Geographical variation analysis of all-cause hospital readmission cases in Winnipeg, Canada.

Background: Hospital readmission is costly and potentially avoidable. The concept of virtual wards as a new model of care is intended to reduce hospital readmissions by providing short-term transitional care to high-risk and complex patients in the community. In order to provide information regarding the development of virtual wards in the Winnipeg Health Region, Canada, this study used spatial statistics to identify geographic variations of hospital readmissions in 25 neighborhood clusters.

Relaxation effect of abacavir on rat basilar arteries.

Background: The use of abacavir has been linked with increased cardiovascular risk in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection; however, the mechanism involved remains unclear. We hypothesize that abacavir may impair endothelial function. In addition, based on the structural similarity between abacavir and adenosine, we propose that abacavir may affect vascular contractility through endogenous adenosine release or adenosine receptors in blood vessels.

Huaier aqueous extract induces apoptosis of human fibrosarcoma HT1080 cells through the mitochondrial pathway.

In recent years, aqueous extract of Murr. (Huaier), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been frequently used in China for complementary cancer therapy. However, the mechanisms underlying its anticancer effects have yet to be elucidated.

The MADS-box transcription factor FgMcm1 regulates cell identity and fungal development in Fusarium graminearum.

In eukaryotic cells, MADS-box genes are known to play major regulatory roles in various biological processes by combinatorial interactions with other transcription factors. In this study, we functionally characterized the FgMCM1 MADS-box gene in Fusarium graminearum, the causal agent of wheat and barley head blight. Deletion of FgMCM1 resulted in the loss of perithecium production and phialide formation.

Development and validation of a predictive model for all-cause hospital readmissions in Winnipeg, Canada.

Objective: A number of predictive models have been developed to identify patients at risk of hospital readmission. Most of these have focused on readmission within 30 days of discharge. We used population-based health administrative data to develop a predictive model for hospital readmission within 12 months of discharge in Winnipeg, Canada.

High lateral resolution vs molecular preservation in near-IR fs-laser desorption postionization mass spectrometry.

Ultrashort pulse length lasers operating in the near-infrared region show promise for submicrometer lateral resolution by laser desorption-based mass spectrometry (MS) imaging. However, these experiments must balance lateral resolution and molecular fragmentation since abundant atomic ions are observed at the high laser irradiances that can be generated by tightly focused ultrashort pulse laser beams. It is shown here that combining ultrashort pulse laser desorption with laser postionization (fs-LDPI) allows for a considerable increase of molecular ion signal while operating with lower laser irradiances, yielding the added benefit of reduced molecular fragmentation.

Simultaneous in situ quantification of two cellular lipid pools using orthogonal fluorescent sensors.

Lipids regulate a wide range of biological activities. Since their local concentrations are tightly controlled in a spatiotemporally specific manner, the simultaneous quantification of multiple lipids is essential for elucidation of the complex mechanisms of biological regulation. Here, we report a new method for the simultaneous in situ quantification of two lipid pools in mammalian cells using orthogonal fluorescent sensors.

MAE-FMD: multi-agent evolutionary method for functional module detection in protein-protein interaction networks.

Background: Studies of functional modules in a Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) network contribute greatly to the understanding of biological mechanisms. With the development of computing science, computational approaches have played an important role in detecting functional modules.

Results: We present a new approach using multi-agent evolution for detection of functional modules in PPI networks.

Ligusticum wallichii Extract Inhibited the Expression of IL-1β after AMI in Rats.

This study investigated the effects of Ligusticum wallichii on IL-1β expression in myocardium and central nervous system after AMI. AMI rat was administrated with Ligusticum wallichii extract. A series of assays were used to detect the effects of Ligusticum wallichii extract on infarct size, left ventricular ejection fraction, expression of TLR-4, NF-κB, and IL-1β in myocardium, IL-1β expression in serum and hypothalamus, and NPY expression in hypothalamus.

ABCG2 regulates the pattern of self-renewing divisions in cisplatin-resistant non-small cell lung cancer cell lines.

