Effects of statin therapy on progression of mild noncalcified coronary plaque assessed by serial coronary computed tomography angiography: A multicenter prospective study.

Background: There are limited data assessing statin therapy in patients with nonobstructive coronary plaque on coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA).

Methods: Two hundred six consecutive patients with mild noncalcified plaque on CCTA were enrolled in this multicenter prospective observational study. Subjects were divided into 3 groups according to subsequent statin therapy: intensive statin therapy (n = 55), moderate statins (n = 85), and no statin (n = 66).

[Determination of HVA and VMA in urine using high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry].

Objective: To establish a method for the determination of homovanillic acid (HVA) and vanil mandelic acid (VMA) in urine, using high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS/MS) detection.

Methods: A 200 μl volume of urine sample added with 20 μl chlorzoxazone internal standard was mixed in a centrifuge tube, then added 100μL methanol (containing 1% acetic acid) , vortex mixed and centrifuged at 13 000 rpm for 1 min. A 10 μl volume of the above supernatant solution was injected into HPLC/MS/MS system for quantitative analysis.

Brain activation difference evoked by different binocular disparities of stereograms: An fMRI study.

The binocular disparity of two retina images is a main cue of stereoscopic vision. However, the global dependency between brain response and binocular disparity still remains unclear. Here, we used functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to identify stereopsis-related brain regions with a modified Random Dot Stereogram (RDS) and plotted the activation variation curves under different disparity size.

YAP promotes erlotinib resistance in human non-small cell lung cancer cells.

Yes-associated protein (YAP) is a main mediator of the Hippo pathway, which promotes cancer development. Here we show that YAP promotes resistance to erlotinib in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. We found that forced YAP overexpression through YAP plasmid transfection promotes erlotinib resistance in HCC827 (exon 19 deletion) cells.

Genome-wide association study identifies 8p21.3 associated with persistent hepatitis B virus infection among Chinese.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a common infectious disease. Here we perform a genome-wide association study (GWAS) among Chinese populations to identify novel genetic loci involved in persistent HBV infection. GWAS scan is performed in 1,251 persistently HBV infected subjects (PIs, cases) and 1,057 spontaneously recovered subjects (SRs, controls), followed by replications in four independent populations totally consisting of 3,905 PIs and 3,356 SRs.

Minor salivary glands function is decreased in hyposalivation-related diseases.

Objectives: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between minor salivary gland (MSG) flow rates and oral dryness degrees in patients with xerostomia induced by primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS), IgG4-related sialadenitis (IgG4-RS), radiation therapy-induced dry mouth (RTDM), or Steven-Johnson syndrome (SJS).

Design: 160 patients with pSS, IgG4-RS, RTDM, or SJS and their age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects were enrolled. The whole saliva flow rates and MSG flow rates were measured in four locations, including the upper labial, lower labial, buccal, and palatal mucosae.

[Determination of selenium in whole blood by microwave digestionatomic fluorescence spectrometry].

Objective: To establish a rapid, simple, and accurate method for measuring selenium in whole blood by atomic fluorescence spectrometry.

Methods: The whole blood samples were treated by microwave digestion and the acids were dispelled. After that the samples were pretreated with 50% hydrochloric acid as a reducing agent.

[Diagnosis of benign peripheral neurilemmomas by ultrasound].

Objective: To investigate the peripheral nerve sheath tumors sonographic features.

Methods: It was a retrospective analysis of ultrasound images and clinical manifestations which were pathologically confirmed 31 cases of peripheral nerve sheath tumors in March 2011 to November 2014 from Xuanwu Hospital.

Results: In 14 cases of 31 patients were with a clinical touch and pressure pain, 17 cases showed superficial painless mass.

The causes of lower-extremity deep venous thrombosis in the children with cranial diseases.

In order to investigate the prevalence of lower-extremity deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and to explore its possible reasons in children patients who received neurosurgery operation. Clinical data of 4958 cases children patients with lower-extremity DVT and without the thrombosis after the neurosurgery operation from 2010 January to 2014 December in department of neurosurgery of Tian Tan hospital were collected and analyzed. 18 cases children were diagnosed with lower-extremity DVT.

[Exercise-related risk at anaerobic threshold in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

Objective: To investigate the exercise-related risk at anaerobic threshold(AT) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).

Methods: Sixty two patients [men 56, women 6, aged (66±8) yr] with stable COPD in Beijing Friendship Hospital during 2013-2014, participated in this study. Incremental symptom-limited cardiopulmonary exercise test was performed on cycle ergometer.

Effects of Capsaicin and Carbachol on Secretion From Transplanted Submandibular Glands and Prevention of Duct Obstruction.

