COMP-prohibitin 2 interaction maintains mitochondrial homeostasis and controls smooth muscle cell identity.

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are highly phenotypically plastic, and loss of the contractile phenotype in VSMCs has been recognized at the early onset of the pathology of a variety of vascular diseases. However, the endogenous regulatory mechanism to maintain contractile phenotype in VSMCs remains elusive. Moreover, little has been known about the role of the mitochondrial bioenergetics in terms of VSMC homeostasis.

Endoscopic linear stapler-assisted resection of a giant solid pseudopapillary pancreatic tumor with concurrent regional portal hypertension: a case report.

Solid pseudopapillary tumor of the pancreas (SPTP) is a rare neoplasm with a low incidence and low rate of malignancy. We herein report a rare case of SPTP concurrent with regional portal hypertension (RPH) that was successfully treated by distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy. A 22-year-old woman presented with a left upper abdominal apophysis and normal liver function.

Preoperative cerebral hemodynamics from birth to surgery in neonates with critical congenital heart disease.

Background: Hypoxic-ischemic white matter brain injury commonly occurs in neonates with critical congenital heart disease. Recent work has shown that longer time to surgery is associated with increased risk for this injury. In this study we investigated changes in perinatal cerebral hemodynamics during the transition from fetal to neonatal circulation to ascertain mechanisms that might underlie this risk.

Investigation of composition, structure and bioactivity of extracellular polymeric substances from original and stress-induced strains of Thraustochytrium striatum.

This paper was the first to study extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs) of Thraustochytrium striatum on composition, structure and bioactivities. Two strains of T. striatum including original (ori) and high-biomass (mut) strains (induced by high-nitrogen stress) were compared.

Characterization and phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial genome of , a national-protected fish in China.

is a national key protected fish in China. The mitochondrial genome of is 16,578 bp in length and includes two ribosomal RNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, and 13 protein-coding genes. The phylogenetic analysis showed that belongs to family and is closely related to other fish.

Use of Rituximab and Risk of Re-hospitalization for Children with Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder.

Background: Treatment algorithms for neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) vary, and sparse data exist regarding the impact of initial treatments on disease course. We aimed to determine whether administration of rituximab during first hospitalization reduces 1-year readmission rates.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of subjects with NMOSD using the Pediatric Health Information System database from 2005-2015.

Mitochondrial disease patient motivations and barriers to participate in clinical trials.

Background: Clinical treatment trials are increasingly being designed in primary mitochondrial disease (PMD), a phenotypically and genetically heterogeneous collection of inherited multi- system energy deficiency disorders that lack effective therapy. We sought to identify motivating factors and barriers to clinical trial participation in PMD.

Methods: A survey study was conducted in two independent mitochondrial disease subject cohorts.

Preparation of rice straw-derived biochar for efficient cadmium removal by modification of oxygen-containing functional groups.

In order to enhance the adsorption capacity of cadmium (Cd) ion from aqueous solution, the rice straw-derived biochar (BC800) was modified by a mixture of HNO and HO (MHH) with equal volume. Several elemental, chemical and structural characterization methods were used to determine the characteristics of biochars. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out concerning the influences of contact time, initial pH value, and initial concentration.

Vertical distribution of ammonia-oxidizing microorganisms across a soil profile of the Chinese Loess Plateau and their responses to nitrogen inputs.

Ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and bacteria (AOB) oxidize ammonia into nitrite, the first and rate-limiting step of microbial nitrification, and exert major controls over soil nitrogen transformations. The Loess Plateau in northwest China is characterized with deep soils that are often exposed to the surface and reactive nitrogen (N) inputs due to erosion and human removal of the surface soil. However, few have examined the distribution of AOA and AOB along the profile of Loess Plateau soils and their responses to N inputs.

Health conditions and lifestyle risk factors of adults living in Puerto Rico: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Puerto Rico is experiencing an economic and healthcare crisis, yet there are scarce recent and comprehensive reports on the population's health profile. We aimed to describe prevalent risk factors and health conditions of adults living in Puerto Rico and assess their interrelationship.