Overexpression of ABCG2 is considered a major mechanism of cancer drug resistance. Recent studies have shown that ABCG2 can regulate the switch between symmetric and asymmetric cell division in adult stem cells; however, the relationship between ABCG2 and cell division in drug-resistant cancer cells remains to be determined. In the present study, we demonstrated that ABCG2 is involved in the cell division of drug-resistant cancer cells.

Sodium selenite inhibits leukemia HL-60 cell proliferation and induces cell apoptosis by enhancing the phosphorylation of JNK1 and increasing the expression of p21 and p27.

Selenium is an essential trace element and has shown chemopreventive or therapeutic activities on human solid cancers; however, whether it has anticancer effects on leukemia has not yet been elucidated. The present study was designed to determine the role of selenium on HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells. We found that 100 nM of sodium selenite (Se) had no significant effects on cell proliferation, apoptosis and the cell cycle; however, a higher concentration of 250 nM of Se significantly inhibited cell proliferation, promoted apoptosis and induced cell cycle arrest at the S phase after 48 h of treatment (P<0.

Endothelium-dependent and -independent relaxation of rat aorta induced by extract of Schizophyllum commune.

Schizophyllum commune (SC) is widely consumed by Chinese, especially in southern part of China. The aim of the present study was to assess the extract of SC on vascular tone and the mechanisms involved. Experiments were performed on aorta of 18-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats.

Ginsenoside rb1 protects neonatal rat cardiomyocytes from hypoxia/ischemia induced apoptosis and inhibits activation of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway.

Aim. To investigate the effect of Ginsenoside Rb1 (GS-Rb1) on hypoxia/ischemia (H/I) injury in cardiomyocytes in vitro and the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway mediated mechanism. Methods.

An unusual piceatannol dimer from Rheum austral D. Don with antioxidant activity.

A novel dimer of piceatannol glycoside, named rheumaustralin (1) was isolated from the underground parts of the ethnomedicinal plant Rheum austral (Polygonaceae) collected from Tibet together with 17 known compounds, including rheumin (2), 2,5-dimethyl-7-hydroxychromone (3), 2,5-dimethylchromone-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (4), 7-hydroxy-2-(2'-hydroxypropyl)-5-methylchromone (5), torachrysone (6) torachrysone-8-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (7), 4-(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanone-4'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (8), amabiloside (9), N-trans-feruloyl tyramine (10), chrysophanol (11), aloe-emodin (12), emodin (13), physcion (14), physcion-1-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (15), emodin-8-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (16), D-catechin (17) and gallic acid (18). Their structures were determined by combined spectroscopic methods and by comparison of their spectral data with those reported in literature. Compounds 1-10 were tested for their ability to scavenge 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical.

A facile "click" reaction to fabricate a FRET-based ratiometric fluorescent Cu probe.

A facile one-step Cu(i)-catalyzed "click" reaction, between a dansyl-azide and a propargyl-substituted rhodamine B hydrazide, is employed to fabricate a novel FRET ratiometric "off-on" fluorescent probe. The sensitive emission of the donor, a dansyl group, overlaps perfectly with the absorption of the acceptor, xanthene in the open-ring rhodamine. The proposed probe shows high selectivity towards Cu.

Cholesterol selectively activates canonical Wnt signalling over non-canonical Wnt signalling.

Wnt proteins control diverse biological processes through β-catenin-dependent canonical signalling and β-catenin-independent non-canonical signalling. The mechanisms by which these signalling pathways are differentially triggered and controlled are not fully understood. Dishevelled (Dvl) is a scaffold protein that serves as the branch point of these pathways.

Vasodilatory effect of 14,15-epoxyeicosatrienoic acid on mesenteric arteries in hypertensive and aged rats.

