does not reach beyond L1.

Alloying effect of Ni-Mo catalyst in hydrogenation of N-ethylcarbazole for hydrogen storage.

Liquid organic hydrogen storage with N-ethylcarbazole (NEC) as a carrier is a very promising method. The use of precious metal hydrogenation catalysts restricts the development in industrial grade. Efficient and low-cost hydrogen storage catalysts are essential for its application.

Serum irisin level is higher in peritoneal dialysis than in hemodialysis.

Background: Previous studies have proved that irisin is related to the development of chronic kidney disease. In this study, we aimed to compare serum irisin level in patients treated with peritoneal dialysis (PD) and hemodialysis (HD).

Methods: Two hundred and fifty-two dialysis patients (146 PD patients and 106 HD patients) were included in the study.

A Chinese classical prescription Qianjinweijing Decoction in treatment of lung cancer: An overview.

Lung cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in the world, and its incidence and mortality rate rank among the top malignant tumors worldwide, which has become an important killer threatening human survival rate and well-being. Modern medical treatment for lung cancer is mainly based on surgery and radiotherapy, with gene, targeted drugs and immunotherapy as auxiliary treatments, which are effective, but there are problems such as postoperative recurrence, resistance to radiotherapy, toxic side effects and poor compliance. In recent years, with the continuous development of TCM, TCM is popular among physicians and patients for its high efficiency, low toxicity, low side effects and economic benefits, etc.

Ultrasound-assessed diaphragm dysfunction predicts clinical outcomes in hemodialysis patients.

Skeletal muscle atrophy is prevalent and remarkably increases the risk of cardiovascular (CV) events and mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients. However, whether diaphragm dysfunction predicts clinical outcomes in HD patients is unknown. This was a prospective cohort study of 103 HD patients.

Attitudes and Factors Associated With Intention to the Third Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine Among Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Survey in 3 Provinces of China.

Objective: The COVID-19 caused a world pandemic, posing a huge threat to global health. Widespread vaccination is the most effective way to control the pandemic. Vaccination with the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is currently underway.

Immunogenicity and safety of human diploid cell vaccine (HDCV) vs. purified Vero cell vaccine (PVRV) vs. purified chick embryo cell vaccine (PCECV) used in post-exposure prophylaxis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

This study comprehensively evaluated and compared three human rabies vaccines. Seven electronic databases were systematically searched. The Cochrane Handbook v5.

[Analysis of Related Early Warning Indexes of Cytokine Release Syndrome in Multiple Myeloma Patients after CAR-T Treatment].

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the levels of ferritin, C-reactive protein (CRP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in peripheral serum and cytokine release syndrome (CRS) in patients with relapse and/or refractory multiple myeloma (R/R MM) after receiving chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T) immunotherapy.

Methods: Twenty-eight patients with R/R MM were treated with 1×10/kg humanized CD19 CAR-T and mouse B cell maturation antigen CAR-T cells after pretreatment chemotherapy based on fludarabine and cyclophosphamide. The concentrations of ferritin, CRP, LDH, and IL-6 in peripheral blood were measured regularly within 30 days after infusion, and the correlation between severity of CRS and above indexes was analyzed.

LMO2 upregulation due to AR deactivation in cancer-associated fibroblasts induces non-cell-autonomous growth of prostate cancer after androgen deprivation.

The androgen receptor (AR) is expressed in prostate fibroblasts in addition to normal prostate epithelial cells and prostate cancer (PCa) cells. Moreover, AR activation in fibroblasts dramatically influences prostate cancer (PCa) cell behavior. Androgen deprivation leads to deregulation of AR downstream target genes in both fibroblasts and PCa cells.

Peripheral zone PSA density: a predominant variable to improve prostate cancer detection efficiency in men with PSA higher than 4 ng ml.

To improve the diagnostic efficiency of prostate cancer (PCa) and reduce unnecessary biopsies, we defined and analyzed the diagnostic efficiency of peripheral zone prostate-specific antigen (PSA) density (PZ-PSAD). Patients who underwent systematic 12-core prostate biopsies in Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai, China) between January 2012 and January 2018 were retrospectively identified (n = 529). Another group of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (n = 100) were randomly preselected to obtain the PSA density of the non-PCa cohort (N-PSAD).

Herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion inhibits colonic autophagy in Crohn's disease signaling involving distinct classes of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases.

Background: Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved biological process in eukaryotic cells that involves lysosomal-mediated degradation and recycling of related cellular components. Recent studies have shown that autophagy plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD). Herbal cake-partitioned moxibustion (HM) has been historically practiced to treat CD.

Immunogenicity and safety of an inactivated quadrivalent influenza vaccine candidate versus inactivated trivalent influenza vaccines in participants >/=3 years of age: a double-blind, randomized, parallel-controlled phase III clinical trial in China.

Background: Viruses from two antigenically distinct influenza B strains have co-circulated since the mid-1980s, yet inactivated trivalent influenza vaccines (TIVs) with either the Victoria or Yamagata lineage could only provide limited protection from influenza B strain. Quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIV) including both influenza B lineages can improve protection against circulating influenza B viruses.

