Impaired Reorganization of Centrosome Structure Underlies Human Infantile Dilated Cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: During cardiomyocyte maturation, the centrosome, which functions as a microtubule organizing center in cardiomyocytes, undergoes dramatic structural reorganization where its components reorganize from being localized at the centriole to the nuclear envelope. This developmentally programmed process, referred to as centrosome reduction, has been previously associated with cell cycle exit. However, understanding of how this process influences cardiomyocyte cell biology, and whether its disruption results in human cardiac disease, remains unknown. We studied this phenomenon in an infant with a rare case of infantile dilated cardiomyopathy (iDCM) who presented with left ventricular ejection fraction of 18% and disrupted sarcomere and mitochondria structure. METHODS: We performed an analysis beginning with an infant who presented with a rare case of iDCM. We derived induced pluripotent stem cells from the patient to model iDCM in vitro. We performed whole exome sequencing on the patient and his parents for causal gene analysis. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene knockout and correction in vitro were used to confirm whole exome sequencing results. Zebrafish and Drosophila models were used for in vivo validation of the causal gene. Matrigel mattress technology and single-cell RNA sequencing were used to characterize iDCM cardiomyocytes further. RESULTS: Whole exome sequencing and CRISPR/Cas9 gene knockout/correction identified RTTN, the gene encoding the centrosomal protein RTTN (rotatin), as the causal gene underlying the patient's condition, representing the first time a centrosome defect has been implicated in a nonsyndromic dilated cardiomyopathy. Genetic knockdowns in zebrafish and Drosophila confirmed an evolutionarily conserved requirement of RTTN for cardiac structure and function. Single-cell RNA sequencing of iDCM cardiomyocytes showed impaired maturation of iDCM cardiomyocytes, which underlie the observed cardiomyocyte structural and functional deficits. We also observed persistent localization of the centrosome at the centriole, contrasting with expected programmed perinuclear reorganization, which led to subsequent global microtubule network defects. In addition, we identified a small molecule that restored centrosome reorganization and improved the structure and contractility of iDCM cardiomyocytes. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to demonstrate a case of human disease caused by a defect in centrosome reduction. We also uncovered a novel role for RTTN in perinatal cardiac development and identified a potential therapeutic strategy for centrosome-related iDCM. Future study aimed at identifying variants in centrosome components may uncover additional contributors to human cardiac disease.

A longitudinal study of the effect of visuomotor learning on functional brain connectivity.

Neural adaptation in the frontoparietal and motor cortex-sensorimotor circuits is crucial for acquiring visuomotor skills. However, the specific nature of highly dynamic neural connectivity in these circuits during the acquisition of visuomotor skills remains unclear. To achieve a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between acquisition of visuomotor skills and neural connectivity, we used electroencephalographic coherence to capture highly dynamic nature of neural connectivity. We recruited 60 male novices who were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (EG) or the control group (CG). Participants in EG were asked to engage in repeated putting practice, but CG did not engage in golf practice. In addition, we analyzed the connectivity by using 8-13 Hz imaginary inter-site phase coherence in the frontoparietal networks (Fz-P3 and Fz-P4) and the motor cortex-sensorimotor networks (Cz-C3 and Cz-C4) during a golf putting task. To gain a deeper understanding of the dynamic nature of learning trajectories, we compared data at three time points: baseline (T1), 50% improvement from baseline (T2), and 100% improvement from baseline (T3). The results primarily focused on EG, an inverted U-shaped coherence curve was observed in the connectivity of the left motor cortex-sensorimotor circuit, whereas an increase in the connectivity of the right frontoparietal circuit from T2 to T3 was revealed. These results imply that the dynamics of cortico-cortical communication, particularly involving the left motor cortex-sensorimotor and frontal-left parietal circuits. In addition, our findings partially support Hikosaka et al.'s model and provide additional insight into the specific role of these circuits in visuomotor learning.

Effect of a single session of sensorimotor rhythm neurofeedback training on the putting performance of professional golfers.

