Therapeutic potential of targeting MKK3-p38 axis with Capsaicin for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

Capsaicin is an active compound found in plants of the genus; it has a range of therapeutic benefits, including anti-tumor effects. Here we aimed to delineate the inhibitory effects of capsaicin on nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The anti-cancer effects of capsaicin were confirmed in NPC cell lines and xenograft mouse models, using CCK-8, clonogenic, wound-healing, transwell migration and invasion assays.

Intranasal delivery of paeoniflorin nanocrystals for brain targeting.

Paeoniflorin (PA) is an anti-Parkinson Chinese medicine with inferior bioavailability and difficulty in delivery to the brain. This research is to develop an efficacious PA nanocrystal formulation (PA-NCs) that is suitable for intranasal administration to treat Parkinson's disease (PD). PA-NCs were fabricated through an antisolvent precipitation method using TPGS as the stabilizer.

Using artificial intelligence to improve medical services in China.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is one hotspot of research in the field of modern medical technology. Medical AI has been applied to various areas and has two main branches including virtual and physical. Recently, Chinese State Council issued a guideline on developing AI and indicated that the widespread application of AI will improve the level of precision in medical services and achieve the intelligent medical care.

Effect of whole soy and isoflavones daidzein on bone turnover and inflammatory markers: a 6-month double-blind, randomized controlled trial in Chinese postmenopausal women who are equol producers.

Background: Human studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of soy or isoflavones on bone metabolism. However, conflicting data remain. Equol is the intestinal metabolite of the isoflavone daidzein.

[Application of intestinal stent in prevention of anastomotic leakage after rectal cancer operation].

To observe preventive effect of intestinal stent against anastomotic leakage after rectal cancer operation. A retrospective cohort study was carried out. Clinical data of 107 patients with low rectal cancer undergoing laparoscopic radical resection from January 2015 to August 2019 were retrospectively analyzed.

Dietary Cyanidin-3-Glucoside Attenuates High-Fat-Diet-Induced Body-Weight Gain and Impairment of Glucose Tolerance in Mice via Effects on the Hepatic Hormone FGF21.

Background: Dietary polyphenols including anthocyanins target multiple organs.

Objective: We aimed to assess the involvement of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), leptin, insulin and fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) in mediating metabolic beneficial effects of purified anthocyanin cyanidin-3-glucoside (Cy3G).

Methods: Intestinal proglucagon gene (Gcg; encoding GLP-1) and liver Fgf21 expression were assessed in 6-wk-old male C57BL-6J mice fed a low-fat-diet (LFD; 10% of energy from fat), alone or with 1.

Temporal variation in daily temperature minima in coral reefs of Nanwan Bay, Southern Taiwan.

Temporal variation in seawater temperature plays a crucial role in coral reef ecology. Nanwan Bay, Southern Taiwan is home to well-developed coral reefs, which frequently experience cold-water intrusions caused by internal wave-induced upwelling, that manifest in distinct daily temperature minima. These temperature minima and their associated sources were studied by recording in situ bottom temperatures and sea levels observed at depths of 5 and 30 m from May 2007 to September 2008.

The predictive value of the HEART and GRACE scores for major adverse cardiac events in patients with acute chest pain.

The history, electrocardiogram, age, risk factors, troponin (HEART) and global registry of acute coronary events (GRACE) scoring systems are commonly used to risk stratify patients with chest pain. This study investigated the application of these scores in predicting the short-term risk of a major adverse cardiac event (MACE) in patients with chest. A total of 509 patients were analyzed.

Artificial intelligence-enabled rapid diagnosis of patients with COVID-19.

For diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a SARS-CoV-2 virus-specific reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test is routinely used. However, this test can take up to 2 d to complete, serial testing may be required to rule out the possibility of false negative results and there is currently a shortage of RT-PCR test kits, underscoring the urgent need for alternative methods for rapid and accurate diagnosis of patients with COVID-19. Chest computed tomography (CT) is a valuable component in the evaluation of patients with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Score for the Overall Survival Probability of Patients With Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma of the Body and Tail After Surgery: A Novel Nomogram-Based Risk Assessment.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma of the body and tail often has a dismal prognosis and lacks a specific prognostic stage. The aim of this study was to construct a nomogram for predicting survival of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma of the body and tail after surgery. Data of patients were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database and from medical records of Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (SYSUCC).

Shear Stress Triggers Angiogenesis of Late Endothelial Progenitor Cells via the PTEN/Akt/GTPCH/BH4 Pathway.

Background: Shear stress is an effective modulator of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and has been suggested to play an important role in angiogenesis. The phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)/Akt and guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase (GTPCH)/tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) pathways regulate the function of early EPCs. However, the role of these pathways in the shear stress-induced angiogenesis of late EPCs remains poorly understood.

Dental expenditure, progressivity and horizontal inequality in Chinese adults: based on the 4th National Oral Health Epidemiology Survey.

Background: The financial burden of oral diseases is a growing concern as the medical expenses rise worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the dental expenditure, analyze its progressivity and horizontal inequality under the general health finance and insurance system, and identify the key social determinants of the inequality for Chinese adults.

Methods: A secondary analysis used the data of 13,464 adults from the 4th National Oral Health Epidemiological Survey (NOHES) in China was undertaken.

Nomogram for Predicting Long-Term Survival after Synchronous Resection for Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Inferior Vena Cava Tumor Thrombosis: A Multicenter Retrospective Study.