Methods: Participants (n = 380) aged 30-75y recruited from a 2015 convenience sample in primary care clinics in the San Juan, Puerto Rico metropolitan area answered cross-sectional interviewer-administered questionnaires on sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle behaviors, self-reported medically-diagnosed diseases, health services, and psychosocial factors.

SERS-based lateral flow assay for quantitative detection of C-reactive protein as an early bio-indicator of a radiation-induced inflammatory response in nonhuman primates.

In accidental irradiation situations, rapid in-field evaluation of acute radiation syndrome is critical for effective triage and timely medical treatment of irradiated individuals. A surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based lateral flow assay was developed for the quantitative detection of C-reactive protein (CRP) as an early bio-indicator of a radiation-induced inflammatory response in nonhuman primates. Raman reporter-embedded gold-core silver-shell nanoparticles with built-in hot spots were synthesized and conjugated with a CRP detection antibody to serve as SERS tags in the lateral flow assay.

Quenching oscillating behaviors in fractional coupled Stuart-Landau oscillators.

Oscillation quenching has been widely studied during the past several decades in fields ranging from natural sciences to engineering, but investigations have so far been restricted to oscillators with an integer-order derivative. Here, we report the first study of amplitude death (AD) in fractional coupled Stuart-Landau oscillators with partial and/or complete conjugate couplings to explore oscillation quenching patterns and dynamics. It has been found that the fractional-order derivative impacts the AD state crucially.

Feasibility and reliability of the Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada sacroiliac joint inflammation score in children.

Background: Published methods for quantification of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evidence of inflammation in the sacroiliac joint lack validation in pediatric populations. We evaluated the reliability and construct validity of the Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada (SPARCC) sacroiliac joint inflammation score (SIS) in children with suspected or confirmed juvenile spondyloarthritis (JSpA).

Methods: The SPARCC SIS measures the presence, depth, and intensity of bone marrow inflammation on MRI through the cartilaginous part of the joint.

Totally laparoscopic verse laparoscopic assisted distal gastrostomy for gastric cancer: an update meta-analysis.

Totally laparoscopic distal gastrostomy (TLDG) and laparoscopic- assisted distal gastrostomy (LADG) are the minimally invasive surgical technology for gastric cancer. This study aimed to compare the surgical outcomes of these two methods. Relevant studies were selected through electronic searches of EMBASE, PubMed and Web of Science.

N-acetylcysteine and vitamin E rescue animal longevity and cellular oxidative stress in pre-clinical models of mitochondrial complex I disease.

Oxidative stress is a known contributing factor in mitochondrial respiratory chain (RC) disease pathogenesis. Yet, no efficient means exists to objectively evaluate the comparative therapeutic efficacy or toxicity of different antioxidant compounds empirically used in human RC disease. We postulated that pre-clinical comparative analysis of diverse antioxidant drugs having suggested utility in primary RC disease using animal and cellular models of RC dysfunction may improve understanding of their integrated effects and physiologic mechanisms, and enable prioritization of lead antioxidant molecules to pursue in human clinical trials.

Dual-Selective and Dual-Enhanced SERS Nanoprobes Strategy for Circulating Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells Detection.

The detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from a blood sample can be a very powerful noninvasive approach for the early detection and therapy of liver cancer. However, the extreme rarity of tumor cells in blood containing billions of other cells makes the capture and identification of CTCs with sufficient sensitivity and specificity a real challenge. Here, a magnetically assisted surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) biosensor for HCC CTC detection is reported for the first time.

Combined use of vancomycin-modified Ag-coated magnetic nanoparticles and secondary enhanced nanoparticles for rapid surface-enhanced Raman scattering detection of bacteria.

Background: Pathogenic bacteria have always been a significant threat to human health. The detection of pathogens needs to be rapid, accurate, and convenient.