Sensorimotor rhythm (SMR) activity has been associated with automaticity and flow in motor execution. Studies have revealed that neurofeedback training (NFT) of the SMR can improve sports performance; however, few studies have adequately explored the effects of a single session of such NFT or examined the possible mechanisms underlying these effects on sports performance. This study recruited 44 professional golfers to address these gaps in the literature. A crossover design was employed to determine the order of the participation in the NFT and no-training control conditions. The participants were asked to perform 60 10-foot putts while electroencephalograms (EEGs) were recorded before and after the tasks. In pre-and post-tests, visual analog scales were used to assess the psychological states associated with SMR activities including the levels of attention engagement, conscious motor control, and physical relaxation. The results revealed that a single NFT session effectively increased SMR power and improved putting performance compared with the control condition. The subjective assessments also revealed that the participants reported lower attention engagement, less conscious control of the motor details and were more relaxed in the putting task, suggesting that SMR NFT promoted effortless and quiescent mental states during motor preparation for a putting task. This study aligns with theoretical hypotheses and extends current knowledge by revealing that a single session of SMR NFT can effectively enhance SMR power and improve putting performance in professional golfers. It also provides preliminary evidence of the possible underlying mechanisms that drive the effect of SMR NFT on putting performances.

Pd-catalyzed decarboxylative 1,4-addition reactions of benzofuran-based azadienes with allyl phenyl carbonates.

Under the catalysis of Pd(OAc)2/dppf/Na2CO3, the decarboxylative 1,4-addition reaction of benzofuran-based azadienes with allyl phenyl carbonates took place easily and delivered the desired products in reasonable chemical yields. The chemical structure of the target compounds was clearly identified by single crystal X-ray structural analysis.

The low-dose colchicine in patients after non-CABG cardiac surgery: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Recent high-quality trials have shown that the anti-inflammatory effects of colchicine reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in patients suffering post-myocardial infarction and chronic coronary disease. The effect of colchicine in patients undergoing non-coronary artery bypass grafting (non-CABG) with cardiopulmonary bypass remains unclear. We aim to evaluate the effect of colchicine on myocardial protection in patients who underwent non-CABG cardiac surgery. METHOD: Patients were randomly assigned to colchicine or placebo groups starting 72 h before scheduled cardiac surgery and for 5 days thereafter (0.5 mg daily).The primary outcome was the level of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) at postoperative 48 h. The secondary outcomes included troponin I (cTnI) and creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), inflammatory biomarkers (procalcitonin and interleukin-6, etc.), and adverse events (30-day mortality, stroke, ECMO and IABP use, etc.). RESULTS: A total of 132 patients underwent non-CAGB cardiac surgery, 11were excluded because of diarrhea (n = 6) and long aortic cross-clamp time > 2 h (n = 5), 59 were assigned to the colchicine group and 62 to the placebo group. Compared with the placebo group, cTnT (median: 0.3 µg/L, IQR 0.2-0.4 µg/L vs. median: 0.4 µg/L, IQR 0.3-0.6 µg/L, P < 0.01), cardiac troponin I (median: 0.9 ng/ml, IQR 0.4-1.7 ng/ml vs. median: 1.3 ng/ml, IQR 0.6-2.3 ng/ml, P = 0.02), CK-MB (median: 1.9 ng/ml, IQR 0.7-3.2 ng/ml vs. median: 4.4 ng/ml, IQR 1.5-8.2 ng/ml, P < 0.01), and interleukin-6 (median: 73.5 pg/ml, IQR 49.6-125.8 pg/ml vs. median: 101 pg/ml, IQR 57.5-164.7 pg/ml, P = 0.048) were significantly reduced in colchicine group at postoperative 48 h. For safety evaluation, the colchicine (n = 65) significantly decreased post-pericardiotomy syndrome (3.08% vs. 17.7%, P < 0.01) and increased the rate of diarrhea (9.23% vs. 0, P = 0.01) compared with the placebo group (n = 62). No significant difference was observed in other adverse events between the two groups. CONCLUSION: A short perioperative course of low-dose colchicine was effective to attenuate the postoperative biomarkers of myocardial injury and inflammation, and to decrease the postoperative syndrome compared with the placebo. Trial registration ChiCTR2000040129. Registered 22nd Nov. 2020. This trial was registered before the first participant was enrolled. http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=64370 .

