Targeting Autophagy: A Promising Therapeutic Strategy for Diabetes Mellitus and Diabetic Nephropathy.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) significantly impairs patients' quality of life, primarily because of its complications, which are the leading cause of mortality among individuals with the disease. Autophagy has emerged as a key process closely associated with DM, including its complications such as diabetic nephropathy (DN). DN is a major complication of DM, contributing significantly to chronic kidney disease and renal failure.

Purple acid phosphatase promoted hydrolysis of organophosphate pesticides in microalgae.

When organophosphate pesticides (OPs) are not used and handled in accordance with the current rules and standards, it results in serious threats to the aquatic environment and human health. is a prospective microalgae-based system for pollutant removal and carbon sequestration. Genetically engineered , designated as the OE line (endogenously expressing purple acid phosphatase 1 [PAP1]), can utilize organic phosphorus for cellular metabolism.

An Update on Clinical Utility of Musculoskeletal Ultrasonography in Knee Osteoarthritis.

In knee osteoarthritis (KOA), timely and accurate assessment of the severity is essential to help orthopedic surgeons determine the most appropriate therapeutic strategies and evaluate disease outcomes and responses for corresponding treatments. In KOA, musculoskeletal ultrasonography (MSUS) could effectively help detect various abnormalities, including synovitis, osteophytes, and cartilage damage. Further, MSUS could be used to monitor the response to different therapies in KOA, to guide local diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

Palliative Rehabilitation Improves Health Care Utilization and Function in Frail Older Adults with Chronic Lung Diseases.

Objectives: The Integrated Care for Advanced REspiratory Disorders (ICARE) service is a stay-in, post-acute care program for hospitalized patients with chronic, nonmalignant lung diseases. It provides palliative rehabilitation-a novel model integrating functional rehabilitation with early palliative care. We compare reduction of health care utilization among ICARE participants vs matched controls receiving usual care.

An Update on the Emerging Role of Visfatin in the Pathogenesis of Osteoarthritis and Pharmacological Intervention.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common degenerative joint diseases that affects millions of people worldwide, mainly the aging population. Despite numerous published reports, little is known about the pathology of this disease, and no feasible treatment plan exists to stop OA progression. Recently, extensive basic and clinical studies have shown that adipokines play a key role in OA development.

Network Pharmacology-Based Approach Uncovers the Mechanism of GuanXinNing Tablet for Treating Thrombus by MAPKs Signal Pathway.

Background: GuanXinNing tablet (GXNT), a traditional Chinese patent medicine, has been found to have remarkable antithrombotic effects and can effectively inhibit pro-thrombotic factors in previous studies. However, the mechanism of its antithrombotic effects remains little known.

Methods: In this study, we first determined and identified the sources of each main compound in GXNT using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS).

[Identification of A Case of DEL Blood Group with DAT Positive Phenotype and Pedigree Analysis].

Objective: To identify the blood group of a patient with DEL phenotype combined with positive direct anti-human globulin test and to analyze the pedigree.

Methods: Routine serological reagents were used for serological analysis of RhD blood group in the pedigree members. Exons and flanking sequences of RHD gene were amplified, sequenced and analyzed for heterozygosity.

Effect of dexmedetomidine-induced anesthesia on the postoperative cognitive function of elder patients after laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy.

Objective: To investigate the effect of dexmedetomidine at maintenance dose on the postoperative function of elder patients after general anesthesia for laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy.

Methods: We enrolled a total of 96 elder patients who were admitted to this hospital for laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy under general anesthesia between March 2015 and March 2017, and divided them into two groups, Group A (n = 48) and B (n = 48). Patients in both groups received the same methods for anesthesia induction and maintenance drugs.

Investigation on the effect of output mirror transmission in WS-based red-light passively Q-switched Pr:ZBLAN all-fiber lasers.

We report the experimental investigation of visible passively Q-switched Pr-doped all-fiber lasers with tungsten disulfide (WS) saturable absorber, where red-light short-pulse generations from different output mirror transmissions are systemically characterized. The proposed simple and compact all-fiber linear cavity was constructed by a fiber-pigtail-based blue laser-diode pump, a Pr-doped fluorozirconate glass active fiber, and the fiber end-facet mirrors. Integrating a free-standing layered WS film into the laser cavity initiated the Q-switching operation.

