Construction of chitosan/Ag nanocomposite sponges and their properties.

Chitosan/Ag nanocomposite sponges were prepared by soaking the chitosan hydrogels in AgNO aqueous solution, which was heated at 80 °C to synthesize Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) in the porous chitosan matrix and freeze-dried. The structure and properties of the nanocomposite sponges were characterized by FT-IR, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and compressive testing. In our findings, the pores of the chitosan hydrogel were used as a microreactor to synthesize AgNPs, which could distribute evenly on the chitosan matrix.

BMPER Ameliorates Renal Fibrosis by Inhibiting Tubular Dedifferentiation and Fibroblast Activation.

Tubulointerstitial fibrosis is both a pathological manifestation of chronic kidney disease and a driving force for the progression of kidney disease. A previous study has shown that bone morphogenetic protein-binding endothelial cell precursor-derived regulator (BMPER) is involved in lung fibrogenesis. However, the role of BMPER in renal fibrosis remains unknown.

Safety and efficacy assessment of allogeneic human dental pulp stem cells to treat patients with severe COVID-19: structured summary of a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial (Phase I / II).

Objectives: To assess the safety and therapeutic effects of allogeneic human dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) in treating severe pneumonia caused by COVID-19.

Trial Design: This is a single centre, two arm ratio 1:1, triple blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel group, clinical trial.

Participants: Twenty serious COVID-19 cases will be enrolled in the trial from April 6th to December 31st 2020.

Decreased T cell populations contribute to the increased severity of COVID-19.

Background: We observe changes of the main lymphocyte subsets (CD16CD56、CD19、CD3、CD4、and CD8) in COVID-19-infected patients and explore whether the changes are associated with disease severity.

Methods: One-hundred and fifty-four cases of COVID-19-infected patients were selected and divided into 3 groups (moderate group, severe group and critical group). The flow cytometry assay was performed to examine the numbers of lymphocyte subsets.

3,3'-Diindolylmethane ameliorates renal fibrosis through the inhibition of renal fibroblast activation in vivo and in vitro.

3,3'-Diindolylmethane (DIM), a natural acid condensation extracted from cruciferous plants, exhibits anti-fibrotic effects in hepatic and cardiac fibrosis models. The effects of DIM on renal fibrosis, however, are unclear. This study aimed to explore the protective effects of DIM on renal fibrosis.

Stepwise discriminant function analysis for rapid identification of acute promyelocytic leukemia from acute myeloid leukemia with multiparameter flow cytometry.

Diagnosis of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) has been accelerated by multiparameter flow cytometry (MFC). However, diagnostic interpretation of MFC readouts for APL depends on individual experience and knowledge, which inevitably increases the risk of arbitrariness. We appraised the feasibility of using stepwise discriminant function analysis (SDFA) based on MFC to optimize the minimal variables needed to distinguish APL from other acute myeloid leukemia (AML) without complicated data interpretation.

The CD40 gene polymorphism rs1883832 is associated with risk of acute coronary syndrome in a Chinese case-control study.

Numerous reports in the past few years have demonstrated that atherosclerosis is a lipid-driven, chronic inflammatory disease of the vessel. Recent studies have indicated that the immune mediator CD40-CD40L (CD40 ligand), which is expressed on several inflammatory cells within human atherosclerotic lesions, has roles in atherogenesis. A functional polymorphism (-1C>T, rs1883832) in the 5' untranslated region of TNFRSF5 gene has been reported to affect CD40 expression and be associated with several chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

[Inhibition of CD40L induced E-selectin expression in endothelial cells through extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling pathway].

Objective: To investigate the regulatory effects of atorvastatin on CD40L induced E-selectin expression in endothelial cells and the association thereof with signal pathway.

Methods: Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were obtained from umbilical cord newly delivered and incubated with CD40L for 24 hours with or without pretreated by atorvastatin of the concentrations of 0.1, 1, or 10 micromol/L.

[Association between inflammatory cytokine CD40 gene polymorphism and risk of acute coronary syndrome].

Objective: To investigate the expression levels of CD40, sCD40L, hs-CRP, WBC in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients and the association between CD40-1C/T single nucleotide polymorphism and risk of ACS in Han Chinese, moreover, the regulatory effects of IFN-gamma and fluvastatin on the expression of CD40 in peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMNC) were also observed.

Methods: (1) 160 ACS patients and 92 control patients diagnosed by coronary angiography were recruited. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, particle enhanced immunoturbidimetric assay, flow cytometry were used to detect the levels of soluble CD40L, hs-CRP, and WBC count.

Dehydroepiandrosterone inhibits CD40/CD40L expression on human umbilical vein endothelial cells induced by interferon gamma.

Many studies indicated that the CD40/CD40 ligand (CD40L) pathway plays an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. It has been demonstrated a protective role of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) against atherosclerosis. The major purpose of our present work was to assess whether DHEA could decrease the expression of CD40 and CD40L on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) induced by interferon gamma (IFN-gamma).

[Correlation of CD40 gene polymorphisms with acute coronary syndrome, hypertension and diabetes].

Objective: To investigate the correlation of CD40-E1SNP (-1C/T) and CD40-E4SNP with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), hypertension and diabetes in Chinese Han population.

Methods: The allele frequencies of CD40-E1SNP (-1C/T) and CD40-E4SNP were assayed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and DNA sequence technology in 160 definite ACS patients and 92 controls with negatively coronary arteriography. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyzed the interaction between the CD40 gene polymorphisms and hypertension and diabetes.

[Association of L-selectin gene polymorphism with susceptibility to coronary heart disease].

Objective: To investigate the possible association between L-selectin gene P213S polymorphism and coronary heart disease (CHD) in Chinese population.

Methods: In total 212 CHD patients diagnosed by angiography and 230 healthy controls were studied. The genotype and allele frequencies of L-selectin gene polymorphism were assayed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).