Elevated serum FGF21 is an independent predictor for adverse events in hemodialysis patients from two large centers: a prospective cohort study.

We explored the relationship and the predictive value of serum fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) with all-cause mortality, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) and pneumonia in hemodialysis (HD) patients. A total of 388 Chinese HD patients from two HD centers were finally enrolled in this prospective cohort study (registration number: ChiCTR 1900028249) between January 2018 and December 2018. Serum FGF21 was detected.

USP7 promotes the osteoclast differentiation of CD14+ human peripheral blood monocytes in osteoporosis via HMGB1 deubiquitination.

Background: Abnormal osteoclast and osteoblast differentiation is an essential pathological process in osteoporosis. As an important deubiquitinase enzyme, ubiquitin-specific peptidase 7 (USP7) participates in various disease processes through posttranslational modification. However, the mechanism by which USP7 regulates osteoporosis remains unknown.

Assessment of stroke knowledge and awareness among primary healthcare providers: A cross-sectional survey from the Kezhou quality improvement in acute stroke care project.

Objective: Acute stroke care is a highly complex type of emergency medical service (EMS) involving patient-centered care in a highly unpredictable and stressful environment with the help of several busy providers. The ability of primary healthcare providers (PHPs) to identify stroke onset early and further manage referrals to higher-level hospitals becomes critical.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey about stroke knowledge and awareness among PHPs in China from September 2021 to December 2021.

Real-time feedback on mobile application use for emergency management affects the door-to-needle time and functional outcomes in acute ischemic stroke.

Objectives: Time from onset to reperfusion affects mortality and favorable outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). To evaluate effects of a real-time feedback mobile application on critical time intervals and functional outcomes in stroke emergency management.

Methods: We recruited patients with clinically suspected acute stroke from December 1st, 2020 until July 30st, 2022.

Mechanical thrombectomy for acute multivessel occlusions with duplicated middle cerebral artery: A case report.

Acute multivessel occlusions generally have multisite clot burden with lower successful reperfusion rates, and cerebrovascular anatomical variants increase the challenge of endovascular clot retrieval. We report a case of acute anterior multivessel occlusions patient with duplicated middle cerebral artery. Combined balloon guide catheter with stent retriever and aspiration approach has gained complete revascularization and good functional outcomes at 3 months follow-up.

Recent advances of single-cell RNA sequencing technology in mesenchymal stem cell research.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent stromal cells with great potential for clinical applications. However, little is known about their cell heterogeneity at a single-cell resolution, which severely impedes the development of MSC therapy. In this review, we focus on advances in the identification of novel surface markers and functional subpopulations of MSCs made by single-cell RNA sequencing and discuss their participation in the pathophysiology of stem cells and related diseases.

Long non-coding RNA: The functional regulator of mesenchymal stem cells.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a subset of multipotent stroma cells residing in various tissues of the body. Apart from supporting the hematopoietic stem cell niche, MSCs possess strong immunoregulatory ability and multiple differentiation potentials. These powerful capacities allow the extensive application of MSCs in clinical practice as an effective treatment for diseases.

Habitual coffee consumption and risk of cognitive decline/dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies.

Objective: Findings from epidemiologic studies of coffee consumption and risk for cognitive decline or dementia are inconclusive. The aim of this study was to conduct a meta-analysis of prospective studies to assess the association between coffee consumption and the risk for cognitive decline and dementia.

Methods: Relevant studies were identified by searching PubMed and Embase databases between 1966 and December 2014.

[Spatio-temporal variation of drought condition during 1961 to 2012 based on composite index of meteorological drought in Altay region, China].

Based on the daily meteorological data of seven stations in Altay region, China, this study investigated the temporal ( seasonal, inter-annual and decadal) and spatial variations of drought by using composite index of meteorological drought, as well as trend analysis, M-K abrupt analysis, wavelet analysis and interpolation tools in ArcGIS. The results indicated that the composite index of meteorological drought could reflect the drought condition in Altay region well. Although the frequency and the covered area of both inter-annual and seasonal droughts presented decreasing trends in the recent 52 a, the drought was still serious when considering the annual drought.

Clinical significance of serum transforming growth factor-β1 in lung cancer.

Background: Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) plays a critical role in human cancer development. Present study aimed to explore the clinical significance of serum TGF-β1 levels in patients with lung cancer and analyze the relationship between TGF-β1 and existing tumor markers for lung cancer.

Methods: Serum was collected from 118 patients with lung cancer and 40 healthy volunteers.

Cotton PRP5 gene encoding a proline-rich protein is involved in fiber development.

Proline-rich proteins contribute to cell wall structure of specific cell types and are involved in plant growth and development. In this study, a fiber-specific gene, GhPRP5, encoding a proline-rich protein was functionally characterized in cotton. GhPRP5 promoter directed GUS expression only in trichomes of both transgenic Arabidopsis and tobacco plants.

Clinical significance of serum mitochondrial DNA in lung cancer.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate the clinical significance of serum mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in lung cancer.

Design And Methods: Serum mtDNA from 65 lung cancer patients, 20 patients with benign lung diseases and 55 healthy individuals was quantified using real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR). Data were analyzed using statistical software SPSS 13.

Quantification of serum HBXAP DNA in lung cancer patients by quantitative fluorescent polymerase chain reaction.

Hepatitis B virus x associated protein (HBXAP), as a subunit of chromatin remodeling and spacing factor, plays a critical role in cancer development through gene amplification. In this study, we aimed to quantify the levels of serum HBXAP DNA, to analyze and compare its diagnostic value with existing clinical parameters in lung cancer, and to potentially provide a novel tumor marker for lung cancer. Serum HBXAP DNA from 65 lung cancer patients and 20 healthy controls was quantified using real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR) analysis.