Methods: We present a sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) biosensor based on the combination of vancomycin-modified Ag-coated magnetic nanoparticles (FeO@Ag-Van MNPs) and Au@Ag nanoparticles (NPs) that can effectively capture and discriminate bacterial pathogens from solution.

Brain-gut communications via distinct neuroendocrine signals bidirectionally regulate longevity in .

Tissue-tissue communications are integral to organismal aging, orchestrating a body-wide aging process. The brain plays a key role in this process by detecting and processing signals from the environment and then communicating them to distal tissues such as the gut to regulate longevity. How this is achieved, however, is poorly understood.

Mechanical disruption of the blood-brain barrier following experimental concussion.

Although concussion is now recognized as a major health issue, its non-lethal nature has limited characterization of the underlying pathophysiology. In particular, potential neuropathological changes have typically been inferred from non-invasive techniques or post-mortem examinations of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Here, we used a swine model of head rotational acceleration based on human concussion to examine blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity after injury in association with diffuse axonal injury and glial responses.

Stability of Early EEG Background Patterns After Pediatric Cardiac Arrest.

Purpose: We aimed to determine whether EEG background characteristics remain stable across discrete time periods during the acute period after resuscitation from pediatric cardiac arrest.

Methods: Children resuscitated from cardiac arrest underwent continuous conventional EEG monitoring. The EEG was scored in 12-hour epochs for up to 72 hours after return of circulation by an electroencephalographer using a Background Category with 4 levels (normal, slow-disorganized, discontinuous/burst-suppression, or attenuated-featureless) or 2 levels (normal/slow-disorganized or discontinuous/burst-suppression/attenuated-featureless).

Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy for DNA Detection by Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Tag on Au Film Over Nanosphere Substrate.

We developed a high-performance surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensing platform that can be used for specific and sensitive DNA detection. The SERS platform combines the advantages of Au film over nanosphere (AuFON) substrate and Ag@PATP@SiO2 SERS tag. SERS tag-on-AuFON is a sensing system that operates by the self-assembly of SERS tag onto an AuFON substrate in the presence of target DNAs.

EEG Factors After Pediatric Cardiac Arrest.

Purpose: We aimed to determine whether conventional standardized EEG features could be consolidated into a more limited number of factors and whether the derived factor scores changed during the acute period after pediatric cardiac arrest.

Methods: Children resuscitated after cardiac arrest underwent conventional continuous EEG monitoring. The EEG was scored in 12-hour epochs for up to 72-hours after return of circulation by an electroencephalographer using standardized critical care EEG terminology.

TMC Proteins Modulate Egg Laying and Membrane Excitability through a Background Leak Conductance in C. elegans.

Membrane excitability is a fundamentally important feature for all excitable cells including both neurons and muscle cells. However, the background depolarizing conductances in excitable cells, especially in muscle cells, are not well characterized. Although mutations in transmembrane channel-like (TMC) proteins TMC1 and TMC2 cause deafness and vestibular defects in mammals, their precise action modes are elusive.

Comparing a Right- Versus Left-Side Approach in Laparoscopy-Assisted D2 Radical Gastrectomies in Overweight Patients with Gastric Cancer: A Retrospective Case-Controlled Study.

Background: The safety and efficacy of the surgical path used in laparoscopy-assisted radical gastrectomies (LARGs) is still unknown in obese patients. This study aimed to compare the value of a right-side (R-LARG) versus a left-side (L-LARG) approach in LARGs in overweight patients (defined as a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m2).

Methods: 213 patients with gastric cancer were divided into 2 groups: an overweight group and a normal-weight group (BMI < 25 kg/m2).

SERS detection of radiation injury biomarkers in mouse serum.

In a large-scale radiological catastrophe, it is expected that hundreds and thousands of people could be exposed to radiation. A rapid method is required for triage of casualties to determine proper medical treatment. In this article, mice were exposed to different radiation doses and sera of mice were investigated by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and orthogonal projections to latent structure discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) after total body irradiation (TBI).