The impact of cognitive behavioural therapy-based psychological intervention on emotional improvement in elderly patients with extensive burns.

To evaluate the efficacy of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as a psychological intervention for elderly patients with extensive burns, focusing on its impact on emotional well-being, self-efficacy and quality of life. A prospective, randomized study involving 200 elderly burn patients was conducted from November 2021 to January 2023. The patients were randomly assigned to receive either standard care (control group) or burn care based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT-B) (study group), with 100 patients in each group. Outcome measures included the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain assessment, 36-item Short Form Survey (SF-36) for quality of life, General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) and Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). The study revealed that CBT-based intervention significantly reduced anxiety and depression scores compared with standard care (p < 0.05). Additionally, patients in the CBT group exhibited improved self-efficacy, self-esteem and quality of life (p < 0.05). CBT proves to be a valuable intervention for elderly burn patients, effectively addressing emotional distress and enhancing their psychological well-being. By modifying negative cognitive patterns, providing coping mechanisms and fostering problem-solving skills, CBT-based care contributes to a more positive recovery experience and improved quality of life.

Fullerene-polysaccharide supramolecular hydrogel displaying antioxidation/antiglycation behavior.

A fullerene-polysaccharide supramolecular hydrogel was constructed by carrying out a co-assembly of fullerene@hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin, chitosan and bentonite, and displayed good antioxidant and antiglycation properties, and hence showed promising cosmetics applications. Benefitting from the cyclodextrin hydrophobic cavity, hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin formed a stoichiometric 2 : 1 complex with fullerene, effectively enhancing the water solubility and biological activity of fullerene, and the encapsulation ratio of the prepared fullerene was calculated to be 79%. Results of oxygen radical absorbance capacity and pyrogallol autoxidation experiments showed high antioxidant activity displayed by the fullerene@HP-ß-CD inclusion complex. The supramolecular inclusion was further co-assembled, using multiple hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions, with chitosan and bentonite to form a supramolecular hydrogel; this hydrogel was successfully used in antiglycation, with a glycation end products inhibition rate of 43.99% at a 10% sample concentration. Therefore, the fullerene-polysaccharide ternary co-assembly supramolecular hydrogel showed good antioxidant and antiglycation abilities, and the construction of the polysaccharide supramolecular hydrogel provided a new perspective for raw materials to consider in cosmetics applications.

Comparison of Awake and Asleep Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease: A Detailed Analysis Through Literature Review.

OBJECTIVES: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) for Parkinson's disease (PD) has been applied to clinic for approximately 30 years. The goal of this review is to explore the similarities and differences between "awake" and "asleep" DBS techniques. METHODS: A comprehensive literature review was carried out to identify relevant studies and review articles describing applications of "awake" or "asleep" DBS for Parkinson's disease. The surgical procedures, clinical outcomes, costs and complications of each technique were compared in detail through literature review. RESULTS: The surgical procedures of awake and asleep DBS surgeries rely upon different methods for verification of intended target acquisition. The existing research results demonstrated that the stereotactic targeting accuracy of lead placement obtained by either method is reliable. There were no significant differences in clinical outcomes, costs, or complications between the two techniques. CONCLUSION: The surgical and clinical outcomes of asleep DBS for PD are comparable to those of awake DBS.

Structures of an all-α protein running along the DNA major groove.

Despite over 3300 protein-DNA complex structures have been reported in the past decades, there remain some unknown recognition patterns between protein and target DNA. The silkgland-specific transcription factor FMBP-1 from the silkworm Bombyx mori contains a unique DNA-binding domain of four tandem STPRs, namely the score and three amino acid peptide repeats. Here we report three structures of this STPR domain (termed BmSTPR) in complex with DNA of various lengths. In the presence of target DNA, BmSTPR adopts a zig-zag structure of three or four tandem α-helices that run along the major groove of DNA. Structural analyses combined with binding assays indicate BmSTPR prefers the AT-rich sequences, with each α-helix covering a DNA sequence of 4 bp. The successive AT-rich DNAs adopt a wider major groove, which is in complementary in shape and size to the tandem α-helices of BmSTPR. Substitutions of DNA sequences and affinity comparison further prove that BmSTPR recognizes the major groove mainly via shape readout. Multiple-sequence alignment suggests this unique DNA-binding pattern should be highly conserved for the STPR domain containing proteins which are widespread in animals. Together, our findings provide structural insights into the specific interactions between a novel DNA-binding protein and a unique deformed B-DNA.