Shear viscosity of dilute suspensions of ellipsoidal particles with a lattice Boltzmann method.

The intrinsic viscosities for prolate and oblate spheroidal suspensions in a dilute Newtonian fluid are studied using a three-dimensional lattice Boltzmann method. Through directly calculated viscous dissipation, the minimum and maximum intrinsic viscosities and the period of the tumbling state all agree well with the analytical solution for particles with different aspect ratios. This numerical test verifies the analysis on maximum and minimum intrinsic viscosities.

Analysis of methylprednisolone-induced inhibition on the proliferation of neural progenitor cells in vitro by gene expression profiling.

Recently, it has been proved that methylprednisolone has inhibition effect on the proliferation of endogenous neural progenitor cells (NPCs) after spinal cord injury (SCI). Similar effect has also been found on NPCs cultured in vitro. However, the mechanism remains to be fully delineated.

Association between body mass index and erosive esophagitis: a meta-analysis.

Aim: To conduct a meta-analysis to estimate the determinants of the association between erosive esophagitis (EE) and body mass index (BMI).

Methods: We identified the studies using PubMed. Studies were selected for analysis based on certain inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Application of mesenchymal stromal cells in bone marrow transplantation for sensitized recipients.

Sensitized patients are at high risk for graft rejection during transplantation. It is of interest to investigate the effect of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in sensitized hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. MSCs were generated from bone marrow cells of BALB/c mice.

Rosiglitazone enhances the proliferation of neural progenitor cells and inhibits inflammation response after spinal cord injury.

It has been previously shown that peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) is beneficial for nervous system injury. In present study, we examined the effect of rosiglitazone, a PPAR-γ agonist, on spinal cord injury (SCI) in rats. SCI was induced by dropping a 10g weight rod at a height of 25mm.

[Expression of perforin in cord blood NK cells after IL-2/IL-15 stimulation and its relation with cytotoxicity].

This study was aimed to investigate the expression level of perforin in cord blood NK cells and the relation of perforin expression after IL-2, IL-15 stimulation to cytotoxicity of NK cells. NK cells were isolated from cord blood MNC by depleting CD3(+) cells and then enriching CD56(+) cells using immunomagnetic separation (CD3 and CD56 cell isolation kit, autoMACS, miltenyi). The purity was analysed by flow cytometry.

[Cytotoxic effect of IL-2/IL-15 stimulated cord blood derived NK cells on K562/Jurkat cell lines].

The aim of this study was to explore the cytotoxicity of fresh cord blood(CB) NK cells and the influence of IL-12 and IL-15 on activity of the NK cells killing K562 and Jurkat cells lines. The NK cells were isolated from cord blood by depleting CD3(+) cells and then enriching CD56(+) cells using sorting with immunomagnetic beads. The experiment was divided into 3 groups: group A (fresh CB-NK cells without cytokines), group B (CB-NK cells cultured by IL-2) and group C (CB-NK cells cultured by IL-2 and IL-15).

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells reduce the antitumor activity of cytokine-induced killer/natural killer cells in K562 NOD/SCID mice.

Adoptive cellular immunotherapy is an important treatment to eliminate residual tumor cells after hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) have previously been shown to exert immunoregulation functions, including inhibition of proliferation and killing activities of T cells and natural killer (NK) cells in vitro and reduction of the graft-versus-host disease. MSC can survive in vivo for a long period of time, the influence of MSC on the antitumor activity of subsequently infused immune killer cells is not clear.

[Influence of FcγRIIIa polymorphism on rituximab-dependent NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity to Raji cells].

Fcgamma receptor IIIa (FcγRIIIa) polymorphisms is considered to influence clinical response to therapeutic monoclonal antibody (McAb) in cancer, most people believe it can affect McAb binding, and McAb-dependent NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity. This study was purposed to determine the difference of antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) effects mediated by different FcγRIIIa NK cells. The FcγRIIIa genotypes were detected by nest-PCR, the target cells (Raji cells) were stained with 5- (and 6-) carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE), cultured with effector cells with different FcγRIIIa genotypes, and finally stained with propidium iodide (PI); the CD20 expression of Raji cells were tested by flow cytometry and cytotoxic index was calculated as well.

Optimized protocols for generation of cord blood-derived cytokine-induced killer/natural killer cells.

The efficacy of various combinations of stem cell factor (SCF), FLT3 ligand, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-7 and IL-15 to induce and expand cord blood-derived cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells was investigated. There were three treatment groups: group A: SCF combined with IL-2, IL-7 and IL-15; group B: SCF, FLT3 ligand combined with IL-2, IL-7 and IL-15, and group C: IL-2, IL-7 and IL-15, the control group. Proliferation rates of CD3(+)CD56(+) CIK cells and CD3(-)CD56(+) natural killer (NK) cells were highest in group B; expansion of CIK cells increased 796.

[Fcγ receptorIIIa polymorphism in healthy children and those with hematological malignancies].

Fcγ receptorIIIa (FcγRIIIa) polymorphism was considered to influence clinical response to therapeutic monoclonal antibody (MAb) against cancer, which is suggested to affect MAb binding and MAb-dependent NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity. The purpose of this study was to examine the FcγRIIIa gene polymorphisms in healthy children and in children with hematological malignancy, and to explore its possible effect on MAb in children with hematological malignancies. 43 healthy children (H) and 20 pediatric patients with hematological malignancies (HM) were enrolled in this study.