Interaction between interleukin‑6 and angiotensin II receptor 1 in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus contributes to progression of heart failure.

The association between interleukin‑6 (IL‑6) and angiotensin II receptor 1 (AT1‑R) in modulating the progression of heart failure (HF) remains to be fully elucidated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the mechanism of IL‑6 and AT1‑R in a model of HF induced by surgery. Male Sprague‑Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups, including sham surgery and vehicle groups.

Roles of T-cell Immunoglobulin and Mucin Domain Genes and Toll-like Receptors in Wheezy Children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae Pneumonia.

Background: The study aimed to explore possible factors influencing wheezing in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP).

Methods: The study included 84 children with MPP, who were divided into two groups: wheezy group (n=40) and non-wheezy group (n=44), along with 30 age-matched healthy controls. T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain gene (Tim) 1, 3 and Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2, 4 were evaluated using RT-PCR.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of plasma microRNA-195 in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: Recently, circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to be stably detectable in plasma/serum and to function as potent biomarkers in various cancers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression level of plasma miRNA-195 in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and investigate its diagnostic and prognostic value.

Methods: Quantitative real-time PCR was performed to evaluate plasma miRNA-195 levels in 100 NSCLC patients and 100 healthy volunteers.

Acetylsalicylic acid combined with diclofenac inhibits cartilage degradation in rabbit models of osteoarthritis.

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of different concentrations of acetylsalicylic acid combined with diclofenac on the articular cartilage of a rabbit model of osteoarthritis (OA). A total of 40 New Zealand white rabbits were divided into 5 groups. Group A was a sham-operated control group, which was treated with normal saline.

Effect of l-DOPA on local field potential relationship between the pedunculopontine nucleus and primary motor cortex in a rat model of Parkinson's disease.

Levodopa (l-DOPA) has been proved to reverse the pathologic neuron activities in many brain regions related to Parkinson's disease (PD). But little is known about the effect of l-DOPA on the altered electrophysiological coherent activities between pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) and motor cortex. To investigate this, local field potentials (LFPs) of PPN and primary motor cortex (M1) were recorded simultaneously in control, 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned and lesioned rats with l-DOPA chronic treatment.

RNA Interference Silencing of Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3β Inhibites Tau Phosphorylation in Mice with Alzheimer Disease.

To explore the effect of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) silencing on Tau-5 phosphorylation in mice suffering Alzheimer disease (AD). GSK-3β was firstly silenced in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells using special lentivirus (LV) and the content of Tau (A-12), p-Tau (Ser396) and p-Tau (PHF-6) proteins. GSK-3β was also silenced in APP/PS1 mouse model of AD mice, which were divided into three groups (n = 10): AD, vehicle, and LV group.

Silymarin attenuated hepatic steatosis through regulation of lipid metabolism and oxidative stress in a mouse model of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Silymarin, which derived from the milk thistle plant (silybum marianum), has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for diseases of the liver and biliary tract. Considering the therapeutic potential to liver disease, we tested efficacy of silymarin on hepatic steatosis with a high fat diet (HFD)-induced mouse model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and investigated possible effects on lipid metabolic pathways. In our study, silymarin could attenuate the hepatic steatosis, which was proved by both Oil Red O staining and hepatic triglyceride (TG) level determination.

A novel rat model of heart failure induced by high methionine diet showing evidence of association between hyperhomocysteinemia and activation of NF-kappaB.

Heart failure is one of the most serious diseases worldwide, and can be caused by many factors, among them hyperhomocysteinemia can increase the risk for development of heart failure. In this study, we treated rats with high methionine diet (HMD), which can be conversed to homocysteine in human body, to induce a novel model of heart failure. We proved the successful establishment of this model by echocardiography and pathological evaluation at the termination of treatment.

Signal transduction by M3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor in prostate cancer.