Purpose: To investigate whether capsaicin and carbachol promote secretion from and prevent duct obstruction in transplanted submandibular glands (SMGs).

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included consecutive patients with severe keratoconjunctivitis sicca and successful SMG transplantation. Patients were divided into 2 groups: an exposed group receiving both capsaicin and carbachol after surgery and an unexposed group receiving neither.

Genetic variation in STAT4 predicts response to interferon-α therapy for hepatitis B e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B.

Unlabelled: Interferon (IFN)-α is a first-line therapy for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients but only initiates a response in a minority of patients. A genetic variant, rs7574865 in STAT4, was recently reported to be associated with risk of developing CHB and hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma. We aimed to determine whether this variant is associated with the response to IFNα treatment for hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive CHB patients.

[Ophthalmic manifestations in acquired immune deficiency syndrome patients with cryptococcal meningitis].

Objective: Analysis ophthalmic manifestations in acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients with cryptococcal meningitis.

Methods: Retrospective study. Forty AIDS patients (including 32 men and 8 women) with cryptococcal meningitis were studied.

Clinicopathological characteristics of immunoglobulin G4-related sialadenitis.

Introduction: Immunoglobulin G4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a newly recognized fibro-inflammatory condition. Forty-two cases with immunoglobulin G4-related sialadenitis (IgG4-RS) confirmed by histopathological and immunohistochemical assessment were studied to clarify the clinicopathologic characteristics of the salivary glands involved in IgG4-RS, especially the relationship between the histopathologic features and function of salivary glands or serum levels of IgG4.

Methods: Clinical, serologic, imaging and histopathological data of these cases were analyzed.

[Differential characteristics of AMA-M2 autoantibody in primary biliary cirrhosis and non-PBC patients].

Objective: To explore the differential characteristics of the AMA-M2 autoantibody in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and non-PBC patients.

Methods: Patients with abnormal liver function at the Capital Medical University affiliated to Beijing You-an Hospital were enrolled in this study between January 2011 and December 2013. Serum levels of ANA, AMA and AMA-M2 were detected by indirect fluorescence assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Acute Peripapillary Retinal Pigment Epithelium Changes Associated with Acute Intraocular Pressure Elevation.

Purpose: To assess changes in the peripapillary retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in association with an acute intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation provoked by a dark room prone provocative test (DRPPT).

Design: Prospective, comparative clinical observational study.

Participants: Nineteen study group eyes (14 individuals) and 26 control eyes (21 patients).

PR-Set7 is Degraded in a Conditional Cul4A Transgenic Mouse Model of Lung Cancer.

Background: Maintenance of genomic integrity is essential to ensure normal organismal development and to prevent diseases such as cancer. PR-Set7 (also known as Set8) is a cell cycle regulated enzyme that catalyses monomethylation of histone 4 at Lys20 (H4K20me1) to promote chromosome condensation and prevent DNA damage. Recent studies show that CRL4CDT2-mediated ubiquitylation of PR-Set7 leads to its degradation during S phase and after DNA damage.

[Rapid determination of 28 pesticides and tetramine in whole blood by online gel permeation chromatography coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry].

Objective: To study the influences of carbon disulfide (CS2) exposureon fatty acid metabolism in apolipoprotein E (ApoE) knockout mice and C57BL/6J mice.

Methods: Twenty-four male ApoE knockout mice were randomly and equally divided into four groups: a CS2-exposed normal diet group, a CS2-unexposed normal diet group, a CS2-exposed high-fat diet group, and a CS2-unexposed high-fat diet group. Twenty-four C57BL/6J male mice were divided into four groups in the same way.

Changes in Bacterial Profiles and Antibiotic Sensitivity Before and After Wound Bed Preparation for Diabetic Foot Ulcers.

We aimed to investigate the characteristics of bacterial profiles and antibiotic sensitivity in diabetic foot ulcers before and after wound bed preparation. This study involved 423 diabetic patients with Wagner grades 1 to 4 foot ulcers. Secretion culture was performed before wound bed preparation.

Inhibition of ERK1/2 down-regulates the Hippo/YAP signaling pathway in human NSCLC cells.

Alterations of the EGFR/ERK and Hippo/YAP pathway have been found in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Herein, we show that ERK1 and ERK2 have an effect on the Hippo/YAP pathway in human NSCLC cells. Firstly, inhibition of ERK1/2 by siRNA or small-molecular inhibitors decreased the YAP protein level, the reporter activity of the Hippo pathway, and the mRNA levels of the Hippo downstream genes, CTGF, Gli2, and BIRC5.