Totally laparoscopic versus laparoscopic-assisted total gastrectomy for upper and middle gastric cancer: a single-unit experience of 253 cases with meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic-assisted total gastrectomy (LATG) is the most commonly used methods of laparoscopic gastrectomy for upper and middle gastric cancer. However, totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy (TLTG) is unpopular because reconstruction is difficult, especially for the intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy. We adopted TLTG with various types of intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy. In this study, we compared LATG and TLTG to evaluate their outcomes. METHODS: From March 2006 to September 2015, 253 patients with upper and middle gastric cancer underwent laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG), 145 patients underwent LATG, and 108 patients underwent TLTG. The clinicopathological characteristics and postoperative outcomes were retrospectively compared between the two groups. Furthermore, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted. RESULTS: The operation time and estimated blood loss were similar between the groups. There were no significant differences in first flatus, diet initiation, and postoperative hospital stay. The surgical complication rates were 17.2% (25/145) and 13.9% (15/108) in the LATG and TLTG groups, respectively. The meta-analysis also revealed no significant differences in the operation time, estimated blood loss, time to first flatus, length of hospital stay, overall, and anastomosis-related complications among the groups. CONCLUSIONS: TLTG is a feasible choice for gastric cancer patients, with comparable results to the LATG approach.

[Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of auxin-related gene families in grape].

The auxin response gene family adjusts the auxin balance and the growth hormone signaling pathways in plants. Using bioinformatics methods, the auxin-response genes from the grape genome database are identified and their chromosomal location, gene collinearity and phylogenetic analysis are performed. Probable genes include 25 AUX_IAA, 19 ARF, 9 GH3 and 42 LBD genes, which are unevenly distributed on all 19 chromosomes and some of them formed distinct tandem duplicate gene clusters. The available grape microarray databases show that all of the auxin-response genes are expressed in fruit and leaf buds, and significant overexpressed during fruit color-changing, bud break and bud dormancy periods. This paper provides a resource for functional studies of auxin-response genes in grape leaf and fruit development.

The involvement of CXCL11 in bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell migration through human brain microvascular endothelial cells.

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) transplant into the brain, where they play a potential therapeutic role in neurological diseases. However, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a native obstacle for MSCs entry into the brain. Little is known about the mechanism behind MSCs migration across the BBB. In the present study, we modeled the interactions between human MSCs (hMSCs) and human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) to mimic the BBB microenvironment. Real-time PCR analysis indicated that the chemokine CXCL11 is produced by hMSCs and the chemokine receptor CXCR3 is expressed on HBMECs. Further results indicate that CXCL11 secreted by hMSCs may interact with CXCR3 on HBMECs to induce the disassembly of tight junctions through the activation of ERK1/2 signaling in the endothelium, which promotes MSCs transendothelial migration. These findings are relevant for understanding the biological responses of MSCs in BBB environments and helpful for the application of MSCs in neurological diseases.

UV-Triggered Hydrogel Coating of the Double Network Polyelectrolytes for Enhanced Endothelialization.

The left atrial appendage (LAA) occluder is an important medical device for closing the LAA and preventing stroke. The device-related thrombus (DRT) prevents the implantation of the occluder in exerting the desired therapeutic effect, which is primarily caused by the delayed endothelialization of the occluder. Functional coatings are an effective strategy for accelerating the endothelialization of occluders. However, the occluder surface area is particularly large and structurally complex, and the device is subjected to a large shear friction in the sheath during implantation, which poses a significant challenge to the coating. Herein, a hydrogel coating by the in situ UV-triggered polymerization of double-network polyelectrolytes is reported. The findings reveal that the double network and electrostatic interactions between the networks resulted in excellent mechanical properties of the hydrogel coating. The sulfonate and Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) groups in the coating promoted hemocompatibility and endothelial growth of the occluder, respectively. The coating significantly accelerated the endothelialization of the LAA occluder in a canine model is further demonstrated. This study has potential clinical benefits in reducing both the incidence of DRT and the postoperative anticoagulant course for LAA closure.

