Psychoactive drugs citalopram and mirtazapine caused oxidative stress and damage of feeding behavior in Daphnia magna.

As the emerging contaminants, the environmental risks of drug-derived pollutants have attracted extensive attention. Citalopram (CTP) and mirtazapine (MTP) are commonly used as modern antidepressant drugs. Previous studies had proved that CTP and MTP entered the aquatic environment, but less reported the negative effects of the drugs on aquatic organisms.

A Retrospective Study on the Effects of Convalescent Plasma Therapy in 24 Patients Diagnosed with COVID-19 Pneumonia in February and March 2020 at 2 Centers in Wuhan, China.

BACKGROUND This retrospective study aimed to describe the effects of convalescent plasma therapy in 24 patients diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection during February and March 2020 in Wuhan, China. MATERIAL AND METHODS The confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 infection was made by the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data and laboratory test reports of patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia who received a convalescent plasma transfusion.

The risk and impact of organophosphate esters on the development of female-specific cancers: Comparative analysis of patients with benign and malignant tumors.

Environmental pollution has become a concern for public health. As endocrine disruptors, organophosphate esters (OPEs) causes many diseases via human exposure. However, there is limited research on the risk of OPE exposure to female-specific cancers.

Rapid thrombelastography predicts perioperative massive blood transfusion in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting: A retrospective study.

Massive blood transfusion (MBT) is a relatively common complication of cardiac surgery, which is independently associated with severe postoperative adverse events. However, the value of using rapid thrombotomography (r-TEG) to predict MBT in perioperative period of cardiac surgery has not been explored. This study aimed to identify the effect of r-TEG in predicting MBT for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Presence of organophosphate esters in plasma of patients with hypertension in Hubei Province, China.

Organophosphate esters (OPEs) are widely used as fire retardants, so they are almost ubiquitous pollutants. Recent studies had found that OPEs were detectable in human blood samples. However, the studies on the presence of OPEs in hypertensive patients were limited.

Positive correlation between human exposure to organophosphate esters and gastrointestinal cancer in patients from Wuhan, China.

As kinds of endocrine disruptors, organophosphate esters (OPEs) pollution in the environment had received increasing attention recently. Food and water intake were two important exposure pathways for OPEs. However, the studies about the potential association between OPEs and gastrointestinal cancer were limited.

Silica microbeads capture fetal nucleated red blood cells for noninvasive prenatal testing of fetal ABO genotype.

ABO hemolytic disease of the newborn (ABO-HDN), which may cause neonatal jaundice and polycythemia, or even stillbirth or neonatal death, is widespread in China. Prenatal testing for the fetal ABO blood group can reduce unnecessary concerns or ensure prompt treatment. Herein, we presented a method to employ high-density silica microbeads (SiO MBs) for capturing fetal nucleated red blood cells (fnRBCs) in maternal peripheral blood, and we detected the ABO genotype of the fetus using these captured cells.

Erythrocyte-derived vesicles for circulating tumor cell capture and specific tumor imaging.

The precise diagnosis of cancer remains a great challenge; therefore, it is our research interest to develop safe, tumor-specific reagents. In this study, we designed nanovesicles derived from erythrocyte membranes; the nanovesicles are capable of recognizing tumor cells for both circulating tumor cell (CTC) capture and tumor imaging. The tumor-targeting molecules folic acid (FA) and fluorescein Cy5 were modified on the nanovesicle surface.

Screening and identification of RhD antigen mimic epitopes from a phage display random peptide library for the serodiagnosis of haemolytic disease of the foetus and newborn.

Background: Identification of RhD antigen epitopes is a key component in understanding the pathogenesis of haemolytic disease of the foetus and newborn. Research has indicated that phage display libraries are useful tools for identifying novel mimic epitopes (mimotopes) which may help to determine antigen specificity.

Materials And Methods: We selected the mimotopes of blood group RhD antigen by affinity panning a phage display library using monoclonal anti-D.

The associations between five polymorphisms of vascular endothelial growth factor and renal cell carcinoma risk: an updated meta-analysis.

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a key mediator that plays an important role in angiogenesis, tumor growth, and tumor metastasis. The associations between five polymorphisms of VEGF (rs3025039, rs699947, rs10434, rs1570360, and rs2010963) and renal cell carcinoma (RCC) risk have been extensively investigated, but the currently available results are inconsistent and inconclusive. To obtain a more accurate assessment of the associations, we conducted a meta-analysis in this study.

MGC29506 induces cell cycle arrest and is downregulated in gastric cancer.

The proapoptotic caspase adaptor protein (PACAP) is involved in cell-cycle regulation and promotes apoptosis. Both MGC29506 and PACAP are isoforms of the MGC29506 gene and are generated by differential splicing of the alternative splice-acceptor. In studying PACAP, we inadvertently constructed the eukaryotic expression vector MGC29506.

A study of drug release from homogeneous PLGA microstructures.

The hydrogel template method was used to fabricate homogeneous drug-PLGA microparticles. Four drugs (felodipine, risperidone, progesterone, and paclitaxel) were loaded into the PLGA particles with the homogeneous size of 10microm, 20microm, and 50microm. The drug loading into the PLGA microparticles was 50% and higher.

Frosta: a new technology for making fast-melting tablets.

The fast-melting tablet (FMT) technology, which is known to be one of the most innovated methods in oral drug delivery systems, is a rapidly growing area of drug delivery. The initial success of the FMT formulation led to the development of various technologies. These technologies, however, still have some limitations.

Fast-melting tablets based on highly plastic granules.

Highly plastic granules that can be compressed into tablets at low pressure were developed to make fast-melting tablets (FMTs) by compression method. The highly plastic granules are composed of three components: a plastic material, a material enhancing water penetration, and a wet binder. One of the unique properties of the highly plastic granules is that they maintain a porous structure even after compression into tablets.

Orally fast disintegrating tablets: developments, technologies, taste-masking and clinical studies.

Fast disintegrating tablets (FDTs) have received ever-increasing demand during the last decade, and the field has become a rapidly growing area in the pharmaceutical industry. Upon introduction into the mouth, these tablets dissolve or disintegrate in the mouth in the absence of additional water for easy administration of active pharmaceutical ingredients. The popularity and usefulness of the formulation resulted in development of several FDT technologies.