Care for end-stage kidney disease in China: progress, challenges, and recommendations.

This review comprehensively evaluates China's progress in care of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) by identifying achievements and gaps, reviewing ESKD-related policy initiatives, and proposing policy recommendations. In the past decade, China has made laudable progress in access to ESKD care with narrowed difference between the number of patients needing and receiving kidney replacement therapies (KRT). China has also experienced significant improvements in clinical quality and outcomes of ESKD care.

Tropomodulin1 exacerbates inflammatory response in macrophages by negatively regulating LPS-induced TLR4 endocytosis.

The excessive inflammation caused by the prolonged activation of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and its downstream signaling pathways leads to sepsis. CD14-mediated endocytosis of TLR4 is the key step to control the amount of TLR4 on cell membrane and the activity of downstream pathways. The actin cytoskeleton is necessary for receptor-mediated endocytosis, but its role in TLR4 endocytosis remains elusive.

The Roles of Aerobic Exercise and Folate Supplementation in Hyperhomocysteinemia-Accelerated Atherosclerosis.

Background: Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. Effective interventions to reduce HHcy-accelerated atherosclerosis are required.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effects of aerobic exercise (AE) and folate (FA) supplementation on plasma homocysteine (Hcy) level and atherosclerosis development in a mouse model.

Development and Experimental Validation of a Novel Prognostic Signature for Gastric Cancer.

Background: Gastric cancer is a malignant tumor with high morbidity and mortality. Therefore, the accurate recognition of prognostic molecular markers is the key to improving treatment efficacy and prognosis.

Methods: In this study, we developed a stable and robust signature through a series of processes using machine-learning approaches.

Which East Asian herbal medicines can decrease viral infections?

Whilst Western research for the COVID-19 crisis focuses on vaccination, in East Asia traditional herbal prescriptions are studied for SARS-CoV2 therapy. In Japan, Maoto (Ephedrae herba 4 g, Armeniacae semen 4 g, Cinnamomi cortex 3 g, and Glycyrrhizae radix 2 g, JPXVII) is used based on clinical evidence for its effect on early phase influenza (also caused by RNA viruses) comparable to that of oseltamivir. The Health Ministry of Thailand has approved (Jap.

ACE2 and TMPRSS2 Expression in Hepatocytes of Chronic HBV Infection Patients.

Background: Pre-existing liver disease is a risk factor for the worse prognosis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. We aimed to evaluate whether chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) affect the expression of viral receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) in the liver.

Methods: Twelve pairs of matched liver tissues of HCC and para-carcinoma were collected from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine.

Tropomodulin1 Expression Increases Upon Maturation in Dendritic Cells and Promotes Their Maturation and Immune Functions.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent antigen-presenting cells. Upon maturation, DCs express costimulatory molecules and migrate to the lymph nodes to present antigens to T cells. The actin cytoskeleton plays key roles in multiple aspects of DC functions.

[Relationship between the five-factor model of personality traits and self-management attitude of patients with type 2 diabetes].

Objective: To explore the correlation between different personality characteristics and self-management attitude such as medication, exercise and diet in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: The patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus from 4 Community Healthcare Services and 22 affiliated community stations of Tongzhou District and Shunyi District of Beijing were selected as subjects. The Chinese big five personality inventory and the self-designed scale including the attitudes of medication, exercise and diet were used in the study.

Postpartum anemia is a neglected public health issue in China: a cross-sectional study.

Background And Objectives: Anemia impairs the health and wellbeing of women and increases the risk of maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes. The objectives of this study are to determine the prevalence of postpartum anemia among urban lactating women; investigate the predictors of anemia and explore the potential health effects on lactating performance.

Methods And Study Design: Multi-stage sampling methods were used to recruit 495 lactating women from 3 cities of China.

Reossification and prognosis following radiotherapy with/without surgery for spinal solitary plasmacytoma of the bone: a retrospective study of 39 patients.

Background Context: Solitary plasmacytoma of bone (SPB) can progress to multiple myeloma (MM). Little attention has been paid to the reossification findings on computed tomography (CT) and their correlation with prognosis after radiotherapy with/without surgery.

Purpose: To evaluate reossification after radiotherapy and prognostic factors of spinal SPB using single-center data.

Efficacy and safety of micropulse laser trabeculoplasty for primary open angle glaucoma.

Aim: To evaluate the efficiency and safety of micropulse laser trabeculoplasty (MLT) for primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) patients.

Methods: Retrospective study. POAG patients undergoing MLT in Peking University Third Hospital from June 2016 to November 2017.

Do routine blood test results help in the diagnosis of spine tumors? A retrospective study of the significance of pretreatment neutrophil-to-lymphocyte and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratios from 503 spine tumor patients.

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and the platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) are not fully evaluated for the diagnosis of musculoskeletal tumors, especially spine tumors. The objective of our study was to assess the feasibility of NLR and PLR as indicators for pretreatment diagnosis of spine tumors.Patients who underwent surgical treatment in our hospital for spine tumors were retrospectively analyzed.

