Dual versus Single Antiplatelet Therapy in Medically Treated Acute Myocardial Infarction Patients with Baseline Thrombocytopenia - Insights from a Multi-Institute Cohort Study.

Background: The safety and efficacy of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) in medically treated acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients with baseline thrombocytopenia (platelet count < 150 × 103/uL) are unclear. Methods: In this multi-institute retrospective cohort study, we included 468 patients with medically treated AMI with baseline thrombocytopenia and separated them into single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT) and DAPT groups according to the discharge anti-thrombotic strategy. The primary outcome was net clinical adverse events (NACEs), defined as a composite of death, ischemic events (myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, and transient ischemic attack), and major bleeding within 30 days. Results: There were 168 patients in the SAPT group (100 taking aspirin and 68 taking clopidogrel) and 300 in the DAPT group. A primary outcome occurred in 35 (24.11 per 100 patient-months) patients in the SAPT group and 39 (14.26 per 100 patient-months) patients in the DAPT group [adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 0.67; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.40-1.10; p = 0.1145]. Kaplan-Meier curves showed favorable results in the DAPT group (log-rank p = 0.0243). Bleeding events occurred in 18 (10.71 per 100 patient-months) patients in the SAPT group and 18 (6.40 per 100 patient-months) patients in the DAPT group (adjusted HR: 0.66; 95% CI: 0.32-1.36; p = 0.2573). Conclusions: DAPT versus SAPT as discharge anti-thrombotic strategy in thrombocytopenic patients with medically treated AMI did not significantly improve NACEs at 30 days. However, there was a trend towards favorable outcomes in the DAPT group. These results should be interpreted carefully with respect to the relatively limited trial population and study design.

Glycemic status and risks of thromboembolism and major bleeding in patients with atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Studies specifically examining the association between glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels and ischemic stroke/systemic thromboembolism (IS/SE) risk in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients are limited. Here, we investigated the association between HbA1c levels and the risk of IS/SE, as well as major bleeding, among AF patients with or without oral anticoagulants (OACs). We also compared the effectiveness and safety of warfarin and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in different HbA1c categories. METHODS: We utilized medical data from a multi-center healthcare provider in Taiwan, which included 34,036 AF patients with serum HbA1c data available within 3 months after AF being diagnosed. Patients were divided into seven study groups according to their HbA1c levels: < 5.4%, 5.4%-5.6%, 5.7%-5.9%, 6.0%-6.4%, 6.5%-6.9%, 7.0%-7.9%, and ≥ 8.0%. The risks of IS/SE and major bleeding were compared among the groups after adjusting for baseline stroke and bleeding risk factors. RESULTS: Compared with the patients with HbA1c level < 5.4%, IS/SE risk significantly increased at HbA1c levels higher than 6.5% [adjusted hazard ratio (HR): 1.20, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.00-1.43 for HbA1c level 6.5%-6.9%; 1.32, (95% CI 1.11-1.57) for HbA1c level 7.0%-7.9%; and 1.48 (95% CI 1.25-1.76) for HbA1c level ≥ 8.0%]. These results were generally consistent in AF patients without OACs (n = 24,931). However, among 9105 patients receiving OACs, IS/SE risk was not higher for patients having higher HbA1c levels. The risk of major bleeding was comparable across all HbA1c categories. Compared with warfarin, DOACs were associated with lower risks of IS/SE (adjusted HR: 0.61, 95% CI 0.49-0.75) and major bleeding (adjusted HR: 0.30, 95% CI 0.21-0.42) without interactions across different HbA1c categories (all P interactions > 0.05). CONCLUSION: For AF patients, IS/SE risk significantly increased once HbA1c levels exceeded 6.5%, and OACs may attenuate these associations. Compared with warfarin, DOACs were more effective and safer across broad HbA1c categories. Therefore, in addition to prescribing DOACs when indicated, more aggressive glycemic control to achieve an HbA1c level < 6.5% may be considered for eligible AF patients and should be tested in further prospective studies.

