Porcupine inhibitor CGX1321 alleviates heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in mice by blocking WNT signaling.

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is highly prevalent, and lacks effective treatment. The aberration of WNT pathway underlies many pathological processes including cardiac fibrosis and hypertrophy, while porcupine is an acyltransferase essential for the secretion of WNT ligands. In this study we investigated the role of WNT signaling pathway in HFpEF as well as whether blocking WNT signaling by a novel porcupine inhibitor CGX1321 alleviated HFpEF.

Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid Type 1 Protects Against Pressure Overload-Induced Cardiac Hypertrophy by Promoting Mitochondria-Associated Endoplasmic Reticulum Membranes.

Transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) is a nonselective cation channel that mediates the relationship between mitochondrial function and pathological myocardial hypertrophy. However, its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether TRPV1 activation improves the morphology and function of intracellular mitochondria to protect cardiomyocytes after pressure overload-induced myocardial hypertrophy.

Deep Learning for Patient-Specific Quality Assurance: Predicting Gamma Passing Rates for IMRT Based on Delivery Fluence Informed by log Files.

In this study, we propose a deep learning-based approach to predict Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) quality assurance (QA) gamma passing rates using delivery fluence informed by log files. A total of 112 IMRT plans for chest cancers were planned and measured by portal dosimetry equipped on TrueBeam linac. The convolutional neural network (CNN) based learning model was trained using delivery fluence as inputs and gamma passing rates (GPRs) of 4 different criteria (3%/3 mm, 2%/3 mm, 3%/2 mm, and 2%/2 mm) as outputs.

Effects of whole grain intake on glycemic control: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Aims/introduction: Although mounting evidence has suggested an inverse association between the intake of whole grains and glycemic control, findings from randomized controlled trials are still conflicting. The current study was carried out to evaluate the effect of medium/long-term whole grain intake on glycemic control in metabolic syndrome and healthy populations.

Materials And Methods: A literature search was carried out to identify qualified studies up to July 2021.

Factor L2 ameliorates the Progression of K/BxN Serum-Induced Arthritis by Blocking TLR7 Mediated IRAK4/IKKβ/IRF5 and NF-kB Signaling Pathways.

Toll like receptor (TLR)s have a central role in regulating innate immunity and their activation have been highlighted in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). EFL2, one of diterpenoids derived from seeds, is nearly unknown expect for its improving effect on acute lung injury. Our present study aimed to investigate EFL2's pharmacokinetic features, its therapeutic effect on rheumatoid arthritis, and explored the potential anti-arthritic mechanisms.

Circular RNA circEsyt2 regulates vascular smooth muscle cell remodeling via splicing regulation.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been recently recognized as playing a role in the pathogenesis of vascular remodeling-related diseases by modulating the functions of miRNAs. However, the interplay between circRNAs and proteins during vascular remodeling remains poorly understood. Here, we investigated a previously identified circRNA, circEsyt2, whose expression is known to be upregulated during vascular remodeling.

Perfusion CT detects alterations in local cerebral flow of glioma related to IDH, MGMT and TERT status.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between tumor biology and values of cerebral blood volume (CBV), cerebral blood flow (CBF), mean transit time (MTT), time to peak (TTP), permeability surface (PS) of tumor in patients with glioma.

Methods: Forty-six patients with glioma were involved in the study. Histopathologic and molecular pathology diagnoses were obtained by tumor resection, and all patients accepted perfusion computed tomography (PCT) before operation.

Ultrasonographic study of hemodynamics and contrast-enhanced ultrasound in the rhesus monkey kidney.

Nonhuman primates share many developmental similarities with humans. As the world has recognized the rhesus monkey as a standard experimental monkey, studies of rhesus monkey are very important and essential. The purpose of this study was to use gray-scale ultrasound, color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI), and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) to study the ultrasound appearance of adult healthy rhesus monkey kidneys and to investigate the relationship between renal ultrasound manifestations and body weight, gender, and the left and right kidneys.

The Emerging Role of Irisin in Cardiovascular Diseases.

