Effect of echocardiography on prognosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Objective: There was a lack of studies on the relationship between the presence or absence of echocardiography and the prognosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. Therefore, we used the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-IV database to explore the relationship between them.

Method: The patient information was obtained from the MIMIC-IV database.

AMPK: An energy sensor for non-small cell lung cancer progression and treatment.

Lung cancer (LC) is the leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality in China, with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounting for 85 % of the overall lung cancer cases. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a key regulator of energy balance and homeostasis, and its dysregulation is a common feature in various malignancies, particularly in NSCLC with mutations in Liver kinase B1 (LKB1). Studies have shown that the AMPK signalling pathway has a dual role in NSCLC progression, both inhibiting and promoting the progression of malignant tumours.

PPARβ/δ agonist GW0742 mitigates acute liver damage induced by acetaminophen overdose in mice.

Liver damage caused by acetaminophen (APAP) overdose remains a worldwide medical problem. New therapeutic medicines for APAP poisoning are needed as the efficacy of the only antidote, N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), significantly decreases if administered after 8 h of APAP intake and massive APAP overdose remains to induce hepatotoxicity despite the timely administration of NAC. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor β/δ (PPARβ/δ) possesses versatile roles including regulation of lipid homeostasis and anti-inflammation in the liver.

Exploring Enzyme Encapsulation Efficiency in MOFs Using Eco-Friendly Approaches.

The encapsulation of protein enzymes in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has been recognized as an effective enzyme immobilization approach. In this study, we demonstrated the influence of enzyme amount and the isoelectric points (pI) of different enzymes on the enzyme loading capacity in both mechanochemical (ball-milling) and water-based approaches. We found that increasing enzyme amounts enhances MOF enzyme loading without compromising activity, while the MOF shell protects encapsulated enzymes from proteinase K degradation through its size-sheltering mechanism.

Prophylactic Epidural Blood Patch or Prophylactic Epidural Infusion of Hydroxyethyl Starch in Preventing Post-Dural Puncture Headache - A Retrospective Study.

Background: Post-dural puncture headache (PDPH) is particularly likely to happen in patients under obstetric care due to an unintentional dural puncture (UDP). There is as yet no ideal strategy for preventing UDP-induced PDPH.

Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to assess whether a prophylactic epidural blood patch (EBP) or prophylactic epidural infusion of hydroxyethyl starch (HES) is effective in preventing PDPH for parturients with UDP compared with conservative treatments.

Outcomes after natural orifice extraction conventional specimen extraction surgery for colorectal cancer: A propensity score-matched analysis.

Background: Natural orifice specimen extraction (NOSE) the anus or vagina replaces conventional transabdominal specimen retrieval the transabdominal route through a limited mid-line laparotomy or Pfannenstiel incision. Reducing the number of laparoscopic ports further decreases operative abdominal wall trauma. These techniques reduce the surgical wound size as well as the risk of incision-related morbidity.

A novel mutation in the STK11 gene causes heritable Peutz-Jeghers syndrome - a case report.

Background: Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) is a rare disorder characterized by multiple gastrointestinal hamartomatous polyps and mucocutaneous pigmentation. STK11 has been identified as a causative gene for this disease.

Case Presentation: Herein we report a Chinese Han kindred with PJS.

Activation of α2 adrenoceptor attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced hepatic injury.

Sepsis induces hepatic injury but whether alpha-2 adrenoceptor (α2-AR) modulates the severity of sepsis-induced liver damage remains unclear. The present study used lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce hepatic injury and applied α2-AR agonist dexmedetomidine (DEX) and/or antagonist yohimbine to investigate the contribution of α2-AR in LPS-induced liver injury. Our results showed that LPS resulted in histological and functional abnormality of liver tissue (ALT and AST transaminases, lactate), higher mortality, an increase in proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6 & TNF-α), as well as a change in oxidative stress (MDA, SOD).

TRPC3 channel confers cerebrovascular remodelling during hypertension via transactivation of EGF receptor signalling.

Aims: Ionic perturbation in vascular smooth muscle cells contributes to cerebrovascular remodelling in the setting of hypertension, but the role of transient receptor potential (TRP) channel superfamily remains unknown. The present study was conducted to define the contribution of TRP channels to cerebrovascular remodelling.