Methods: Participants >/ = 3 years of age were recruited, stratified by age, and then randomly allocated at a ratio of 2:1:1 to receive one-injection of the experimental QIV, TIV-Victoria (Vic) or TIV-Yamagata (Yam).

Comprehensive analysis of genetic variations in strictly-defined Leber congenital amaurosis with whole-exome sequencing in Chinese.

Aim: To make a comprehensive analysis of the potential pathogenic genes related with Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) in Chinese.

Methods: LCA subjects and their families were retrospectively collected from 2013 to 2015. Firstly, whole-exome sequencing was performed in patients who had underwent gene mutation screening with nothing found, and then homozygous sites was selected, candidate sites were annotated, and pathogenic analysis was conducted using softwares including Sorting Tolerant from Intolerant (SIFT), Polyphen-2, Mutation assessor, Condel, and Functional Analysis through Hidden Markov Models (FATHMM).

Ultra-wide-field scanning laser ophthalmoscopy assists in the clinical detection and evaluation of asymptomatic early-stage familial exudative vitreoretinopathy.

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the ability of the ultra-wide-field scanning laser ophthalmoscope (UWF SLO) in clinically detecting and evaluating asymptomatic early-stage familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 163 eyes of 83 asymptomatic family members of 48 patients with FEVR. UWF SLO imaging (Optos® PLC, Scotland, UK) was performed on asymptomatic family members as a preliminary screening test for fundus anomalies, and the findings were compared with subsequent examinations using indirect fundus ophthalmoscopy in full mydriasis, fluorescein angiography (FA), fundus autoflourescence, and genetic sequencing.

Comparing the immunogenicity and safety of 3 Japanese encephalitis vaccines in Asia-Pacific area: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a leading cause of Japanese encephalitis (JE) in children and adults, is a major public health problem in Asian countries. This study reports a meta-analysis of the immunogenicity and safety of vaccines used to protect infants or children from JE. Three types of JE vaccine were examined, namely, Japanese encephalitis live-attenuated vaccine (JEV-L), Japanese encephalitis inactivated vaccine (Vero cell) (JEV-I(Vero)), and Japanese encephalitis inactivated vaccine (primary hamster kidney cell) (JEV-I(PHK)).

Safety and immunogenocity of a novel combined Haemophilus influenzae type b-Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A and C-tetanus-toxoid conjugate vaccine in healthy Chinese children aged 6 months to 5 years old.

A novel combined Haemophilus influenzae type b-Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A and C-tetanus-toxoid conjugate vaccine (Hib-MenAC vaccine) has been developed to protect children against diseases caused by Hib, MenA, and MenC. This study investigated the safety and immunogenicity of the Hib-MenAC vaccine administered in 2-dose series to children aged 6-23 months and in a single dose to children aged 2-5 y. A randomized, positive-controlled, non-inferiority clinical trial was conducted for 1200 healthy participants in each age group.

[The study of absorption efficiency and restoring effects of collagen and ascorbic acid on aged skin by fluorescence and reflection spectroscopy].

Collagen is one of the main structural proteins in human dermis. The lack and atrophy of collagen induces the appearance of wrinkles and beginning of aging. L-ascorbic acid has significant effects on skin-whitening and anti-oxidation, which helps keep skin beautiful and healthy, respectively.

A statistical feature of Hurst exponents of essential genes in bacterial genomes.

At present, methods for determining essential genes depend on biochemical experiments. There is therefore a demand for the development of analysis methods and software for identifying essential genes, based on the common features of these genes. In this study, we employed the Hurst exponent as a characteristic parameter and analyzed its distribution among nine bacterial species.

[Spinal fusion combined with dynamic interspinous fixation with Coflex system for lumbar degenerative disease].

Objective: To summarize the effect of the implantation of Coflex interspious stabilization device combined with pinal fusion for the treatment of lumbar degenerative disease. METHODS; From March 2008 to March 2010, 18 patients with two levels lumbar degenerative disease were treated with spinal fusion and dynamic interspinous fixation with Coflex system. There were 11 males and 7 females.

Analysis of similarity/dissimilarity of DNA sequences based on convolutional code model.

Based on the convolutional code model of error-correction coding theory, we propose an approach to characterize and compare DNA sequences with consideration of the effect of codon context. We construct an 8-component vector whose components are the normalized leading eigenvalues of the L/L and M/M matrices associated with the original DNA sequences and the transformed sequences. The utility of our approach is illustrated by the examination of the similarities/dissimilarities among the coding sequences of the first exon of beta-globin gene of 11 species, and the efficiency of error-correction coding theory in analysis of similarity/dissimilarity of DNA sequences is represented.

[Advances in the study of the mechanism and application of nonribosomal peptide synthetases].

Many microorganisms could use nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) to synthesize various bioactive peptides with complicated structures. Because of their special physical-chemical and pharmacological properties, the nonribosomal peptides (NRPs) had been extensively studied, and would have great potential for commercial application. NRPSs are composed of many iterative modules whose different assembling orders determine the specificity of amino acid sequences of their peptide products.