Combined effects of cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking and eNOS Glu298Asp polymorphism on blood pressure in Chinese male hypertensive subjects.

Introduction: Genetic factors and lifestyle exposures, as well as their combinations, play important roles in the development of hypertension. We examined whether cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking and the Glu298Asp polymorphism of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene generate combined effects on blood pressure (BP) in hypertensive subjects.

Methods: A total of 342 essential hypertensive subjects were recruited from Susong community in Anhui province, China, from July 2017 to January 2018, and the plasma biochemical parameters and the genotype on Glu298Asp polymorphism were determined.

Engineering an enhanced thrombin-based GLP-1 analog with long-lasting glucose-lowering and efficient weight reduction.

Peptides are considered as potent therapeutic drugs primarily due to the exquisite potency and selectivity to targets. However, the development and clinical application of peptide drugs were severely limited by the poor lifespans. Here, we designed an improved small albumin-binding polypeptide that can associate with human serum albumin (HSA) and liberate the bioactive peptide.

[Research progress in surgical procedures for osteochondral lesions of talus].

Objective: To summarize the research progress of surgical procedures in osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT).

Methods: By consulting the related literature of OLT in recent years, the advantages and disadvantages of various surgical treatment schemes were analyzed and summarized.

Results: There are many surgical treatments for OLT, including bone marrow stimulation, osteochondral transplantation, autologous chondrocyte transplantation, and biologically assisted therapy.

[Image study of anteromedial cortical morphology of intertrochanteric fractures].

Objective: To study the anteromedial cortical morphology of intertrochanteric fracture with CT three-dimensional reconstruction technique, and to provide a reference for further study of cortical buttress reduction theory.

Methods: CT data of 75 patients with unstable intertrochanteric fracture with complete imaging data treated between January 2016 and January 2019 were retrospectively analyzed, including 32 males and 43 females, aged 65-98 years (mean, 79.8 years).

[General anatomy and image reconstruction analysis of the proximal femoral trabecular structures].

Objective: To investigate the three-dimensional structure of proximal femoral trabeculae, analyze the formation mechanism, and explore its relationship with the occurrence and treatment of proximal femoral fractures.

Methods: Six cadaver adult femur specimens were harvested and the gross specimens containing both trabecular system and cortical bone were established by hand scraping. All samples were scanned by micro-CT and the CT images were input into Mimics18.

Long non-coding RNA HOTTIP enhances IL-6 expression to potentiate immune escape of ovarian cancer cells by upregulating the expression of PD-L1 in neutrophils.

Background: Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) HOXA transcript at the distal tip (HOTTIP), has been demonstrated to be a vital biomarker when evaluating the prognosis of multiple cancers. Nevertheless, the potential function of HOTTIP in ovarian cancer (OC), a prevalent cancer among women worldwide, remains elusive. Hence, the current study aimed to elucidate the functional relevance of HOTTIP in the development of OC.

An open-label randomised comparison of aripiprazole, olanzapine and risperidone for the acute treatment of first-episode schizophrenia: Eight-week outcomes.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of aripiprazole, olanzapine and risperidone in first-episode schizophrenia (FES).

Methods: The eight-week, open, randomised study was conducted in six Chinese medical centres. Altogether, 498 FES subjects were randomised to aripiprazole ( = 165), olanzapine ( = 168) or risperidone ( = 165).

Application of real-time shear wave elastography in the assessment of torsional cervical dystonia.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the value of real-time shear wave elastography (SWE) in the assessment of torsional cervical dystonia (TCD).

Methods: Ninety healthy volunteers and 30 TCD patients were recruited, and elastography was performed at musculi sternocleidomastoideus (MSD) and musculi splenius capitis (MSC). Mean shear elastic modulus of right MSD and MSC in healthy controls and bilateral MSD and MSC in TCD patients was determined.

