Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy combined with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and Brugada-pattern electrocardiographic changes: A case report.

Spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA) is a rare X-linked recessive neurodegenerative disorder caused by the excessive expansion of cytosine-adenine-guanine repeat sequences in the androgen receptor gene encoded on the Xq11-12 chromosome. SBMA primarily affects adult males and is characterized by weakness and atrophy of the proximal limb muscles, often involving the bulbar muscles. In addition to neuromuscular deficits, nonneuronal symptoms such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and liver dysfunction are often observed in patients with SBMA. Previous studies have suggested that SBMA patients have been diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), while gene detection is lacked. Moreover, according to current reports, SBMA patients can carry Brugada syndrome or HCM respectively, while three kinds of diseases have not been reported to exist in the same patient. Here, we report the first case of a male diagnosed with SBMA combined with HCM and two types of Brugada-pattern electrocardiographic changes, with a heterozygous missense mutation in the TTN gene.

Combining CHA2DS2-VASc score into RCRI for prediction perioperative cardiovascular outcomes in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery: a retrospective pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Treatment decisions in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery are based on clinical assessment. The Revised Cardiac Risk Index (RCRI) is pragmatic and widely used but has only moderate discrimination. We aimed to test the efficacy of the CHA2DS2-VASc score and the combination of CHA2DS2-VASc and RCRI to predict perioperative risks for non-cardiac surgery. METHODS: This pre-specified analysis was performed in a retrospective cohort undergoing intra-abdominal surgery in our center from July 1st, 2007 to June 30th, 2008. The possible association between the baseline characteristics (as defined by CHA2DS2-VASc and RCRI) and the primary outcome of composite perioperative cardiac complications (myocardial infarction, cardiac ischemia, heart failure, arrhythmia, stroke, and/or death) and secondary outcomes of individual endpoints were explored using multivariate Logistic regression. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (C-statistic) was used for RCRI, CHA2DS2-VASc, and the combined models, and the net reclassification improvement (NRI) was calculated to assess the additional discriminative ability. RESULTS: Of the 1079 patients (age 57.5 ± 17.0 years), 460 (42.6%) were women. A total of 83 patients (7.7%) reached the primary endpoint. Secondary outcomes included 52 cardiac ischemic events, 40 myocardial infarction, 20 atrial fibrillation, 18 heart failure, four strokes, and 30 deaths. The endpoint events increased with the RCRI and CHA2DS2-VASc grade elevated (P < 0.05 for trend). The RCRI showed a moderate predictive ability with a C-statistics of 0.668 (95%CI 0.610-0.725) for the composite cardiac outcome. The C-statistics for the CHA2DS2-VASc was 0.765 (95% CI 0.709-0.820), indicating better performance than the RCRI (p = 0.011). Adding the CHA2DS2-VASc to the RCRI further increased the C-statistic to 0.774(95%CI 0.719-0.829), improved sensitivity, negative predictive value, and enhanced reclassification in reference to RCRI. Similar performance of the combined scores was demonstrated in the analysis of individual secondary endpoints. The best cut-off of a total of 4 scores was suggested for the combined CHA2DS2-VASc and RCRI in the prediction of the perioperative cardiac outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The CHA2DS2-VASc score significantly enhanced risk assessment for the composite perioperative cardiovascular outcome in comparison to traditional RCRI risk stratification. Incorporation of CHA2DS2-VASc scores into clinical-decision making to improve perioperative management in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery warrants consideration.

Cast-In-Situ, Large-Sized Monolithic Silica Xerogel Prepared in Aqueous System.

This paper reports the preparation of cast-in-situ, large-sized monolithic silica xerogels by a two-step acid⁻base catalyzed approach under ambient pressure drying. Low-cost industrial silica sol and deionized water were used as the silicon source and the solvent, respectively. Hexadecetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) was used as a modification agent. Different amounts of polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG400) was added as a pore-forming agent. The prepared silica xerogels under ambient pressure drying have a mesoporous structure with a low density of 221 mg·cm-3 and a thermal conductivity of 0.0428 W·m-1·K-1. The low-cost and facile preparation process, as well as the superior performance of the monolithic silica xerogels make it a promising candidate for industrial thermal insulation materials.

