Metabolomics of Hydrazine-Induced Hepatotoxicity in Rats for Discovering Potential Biomarkers.

Metabolic pathway disturbances associated with drug-induced liver injury remain unsatisfactorily characterized. Diagnostic biomarkers for hepatotoxicity have been used to minimize drug-induced liver injury and to increase the clinical safety. A metabolomics strategy using rapid-resolution liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (RRLC-MS/MS) analyses and multivariate statistics was implemented to identify potential biomarkers for hydrazine-induced hepatotoxicity.

Combination of mesenchymal stem cell injection with icariin for the treatment of diabetes-associated erectile dysfunction.

The present study was aimed to examine whether icariin, a traditional Chinese medicine, could improve therapeutic effects of adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) for diabetes-associated erectile dysfunction (DMED). DMED were induced in rats by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin and confirmed by erectile function measurement. Then, rats of diabetic ED were randomly divided to receive the treatment of saline, ADSCs, icariin or ADSCs combined with icariin respectively.

Hybrid Treatment for Budd-Chiari Syndrome: A Case Report by 11-Year Follow-up.

Budd-Chiari syndrome (BCS) is a rare hepatic disease caused by occlusion of the hepatic venous outflow at any level from the small hepatic veins to the atriocava junction. BCS could have serious consequences if not treated promptly. The appropriate therapeutic strategy can be offered to change the natural course of the disease.

Profile and procedures for fractures among 1323 fracture patients from the 2010 Yushu earthquake, China.

Objectives: The injuries caused by earthquakes are often complex and of various patterns. Our study included all fracture inpatients from the Yushu earthquake (1323 in total), to learn more about the incidence and distribution of fractures during earthquakes.

Methods: A retrospective study of the clinical characteristics of hospitalized fracture patients after the 2010 Yushu earthquake was conducted from December 20 to 25, 2010.

Diagnosis and Anti-Reflux Therapy for GERD with Respiratory Symptoms: A Study Using Multichannel Intraluminal Impedance-pH Monitoring.

Background/aims: Respiratory symptoms are often associated with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Although the role of multichannel intraluminal impedance-pH (MII-pH) monitoring in GERD is clear, little is known regarding the characteristics of patients with respiratory symptoms based on MII-pH monitoring and anti-reflux therapy. We evaluated a cohort of GERD patients to identify the MII-pH parameters of GERD-related respiratory symptoms and to assess the anti-reflux therapy outcomes.

Efficacy and safety of fenofibrate as an add-on in patients with elevated triglyceride despite receiving statin treatment.

Background: Since the withdrawal of cerivastatin, statin-fibrate combination therapy has been questioned in China due to safety concern. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety profile of fenofibrate as an add-on in patients with dyslipidemia despite receiving statin therapy.

Methods: This was a prospective, multi-center, single-arm, open-label study conducted in Chinese dyslipidemia patients with high CV risk.

Residual β-Cell Function Predicts Clinical Response After Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

Unlabelled: New strategies of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT) have gained much interest for the treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus. However, assessing the clinical response and residual β-cell function still has limitations. The aim of the study was to select the optimal quantitative index to assess pre-existing β-cell function and to explore its predictive function for clinical response after auto-HSCT therapy.

The Technical Efficiency of Earthquake Medical Rapid Response Teams Following Disasters: The Case of the 2010 Yushu Earthquake in China.

Purpose: Performance assessments of earthquake medical rapid response teams (EMRRTs), particularly the first responders deployed to the hardest hit areas following major earthquakes, should consider efficient and effective use of resources. This study assesses the daily technical efficiency of EMRRTs in the emergency period immediately following the 2010 Yushu earthquake in China.

Methods: Data on EMRRTs were obtained from official daily reports of the general headquarters for Yushu earthquake relief, the emergency office of the National Ministry of Health, and the Health Department of Qinghai Province, for a sample of data on 15 EMRRTs over 62 days.

A Novel Canine Model of Acute Vertebral Artery Occlusion.

Background: The extended time window and theoretic reduction in hemorrhage make mechanical strategies an attractive approach for the treatment of patients with ischemic stroke. However, a limited availability of suitable animal models of cerebrovascular thrombosis has hampered the study of novel endovascular interventions. The aim of the present study was to develop a new technique for site-specific placement of a thrombus in a canine model that would allow for the evaluation of mechanical thrombectomy and clot retrieval methods and the visualization of thrombus dislocation or fragmentation during angiographic manipulation.

Early and Midterm Outcome After Laparoscopic Fundoplication and a Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Procedure in Patients with Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: A Prospective Observational Study.