Aggressive Afterload Lowering to Improve the Right Ventricle: A New Target for Medical Therapy in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension?

Despite numerous therapeutic advances in pulmonary arterial hypertension, patients continue to suffer high morbidity and mortality, particularly considering a median age of 50 years. This article explores whether early, robust reduction of right ventricular afterload would facilitate substantial improvement in right ventricular function and thus whether afterload reduction should be a treatment goal for pulmonary arterial hypertension. The earliest clinical studies of prostanoid treatment in pulmonary arterial hypertension demonstrated an important link between lowering mean pulmonary arterial pressure (or pulmonary vascular resistance) and improved survival. Subsequent studies of oral monotherapy or sequential combination therapy demonstrated smaller reductions in mean pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance. More recently, retrospective reports of initial aggressive prostanoid treatment or initial combination oral and parenteral therapy have shown marked afterload reduction along with significant improvements in right ventricular function. Some data suggest that reaching threshold levels for pressure or resistance (components of right ventricular afterload) may be key to interrupting the self-perpetuating injury of pulmonary vascular disease in pulmonary arterial hypertension and could translate into improved long-term clinical outcomes. Based on these clues, the authors postulate that improved clinical outcomes might be achieved by targeting significant afterload reduction with initial oral combination therapy and early parenteral prostanoids.

Continuous lumbar drainage after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage decreased malondialdehyde in cerebrospinal fluid and improved outcome.

PURPOSE: The use of a continuous lumbar drain (LD) for the treatment of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH), and malondialdehyde (MDA), a marker of oxidative stress, is correlated with clinical outcome. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between LD placement and MDA level after aSAH. METHODS: Patients with modified Fisher's grade III and IV aSAH who underwent early aneurysm obliteration were enrolled. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was obtained on day 7 after aSAH in non-LD group. In LD group, the LD was inserted on day 3 after aSAH for continuous CSF drainage. The levels of intrathecal hemoglobin, total bilirubin, ferritin, and MDA were measured. RESULTS: There were 41 patients in non-LD group (age: 58.7 ± 13.7 years; female: 61.0%) and 48 patients in LD group (age: 58.3 ± 10.4 years; female: 79.2%). There were more favorable outcomes (Glasgow Outcome Scale ≥4) at 3 months after aSAH in LD group (p = 0.0042). The intrathecal hemoglobin, total bilirubin, ferritin, and MDA levels at day 7 after aSAH were all significantly lower in LD group. An older age (>60 years) (p = 0.0293), higher MDA level in the CSF (p = 0.0208), and delayed ischemic neurological deficit (p = 0.0451) were independent factors associated with unfavorable outcomes. LD placement was associated with a decreased intrathecal MDA level on day 7 after aSAH (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The intrathecal MDA level at day 7 after aSAH can be an effective outcome indicator in modified Fisher's grade III/IV aSAH. Continuous CSF drainage via a LD can decrease the intrathecal MDA level and improve the functional outcome.

Diastereoselective Cascade Cyclization of Diazoimides with Alkylidene Pyrazolones for Preparation of Pyrazole-Fused Oxa-Bridged Oxazocines.

Under the catalysis of Rh2(OAc)4 (10 mol%) and binapbisphosphine ligand (±)-L3 (20 mol%) in DCE at 80 °C, the cascade cyclization of diazoimides with alkylidenepyrazolones underwent stereoselectively (dr > 20:1), affording pyrazole-fused oxa-bridged oxazocines in reasonable chemical yields. The chemical structure and relative configuration of title products were firmly identified by X-ray diffraction analysis.

Chiral Luminescent Sensor Eu-BTB@d-Carnitine Applied in the Highly Effective Ratiometric Sensing of Curing Drugs and Biomarkers for Diabetes and Hypertension.

