Fast and accurate DNASeq variant calling workflow composed of LUSH toolkit.

Background: Whole genome sequencing (WGS) is becoming increasingly prevalent for molecular diagnosis, staging and prognosis because of its declining costs and the ability to detect nearly all genes associated with a patient's disease. The currently widely accepted variant calling pipeline, GATK, is limited in terms of its computational speed and efficiency, which cannot meet the growing analysis needs.

Results: Here, we propose a fast and accurate DNASeq variant calling workflow that is purely composed of tools from LUSH toolkit.

Elevated TRPV2 expression in the facial nerve of rats by cold stimulation: Implications for Bell's palsy.

Objective: Bell's palsy, also referred to as clinical manifestations of unilateral facial nerve palsy, encompasses downward angling of the corners of the mouth, the absence of forehead creases, and unilateral incomplete eyelid closure. The incidence of Bell's palsy has increased progressively in recent years, but the underlying mechanism of its occurrence remains unknown; therefore, it is essential to investigate both the cause and treatment of Bell's palsy. Member 2 of the Subfamily V Transient Receptor Potential Cation Channel is a mechanically and thermally sensitive ion channel that plays a crucial role in neural growth and development.

Exploration of potential targets and mechanisms of naringenin in the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease through network pharmacology.

Objective: This study aimed to use network pharmacology to investigate the molecular mechanisms and potential targets of naringenin (NR) for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) treatment to offer new drug development ideas.

Methods: The structure and compound information of NR were obtained from PubChem and the traditional Chinese medicine system pharmacology database and analysis platform. The traditional Chinese medicine system pharmacology database and analysis platform Database, Comparative Toxicogenomics Database and Encyclopedia of Traditional Chinese Medicine Database were then used to predict the related targets of NR.

Influence of cold-stimulated adipocyte supernatant on the expression of adhesion-related molecules in Schwann cell line.

Bell's palsy is the most common form of facial nerve palsy. This study aimed to explore the pathogenesis of Bell's palsy by investigating the effect of cold-stimulated adipocyte supernatant on adhesion molecule expression in Schwann cell line. Schwann cells were cultured in regular or adipocyte-conditioned medium and analyzed using RNA sequencing.

Bell's palsy was associated with TRPV2 downregulation of Schwann cell by cold stress.

Objective: Epidemiological and clinical studies have shown that sharp changes in the ambient temperature are associated with the occurrence and development of Bell's palsy. However, the specific pathogenesis of peripheral facial paralysis remains nebulous. This study investigated the effect of cold stress on transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 2 (TRPV2) secretion by Schwann cells and its role in Bell's palsy.

Concomitant viral and bacterial pneumonia among patients in ICU with mechanical respiratory support.

Introduction: The use of mechanical ventilators in the intensive care unit (ICU) is often associated with higher risk of respiratory tract infections, including ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Concomitant bacterial-viral infection was reported to worsen patient's clinical condition. This study evaluated the rate of concomitant bacterial-viral infections in patients with VAP and analyzed their clinical outcomes.

Effects of Modified Layered Double Hydroxides on the Thermal Degradation and Combustion Behaviors of Intumescent Flame Retardant Polyethylene Nanocomposites.

The flame retardancy of layered double hydroxides (LDHs) correlates with their structure and dispersion in a polymeric matrix. To improve the flame retardant effectiveness of Mg-Al LDH in polyethylene (PE), 2-carboxy ethyl (phenyl) phosphinic acid (CEPPA) was adopted as a flame retardant modifier to prepare CEPPA-intercalated LDH (CLDH) by the regeneration method, which was then exfoliated in PE by melt blending in the form of a masterbatch prepared from solution mixing. By compounding CLDH with intumescent flame retardant (IFR) composed of ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and pentaerythritol (PER), the thermal degradation and combustion behaviors of the flame retardant PE-based composites were investigated to reveal the flame retardant mechanism between CLDH and IFR in PE.

Enhanced Flame Retardancy in Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate Copolymer/Magnesium Hydroxide/Polycarbosilane Blends.

