The Incidence and Risk Factors of Frailty in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Meta-Analysis.

Objective: COPD patients have a high incidence of frailty and numerous complications, which seriously affect their quality of life. This study systematically evaluated and analyzed the current state of frailty incidence and risk factors in COPD patients to reduce the prevalence of frailty and enhance their quality of life. Method: The Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CBM, CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang databases were searched for relevant studies from the inception of each database until November 2022. A thorough literature screening, quality evaluation, and data extraction was conducted. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan5.3Meta. Twelve articles were selected as most relevant to this review; 10 were in Chinese, and 2 were in English. Results: The results showed that the incidence of asthenia in COPD patients was 26% (OR 0.26, 95% CI 0.17~0.34). Discussion: The main risk factors for frailty in COPD patients were age (OR 1.32, 95% CI 1.30~1.34), GOLD pulmonary function class (OR 3.18, 95% CI 2.14~4.71), mMRC score (OR 3.90, 95% CI 1.53~9.92), comorbidity (OR 2.17, 95% CI 1.48~3.18), polypharmacy (OR 6.74, 95% CI 3.23~14.08), malnutrition (OR 3.32, 95% CI 1.77~6.24), depression (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.07~1.76) and ≥2 admissions within 1 year (OR 4.84, 95% CI 2.45~9.57). Conclusion: The study presented comprehensive evidence through meta-analysis and proposed that the prevalence of frailty in COPD patients is 26%. Risk factors were identified, including age, pulmonary function class according to GOLD criteria, mMRC score, comorbidity polypharmacy malnutrition, depression, or 2 or more hospital admissions within a year. It is recommended that clinical medical staff identify these risk factors at an early stage.

Therapeutic potential of Lingjiao Gouteng decoction in acute alcohol intoxication and alcohol-induced brain injury involving the RhoA/ROCK2/NF-κB signaling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Alcohol misuse persists as a prevalent societal concern and precipitates diverse deleterious consequences, entailing significant associated health hazards including acute alcohol intoxication (AAI). Binge drinking, a commonplace pattern of alcohol consumption, may incite neurodegeneration and neuronal dysfunction. Clinicians tasked with managing AAI confront a dearth of pharmaceutical intervention alternatives. In contrast, natural products have garnered interest due to their compatibility with the human body and fewer side effects. Lingjiao Gouteng decoction (LGD), a classical traditional Chinese medicine decoction, represents a frequently employed prescription in cases of encephalopathy, although its efficacy in addressing acute alcoholism and alcohol-induced brain injury remains inadequately investigated. AIM OF THE STUDY: To investigate the conceivable therapeutic benefits of LGD in AAI and alcohol-induced brain injury, while delving into the underlying fundamental mechanisms involved. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We established an AAI mouse model through alcohol gavage, and LGD was administered to the mice twice at the 2 h preceding and 30 min subsequent to alcohol exposure. The study encompassed the utilization of the loss of righting reflex assay, histopathological analysis, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and cerebral tissue biochemical assays to investigate the impact of LGD on AAI and alcohol-induced brain injury. These assessments included a comprehensive evaluation of various biomarkers associated with the inflammatory response and oxidative stress. Finally, RT-qPCR, Western blot, and immunofluorescence staining were carried out to explore the underlying mechanisms through which LGD exerts its therapeutic influence, potentially through the regulation of the RhoA/ROCK2/NF-κB signaling pathway. RESULTS: Our investigation underscores the therapeutic efficacy of LGD in ameliorating AAI, as evidenced by discernible alterations in the loss of righting reflex assay, pathological analysis, and assessment of inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers. Furthermore, the results of RT-qPCR, Western blot, and immunofluorescence staining manifest a noteworthy regulatory effect of LGD on the RhoA/ROCK2/NF-κB signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: The present study confirmed the therapeutic potential of LGD in AAI and alcohol-induced brain injury, and the protective effects of LGD against alcohol-induced brain injury may be intricately linked to the RhoA/ROCK2/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Development of an obesity-related multi-gene prognostic model incorporating clinical characteristics in luminal breast cancer.