An exploratory study of dignity in dementia care.

BACKGROUND: Generally, a person with dementia may be unable to make decisions by themselves and professionals may decide what is best for them. Unfortunately, in most cases, professionals assist a person with dementia to make decisions without clear explanation or consent. Whether a person with dementia possesses dignity in routine care is an important issue. RESEARCH OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of the healthcare professionals in providing dignified dementia care in Taiwan. RESEARCH DESIGN: A qualitative, hermeneutic-phenomenological approach was conducted. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were enrolled by purpose sampling. Researchers performed in-depth interviews to reveal the essential ingredient of dignity within dementia care in Taiwan. A total of 20 cases were enrolled to achieve data saturation. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS: This study was approved by the institutional review board. Before conducting the interview, interviewees provided informed consent. FINDINGS: There were three themes and six categories that were addressed and constructed; within the themes, 23 Guidelines for Taiwan Dignified Dementia Care and 12 Principles for Dignified Dementia Care in Taiwan were developed. DISCUSSION: From the data relating to dignity in dementia care, we can develop a more independent and dignified care environment to improve the quality of life of person with dementia in Taiwan. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that dignity within dementia care was constructed by the lived experience of the healthcare professionals, as well as affected by the culture of the organizations and society at the same time.

Ex vivo human pancreatic slice preparations offer a valuable model for studying pancreatic exocrine biology.

A genuine understanding of human exocrine pancreas biology and pathobiology has been hampered by a lack of suitable preparations and reliance on rodent models employing dispersed acini preparations. We have developed an organotypic slice preparation of the normal portions of human pancreas obtained from cancer resections. The preparation was assessed for physiologic and pathologic responses to the cholinergic agonist carbachol (Cch) and cholecystokinin (CCK-8), including 1) amylase secretion, 2) exocytosis, 3) intracellular Ca2+ responses, 4) cytoplasmic autophagic vacuole formation, and 5) protease activation. Cch and CCK-8 both dose-dependently stimulated secretory responses from human pancreas slices similar to those previously observed in dispersed rodent acini. Confocal microscopy imaging showed that these responses were accounted for by efficient apical exocytosis at physiologic doses of both agonists and by apical blockade and redirection of exocytosis to the basolateral plasma membrane at supramaximal doses. The secretory responses and exocytotic events evoked by CCK-8 were mediated by CCK-A and not CCK-B receptors. Physiologic agonist doses evoked oscillatory Ca2+ increases across the acini. Supraphysiologic doses induced formation of cytoplasmic autophagic vacuoles and activation of proteases (trypsin, chymotrypsin). Maximal atropine pretreatment that completely blocked all the Cch-evoked responses did not affect any of the CCK-8-evoked responses, indicating that rather than acting on the nerves within the pancreas slice, CCK cellular actions directly affected human acinar cells. Human pancreas slices represent excellent preparations to examine pancreatic cell biology and pathobiology and could help screen for potential treatments for human pancreatitis.

Regulation of EBV LMP1-triggered EphA4 downregulation in EBV-associated B lymphoma and its impact on patients' survival.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), an oncogenic human virus, is associated with several lymphoproliferative disorders, including Burkitt lymphoma, Hodgkin disease, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD). In vitro, EBV transforms primary B cells into lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). Recently, several studies have shown that receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) play important roles in EBV-associated neoplasia. However, details of the involvement of RTKs in EBV-regulated B-cell neoplasia and malignancies remain largely unclear. Here, we found that erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular receptor A4 (EphA4), which belongs to the largest RTK Eph family, was downregulated in primary B cells post-EBV infection at the transcriptional and translational levels. Overexpression and knockdown experiments confirmed that EBV-encoded latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) was responsible for this EphA4 suppression. Mechanistically, LMP1 triggered the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway and promoted Sp1 to suppress EphA4 promoter activity. Functionally, overexpression of EphA4 prevented LCLs from proliferation. Pathologically, the expression of EphA4 was detected in EBV(-) tonsils but not in EBV(+) PTLD. In addition, an inverse correlation of EphA4 expression and EBV presence was verified by immunochemical staining of EBV(+) and EBV(-) DLBCL, suggesting EBV infection was associated with reduced EphA4 expression. Analysis of a public data set showed that lower EphA4 expression was correlated with a poor survival rate of DLBCL patients. Our findings provide a novel mechanism by which EphA4 can be regulated by an oncogenic LMP1 protein and explore its possible function in B cells. The results provide new insights into the role of EphA4 in EBV(+) PTLD and DLBCL.