The present study aimed to investigate the potential mechanisms used during signal transduction by M3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (CHRM3) in prostate cancer. The microarray datasets of GSE3325, including 5 clinically localized primary prostate cancers and 4 benign prostate tissues, were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The differentially-expressed genes (DEGs) in primary prostate cancer tissues compared with benign controls were screened using the Limma package.

Beneficial effects of silver foam dressing on healing of wounds with ulcers and infection control of burn patients.

Objective: To assess the beneficial effects of silver foam dressing on the healing of wounds with ulcers and infection control of burn patients.

Methods: Eighty-four second-degree burn patients were selected and divided into a study group and a control group (n=42). After disinfection and cleaning, wound beds of the study group were covered with silver-containing soft-silicone foam dressing, and wound surfaces of the control group were wiped with 1% silver sulfadiazine cream (60 g/100 cm(2)).

Skp2 regulates non-small cell lung cancer cell growth by Meg3 and miR-3163.

Maternally expressed gene 3 (Meg3) encodes a long non-coding RNA that has been shown to play a role in tumorigenesis. Skp2 is a component of the E3 ubiquitin ligase SCF that specifically promotes the ubiquitination-associated degradation of CDK inhibitor p27, and has been shown to promote cancer cell growth in different types of cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Nevertheless, a regulatory relationship between Meg3 and Skp2 has not been acknowledged.

Three-dimensional graphene foams loaded with bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells promote skin wound healing with reduced scarring.

The regeneration of functional skin remains elusive, due to poor engraftment, deficient vascularization, and excessive scar formation. Aiming to overcome these issues, the present study proposed the combination of a three-dimensional graphene foam (GF) scaffold loaded with bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to improve skin wound healing. The GFs demonstrated good biocompatibility and promoted the growth and proliferation of MSCs.

The Role of MicroRNAs in the Chemoresistance of Breast Cancer.

Preclinical Research Breast cancer is the most prevalent malignancy in women with more than 1.3 million new cases every year worldwide. Chemotherapy is a critical therapeutic strategy for breast cancer, while chemoresistance remains a major obstacle to treatment success.

Diffuse triple-vessel coronary spasm as a cause of asystole and syncope.

Vasospasm plays an important role in the pathogenesis of ischemic heart disease, including unstable angina, myocardial infarction, and sudden death. Coronary artery spasm rarely involves different coronaries in the same time. Three-vessel spasm may be accompanied by ST-segment elevation, lethal arrhythmias, and syncope due to the wide extent of ischemia.

Mining featured micro ribonucleic acids associated with lung cancer based on bioinformatics.

Background: Few genetic markers useful for the screening of lung cancer risk exist. Although related research has shown that certain expression profiles of micro ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) are different in lung cancer versus the normal lung, such as miR-29a and miR-29s, the precise molecular mechanism of lung cancer remains obscure. In order to get a better understanding of the pathogenetic mechanism of lung cancer, we analyzed the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and identified featured miRNAs in lung cancer tissues.

Lentivirus-mediated gene silencing of NOB1 suppresses non-small cell lung cancer cell proliferation.

NIN/RPN12 binding protein 1 (NOB1p) encoded by NOB1 has been found to be an essential factor in 26S proteasome biogenesis which participates in protein degradation. However, the functions of NOB1 in non-small cell lung cancer cells are largely unknown. In the present study, lentivirus-mediated NOB1 shRNA transfection in two non-small cell lung cancer cell lines (A549 and H1299) was accomplished, as determined by fluorescence imaging.

Association between β1 adrenergic receptor gene Arg389Gly polymorphism and risk of heart failure: a meta-analysis.

Numerous studies have evaluated the association between Arg389Gly polymorphism in the β1 adrenergic receptor gene and heart failure risk. However, the specific association is still controversial. We performed a meta-analysis of all case-control studies that evaluated the association between Arg389Gly polymorphism and heart failure in humans.

Estrogen induces androgen-repressed SOX4 expression to promote progression of prostate cancer cells.

