Common adverse events associated with ribavirin therapy for Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome.

Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome (SFTS) is associated with high mortality rate, for which antiviral therapy with ribavirin was recommended. Based on our previous study, no visible effect of ribavirin therapy in improving clinical outcome was observed. Here we have accumulated the sample size to 634, and by performing prospective observation on the clinical progress and laboratory parameters, we found a significantly higher incidence of anemia and hyperamylasemia in patients who received ribavirin therapy in comparison with those who received no therapy.

Thoracic epidural anesthesia improves outcomes in patients undergoing cardiac surgery: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

To assess the efficacy of thoracic epidural anesthesia (TEA) with or without general anesthesia (GA) versus GA in patients who underwent cardiac surgery, PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane online database, and Web of Science were searched with the limit of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) relevant to 'thoracic epidural anesthesia' and 'cardiac surgery'. Studies were identified and data were extracted by two reviewers independently. The quality of included studies was also assessed according to the Cochrane handbook.

Mer receptor tyrosine kinase is frequently overexpressed in human non-small cell lung cancer, confirming resistance to erlotinib.

Mer is a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) with oncogenic properties that is often overexpressed or activated in various malignancies. Using both immunohistochemistry and microarray analyses, we demonstrated that Mer was overexpressed in both tumoral and stromal compartments of about 70% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) samples relative to surrounding normal lung tissue. This was validated in freshly harvested NSCLC samples; however, no associations were found between Mer expression and patient features.

Angiotensin II promotes melanogenesis via angiotensin II type 1 receptors in human melanocytes.

Angiotensin II (AngII) is a hormone with long-established cardiovascular actions. Previous studies have revealed an additional role for AngII in the regulation of cutaneous wound healing. To evaluate the association between AngII and abnormal pigmentation of cutaneous wound healing, the present study used human melanocytes to investigate the effects of AngII on melanogenesis, and to elucidate the possible underlying mechanisms.

Analysis of prognostic factors of endovascular therapy in 59 patients with acute anterior circulation stroke: a retrospective cohort study – observational.

Introduction: Endovascular therapy (ET) is increasingly used for stroke patients out of the time window, based on the multimodal treatment (MMT) it can be used alone or in combination. The purpose of this study was to assess the outcome of intra-arterial thrombolysis (IAT) and MMT for acute anterior circulation ischemic stroke (ACIS), and reveal prognostic factors of ET in the authors' stroke center.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of the data of 59 patients with ACIS who received ET from 2010 to 2014 in the stroke center was performed.

Curcumin improves neural function after spinal cord injury by the joint inhibition of the intracellular and extracellular components of glial scar.

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is characterized by a high rate of disability and imposes a heavy burden on society and patients. SCI can activate glial cells and lead to swelling, hyperplasty, and reactive gliosis, which can severely reduce the space for nerve growth. Glial cells can secrete a large amount of extracellular inhibitory components, thus altering the microenvironment of axon growth.

Downregulation of HTATIP2 expression is associated with promoter methylation and poor prognosis in glioma.

Glioma is an aggressive tumor with poor prognosis. Identification of precise prognostic marker and effective therapeutic target is important in the treatment of glioma. HTATIP2 is a novel tumor suppressor gene, which is frequently silenced by epigenetic mechanisms in many caners.

High serum uric acid level in adolescent depressive patients.

Background: Depression disorder is a mental illness of high recurrence rate and its pathological mechanism is still unclear. 5-HT is the most widely studied neurotransmitter and high level of serum uric acid (SUA) can result from the increased oxygenolysis of nucleic acid. Aim of the present study is to explore the pathogenesis of adolescence depression through the study of SUA and 5-HT level in adolescent depressive patients.

HPV16E7-specific siRNA inhibits cell proliferation in CaSki cells.

High-risk human papilloma virus (HPV) infection is the main cause for the genesis of cervical carcinomas. After infection, E6 and E7 genes of HPV were integrated to the genome of the cervical epithelium. Continued expression of the transforming oncoproteins E6 and E7 not only drives the neoplastic progression in cervical epithelium, but also plays an important role in maintaining the malignant phenotype of cervical cancer cells.

Sweat gland regeneration after burn injury: is stem cell therapy a new hope?

Stem cells are the seeds of tissue repair and regeneration and a promising source for novel therapies. The skin of patients with an extensive deep burn injury is repaired by a hypertrophic scar without regeneration of sweat glands and therefore loses the function of perspiration. Stem cell therapy provides the possibility of sweat gland regeneration.

Susceptibility of Ph-positive all to TKI therapy associated with Bcr-Abl rearrangement patterns: a retrospective analysis.

Background: Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) have demonstrated success in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in patients that express BCR-ABL rearrangements (Philadelphia chromosome [Ph]). The current study aimed to assess the efficacy of TKIs and prognostic factors in the treatment of adults with Ph+-ALL.

Methods: In this multicenter retrospective study, the relationship between Ph+-ALL and treatment outcomes among Chinese patients receiving TKI-containing induction/consolidation chemotherapy was examined.

Gambling addiction in China: a survey of Chinese psychiatrists.

We studied Chinese psychiatrists' understanding of gambling addiction, as well as their experiences of and confidence in assessing and treating these patients. To this end, we carried out a postal questionnaire survey of 110 psychiatrists working in China. A majority had seen people with gambling addiction in their practice but only 1 of the 110 psychiatrists had ever received any training in the management of the condition.