Irisin, a novel hormone like polypeptide, is cleaved and secreted by an unknown protease from a membrane-spanning protein, FNDC5 (fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5). The current knowledge on the biological functions of irisin includes browning white adipose tissue, regulating insulin use, and anti-inflammatory and antioxidative properties. Dysfunction of irisin has shown to be involved in cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, and myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Increased AT receptor expression mediates vasoconstriction leading to hypertension in Snx1 mice.

Angiotensin II type 1 receptor (ATR) is a vital therapeutic target for hypertension. Sorting nexin 1 (SNX1) participates in the sorting and trafficking of the renal dopamine D receptor, while angiotensin and dopamine are counterregulatory factors in the regulation of blood pressure. The effect of SNX1 on ATR is not known.

Clinical application and accuracy analysis of 3D printing guide plate based on polylactic acid in mandible reconstruction with fibula flap.

Background: Due to the special anatomy morphology and physiological function of the mandible, it has always become a challenge to accurately reconstruct the mandibular defect in maxillofacial surgery. Digital three dimensions (3D) printing surgical guide, as the effective method for individual and accurate surgery, is a hotspot of clinical research at present. In this study, 3D printing PLA surgical guide plate was applied to reconstruct the mandibular defect with fibula flap, its clinical effect and accuracy were evaluated, which aimed to improve the accurate reconstruction of mandibular defects.

Chrysin Ameliorates Sepsis-Induced Cardiac Dysfunction Through Upregulating Nfr2/Heme Oxygenase 1 Pathway.

The incidence of myocardial dysfunction caused by sepsis is high, and the mortality of patients with sepsis can be significantly increased. During sepsis, oxidative stress and inflammation can lead to severe organ dysfunction. Flavone chrysin is one of the indispensable biological active ingredients for different fruits and vegetables and has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

CTNNB1 Knockdown Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Aldosterone Secretion Through Inhibiting Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling in H295R Cells.

Aldosterone-producing adenomas (APA) is one of the causative factors of primary aldosteronism. Previous studies have suggested that there are somatic mutations in APA, but the specific mechanism of mutation in APA tumorigenesis and aldosterone secretion remains unclear. In the present study, human adrenocortical carcinoma cell line H295 R was used to establish stable knockdown cell lines.

Cross-sectional investigation of serum creatine kinase concentration in Graves disease patients treated with oral antithyroid drugs.

Elevated serum creatine kinase (CK) concentration was reported in some Graves disease patients during the treatment with oral antithyroid drugs (ATD). The pathogenesis of this abnormal biochemical value was considered to be related to the therapeutic drug. However, the relevant epidemiological investigation was absent.

MicroRNA-375 represses tumor angiogenesis and reverses resistance to sorafenib in hepatocarcinoma.

Sorafenib was originally identified as an inhibitor of multiple oncogenic kinases and remains the first-line systemic therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to play critical roles in the initiation, progression, and drug resistance of HCC. In this study, we aimed to identify sorafenib-induced miRNAs and demonstrate their regulatory roles.

Neuroprotective effects of a ketogenic diet in combination with exogenous ketone salts following acute spinal cord injury.

We have previously shown that induction of ketosis by ketogenic diet (KD) conveyed neuroprotection following spinal cord injury in rodent models, however, clinical translation may be limited by the slow raise of ketone levels when applying KD in the acute post-injury period. Thus we investigated the use of exogenous ketone supplementation (ketone sodium, KS) combined with ketogenic diet as a means rapidly inducing a metabolic state of ketosis following spinal cord injury in adult rats. In uninjured rats, ketone levels increased more rapidly than those in rats with KD alone and peaked at higher levels than we previously demonstrated for the KD in models of spinal cord injury.

Huang Qin Hua Shi decoction for high-temperature- and high-humidity-induced cognitive-behavioral disorder in rats is associated with deactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

Objective: To investigate the effects of Huang Qin Hua Shi (HQ) decoction on the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis in rats under high-temperature (hT)- and high-humidity (hH)-induced stress.

Methods: Male rats were randomized into four groups: rats without stress; rats induced with hT (35 ± 1°C) and hH (85 ± 5% humidity); rats induced with hT and hH and treated with HQ decoction; and rats induced with hT and hH and treated with mifepristone. After 3 weeks, rats underwent the Morris water maze and open-field test.