Chiral drugs are of great significance in drug development and life science because one pair of enantiomers has a different combination mode with target biological active sites, leading to a vast difference in physical activity. Metal-organic framework (MOF)-based chiral hybrid materials with specific chiral sites have excellent applications in the highly effective sensing of drug enantiomers. Sitagliptin and clonidine are effective curing drugs for controlling diabetes and hypertension, while insulin and norepinephrine are the biomarkers of these two diseases. Excessive use of sitagliptin and clonidine can cause side effects such as stomach pain, nausea, and headaches. Herein, through post-synthetic strategy, MOF-based chiral hybrid material Eu-BTB@d-carnitine (H3BTB = 1,3,5-benzenetrisbenzoic acid) was synthesized. Eu-BTB@d-carnitine has dual emission peaks at 417 and 616 nm when excited at 330 nm. Eu-BTB@d-carnitine can be applied in luminescent recognition toward sitagliptin and clonidine with high sensitivity and low detection limit (for sitagliptin detection, Ksv is 7.43 × 106 [M-1]; for clonidine detection, Ksv is 9.09 × 106 [M-1]; limit of detection (LOD) for sitagliptin is 10.21 nM, and LOD of clonidine is 8.34 nM). In addition, Eu-BTB@d-carnitine can further realize highly sensitive detection of insulin in human fluids with a high Ksv (2.08 × 106 [M-1]) and a low LOD (15.48 nM). On the other hand, norepinephrine also can be successfully discriminated by the hybrid luminescent platform of Eu-BTB@d-carnitine and clonidine with a high Ksv value of 4.79 × 106 [M-1] and a low LOD of 8.37 nM. As a result, the chiral hybrid material Eu-BTB@d-carnitine can be successfully applied in the highly effective ratiometric sensing of curing drugs and biomarkers for diabetes and hypertension.

Pd-Catalyzed three-component decarboxylative coupling reactions between alkylidene pyrazolones, allyl carbonates and active methylene compounds.

Under the catalysis of Pd2(dba)3·CHCl3/(±)-L5 in THF at room temperature, the three-component decarboxylative coupling reactions among alkylidene pyrazolones, allyl carbonates and active methylene compounds proceeded readily and furnished the desired products in acceptable chemical yields. The chemical architecture of the obtained products was unambiguously confirmed by single crystal X-ray analysis.

Accelerated exploration of efficient ternary solar cells with PTB7:PC71BM:SMPV1 using machine-learning methods.

Machine learning (ML) provides an efficient tool for predicting the photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of organic solar cells (OSCs). In this paper, random forest (RF), K-nearest neighbors, and support vector machine are used to predict the PCE for ternary OSCs with PC71BM. The results of ML show that RF has the best PCE prediction accuracy. Therefore, RF is chosen to predict the champion PCE of ternary OSCs with PTB7:PC71BM:SMPV1, which is around 8.01% in ternary OSCs with a doping ratio of around 6 wt% of SMPV1. To check the prediction, ternary OSCs with PTB7:PC71BM:SMPV1 were fabricated, and the experimental results show that the best PCE of 8.83% is obtained in ternary OSCs with 7.5 wt% of SMPV1 introduced. The experiments verify the feasibility of ML in predicting the PCE of ternary OSCs, and its great potential in predicting the doping concentration of the third component for ternary OSCs. Moreover, the working mechanism of the performance enhancement in the ternary OSCs is further researched and demonstrated as the following: (i) an increase in photon capture in the visible light spectrum to enhance the short circuit current density (Jsc); (ii) high priority charge transport to boost the fill factor and Jsc.

Multimodal Assessments of Altered Sensation after Transoral Endoscopic Thyroidectomy.

BACKGROUND: Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy, a novel technique, uses oral vestibule as the entry point and leaves no scar on the body surface. However, because the incisions are close to the mental nerve, nerve damage and the associated sensory impairment are concerning. Herein, we evaluated sensory alteration after transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy and determined factors associated with the prolonged sensory alteration. METHODS: Patients who underwent transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy were enrolled. Sensation over the lower lip, chin, and neck was evaluated before and after the surgery. A self-assessment questionnaire, Semmes-Weinstein monofilament test, and two-point discrimination test were used to subjectively and objectively evaluate sensory changes. RESULTS: Fifty-one patients were enrolled; most of them reported altered sensation, with chin (72.5%) being the most common site, followed by lower lip (52.9%), upper neck (33.3%), and lower neck (5.9%) on postoperative day 2. The sensory disturbance resolved within 3 months. Factors associated with prolonged sensory alteration are male sex and old age. Fourteen patients (27.5%) experienced mild drooling from the mouth, which was usually self-limiting in 1 month. Sensory impairments in light touch pressure threshold and two-point discrimination were significant in the chin and neck on postoperative day 2 and at 1 week. The ability to discern two-point was also compromised in the lower lip on postoperative day 2. All these significant changes normalized to preoperative baseline at 1 month. CONCLUSIONS: There was an altered sensation after transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy with the most common and disturbed in the chin. Sensory impairment was usually transient and recovered in 3 months.