Silica Aerogel Monoliths Derived from Silica Hydrosol with Various Surfactants.

Owing to their ultra-low thermal conductivity, silica aerogels are promising thermal insulators; however, their extensive application is limited by their high production cost. Thus, scientists have started to explore low-cost and easy preparation processes of silica aerogels. In this work, a low-cost method was proposed to prepare silica aerogels with industrial silica hydrosol and a subsequent ambient pressure drying (APD) process. Various surfactants (cationic, amphoteric, or anionic) were added to avoid solvent exchange and surface modification during the APD process. The effects of various surfactants on the microstructure, thermal conductivity, and thermal stability of the silica aerogels were studied. The results showed that the silica aerogels prepared with a cationic or anionic surfactant have better thermal stability than that prepared with an amphoteric surfactant. After being heated at 600 °C, the silica aerogel prepared with a cationic surfactant showed the highest specific surface area of 131 m²âˆ™g-1 and the lowest thermal conductivity of 0.038 W∙m-1∙K-1. The obtained low-cost silica aerogel with low thermal conductivity could be widely applied as a thermal insulator for building and industrial energy-saving applications.

Genetic polymorphisms of UTS2 rs2890565 Ser89Asn in cardiac hypertrophy in Chinese Han population.

OBJECTIVE: Cardiac hypertrophy is the heart's response to a variety of extrinsic and intrinsic stimuli, some of which might finally lead up to a maladaptive state. Clinical evidence, in vitro and in vivo studies have implicated urotensin II (U-II/UTS2) in the development of cardiac hypertrophy, contributing to the (patho)-physiological regulation of cardiovascular homeostasis in humans. Several genes are associated with left ventricular hypertrophy; considering these, our objective was to evaluate the possible role of UTS2 gene polymorphisms (Thr21Met and Ser89Asn) in the genetic susceptibility to cardiac hypertrophy in a Chinese population. METHODS: A case-control study was designed to compare the distribution of alleles and genotypes between three groups: case group 1 (subjects with hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy, n=265), case group 2 (subjects with hypertension, without cardiac hypertrophy, n=768), and the control group (subjects neither with hypertension nor with cardiac hypertrophy, n=416). The detection of UTS2 gene polymorphisms was achieved with the PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism technique. RESULTS: We did not identify statistically significant differences between the three groups, neither with regard to the frequency of genotype/variant at the Ser89Asn locus nor at the Thr21Met locus. When stratified by sex, differences in genotype distribution of polymorphism Ser89Asn were only seen in female subjects in both the additive tested inheritance model (OR=0.507, 95% CI 0.249 to 1.032, p=0.032) and the recessive tested inheritance model (OR=0.475, 95% CI 0.239 to 0.945, p=0.034) between case group 2 (subjects with hypertension, without cardiac hypertrophy) and the control group (subjects neither with hypertension nor with cardiac hypertrophy). When stratified by sex, for female subjects with cardiac hypertrophy, we identified statistically significant differences in left ventricular posterior wall thickness for variant genotypes at the Ser89Asn locus (AA vs GG: 1.2500 (1.2000, 1.3750) vs 1.2500 (1.2000, 1.3750), p=0.03) and (AG+AA vs GG: 1.2000 (1.2000, 1.3000) vs 1.2000 (1.1000, 1.2000), p=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Ser89Asn (S89N) polymorphisms of the UTS2 gene were associated with hypertension in a Chinese female population. Additionally, we demonstrated that genotype Asn89Asn was associated with left ventricular posterior wall thickness for subjects with hypertension and cardiac hypertrophy in a Chinese female population.