Syntaxin-4 mediates exocytosis of pre-docked and newcomer insulin granules underlying biphasic glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in human pancreatic beta cells.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Of the four exocytotic syntaxins (Syns), much is now known about the role of Syn-1A (pre-docked secretory granules [SGs]) and Syn-3 (newcomer SGs) in insulin exocytosis. Some work was reported on Syn-4's role in biphasic glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS), but its precise role in insulin SG exocytosis remains unclear. In this paper we examine this role in human beta cells. METHODS: Endogenous function of Syn-4 in human islets was assessed by knocking down its expression with lentiviral single hairpin RNA (lenti-shRNA)-RFP. Biphasic GSIS was determined by islet perifusion assay. Single-cell analysis of exocytosis of red fluorescent protein (RFP)-positive beta cells (exhibiting near-total depletion of Syn-4) was by patch clamp capacitance measurements (Cm) and total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM), the latter to further assess single SG behaviour. Co-immunoprecipitations were conducted on INS-1 cells to assess exocytotic complexes. RESULTS: Syn-4 knockdown (KD) of 77% in human islets caused a concomitant reduction in cognate Munc18c expression (46%) without affecting expression of other exocytotic proteins; this resulted in reduction of GSIS in the first phase (by 42%) and the second phase (by 40%). Cm of RFP-tagged Syn-4-KD beta cells showed severe inhibition in the readily releasable pool (by 71%) and mobilisation from reserve pools (by 63%). TIRFM showed that Syn-4-KD-induced inhibition of first-phase GSIS was attributed to reduction in exocytosis of both pre-docked and newcomer SGs (which undergo minimal residence or docking time at the plasma membrane before fusion). Second-phase inhibition was attributed to reduction in newcomer SGs. Stx-4 co-immunoprecipitated Munc18c, VAMP2 and VAMP8, suggesting that these exocytotic complexes may be involved in exocytosis of pre-docked and newcomer SGs. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Syn-4 is involved in distinct molecular machineries that influence exocytosis of both pre-docked and newcomer SGs in a manner functionally redundant to Syn-1A and Syn-3, respectively; this underlies Syn-4's role in mediating portions of first-phase and second-phase GSIS.

Dual colorimetric and fluorescent sensor based on semiconducting polymer dots for ratiometric detection of lead ions in living cells.

Recently, semiconducting polymer dots (Pdots) have become a novel type of ultrabright fluorescent probes which hold great promise in biological imaging and analytical detection. Here we developed a visual sensor based on Pdots for Pb(2+) detection. We first embedded near-infrared (NIR) dyes into the matrix of poly[(9,9-dioctylfluorene)-co-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole-co-4,7-di(thiophen-2-yl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole] (PFBT-DBT) polymer and then capped the Pdots with polydiacetylenes (PDAs), in which parts of the PDAs were prefunctionalized with 15-crown-5 moieties to form Pdots. The high selectivity of these Pdots for lead ions is attributed to the formation of 2:1 15-crown-5-Pb(2+)-carboxylate sandwich complex on the Pdot surface. After Pb(2+) chelation, the conjugation system of the PDA was perturbed and strained, causing a chromatic change of the PDA from blue to red. At the same time, the encapsulated NIR dyes were liable to leach out that resulted in an emission variation of the Pdots. Accordingly, lead ions can be recognized by either color change or emission variation of the Pdots. We also loaded these nanoprobes into live HeLa cells through endocytosis, and then monitored changes in Pb(2+) levels within cells, demonstrating their utility for use in cellular and bioimaging applications. In addition, we fabricated easy-to-prepare test strips impregnated with Pdot-poly(vinyl alcohol) films to identify Pb(2+) in real samples, which proved their applicability for in situ on-site detection. Our results suggest that this Pdot-based visual sensor shows promising potential for advanced environmental and biological applications.