Cholesterol-Modified Caged siRNAs for Photoregulating Exogenous and Endogenous Gene Expression.

siRNA has been widely applied in research and drug development due to its sequence-specific gene silencing ability. However, how to spatiotemporally control its function is still one of its challenges. Light, a fast and noninvasive trigger, is a promising tool for spatiotemporal control of gene expression.

Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis in Benzo[a]pyrene-Induced Neural Tube Defects.

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are among the most common and severe congenital malformations and result from incomplete closure of the neural tube during early development. Maternal exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has been suggested to be a risk factor for NTDs and previous studies imply that the mechanism underlying the association between PAH exposure and NTDs may involve oxidative stress and apoptosis. The objectives of this study were to investigate whether there is a direct effect of maternal benzo[α] pyrene (BaP) exposure on the closure of the neural tube in mice, and to examine the underlying mechanisms by combining animal experiments and human subject studies.

Intraoperative vertebroplasty during surgical decompression and instrumentation for aggressive vertebral hemangiomas: a retrospective study of 39 patients and review of the literature.

Background Context: Aggressive (Enneking stage 3, S3) vertebral hemangiomas (VHs) are rare, which might require surgery. However, the choice of surgery for S3 VHs remains controversial because of the rarity of these lesions.

Purpose: We reported our experience of treating S3 VHs, and evaluated the effectiveness and safety of intraoperative vertebroplasty during decompression surgery for S3 VHs.

Sensitive Detection of Single-Nucleotide Mutation in the BRAF Mutation Site (V600E) of Human Melanoma Using Phosphate-Pyrene-Labeled DNA Probes.

A series of novel nucleotide phosphoramidites were rationally designed and synthesized and were then site-specifically incorporated in DNA oligonucleotide probes with pyrene-modified phosphate. These oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) probes almost have no inherent fluorescence emission with pyrene modification at 3' phosphate of corresponding nucleotides as a result of the photoinduced electron-transfer quenching effect of nucleobases (thymidine ∼ cytidine > guanosine ≫ adenosine). However, strong fluorescence emission was observed only with the perfectly matched duplex for the probes with pyrene modified at 3' phosphate of thymidine and cytidine.

[Validation on the elimination of neonatal tetanus programs through Lot Quality Assurance-Cluster Sample Survey in China].

Objective: Field surveys were performed under WHO recommended validation procedures, using the Lot Quality Assurance-Cluster Sample(LQA-CS)method to validate the elimination status regarding neonatal tetanus in China.

Methods: LQA-CS surveys were conducted in two areas under the highest risk of neonatal tetanus-Jiangmen prefecture in Guangdong and Hechi in Guangxi. Random sampling method was conducted on 96 survey clusters in each prefecture with 12 eligible live births(live birth born one year before the survey)for each cluster, by trained investigators.

Psychosocial work environment and well-being: a cross-sectional study at a thermal power plant in China.

To investigate the effects of the job demand-control (DC) model and the effort-reward imbalance (ERI) model on worker's well-being, self-reports for psychosocial work conditions and well-being were made by a sample of 878 workers at a thermal power plant in China using the main dimensions of DC and ERI questionnaires. Logistic regression analyses were employed controlling for age, gender, and educational level, and negative and positive affection among others. Workers reporting high job demands and low job control or high efforts and low rewards had elevated risks of job dissatisfaction, psychosomatic complaints and depressive symptoms.

[Studies on chemical constituents in flower of Abelmoschus manihot].

Objective: To study the chemical constituents of Abelmoschus manihot.

Method: Chromatographic methods were used to isolate compounds from A. manihot, and spectroscopic methods were used to identify the structures.

Co-transplantation of bone marrow stromal cells transduced with IL-7 gene enhances immune reconstitution after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation in mice.

Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (allo-BMT) is followed by a period of profound immune deficiency, which results in significant susceptibility to infections and limits the extensive application of this approach in clinic. Here, we transduced human interleukin-7 (IL-7) gene into donor-derived bone marrow stromal cells (MSCs) using adenovirus vector, and transplanted this gene-engineered MSCs (MSC-IL-7) into lethally irradiated C57BL/6 mice to investigate their effects on immune reconstitution following allo-BMT. Recipient mice receiving MSC-IL-7 cells plus T-cell-depleted bone marrow cells of BALB/c mice showed a significant increase in thymopoiesis and homeostatic expansion of peripheral T lymphocytes.

Novel P450(17alpha) inhibitors: 17-(2'-oxazolyl)- and 17-(2'-thiazolyl)-androstene derivatives.

Twelve 17-(2'-oxazolyl)- and 17-(2'-thiazolyl)-androsta-5,16-diene derivatives were designed and synthesized from 3 beta-acetoxy-pregna-5,16-dien-20-one (1b) as inhibitors of 17 alpha-hydroxylase-C(17,20)-lyase (P450(17 alpha)). Potent inhibitors of this enzyme could be of value as treatment of prostate cancer. Two substituents (methyl and phenyl) were introduced either at their 4'- or 5'-position in order to investigate their structure-activity relationship.