Prediction of Poor Short-Term Prognosis and Unmet Needs in Advanced Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Use of the Two-Minute Walking Distance Extracted from a Six-Minute Walk Test.

Objectives: Prognostic challenges hinder the identification of patients with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) for timely palliative interventions. We postulate that a two-minute derivative (two-minute walking distance [2MWD]) of a standard six-minute walk test (6MWT) can identify frail subjects with poorer survival for early palliative intervention. The primary outcome of interest is mortality at 18 months.

All-fiber passively Q-switched 604 nm praseodymium laser with a BiSe saturable absorber.

We experimentally demonstrated a simple passively Q-switched praseodymium (Pr)-doped all-fiber laser at 604 nm with a BiSe saturable absorber (SA). A BiSe/polyvinyl alcohol composite film is sandwiched between two ferrules to construct a fiber-compatible Q-switcher. Two fiber end facet mirrors build a compact-linear resonator.

Association of interleukin-18 and asthma.

Cytokine-mediated immunity plays a dominant role in the pathogenesis of various immune diseases, including asthma. The recent identification of the family interleukin (IL)-1-related cytokine IL-18 now contributes to our understanding of the fine-tuning of cellular immunity. IL-18 can act as a cofactor for Th2 cell development and IgE production and also plays an important role in the differentiation of Th1 cells.

Analysis of EPA and DHA in the viscera of marine fish using gas chromatography.

The viscera of 10 kinds of marine fishes were collected for fish oil extraction and detection of DHA and EPA, two most important polyunsaturated fatty acids. The fish oil extraction ratio for the evaluated fishes varied from 0.95% to 10.

The C825T Polymorphism of the G-Protein β3 Gene as a Risk Factor for Functional Dyspepsia: A Meta-Analysis.

Background. Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a functional upper gastrointestinal disorder with significant morbidity and medical costs. Previous studies investigated the association of G-protein β3 (GNB3) genetic polymorphisms with FD but with inconsistent results.

Evaluation of the stability of carotid atherosclerotic plaque with contrast-enhanced ultrasound.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to determine the stability of carotid atherosclerotic plaque (CAP) using contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS).

Methods: CEUS images of 93 patients were evaluated to observe new vessels within CAPs. Microembolic signals (MES) were detected using transcranial Doppler (TCD).

Metallically coated dielectric rectangle resonator.

The double transfer matrix method (DTMM) is proposed for calculating the eigenvalues of the resonant mode of a metallically coated dielectric rectangle resonator. Two-dimensional electromagnetic analyses are performed to investigate the optical influences induced by planar structure parameters. The results show that there theoretically exists a highest Q-factor resonance for both TE and TM modes at a certain length-width ratio with fixed resonant wavelength and resonator area.

Tailoring the plasmonic whispering gallery modes of a metal-coated resonator for potential application as a refractometric sensor.

Plasmonic whispering gallery (WG) modes confined in metal-coated resonators are theoretically investigated by electromagnetic analyses. The resonance can be tuned from internal surface plasmonic WG modes to the hybrid state of the plasmonic mode by an introduced isolation layer. As the coated metal is reduced in size, the optical resonance is shifted out by the mode coupling of the internal and external surface plasmonic WG modes.

Association between ankylosing spondylitis and the miR-146a and miR-499 polymorphisms.

miRNAs are small, non-coding RNAs that regulate the expression of multiple target genes at the post-transcriptional level. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in miRNA sequences may alter miRNA expression and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple forms of arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis. The present study explored the association between ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), miR-146a rs2910164G>C and miR-499 rs3746444T>C, in a Han Chinese population.

[Application of HLAMatchmaker analysis eplets mismatch of renal transplant matching].

Objective: Eplets mismatch based on HLAMatchmaker software evaluates the clinical application of kidney transplantation.

Methods: In 239 cases of renal transplant,merits of methods of the traditional HLA six antigen matcheing criteria, cross reaction groups standard and Eplets mismatch based on HLAMatchmaker standard were compared respectively.

Results: The number of mismatchs with three methods in 239 cases, were grouped according to low-high mismatchs.