Background: Although surgery for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) complicated with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus (IVCTT) may improve survival for some patients, prognostic markers remain elusive because of its rarity. We constructed a prognostic nomogram which predicts individualized survival benefit of curative-intent surgery for HCC patients with IVCTT.

Methods: According to abdominothoracic anatomy of inferior vena cava (IVC), IVCTT can be divided into 3 types: inferior diaphragmic (ID), superior diaphragmic (SD), and intracardiac type (IC).

Qingyi decoction protects against myocardial injuries induced by severe acute pancreatitis.

Background: We studied the protective effects of Qingyi decoction (QYD) (a Traditional Chinese Medicine) against severe acute pancreatitis (SAP)-induced myocardial infarction (MI).

Aim: To study the function and mechanism of QYD in the treatment of myocardial injuries induced by SAP.

Methods: Ultrasonic cardiography, hematoxylin and eosin staining, immunohistochemistry, qRT-PCR, western blot, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and apoptosis staining techniques were used to determine the effects of QYD following SAP-induced MI in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Opposite effect of ablation on early/late-phase thromboembolic incidence in patients with atrial fibrillation: A meta-analysis on more than 100 000 individuals.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is an important risk factor for thromboembolic events, for which catheter ablation represents an effective therapy for rhythm control. Intuitively, ablation may reduce the incidence of thromboembolism, but data is quite limited.

Hypothesis: Catheter ablation was associated with the fewer risk of thromboembolism compared with nonablation in patients with AF.

Upregulation of TRPC6 Mediated by PAX6 Hypomethylation Is Involved in the Mechanical Allodynia Induced by Chemotherapeutics in Dorsal Root Ganglion.

Background: Although the action mechanism of antineoplastic agents is different, oxaliplatin, paclitaxel, or bortezomib as first-line antineoplastic drugs can induce painful neuropathy. In rodents, mechanical allodynia is a common phenotype of painful neuropathy for 3 chemotherapeutics. However, whether there is a common molecular involved in the different chemotherapeutics-induced painful peripheral neuropathy remains unclear.

Deep Eutectic Solvent-Assisted Synthesis of Ternary Heterojunctions for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction and Photocatalysis.

Hierarchical nano-/microstructured photocatalysts have drawn attention for enhanced photocatalytic performance. Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have been used as a green sustainable media to act as both solvent and structure-inducing agent in the synthesis of hierarchical nanomaterials. In this work, the DESs-assisted synthesis of flower-structured BiOCl/BiVO (BOC/BVO) with g-C N (BOC/BVO/g-CN) ternary heterojunctions was achieved by using a simple wet-chemical method, providing good acidic and alkaline oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts.

Seasonal and diurnal variations of greenhouse gas emissions from a saline mangrove constructed wetland by using an in situ continuous GHG monitoring system.

Wetland systems play important roles in the issues of global warming. That is because wetlands can not only intake carbon and nitrogen in the plants and sediments, but could also release carbon dioxide (CO), methane (CH), and nitrous oxide (NO) to the atmosphere during the microbial decomposition processes in the water. In the past, greenhouse gases (GHGs) were measured mostly by using the manual sampling technique; however, it is difficult to measure the diurnal variation of greenhouse gas emissions.

[Analysis of magnetic resonance imaging characteristics in Chinese patients with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody associated disorders].

To investigate the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics in the brain and spinal cord of Chinese patients with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibodies associated diseases (MOGAD). Forty nine MOGAD patients with seropositive MOG-IgG and 58 AQP4-IgG positive patients were enrolled in this study. The characteristics of brain and spinal cord MRI were retrospectively analyzed.

Key components of a hepatobiliary surgery curriculum for general surgery residents: results of the FULCRUM International Delphi consensus.

Background: In general surgery residency, hepatobiliary training varies significantly across the world. The aim of this study was to establish an international consensus among hepatobiliary surgeons on components of a hepatobiliary curriculum for general surgery residents.

Methods: A three-round modified Delphi technique was employed.

The presence of microvascular invasion guides treatment strategy in recurrent HBV-related HCC.

Objectives: We used the status of microvascular invasion (MVI) at primary resection to help treatment selection for hepatitis B virus-positive (HBV+) recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma (rHCC) patients in Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage B-C.

Methods: From 2009 to 2017, we enrolled 221 consecutive HBV+ rHCC patients at BCLC stage B-C who underwent re-resection (RR), radiofrequency ablation (RFA), or transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). Post recurrence survival (PRS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between RR/RFA and TACE according to MVI status.

Efficacy and safety of nano-silver dressings combined with recombinant human epidermal growth factor for deep second-degree burns: A meta-analysis.

Objective: The purpose of this meta-analysis was to assess the efficacy and safety of nano-silver dressing combined with recombinant human epidermal growth factor for deep second-degree burns.

Methods: PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and other databases were searched to identify relevant randomised controlled trials.

Results: Twelve studies that assessed nano-silver dressing combined with recombinant human epidermal growth factor were identified.

Integrative Analysis Reveals Comprehensive Altered Metabolic Genes Linking with Tumor Epigenetics Modification in Pan-Cancer.

Background: Cancer cells undergo various rewiring of metabolism and dysfunction of epigenetic modification to support their biosynthetic needs. Although the major features of metabolic reprogramming have been elucidated, the global metabolic genes linking epigenetics were overlooked in pan-cancer.

Objectives: Identifying the critical metabolic signatures with differential expressions which contributes to the epigenetic alternations across cancer types is an urgent issue for providing the potential targets for cancer therapy.