Knockdown of long noncoding RNA PVT1 suppresses cell proliferation and invasion of colorectal cancer via upregulation of microRNA-214-3p.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to be involved in the occurrence and tumorigenesis of numerous malignant cancers. Microarray expression profiles were used to screen colorectal cancer (CRC)-related differentially expressed genes and lncRNAs, which revealed that insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1) and lncRNA plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) were highly expressed in CRC. This study aimed to investigate the regulatory role of lncRNA PVT1 in CRC.

The mechanism of miR-16-5p protection on LPS-induced A549 cell injury by targeting CXCR3.

Objective: To study the effect of miR-16-5p on lung cancer cell injury and apoptosis, and its mechanism.

Methods: LPS induced lung cancer cell A549 injury; qRT-PCR method was applied to detect the expression of miR-16-5p and CXCR3 in A549 cells. Con (without LPS treatment), LPS + miR-NC group (transfected negative control samples), LPS + miR-16-5p group (transfected miR-16-5p mimics); LPS + si-NC group (transfected negative control samples), LPS + si-CXCR3 group (transfected si-CXCR3); LPS + miR-16-5p + pcDNA3.

[Retracted] Serum‑free‑medium‑type mesenchymal stem cell culture supernatant exerts a protective effect on A549 lung epithelial cells in acute lung injury induced by H2O2.

The authors wish to retract their research article entitled 'Serum‑free‑medium‑type mesenchymal stem cell culture supernatant exerts a protective effect on A549 lung epithelial cells in acute lung injury induced by H2O2', published in Oncology Reports 40, 3033‑3039, 2018. After the publication of this article, the authors have become concerned that there were flaws in their study design that have called into question the reported results. On repeating certain of the experiments, the authors found that the Nrf2‑Keap1‑ARE signaling pathway only has a role in the lung epithelial cell injury model, whereas it does not serve a role in the A549 model.

Effects of granulocyte colony‑stimulating factor on rabbit carotid and porcine heart models of chronic obliterative arterial disease.

Previous studies suggest that granulocyte colony‑stimulating factor (G‑CSF) can promote bone marrow derived progenitor cells to mediate cardiovascular repair, potentially reversing mechanical dysfunction in chronic ischaemic heart disease and post myocardial infarction. Two models were used in the present study both using a surgical ameroid constrictor to induce arterial stenosis. The first model used the carotid artery of rabbits.

Rates and predictors of one-year antipsychotic treatment discontinuation in first-episode schizophrenia: Results from an open-label, randomized, "real world" clinical trial.

Antipsychotic treatment discontinuation is a major challenge in the treatment of first-episode schizophrenia (FES) patients. However, the rate and predictors remain unclear. Five hundred and sixty-nine FES patients were randomized to risperidone (n = 190), olanzapine (n = 185) or aripiprazole (n = 194) in a six-site study in China with 1-year follow-up.

The role of the precuneus and posterior cingulate cortex in the neural routes to action.

Neural substrates of action to the object or this specific direct route, however, remain unclear, especially for the connection from the visual pathway to the motor cortex. The study examined this issue by conducting an fMRI experiment, in which two action generation tasks involving pictures of real objects (PA) and the object's nouns (NA) were used, with pictures naming (PN) and covert noun reading (NR) being the control tasks. The result showed that the model predefined for the PCC and precuneus connecting IPL to the posterior-medial frontal cortex dominated over the others (with 0.

Mechanism of miR-137 regulating migration and invasion of melanoma cells by targeting PIK3R3 gene.

Objective: To investigate the effect of microRNA-137 (miR-137) on the migration and invasion of melanoma cells and its mechanism.

Methods: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of miR-137 in melanoma tissues and cells. miR-137 mimics, phosphoinositide-3-kinase regulatory subunit 3 (PIK3R3) small interfering RNA and corresponding controls were transfected into A375 and WM451 cells by lipofection.

A Six-LncRNA Expression Signature Associated with Prognosis of Colorectal Cancer Patients.

