A shared mechanism for TNP-ATP recognition by members of the P2X receptor family.

P2X receptors (P2X1-7) are non-selective cation channels involved in many physiological activities such as synaptic transmission, immunological modulation, and cardiovascular function. These receptors share a conserved mechanism to sense extracellular ATP. TNP-ATP is an ATP derivative acting as a nonselective competitive P2X antagonist.

Numerical simulation of heat transfer properties of large-sized biomass particles during pyrolysis process.

During the pyrolysis process of large particles, the conduction between particles cannot be ignored. In the present work, a numerical simulation model for the pyrolysis of biomass particles was established, which takes into account the conduction within the particles. Based on this model, the temperature distribution inside the particle during the pyrolysis process was determined and the effects of particle size, moisture content, and gas velocity on heat transfer characteristics were analyzed.

Identification of Biomarkers for Predicting Allograft Rejection following Kidney Transplantation Based on the Weighted Gene Coexpression Network Analysis.

Kidney transplantation is the promising treatment of choice for chronic kidney disease and end-stage kidney disease and can effectively improve the quality of life and survival rates of patients. However, the allograft rejection following kidney transplantation has a negative impact on transplant success. Therefore, the present study is aimed at screening novel biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of allograft rejection following kidney transplantation for improving long-term transplant outcome.

Effect of MT2A on apoptosis and proliferation in HL60 cells.

Although accumulating evidence has revealed that metallothioneins (MTs) and its family member MT2A are strongly linked to the risk of various solid tumors, researches on the occurrence and development of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have rarely been investigated. Here, we constructed a lentiviral vector with MT2A over-expression and the interfering plasmids with MT2A expression inhibition to study the influence of MT2A on the bioactivities of HL60 cells. After cells were infected with a lentiviral vector containing the MT2A gene, both transcription and translation levels of MT2A were significantly increased in the over-expressed group in comparison with control groups.

A Scale for Predicting the Outcomes of Patients with Epilepsy: A Study of 141 Cases.

Objective: This study aimed to identify the factors relevant for developing a scale to estimate the prognosis of patients with epilepsy.

Methods: This study followed 141 patients with newly or previously diagnosed epilepsy for between four and nine years. The patients were divided into three groups on the basis of their outcomes during the follow-up period: patients that were seizure-free without anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) (group A, n = 48), patients with pharmacoresponsive epilepsy (group B, n = 52), and patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy (group C, n = 41).

Prognostic Signatures Based on Thirteen Immune-Related Genes in Colorectal Cancer.

Background: The immunosuppressive microenvironment is closely related to tumorigenesis and cancer development, including colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of the current study was to identify new immune biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of CRC.

Materials And Methods: CRC data were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus and The Cancer Genome Atlas databases.

Serum pre-albumin is prognostic for all-cause mortality in patients with community-acquired and post-operative acute kidney injury.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a critical clinical syndrome characterised by a rapid decrease in renal filtration, with the accumulation of products of metabolism such as creatinine and urea. In recent years, the incidence of AKI has increased not only in critically ill hospitalised patients but also in community patients. Also, the prognosis of AKI is poor and treatment is limited in these populations.

Degradation of rhodamine B in a novel bio-photoelectric reductive system composed of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 and AgPO.

Photocatalytic catalysis is widely used for pollutant degradation. Since some pollutants with oxidative nature are readily reduced rather than oxidized and reductive reaction caused by photogenerated electrons is limited in the presence of oxygen, photocatalytic reduction process is more applicable for the degradation of pollutants with oxidative nature than oxidation. In this work, a novel bio-photoelectric reductive degradation system (BPRDS), composed of an electrochemically active bacterium Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 and a visible-light photocatalyst AgPO, was established under anaerobic conditions and its photodegradation performance was evaluated through degrading rhodamine B (RhB), a typical organic pollutant.

Coexpression of CD5 and CD43 predicts worse prognosis in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Both CD5 and CD43 are expressed on the surface of B lymphocytes of definite phase and associated with the adverse outcome in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). However, the relationship between CD5 and CD43 expression and the prognostic value of CD5/CD43 coexpression in DLBCL are unknown. We herein determined the correlation between CD5 and CD43 expression, as separate factors or in combination, with the clinicopathological features and survival of 200 patients with DLBCL receiving standard chemotherapy with or without rituximab.

A Novel Method for Estimating Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Levels: Total Cholesterol and Non-High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) Can Be Used to Predict Abnormal LDL Level in an Apparently Healthy Population.

BACKGROUND We aimed to predict the abnormal LDL level by using TG, TC, HDL, and non-HDL in this study. MATERIAL AND METHODS Triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) data were obtained from the Laboratory Information System (LIS) for 4 years (Oct 1, 2013 to Sept 30, 2017) from among 34 270 healthy Chinese patients at Shuyang People's Hospital. TG, TC, HDL, and LDL (direct clearance method) were measured using a TBA2000FR biochemical analyzer.

The "bad" cholesterol can predict abnormal apolipoprotein B levels in a large unselected outpatient cohort.

Background: The significant association between total cholesterol (TC), non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) has been shown to be associated with Apolipoprotein B (Apo B). The objective of this study was to assess whether abnormal levels of TC, non-HDL and LDL can be used as predictors of abnormal serum Apo B levels.

Results: TC ( = 0.

Reference intervals of carbohydrate antigen 19-9 in the apparently healthy adult population.

