Microbial colonization of electrocardiographic telemetry systems before and after cleaning.

Background: Nosocomial infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms are commonly associated with longer hospital stays up to 12 to 18 days and annual estimated costs of $5.7 billion to $6.8 billion.

Activation of JNKs is essential for BMP9-induced osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells.

Although BMP9 is highly capable of promoting osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cell (MSCs), the molecular mechanism involved remains to be fully elucidated. Here, we explore the possible involvement and detail role of JNKs (c-Jun N-terminal kinases) in BMP9-induced osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. It was found that BMP9 stimulated the activation of JNKs in MSCs.

[Effect of bite force on the periodontal tissue remodeling of molar with different levels of periodontal attachment ment].

Objective: The theory of strain energy density (SED) was combined with finite element analysis to investigate alveolar bone remodeling of the mandibular first molar with different levels of periodontal attachment under mastication loading.

Methods: Three-dimensional finite element models of the mandibular first molar with different levels of periodontal attachment were established. Based on SED theory, the user material subroutine (UMAT) (used by ABAQUS software) was developed by ourselves to simulate the remodeling process of mandibular bone.

Cost-effectiveness of a hypertension control intervention in three community health centers in China.

Background: Hypertension and associated chronic diseases impose enormous and growing health and economic burdens worldwide. The objective of this study was to investigate the cost-effectiveness (CE) of a hypertension control program in China.

Methods: We collected information on program costs and health outcomes in three community health centers over a 1-year period.

Enhancement effect of silver nanoparticles on fermentative biohydrogen production using mixed bacteria.

Silver nanoparticles were added into anaerobic batch reactors to enhance acidogenesis and fermentative hydrogen production simultaneously. The effects of silver nanoparticles concentration (0-200 nmol L(-1)) and inorganic nitrogen concentration (0-4.125 g L(-1)) on cell growth and hydrogen production were investigated using glucose-fed mixed bacteria dominated by Clostridium butyricum.

Curculigoside promotes osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells from ovariectomized rats.

Objectives: Curculigoside, a natural compound isolated from the medicinal plant Curculigo orchioides has been reported to prevent bone loss in ovariectomized rats. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unknown. This study investigated the effects of curculigoside on proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs).

Discovery of novel 4-(2-fluorophenoxy)quinoline derivatives bearing 4-oxo-1,4-dihydrocinnoline-3-carboxamide moiety as c-Met kinase inhibitors.

A series of novel 4-(2-fluorophenoxy)quinoline derivatives containing 4-oxo-1,4-dihydrocinnoline-3-carboxamide moiety were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro biological activities against c-Met kinase and six typical cancer cell lines (A549, H460, HT-29, MKN-45, U87MG and SMMC-7721). All the prepared compounds showed moderate to excellent antiproliferative activity, and the analysis of their structure-activity relationships indicated that 2-chloro or 2-trifluoromethyl substituted phenyl group on the 1-position of cinnoline ring was more favorable for antitumor activity. In this study, a promising compound 33, with a c-Met IC50 value of 0.

The remodeling of alveolar bone supporting the mandibular first molar with different levels of periodontal attachment.

The objective of this study was to investigate alveolar bone remodeling of the mandibular first molar with differing levels of periodontal attachment under mastication loading. Three-dimensional finite element models of the mandibular first molar with differing levels of periodontal attachment were established. The stress distributions and bone density changes were analyzed under mastication loading to simulate the remodeling process of mandibular bone based on the theory of strain energy density.

The relationship between self-rated health and objective health status: a population-based study.

Background: Self-rated health (SRH), a subjective assessment of health status, is extensively used in the public health field. However, whether SRH can reflect the objective health status is still debatable. We aim to reveal the relationship between SRH and objective health status in the general population.

Analysis and characterization of the functional TGFβ receptors required for BMP6-induced osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal progenitor cells.

Although BMP6 is highly capable of inducing osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs), the molecular mechanism involved remains to be fully elucidated. Using dominant negative (dn) mutant form of type I and type II TGFβ receptors, we demonstrated that three dn-type I receptors (dnALK2, dnALK3, dnALK6), and three dn-type II receptors (dnBMPRII, dnActRII, dnActRIIB), effectively diminished BMP6- induced osteogenic differentiation of MPCs. These findings suggested that ALK2, ALK3, ALK6, BMPRII, ActRII and ActRIIB are essential for BMP6-induced osteogenic differentiation of MPCs.

Osteogenic potential of bone marrow stromal cells derived from streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is associated with a series of bone complications, which are still a great challenge in the clinic. Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) are crucial to bone remodeling and are attractive candidates for tissue engineering. Hence, we aimed to investigate whether impaired functions of BMSCs play a role in the pathogenesis of bone complications associated with T1DM.

Design, synthesis and 3D-QSAR analysis of novel 2-hydrazinyl-4-morpholinothieno[3,2-d]pyrimidine derivatives as potential antitumor agents.

A series of 2-hydrazinyl-4-morpholinothieno[3,2-d]pyrimidine derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against five cancer cell lines. Most of them exhibited moderate to significant cytotoxic activities and high-selectivity against one or more cell lines, and nearly all of them had higher potency than positive controls against MDA-MB-231 cell line. The most promising compound 15f showed strong cytotoxic activities against H460, HT-29 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines, which were 1.

