Ultrasound measurement of abdominal and low back muscle symmetry in adult degenerative lumbar scoliosis: A case-control study.

Background: Individuals with adult degenerative lumbar scoliosis (ADLS) have underlying biomechanical alterations along the trunk muscles. However, few studies have evaluated trunk muscles in ADLS.

Objective: To quantify and evaluate the symmetry, thickness, and stiffness (shear modulus) of the abdominal and back muscles in ADLS participants.

Hewei Jiangni granule alleviates visceral hypersensitivity of non-erosive reflux diseasestromal interaction molecule 1/transient receptor potential vanilloid subfamily member 1 pathway.

Objective: To explore if Hewei Jiangni granule (, HWJNG) could regulate esophageal hypersensitivity via stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1)/transient receptor potential vanilloid subfamily member 1 (TRPV1) pathway.

Methods: Qualitative analysis of HWJNG was analysis by high performance of liquid and gas chromatography. , animal model of non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) was established by fructose intake and restraint stress.

An Epic Advancement in Targeting Macrophages for Cancer Therapy Approach.

Macrophages are immune cells with high heterogeneity and plasticity, crucial for recognizing and eliminating foreign substances, including cancer cells. However, cancer cells can evade the immune system by producing signals that cause macrophages to switch to a pro-tumor phenotype, promoting tumor growth and progression. Tumor-associated macrophages, which infiltrate into tumor tissue, are important immune cells in the tumor microenvironment and can regulate cancer's growth, invasion, and metastasis by inhibiting tumor immunity.

BFGF attenuates aortic valvular interstitial cell calcification by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis.

The potential protective effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (BFGF) on the cardiovascular system has been proposed previously, however, its effect on calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) and underlying mechanisms have not been elucidated. The valvular interstitial cell (VIC) were isolated from porcine aortic valve leaflets. To investigate the effect of BFGF on osteogenic differentiation of VIC, the osteogenic induced medium (OIM) and BFGF were added.

From Bowen disease to cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: eight markers were verified from transcriptomic and proteomic analyses.

Background: Bowen's disease is a cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) in situ. If left untreated, BD may progress to invasive CSCC. CSCC is one of the most common cutaneous carcinoma in the elderly and the advanced, metastasis CSCC usually have a poor outcomes.

Altered Caffeine Metabolism Is Associated With Recurrent Hypoglycemia in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A UPLC-MS-Based Untargeted Metabolomics Study.

Background: Recurrent hypoglycemia (RH) is well known to impair awareness of hypoglycemia and increase the risk of severe hypoglycemia; the underlying mechanism requires further understanding. We aimed to investigate the metabolic characteristic profile for RH in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients and explore the potential metabolic mechanism and prevention strategies.

Methods: We screened 553 community-based T2DM patients.

Activation of the STING-IRF3 pathway involved in psoriasis with diabetes mellitus.

Psoriasis and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) share similar inflammatory pathways in their pathogenesis. The stimulator of interferon genes (STING)-interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) pathway has recently been shown to play an important role in immune and metabolic diseases. In this study, we investigated the activation of the STING-IRF3 pathway in human immortalized keratinocytes (HaCaT) cells treated with palmitic acid (PA) and imiquimod (IMQ).

Postpartum depression in mothers and fathers: a structural equation model.

Background: Post-partum depression (PPD) is a growing mental health concern worldwide. There is little evidence in the Chinese context of the relationship between paternal PPD and maternal PPD. Given the growing global concerns this relationship requires further exploration.

Effect of vacancies on the structural and electronic properties of TiCO.

TiCO MXene is widely considered as a potential candidate material for sensors and optical devices. In this paper, first-principles calculations are performed to investigate the structural and electronic properties of pristine and vacancy defect TiCO monolayer. The results indicate that C-vacancy is energetically more favorable than Ti-vacancy and O-vacancy because of the smaller formation energy of C vacancy.

Vascularization of pancreatic decellularized scaffold with endothelial progenitor cells.

Vascularization remains a large obstacle for creating a functional pancreas-tissue equivalent for transplantation. In this study, a pre-vascularized pancreatic decellularized scaffold was prepared through endothelializing with endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in a bioreactor, and the ability to regenerate new blood vessels was detected in vivo. Initially, pancreases of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were perfused with 1% Triton X-100 and 0.

Improved outcome of haploidentical transplantation in severe aplastic anemia using reduced-intensity fludarabine-based conditioning.

Significant improvements in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) with haploidentical family donors (HFD) have confirmed its therapeutic role in severe aplastic anemia (SAA) and led to the evolution of treatment algorithms. However, the optimal conditioning regimen for HFD-HSCT remains undefined, especially the dosage of cyclophosphamide (Cy). A total of 77 patients with SAA from two research centers, who received HFD-HSCT with reduced-intensity fludarabine + cyclophosphamide + thymoglobulin ± busulfan conditioning regimen plus third-party cells infusion were included in this study, of which 67 pairs had 4-5 loci mismatched.

CT perfusion imaging of the stomach: a quantitative analysis according to different degrees of adenocarcinoma cell differentiation.

