Midpoint transverse process to pleura block for postoperative analgesia following laparoscopic renal cyst decortication: Two case reports.

Background: The midpoint transverse process to pleura (MTP) block, a novel technique for thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB), was first employed in laparoscopic renal cyst decortication.

Case Summary: Thoracic paravertebral nerve block is frequently employed for perioperative analgesia during laparoscopic cyst decortication. To address safety concerns associated with TPVBs, we administered MTP blocks in two patients prior to administering general anesthesia for laparoscopic cyst decortication.

Hyperthyroidism and severe bradycardia: Report of three cases and review of the literature.

Background: Hyperthyroidism often leads to tachycardia, but there are also sporadic reports of hyperthyroidism with severe bradycardia, such as sick sinus syndrome (SSS) and atrioventricular block. These disorders are a challenge for clinicians.

Case Summary: We describe three cases of hyperthyroidism with SSS and found 31 similar cases in a PubMed literature search.

Research hotspots and development trends of microRNA in ischemia-reperfusion: network analysis of academic journals oriented by bibliometric and visualization.

Background: Ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury can occur in the heart, brain, liver, lung, kidney, and other important organs, and may greatly increase disease mortality. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have a variety of functions, including regulating cell differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. In the past 10 years, many studies on miRNAs in IR have been conducted.

EGCG protects against myocardial I/RI by regulating lncRNA Gm4419-mediated epigenetic silencing of the DUSP5/ERK1/2 axis.

Background: Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has attracted increasing attention due to its beneficial effect on cardiovascular health. The aim of this study was to investigate the underlying mechanism by which EGCG protects against myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion injury (I/RI).

Methods: Murine myocardial I/RI and HO-induced cardiomyocyte injury models were established to evaluate the therapeutic effects of EGCG.

Effects and mechanism of arachidonic acid against TNF-α induced apoptosis of endothelial cells.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of arachidonic acid metabolite epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (EETs) in the apoptosis of endothelial cells induced by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). After human umbilical vein endothelial cells were cultured, TNF-α/ActD, 14, 15-EET, and HMR-1098 were added, respectively, into the culture medium. The apoptosis level of endothelial cells was detected by flow cytometry.

Mechanisms of Macrophage Immunomodulatory Activity Induced by a New Polysaccharide Isolated From (Pers.) Fries.

Bladder cancer is one of the most malignant tumors closely associated with macrophage immune dysfunction. The Chinese medicine polyporus has shown excellent efficacy in treating bladder cancer, with minimal side effects. However, its material basis and mechanism of action remain unclear.

Immunotherapy of Bacillus Calmette‑Guérin by targeting macrophages against bladder cancer in a NOD/scid IL2Rg‑/‑ mouse model.

Bacillus Calmette‑Guérin (BCG) is considered to be a successful biotherapy for treating bladder cancer (BCa). However, the underlying mechanisms of BCG have not been completely clarified, to date. The role of macrophages in BCG therapy for BCa has still not been determined in vivo.

NF-κB pathways are involved in M1 polarization of RAW 264.7 macrophage by polyporus polysaccharide in the tumor microenvironment.

Bladder cancer is one of the most malignant tumors closely associated with macrophages. Polyporus polysaccharide (PPS) has shown excellent efficacy in treating bladder cancer with minimal side effects. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of PPS in inhibiting bladder cancer remain unclear.

Virulence determination and molecular features of peach latent mosaic viroid isolates derived from phenotypically different peach leaves: a nucleotide polymorphism in L11 contributes to symptom alteration.

Symptoms of chlorosis along leaf edges (chlorosis-edge), along leaf veins (chlorosis-vein) and yellowing on peach leaves have been observed for a long history in the field, while the pathological factor(s) responsible for these symptoms remained unknown. Peach latent mosaic viroid (PLMVd) was detected in the leaves collected from three unique phenotypic peach trees showing above mentioned symptoms. The obtained PLMVd isolates were subjected to population structure analyses and biological assays to evaluate their pathogenicity on peach seedlings in an effort to elucidate the relationship between the PLMVd and the symptoms observed on peach trees in China.

[Survey on a new case of visceral leishmaniasis in Shanxi Province].

A new case of visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar) was reported by Changzhi CDC of Shanxi Province in September 2011. The case was investigated clinically and epidemiologically. The patient was a two-year-old boy who lived in Huangnian Town of Changzhi County in Shanxi Province.

Probe binding to host proteins: a cause for false positive signals in viroid detection by tissue hybridization.

Molecular hybridization assay, especially involving the use of tissues directly, has been developed as a rapid, simple and important technique for plant pathogen detection and/or gene expression analysis on a large scale. In theory, this method relies on the specific binding of a labeled probe to a target nucleotide sequence. However, occasional false positive reactions can pose a problem in its application and the cause is often not well understood.

Improving the sensitivity of single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) to study the variability of PLMVd.

Single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) was used to characterize viroids. Eight cDNA clones, which showed identical profiles in preliminary existing SSCP analysis but had different sequences, were chosen to develop a sensitive SSCP technique for identifying the variability of Peach latent mosaic viroid (PLMVd). Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (PAGE) conditions were optimized to improve the sensitivity of the existing SSCP, and a modified SSCP protocol was developed.