Trimethylamine N-oxide promotes oxidative stress and lipid accumulation in macrophage foam cells via the Nrf2/ABCA1 pathway.

Recently, trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) has been considered a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and has a proatherogenic effect. Many studies have found that TMAO is involved in plaque oxidative stress and lipid metabolism, but the specific mechanism is still unclear. In our study, meta-analysis and bioinformatic analysis were firstly conducted in the database, and found that the effect of high plasma TMAO levels on promoting atherosclerotic plaque may be related to the expression of key antioxidant genes nuclear factor erytheroid-derived-2-like 2 (NFE2L2/Nrf2) decreased.

The roles of p62/SQSTM1 on regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 gene expression in response to oxLDL in atherosclerosis.

Objective: Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) plays an important role in the remodeling of the extracellular matrix in atherosclerosis plaques. Autophagy protects macrophages against the processes of vascular disease. Our research explores how autophagy plays roles in macrophages to secret MMP-9.

Trends in HIV infection in the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin, China.

Background: Major hospitals in most Chinese cities have the capability to perform HIV testing. However, it is not a routine test for all patients and, as a result, many patients are not aware of their HIV status. To understand the rate of HIV infection and the factors associated with infection, we tested serum to determine HIV status and analyzed factors associated with HIV infection.

Position 22 of the V3 loop is associated with co-receptor usage and disease progression in HIV-1 subtype B isolates.

Our goal in this study was to analyze position 22 of the V3 loop associated with co-receptor usage and disease progression in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) subtype B infection. Bioinformatics approaches were used to compare the amino acid sequence and secondary structure of the V3 loop of the CCR5-tropic virus and CXCR4-tropic virus in HIV-1 subtype B. HIV-1 subtype B V3 amino acid sequence files in the FASTA format were collected from the HIV Sequence Database.

Respiratory syncytial virus infection and risk of acute myocardial infarction.

Introduction: Increasing evidences have shown that pathogens may promote atherosclerosis and trigger acute myocardial infarction (AMI). There is no report on the association between respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection and AMI. The case-control study was used to assess the association of previous RSV infection and acute myocardial infarction.

Combination therapy of siRNAs mediates greater suppression on hepatitis B virus cccDNA in HepG2.2.15 cell.

Background/aims: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a world-wide health problem. The major obstacles for current anti-HBV therapy are the low efficacy and the occurrence of drug resistant HBV mutations. Recent studies have demonstrated that combination therapy can enhance antiviral efficacy and overcome the shortcomings.

Influenza virus infection and risk of acute myocardial infarction.

Increasing evidences have shown that pathogens might promote atherosclerosis and trigger acute myocardial infarction (AMI). But the conclusions from various studies on the correlation between previous influenza virus (IV) infection and AMI were inconsistent. We conducted a case-control study to assess the association of previous IV infection and AMI.

[Expression of co-stimulatory molecules and role of interleukin 18 in peripheral lymphocytes of patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura].

The objective of study was to investigate the expressions of CD80, CD86 and its ligand CD28 on peripheral lymphocytes in patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), to explore the effect of interleukin 18 (IL-18) and its clinical significance in ITP. The expressions of co-stimulatory molecules (CD80, CD86 and its ligand CD28) on peripheral lymphocytes from 34 ITP patients and 34 normal humans were detected by immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. The IL-18 in the plasma was detected by using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

[Relationship between plasma brain natriuretic peptide concentration and clinical prognosis in patients of acute myocardial infarction].

Objective: To evaluate the value of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in estimating risk stratification in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and to determine the relationship between BNP and adverse cardiac events after AMI.

Methods: The 135 subjects were selected into the study, including 25 healthy subjects and 110 patients with a first AMI. The plasma concentrations of BNP were measured at two to four days after infarction in patients and healthy controls.