The evaluation of levosimendan in patients with acute myocardial infarction related ventricular septal rupture undergoing cardiac surgery: a prospective observational cohort study with propensity score analysis.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of levosimendan in patients with acute myocardial infarction related ventricular septal rupture (AMI-VSR) underwent cardiac surgery. DESIGN: Prospective observational cohort study with propensity score analysis. PATIENTS: There were 261 patients with AMI-VSR in our study. After 1:1 propensity matching, 106 patients (53 levosimendan and 53 control) were selected in the matched cohort. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS: Patients who received levosimendan were assigned to the levosimendan group (n = 164). The patients who were not received were levosimendan assigned to the control group (n = 97). The levosimendan was initiated immediately after cardiopulmonary bypass. Then, it has been maintained during the postoperative 3 days. The poor outcomes were identified as follows: death and postoperative complications (postoperative stroke, low cardiac output syndromeneeded mechanical circulatory support after surgery, acute kidney injury (≥ stage III), postoperative infection or septic shock, new developed atrial fibrillation or ventricular arrhythmias). MAIN RESULTS: Before matching, the control group had more length of ICU stay (6.69 ± 3.90 d vs. 5.20 ± 2.24 d, p < 0.001) and longer mechanical ventilation time (23 h, IQR: 16-53 h vs. 16 h, IQR: 11-23 h, p < 0.001). Other postoperative outcomes have not shown significant differences between two groups. After matching, no significant difference was found between both groups for all postoperative outcomes. The Kaplan-Meier survivul estimate and log-rank test showed that the 90-day survival had no significant differences between two groups before and after matching. CONCLUSION: Our study found that a low-dose infusion of levosimendan in AMI-VSR patients underwent surgical repair did not associated with positively affect to postoperative outcomes.

Annoying Psoriasis and Atopic Dermatitis: A Narrative Review.

Skin is an important organ that mainly functions as a barrier. Skin diseases can damage a person's self-confidence and reduce their willingness to socialize, as well as their social behavior and willingness. When the skin appearance is abnormal, in addition to affecting the quality of life, it often leads to personal, social, and psychological dysfunction and even induces depression. Psoriasis and atopic dermatitis are common chronic skin diseases. Their prevalence in the world is 3-10%, and there is an increasing trend year by year. These congenital or acquired factors cause the dysfunction of the immune system and then destroy the barrier function of the skin. Because these patients are flooded with a variety of inflammatory mediators, this causes skin cells to be in chronic inflammation. Therefore, psoriasis and atopic dermatitis are also considered systemic chronic inflammatory diseases. In the healthcare systems of developed countries, it is unavoidable to spend high costs to relieve symptoms of psoriasis and atopic dermatitis patients, because psoriasis and atopic dermatitis have a great influence on individuals and society. Giving a lot of attention and developing effective treatment methods are the topics that the medical community must work on together. Therefore, we used a narrative review manuscript to discuss pathogenesis, clinical classification, incidence, and treatment options, including topical medication, systemic therapeutics, immunosuppressive medication for psoriasis, and atopic dermatitis, as well as also comparing the differences between these two diseases. We look forward to providing readers with comprehensive information on psoriasis and atopic dermatitis through this review article.

Neurofeedback training: Decreases in Mu rhythm lead to improved motor performance in complex visuomotor skills.