Despite adjuvant chemotherapy and endocrine therapy in luminal breast cancer (LBC), relapses are common. Addressing this, we aim to develop a prognostic model to refine adjuvant therapy strategies, particularly for patients at high recurrence risk. Notably, obesity profoundly affects the tumor microenvironment (TME) of LBC. However, it is unclear whether obesity-related biological features can effectively screen high-risk patients. Utilizing weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) on RNA sequencing (RNAseq) data, we identified seven obese LBC genes (OLGs) closely associated with patient prognosis. Subsequently, we developed a luminal obesity-gene clinical prognostic index (LOG-CPI), combining a 7-gene signature, TNM staging, and age. Its predictive efficacy was confirmed across validation datasets and a clinical cohort (5-year accuracy = 0.828, 0.760, 0.751, and 0.792, respectively). LOG-CPI emerges as a promising predictor for clinical prognosis and treatment response, helping distinguish molecular and immunological features in LBC patients and guiding clinical practice by identifying varying prognoses.

Protection effects of mice liver and lung injury induced by coronavirus infection of Qingfei Paidu decoction involve inhibition of the NLRP3 signaling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a grave and pervasive global infectious malady brought about by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), posing a significant menace to human well-being. Qingfei Paidu decoction (QFPD) represents a pioneering formulation derived from four classical Chinese medicine prescriptions. Substantiated evidence attests to its efficacy in alleviating clinical manifestations, mitigating the incidence of severe and critical conditions, and reducing mortality rates among COVID-19 patients. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aims to investigate the protection effects of QFPD in mice afflicted with a coronavirus infection, with a particular focus on determining whether its mechanism involves the NLRP3 signaling pathway. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The coronavirus mice model was established through intranasal infection of Kunming mice with Hepatic Mouse Virus A59 (MHV-A59). In the dose-effect experiment, normal saline, ribavirin (80 mg/kg), or QFPD (5, 10, 20 g/kg) were administered to the mice 2 h following MHV-A59 infection. In the time-effect experiment, normal saline or QFPD (20 g/kg) was administered to mice 2 h post MHV-A59 infection. Following the assessment of mouse body weights, food consumption, and water intake, intragastric administration was conducted once daily at consistent intervals over a span of 5 days. The impact of QFPD on pathological alterations in the livers and lungs of MHV-A59-infected mice was evaluated through H&E staining. The viral loads of MHV-A59 in both the liver and lung were determined using qPCR. The expression levels of genes and proteins related to the NLRP3 pathway in the liver and lung were assessed through qPCR, Western Blot analysis, and immunofluorescence. RESULTS: The administration of QFPD was shown to ameliorate the reduced weight gain, decline in food consumption, and diminished water intake, all of which were repercussions of MHV-A59 infection in mice. QFPD treatment exhibited notable efficacy in safeguarding tissue integrity. The extent of hepatic and pulmonary injury, when coupled with QFPD treatment, demonstrated not only a reduction with higher treatment dosages but also a decline with prolonged treatment duration. In the dose-effect experiment, there was a notable, dose-dependent reduction in the viral loads, as well as the expression levels of IL-1ß, NLRP3, ASC, Caspase 1, Caspase-1 p20, GSDMD, GSDMD-N, and NF-κB within the liver of the QFPD-treated groups. Additionally, in the time-effects experiments, the viral loads and the expression levels of genes and proteins linked to the NLRP3 pathway were consistently lower in the QFPD-treated groups compared with the model control groups, particularly during the periods when their expressions reached their zenith in the model group. Notably, IL-18 showed only a modest elevation relative to the blank control group following QFPD treatment. CONCLUSIONS: To sum up, our current study demonstrated that QFPD treatment has the capacity to alleviate infection-related symptoms, mitigate tissue damage in infected organs, and suppress viral replication in coronavirus-infected mice. The protective attributes of QFPD in coronavirus-infected mice are plausibly associated with its modulation of the NLRP3 signaling pathway. We further infer that QFPD holds substantial promise in the context of coronavirus infection therapy.

Do atrophic gastritis and intestinal metaplasia reverse after Helicobacter pylori eradication?

