Anemoside A3 Enhances Cognition through the Regulation of Synaptic Function and Neuroprotection.

Compounds that have the ability to both strengthen synaptic function and facilitate neuroprotection are valuable cognitive enhancers that may improve health and quality of life, as well as retard age-related cognitive deterioration. Medicinal plants are an abundant source of potential cognitive enhancers. Here we report that anemoside A3 (AA3) isolated from Pulsatilla chinensis modulates synaptic connectivity in circuits central to memory enhancement.

Duration of initial antihypertensive prescription and medication adherence: a cohort study among 203,259 newly diagnosed hypertensive patients.

Background: Optimal adherence with antihypertensive medications is crucial to prevent hypertension-related complications. This study evaluated whether the duration of initial antihypertensive prescription is associated with better medication adherence in a large sample of Chinese hypertensive patients.

Methods And Results: From a validated clinical database which consists of all patients in the public healthcare sector in Hong Kong, all patients on their first-ever antihypertensive agent from 2001 to 2005 (N=203,259) were included and followed-up for 12 months (and up to 5 years in separate analyses).

One-stop-shop stroke imaging with functional CT.

Advanced imaging techniques have extended beyond traditional anatomic imaging and progressed to dynamic, physiologic and functional imaging. Neuroimaging is no longer a mere diagnostic tool. Multimodal functional CT, comprising of NCCT, PCT and CTA, provides a one-stop-shop for rapid stroke imaging.

Factors associated with multimorbidity and its link with poor blood pressure control among 223,286 hypertensive patients.

Multimorbidity has become the norm worldwide as populations age. It remains, however, infrequently researched. This study evaluated factors associated with multimorbidity in a predominantly Chinese hypertensive population.

The incidence of cancer deaths among hypertensive patients in a large Chinese population: a cohort study.

Current evidence is mixed regarding the association between antihypertensive prescriptions and cancer mortality. We evaluated this association in a large Chinese hypertensive population. We followed for five years all patients who were prescribed their first-ever antihypertensive agents between 2001 and 2005 in a public healthcare sector of Hong Kong.

Impact of physiological levels of chenodeoxycholic acid supplementation on intestinal and hepatic bile acid and cholesterol metabolism in Cyp7a1-deficient mice.

Mice deficient in cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (Cyp7a1) have a diminished bile acid pool (BAP) and therefore represent a useful model for investigating the metabolic effects of restoring the pool with a specific BA. Previously we carried out such studies in Cyp7a1(-/-) mice fed physiological levels of cholic acid (CA) and achieved BAP restoration, along with an increased CA enrichment, at a dietary level of just 0.03% (w/w).

Coculture of stem cells from apical papilla and human umbilical vein endothelial cell under hypoxia increases the formation of three-dimensional vessel-like structures in vitro.

The success of bioengineered dental pulp depends on two principles, (1) whether the transplanted tissue can develop its own vascular endothelial tubule network and (2) whether the host vasculature can be induced to penetrate the bioengineered pulp replacement and conjoin. Major inductive molecules that participate in laying down blood vessels include vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), ephrinB2, and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α). Being able to modulate the genes encoding these angiogenic molecules is a therapeutic target in pulp regeneration for endogenous blood vessel formation, prevention of graft rejection, and exclusion of infection.

Paan (pan) and paan (pan) masala should be considered tobacco products.

Two products indigenous to the Indian subcontinent and popular among South Asians globally - paan and paan masala - are inconsistently categorised as tobacco by researchers, clinicians, program planners and policymakers. This article calls for a universally standard classification of these smokeless carcinogenic products as tobacco products and thus, subject to the same public health and clinical protections applied to other forms of tobacco. This recommendation is guided by scientific evidence strongly indicating the common presence of tobacco in paan and paan masala.

Effects of tissue plasminogen activator timing on blood-brain barrier permeability and hemorrhagic transformation in rats with transient ischemic stroke.

The goal of our study was to determine if the timing of the tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) administration influenced its effect on blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability and the subsequent risk of hemorrhagic transformation. Thirty spontaneously hypertensive male rats were subjected to a 90-minute unilateral middle cerebral artery occlusion. Six rats did not receive tPA treatment (vehicle control: Group 0), intravenous tPA was administered immediately after reperfusion (Group 1) or 4h after reperfusion (Group 2).

Gratitude facilitates behavioral mimicry.

Recent theorists argue that gratitude, besides encouraging social exchange, serves an important function of relationship building. However, there is a lack of research exploring the specific behaviors through which gratitude promotes relationship building. Given that behavioral mimicry serves important affiliative needs, we explored whether gratitude promotes behavioral mimicry.

Effective time window in reducing pituitary adenoma size by gamma knife radiosurgery.