The physiological function of the Mu rhythm (8-13 Hz in the central region) is still unclear, particularly its role in visuomotor performance in sports (shooting vs. golf putting), as both the complexity of the motor skills (i.e., simple vs. complex visuomotor skills) and the skill level (e.g., novices vs. experts or low-skilled vs. highly skilled) may modulate Mu rhythm. To gain a broader understanding of the association between Mu rhythm and visuomotor skill performance, a study design that considers both a control moderator (the difference in skill level) and the ability to manipulate Mu rhythm (i.e., either increase or decrease Mu rhythm) is required. To achieve this, we recruited 30 novice golfers who were randomly assigned to either the increased Mu rhythm group (IMG), decreased Mu rhythm group (DMG), or sham group (SG) and used electroencephalographic-neurofeedback training (EEG-NFT) to manipulate Mu rhythm during a golf putting task (complex visuomotor skill). The aim was to determine whether the complexity of the motor skill was a potential moderator of Mu rhythm. We mainly found that Mu power was significantly decreased in the DMG following EEG-NFT, which lead to increased motor control and improved performance. We suggest that (1) the complexity of the motor skill, rather than the difference in skill level, may be a potential moderator of Mu rhythm and visuomotor performance, as our results were not consistent with a previous study that reported that increased Mu rhythm improved shooting performance (a simple visuomotor task) in novices.

Combination Therapy with Oral Treprostinil for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. A Double-Blind Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial.

Rationale: Oral treprostinil improves exercise capacity in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), but the effect on clinical outcomes was unknown.Objectives: To evaluate the effect of oral treprostinil compared with placebo on time to first adjudicated clinical worsening event in participants with PAH who recently began approved oral monotherapy.Methods: In this event-driven, double-blind study, we randomly allocated 690 participants (1:1 ratio) with PAH to receive placebo or oral treprostinil extended-release tablets three times daily. Eligible participants were using approved oral monotherapy for over 30 days before randomization and had a 6-minute-walk distance 150 m or greater. The primary endpoint was the time to first adjudicated clinical worsening event: death; hospitalization due to worsening PAH; initiation of inhaled or parenteral prostacyclin therapy; disease progression; or unsatisfactory long-term clinical response.Measurements and Main Results: Clinical worsening occurred in 26% of the oral treprostinil group compared with 36% of placebo participants (hazard ratio, 0.74; 95% confidence interval, 0.56-0.97; P = 0.028). Key measures of disease status, including functional class, Borg dyspnea score, and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide, all favored oral treprostinil treatment at Week 24 and beyond. A noninvasive risk stratification analysis demonstrated that oral treprostinil-assigned participants had a substantially higher mortality risk at baseline but achieved a lower risk profile from Study Weeks 12-60. The most common adverse events in the oral treprostinil group were headache, diarrhea, flushing, nausea, and vomiting.Conclusions: In participants with PAH, addition of oral treprostinil to approved oral monotherapy reduced the risk of clinical worsening.Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01560624).

Factors to influence the accuracy of albumin adjusted free valproic acid concentration.

BACKGROUND: Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is recommended during treatment with valproic acid (VPA), as is the measurement of free VPA concentration (MfVPA). However, MfVPA is unavailable in many institutions. Based on the highly protein-bound characteristics of VPA, an albumin-adjusted formula has been proposed to predict free VPA concentration (PfVPA). Nevertheless, the factors affecting the accuracy of this formula remain unknown, as does the concordance between MfVPA and PfVPA. METHODS: Adult patients receiving VPA and undergoing TDM were enrolled. Free and total serum concentration (TVPA) were categorized as subtherapeutic, therapeutic, or supratherapeutic based on the reference range of 5-15 and 50-100 µg/mL, respectively. Concordance was defined as MfVPA and PfVPA, or MfVPA and TVPA, falling within the same category. Multivariate logistic regression with generalized estimating equation was adopted to identify factors affecting concordance, and the receiver operating characteristic curve was applied to determine the cutoff values of predictors. RESULTS: A total of 98 data points from 51 participants were included for analysis. The concordance of MfVPA and PfVPA, and MfVPA and TVPA, was 72% and 44%, respectively. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (0.97 [0.95-0.99], P = 0.01) and TVPA (0.97 [0.95-0.99], P = 0.02) had a significant influence on the concordance of MfVPA and PfVPA. The cutoff values of TVPA and BUN for the accuracy of the albumin-adjusted formula were 56.4 µg/mL and 51.05 mg/dL, respectively. CONCLUSION: If MfVPA is not available, the albumin-adjusted formula should be applied before VPA dosage adjustment when TVPA is < 56.4 µg/mL and BUN is < 51.05 mg/dL.