BACKGROUND: It's still controversial whether Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication can reverse atrophic gastritis (AG) and intestinal metaplasia (IM). Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to estimate the effect of H. pylori eradication on AG and IM. METHODS: We searched the PubMed, Web of Science and EMBASE datasets through April 2023 for epidemiological studies, which provided mean glandular atrophy (GA) or IM score before and after H. pylori eradication, or provided ORs, RRs or HRs and 95% CIs for the association of AG or IM with H. pylori eradication. Weighted mean difference (WMD) and pooled ORs and 95%CIs were used to estimate the effect of H. pylori eradication on AG and IM. RESULTS: Twenty articles with a total of 5242 participants were included in this meta-analysis. H. pylori eradication significantly decreased GA score in the antrum (WMD -0.36; 95% CI: -0.52, -0.19, p < 0.01), GA score in the corpus (WMD -0.35; 95% CI: -0.52, -0.19, p < 0.01), IM score in the antrum (WMD -0.16; 95% CI: -0.26, -0.07, p < 0.01) and IM score in the corpus (WMD -0.20; 95% CI: -0.37, -0.04, p = 0.01). H. pylori eradication significantly improved AG (pooled OR 2.96; 95% CI: 1.70, 5.14, p < 0.01) and IM (pooled OR 2.41; 95% CI: 1.24, 4.70, p < 0.01). The association remained significant in the subgroup analyses by study design, sites of lesions, regions and follow-up time. Although Publication bias was observed for AG, the association remained significant after trim-and-fill adjustment. CONCLUSIONS: H. pylori eradication could significantly improve AG and IM at early stage.

Chronic stress-induced immune dysregulation in breast cancer: Implications of psychosocial factors.

Chronic stress refers to continuous emotional changes and psychological pressure that individuals experience when they are unable to adjust and stabilize the internal environment over an extended period. It can increase the pressure on endocrine mediators and cytokines in the circulation, as well as tissues throughout the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenaline (HPA) axis and sympathetic nervous system (SNS); thus, evolving the internal environment of the tumor. This review assesses several key issues, involving psychosocial factors, and integrates clinical, cellular, and molecular studies-as well as the latest research progress-to provide a mechanistic understanding regarding breast oncopsychology. We propose that chronic stress contributes to large individual diferences in the prognosis of breast cancer survivors because they change the basic physiological processes of the endocrine and immune systems, which in turn regulate tumor growth. The study of psychological and physiological reactions of breast cancer patients suggests a new idea for psychological intervention and clinical treatment for breast cancer patients.

Major depressive disorder and chronic gastritis: A bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

OBJECTIVE: Observational studies have posited a strong correlation between chronic gastritis (CG) and major depressive disorder (MDD), but the nature of this association remains uncertain, owing to the challenges of establishing the temporal sequence. The present study sought to elucidate the elusive relationship between CG and MDD by employing a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) approach. METHODS: We extracted instrumental variants for MDD and CG from published genome-wide association study data, focusing on individuals of primarily European descent. A comprehensive suite of MR estimations and sensitivity analyses was performed to ensure the robustness of the findings. Each outcome database was analyzed separately in both directions. RESULTS: For MDD and CG, 221 and 5 genetic variants, respectively, were selectively extracted as instrumental variants. The results suggest that MDD is causally associated with an elevated risk of CG (IVW: 23andMe, OR = 1.33; 95% CI = 1.15-1.54; p = 1.06 × 10-4); conversely, no strong evidence was found to corroborate that CG exerts a causal effect on the incidence of MDD (IVW: OR = 1.01; 95% CI = 0.95-1.07; p = 0.68). CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide novel insights into the causal relationship between CG and MDD, which may have implications for clinical decision-making in patients with MDD and CG.

