Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol 4: The Notable Risk Factor of Coronary Artery Disease Development.

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death worldwide, which has a long asymptomatic period of atherosclerosis. Thus, it is crucial to develop efficient strategies or biomarkers to assess the risk of CAD in asymptomatic individuals. A total of 356 consecutive CAD patients and 164 non-CAD controls diagnosed using coronary angiography were recruited.

Combined therapy of intensive statin plus intravenous rt-PA in acute ischemic stroke: the INSPIRE randomized clinical trial.

Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of intensive statin in the acute phase of ischemic stroke after intravenous thrombolysis therapy.

Methods: A total of 310 stroke patients treated with rt-PA were randomly scheduled into the intensive statin group (rosuvastatin 20 mg daily × 14 days) and the control group (rosuvastatin 5 mg daily × 14 days). The primary clinical endpoint was excellent functional outcome (mRS ≤ 1) at 3 months, and the primary safety endpoint was symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) in 90 days.

Intranasal treatment of lixisenatide attenuated emotional and olfactory symptoms via CREB-mediated adult neurogenesis in mouse depression model.

Convergent lines of evidence indicate a striking correlation between olfactory deficits and depressive symptoms. However, the effectiveness of intranasal treatment of antidepressant or other neurotrophic agents remains poorly understanding. Here in this study, we created depression mouse model and explored the antidepressant effects of GLP-1 analog lixisenatide (LXT) with intranasal treatment.

pH and redox dual-sensitive drug delivery system constructed based on fluorescent carbon dots.

Herein, a pH and redox dual-responsive drug delivery system (CDs-Pt(iv)-PEG) was developed based on fluorescence carbon dots (CDs). In this system, cisplatin(iv) prodrug (Pt(iv)) was selected as a model drug to reduce toxic side effects. The aldehyde-functionalized monomethoxy polyethylene glycol (mPEG-CHO) was conjugated to CDs-Pt(iv) to form pH sensitive benzoic imine bond.

Comparison of machine learning tools for the prediction of AMD based on genetic, age, and diabetes-related variables in the Chinese population.

Introduction: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the main cause of visual impairment and the most important cause of blindness in older people. However, there is currently no effective treatment for this disease, so it is necessary to establish a risk model to predict AMD development.

Methods: This study included a total of 202 subjects, comprising 82 AMD patients and 120 control subjects.

A Novel Four-Gene Signature Associated With Immune Checkpoint for Predicting Prognosis in Lower-Grade Glioma.

The overall survival of patients with lower grade glioma (LGG) varies greatly, but the current histopathological classification has limitations in predicting patients' prognosis. Therefore, this study aims to find potential therapeutic target genes and establish a gene signature for predicting the prognosis of LGG. CD44 is a marker of tumor stem cells and has prognostic value in various tumors, but its role in LGG is unclear.

Gold nanoclusters modified mesoporous silica coated gold nanorods: Enhanced photothermal properties and fluorescence imaging.

Photothermal therapy (PTT) is a non-invasive therapy that is widely used in cancer treatment. Gold nanorods (AuNRs) are particularly suitable as a photothermal reagent due to their unique localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) properties. However, bare gold nanorods are not stable enough during radiation to collect enough energy to kill tumor cells.

A cost-effective smartphone-based device for ankle-brachial index (ABI) detection.

Background And Objective: Detectors of ankle-brachial index (ABI) are commonly used in cardiovascular patients who have high-risk levels of arteriosclerosis. Increased evidences suggest that patients with arteriosclerosis possess many risks of geriatric and chronic diseases. Meanwhile, new chronic treatments trend from the hospitals toward family and community health centers, but for arteriosclerosis cases have delivered benefits far below instrument costs.

Recognition and sensitive detection of CTCs using a controllable label-free electrochemical cytosensor.

An excellent atomic layer deposition (ALD) method was adopted for the controllable systhesis of a xFeO-nPt (or nPt-xFeO)-coated graphene nanostructure (xFeO-nPt@graphene). The produced nanomaterials have been characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It is shown that xFeO and nPt were effectively tailored and deposited on the graphene.

Baicalin attenuates inflammatory pain associated depressive symptoms via Akt-mediated adult hippocampal neurogenesis.

Depression is one of main symptoms accompanying thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia induced by inflammatory pain. On physiological level, depressive symptoms could be attenuated by sufficient level of hippocampal neural plasticity. Adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) plays critical roles in clearing panic memory, increasing psychiatric adaptability and preventing depressive emotion.

Relationship between occupational aluminium exposure and histone lysine modification through methylation.

Background: Aluminium is an environmental neurotoxin to which human beings are extensively exposed. However, the molecular mechanism of aluminium toxicity remains unclear.

Methods: The changes in cognitive function of aluminum exposed workers under long-term occupational exposure were evaluated, and the relationship between cognitive changes, plasma memory related BDNF and EGR1 protein expression, and variations of epigenetic markers H3K4me3, H3K9me2, H3K27me3 expression levels in blood was explored.

Role of mGluR 1 in synaptic plasticity impairment induced by maltol aluminium in rats.

The main symptoms of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the loss of learning and memory ability, of which biological basis is synaptic plasticity. Aluminium has been found to cause changes in synaptic plasticity, but its molecular mechanism was unclear. In this study, Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with aluminium maltol (Al(mal)) through the lateral ventricle to establish an AD-like model.

CREB-mediated generation and neuronal growth regulates the behavioral improvement of geniposide in diabetes-associated depression mouse model.