Role of UTS2 gene in the genetic susceptibility to atrial fibrillation in the Chinese population.

OBJECTIVE: Atrial fibrosis plays a key role in the inducibility and persistence of atrial fibrillation. Urotensin II (U-II/UTS2) induces cardiac fibrosis by increasing fibroblast collagen synthesis and increased U-II plasma levels have been reported in patients with atrial fibrosis. Our objective was therefore to evaluate the possible role of the UTS2 gene polymorphisms Thr21Met and Ser89Asn in the genetic susceptibility to atrial fibrillation in a Chinese population. METHODS: A case-control study was designed to compare the distribution of alleles and genotypes between controls (n=197) and patients with AF (n=197). The detection of UTS2 gene polymorphisms was undertaken using the PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique. RESULTS: We identified statistically significant differences between the atrial fibrillation and control groups with regard to the frequency of genotype variant GA at the Ser89Asn locus (OR 1.955, 95% CI 1.071 to 3.566, p=0.029). When stratified by sex, differences in genotype distribution of polymorphism Ser89Asn was only seen in men in the additive tested inheritance model (OR 2.843, 95% CI 1.273 to 6.348, p=0.011). There was a statistical difference in Met21Met, implying a potential beneficial role for atrial fibrillation in the recessive tested inheritance model among men (OR 0.260, 95% CI 0.075 to 0.89, p=0.033; AA vs GA-GG). For subjects with atrial fibrillation, the Met21Met genotype was associated with a larger anteroposterior left atrial diameter (AA vs GG, 4.12±0.62 vs 3.86±0.51, p=0.028) and a smaller left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (AA vs GG, 4.50±0.48 vs 4.78±0.49, p=0.039). CONCLUSIONS: Ser89Asn polymorphisms of the UTS2 gene are significantly associated with atrial fibrillation in the Chinese population. Additionally, we demonstrated that genotype Met21Met may have a potential beneficial role in atrial fibrillation.

Synthesis of stable isotopically labelled 3-methylfuran-2(5H)-one and the corresponding strigolactones.

Conventional synthetic procedures of strigolactones (SLs) involve the independent synthesis of ring ABC and ring D, followed by a coupling of the two fragments. Here we prepared three kinds of stable, isotopically labelled D-ring analogues productively using a facile protocol. Then, a coupling of the D-rings to ring ABC produced three isotope-labelled SL derivatives. Moreover, (+)-D3-2'-epi-1A and (-)-ent-D3-2'-epi-1A with high enantiomeric purity were obtained via chiral resolution.

[Left atrial size predicts adverse cardiac events in patients with non-obstruction hypertrophic cardiomyopathy].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between left atrial size and the risk of cardiac events in patients with non-obstruction hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. METHODS: In the study, 39 patients who met inclusion criteria were followed up for (28.0±7.7) months. The patients were divided into two groups with or without major adverse cardiac events (a composite of arrhythmia, angina, syncope and congestive heart failure). Clinical and echocardiographic data of the two groups were compared. The predictive value of left atrial diameter (LAD) and left atrial volume index (LAVI) were reviewed by using receive operating characteristic curve (ROC). The events analysis was performed by using the Kaplan-Meier analysis. RESULTS: Cardiac events occurred in 11 patients (28.2%). LAD, LAD index (LADI), LAV and LAVI were significantly greater in the patients with cardiac events than those without cardiac events [LAD: (4.28±0.63) cm vs. (3.85±0.48) cm, P=0.025; LADI: (0.048 9±0.011 1) cm/m(2) vs. (0.040 8±0.005 8) cm/m(2), P=0.005; LAV: (60.8±16.2) mL vs. (46.2±14.0) mL, P=0.008; LAVI: (66.5±23.8) mL/m(2) vs. (49.6±15.9) mL/m(2), P=0.014]. An LAD of >4.29 cm identified patients with cardiac events with a sensitivity of 63.6% and a specificity of 89.3%. An LAVI of >53.1 mL/m(2) identified patients with cardiac events with a sensitivity of 72.7% and a specificity of 71.4%. The Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that the patients with LAD>4.29 cm or LAVI>53.1 mL/m(2) had higher incidence of cardiac events. CONCLUSION: LAD and LAVI may be effective markers for predicting adverse cardiac events in patients with non-obstruction hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Intrinsically reactive hyperbranched interface governs graphene oxide dispersion and crosslinking in epoxy for enhanced flame retardancy.

