Corneal subepithelial nerve fibers in type 2 diabetes: potential biomarker of diabetic neuropathy.

Aim: To observe the changes in corneal subepithelial nerve fibers (CNFs) and Langerhans cells (LCs) in patients with type 2 diabetes using corneal laser confocal microscopy (CLCM).

Methods: A total of 60 patients (64 eyes), including 40 patients with type 2 diabetes (DM group) and 20 subjects without diabetes (control group) were included with CLCM. Neuron J plugin of Image J software were used for quantitative analysis of CNF length (CNFL), CNF density (CNFD), corneal nerve branch fiber density (CNBD), main branch length density, branch length density, corneal nerve fiber tortuosity (NT) score, and LCs density.

Unveiling key impact parameters and mechanistic insights towards activated biochar performance for carbon dioxide reduction.

Chemically activated biochar is effective in supercapacitors and water splitting, but low conductivity hinders its application as a carbon support in carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CORR). Based on the observed CORR performance from potassium hydroxide (KOH)-activated biochar, increased microporosity was hypothesized to enhance the performance, leading to selection of potassium carbonate (KCO) for activation. KCO activation at 600℃ increased microporosity significantly, yielding a total Faradaic efficiency of 72%, compared to 60% with KOH at 800℃.

Tailoring FeO-AlO catalyst structure and activity via hydrothermal synthesis for carbon nanotubes and hydrogen production from polyolefin plastics.

FeO-AlO catalysts applied for conversion of polyolefin plastic waste into multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and H are typically produced by impregnation, co-precipitation or sol-gel synthesis at atmospheric pressure and temperatures below 100 °C. This study utilized hydrothermal conditions and established the role of precipitating agents (urea, N-methylurea and N,N'-dimethylurea) on properties and catalytic activity of FeO-AlO catalysts (Fe-u, Fe-mu and Fe-dmu, respectively). The precipitating agent played a key role in tailoring the properties, such as crystallization degree, surface area and reducibility.

Redistribution of mineral phases of incineration bottom ash by size and magnetic separation and its effects on the leaching behaviors.

Size and magnetic separation of incineration bottom ash (IBA) are common for ferrous metals recovery, however, their influences on the mineral phase and the element redistribution, and subsequently the induced variation of metal leaching potential herein remain limited understanding. The lack of research in this field may misunderstand IBA performances, cause confused results for comparison among various studies, and potentially lead to biased conclusions. We herein quantitatively investigate the effects of size and magnetic separation on the IBA based on element distribution, leaching behavior, morphology, and mineralogy with statistical analysis.

Retrospective analysis on incidence and risk factors of early onset acute kidney injury after lung transplantation and its association with mortality.

Objectives: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication after lung transplantation (LTx) which is closely related to the poor prognosis of patients. We aimed to explore potential risk factors and outcomes associated with early post-operative AKI after LTx.

Methods: A retrospective study was conducted in 136 patients who underwent LTx at our institution from 2017 to 2019.

Numerous long single-stranded DNAs produced by dual amplification reactions for electrochemical detection of exosomal microRNAs.

Exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) have been explored as an extremely promising biomarker of liquid biopsy for the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of diseases such as cancer, in which sensitive and selective detection is significant. Herein, we describe the construction and testing of an electrochemical biosensor for the sensitive detection of exosomal miRNAs. It is based on synthetizing numerous long single-stranded DNAs (ssDNAs), which are produced by dual amplification reactions of target-triggered cyclic strand displacement reaction (TCSDR) and primer exchange DNA amplification reaction (PEDAR).

Interlaboratory analysis of teicoplanin plasma concentration assays among Chinese laboratories.

What Is Known And Objective: Teicoplanin is widely used for the treatment of infections caused by drug-resistant Gram-positive bacteria. Since there is a good correlation between trough levels and clinical outcome, therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is recommended to achieve better clinical curative effects. However, TDM of teicoplanin is not routine in China.

Processing of flexible plastic packaging waste into pyrolysis oil and multi-walled carbon nanotubes for electrocatalytic oxygen reduction.

Flexible plastic packaging waste causes serious environmental issues due to challenges in recycling. This study investigated the conversion of flexible plastic packaging waste with 11.8 and 27.