A polymer ceramic precursor material-polycarbosilane (PCS)-was used as a synergistic additive with magnesium hydroxide (MH) in flame-retardant ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) composites via the melt-blending method. The flame-retardant properties of EVA/MH/PCS were evaluated by the limiting oxygen index (LOI) and a cone calorimeter (CONE). The results revealed a dramatic synergistic effect between PCS and MH, showing a 114% increase in the LOI value and a 46% decrease in the peak heat release rate (pHRR) with the addition of 2 wt.

[Mechanism of astragaloside Ⅳ alleviating PC12 cell injury by activating PI3K/AKT signaling pathway: based on network pharmacology and in vitro experiments].

In this study, the molecular mechanism of astragaloside Ⅳ(AS-Ⅳ) in the treatment of Parkinson's disease(PD) was explored based on network pharmacology, and the potential value of AS-Ⅳ in alleviating neuronal injury in PD by activating the PI3 K/AKT signaling pathway was verified through molecular docking and in vitro experiments. Such databases as SwissTargetPrediction, BTMAN-TAM, and GeneCards were used to predict the targets of AS-Ⅳ for the treatment of PD. The Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins(STRING) was employed to analyze protein-protein interaction(PPI) and construct a PPI network, and the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery(DAVID) was used for Gene Ontology(GO) term enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis.

Complementary and alternative therapies for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: A Bayesian network meta-analysis protocol.

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become a global pandemic, and its incidence is increasing year by year. At present, there are no definite curative drugs for the treatment of NAFLD in modern medicine. Surprisingly, complementary and alternative therapies play an important role and have special advantages.

Complementary and alternative therapies for precancerous lesions of gastric cancer: A protocol for a Bayesian network meta analysis.

Background: Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors, which seriously affect peoples quality of life and threaten people's health. Precancerous lesions of gastric cancer (PLGC) are a critical stage in the occurrence and development of gastric cancer. Early effective intervention is an important means to prevent and control gastric cancer.

Comparison of efficacy and safety of complementary and alternative therapies for primary trigeminal neuralgia: A protocol for a Bayesian network meta analysis.

Background: Primary trigeminal neuralgia (PTN) is a type of peripheral neuralgia that seriously affects people's lives. In recent years, complementary therapies and alternative therapies have played a significant role in treating PTN. However, there is a lack of comparison among all the complementary and alternative therapies at present.

Experimental study of the optimum puncture pattern of robot-assisted needle insertion into hyperelastic materials.

The robot-assisted insertion surgery plays a crucial role in biopsy and therapy. This study focuses on determining the optimum puncture pattern for robot-assisted insertion, aiming at the matching problem of needle insertion parameters, thereby to reduce the pain for patients and to improve the reachability to the lesion point. First, a 6-degrees of freedom (DOFs) Computed Tomography (CT)-guided surgical robotic system for minimally invasive percutaneous lung is developed and used to perform puncture experiments.

TGF-β2 interfering oligonucleotides used as adjuvants for microbial vaccines.

The success of using immune checkpoint inhibitors to treat cancers implies that inhibiting an immunosuppressive cytokine, such as TGF-β2, could be a strategy to develop novel adjuvants for microbial vaccines. To develop nucleic acid based TGF-β2 inhibitors, we designed three antisense oligonucleotides, designated as TIO1, TIO2, and TIO3, targeting the conserve regions identical in human and mouse TGF-β2 mRNA 3'-untranslated region. In cultured immune cells, TIO3 and TIO1 significantly reduced the TGF-β2 mRNA expression and protein production.

Assessing risk factors for SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients presenting with symptoms in Shanghai, China: a multicentre, observational cohort study.

Background: The outbreak of COVID-19 has led to international concern. We aimed to establish an effective screening strategy in Shanghai, China, to aid early identification of patients with COVID-19.

Methods: We did a multicentre, observational cohort study in fever clinics of 25 hospitals in 16 districts of Shanghai.

Lesion positioning method of a CT-guided surgical robotic system for minimally invasive percutaneous lung.

Background: Robot-assisted puncture has gradually attracted more attention and practical clinical application. The lesion positioning and the needle positioning are the basis to ensure the accuracy of puncture and the key techniques in insertion operation.