Variations of the double superior mesenteric vein are not rare: An observational study using computed tomography, three-dimensional image reconstruction, and surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Few studies have evaluated variations of the main trunk of the superior mesenteric vessels. Particularly, the double superior mesenteric vein (DSMV) has not been described in detail. This study aimed to establish the definition, anatomical characteristics, and underlying clinical significance of the DSMV. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 115 patients with colorectal cancer were included in this retrospective study between March 2020 and March 2022. The anatomical characteristics were analyzed using computed tomography, three-dimensional image reconstructions, and surgical videos. RESULTS: Among the patients enrolled, 22 (19.1%) had DSMVs. The median diameters of the right and left superior mesenteric veins were similar. The superior mesenteric artery was sandwiched between the right and the left superior mesenteric veins. The left superior mesenteric vein mainly crossed the ventral side of the superior mesenteric artery (63.6%). In 1 case, the right superior mesenteric vein was mistakenly resected intraoperatively. The DSMV was classified into types I and II based on whether the right and left trunks formed a common trunk; it was further classified into subtypes a and b based on the colonic vein confluence. The proportions of type I-a, I-b, II-a, and II-b were 4.5%, 27.3%, 9.1%, and 59.1%, respectively. The middle colic veins drained into the left superior mesenteric vein in 19 cases (86.4%). CONCLUSIONS: The DSMV is more common than previously thought. For the first time, the definition and four types of the DSMV were proposed. The presence of a DSMV should be considered during right hemicolectomies.

Electroacupuncture-modulated extracellular ATP levels in prefrontal cortex ameliorated depressive-like behavior of maternal separation rats.

Maternal separation (MS) is a type of early-life stress that has been linked to neuropsychiatric disorders, especially depression. Increasing evidence indicates that the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) level in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is involved in the pathophysiology of depression. To investigate the potential relationship between ATP in PFC and antidepressant effects of electroacupuncture (EA) treatment, we assessed genes involved in ATP biosynthesis as well as the extracellular ATP levels in a rat model exposed to neonatal MS. Our results demonstrated that reduced expression of ABCG2 (an ATP-binding cassette protein) and ATP levels in the PFC of depressive-like rats exposed to MS can be attenuated by EA stimulus at the Baihui (GV20) and Yintang (GV29) acupoints. Moreover, the antidepressant effect of EA treatment was blocked by administration of suramin, a broad purinergic P2 receptor antagonist. Together, these results suggested that electroacupuncture may be able to modulate extracellular ATP levels in the PFC of depressive-like MS rats, potentially contributing to its antidepressant effects.

Predation preference for extracellular polysaccharides by paramecia and rotifers may have accelerated the decline of membrane biofilm hydraulic resistance.

The hydraulic resistance of biofilm layer on membranes impacts the filtration resistance significantly. The effect of predation by two model microfauna (i.e., paramecia and rotifers) on the hydraulic resistance, structure, extracellular polymeric substance (EPS), and bacterial community of biofilms developed on supporting materials (i.e., nylon mesh) was evaluated in this study. Long-term experiments demonstrated that predation could alter biofilm compositions and accelerated the decline of hydraulic resistance by increasing biofilm heterogeneity and deformation. Importantly, predation preference of paramecia and rotifers on biofilm components were further investigated for the first time by tracking the fluorescence change in the predator bodies after exposure to the stained biofilms. Results indicated that after 12-hour's incubation, the ratio of extracellular α-polysaccharides (α-PS) to proteins (PN) within the bodies of paramecia and rotifers increased to 2.6 and 3.9, respectively, which was 0.76 in the original biofilms. The ratios of α-PS/live cells within paramecia and rotifers increased to 1.42 and 1.64 from 0.81 in the original biofilms. The ratio of live/dead cells in the predator bodies, however, changed slightly compared to the original biofilms. These results clearly and directly evidenced that both paramecia and rotifers could feed on biofilm EPS and cells, but having a significant preference for PS over PN and cells. Since extracellular PS is recognized as a primary biofilm adhesion agent, the preference for PS could better explain why predation had accelerated the disintegration and hydraulic resistance decline of mesh biofilms.

Analysis of Erosion Characteristics and Erosion Mechanism of Polypropylene Fiber Tailings Recycled Concrete in Salt Spray Environment.