Meta-analysis of associations of IL1 receptor antagonist and estrogen receptor gene polymorphisms with systemic lupus erythematosus susceptibility.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease that affects a number of different organs and tissues. Interleukin-1 (IL1) and estrogen are considered potential elements in the pathology of SLE. Recently, the variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism in the IL1 receptor antagonist gene (IL1-RN) and PvuII (rs2234693) and XbaI (rs9340799) polymorphisms in the estrogen receptor 1 gene (ESR1) have been associated with a predisposition to SLE.

Dose-dependent protective effect of lithium chloride on retinal ganglion cells is interrelated with an upregulated intraretinal BDNF after optic nerve transection in adult rats.

Neuroprotection of lithium for axotomized retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) is attributed to upregulated intraretinal Bcl-2. As lithium also upregulates brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which can rescue axotomized RGCs, it is hypothesized that lithium could protect RGCs through BDNF. This study investigated this hypothesis and a possible relationship between the dose and protection of lithium.

Curcumin increased the differentiation rate of neurons in neural stem cells via wnt signaling in vitro study.

Background: The objective of the present study was to clarify the relationship between the neuroprotective effects of curcumin and the classical wnt signaling pathway.

Method: Using Sprague-Dawley rats at a gestational age of 14.5 d, we isolated neural stem cells from the anterior two-thirds of the fetal rat brain.

Frequency of autoantibodies and connective tissue diseases in Chinese patients with optic neuritis.

Background: Optic neuritis (ON) is often associated with other clinical or serological markers of connective tissue diseases (CTDs). To date, the effects of autoantibodies on ON are not clear.

Purpose: To assess the prevalence, clinical patterns, and short outcomes of autoantibodies and Sjögren's syndrome (SS) involvement in Chinese ON patients and evaluate the relationship between ON, including their subtypes, and autoantibodies.

Systemic injection of low-dose lipopolysaccharide fails to break down the blood-brain barrier or activate the TLR4-MyD88 pathway in neonatal rat brain.

We aimed to investigate whether peripheral low-dose lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces the breakdown of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and/or the activation of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in the neonatal rat brain. Neonatal rats received intraperitoneal injections of low-dose LPS (0.3 mg/kg∙bw), and the BBB compromise was detected by Evans Blue extravasation and electron microscopy.

Partially Biodegradable Distraction Implant to Replace Conventional Implants in Alveolar Bone of Insufficient Height: A Preliminary Study in Dogs.

Background: Dental implants have been widely used in the last few decades. However, patients with insufficient bone height need reconstructive surgeries before implant insertion. The distraction implant (DI) has been invented to simplify the treatment procedure, but the shortcomings of DIs have limited their clinical use.

Proteomic study of differential protein expression in mouse lung tissues after aerosolized ricin poisoning.

Ricin is one of the most poisonous natural toxins from plants and is classified as a Class B biological threat pathogen by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of U.S.A.

Neonatal outcomes of very preterm infants from a neonatal intensive care center.

Background: Information about clinical outcomes of very preterm (VPT) infants in tertiary neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) setting is scant in China. This study aimed to investigate the mortality and morbidity of VPT infants admitted to BaYi Children's Hospital, which serves as a NICU referral center for the city of Beijing, China.

Methods: Retrospectively collected perinatal/neonatal data on all admissions of infants born at <32 weeks of gestational age and subsequently admitted to the VPTNICU from clinical records between October 2010 and September 2011.

Transplanted iNSCs migrate through SDF-1/CXCR4 signaling to promote neural recovery in a rat model of spinal cord injury.

The ability of transplanted induced neural stem cells (iNSCs) to promote functional recovery after spinal cord injury and the mechanism by which iNSCs migrate to injured areas are poorly understood. Stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) is a cytokine, whereas CXCR4 is its cognate receptor. The aim of this study was to determine whether SDF-1 regulates the migration of iNSCs and to explore the potential mechanism by which iNSCs promotes functional recovery.

Randomized trial of three phototherapy methods for the treatment of acne vulgaris in Chinese patients.

Background And Aims: Acne vulgaris is common in Asian populations. We compared three methods of phototherapy for the treatment of moderate to severe facial acne vulgaris in Chinese patients.

Methods: Patients were randomly assigned to receive photodynamic therapy (PDT), intense pulsed light (IPL) or blue-red light-emitting diode (LED) phototherapy to the right side of the face until the inflammatory lesion count reduced by ≥ 90%.

Inhibitory role of S-nitrosoglutathione in the aggregation of frozen platelets, and its effect on the expression of membrane glycoproteins.

The aim of this study was to explore the effects of S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) on the aggregation of frozen platelets, the platelet nitric oxide (NO) content and the expression of membrane glycoproteins. The level of frozen platelet aggregation was measured using a platelet aggregation analyzer, while the content of NO was measured by the nitrate reductase method and the expression of frozen platelet membrane glycoproteins was determined by flow cytometry. The level of frozen platelet aggregation was reduced from 35.

The effects of glucose fluctuation on the severity of coronary artery disease in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Objectives: To explore the difference of glucose fluctuations between the normal subjects and diabetes mellitus (DM) patients and explore their impact on the development of CAD in type 2 DM patients.

Methods: The subjects were divided into 3 groups: normal control (group A, n = 40), type 2 DM patients without cardiovascular complications (group B, n = 56), and type 2 DM patients with cardiovascular complications (group C, n = 92). The SYNTAX scores were collected in group C.