Background: The sex determing region Y-box 4 (SOX4) gene is a critical developmental transcriptional factor that is overexpressed in prostate cancer (PCa). While we and others have investigated the role of SOX4 overexpression in PCa, the molecular mechanism underlying its aberrant expression remains unclear.

Methods: Immunohistochemistry were utilized to detect SOX4 expression and the correlation between estrogen receptor β (ERβ), androgen receptor (AR) and SOX4 in a cohort of 94 clinical specimens.

Expression and clinical significance of HSPA2 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Background: It has been shown that heat shock-related 70-kDa protein 2 (HSPA2), a member of the HSP70 family of heat shock proteins, is important for cancer cell growth and metastasis. However, the status of HSPA2 expression and its prognostic significance in pancreatic cancer remain unknown.

Methods: Quantitative reverse transcriptase ploymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was applied to examine HSPA2 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in 104 pairs of pancreatic cancer tissues and adjacent noncancerous tissues.

Adiponectin as a potential tumor suppressor inhibiting epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition but frequently silenced in prostate cancer by promoter methylation.

Background: Recent evidence suggests a particular role for obesity in prostate cancer (PCa) progression. Adiponectin (ADN) is a hormone secreted by adipose tissue and has a variety of functions including the inhibition of PCa cell proliferation. Although serum ADN levels have been identified to be related with carcinogenesis in a tissue-specific context, the exact role of endogenous ADN in PCa cells remains largely unknown.

X-ray irradiation accelerates senescence in hippocampal neural stem/progenitor cells via caspase-1 activation.

Despite the effectiveness in controlling the progression of brain tumors, cranial irradiation often causes neuropsychological deficits in cancer survivors. Inflammation is considered a major cause of tissue injury from irradiation. The caspase-1 activation complexes (inflammasomes) can facilitate caspase-1 and IL-1β processing, which amplifies the inflammatory response.

An insight into the key genes and biological functions associated with insulin resistance in adipose tissue with microarray technology.

In the present study, the key genes and biological functions associated with insulin resistance were investigated by comparing the gene expression profiles of adipose tissue obtained from insulin‑sensitive and insulin‑resistant patients. The gene expression data set GSE20950 was downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus, including 39 adipose tissue samples obtained from insulin‑sensitive and insulin‑resistant patients undergoing gastric bypass surgery. Adipose samples were divided into two groups (the insulin‑sensitive and insulin‑resistant groups) and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened out with packages of R.

microRNA-18a is a genetic marker for the early diagnosis of cerebral injury induced by type 2 diabetes.

The present study aimed to investigate the value of microRNA (miRNA)-18a for the early diagnosis of cerebral injury in patients with type 2 diabetes. Blood samples were collected from patients with type 2 diabetes, admitted to hospital between January and December 2013. The patients were randomly divided into three groups, which included one control and two experimental groups of severely and mildly diabetic patients (33 individuals per group).

Diagnosis of infantile myofibromatosis with pseudo-ulcerated plaque using prenatal ultrasound: A case report.

The present case report describes a case of infantile myofibromatosis (IM) with a pseudo-ulcerated plaque on the right side of the back of a fetus, detected in the 38th week of gestation using prenatal ultrasound. The fetus was examined weekly by ultrasound to measure the size of the mass. At birth, the scarlet mass was slightly elevated compared with the skin around it, with a cavity in the center.

Effect of ERCC1 polymorphism on the response to chemotherapy and clinical outcome of non-small cell lung cancer.

We conducted a cohort study to investigate the role of 3 single-nucleotide polymorphisms of the excision repair cross-complementation group 1 (ERCC1) gene on the response to chemotherapy and clinical outcomes of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A total of 163 patients with newly diagnosed and histopathologically confirmed primary NSCLC were examined in our study and were followed up until December 2012. ERCC1 rs11615, rs3212986, and rs2298881 were selected and genotyped.