Bilateral Acute Proptosis as Initial Manifestation of Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

The myeloid sarcoma is an extramedullary finding of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and orbital leukemic tumors occur most commonly during the first decade of life. To our knowledge, we report the youngest patient with bilateral proptosis of both eyes as an initial manifestation of AML. This case highlights the need for peripheral blood smear and neuro-image work-up for acute proptosis in infancy. AML should be considered in the differential diagnosis of an orbital mass, even in the absence of typical leukemic symptoms.

Polydiacetylene-enclosed near-infrared fluorescent semiconducting polymer dots for bioimaging and sensing.

Semiconducting polymer dots (P-dots) recently have emerged as a new type of ultrabright fluorescent probe with promising applications in biological imaging and detection. With the increasing desire for near-infrared (NIR) fluorescing probes for in vivo biological measurements, the currently available NIR-emitting P-dots are very limited and the leaching of the encapsulated dyes/polymers has usually been a concern. To address this challenge, we first embedded the NIR dyes into the matrix of poly[(9,9-dioctylfluorene)-co-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole-co-4,7-di(thiophen-2-yl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole] (PF-BT-DBT) polymer and then enclosed the doped P-dots with polydiacetylenes (PDAs) to avoid potential leakage of the entrapped NIR dyes from the P-dot matrix. These PDA-enclosed NIR-emitting P-dots not only emitted much stronger NIR fluorescence than conventional organic molecules but also exhibited enhanced photostability over CdTe quantum dots, free NIR dyes, and gold nanoclusters. We next conjugated biomolecules onto the surface of the resulting P-dots and demonstrated their capability for specific cellular labeling without any noticeable nonspecific binding. To employ this new class of material as a facile sensing platform, an easy-to-prepare test paper, obtained by soaking the paper into the PDA-enclosed NIR-emitting P-dot solution, was used to sense external stimuli such as ions, temperature, or pH, depending on the surface functionalization of PDAs. We believe these PDA-coated NIR-fluorescing P-dots will be very useful in a variety of bioimaging and analytical applications.

Autocrine CCL3 and CCL4 induced by the oncoprotein LMP1 promote Epstein-Barr virus-triggered B cell proliferation.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) alters the regulation and expression of a variety of cytokines in its host cells to modulate host immune surveillance and facilitate viral persistence. Using cytokine antibody arrays, we found that, in addition to the cytokines reported previously, two chemotactic cytokines, CCL3 and CCL4, were induced in EBV-infected B cells and were expressed at high levels in all EBV-immortalized lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs). Furthermore, EBV latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1)-mediated Jun N-terminal protein kinase activation was responsible for upregulation of CCL3 and CCL4. Inhibition of CCL3 and CCL4 in LCLs using a short hairpin RNA approach or by neutralizing antibodies suppressed cell proliferation and caused apoptosis, indicating that autocrine CCL3 and CCL4 are required for LCL survival and growth. Importantly, significant amounts of CCL3 were detected in EBV-positive plasma from immunocompromised patients, suggesting that EBV modulates this chemokine in vivo. This study reveals the regulatory mechanism and a novel function of CCL3 and CCL4 in EBV-infected B cells. CCL3 might be useful as a therapeutic target in EBV-associated lymphoproliferative diseases and malignancies.

