Effects of Combination of 1,25(OH) D and TLR-4 Inhibitor on the Damage to HaCaT Cells Caused by UVB Irradiation.

Objective: Vitamin D and Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4) inhibition are involved in the protection of keratinocytes. The effects of combination of 1,25(OH) D and TLR-4 inhibitor on the protection of keratinocytes against ultraviolet radiation B (UVB) irradiation remain unclear. This study was undertaken to explore the effects of combination of 1,25(OH) D and TAK-242 (TLR-4 inhibitor) on the damage to HaCaT cells caused by UVB irradiation.

Stitch and copolymerization of thin-film composite membranes to enhance hydrophilicity and organics resistance for the separation of glycerol-based wastewater.

Many industries produce large amounts of glycerol-based wastewater, which always contains hazardous organic chlorides. Compared with complicated biological treatments or physical adsorption, membrane separation decreases the cost and saves energy. Strong swelling of traditional thin-film composite (TFC) membranes influence the performance in the separation of organic molecules.

Dexmedetomidine Attenuates High Glucose-induced HK-2 Epithelial-mesenchymal Transition by Inhibiting AKT and ERK.

Objective: To explore the protective effects of dexmedetomidine (Dex) against high glucose-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in HK-2 cells and relevant mechanisms.

Methods: HK-2 cells were exposed to either glucose or glucose+Dex for 6 h. The production of ROS, morphology of HK-2 cells, and cell cycle were detected.

Association between ApoE Polymorphism and Type 2 Diabetes: A Meta-Analysis of 59 Studies.

Objective: To identify the important risk factors for type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and develop effective strategies to address the problem of T2DM. Our study aimed to evaluate the association between apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genetic polymorphism and type 2 diabetes, and to provide clues for the etiology of T2DM.

Methods: Based on the criteria of inclusion and exclusion, we extracted, pooled, analyzed and assessed the case-control studies of ApoE polymorphism and T2DM published in PubMed, Web of Science, Medline, WanFang, VIP, and CNKI databases by R soft-ware (version 3.

Metallothioneins attenuate paraquat-induced acute lung injury in mice through the mechanisms of anti-oxidation and anti-apoptosis.

Paraquat (PQ) is a widely used herbicide, and lung is the primary target of PQ poisoning. Metallothionein (MT) is a potent antioxidant and free radical scavenger, and has been shown to play a protective role in lung injury induced by different stressors. This study was undertaken to evaluate the protective potential of MT against PQ-induced acute lung injury using MT-I/II null (MT(-/-)) mice.

[Dynamic variation of endothelin in portal hypertensive patients with hemorrhage and its clinical significance].

Objective: To investigate variations of plasma endothelin (ET) and its clinical significance in portal hypertensive patients with esophageal variceal hemorrhage.

Methods: Sixty-six patients with portal hypertension were randomly divided into 2 groups. Group I (32 patients) received general therapy and Group II (34 patients) received general therapy and UTI after hemorrhage.

Expression of TNF-alpha and VEGF in the esophagus of portal hypertensive rats.

Aim: To investigate the expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the development of esophageal varices in portal hypertensive rats.

Methods: Thirty male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats in the model group in which a two-stage ligation of portal vein plus ligation of the left adrenal vein was performed, were divided into three subgroups (M(7), M(14), and M(21)) in which the rats were kiued on the seventh day, the 14(th) d and the 21 d after the complete portal ligation. Thirty male SD rats, which underwent the sham operation in the control group, were also separated into three subgroups (C(7), C(14) and C(21)) corresponding to the models.

[Laser inducing mucosal fibrosis for preventing recurrence of esophageal varices].

Objective: To investigate the prevention of esophageal varices recurrence by laser inducing esophageal mucosal fibrosis.

Methods: Our study included 42 patients after esophageal varices eradicated by endoscopic varices ligation, and they were divided into 2 groups randomly, each group included 21 patients. One group was assigned to received laser treatment, and indocyanine green solution (1 mg/ml) was injected submucosally, a diode laser (power 10 watts) was applied to the surface from the esophagogastric junction to 5 cm above it.