Hydrated Magnesium Ion-Uracil and Magnesium Chloride-Uracil Clusters Revealed by Ab Initio Study.

The study focuses on the interaction between canonical uracil and its rare tautomers with Mg and MgCl in the microcosmic water environment and aims to elucidate how ions interact with nucleobase and the cation-anion correlation effect involved using density functional theory calculations. The structures of the Ura-Mg(HO) and Ura-MgCl(HO) clusters are characterized and show that the water molecules preferentially interact with Mg/MgCl, and Mg adopts a hexacoordination pattern in both Ura-Mg(HO) and Ura-MgCl(HO) clusters. When uracil interacts with Mg in (HO) environments, it tends to favor the formation of keto-enol structures.

Immune Indicator Changes in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Undergoing TACE Plus ICIs and Anti-VEGF Antibodies/TKIs: A Prognostic Biomarker Analysis.

Objective: To explore changing trends in circulating immune indicators of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing TACE plus immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and anti-VEGF antibodies/TKIs and to elucidate the relationship between immune response and tumor prognosis.

Materials: This single-center retrospective study included patients with unresectable HCC undergoing TACE plus ICIs and anti-VEGF antibodies/TKIs from March 11, 2019, to February 15, 2024. Peripheral blood samples were collected at baseline and every cycle, from which blood cell counts and immune indicators were analyzed.

[Anatomical structure and physiological characteristics of of different stand ages].

Drought intensity and frequency have been increased as a result of global warming. Exploring the drought resistance mechanism of plantations of different stand ages on the Loess Plateau is crucial for understanding the stability of forest productivity in the region. We investigated anatomical traits, hydraulic function, and non-structural carbohydrate content of the xylem, as well as their association, in plantations of different stand ages in a semi-arid region.

Prognosis Prediction of CRAFITY Score in HCC Undergoing TACE Combined with PD-(L)1 Inhibitors and Molecular Targeted Therapy.

Background: The CRAFITY (C-reactive protein and alpha-fetoprotein in immunotherapy) score has demonstrated prognostic significance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients undergoing immunotherapy. The study aimed to validate accuracy of CRAFITY score on predicting prognosis for patients with HCC treated with transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with PD-(L)1 inhibitors and molecular targeted therapy.

Methods: Eighty-five HCC patients who underwent TACE in combination with molecular targeted therapy (MTT) and PD-(L)1 Inhibitors were consecutively enrolled from November 2019 to November 2022.

Online short videos promoting public breast cancer literacy: a pretest-posttest control group trial on efficiency, attitude, and influencing factors.

Background: Short videos on social media are playing an increasingly important role in cancer health education today. It is important to explore how the actual communication effect of health videos and the knowledge absorption of users are influenced by different factors of the video creation process.

Objective: The objective of our study is to access the factors influencing breast cancer health education through short videos on efficiency and quality.

Supervised mHeath Exercise Improves Health Factors More Than Self-Directed mHealth Exercise: A Clinical Controlled Study.

Wearable physical activity trackers are getting popular for the self-management of weight despite limited evidence of their efficacy. Studies have proven that on-site supervised exercise is superior to unsupervised exercise for many health problems, there is no evidence comparing the effectiveness of remote supervision exercise with self-directed exercise based on mHealth. This study aims to compare the effects of mHealth-based supervised exercise to mHealth-based self-directed exercise on weight control in the overweight and obese population.

COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Cardiometabolic Markers in Adults in Chongqing, China: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

The influx of COVID-19 infection and government-enforced lockdowns and social isolation changed people's lifestyles. Concerns regarding the health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic due to the new sedentary lifestyle. This study aims to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiovascular health factors.

Interaction of Cysteine with Li and LiF in the Presence of (HO) ( = 0-6) Clusters.

The interaction between cysteine with Li and LiF in the microcosmic water environment was investigated to elucidate how ions interact with amino acids and the cation-anion correlation effect involved. The structures of Cys·Li(HO) and Cys·LiF(HO) ( = 0-6) were characterized using ab initio calculations. Our studies show that the water preferentially interacts with Li/LiF.