Reliability and validity of the quality of life-Alzheimer disease Chinese version.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the quality of life-Alzheimer disease (QOL-AD) Chinese version in patients with dementia in mainland, China and to compare patient and caregiver reports of patient QOL. METHODS: The QOL-AD Chinese version was established following standard guidelines for cross-cultural adaptation of measures. The reliability was assessed by internal consistency and test-retest reliability. The validity included construct and convergent validity. A paired Student t test was performed to determine differences between patient reports and caregiver reports. RESULTS: The reliability for both patient and caregiver reports on the QOL-AD was good (Cronbach α values of 0.66 and 0.87; intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.84 and 0.90 for patient and caregiver reports, respectively). The validity of patient and caregiver reports was supported by correlation with domain measures. All of the multitrait-multimethod correlations demonstrated a high relationship between patient reports and caregiver reports, ranging from 0.26 to 0.55. The caregivers rated patient QOL significantly higher than did the patients. CONCLUSION: The findings support the use of the Chinese version of the QOL-AD as a generic instrument to measure QOL of AD in mainland China. Further research is needed to clarify the relationship between patient and caregiver reports of patient QOL.

Usefulness of cube copying in evaluating clinical profiles of patients with Parkinson disease.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the relationship between the quantitatively assessed cube-copying test (CCT) and clinical profiles of cognitive and motor ability in Chinese patients with Parkinson disease (PD). METHODS: We gave the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), which includes the CCT, to evaluate the cognitive function of 102 outpatients with PD. We also gave the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) II and III and the Hoehn-Yahr scale to evaluate the patients' motor function and disease severity, respectively. We used Maeshima's method for quantitative assessment of the CCT, and calculated CCT errors by adding incomplete connections and plane-drawing errors. We divided the patients into 2 groups based on normal (no errors) versus abnormal (≥1 errors) CCT scores. RESULTS: We found 34 patients with normal scores and 68 with abnormal scores. The 2 groups had significant differences in age of onset, MoCA score, UPDRS II and III scores, and cognitive deterioration rate. CCT errors correlated inversely with cognitive domains except for orientation. Executive function was most commonly affected in both groups. We found correlations between numbers of CCT errors and left-limb movement, fine hand movement, postural instability and gait disorders, UPDRS II and III scores, and cognitive and motor deterioration rates. CONCLUSIONS: The quantitatively assessed CCT may be useful in estimating cognitive and motor dysfunction in patients with PD, and in monitoring disease progression.

Multi-state Markov model in outcome of mild cognitive impairments among community elderly residents in Mainland China.

BACKGROUND: Although knowledge of established risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD) can logically contribute to the search for predictors of the progression of cognitive impairment, it has not yet been firmly established where in the cognitive impairment process these risk factors exert their effects and how to predict quantitatively for the progression of mild cognitive impairments (MCI) to AD. This study aimed to determine whether known risk factors increased the risk of progression from MCI to AD and to make prediction based on transition probabilities. METHODS: Based on ten examinations of 600 community-dwelling MCI residents and cognitive assessments to classify individuals into MCI, global impairment, and AD, a multi-state Markov Cox's regression model was used and the hazard ratios with their confidence intervals and transition probabilities were estimated. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis showed that gender, age, and hypertension were statistically significant predictors of transition from MCI to global impairment; age, education, and reading statistically influenced transition from global impairment to MCI; gender, age, hypertension, diabetes, and apolipoprotein E geneε4 status were statistically associated with transition from global impairment to AD. Subjects at MCI were more likely (67%) to remain in that cognitive state at the next cognitive assessment than to transition to cognitive deterioration. For global impairment, probability of remaining in the same state was only 18% and that of forward transition was three times more likely than that of backward transition. CONCLUSIONS: Known risk factors influenced differently for different transitions. Transition from global impairment was more likely to worsen to severe cognitive deterioration than transition from MCI.

Repeated lipopolysaccharide stimulation induces cellular senescence in BV2 cells.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The dual action of microglia in neurodegenerating diseases has been controversial for some time. Recent studies indicate that microglia senescence might be the key determinant. When microglia age, they function abnormally and fail to respond correctly to stimuli, which eventually promotes neurodegeneration. Accumulating evidence has shown a close relationship between inflammation and aging. Since neuroinflammation is characterized by microglia activation, we assessed if the repeated activation of microglia would lead to senescence. METHOD: The microglia cell line BV2 was repeatedly stimulated every 48 h with lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 10 ng/ml) and senescence was evaluated by ß-galactosidase staining and the presence of senescence-associated heterochromatic foci as well as by cell cycle arrest detection by flow cytometry. The senescence-associated protein p53 was also detected by Western blot. RESULTS: ß-galactosidase staining was barely detectable in control cells, while it tended to increase with repeated LPS stimulation and was positive in most cells after stimulation with LPS 6 times. Similarly, senescence-associated heterochromatic foci were most prominent in cells repeatedly stimulated with LPS, while almost undetectable in control cells or cells receiving a single stimulation. p53 expression was highest in the cells that received LPS stimulation 6 times, and the largest number of cells arrested in the G0/G1 phase was observed in this same group. CONCLUSION: Microglial cells tend to undergo senescence after repeated activation, implying that microglia senescence may start after multiple inflammatory challenges.