Enhancing the flame retardancy of epoxy (EP) resins typically entailed a trade-off with other physical properties. Herein, hyperbranched poly(amidoamine) (HPAA) and phytic acid (PA) were used to functionalize graphene oxide (GO) via electrostatic self-assembly in water to prepare a phosphorus-nitrogen functionalized graphene oxide nanosheet (PN-GOs), which could be utilized as high efficient flame-retardant additive of epoxy resin without sacrificing other properties. The PN-GOs demonstrated improved dispersion and compatibility within the EP matrix, which resulted in significant concurrent enhancements in both the mechanical performance and flame-retardant properties of the PN-GOs/EP nanocomposites over virgin EP. Notably, the incorporation of just 1.0 wt% PN-GOs yielded a 20.4, 6.4 and 42.7 % increases in flexural strength, flexural modulus and impact strength for the PN-GOs/EP nanocomposites, respectively. Furthermore, simultaneous reductions were achieved in the peak heat release rate (pHRR) by 60.0 %, total smoke production (TSP) by 43.0 %, peak CO production rate (pCOP) by 57.9 %, and peak CO2 production rate (pCO2P) by 63.9 %. This study presented a facile method for the design of GO-based nano flame retardants, expanding their application potential in polymer-matrix composites.

Effectiveness and safety of ivabradine in Chinese patients with chronic heart failure: an observational study.

AIMS: A therapeutic strategy for chronic heart failure (HF) is to lower resting heart rate (HR). Ivabradine is a well-known HR-lowering agent, but limited prospective data exist regarding its use in Chinese patients. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of ivabradine in Chinese patients with chronic HF. METHODS AND RESULTS: This multicentre, single-arm, prospective, observational study enrolled Chinese patients with chronic HF. The primary outcome was change from baseline in HR at 1 and 6 months, measured by pulse counting. Effectiveness was also evaluated using laboratory tests, the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) clinical summary score (CSS) and overall summary score (OSS), and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class. Treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) were assessed. A post hoc analysis examined the effectiveness and safety of ivabradine combined with an angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) or beta-blocker. A total of 1003 patients were enrolled [mean age 54.4 ± 15.0 years, 773 male (77.1%), mean baseline HR 88.5 ± 11.3 b.p.m., mean blood pressure 115.7/74.4 ± 17.2/12.3 mmHg, mean left ventricular ejection fraction 30.9 ± 7.6%, NYHA Classes III and IV in 48.8% and 22.0% of patients, respectively]. HR decreased by a mean of 12.9 and 16.1 b.p.m. after 1 and 6 months, respectively (both P < 0.001). At Month 6, improvements in the KCCQ CSS and OSS of ≥5 points were observed in 72.1% and 74.1% of patients, respectively (both P < 0.001). Left ventricular ejection fraction increased by 12.1 ± 11.6 (P < 0.001), and 66.7% of patients showed improvement in NYHA class (P < 0.001). At Month 6, the overall proportion of patients in NYHA Classes III and IV was reduced to 13.5% and 2.1%, respectively. Serum brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal pro-BNP changed by -331.9 ng/L (-1238.6, -134.0) and -1113.8 ng/L (-2202.0, -297.2), respectively (P < 0.001). HR reductions and improvements in NYHA and KCCQ scores with ivabradine were similar with and without use of ARNIs or beta-blockers. Of 498 TEAEs in 296 patients (29.5%), 73 TEAEs in 55 patients (5.5%) were considered related to ivabradine [most frequent sinus bradycardia (n = 7) and photopsia (n = 7)]. TEAEs were reported in a similar number of patients in ARNI and beta-blocker subgroups (21.9-35.6%). CONCLUSIONS: Ivabradine treatment reduced HR and improved cardiac function and health-related quality of life in Chinese patients with chronic HF. Benefits were seen irrespective of whether or not patients were also taking ARNIs or beta-blockers. Treatment was well tolerated with a similar profile to previous ivabradine studies.