The Gut Microbiome Modulates the Changes in Liver Metabolism and in Inflammatory Processes in the Brain of Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress Rats.

Generally, depression is the result of complex gene-environment interactions. Recent studies have showed that the gut microbiota can affect brain function through the microbiota-gut-brain axis. However, the underlying mechanism of the microbiota and potential influence of depression remain elusive.

Systems Pharmacology and Microbiome Dissection of Shen Ling Bai Zhu San Reveal Multiscale Treatment Strategy for IBD.

Generally, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be caused by psychology, genes, environment, and gut microbiota. Therefore, IBD therapy should be improved to utilize multiple strategies. Shen Ling Bai Zhu San (SLBZS) adheres to the aim of combating complex diseases from an integrative and holistic perspective, which is effective for IBD therapy.

The Effects of CYP3A5 Genetic Polymorphisms on Serum Tacrolimus Dose-Adjusted Concentrations and Long-Term Prognosis in Chinese Heart Transplantation Recipients.

Background And Objectives: Effective management of immunosuppressants is extemely important to improve prognosis of heart transplant recipients. We aim to investigate the effects of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A5 (rs776746) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on serum tacrolimus concentrations/doses (C/Ds, ng/mL per mg/kg) and long-term prognosis in Chinese heart transplant recipients.

Methods: We detected the CYP3A5 SNPs of 203 consecutive Chinese heart transplant recipients between August 2005 and July 2012, and 55 of them who received tacrolimus-based immunosuppressive therapy were enrolled in this study.

Histone Deacetylase HDA19 Affects Root Cortical Cell Fate by Interacting with SCARECROW.

The Arabidopsis () root epidermis is a simple model for investigating cell fate specification and pattern formation. In addition to regulatory networks consisting of transcription factors, histone deacetylases are also involved in the formation of cellular patterns. Here, we report thatHistone Deacetylase19 (HDA19) affects the root epidermal cellular pattern through regulation of cortical cell fate by interacting with SCARECROW (SCR).

The Influence of Carbon Nitride Nanosheets Doping on the Crystalline Formation of MIL-88B(Fe) and the Photocatalytic Activities.

In this research, bulk graphitic carbon nitride (g-C N ) is exfoliated and transferred to the carbon nitride nanosheets (CNNSs), which are then coupled with MIL-88B(Fe) to form the hybrid. From the results of the powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electronic microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis, it is found that the doping of CNNSs on the surface of MIL-88(Fe) could maintain the basic structure of MIL-88B(Fe), and the smaller dimension of CNNSs might influence the crystallization process of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) compared to bulk g-C N . Besides, the effects of the CNNSs incorporation on photocatalysis are also investigated.

Plasma miRNA-122-5p and miRNA-151a-3p identified as potential biomarkers for liver injury among CHB patients with PNALT.

Background: Plasma microRNA (miRNA) levels may be altered during pathological processes; therefore, they may potentially serve as biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of human diseases. This study aimed to explore whether plasma miRNAs may serve as new biomarkers for liver injury among chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with normal or nearly normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels.

Methods: Plasma miRNAs from each of three independent groups (no prominent liver injury and persistently normal ALT levels, NPNALT; significant liver injury with persistently normal ALT levels, SPNALT; and healthy) were profiled by miRNA microarray analysis.

Nrf2 protects human lens epithelial cells against HO-induced oxidative and ER stress: The ATF4 may be involved.

Our previous study has shown heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) protects human lens epithelial cells (LECs) against HO-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis. Nrf2, the major regulator of HO-1, is triggered during the mutual induction of oxidative stress and ER stress. In response to ER stress, unfolded protein response (UPR) serves as a program of transcriptional and translational regulation mechanism with PERK involved.

Revealing the complex effects of salinity on copper toxicity in an estuarine clam Potamocorbula laevis with a toxicokinetic-toxicodynamic model.

The effects of salinity on metal toxicity are complex: not only affecting metal bioaccumulation, but also altering the physiology and sensitivity of organisms. In this study, we used a toxicokinetic-toxicodynamic (TK-TD) model to separate and quantify the dual effects of salinity on copper (Cu) toxicity in a euryhaline clam Potamocorbula laevis. The toxicokinetics of Cu was determined using the stable isotope Cu as a tracer at concentrations (10-500 μg L) realistic to contaminated environments and at salinities ranging from 5 to 30.