Economic development and infrastructure improvement will inevitably lead to the accumulation of construction waste and tailings, which has not only a huge impact on the environment but is also a waste of resources. Recycling these resources and making green concrete is an effective way to solve these problems. In this study, the salt spray erosion characteristics and erosion mechanism of tailings recycled concrete (TRC) with polypropylene fibers were studied through macro and micro methods. The results showed that its compressive strength and splitting tensile strength increased at first and then decreased, with the optimum content of 0.6-0.9%, and the strength increase coefficient reached its maximum value at the erosion period being 14 d to 28 d. Under the same erosion cycle, when the fiber content was low (≤0.6-0.9%), the erosion depth hardly fluctuated. While the fiber content changed from 0.6% to 1.2%, the erosion depth and curing ability (erosion for 90 days) increased by 16.29% and 11.20%, which implied that its erosion resistance decreased sharply. Through SEM microscopic analysis, it could be observed that when the fiber content was low, the matrix structure and porosity had little change; while the fiber content was excessive, the porosity increased greatly. The longer the erosion period was, the greater the cumulative expansion of salt crystals was, and the larger the porosity was, whose results were in good agreement with the experimental results. This research provides a significant theoretical basis for the application of TRC in engineering.

Current strategies for SARS-CoV-2 molecular detection.

The molecular detection of SARS-CoV-2 is extremely important for the discovery and prevention of pandemic dissemination. Because SARS-CoV-2 is not always present in the samples that can be collected, the sample chosen for testing has inevitably become the key to the SARS-CoV-2 positive cases screening. The nucleotide amplification strategy mainly includes Q-PCR assays and isothermal amplification assays. The Q-PCR assay is the most used SARS-CoV-2 detection assay. Due to heavy expenditures and other drawbacks, isothermal amplification cannot replace the dominant position of the Q-PCR assay. The antibody-based detection combined with Q-PCR can help to find more positive cases than only using nucleotide amplification-based assays. Pooled testing based on Q-PCR significantly increases efficiency and reduces the cost of massive-scale screening. The endless stream of variants emerging across the world poses a great challenge to SARS-CoV-2 molecular detection. The multi-target assays and several other strategies have proved to be efficient in the detection of mutated SARS-CoV-2 variants. Further research work should concentrate on: (1) identifying more ideal sample plucking strategies, (2) ameliorating the Q-PCR primer and probes targeted toward mutated SARS-CoV-2 variants, (3) exploring more economical and precise isothermal amplification assays, and (4) developing more advanced strategies for antibody/antigen or engineered antibodies to ameliorate the antibody/antigen-based strategy.

Gastroprotective mechanism of modified lvdou gancao decoction on ethanol-induced gastric lesions in mice: Involvement of Nrf-2/HO-1/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Modified Lvdou Gancao decoction (MLG), a traditional Chinese medicine formula, has been put into clinical use to treat the diseases of the digestive system for a long run, showing great faculty in gastric protection and anti-inflammatory, whereas its protective mechanisms have not been determined. The current study puts the focus on the protective effect and its possible mechanisms of MLG on ethanol-induced gastric lesions in mice. In addition to various gastric lesion parameters and histopathology analysis, the activities of a list of relevant indicators in gastric mucosa were explored including ALDH, ADH, MDA, T-SOD, GSH-Px, and MPO, and the mechanisms were clarified using RT-qPCR, ELISA Western Blot and immunofluorescence staining. The results showed that MLG treatment induced significant increment of ADH, ALDH, T-SOD, GSH-Px, NO, PGE2 and SS activities in gastric tissues, while MPO, MDA, TNF-α and IL-1ß levels were on the decline, both in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast to the model group, the mRNA expression of Nrf-2 and HO-1 in the MLG treated groups showed an upward trend while the NF-κB, TNFα, IL-1ß and COX2 in the MLG treated groups had a downward trend simultaneously. Furthermore, the protein levels of p65, p-p65, IκBα, p-IκBα, iNOS, COX2 and p38 were inhibited, while Nrf2, HO-1, SOD1, SOD2 and eNOS were ramped up in MLG treatment groups. Immunofluorescence intensities of Nrf2 and HO-1 in the MLG treated groups were considerably enhanced, with p65 and IκBα diminished simultaneously, exhibiting similar trends to that of qPCR and western blot. To sum up, MLG could significantly ameliorate ethanol-induced gastric mucosal lesions in mice, which might be put down to the activation of alcohol metabolizing enzymes, attenuation of the oxidative damage and inflammatory response to maintain the gastric mucosa. The gastroprotective effect of MLG might be achieved through the diminution of damage factors and the enhancement of defensive factors involving NF-κB/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway. We further confirmed that MLG has strong potential in preventing and treating ethanol-induced gastric lesions.