Objectives: Although the effectiveness of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) in controlling the size of pituitary adenomas has been well demonstrated in many studies, the time period in which significant changes in tumor size occurs has been investigated in a limited fashion. It is important to determine the therapeutic window of GKRS in treating pituitary adenomas, i.e.

Cardiovascular mortality in hypertensive patients newly prescribed perindopril vs. lisinopril: a 5-year cohort study of 15,622 Chinese subjects.

Background: Perindopril and lisinopril are two common ACE inhibitors prescribed for management of hypertension. Few studies have evaluated their comparative effectiveness to reduce mortality. This study compared the all-cause and cardiovascular related mortality among patients newly prescribed ACE inhibitors.

CTA-enhanced perfusion CT: an original method to perform ultra-low-dose CTA-enhanced perfusion CT.

Introduction: Utilizing CT angiography enhances image quality in PCT, thereby permitting acquisition at ultra-low dose.

Methods: Dynamic CT acquisitions were obtained at 80 kVp with decreasing tube current-time product [milliamperes × seconds (mAs)] in patients suspected of ischemic stroke, with concurrent CTA of the cervical and intracranial arteries. By utilizing fast Fourier transformation, high spatial frequencies of CTA were combined with low spatial frequencies of PCT to create a virtual PCT dataset.

A novel approach to reconstruct a large full thickness abdominal wall defect: successful treatment with MatriDerm® and Split.

Reconstruction of large abdominal wall defects is a challenging procedure, often contraindicated in critically ill patients, with high incidences of complications. We present a case of a patient with a large abdominal wall defect who had reconstruction with MatriDerm® (an engineered dermal template) and split thickness skin grafting (SSG) as an alternative to reconstruction with myo- or fascio-cutaneous flaps. Successful wound closure was achieved with a single technique, while providing a robust reconstruction and an interface between skin and underlying viscera, should further surgery be necessary.

The effectiveness of metoprolol versus atenolol on prevention of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in a large Chinese population: a cohort study.

Background: Existing trials almost exclusively used atenolol to represent the entire β-blocker class, and it is unknown whether there are intra-class differences. We compared the incidence of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, blood pressure (BP) control and adherence levels between patients newly prescribed atenolol vs. metoprolol tartrate.

Down regulation of mammalian target of rapamycin decreases HIF-1α and survivin expression in anoxic lung adenocarcinoma A549 cell to elemene and/or irradiation.

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is associated with gene transcription, protein translation and initiation, the synthesis of ribosomes, and apoptosis. The down regulation of mTOR induces apoptosis in malignant tumor cells. Elemene, a sesquiterpene from the traditional Chinese medicinal herb Curcuma wenyujin, is active against a wide range of tumor types.

Disseminating tobacco control information to Asians and Pacific Islanders.

The Asian Grocery Store-Based Cancer Education Program (the Program) is a proven strategy for promoting early breast cancer detection among Asian American women. The authors sought to test whether the same public health model can become an effective strategy for increasing the Asian community's awareness of the California Smokers' Helpline (the Helpline) and thereby, potentially decreasing this community's use of tobacco products. The new module, mainly staffed by four well-trained, volunteer undergraduates, explained the risks of first- and second-hand tobacco exposure and how to access the Helpline's services.

Exposure to air pollutants and mortality in hypertensive patients according to demography: a 10 year case-crossover study.

This study evaluated whether short term exposures to NO2, O3, particulate matter <10 mm in diameter (PM10) were associated with higher risk of mortality. A total of 223,287 hypertensive patients attended public health-care services and newly prescribed at least 1 antihypertensive agent were followed-up for up to 5 years. A time-stratified, bi-directional case-crossover design was adopted.

Changes of c-fos, malondialdehyde and lactate in brain tissue after global cerebral ischemia under different brain temperatures.

Under global cerebral ischemia, the effect of different brain temperature on cerebral ischemic injury was studied. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into normothermic (37-38°C) ischemia, mild hypothermic (31-32°C) ischemia, hyperthermic (41-42°C) ischemia and sham-operated groups. Global cerebral ischemia was established using the Pulsinelli four-vessel occlusion model and brain temperature was maintained at defined level for 60 min after 20-min ischemia.

Differentiation of 13 positive emotions by appraisals.

This research examined how strongly appraisals can differentiate positive emotions and how they differentiate positive emotions. Thirteen positive emotions were examined, namely, amusement, awe, challenge, compassion, contentment, gratitude, hope, interest, joy, pride, relief, romantic love and serenity. Participants from Singapore and the USA recalled an experience of each emotion and thereafter rated their appraisals of the experience.

Psychological "gel" to bind individuals' goal pursuit: gratitude facilitates goal contagion.

Past research demonstrates that gratitude affects individuals' self-regulation of behavior primarily through engendering a prosocial tendency. Based on theories proposing that gratitude plays an unique role in fostering communal relationship (e.g.