The objective of this study was to investigate the 14,15-epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (14,15-EET)-induced vasodilatations as well as the underlying signaling pathways in rat mesenteric arteries from young, adult and old normotensive (WKY) and hypertensive rats. Protein expressions for prostaglandin EP(1-4) receptors, large conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) (BK(Ca)) channels, and adenylate cyclase (AC) were determined together with 14,15-EET-induced vasodilatations in primary- versus secondary-branches of the mesenteric artery. Responses to 14,15-EET were greater in the smaller secondary- versus primary-branches (and also more sensitive with lower EC50) and were reduced in vessels from old (80 weeks) rats as well as from vessels from the spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR).

Progress on the M-type phospholipase A2 receptor in idiopathic membranous nephropathy.

Objective: To highlight current knowledge about M-type phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) which is the first human autoantigen discovered in adult idiopathic membranous nephropathy.

Data Sources: Relevant articles published in English from 2000 to present were selected from PubMed. Searches were made using the terms "idiopathic membranous nephropathy, M-type PLA2R and podocyte.

Significance of ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase L1 elevations in athletes after sub-concussive head hits.

The impact of sub-concussive head hits (sub-CHIs) has been recently investigated in American football players, a population at risk for varying degrees of post-traumatic sequelae. Results show how sub-CHIs in athletes translate in serum as the appearance of reporters of blood-brain barrier disruption (BBBD), how the number and severity of sub-CHIs correlate with elevations of putative markers of brain injury is unknown. Serum brain injury markers such as UCH-L1 depend on BBBD.

Genetic analysis of diversity within a Chinese local sugarcane germplasm based on start codon targeted polymorphism.

In-depth information on sugarcane germplasm is the basis for its conservation and utilization. Data on sugarcane molecular markers are limited for the Chinese sugarcane germplasm collections. In the present study, 20 start codon targeted (SCoT) marker primers were designed to assess the genetic diversity among 107 sugarcane accessions within a local sugarcane germplasm collection.

Overexpression of S100A7 protects LPS-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and stimulates IL-6 and IL-8 in HaCaT cells.

Background: S100A7 (or psoriasin) is distributed in the cytoplasm of keratinocytes of normal human epidermis, and it is overexpressed in many epidermal inflammatory diseases. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces mitochondrial function changes, which play important roles in multiple cellular mechanisms including inflammation. Although S100A7 expression is regulated by various factors in the human epidermis during inflammation, whether S100A7 interacts with mitochondria in keratinocytes is not clear.

MicroRNA-23a expression in paraffin-embedded specimen correlates with overall survival of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

It has been demonstrated that aberrant expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) is strongly associated with carcinogenesis. Recently, specific miRNAs may serve as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of various types of tumor. MiR-23a is known to play important role in the development of cancers and deregulated in various hematological malignancies.

Acute toxicity of nickel nanoparticles in rats after intravenous injection.

This study was carried out to add scientific data in regard to the use of metallic nanoparticles in nanomedicine. The acute toxicity of nickel (Ni) nanoparticles (50 nm), intravenously injected through the dorsal penile vein of Sprague Dawley rats was evaluated in this study. Fourteen days after injection, Ni nanoparticles induced liver and spleen injury, lung inflammation, and caused cardiac toxicity.

Discrepancies between HIV prevention communication attitudes and actual conversations about HIV testing within social and sexual networks of African American men who have sex with men.

Background: Promoting communication among African American men who have sex with men (AA MSM) and their social networks about HIV testing is an avenue for altering HIV prevention social norms. This study examined the attitudes of AA MSM on talking with peers about HIV testing and characteristics of their network members with whom they have these conversations.

Methods: Data came from a cross-sectional survey of 226 AA MSM who were 18 years or older and self-reported sex with another male in the prior 90 days.

Inhibitory effect of 14,15-EET on endothelial senescence through activation of mTOR complex 2/Akt signaling pathways.

Therapies to reverse the vascular endothelial aging process may play as a novel strategy for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. 14,15-epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (14,15-EET) is a predominant cytochrome P450 epoxygenases-derived arachidonic acid metabolite and possesses multiple biological effects on the vascular system. The present study sought to investigate the roles of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 2 (mTORC2)/Akt signaling pathways in mediating the effect of 14,15-EET on endothelial senescence.