Nongenetic Precise Neuromodulation and Spatiotemporal Neuroprotection for Epilepsy Therapy via Rationally Designed Multifunctional Nanotransducer.

The precise modulation of electrical activity in specific neuronal populations is paramount for rectifying abnormal neurological functions and is a critical element in the therapeutic arsenal for neurological disorders. However, achieving a balance between minimal invasiveness and robust neuroprotection poses a considerable challenge. Herein, we present a nanoneuromodulation strategy integrating neuroprotective features to effectively address epilepsy with minimal invasiveness and enable wireless functionality.

Higher Cumulative Blood Pressure in Midlife Predicts an Increased Risk of Atrial Fibrillation: Evidence From the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.

Background: Elevated blood pressure (BP) is reportedly associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the association between cumulative BP exposure in midlife and incident AF in mid-to-late life remains unclear.

Methods And Results: Participants enrolled in the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) study with 4 consecutive BP measurements and no prevalent AF at baseline were included.

Black Phosphorus Flake-Enabled Wireless Neuromodulation for Epilepsy Treatment.

Epilepsy is a prevalent and severe neurological disorder and generally requires prolonged electrode implantation and tether brain stimulation in refractory cases. However, implants may cause potential chronic immune inflammation and permanent tissue damage due to material property mismatches with soft brain tissue. Here, we demonstrated a nanomaterial-enabled near-infrared (NIR) neuromodulation approach to provide nongenetic and nonimplantable therapeutic benefits in epilepsy mouse models.

Minimally invasive valve surgery including patients of combined simultaneous surgery: a retrospective study.

Objective: This study investigated the perioperative safety and advantages of performing a minimally invasive valve surgery (MIVS) and conducting a preliminary examination of the combined simultaneous surgery (CSS).

Methods: A total of 29 patients (16 men and 13 women; mean age, 58.41 ± 13.

Impact of Contextual Factors on the Attendance and Role in the Evidence-Based Chronic Disease Prevention Programs Among Primary Care Practitioners in Shanghai, China.

Background: The implementation of evidence-based approaches by general practitioners (GPs) is new in the primary care setting, and few quantitative studies have evaluated the impact of contextual factors on the attendance of these approaches.

Methods: In total, 892 GPs from 75 community healthcare centers (CHCs) in Shanghai completed our survey. We used logistic regression to analyze factors affecting the number of evidence-based chronic disease programs attended by GPs and whether they had held the lead position in such a program.

Application of a feature extraction and normalization method to improve research evaluation across clinical disciplines.

Background: To deal with the large disparity across disciplines using impact factor, which is widely used in hospitals and has recently come under attack for distorting good scientific practices, we propose a set of systematic methods to improve the equality of research evaluations of various clinical disciplines.

Methods: We used bibliometric information on 18 clinical disciplines from 2016 to 2018. We first sought to clarify disciplinary characteristics with the aim of identifying the characteristic fields for each clinical discipline, and we constructed a keyword database.

Disease composition and epidemiological characteristics of primary care visits in Pudong New Area, Shanghai: a longitudinal study, 2016-2018.

Objectives: This study aims to analyse the disease composition of primary care visits rather than specialist visits, the former of which had scarcely been studied. We adopted specific disease classification (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision), disease system and communicable/non-communicable/injury disease classification, and variations of sex and age were also analysed.

Setting: We extracted data from all community health service centres (CHSCs) and community health service stations in Pudong, Shanghai, from 2016 to 2018 using the electronic health record systems of the Pudong health information centre.

The effect of family doctor policy practice on primary health-care workers' health in Hongkou District of Shanghai, China: varied by occupational divisions?

Background: A key component of the 2009 medical reform in China was the change to family doctor (FD) policy practice. However, this led to an increased workload for primary health-care workers (PHCWs) at community health service centres. Their increasing workload may play a significant role in affecting PHCWs' health.

Pharmacokinetics of current and emerging treatments for hypercholesterolemia.

: Reduction of low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and other apolipoprotein B (apoB)-containing lipoproteins reduces cardiovascular (CV) events and greater reductions have greater benefits. Current lipid treatments cannot always achieve desirable LDL-C targets and additional or alternative treatments are often needed.: In this article, we review the pharmacokinetics of the available and emerging treatments for hypercholesterolemia and focus on recently approved drugs and those at a late stage of development.

Comparison of Hypertension in Migrant and Local Patients with Atherosclerotic Diseases: A Cross-Sectional Study in Shanghai, China.

Background: Hypertension and its complications represent major health problems worldwide and are distributed differently in different populations. This study aimed to reveal the differences between two populations of patients with hypertension who had atherosclerotic complications: local residents in and migrants to the city of Shanghai, China.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among hospitalized patients with hypertension age 21-65 years in Pudong District.

TASP1 Promotes Gallbladder Cancer Cell Proliferation and Metastasis by Up-regulating FAM49B via PI3K/AKT Pathway.

The highly conserved protease TASP1 not only takes part in critical site-specific proteolysis, but also plays an important role in numerous liquid and solid malignancies. However, the TASP1 expression and its biological regulation function in malignant gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) remain fully unknown. Here we observed that TASP1 levels were substantially overexpressed in GBC samples compared with non-tumor tissues.

An evaluation of liraglutide including its efficacy and safety for the treatment of obesity.

: The prevalence of obesity is increasing worldwide and associated conditions, particularly type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), also show increasing prevalence. Lifestyle intervention should be the first line of management for obesity but additional pharmacotherapy is often required and bariatric surgery is appropriate in more severe cases. Drugs acting as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) developed for the management of T2DM reduce body weight and liraglutide is the first GLP-1RA to be approved for the treatment of obesity in patients with and without T2DM.

Expression profile of tRNA‑derived fragments and their potential roles in human varicose veins.

Varicose veins (VVs) is a common disease presenting with chronic venous insufficiency. tRNA‑derived fragments (tRFs) are associated with a variety of pathological conditions. However, the functions of tRFs in VVs have not been elucidated to date.

An evaluation of pitavastatin for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia.

Statins are the first line of therapy to reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in order to decrease cardiovascular events. Pitavastatin is the latest statin to be introduced to the market. Areas covered: In this article, the authors review the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of pitavastatin.

Metformin transporter pharmacogenomics: insights into drug disposition-where are we now?

Metformin is recommended as first-line treatment for type 2 diabetes (T2D) by all major diabetes guidelines. With appropriate usage it is safe and effective overall, but its efficacy and tolerability show considerable variation between individuals. It is a substrate for several drug transporters and polymorphisms in these transporter genes have shown effects on metformin pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.

Evolocumab for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia.

Evolocumab is a fully human monoclonal immunoglobulin G2 directed against human proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9). It is administered by subcutaneous injection every 2 weeks or once monthly. Area covered: Herein, the authors discuss the rationale for inhibiting PCSK9 and describe the pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and clinical trials with evolocumab.

Alirocumab for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia.

Alirocumab is a human monoclonal antibody inhibiting proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) that is administered by subcutaneous injection every 2 weeks. Area covered: Herein, the authors discuss the background to inhibition of PCSK9 and the pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and clinical trials with alirocumab. Alirocumab produces substantial reductions in low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in patients with and without background statin treatment.