Metabolic disorder particularly diabetes is one of the leading causes of psychiatric or other neurodegenerative diseases. Previous clinical and pre-clinical studies indicate anti-diabetic drugs such as GLP-1 analogs or GLP-1 receptor (GLP-1R) agonists could perform the neuroprotective effects with multiple molecular mechanisms. As one of natural compound to stimulate GLP-1R, geniposide was reported could improve cognitive behaviors in diabetes associated Alzheimer's disease rat model.

Tumor-associated macrophage interleukin-β promotes glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activation, glycolysis and tumorigenesis in glioma cells.

Tumor-immune crosstalk within the tumor microenvironment (TME) occurs at all stages of tumorigenesis. Tumor-associated M2 macrophages play a central role in tumor development, but the molecular underpinnings have not been fully elucidated. We demonstrated that M2 macrophages produce interleukin 1β (IL-1β), which activates phosphorylation of the glycolytic enzyme glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPD2) at threonine 10 (GPD2 pT10) through phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase-mediated activation of protein kinase-delta (PKCδ) in glioma cells.

Comparison and development of machine learning tools for the prediction of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the Chinese population.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major public health problem and cause of mortality worldwide. However, COPD in the early stage is usually not recognized and diagnosed. It is necessary to establish a risk model to predict COPD development.

The lncRNA DAPK-IT1 regulates cholesterol metabolism and inflammatory response in macrophages and promotes atherogenesis.

Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and the leading reason behind mortality and morbidity in Western countries. The role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in CVD is still unexplored with inadequate research on the involvement of lncRNAs in atherogenesis. We found the lncRNA DAPK1-IT1 and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) to be up-regulated in THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells.

Resveratrol alleviates chronic "real-world" ambient particulate matter-induced lung inflammation and fibrosis by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation in mice.

Background: Inhalation of fine particulate matter (PM) induces the occurrence of lung inflammation and fibrosis, but its molecular mechanism remains unclear. Resveratrol (RES) is known to have anti-inflammatory properties in many pulmonary diseases. Here, we aimed to investigate the effect of long-term "real-world" ambient PM exposure on lung inflammation and fibrosis and further explore the protective effect and mechanism of RES.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea before Ischemic Stroke: Clinical Relevance to Infarction Volume and Neurological Recovery.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a probable risk factor with speculative roles in the induction or aggravation of acute ischemic stroke (AIS).

Methods: The association between OSA and AIS severity was retrospectively analyzed using clinical data of first-onset AIS patients, admitted to our hospital between January 2013 and September 2016. Eligible patients were categorized based on the presence of OSA prior to stroke.

Optimal dilation time for combined small endoscopic sphincterotomy and balloon dilation for common bile duct stones: a multicentre, single-blinded, randomised controlled trial.

Background: Endoscopic sphincterotomy is the established treatment for common bile duct stones. Balloon dilation offers an alternative. Prolonged dilation (300 s) with a 10 mm diameter balloon decreases the occurrence of pancreatitis after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).

Intra-Arterial Thrombolysis Improves the Prognosis of Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients without Large Vessel Occlusion.

Background And Purpose: Intravenous thrombolysis is known as the only effective reperfusion therapy for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) caused by small branches occlusion. However, it is still unclear whether intra-arterial thrombolysis (IAT) is safe and effective for patients without detectable arterial occlusion. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of IAT in these patients.

Efficacy of mesalazine in combination with bifid triple viable capsules on ulcerative colitis and the resultant effect on the inflammatory factors.

Present investigation is conducted to investigate the clinical efficacy of mesalazine in combination with the Bifid Triple Viable Capsules on the ulcerative colitis (UC) and the resultant effect on the inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-8 and IL-10) of UC patients. A total of 120 UC patients who were admitted to this hospital for treatment between May 2014 and February 2018 were enrolled in this study and divided randomly into the research group and control group, with 60 patients in each group. For patients in the two groups, they underwent medication via mesalazine, while those in the research group additionally received the medication by Bifid Triple Viable Capsules.

microRNA-124a suppresses PHF19 over-expression, EZH2 hyper-activation, and aberrant cell proliferation in human glioma.

Enhancer of Zeste 2 (EZH2) is the key enzymatic factor in Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2), a transcriptional repressor which contributes to oncogenesis. Recent research has revealed the key role of aberrant EZH2 hyper-activity in human gliomas. Here, we examined the role of the lesser-known PRC2-associated PHD Finger Protein 19 (PHF19) in human glioma.

Nonstrict and individual enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in partial hepatectomy.

Background: We aimed to evaluate postoperative recovery and short-term outcomes of patients undergoing partial hepatectomy managed with a nonstrict and individual enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 168 partial hepatectomy patients in our institution was included. The discharged day and the respective impact of element application throughout the duration were analyzed.

A novel antibody targeting sequence 31-35 in amyloid β protein attenuates Alzheimer's disease-related neuronal damage.

Amyloid β protein (Aβ) plays a critical role in pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our previous studies indicated that the sequence 31-35 in Aβ molecule is an effective active center responsible for Aβ neurotoxicity in vivo and in vitro. In the present study, we prepared a novel antibody specifically targeting the sequence 31-35 of amyloid β protein, and investigated the neuroprotection of the anti-Aβ antibody against Aβ -induced impairments in neuronal viability, spatial memory, and hippocampal synaptic plasticity in rats.