Prognostic Implication of Computational Angiography-Derived Fractional Flow Reserve in Patients With Nonobstructive Coronary Artery Disease.

Background: Risk stratification of patients with symptomatic nonobstructive coronary artery disease remains uncertain. Our study assessed the clinical value of single-vessel, multivessel, and 3-vessel computational angiography-derived fractional flow reserve (caFFR) measurement in patients with nonobstructive coronary artery disease.

Methods And Results: We enrolled patients with ≤50% stenosis with a caFFR value ≥0.

Cardiovascular benefits and safety profile of macrolide maintenance therapy in patients with bronchiectasis.

Background: Macrolide maintenance therapy (MMT) has demonstrated notable efficacy in reducing exacerbation in patients with bronchiectasis, which is a major risk factor for cardiovascular events. However, a comprehensive assessment of the cardiovascular benefits and safety profile of MMT in this population is lacking.

Methods: This territory-wide cohort study analysed patients diagnosed with bronchiectasis in Hong Kong between 2001 and 2018.

The association of haemoglobin A1c variability with adverse outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation prescribed anticoagulants.

Aims: The association of haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) variability with the risk of adverse outcomes in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) prescribed anticoagulants remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the association of HbA1c variability with the risk of ischaemic stroke (IS)/systemic embolism (SE) and all-cause mortality among patients with non-valvular AF prescribed anticoagulants.

Methods And Results: Patients newly diagnosed with AF from 2013 to 2018 were included.

[Expression and clinical significance of plasma microRNA-125b level in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma].

Purpose: To explore the expression and clinical significance of plasma microRNA-125b (miR-125b) in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

Methods: By Stem-loop RT real-time PCR based on the SYBR Green, we investigated the expression of plasma miR-125b in 85 OSCC patients and 46 healthy controls, then evaluated its diagnostic performance as OSCC biomarker. Data analysis was performed with SPSS 17.

DOG1, cyclin D1, CK7, CD117 and vimentin are useful immunohistochemical markers in distinguishing chromophobe renal cell carcinoma from clear cell renal cell carcinoma and renal oncocytoma.

The distinction between chromophobe renal cell carcinoma (ChRCC), clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CRCC) and renal oncocytoma may cause a diagnostic dilemma. The usefulness of DOG1, cyclin D1, CK7, CD117 and vimentin in the differential diagnosis of these renal epithelial tumors was investigated. DOG1 was positive in ChRCC (32 of 32, 100%) and in renal oncocytoma (21 of 21, 100%).

Expression and function of myelin-associated proteins and their common receptor NgR on oligodendrocyte progenitor cells.

Nogo-A, oligodendrocyte myelin glycoprotein (OMgp) and myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) are known as myelin-associated proteins that inhibit axon growth by binding a common receptor, the Nogo66 receptor (NgR). In the CNS, Nogo-A, OMgp and MAG are predominantly expressed by oligodendrocytes. As our previous study revealed that oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) did not inhibit neurite outgrowth, it is not clear whether these myelin-associated proteins are expressed in OPCs, and what functions they perform if they are expressed in OPCs.

[Expression and clinical significance of serum interleukin-8 level in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma].

Purpose: To explore the clinical significance of serum interleukin-8 (IL-8) level in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

Methods: Twenty-seven serum specimens pathologically confirmed as OSCC were tested,10 healthy serum specimens were used as control. The expression of serum IL-8 was measured by ELISA.

[Clinical research for alimentary control of certain foods to remission of recurrent oral ulcer].

Objective: In order to observe the therapeutic efficacy of food control to recurrent oral ulcer (ROU), alimentary control of certain foods was employed to relieve outbreak of ROU.

Methods: The kits for food intolerant IgG of certain food were used to test the intolerant food of fifty patients with ROU. Observations and assessments for alimentary control were made after three months' treatment on these patients.

Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans regulate the growth, differentiation and migration of multipotent neural precursor cells through the integrin signaling pathway.

Background: Neural precursor cells (NPCs) are defined by their ability to proliferate, self-renew, and retain the potential to differentiate into neurons and glia. Deciphering the factors that regulate their behaviors will greatly aid in their use as potential therapeutic agents or targets. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) are prominent components of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in the central nervous system (CNS) and are assumed to play important roles in controlling neuronal differentiation and development.

Expression and regulation of versican in neural precursor cells and their lineages.

Aim: To have a better understanding of the expression and regulation of versican isoforms in neural precursor cells (NPC) and oligodendrogliogenesis.

Methods: By immunocytochemistry, RT-PCR, and real-time PCR, we examined the temporal expression of versican in NPC isolated from embryonic d 16 rats as well as in oligodendrocyte (OL) lineage cells induced to differentiate from NPC, which mimicked the oligodendrogliogenesis in vivo.

Results: We found that versican was constitutively expressed in NPC and their lineage cells, including neurons, astrocytes, and OL.

[Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans in neural development and regeneration].

Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) are major components of extracellular matrix in the central nervous system (CNS) , and play important roles in the development and maintenance of CNS, as welt in pathogenesis or repair processes of neuronal damages. They mainly exert barrier function for neuronal migration and axonogenesis during development and inhibitory effects on plasticity and axon re-growth in the adult nerve system. Digestion of glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains or suppression of their synthesis could promote axonal regeneration and functional recovery after CNS injuries.

The Spectroscopic Study of E. coli Arginyl-tRNA Synthetase (ArgRS) and its Mutants.

The conformation of native enzyme ArgRS and its mutants ArgRS306KA, ArgRS306KR and ArgRS381KA was studied by absorbance spectrum, Difference spectrum with solvent perturbation, fluorescence spectrum and CD spectrum. The results showed that the chromophores of ArgRS306KR and ArgRS306KA had shifted to different micro environments in comparison to the native enzyme. Compared to the native enzyme, ArgRS306KA had and even bigger conformational change than ArgRS306KR, while the conformation difference between ArgRS381KA and ArgRS was not big enough to be perceivable in the spectrum.