[Analysis of 14 elements for Jinhua bergamot by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and elemental analyser].

The content of the elements C, H, O and N in Jinhua bergamot was analysed by using Vario III elemental analyser, the bergamot sample was scanned by using X-ray fluorescence spectrometer with PW2400 wavelength dispersion, and the content of the elements Mg, Al, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Mn, Fe and Sr was analysed by using IQ+ analytical method. It turned out that the result is more ideal if the content of the elements C, H, O and N is processed as fix phase, and the analytical result is more ideal if, to prevent the sample skin from coming off, the sample is wrapped with mylar film with the film coefficient adjusted.

[Regulation of sphingosine kinase 1 in the TNF-α-induced expression of MUC5AC in airway epithelial cells].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of sphingosine kinase 1 (SphK1) on mucin (MUC)5AC overexpression under the induction of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). METHODS: The HBE16 airway epithelial cells were cultured, pretreated with SphK1-specific inhibitor DMS or transfected with SphK1 siRNA. Then each group was stimulated by a certain concentration of TNF-α. The relative contents of SphK1, COX-2, p-P38, p-ERK and IκBα were detected by Western blot while the levels of MUC5AC, PGE2 and cAMP analyzed by enzyme linked immunoassay. The transcription activities of cAMP-response-element-binding protein and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) were detected by luciferase reporter gene detection system. The mRNA expressions of SphK1 and MUC5AC were detected by RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction). And the intracellular MUC5AC protein was detected by immunofluorescence. RESULTS: The levels of protein and mRNA expression of SphK1 and MUC5AC were obviously elevated [(0.69 ± 0.12, 0.86 ± 0.07), (0.60 ± 0.09, 0.79 ± 0.05)]. They were all significantly higher than those in the control group (0.26 ± 0.03, 0.33 ± 0.04, 0.18 ± 0.06, 0.22 ± 0.10). There was an elevation of COX-2, PGE2, cAMP, p-P38, p-ERK, CREB and NF-κB activity (all P < 0.01); the production of IκBα protein was lower than that in the control group (P = 0.003). DMS decreased the levels of MUC5AC mRNA expression (0.37 ± 0.06) and protein production (0.27 ± 0.04), lowered the production of COX-2, PGE2, cAMP, p-P38 and p-ERK, inhibited the activity of CREB and NF-κB and increased the IκBα production (all P < 0.01). Transfection of SphK1 siRNA showed the similar effects as DMS (all P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: SphK1 plays an important role in regulating the MUC5AC expression under the induction of TNF-α. And the activation of critical signal factors in that process is dependent on SphK1.

Exosomes derived from mesenchymal stem cells regulate Treg/Th17 balance in aplastic anemia by transferring miR-23a-3p.

Imbalanced Th17/Treg ratio is implicated in the pathogenesis of aplastic anemia. Studies have indicated that bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes (BMSC-Exo) could correct imbalanced Th17/Treg in aplastic anemia, but the mechanism remains not fully understand. This study was designed to investigate whether BMSC-Exo regulates the Th17/Treg balance in aplastic anemia by transferring miR-23a-3p. Here, miR-23a-3p inhibitor was utilized to knockdown the expression of miR-23a-3p in BMSC-Exo. A co-culture system of CD4+ T cells from aplastic anemia patients and BMSC-Exo was used to explore the effects of BMSC-Exo on the Th17/Treg balance and the underlying mechanism in aplastic anemia. The patients with aplastic anemia exhibited Th17/Treg imbalance favoring the Th17 cells. BMSC-Exo could balance the percentage of Th17 and Treg cells in aplastic anemia, but the effects of BMSC-Exo can be eliminated when miR-23a-3p expression was silenced in BMSCs. IL-6 was a direct target of miR-23a-3p. IL-6 overexpression could abrogate BMSC-Exo-induced balance in Th17/Treg ratio. Overall, BMSC-Exo could balance Th17/Treg ratio in aplastic anemia via suppressing IL-6 expression by transferring miR-23a-3p at least in part. These data indicated miR-23a-3p may be a potential target for the treatment of aplastic anemia. Our study may provide a new idea for the therapy of the disease.