Rapid screening of the heterogeneity of DNA methylation by single-strand conformation polymorphism and CE-LIF in the presence of electro-osmotic flow.

DNA methylation is a complex event in epigenetic studies because of both the large CpG islands present upstream of the promoter region and the different distribution of DNA methylation despite similar methylation levels. For this reason, we proposed a fast, cost-effective method for the screening of DNA methylation based on SSCP and CE-LIF. In this study, the PCR products that were amplified from bisulfite-treated genomic DNA were denatured at 94°C, followed by immediate chilling in ice water to form the ssDNA. The ssDNA were separated by 1.5% poly(ethylene oxide) (Mavg 8 000 000 Da) in the presence of EOF according to the different conformations represented by their unique methylation states. This result demonstrated that four hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines represented a different heterogeneity of DNA methylation and could be distinguished by SSCP-CE. The results obtained from SSCP-CE also corresponded with those obtained from combined bisulfide restriction analysis and methylation-sensitive high-resolution melting analysis. Therefore, the proposed SSCP-CE method may potentially be used for rapid screening for determination of the heterogeneity of DNA methylation in further epigenetic studies and clinical diagnosis.

Relationships between Food Insecurity, Self-Efficacy, and Changes in Body Mass Index among the Youth in Taiwan: Analysis from a Longitudinal Cohort Survey.

BACKGROUND: Food insecurity is a heightened concern among economically disadvantaged youth, and it may contribute to the atypical body mass index (BMI) patterns frequently observed in this group. Self-efficacy seems to intervene in the negative impacts of contextual restraints. This study investigated the relationship between food insecurity, self-efficacy, and BMI trajectory among economically disadvantaged Taiwanese youth. METHODS: We utilized three-wave longitudinal data from the Taiwan Database of Children and Youth in Poverty. The Food Insecurity Score (FIS) assessed food insecurity with a 4-item scale measuring reduced meal frequency, hunger, skipping meals, and economic constraints. Moreover, the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) assessed self-efficacy, showcasing the ability to handle stress effectively and envision success scenarios, contributing to positive outcomes. By employing latent growth modeling, we were able to delineate the impacts of baseline food insecurity and self-efficacy on initial BMI and its subsequent growth trajectory. RESULTS: Elevated baseline FIS significantly predicted higher initial BMI (coefficient = 0.420, p = 0.042). Baseline GSES was negatively associated with initial BMI (coefficient = -0.093, p < 0.001) but positively predicted the BMI growth rate (coefficient = 0.023, p = 0.011). CONCLUSION: Enhancing self-efficacy may be an effective multidisciplinary intervention to address psychosocial and socioeconomic factors when tackling weight problems in vulnerable youth groups.

Tracking Ca2+ Dynamics in NOD Mouse Islets During Spontaneous Diabetes Development.

The mechanisms accounting for the functional changes of α- and ß-cells over the course of type 1 diabetes (T1D) development are largely unknown. Permitted by our established technology of high spatiotemporal resolution imaging of cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]c) dynamics on fresh pancreas tissue slices, we tracked the [Ca2+]c dynamic changes, as the assessment of function, in islet α- and ß-cells of female nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice during the development of spontaneous diabetes. We showed that, during the phases of islet inflammation, 8 mmol/L glucose-induced synchronized short [Ca2+]c events in ß-cells were diminished, whereas long [Ca2+]c events were gradually more triggerable at substimulatory 4 and 6 mmol/L glucose. In the islet destruction phase, the synchronized short [Ca2+]c events in a subset of ß-cells resumed at high glucose condition, while the long [Ca2+]c events were significantly elevated already at substimulatory glucose concentrations. In the α-cells, the glucose sensitivity of the [Ca2+]c events persisted throughout the course of T1D development. At the late islet destruction phase, the α-cell [Ca2+]c events exhibited patterns of synchronicity. Our work has uncovered windows of functional recovery in ß-cells and potential α-cells functional synchronization in NOD mice over the course of T1D development. ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS: In NOD mice ß-cells, 8 mmol/L glucose-induced synchronized short [Ca2+]c events diminish in the early phases of islet inflammation, and long Ca2+ events became more sensitive to substimulatory 4 and 6 mmol/L glucose. In the late islet destruction phase, the synchronized short [Ca2+]c events in a subset of ß-cells resumed at 8 mmol/L glucose, while the long Ca2+ events were significantly elevated at substimulatory glucose concentrations. In the α-cells, the glucose sensitivity of the [Ca2+]c events persisted throughout the course of type 1 diabetes development. α-Cell [Ca2+]c events occasionally synchronize in the islets with severe ß-cell destruction.