Excessive daytime sleepiness assessed by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and its association with health related quality of life: a population-based study in China.

Background: Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is a common condition worldwide that has many negative effects on people who were afflicted with it, especially on their health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) is a commonly used method for evaluating EDS in English-speaking countries. This paper reported the prevalence of subjective EDS in China as assessed by the Mandarin version of the ESS; tested the scale's response rate, reliability and validity; and investigated the relationship between ESS scores and HRQOL.

Ultrasensitive detection of kanamycin in animal derived foods by label-free electrochemical immunosensor.

A label-free amperometric immunosensor based on graphene sheet(GS)-nafion(Nf)/thionine(TH)/Pt nanoparticles modified electrode is proposed for the ultrasensitive detection of kanamycin. The anti-kanamycin antibody was immobilised onto the GS-Nf/TH/Pt modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE) through electrostatic adsorption. TH was selected as an electron transfer mediator, and the synergistic effects among GS, TH and Pt were investigated.

Bacterial diversity of subgingival plaque in 6 healthy Chinese individuals.

The subgingival microbial ecology is complex, and little is known regarding its bacteria species composition in healthy Chinese individuals. This study aimed to identify the subgingival microbiota from 6 healthy Chinese subjects. Subgingival samples from 6 volunteers were collected, the 16S rRNA gene was amplified using broad-range bacterial primers, and clone libraries were constructed.

Survey on risk perception of radiation following an incident involving a stuck 60Co source in Henan province, China.

In July 2009, an incident involving a stuck Co-60 source led hundreds of thousands of people to escape Qi County, Henan Province, China, although no medical or environmental consequences were related to the incident. To investigate knowledge about radiation, public risk-perception of radiation, and evaluation of the official response, a survey was conducted in Qi and Hui County (control). Face-to-face questionnaire interviews were conducted among three groups with different educational backgrounds.

Reasons for noncompletion of advance directives in a cardiac intensive care unit.

Background: The Patient Self-Determination Act of 1990 mandates that hospitals reimbursed by Medicare and Medicaid inform each patient about the patient's right to a natural death.

Objective: To describe and explore implementation of the Patient Self-Determination Act in a critical care setting. The goal was to assess patients' understanding of advance directives.

Epidemiology of functional diarrhea and comparison with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome: a population-based survey in China.

Background: The epidemiology of functional diarrhea and its impacts on Chinese remain unclear, and there are no data on the comparative epidemiology of functional diarrhea and diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D). This study was to explore the epidemiology of functional diarrhea and its impacts, and to identify its distinction from IBS-D.

Methods And Findings: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 16078 respondents, who were interviewed under a randomized stratified multi-stage sampling design in five cities of China.

Design, synthesis and anticancer activities of diaryl urea derivatives bearing N-acylhydrazone moiety.

A new series of diaryl urea derivatives bearing N-acylhydrazone moiety were designed and synthesized. All the target compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities in vitro against human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cell line (A549), human breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231) and human leukemia cell line (HL-60) by standard 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Several compounds (1a, 1f and 1h) were further evaluated against human embryonic fibroblast, lung-derived cell line (WI38).

Hepatitis viruses infection and risk of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: evidence from a meta-analysis.

Background: Studies investigating the association between Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) have reported inconsistent findings. We conducted a meta-analysis of epidemiological studies to explore this relationship.

Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted to identify the eligible studies of hepatitis infections and ICC risk up to September 2011.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel 2-(2-arylmethylene)hydrazinyl-4-aminoquinazoline derivatives as potent antitumor agents.

Two series of novel 2-(2-arylmethylene)hydrazinyl-4-aminoquinazoline derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for their cytotoxicity against H-460, HT-29, HepG2 and SGC-7901 cancer cell lines in vitro. Most compounds displayed moderate to excellent activity, with IC(50) values ranging from 0.015 to 4.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel 6-hydrazinyl-2,4-bismorpholino pyrimidine and 1,3,5-triazine derivatives as potential antitumor agents.

A series of 6-hydrazinyl-2,4-bismorpholino pyrimidine and 1,3,5-triazine derivatives (5a-5l and 8a-8o) were synthesized and their chemical structures as well as the relative stereochemistry were confirmed. All the synthesized compounds were evaluated for antiproliferative activity against three cancer cell lines (H460, HT-29, and MDA-MB-231). Several potent compounds were further evaluated against two other cell lines (U87MG, H1975).

Electrochemical immunoassay for carcinoembryonic antigen based on signal amplification strategy of nanotubular mesoporous PdCu alloy.

Interests in using nanoporous metals for biosensing applications have been increasing. Herein, nanotubular mesoporous PdCu (NM-PdCu) alloy is used to fabricate a novel label-free electrochemical immunosensor for cancer biomarker carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). It operates through physisorption of anti-CEA on NM-PdCu and the mixture of sulfonated graphene sheets (HSO(3)-GS) and thionine (TH) functionalized glassy carbon electrode interface as the detection platform.