Background: To establish reference intervals of carbohydrate antigen 19-9(CA 19-9) according to the CLSI CA28-A3 guideline and to evaluate age- and gender-related variations.

Methods: Serum CA 19-9 values of 10 149 healthy subjects (from 20 years old to 60 years old) were measured from location health checkups. The relationship between CA 19-9 and age was analyzed using Spearman's approach.

Structural insights into the competitive inhibition of the ATP-gated P2X receptor channel.

P2X receptors are non-selective cation channels gated by extracellular ATP, and the P2X7 receptor subtype plays a crucial role in the immune and nervous systems. Altered expression and dysfunctions of P2X7 receptors caused by genetic deletions, mutations, and polymorphic variations have been linked to various diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and hypertension. Despite the availability of crystal structures of P2X receptors, the mechanism of competitive antagonist action for P2X receptors remains controversial.

Effect of the Nitrogen Incorporation on the Microstructure and Photoelectric Properties of N Type Nanocrystalline Silicon Thin Films.

N type silicon-rich nanocrystalline-SiN(x) ∶ H films were prepared by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique by changing NH3 flow rate. The effect of nitrogen incorporation on the microstructure and photoelectric properties of the thin films were characterized by Raman, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible absorption spectra, and Hall effect measurement. The results indicated that with the increasing NH3, a phase transition from microcrystalline to amorphous silicon occured.

Reference Intervals of Alpha-Fetoprotein and Carcinoembryonic Antigen in the Apparently Healthy Population.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to calculate 95% reference intervals and double-sided limits of serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) according to the CLSI EP28-A3 guideline. MATERIAL AND METHODS Serum AFP and CEA values were measured in samples from 26 000 healthy subjects in the Shuyang area receiving general health checkups. The 95% reference intervals and upper limits were calculated by using MedCalc.

Metabolic Syndrome Is a Strong Risk Factor for Minor Ischemic Stroke and Subsequent Vascular Events.

Background: Minor ischemic stroke (MIS) represents a major global public health problem worldwide due to high incidence. The aim of this study was to investigate whether metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a strong risk for MIS and subsequent vascular events (SVE).

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed examining symptomatic MIS in a Chinese neurologic outpatient population aged over 25 years without history of stroke.

Aortic Artery and Cardiac Valve Calcification are Associated with Mortality in Chinese Hemodialysis Patients: A 3.5 Years Follow-up.

Background: This study was to investigate the relationship among aortic artery calcification (AAC), cardiac valve calcification (CVC), and mortality in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients.

Methods: All MHD patients in Shanghai Ruijin Hospital in July 2011 were included. To follow up for 42 months, clinical data, predialysis blood tests, echocardiography, and lateral lumbar X-ray plain radiography results were collected.

Molecular characterization of multidrug-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates.

Klebsiella pneumoniae is an important cause of healthcare-associated infections worldwide. Selective pressure, the extensive use of antibiotics, and the conjugational transmission of antibiotic resistance genes across bacterial species and genera facilitate the emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) K. pneumoniae.

Transmastoid approach for resurfacing the superior semicircular canal dehiscence with a dumpling structure.

Background: Superior semicircular canal dehiscence (SSCD) is gradually recognized by otologists in recent years. The patients with SSCD have a syndrome comprising a series of vestibular symptoms and hearing function disorders which can be cured by the operation. In this study, we evaluated the characteristics of patients with SSCD and determined the effectiveness of treating this syndrome by resurfacing the canal via the transmastoid approach using a dumpling structure.

Surgical treatment of pulsatile tinnitus caused by the sigmoid sinus diverticulum: a preliminary study.

The sigmoid sinus diverticulum (SSD) is an increasingly recognized cause of pulsatile tinnitus (PT). Surgical reconstruction of the sigmoid sinus wall has been found to be highly effective for SSD; however, surgical techniques still need to be refined to reduce the incidence of serious postoperative complications. Moreover, scrutinizing more cases of SSD is desirable for establishing the diagnostic criteria and standardizing the surgical technique.

Photocatalytic properties of zinc sulfide nanocrystals biofabricated by metal-reducing bacterium Shewanella oneidensis MR-1.

Accumulation and utilization of heavy metals from wastewater by biological treatment system has aroused great interest. In the present study, a metal-reducing bacterium Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 was used to explore the biofabrication of ZnS nanocrystals from the artificial wastewater. The biogenic H2S produced via the reduction of thiosulfate precipitated the Zn(II) as sulfide extracellularly.

CD43 expression in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified: CD43 is a marker of adverse prognosis.

CD43 (leukosialin) is a transmembrane glycoprotein expressed in a variety of hematopoietic cells, including B lymphocytes, and a variety of malignancies including lymphoma, leukemia, and solid tumors. CD43 plays an important role in the development of many diseases, and coexpression of CD43 and CD20 on peripheral B cells is a predictive factor of hematopoietic malignancy. Although CD43 is expressed in approximately 25% of diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCLs), its prognostic significance remains unclear.

Laboratory reference intervals of complete blood count for apparently healthy elderly people in Shuyang, China.

Background: Currently, there are no appropriate RIs of blood cells available for the elderly in most clinical laboratories in China. The aim of this study is to establish the RIs of complete blood cell count for apparently healthy elderly people.

Methods: Blood specimens were collected from elderly residents by standard procedures.