Plasma levels and potential roles of catestatin in patients with coronary heart disease.

OBJECTIVES: Catestatin (CST) is a new endogenous neuropeptide with a potent catecholamine release-inhibitory activity. This study was to investigate plasma CST levels in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and to determine the clinical significance of plasma CST in cardiovascular events. METHODS: A total of 120 CHD patients and 30 age/sex-matched healthy subjects were enrolled. Plasma CST level was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and norepinephrine (NE) level was measured using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Clinical and laboratory data during hospitalization were collected, and a follow-up of 1045 days was carried out. RESULTS: Compared with controls, CHD patients had significantly higher plasma CST and NE levels on admission. ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients had higher CST levels than angina pectoris patients had, but CST/NE ratios were unchanged among controls and different CHD subgroups. Plasma NE was the only independent factor associated with CST. As a dichotomous variable divided by the median value, plasma CST on admission was not associated with adverse cardiovascular events. CONCLUSIONS: Plasma CST level was positively correlated with that of NE and was elevated in parallel with that of NE in the different myocardial ischemia states. Plasma CST on admission was neither associated with adverse cardiac events nor was there any significant relationship between plasma CST and onset of new cardiovascular events. The pathophysiological role of CST in CHD needs further studies.

Urotensin II promotes the production of LTC4 in rat aortic adventitial fibroblasts through NF-κB-5-LO pathway by p38 MAPK and ERK activations.

Adventitia is the outer part of the arterial wall where the inflammatory response often occurs. Urotensin II (UII) is a potent vasoconstrictive peptide that also promotes the inflammatory process in patients with cardiovascular disease. Leukotriene C4 (LTC4), a lipid mediator, was recently found to play a role in the inflammatory process in the artery. We hypothesized that the adventitia is one of the resources of LTC4 and that UII may promote LTC4 production through the 5-LO (5-lipoxygenase) pathway in adventitial fibroblasts. Rat adventitial fibroblasts were isolated and incubated in serum-free medium with either UII alone or in combination with inhibitors of p38 MAPK, ERK, and UII receptors. The expression of 5-LO was detected using real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. The translocation and binding activity of nuclear factor (NF)-κB were measured using immunofluorescence and electrophoretic mobility shift assay, respectively. The production of LTC4 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results indicated that: (1) adventitial fibroblasts were a source of LTC4 production; (2) UII increased the expression of the 5-LO mRNA and the protein by NF-κB activation through p38 MAPK and ERK pathways; and (3) UII promoted the LTC4 release in fibroblasts through the 5-LO pathway by p38 MAPK and ERK activations. The 5-LO pathway mediates LTC4 production, which may be a new mechanism in the pathogenesis of the vascular adventitial inflammation caused by UII.

Plasma catestatin level in patients with acute myocardial infarction and its correlation with ventricular remodelling.