Association of Echocardiographic Parameter E/e' With Cardiovascular Events in a Diverse Population of Inpatients and Outpatients With and Without Cardiac Diseases and Risk Factors.

BACKGROUND: The echocardiographic parameter E/e' has been associated with cardiovascular (CV) events. However, few studies have analyzed multiple associated CV outcomes using E/e' in a diverse population of both inpatients and outpatients with and without cardiac diseases and risk factors. METHODS: Medical records of 75,393 patients without atrial fibrillation (AF) with first available E/e' were retrieved from our hospital database. Patients with mitral valve disease were excluded, and the remainder were studied in protocol 1 (70,819 patients). Patients with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, CV diseases, prior CV events, CV surgeries, and left ventricular ejection fraction <50% or missing left ventricular ejection fraction were further excluded, and the remaining patients were studied in protocol 2 (14,665 patients). The study outcomes are major adverse CV events (MACE), which included myocardial infarction (MI), AF, ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke (IHS), hospitalization for heart failure (HHF), and cardiac death. The primary outcomes were MACE and each of the MACE components. RESULTS: At the end of maximal 5-year follow-up (median 22.18 months with interquartile range 7.20-49.08 months for MACE in protocol 1 and 23.46 months with interquartile range 8.15-49.02 months for MACE in protocol 2), compared with an E/e' value of <8, an intermediate value of E/e' 8 to 15 and a high value of E/e' >15 were significantly associated with MACE, MI, AF, IHS, HHF, and cardiac death in protocol 1 (all P < .0001). In protocol 2, an intermediate E/e' value of 8 to 15 and a high value of E/e' >15 were significantly associated with MACE, MI, AF, IHS, HHF, and CV death (all P < .05), except an intermediate value E/e' 8 to 15 was not associated with AF. CONCLUSIONS: In a diverse population of inpatients and outpatients with and without cardiac diseases and risk factors, the echocardiographic parameter E/e' was associated with CV events and is a useful marker of risk.

Unperturbed islet α-cell function examined in mouse pancreas tissue slices.

Critical investigation into α-cell biology in health and diabetes has been sparse and at times inconsistent because of the technical difficulties with employing conventional strategies of isolated islets and dispersed single cells. An acute pancreas slice preparation was developed to overcome the enzymatic and mechanical perturbations inherent in conventional islet cell isolation procedures. This preparation preserves intra-islet cellular communication and islet architecture in their in situ native state. α-Cells within tissue slices were directly assessed by patch pipette and electrophysiologically characterized. The identity of the patched cells was confirmed by biocytin dye labelling and immunocytochemistry. α-Cells in mouse pancreas slices exhibited well-described features of I(Na) (excitable at physiological membrane potential), I(KATP), small cell size, low resting membrane conductance, and inducible low and high voltage-activated I(Ca), the latter correlating with exocytosis determined by capacitance measurements. In contrast to previous reports, our large unbiased sampling of α-cells revealed a wide range distribution of all of these parameters, including the amount of K(ATP) conductance, Na+ and Ca2+ current amplitudes, and capacitance changes induced by a train of depolarization pulses. The proposed pancreas slice preparation in combination with standard patch-clamping technique allowed large sampling and rapid assessment of α-cells, which revealed a wide distribution in α-cell ion channel properties. This specific feature explains the apparent inconsistency of previous reports on these α-cell ion channel properties. Our innovative approach will enable future studies into elucidating islet α-cell dysregulation occurring during diabetes.