Screening and predicting progression from high-risk mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease.

Individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are clinically heterogeneous, with different risks of progression to Alzheimer's disease. Regular follow-up and examination may be time-consuming and costly, especially for MRI and PET. Therefore, it is necessary to identify a more precise MRI population. In this study, a two-stage screening frame was proposed for evaluating the predictive utility of additional MRI measurements among high-risk MCI subjects. In the first stage, the K-means cluster was performed for trajectory-template based on two clinical assessments. In the second stage, high-risk individuals were filtered out and imputed into prognosis models with varying strategies. As a result, the ADAS-13 was more sensitive for filtering out high-risk individuals among patients with MCI. The optimal model included a change rate of clinical assessments and three neuroimaging measurements and was significantly associated with a net reclassification improvement (NRI) of 0.246 (95% CI 0.021, 0.848) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) of 0.090 (95% CI - 0.062, 0.170). The ADAS-13 longitudinal models had the best discrimination performance (Optimism-corrected concordance index = 0.830), as validated by the bootstrap method. Considering the limited medical and financial resources, our findings recommend follow-up MRI examination 1 year after identification for high-risk individuals, while regular clinical assessments for low-risk individuals.

Cognitive deterioration rates in patients with Parkinson's disease from northeastern China.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Cognitive impairment (CI) is common in Parkinson's disease (PD), and the cognitive deterioration rate (CDR) is heterogeneous among PD patients. However, very few studies have reported on the association of PD features and risk factors with rapid CDR. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) is considered to be a sensitive and reliable approach to detect mild CI. In the present study, we sought to define and compare the cognitive profiles and clinical features of PD patients with slow or rapid CDRs, and then to identify the PD risk factors associated with rapid CDR. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of cognitive rate was performed using the MoCA in a cohort of 73 PD patients and 41 controls matched for age, sex and education level. RESULTS: The rapid CDR group was characterized by older age (58.8 years in slow CDR vs. 64.1 in rapid CDR; p = 0.02), later age at disease onset (52.7 vs. 61.7 years; p < 0.001), a faster deterioration rate of movement symptoms (UPDRS III increment of 12.8 vs. 5.9/year; p < 0.001), a higher rate in multiple-domain CI (38.9 vs. 10.8%), and generally lower MoCA subscores for the Clock Drawing Test, attention, verbal fluency and abstraction. According to the univariate logistic regression model, onset age, movement deterioration rate, multiple domains CI and executive function CI were risk factors for rapid CDR. However, only the movement deterioration rate (p = 0.01) and onset age (p = 0.05) remained independent predictors for rapid CDR according to the multivariate logistic regression model. CONCLUSIONS: The CI deterioration in a subset of PD patients appears to progress more rapidly. Identifying those PD patients may not only help to predict the development of PD dementia, but also facilitate therapeutic intervention at early disease stages.

[Effects of endogeny polypeptide elafin on MUC5AC overexpression in human airway epithelial cells].