Ab initio study of hydrated cesium iodide dimer (CsI)(HO and the cation size effect on (MI)(HO) (M = Li, Na, K, Cs).

The structures of microsolvated (CsI)(HO) clusters were determined using ab initio calculations. Our studies show that one Cs atom at the apex was firstly separated from the pyramid-shaped (CsI) unit when the water number reaches 3, whereas CsI distances did not increase significantly from n = 0 to 6 for neutrals. Additionally, the atomic charge and reduced density gradient analyses were carried out; the results reveal that the extra electrons are almost entirely localized on terminal Cs atom and the Cs-water interactions dominate in (CsI)(HO).

[Effects of different types of exercise on lipid uptake, synthesis and oxidation in skeletal muscles of insulin-resistant rats].

The present study aims to investigate the effects of aerobic exercise and resistance exercise on lipid metabolism of skeletal muscle in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced insulin-resistant (IR) rats and the underlying mechanisms. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats at age of 10 weeks were fed with HFD for 10 weeks to establish IR model. The IR rats were then randomly assigned into 3 groups, including IR control (IR) group, aerobic exercise (AE) group and resistance exercise (RE) group.

[Short-chain fatty acid butyrate acid attenuates atherosclerotic plaque formation in apolipoprotein E-knockout mice and the underlying mechanism].

This study was designed to evaluate the role of short-chain fatty acid butyrate acid on intestinal morphology and function, and atherosclerotic plaque formation in apolipoprotein E-knockout (ApoE) mice. ApoE mice on high-fat, high-cholesterol diet were treated with butyrate acid (200 mmol/L) or NaCl (control) in the drinking water for 12 weeks, followed by histological evaluations of atherosclerotic lesion in aorta. Real-time PCR analysis and ELISA were used to measure the expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines.

: A potential prognostic biomarker of colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common malignancy worldwide with the second highest mortality rate. Although multidisciplinary cooperative therapies are helpful for improving the survival of CRC patients, the prognosis remains poor. Therefore, it is imperative to seek new biomarkers for the development of individualized treatment for each CRC patient.

Expression of PHLPP2 correlates with clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis in colorectal cancer.

PH domain leucine-rich repeat protein phosphatase 2 (PHLPP2) belongs to the phosphokinase family, that has been reported to play an important role in several cancers. However, the expression of PHLPP2 and its correlation with clinicopathologic characteristics in colorectal cancer (CRC) have yet to be determined. The aim of this study is to investigate the expression of PHLPP2 and explore its role in CRC.

Endurance Training Counteracts the High-Fat Diet-Induced Profiling Changes of ω-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Skeletal Muscle of Middle-Aged Rats.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of endurance training on the content of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and their distribution among lipid classes in skeletal muscle in middle aged, high-fat diet fed rats.

Method: Thirty 10-month old male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were assigned to four groups. Two groups of rats remained sedentary and were fed chow diet (C group), or high-fat diet (H group), respectively.

[Role of skeletal muscle fat ectopic deposition in insulin resistance induced by high-fat diet].

Consumption of high-fat diet leads to the increase of fat intake and consequent excess storage of fat in the body. When the regular adipose tissues reach their capacity to store fat, ectopic fat is stored around and within non-adipose tissues, such as the liver and skeletal muscle, which plays important roles in glucose metabolism. Hence ectopic fat accumulation in major insulin target tissues is a critical determinant of insulin resistance (IR) and various related metabolic syndromes.

Downregulation and DNA methylation of ECRG4 in gastric cancer.

Background: Esophageal cancer-related gene 4 (ECRG4) is a novel candidate tumor suppressor gene. Our study investigated the expression and function of ECRG4 in gastric cancer and highlighted the role of DNA hypermethylation at the promoter in silencing the ECRG4 expression.

Methods: The GSE63089 data set was obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus and analyzed for differentially expressed genes.