Background/aims: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignant tumor with high migration and invasion capacity. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified to influence multiple cancers progression through competitively binding microRNAs (miRNAs). In this study, we proposed to develop a lncRNA-based signature for CRC survival outcomes.

microRNA-874 inhibition targeting STAT3 protects the heart from ischemia-reperfusion injury by attenuating cardiomyocyte apoptosis in a mouse model.

MicroRNAs (miRs) were involved in numerous cardiovascular diseases, especially ischemic heart diseases, but the miR changes during cardiac ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury following sevoflurane (SEV) preconditioning are still unknown. This study aims to investigate the effect of miR-874 on cardiac I/R injury in mouse models pretreated with SEV. Following establishment of mouse models with myocardial I/R injury, mice were pretreated with SEV.

[Experimental study on dendritic cells modified by dust mite allergen gene in the treatment of allergic rhinitis in mouse].

To explore the therapeutic effects of dendritic cells (DC) modified by the dust-mite-allergen(1) (). DC modified by the 1 gene (Der p1-DC) were prepared.Using random number table, 24 Balb\c mice were divided into four groups: immature DC (imDC)/AR group, dexamethasone/AR group, Der p1-DC/AR group and control group, with 6 mice in each group.

Astragaloside suppresses tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 5 signaling pathway and alleviates neurodegenerative changes in retinal pigment epithelial cells induced by isoflurane.

Epidemiological studies showed that isoflurane, a general anesthetic widely used in surgery including those for the children, is associated with impairment of neurodevelopment and neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which are related to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Astragaloside (AS) is an antioxidant derivative from a traditional Chinese herbal medicine Astragalus membraneaceus Bunge. In this study, we used retinal pigment epithelial cells, which share plenty of features with neurodegenerative diseases such as AD and AMD to investigate the effect of AS.

A Novel Magnetic Nanoparticle for Early Detection of Amyloid Plaques in Alzheimer's Disease.

Early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains challenging even with the assistance of imaging. Radiation exposure limits the application of positron emission tomography (PET) for amyloid imaging. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers superior spatial resolution without the disadvantage of radiation exposure.

The miR-143/145 cluster reverses the regulation effect of KLF5 in smooth muscle cells with proliferation and contractility in intracranial aneurysm.

Alterations in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) contribute to the pathogenesis of intracranial aneurysms (IAs), but the molecular mechanisms of these alterations are unclear. The aim of this study was therefore to identify the molecular mechanism of VSMC-mediated IAs at clinical and cellular levels. We used bioinformatic and biochemical analyses to show that the microRNA (miR)-143/145 cluster was involved in various biological processes related to aneurysm formation.

miR-381-3p restrains cervical cancer progression by downregulating FGF7.

This study aimed at elucidating the molecular mechanism of miR-381-3p in cervical cancer progression, which may provide a novel therapeutic target for patients with cervical cancer. The expression of miR-381-3p was confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Microarray analysis was conducted to screen out differentially expressed genes, and the target gene of microRNA (miRNA) was predicted on TargetScan.

Prognosis of Percutaneous Intervention of a Left Main Coronary Artery Stenosis Without the Use of Intravascular Imaging.

Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the prognosis in patients with left main coronary artery stenosis one year after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods Our study included 40 patients who underwent PCI for left main coronary artery stenosis without the use of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). Patients were followed for a year, and the prognostic effect of PCI on a composite end-point of revascularization, new myocardial infarction, cardiac death, and on all-cause mortality was assessed in multivariable Cox analysis.

Serum‑free‑medium‑type mesenchymal stem cell culture supernatant exerts a protective effect on A549 lung epithelial cells in acute lung injury induced by H2O2.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the mechanisms and protective effect of serum‑free‑medium‑type fetal placental mesenchymal stem cell (fPMSC) culture supernatant on A549 lung epithelial cells following treatment with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). A549 lung epithelial cells were stimulated with different concentrations of H2O2, and the survival rate of the cells was examined by Cell Counting Kit‑8 (CCK‑8) assay. It was concluded that the H2O2 concentration when the cell survival rate was at 50% was the optimum condition to create an oxidative damage model.