Study on Carbonization Characteristics and Deterioration Mechanism of Recycled Concrete with Tailings and Polypropylene Fiber.

To improve the deformation performance of recycled concrete with tailings (TRC), its carbonization characteristics and deterioration mechanism with different polypropylene fiber content were analyzed macroscopically and microscopically. The results showed that the fiber had little effect on the compressive strength, which increased first and then decreased, with the optimum content being 0.6%. The splitting tensile strength first increased and then tended to be stable, with the optimum dosage ranging from 0.6% to 0.9%. The more the content, the higher the peak strain and the lower the elastic modulus. The rising section of its constitutive curve changed little, while the falling section became more gentle. Carbonization made the relative dynamic elastic modulus change small with a trend of first increasing and then decreasing, and the optimum content was 0.6-0.9%. When the fiber content was small, the influence on the carbonization depth did not remain significant, but when it was large, the depth increased obviously, and this critical content was about 0.6%. Microscopically, through nuclear-magnetic resonance (NMR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis, due to the strong tensioning effect of the fiber, when a small amount was added, the porosity and pore structure had not been significantly changed, so the impact on its resistance to carbonization was not obvious. However, after excessive addition, the interface transition zone (ITZ) between different materials became larger, resulting in a significant increase of its harmful cracks and a great impact on the anti-carbonization ability, with the optimal content being about 0.6%. This study provides a theoretical reference for the deformation performance improvement measure of TRC, which would be helpful for the rapid promotion and application of green concrete in engineering practice.

ACE2 gene combined with exercise training attenuates central AngII/AT1 axis function and oxidative stress in a prehypertensive rat model.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) or exercise training (ExT) is beneficial to hypertension, but their combined effects remain unknown. In this study, lentivirus containing enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) and ACE2 were microinjected into the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of young male spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHRs), and SHRs were assigned into five groups: sedentary (SHR), SHR-ExT, SHR-eGFP, ACE2 gene (SHR-ACE2), and ACE2 gene combined with ExT (SHR-ACE2-ExT). Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats were used as a control. ACE2 gene or ExT significantly delayed the elevation of blood pressure, and the combined effect prevented the development and progression of prehypertension. Either ACE2 overexpression or ExT improved arterial baroreflex sensitivity (BRS), whereas the combined effect normalized BRS in SHR. Compared with SHR, SHR-ACE2 and SHR-ExT displayed a significantly higher level of ACE2 protein but had lower plasma norepinephrine (NE) and angiotensin II (AngII) as well as angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1) protein expression in the PVN. SHR-ACE2-ExT showed the largest decrease in AngII and AT1 protein expression. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and NADPH oxidase (NOX2 and NOX4) protein expression in PVN were also decreased in SHR-ACE2-ExT group than in SHR-ACE2 and SHR-ExT groups. It was concluded that the combined effect has effectively prevented prehypertension progression and baroreflex dysfunction in SHR, which is associated with the reduction in AngII/AT1 axis function and oxidative stress in the PVN.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) gene in combination with exercise training (ExT) delayed the progression of hypertension via normalizing the blunted baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) and inhibiting sympathetic nerve activity (SNA). Its underlying mechanism may be related to the inhibition of AngII/AT1 axis function and central oxidative stress in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of prehypertensive rats.