Methods And Results: By integrating quantitative PCR, western blotting, patch clamping, and Ca(2+) imaging, we identified TRP channel, subfamily canonical, member 3 (TRPC3) as the channel subtype most considerably elevated in basilar arteries of two-kidney, two-clip stroke-prone hypertensive rats.

In Vivo Evaluation of the Ameliorating Effects of Small-Volume Resuscitation with Four Different Fluids on Endotoxemia-Induced Kidney Injury.

Acute kidney injury associated with renal hypoperfusion is a frequent and severe complication during sepsis. Fluid resuscitation is the main therapy. However, heart failure is usually lethal for those patients receiving large volumes of fluids.

Cotransplantation of glial restricted precursor cells and Schwann cells promotes functional recovery after spinal cord injury.

Oligodendrocyte (OL) replacement can be a promising strategy for spinal cord injury (SCI) repair. However, the poor posttransplantation survival and inhibitory properties to axonal regeneration are two major challenges that limit their use as donor cells for repair of CNS injuries. Therefore, strategies aimed at enhancing the survival of grafted oligodendrocytes as well as reducing their inhibitory properties, such as the use of more permissive oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs), also called glial restricted precursor cells (GRPs), should be highly prioritized.

Upregulation of TRPM7 channels by angiotensin II triggers phenotypic switching of vascular smooth muscle cells of ascending aorta.

Rationale: Angiotensin II (Ang II) has pleiotropic effects on vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). It has been demonstrated to promote the proliferative phenotype of VSMCs in mouse ascending aorta, but the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood.

Objective: The present study was designed to explore whether the Ca(2+)-permeable transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7) channel is involved in Ang II-induced phenotype switching of ascending aortic VSMCs and to dissect the molecular mechanisms by which TRPM7 modulates VSMC phenotype.

[Sources and potential risk of heavy metals in roadside soils of Xi' an City].

Based on the X-Ray fluorescence spectroscopic measurement of heavy metals concentration in roadside soil samples from Xi' an City, and by the methods of principal component analysis, cluster analysis, and correlation analysis, this paper approached the possible sources of heavy metals in the roadside soils of the City. In the meantime, potential ecological risk index was used to assess the ecological risk of the heavy metals. In the roadside soils, the mean concentrations of Co, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn were higher than those of the Shaanxi soil background values.

Simvastatin ameliorates rat cerebrovascular remodeling during hypertension via inhibition of volume-regulated chloride channel.

Statins have pleiotropic actions against the development of vascular remodeling and the incidence of ischemic stroke. Although previous studies have suggested that posttranslational modification of several proteins, such as Rho by mevalonate-derived isoprene groups, geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate or farnesyl pyrophosphate, underlie the pleiotropic effects of statins, the detailed mechanisms remain elusive. Recent growing evidence demonstrated that ClC-3 volume-regulated chloride channel plays an important role in cell proliferation, and the activity of this channel is increased in basilar smooth muscle cells from a hypertensive rat.

Ginsenoside-Rd, a new voltage-independent Ca2+ entry blocker, reverses basilar hypertrophic remodeling in stroke-prone renovascular hypertensive rats.

The total saponins of Panax notoginseng have been clinically used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and stroke in China. Our recent study has identified ginsenoside-Rd, a purified component of total saponins of P. notoginseng, as an inhibitor to remarkably inhibit voltage-independent Ca(2+) entry.

Alteration of volume-regulated chloride movement in rat cerebrovascular smooth muscle cells during hypertension.

The cerebrovascular remodeling is a prominent feature of hypertension and considered a major risk factor for stroke. Cerebrovascular smooth muscle cells meet volume challenge during this pathophysiological process. Our previous studies suggest that volume regulated chloride channels may be critical to the cell cycle of vascular smooth muscle cells.

[Sequence polymorphisms of the mitochondrial DNA control region in 100 Chengdu Hans in China].

Objective: To study the genetic polymorphisms of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region in Chengdu Han population.

Methods: Sequence polymorphisms of the mtDNA control region, hypervariable regions I and II from 100 unrelated Chinese Hans were determined by PCR and direct sequencing.

Results: Sequences of 404 nucleotides for hypervariable region I and 379 nucleotides for region II were obtained.