OBJECTIVE: to explore the effects of endogeny polypeptide elafin on mucin (MUC) 5AC overexpression. METHODS: eukaryotic expression vector pEGFP-N1-Elafin was constructed. HBE16 cells were cultured and divided into 6 groups:a control group, a cigarette smoke extract (CSE) stimulated group, a CSE and Elafin transfected group, a CSE and pEGFP-N1 transfected group, a single elafin transfected group, and a single pEGFP-N1 transfected group. After 24 h, the protein levels of phosphorylation Jun N-terminal kinase (p-JNK), phosphorylation extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK), p-P38 and inhibitor of NF-κB (IκB)α were detected by Western blot. The transcription activities of activator protein-1(AP-1) and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) were detected by luciferase reporter gene detection system. The levels of MUC5AC protein and mRNA were detected by ELISA and RT-PCR. RESULTS: in CSE group, there was a significant increase of MUC5AC protein (0.71 ± 0.04) mg/L and mRNA expression (0.81 ± 0.04), with elevation of p-JNK production (0.55 ± 0.03) microg/mg, p-ERK production (0.64 ± 0.06) microg/mg, p-c-Jun production (0.60 ± 0.07) microg/mg, AP-1 activity (7.49 ± 0.31) and NF-κB activity (4.42 ± 0.22), all significantly higher than those in the control group (t = 4.50 - 14.28, P < 0.01), and IκBα protein production was (0.27 ± 0.03) mg/L, significantly lower than that in the control group (t = 6.82, P = 0.008). Transfected recombinant elafin reduced MUC5AC protein (0.71 ± 0.04) mg/L and mRNA level (0.81 ± 0.04), decreased p-JNK (0.38 ± 0.04) microg/mg and p-ERK (0.31 ± 0.04) µg/mg production, inhibited AP-1 activity (2.60 ± 0.19) and NF-κB activity (2.55 ± 0.21), but increased IκBα protein (0.54 ± 0.03) µg/mg, compared with single CSE-stimulated group (all P < 0.05). p-P38 showed no significant change after CSE stimulation or transfection of elafin. CONCLUSION: Endogeny polypeptide elafin may down-regulate MUC5AC overexpression, and this is through the inhibition of AP-1 and NF-κB activation via effects on mitogen-activated protein kinases and IκB pathway by Elafin.

Evaluation of right ventricular performance and impact of continuous positive airway pressure therapy in patients with obstructive sleep apnea living at high altitude.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) can lead to alterations in right ventricular (RV) performance and pulmonary vascular haemodynamics. Additionally, altitude-related hypoxia is associated with pulmonary vasoconstriction, and the effect of high-altitude on the pulmonary circulation in OSAS patients can be further altered. We sought to assess alterations in RV morphology and function in OSAS patients living at high altitude by way of 2-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE), real-time 3- dimensional echocardiography (RT-3DE) and cardiac biomarkers. We also evaluate the impact of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment on RV performance. Seventy-one patients with newly diagnosed OSAS and thirty-one controls were included in this study. All individuals were assessed for cardiac biomarkers as well as underwent 2D-STE and RT-3DE. Forty-five OSAS patients underwent CPAP therapy for at least 24 weeks and were studied before and after CPAP treatment. RT-3DE was used to measure RV volume, and calculate RV 3D ejection fraction (3D RVEF). Peak systolic strain was determined. Cardiac biomarkers, including C-reactive protein (CRP), N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, and cardiac troponin T were also measured. Right atrium volume index, RV volume, RV volume index, systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP), pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and level of serum CRP were significantly higher in OSAS group, while OSAS patients showed lower 3D RVEF and RV longitudinal strains. Compared to the patients with sPAP < 40 mmHg, RV longitudinal strains in patients with sPAP ≥ 40 mmHg were lower. Both RV global longitudinal strain and sPAP were associated with apnea-hypopnea index. Patients treated with 6 months of CPAP therapy had significant improvement in RV geometry and performance. RV structural abnormalities and RV function impairments were observed in OSAS patients living at moderate high altitude compared to control highlanders. The reversibility of these changes after application of CPAP were further confirmed.

Phorbol myristate acetate induces cellular senescence in rat microglia in vitro.

The present study aimed to establish a cellular model to test the hypothesis that oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) is triggered by aging-related activation of microglia. Primary microglia were incubated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), and ß-galactosidase (ß-Gal) staining was applied to subsequent assessment of cellular senescence. Moreover, flow cytometry was employed for examinations of cell cycle arrest and senescence-associated proteins, p53 and p21 were measured by western blotting. Furthermore, examination of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) were carried out with microglia supernatants undergoing age-related degenerative diseases in the nervous system, using ELISA. PC12 cells were co-cultured with microglia activated by aging-related alteration(s) to evaluate whether apoptosis was increased in PC12 cells. Cellular senescence-associated ß-Gal staining showed that microglial ß-Gal expression gradually increased with prolonged PMA stimulation. Microglia in the group receiving 72 h of PMA stimulation displayed the highest percentage of cells arrested in G0/G1, the highest amount of senescence-associated expression of p53 and p21, and the most prominent secretion of TNF-α and IL-1ß. In comparison with controls, an increase of apoptotic PC12 cells was detected, which were co-cultured with aging microglia. Taken together, microglia tend to undergo senescence after PMA treatment, suggesting that microglial senescence is associated with inactivation of certain oncogenes.