The Effect of Cerebellar Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Dysphagia due to Posterior Circulation Stroke, a Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Cerebellum might be active during the task of swallowing. Little is known whether cerebellar repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) could improve post-stroke dysphagia (PSD) due to occlusion in the posterior circulation. This paper describes the rationale and design of a randomized controlled trial that aims to determine the effect of cerebellar rTMS on dysphagia due to posterior circulation stroke. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Thirty patients with PSD due to occlusion in the posterior circulation will be randomly divided to receive real (n = 20) or sham (n = 10) cerebellar rTMS. Patients in the real rTMS group will receive 250 pulses rTMS at a low intensity with 10 Hz frequency for 10 days (five consecutive days per week). The severity of dysphagia will be assessed with videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) using the Rosenbek penetration aspiration scale (PAS), the pharyngeal constriction ratio (PCR), and the dysphagia outcome and severity scale (DOSS) before and immediately after the last session and then again after 1 and 3 months. The functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) will be assessed before and after the last session and then again after 1 month and 3 months. The primary outcome is the improvement of swallowing function determined by PAS, PCR, and DOSS. The secondary outcomes include changes in brain connectivity network detected using fMRI. DISCUSSION: This study will determine whether cerebellar rTMS improves dysphagia due to posterior circulation stroke in Chinese patients. Our findings will contribute to a new approach for swallowing function recovery after posterior circulation stroke.

Effects of Exercise Training on PPARß/δ Expression in Skeletal Muscle of Rats with Spontaneous Hypertension.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify the relationship and mechanism between skeletal muscle peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ß/δ (PPARß/δ) and spontaneous hypertension. METHODS: Rats were divided into four groups ( n = 10): spontaneous hypertensive rats exercise group (SHR-E), spontaneous hypertensive rats sedentary group (SHR-S), Wistar-Kyoto control rats exercise group (WKY-E), and Wistar-Kyoto control rats sedentary group (WKY-S). Although the sedentary groups were placed on the treadmill without moving during the training sessions, the exercise groups were forced to run on a treadmill for 8 wk, 1 h·d -1 , 5 d·wk -1 . After training, the density and area of gastrocnemius microvessels were observed. PPARß/δ, vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD-2), and nitric oxide synthase in gastrocnemius were measured by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western blot. RESULTS: Except the sixth week of age, the systolic blood pressure of SHR-S was significantly higher than that of WKY-S at all time periods. Exercise significantly reduced systolic blood pressure in SHR rats. Compared with the SHR-S group, the WKY-S group had significantly higher PPARß/δ protein level and density of skeletal muscle microvessels. Eight weeks of exercise increased the PPARß/δ, SOD-2, VEGFA, and microvessel density and area in the skeletal muscle of SHR. CONCLUSIONS: Exercise training promoted PPARß/δ mRNA and protein-level expression of PPARß/δ, SOD-2 and VEGFA in skeletal muscle, thus increasing the density and area of skeletal muscle blood vessels. These regulations contribute to the reduction of peripheral vascular resistance. This may be a potential mechanism of exercise to reduce blood pressure.

Optimized Neural Network Prediction Model of Shape Memory Alloy and Its Application for Structural Vibration Control.

The traditional mathematical model of shape memory alloy (SMA) is complicated and difficult to program in numerical analysis. The artificial neural network is a nonlinear modeling method which does not depend on the mathematical model and avoids the inevitable error in the traditional modeling method. In this paper, an optimized neural network prediction model of shape memory alloy and its application for structural vibration control are discussed. The superelastic properties of austenitic SMA wires were tested by experiments. The material property test data were taken as the training samples of the BP neural network, and a prediction model optimized by the genetic algorithm was established. By using the improved genetic algorithm, the position and quantity of the SMA wires were optimized in a three-storey spatial structure, and the dynamic response analysis of the optimal arrangement was carried out. The results show that, compared with the unoptimized neural network prediction model of SMA, the optimized prediction model is in better agreement with the test curve and has higher stability, it can well reflect the effect of loading rate on the superelastic properties of SMA, and is a high precision rate-dependent dynamic prediction model. Moreover, the BP network constitutive model is simple to use and convenient for dynamic simulation analysis of an SMA passive control structure. The controlled structure with optimized SMA wires can inhibit the structural seismic responses more effectively. However, it is not the case that the more SMA wires, the better the shock absorption effect. When SMA wires exceed a certain number, the vibration reduction effect gradually decreases. Therefore, the seismic effect can be reduced economically and effectively only when the number and location of SMA wires are properly configured. When four SMA wires are arranged, the acceptable shock absorption effect is obtained, and the sum of the structural storey drift can be reduced by 44.51%.