One additional histone deacetylase and 2 histone acetyltransferases are involved in cellular patterning of Arabidopsis root epidermis.

The cellular patterning of Arabidopsis root epidermis is a well-characterized system for study of how single-layered cells are arranged in a particular spatial order. Previously, we found that histone acetylation plays an important role in regulating epidermal differentiation by relaying positional information. To investigate the underlying mechanisms, we screened all available mutants of both HDAC and HAT families.

HISTONE DEACETYLASE6-Defective Mutants Show Increased Expression and Acetylation of ENHANCER OF TRIPTYCHON AND CAPRICE1 and GLABRA2 with Small But Significant Effects on Root Epidermis Cellular Pattern.

Cellular patterning in the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) root epidermis is dependent on positional information, the transmission of which involves histone acetylation. Here, we report that HISTONE DEACETYLASE6 (HDA6) has significant effects on this cellular patterning. Mutation of HDA6 led to ectopic hair cells in the nonhair positions of root epidermis in Arabidopsis, based on an analysis of paraffin sections stained with Toluidine Blue.

HDA18 affects cell fate in Arabidopsis root epidermis via histone acetylation at four kinase genes.

The differentiation of hair (H) and non-hair (N) cells in the Arabidopsis thaliana root epidermis is dependent on positional relationships with underlying cortical cells. We previously found that histone acetylation relays positional information and that a mutant altered in the histone deacetylase gene family member HISTONE DEACETYLASE 18 (HDA18) exhibits altered H and N epidermal cell patterning. Here, we report that HDA18 has in vitro histone deacetylase activity and that both mutation and overexpression of HDA18 led to cells at the N position having H fate.

Derepression of ethylene-stabilized transcription factors (EIN3/EIL1) mediates jasmonate and ethylene signaling synergy in Arabidopsis.

Jasmonate (JA) and ethylene (ET) are two major plant hormones that synergistically regulate plant development and tolerance to necrotrophic fungi. Both JA and ET induce the expression of several pathogenesis-related genes, while blocking either signaling pathway abolishes the induction of these genes by JA and ET alone or in combination. However, the molecular basis of JA/ET coaction and signaling interdependency is largely unknown.

[A survey of the resources of medicinal plants in Luoding City].

Objective: To investigate the common resource of Chinese herbal medicine in western of Luoding City, Guangdong Province, and propose pertinent suggestions concerning the exploitation,utilization and conservation of the medicinal resources.

Methods: With plant taxonomy method, we selected the JiaYi town as the center for local common Chinese herbal medicine resources, ecological environment and non-governmental investigation of medicinal.

Results: There were 123 species of medicinal plants in Jiayi Town, including pteridophyte 11 species, gymnosperm 5 species, dicotyledon 97 species,and monocotyledon 12 species.

Development of a sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic method with simple extraction for simultaneous determination of huperzine A and huperzine B in the species containing lycopodium alkaloids.

A sensitive HPLC method with simple extraction was developed for simultaneous determination of huperzine A (HupA) and huperzine B (HupB) in Huperzia serrata, H. crispata, H. miyoshiana, and Lycopodiastrum casuarinoides.

[Population pharmacokinetics of tacrolimus in Chinese renal transplant patients].

The goal of this study is to investigate the population pharmacokinetics of oral tacrolimus in Chinese renal transplant patients and to identify possible relationship between covariates and population parameters. Details of drug dosage history, sampling time and concentration of 802 data points in 58 patients were collected retrospectively. Before analysis, the 58 patients were randomly allocated to either the model building group (n=41) or the validation group (n=17).

Histone acetylation affects expression of cellular patterning genes in the Arabidopsis root epidermis.

The Arabidopsis root has a unique cellular pattern in its single-layered epidermis. Cells residing over the intercellular spaces between underlying cortical cells (H position) differentiate into hair cells, whereas those directly over cortical cells (N position) differentiate into non-hair cells. Recent studies have revealed that this cellular pattern is determined by interactions of six patterning genes CPC, ETC, GL2, GL3/EGL3, TTG, and WER, and that the position-dependent expression of the CPC, GL2, and WER genes is essential for their appropriate interactions.