Evaluation of Antibacterial Effects of Matrix-Induced Silver Ions against Antibiotic-Resistant ESKAPE Pathogens.

Recently, drug-resistant bacterial infections, especially ESKAPE pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp.), have become a critical health issue worldwide, highlighting the emerging need for novel antibacterial agents. In this study, silver nanoparticles were extracted from silver-containing mesoporous bioactive glass (MBG-Ag) using four different matrixes, including water, phosphate buffer saline (PBS), tryptic soy broth (TSB), and taurine (Tau). The inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) results demonstrated that the silver concentration of Tau-Ag was the highest among the four matrixes. The Tau-Ag was also observed to have 87.35% silver ions in its X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS) spectra. The micrograph of transmission electron microscope (TEM) displayed a uniform distribution of silver nanoparticles, which was confined in a smaller size compared to that in TSB-Ag. Moreover, the peak shifts observed in the Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) spectrum implied that the -SO32- and -NH groups in taurine may interact with silver. A low cytotoxicity was noted for Tau-Ag, with approximately 70% of cells surviving at 0.63 mg/mL. Compared to the other three matrix-induced silver agents, Tau-Ag represented a better antibacterial effect against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 0.63 mg/mL and a postponed growth of 0.31 mg/mL observed. Further antibacterial examinations illustrated the presence of remarkable antibacterial activities against vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus feacium, carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, and carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Given our observations and multiple bioactive functions of taurine (prevent patients from inflammation and oxidative-stress injuries), we anticipate that taurine matrix-induced silver ions would be a biomedical material with a high potential for combatting drug-resistant ESKAPE pathogens.

Dual Mode of Action of Acetylcholine on Cytosolic Calcium Oscillations in Pancreatic Beta and Acinar Cells In Situ.

Cholinergic innervation in the pancreas controls both the release of digestive enzymes to support the intestinal digestion and absorption, as well as insulin release to promote nutrient use in the cells of the body. The effects of muscarinic receptor stimulation are described in detail for endocrine beta cells and exocrine acinar cells separately. Here we describe morphological and functional criteria to separate these two cell types in situ in tissue slices and simultaneously measure their response to ACh stimulation on cytosolic Ca2+ oscillations [Ca2+]c in stimulatory glucose conditions. Our results show that both cell types respond to glucose directly in the concentration range compatible with the glucose transporters they express. The physiological ACh concentration increases the frequency of glucose stimulated [Ca2+]c oscillations in both cell types and synchronizes [Ca2+]c oscillations in acinar cells. The supraphysiological ACh concentration further increases the oscillation frequency on the level of individual beta cells, inhibits the synchronization between these cells, and abolishes oscillatory activity in acinar cells. We discuss possible mechanisms leading to the observed phenomena.

Safety and Effectiveness of Direct Oral Anticoagulants vs. Warfarin in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation and Endoscopy-Diagnosed Peptic Ulcer.