[AMPK regulates mitochondrial oxidative stress in C2C12 myotubes induced by electrical stimulations of different intensities].

Objective: To study effect of electrical stimulations of different intensities on mitochondrial oxidative stress in C2C12 myotubes and explore the molecular mechanisms.

Methods: After 7 days of differentiation, C2C12 myotubes were subjected to electrical stimulations (15 V, 3Hz, 30 ms) for 60, 120, or 180 min, and the morphological changes of muscular tubes were observed under inverted microscope. The levels of MDA and SOD activity of the cells were detected, and flow cytometry was used to detect mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) and membrane potential.

Multi-drug resistant uropathogenic Escherichia coli and its treatment by Chinese medicine.

Objectives: To investigate the resistance and virulence profiles of uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) and its treatment by Chinese medicine (CM) Fuzheng Qingre Lishi Formula (, FQLF).

Methods: UPEC strains were isolated from recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) patients. Patient sensitivities to 17 antibiotics were tested by the disk diffusion method.

Novel tumor-suppressor gene epidermal growth factor-containing fibulin-like extracellular matrix protein 1 is epigenetically silenced and associated with invasion and metastasis in human gastric cancer.

The present study aimed to investigate the role of histone modification and DNA methylation in epidermal growth factor-containing fibulin-like extracellular matrix protein 1 (EFEMP1) silencing in gastric cancer (GC). In the present study, four GC cell lines, and 45 paired normal and GC tissue samples were used to assess EFEMP1 expression using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and EFEMP1 gene methylation status was evaluated by methylation-specific PCR. The involvement of histone modification in GC cell lines was examined by a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay.

Toll-like receptor 4 is involved in myocardial damage following paraquat poisoning in mice.

The ingestion of the herbicide paraquat (PQ) can cause multiple organ injury including cardiac lesions. However, the underlying mechanism of myocardial damage is not known. Toll-like receptor 4 (TRL4) is a pattern-recognition receptor in the innate immune response to microbial pathogens.

The value of delayed (18)F FDG-PET imaging in diagnosis of solitary pulmonary nodules: A preliminary study on 28 patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether adding delayed phase imaging can improve diagnostic ability of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in evaluating solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs).

Materials And Methods: 28 patients with SPNs received dual-phase (18)F-FDG PET at 1h and 2h after (18)F-FDG injection during Feb 2009 to Jun 2011were included in this retrospective study. Their final diagnosis was confirmed by pathological examination in 27 cases and clinical follow-up in 1 case.

Effect of slow abdominal breathing combined with biofeedback on blood pressure and heart rate variability in prehypertension.

Objective: Prehypertension is a new category designated by the Seventh Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC7) in 2003. Managing prehypertension with nonpharmacological intervention is possibly beneficial to the prevention of hypertension. In this study, we observed the effect of slow abdominal breathing combined with electromyographic (EMG) biofeedback training on blood pressure (BP) in prehypertensives and assessed the changes of heart rate variability (HRV) in order to find an optional intervention to prevent hypertension and acquire some experimental data to clarify the underlying neural mechanism.

[Antihypertensive therapy in 357 inpatients of elderly isolated systolic hypertension].

Objective: To determine the therapeutic status and rate of reaching target blood pressure in elderly isolated systolic hypertension (EISH) patients who were hospitalized and to discuss the rationality of the drug therapy.

Methods: Three hundred and fifty-seven EISH inpatients were investigated retrospectively. The frequencies of using antihypertensive drugs and the strategy of drug therapy programs were calculated.

[Women's postpartum sexuality and delivery types].

Objective: To investigate the impact of delivery on the sexuality of primiparous women in China, and the association with delivery type.

Methods: We inquired 460 of primiparous women delivering of a live birth at the first affiliated hospital of Chongqing medical university from November 1, 2000 to July 31, 2001. It was a cross-sectional study using obstetric records and postal questionnaire survey by outpatients consultation six months after delivery.