BACKGROUND: The evaluation of ventricular remodelling and functional recovery is essential in predicting the prognosis of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). OBJECTIVE: To determine the plasma catestatin level in patients with AMI, and investigate the association between plasma catestatin and heart function, and with left ventricular remodelling (LVR). METHODS: Fifty-eight consecutive patients who were admitted within 12 h of the onset of their ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction symptoms between 1 October 2009 and 30 June 2011 were prospectively recruited. Circulating catestatin was measured by ELISA. All patients underwent an echocardiography examination during the first week; 31 patients had a second echocardiography examination 3 months after the myocardial infarction. RESULTS: Plasma catestatin at the time of admission was significantly higher in patients than in normal controls. The level increased further in the first week after AMI. Three months after AMI, the plasma catestatin level of patients was comparable to that of normal controls. The plasma level of catestatin correlated with anterior AMI and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in the acute stage. Compared with patients without LVR, those with LVR had significantly higher level of plasma brain natriuretic peptide on day 7 and a significantly higher level of plasma catestatin on admission and on days 3 and 7 (p=0.033, p=0.001, p=0.006, p=0.021, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Plasma catestatin levels were raised after AMI. An early increase of catestatin correlated with anterior AMI and LVEF. Plasma catestatin after the onset of AMI might be associated with the magnitude of progressive ventricular remodelling 3 months after AMI.

[Plasma osteopontin level and left ventricular remodeling in patients with acute myocardial infarction].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the change of plasma osteopontin level during the progress of acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, as well as its association with the left ventricular remodeling and prognosis. METHODS: In the study, 61 patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction were recruited. Blood samples were taken at admission, on the 3rd day and 7th day of admission, while 63 healthy blood donors were employed as normal controls. There plasma osteopontin levels were measured by ELSIA. RESULTS: Compared with the normal controls, the plasma osteopontin levels of the patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction were significantly higher at admission [(96.51±37.22) µg/L vs. (54.50±28.17) µ g/L, P<0.001], reached the peak value on the 3rd day, and dropped down on the 7th day. The correlation analysis showed that the plasma osteopontin level positively correlated with age and left ventricular end-systolic volume index 3 months after acute myocardial infarction, and negatively correlated with left ventricular ejection fraction 3 months after acute myocardial infarction. The follow-up study found that the plasma osteopontin level did not predict mortality, re-infarction, stroke, revascularization or hospitalization due to heart failure. CONCLUSION: In patients with acute ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, the elevated plasma level of osteopontin might be associated with the left ventricular remodeling.

[Analysis of perioperative cardiovascular events and related risk factors in patients undergoing intraperitoneal surgery].

OBJECTIVES: To investigate incidence of perioperative cardiovascular events, to analyze related risk factors for the patients undergoing intraperitoneal surgery. METHODS: The data of 1079 patients who underwent intraperitoneal surgery (exclude laparoscope surgery) from July 2007 to June 2008 was reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS: For the patients undergoing intraperitoneal surgery, the incidence of major cardiovascular events was 3.99% (43/1079), all-cause mortality was 1.58% (17/1079). The independent risk factors of major cardiovascular events were age ≥ 60 years, history of coronary heart disease, cardiac insufficiency, arrhythmia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) < 60 ml/(min·1.73 m(2)), emergency surgery and duration of surgery > 2.82 h (OR = 2.68 to 5.19, P = 0.001 to 0.031). CONCLUSIONS: The cardiac risk of intraperitoneal surgery is 3.99%. The risk of cardiac complications should be evaluated in elderly patients and those with ischaemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and renal disease, more specifically, when emergent or long duration major surgeries are needed.

Multiple interactions steered high affinity toward PFAS on ultrathin layered rare-earth hydroxide nanosheets: Remediation performance and molecular-level insights.