Objectives: To evaluate clinical usefulness of computed tomography perfusion imaging (CTPI) in gastric cancer.

Materials And Methods: Twenty subjects without gastric diseases (control group) and fifty patients with gastric cancer were studied prospectively using CTPI examinations. Four perfusion parameter values, i.

Effect of lit-moxa stimulation of Guanyuan (CV 4) acupoint on levels of lactic acid and superoxide dismutase in skeletal muscle of rats.

Objective: To observe the effect of lit-moxa stimu- lating acupoint Guanyuan (CV 4) on lactic acid and super-oxide dismutase (SOD) in skeletal muscle after exercise exhaustion.

Methods: Twenty-eight adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into normal control group, exhausted control group, exercise group and moxibustion group using exercise training and mild heating with lit-moxa stick as treatment methods. The exhausted control group, moxibustion group and exercise group received an exhaustive swimming after 20 days of intervention.

Early bioprosthesis failure: report of three cases and literature review.

Background: We experienced three rare early bioprosthesis failure (EBF) cases. In this study, we analyze the causes and discuss the coping strategy of EBF.

Methods: We reviewed all cases of EBF in patients who received a bioprosthesis replacement in Changhai Hospital between January 2001 and January 2014, and reviewed related articles that were published between 1994 and 2014, searching for keywords in PubMed such as "bioprosthesis," "heart valve prosthesis," "early failure," and "bioprosthesis failure.

Theoretical investigation on the non-linear optical properties, vibrational spectroscopy and frontier molecular orbital of (E)-2-cyano-3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)acrylamide molecule.

The vibrational frequencies of (E)-2-cyano-3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)acrylamide (HB-CA) in the ground state have been calculated using density functional method (B3LYP) with B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) basis set. The analysis of natural bond orbital was also performed. The IR spectra were obtained and interpreted by means of potential energies distributions (PEDs) using MOLVIB program.

Effects of vinpocetine and ozagrel on behavioral recovery of rats after global brain ischemia.

Brain ischemia leads to severe disruption of the nervous system and recovery is often prolonged. Rehabilitative post-ischemia pharmacological treatment may therefore be important for behavioral recovery, especially for cognition and motor behavior. The present study investigated the effects of combined vinpocetine and ozagrel administration on the behavioral recovery of rats from global brain ischemia.

Theoretical studies on vibrational spectra, thermodynamic properties, detonation properties and pyrolysis mechanism for 1,2-bis(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl) hydrazine.

The thermal stability and pyrolysis mechanism of 1,2-bis(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl) hydrazine were investigated based on fully optimized molecular geometric structures. The results demonstrate the existence of intramolecular hydrogen bond interactions 1,2-bis(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl) hydrazine. The assigned infrared spectrum was also obtained; the results reveal four main characteristic regions in the calculated IR spectra of the title compound.

Porcine model of congenital heart defect with decreased pulmonary blood flow.

A porcine model was produced to study the pathophysiology of congenital heart defect (CHD) with decreased pulmonary blood flow. Twenty piglets (1-2 months) were randomly divided as mild to moderate stenosis/T(1) group (n = 7) in which artificial atrial septal defect (ASD) with pulmonary artery banding generated a systolic pressure gradient of 20-30 mmHg; severe stenosis/T group (n = 7) group with a systolic pressure gradient of ≥30-50 mmHg; and controls/C group (n = 6) underwent sham surgery. At 1 month postoperatively, 64-slice computed tomography (CT) was performed.

Intermittent high glucose promotes expression of proinflammatory cytokines in monocytes.

Objective And Design: The aim of this study was to examine expression of proinflammatory cytokines in monocytes under fluctuating glucose conditions.

Material And Treatment: Monocytic cells (THP-1) were divided into four groups and cultured in the presence of 5 or 15 mmol/L glucose or in fluctuating conditions (12 h exposure to 15 mmol/L glucose or mannitol medium followed by 12 h exposure to 5 mmol/L glucose or mannitol medium) respectively.

Methods: Levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the supernatants and surface expression of CD11b in monocytes were measured after 72 h culture.

Computational study of imidazole derivative as high energetic materials.

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed for a series of imidazole derivatives. B3LYP and B3P86 functionals with 6-31G** basis set were used. Heats of formation (HOFs) were predicted through designed isodesmic reactions.

A study on rural-urban differences in neonatal mortality rate in China, 1996-2006.

Objective: This study examined the differences in neonatal mortality rates between urban and rural areas in China.

Methods And Results: Data were taken from a database collected by the Chinese surveillance network for mortality of children under 5 years of age. The risk ratio of neonatal mortality for rural versus urban areas was between 2.

The personal experiences of HIV/AIDS patients in rural areas of western China.

Because of unique economic, cultural, and social factors, the personal experiences of HIV/AIDS patients in the rural areas of western China are not well understood. The aim of this study was to explore HIV/AIDS patients' thoughts and personal experiences in the environment and conditions of rural western China. Sixteen HIV/AIDS patients from remote western areas of China were interviewed by using an established qualitative method, during April to June 2008.