Methods: A lesion positioning method is established which is realized only by the robot-CT system without using external positioning system, and an omnidirectional needle positioning method is also developed and realized by using VRCM, in order to make the puncture needle always keep pointing to the lesion point.

MiR-124 regulates transforming growth factor-β1 induced differentiation of lung resident mesenchymal stem cells to myofibroblast by repressing Wnt/β-catenin signaling.

Lung resident mesenchymal stem cells (LR-MSCs) contribute to the progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). We aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism underlying LR-MSCs regulation upon transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 stimulation. We induced fibrogenic differentiation of LR-MSCs isolated from mice by TGF-β1.

Inhibitory effect of compound Chuanxiong Kangxian granules on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in rats.

Background: The diverse medicinal properties of herbal compounds make them suitable candidates to treat multifactorial conditions such as pulmonary fibrosis. We investigated the effects and mechanisms of compound Chuanxiong Kangxian granules (CCKG) on a bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis model in rats.

Methods And Results: Following an intratracheal instillation of BLM, Sprague Dawley rats were intragastrically administrated with different doses of CCKG solution or hydrocortisone for 28 d, while control and BLM-treated rats were administered with saline solution.

Association of rs1333049 with Brain Diseases: A Case-control Study and a Meta-analysis.

Objective: polymorphisms were shown to associate with the risk of stroke in European. The goal of this study was to evaluate the contribution of rs1333049 to the risk of hemorrhagic stroke (HS) and brain tumor (BT) in Han Chinese.

Methods: A total of 142 HSs, 115 BTs, and 494 controls were included in the current association study.

Sex-dichotomous effects of NOS1AP promoter DNA methylation on intracranial aneurysm and brain arteriovenous malformation.

The goal of this study was to investigate the contribution of NOS1AP-promoter DNA methylation to the risk of intracranial aneurysm (IA) and brain arteriovenous malformation (BAVM) in a Han Chinese population. A total of 48 patients with IAs, 22 patients with BAVMs, and 26 control individuals were enrolled in the study. DNA methylation was tested using bisulfite pyrosequencing technology.

Efficacy of acupuncture for chronic asthma: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Although asthma symptoms can be temporarily controlled, it is recommended to use effective low-risk, non-drug strategies to constitute a significant advance in asthma management. Acupuncture has been traditionally used to treat asthma; however, the evidence for the efficacy of this treatment is still lacking. Previous clinical trials of acupuncture in treating asthma were limited by methodological defects; therefore, high-quality research is required.

Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) improves microcirculation of volunteers with high blood viscosity: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Elevated blood viscosity is a risk factor for atherosclerosis, thrombosis and other cardiovascular events. Our previous studies have suggested that consumption of Yerba mate tea (Ilex paraguariensis) has strong antioxidant and lipid-lowering properties in animals. The in vivo effects of Yerba mate on blood viscosity in humans, however, have not been studied.

Characteristic features of pulmonary function test, CT volume analysis and MR perfusion imaging in COPD patients with different HRCT phenotypes.

Introduction: Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide detailed anatomic structures and quantitative function information for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Objectives: To prospectively clarify characteristics of pulmonary function test (PFT), CT volume parameters and magnetic resonance (MR) perfusion imaging in COPD patients with different high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) phenotypes.

Methods: Sixty-two patients performed PFT, CT and MR perfusion imaging.

Capability of differentiating smokers with normal pulmonary function from COPD patients: a comparison of CT pulmonary volume analysis and MR perfusion imaging.

Objective: To compare CT volume analysis with MR perfusion imaging in differentiating smokers with normal pulmonary function (controls) from COPD patients.

Methods: Sixty-two COPD patients and 17 controls were included. The total lung volume (TLV), total emphysema volume (TEV) and emphysema index (EI) were quantified by CT.

MiRNA synergistic network construction and enrichment analysis for common target genes in small-cell lung cancer.

Background: Small-cell lung cancer (also known as SCLC) is an aggressive form and untreated patients generally die within about 3 months. To obtain further insight into mechanism underlying malignancy with this cancer, an miRNA synergistic regulatory network was constructed and analyzed in the present study.

Method: A miRNA microarray dataset was downloaded from the NCBI GEO database (GSE27435).