Background And Aims: Although the minimally invasive endoscopic Stretta procedure is being increasingly used as an alternative strategy to manage gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), the benefits of this procedure have to be further evaluated in clinical settings. This prospective observational study assessed the short-term and midterm outcomes associated with laparoscopic Toupet fundoplication (LTF) and the Stretta procedure.

Patients And Methods: From January 2011 to January 2012, we allocated 80 patients to LTF and 85 to the Stretta procedure.

Treatment of patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain in China: a double-blind randomised trial of duloxetine vs. placebo.

Background: Duloxetine has been approved in the United States, European Union and some Asian countries for the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain (DPNP). We assessed the efficacy and safety of duloxetine (60 mg once daily) compared with placebo in Chinese patients suffering from DPNP.

Methods: This was a phase 3, multicenter, randomised, double-blind, parallel, placebo-controlled, 12-week trial of the treatment of DPNP with duloxetine.

Toll-interacting protein contributes to mortality following myocardial infarction through promoting inflammation and apoptosis.

Background And Purpose: Toll-interacting protein (Tollip) is an endogenous inhibitor of toll-like receptors, a superfamily that plays a pivotal role in various pathological conditions, including myocardial infarction (MI). However, the exact role of Tollip in MI remains unknown.

Experimental Approach: MI models were established in Tollip knockout (KO) mice, mice with cardiac-specific overexpression of human Tollip gene and in their Tollip(+/+) and non-transgenic controls respectively.

Cardioprotective role of growth/differentiation factor 1 in post-infarction left ventricular remodelling and dysfunction.

Growth/differentiation factor 1 (GDF1) is a secreted glycoprotein of the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily that mediates cell differentiation events during embryonic development. GDF1 is expressed in several tissues, including the heart. However, the functional role of GDF1 in myocardial infarction (MI)-induced cardiac remodelling and dysfunction is not known.

Vinexin-β exacerbates cardiac dysfunction post-myocardial infarction via mediating apoptotic and inflammatory responses.

Vinexin-β is one of the adaptor proteins that are primarily involved in signal transduction and cytoskeletal organization under various pathological conditions, including cardiac hypertrophy. However, the role of Vinexin-β in myocardial infarction (MI) remains unknown. In this study, dramatically up-regulated Vinexin-β expression was observed in both ischaemic human hearts and infarcted animal hearts.

RORα inhibits adipocyte-conditioned medium-induced colorectal cancer cell proliferation and migration and chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane angiopoiesis.

Lipid metabolic disturbances are related to many diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, and certain cancers. Notably, lipid metabolic disturbances have been reported to be a risk factor for colorectal cancer. Nuclear receptors act as ligand-dependent transcription regulators and play key roles in the regulation of body lipid metabolism and the development of many cancers.

Bovine serum albumin nanoparticles as controlled release carrier for local drug delivery to the inner ear.

Nanoparticles have attracted increasing attention for local drug delivery to the inner ear recently. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) nanoparticles were prepared by desolvation method followed by glutaraldehyde fixation or heat denaturation. The nanoparticles were spherical in shape with an average diameter of 492 nm.

MST4 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma epithelial-mesenchymal transition and metastasis via activation of the p-ERK pathway.

Mammalian sterile-20-like kinase 4 (MST4) has been implicated in cell proliferation and differentiation. In a previous study, we found MST4 to be an important candidate gene for metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, the molecular mechanism of the promoting role of MST4 in HCC metastasis is poorly understood. In this study, we show that high expression of MST4 was detected in highly invasive HCC cells and in human HCC specimens with vascular invasion.

Nebivolol protects against myocardial infarction injury via stimulation of beta 3-adrenergic receptors and nitric oxide signaling.

Nebivolol, third-generation β-blocker, may activate β3-adrenergic receptor (AR), which has been emerged as a novel and potential therapeutic targets for cardiovascular diseases. However, it is not known whether nebivolol administration plays a cardioprotective effect against myocardial infarction (MI) injury. Therefore, the present study was designed to clarify the effects of nebivolol on MI injury and to elucidate the underlying mechanism.

Antenatal taurine supplementation increases taurine content in intrauterine growth restricted fetal rat brain tissue.

This study aimed to determine the influence of antenatal taurine supplementation on taurine content in the brains of fetal rats with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Experiments were performed at the Central Laboratory of Bayi Children's Hospital Affiliated to Beijing Military General Hospital in China from January to June 2013. Fifteen pregnant rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal controls, an IUGR group and an IUGR + antenatal taurine supplement group (Taurine group) (n = 5).