δ-tocotrienol suppresses the migration and angiogenesis of trophoblasts in preeclampsia and promotes their apoptosis via miR-429/ ZEB1 axis.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a severe medical disorder during pregnancy and there has been controversy about the effects of vitamin E on PE. This research intended to explore if δ-tocotrienol (δ-TT), an isomer of vitamin E, could impact PE. Preeclamptic and normal placentas were obtained and total RNA was extracted. The expression of different genes was analyzed through quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Pearson correlation analysis was conducted. After that, HTR-8/SVneo cells (human trophoblasts) were chosen and they were subjected to δ-tocotrienol treatment and then Cell Counting Kit-8 was used to test cell viability. To assess the effects of δ-TT on trophoblasts, wound healing assay and Transwell invasion assay were performed. How miR-429 interacts with ZEB1 was examined via dual luciferase reporter assay. Also, protein expression was evaluated via Western blotting. Our results have shown that δ-TT can impair the viability of trophoblasts and induce their apoptosis. Additionally, it can repress the growth, migration, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion and angiogenesis in trophoblasts. Mechanistically, δ-TT exerts these effects on trophoblasts via downregulating miR-429 and upregulating ZEB1. Furthermore, miR-429 can bind ZEB1 directly. Clinical sample analysis has revealed that miR-429 expression in preeclamptic placenta is higher than that in normal placenta, but ZEB1 expression in preeclamptic placenta is downregulated. Also, there is a negative association between miR-429 and ZEB1 expression in preeclamptic placentas. These discoveries imply that δ-TT may be hazardous to pregnancy and should not be used in preeclamptic patients. In addition, targeting miR-429 might treat PE.

The relationship between psychological health and social support: Evidence from physicians in China.

BACKGROUND: The psychological health (PH) of doctors affects the quality of medical service and is related to the safety of patients. The serious problems with the doctor-patient relationship in China can lead to long-term imbalances in doctor PH, and the poor PH status of doctors has raised scholars' concern. Current research mainly focuses on how factors such as social support and the impact of the residential environment correlate with individual PH. We continue this direction of research to see how the mechanism of social support impacts physician PH, also investigating the moderating effect of demographic indicators on physician PH. METHODS: Based on a survey of 399 physicians, a descriptive analysis of measured data was done using SPSS 19.0. Pearson correlation coefficient analysis was used to examine the correlations between PH and the social support rating scale (SSRS) and the demographic variables. KMO and Bartlett methods were used to examine the correlations between PH and SDS (a scale to measure depression) and between PH and SAS (a scale to measure anxiety). The method of factor analysis was used for multicollinearity tests, and multiple stepwise regression analysis was used to explore the demographic factors correlated with PH and SSRS. Two-way interactions in moderated multiple regression were used to test the moderating effect of education level and title on SSRS, SDS, and SAS. RESULTS: Our results indicate that the level of PH is influenced by the age, education, and title of a doctor. A physician's title is significantly and positively correlated with PH, but age and education are significantly negatively related. Age, education, and title also affect the level of SSRS in physicians. SSRS is positively correlated with age, education, and title, and SSRS positively influences PH. Education and title had significant effects on the moderating influences of SSRS, SDS, SAS, and PH. CONCLUSION: The factors directly affecting PH include SSRS, age, and title, while education was found to be an indirect influencing factor. To meet goals expressed in Chinese government policy related to these issues, we suggest strengthening the guidance of the media, introducing laws and regulations on doctor-patient risk management and control, reforming the review mechanism of hospital job titles, improving the education level of doctors, building a comprehensive evaluation system of "practice performance + doctor-patient satisfaction", and strengthening doctor-patient empathy. Through such measures, the level of PH in physicians will improve.