Erratum: Chen, Y.-R., et al. Improvement of Impaired Motor Functions by Human Dental Exfoliated Deciduous Teeth Stem Cell-Derived Factors in a Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2020, 21, 3807.

The authors regret to have made a mistake in publishing this paper [...].

Pioglitazone Ameliorates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Behavioral Impairment, Brain Inflammation, White Matter Injury and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Neonatal Rats.

Previous studies have demonstrated that pioglitazone, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) agonist, inhibits ischemia-induced brain injury. The present study was conducted to examine whether pioglitazone can reduce impairment of behavioral deficits mediated by inflammatory-induced brain white matter injury in neonatal rats. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 2 mg/kg) was administered to Sprague-Dawley rat pups on postnatal day 5 (P5), and i.p. administration of pioglitazone (20 mg/kg) or vehicle was performed 5 min after LPS injection. Sensorimotor behavioral tests were performed 24 h after LPS exposure, and changes in biochemistry of the brain was examined after these tests. The results show that systemic LPS exposure resulted in impaired sensorimotor behavioral performance, reduction of oligodendrocytes and mitochondrial activity, and increases in lipid peroxidation and brain inflammation, as indicated by the increment of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) levels and number of activated microglia in the neonatal rat brain. Pioglitazone treatment significantly improved LPS-induced neurobehavioral and physiological disturbances including the loss of body weight, hypothermia, righting reflex, wire-hanging maneuver, negative geotaxis, and hind-limb suspension in neonatal rats. The neuroprotective effect of pioglitazone against the loss of oligodendrocytes and mitochondrial activity was associated with attenuation of LPS-induced increment of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) content, IL-1ß levels and number of activated microglia in neonatal rats. Our results show that pioglitazone prevents neurobehavioral disturbances induced by systemic LPS exposure in neonatal rats, and its neuroprotective effects are associated with its impact on microglial activation, IL-1ß induction, lipid peroxidation, oligodendrocyte production and mitochondrial activity.

Extended-Release Carvedilol in the Treatment of Hypertension: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Immediate-release carvedilol requires twice-daily dosing and may have low treatment compliance. We assessed the efficacy of a new formulation of once-daily extended-release carvedilol (carvedilol ER) on systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) among patients with hypertension in this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. METHODS: A total of 134 patients with untreated or uncontrolled hypertension were randomly assigned in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive placebo, low-dose carvedilol ER, or high-dose carvedilol ER for 8 weeks. The primary endpoint was the reduction in office SBP at 8 weeks. Secondary endpoints included the reduction in office DBP and the proportion of patients with blood pressure (BP) < 140/90 mm Hg. RESULTS: In the intention-to-treat population, placebo-adjusted changes in SBP/DBP were -2.9 mm Hg [95% confidence interval (CI), -9.6 to 3.7]/-1.7 mm Hg (95% CI, -5.6 to 2.3) and -4.9 mm Hg (95% CI, -11.5 to 1.7)/-3.4 mm Hg (95% CI, -7.3 to 0.5) for low-dose carvedilol ER and high-dose carvedilol ER, respectively. In the per-protocol population, high-dose carvedilol ER was associated with a significant DBP reduction [placebo-adjusted difference, -4.7 mm Hg (95% CI, -8.8 to -0.5); adjusted p = 0.026]. There was a gradational improvement in BP control with carvedilol ER (25%, 37%, and 48% for placebo, low-dose carvedilol ER, and high-dose carvedilol ER, respectively; linear-by-linear association p = 0.028). There were no differences in safety among the three groups. CONCLUSIONS: Carvedilol ER, though well tolerated, did not result in a greater reduction in either SBP or DBP compared with placebo.