Background: Patients with active peptic ulcer (PU) were excluded from direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) trials for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). This study evaluated the safety and effectiveness of DOACs in AF patients with active, inactive and no peptic ulcer (PU). Methods: This study accessed electronic medical records from January 1, 2009 to May 31, 2019 at a multi-center healthcare provider in Taiwan and involved 2,955 AF patients who had undergone esophagogastroduodenoscopy ≤ 1 year before anticoagulation. Subjects were classified into 3 groups: active (n = 237), inactive (n = 828) and no-PU (n = 1,890) groups. We compared the risks of major bleeding, gastrointestinal bleeding, and ischemic stroke/systemic embolism (IS/SE) between DOACs and warfarin among the 3 groups. Results: In the active PU group, there were no significant differences in the risks of major bleeding [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.65, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.08-4.98, p = 0.676], gastrointestinal bleeding (HR = 0.65, 95% CI 0.08-4.98, p = 0.676) and IS/SE (HR = 2.58; 95% CI 0.53-12.70, p = 0.243) between DOAC and warfarin (as the reference). In the inactive PU group, there were no significant differences in the risks of major bleeding (HR = 0.36, 95% CI 0.09-1.39, p = 0.138), gastrointestinal bleeding (HR = 0.21, 95% CI 0.02-1.80, p = 0.153), and IS/SE (HR = 1.04, 95% CI 0.39-2.82, p = 0.934) between DOAC and warfarin (as the reference). In the no-PU group, DOACs were associated with lower risk of major bleeding (HR = 0.26, 95% CI 0.12-0.53, p < 0.001), gastrointestinal bleeding (HR = 0.25, 95% CI 0.01-0.59, p = 0.002), and similar risk of IS/SE (HR = 0.92, 95% CI 0.55-1.54, p = 0.757) compared to warfarin. Conclusions: DOACs were as effective as warfarin in preventing IS/SE irrespective of PU status and safer than warfarin in reducing major bleeding in the no-PU group. In patients with active or inactive PUs, DOAC and warfarin were not significantly different in their effects on major bleeding or gastrointestinal bleeding.

Copper(I)-Catalyzed Nitrile-Addition/N-Arylation Ring-Closure Cascade: Synthesis of 5,11-Dihydro-6H-indolo[3,2-c]quinolin-6-ones as Potent Topoisomerase-I Inhibitors.

In this paper, we present a copper(I)-catalyzed nitrile-addition/N-arylation ring-closure cascade for the synthesis of 5,11-dihydro-6H-indolo[3,2-c]quinolin-6-ones from 2-(2-bromophenyl)-N-(2-cyanophenyl)acetamides. Using CuBr and t-BuONa in dimethylformamide (DMF) as the optimal reaction conditions, the cascade reaction gave the target products, in high yields, with a good substrate scope. Application of the cascade reaction was demonstrated on the concise total syntheses of alkaloid isocryptolepine. Further optimization of the products from the cascade reaction led to 3-chloro-5,12-bis[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]-5,12-dihydro-6H-[1,3]dioxolo[4',5':5,6]indolo[3,2-c]quinolin-6-one (2k), which exhibited the characteristic DNA topoisomerase-I inhibitory mechanism of action with potent in vitro anticancer activity. Compound 2k actively inhibited ARC-111- and SN-38-resistant HCT-116 cells and showed in vivo activity in mice bearing human HCT-116 and SJCRH30 xenografts. The interaction of 2k with the Top-DNA cleavable complex was revealed by docking simulations to guide the future optimization of 5,11-dihydro-6H-indolo[3,2-c]quinolin-6-ones as topoisomerase-I inhibitors.

A novel technique for closed-chamber iridodialysis repair.

PURPOSE: We introduce a novel technique for closed chamber iridodialysis repair. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We use a 2.8-mm paracentesis knife to penetrate into the anterior chamber and create interrupted incisions in the sclera. The wounds are 1.5 mm distant from the limbus, at consistent 2.8-mm intervals along the dialysis area. After injecting viscocohesive ophthalmic viscosurgical device through a side port to relieve the synechia and to push the iris toward the incisions, the iris is then grasped by Kelman forceps through the sclera, dragged carefully, and incarcerated. After adjusting the tension of the iris according to the pupil shape, the sclera and the incarcerated iris tissue were sutured together with 10-0 nylon. RESULTS: The technique was effective in six patients with traumatic iridodialysis. CONCLUSION: Our surgical technique repairs the iris, restores the shape of pupil, as well as avoids creating a large incision in the limbus in patients suffering from iridodialysis.