The global occurrence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in aquatic systems has raised concerns about their adverse effects on ecosystems and human health. Adsorption is a promising technique for the remediation of PFAS, yet effective adsorbents with rapid uptake kinetics and high adsorption capacity are still in high demand, and molecular-level understanding of the interfacial adsorption mechanisms is lacking. In this study, we developed a superior layered rare-earth hydroxide (LRH) adsorbent, ultrathin Y2(OH)4.86Cl1.44·1·07H2O (namely YOHCl) nanosheets, to achieve the effective removal of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). YOHCl nanosheets exhibited ultra-high adsorption capacity toward PFOA (up to 957.1 mg/g), which is 1.9 times and 9.3 times higher than the state-of-the-art layered double hydroxides (MgAl-LDH) and benchmark granular activated carbon (GAC) under the same conditions, respectively. Furthermore, YOHCl nanosheets pose stable performance on the removal of PFOA under various water matrices with robust reusability. We also developed YOHCl-based continuous-flow column, demonstrating its promise in simultaneously removing multiple PFAS with wide range of chain lengths at environmentally relevant concentrations. With the molecular-level investigations, we have revealed that multi-mechanism, including ion exchange, electrostatic attraction and bidentate/bridging coordination, contributed to the strong PFOA-YOHCl affinity, leading to the ultra-high adsorption capacity of PFOA. We have provided emerging LRHs-based adsorbents for the effective remediation of PFAS with molecular-level insights on the interfacial mechanisms.

All-solid photonic band gap fiber based distributed fiber optic pressure sensor.

A novel distributed fiber optic pressure sensor based on an all-solid photonic band gap fiber is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The sensor is fabricated by splicing a piece of the photonic crystal fiber (PCF) with a single-mode fiber (SMF), and the free end face of the PCF is filmed with a reflectivity of 99%. The cladding mode is excited at the fiber splice, resulting in the interference between the cladding mode and the core mode. The pressure position can be located by measuring the phase difference of the interferometer, and the pressure can be interrogated by measuring the height of the valley in the white-light optical spectrum. The experimental results show that the pressure and its position along the PCF can be simultaneously interrogated.

Urotensin II stimulates vascular endothelial growth factor secretion from adventitial fibroblasts in synergy with angiotensin II.

BACKGROUND: The adventitia plays an important role in and is considered to be the initiating site for vascular remodeling. Urotensin II (UII) and angiotensin II (Ang II) are the two most important vascular peptides involved in vascular remodeling in the adventitia. Nevertheless, little is known about their effect on the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). It was hypothesized that both UII and Ang II could induce VEGF expression in adventitial fibroblasts and VEGF may play a role in cell proliferation and collagen I synthesis induced by UII or Ang II. METHODS AND RESULTS: Growth-arrested adventitial fibroblasts were incubated in serum-free medium with UII and/or Ang II and inhibitors of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway or VEGF-neutralizing antibodies. The VEGF expression was evaluated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), while the proliferation and collagen I synthesis were detected using methyl thiazol tetrazolium (MTT) assay and ELISA. It was found that: (1) both UII and Ang II could stimulate VEGF expression in adventitial fibroblasts and they had a synergistic effect; (2) MAPK pathway inhibitors could inhibit VEGF secretion induced by UII and/or Ang II; and (3) VEGF-neutralizing antibodies could inhibit UII/Ang II-induced cell proliferation and collagen synthesis in adventitial fibroblasts. CONCLUSIONS: Induction of VEGF expression may be a new mechanism involved in vascular remodeling for UII and Ang II.

PCSK9 inhibitors in a renal transplant patient complicated with hepatitis B: A case report and literature review.

Lipid metabolism disorders are recognized to be one of the most frequent complications of renal transplantation, while dyslipidemia and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are strong risk factors for arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors (PCSK9i) are novel lipid-lowering drugs, the safety and efficacy of which are yet to be confirmed in transplanted patients. There have been several small-sample studies using PCSK9i in patients after heart transplantation, while fewer cases use PCSK9i after kidney transplantation. We report a case of a renal transplant recipient complicated with hepatitis B treated with PCSK9i, which achieved a remarkable lipid-lowering efficacy, and no significant adverse effects were found during the follow-up.

Globular adiponectin-mediated vascular remodeling by affecting the secretion of adventitial-derived tumor necrosis factor-α induced by urotensin II.

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we explored how adiponectin mediated urotensin II (UII)|-induced tumor necrosis factor-|α (TNF-|α) and α|-smooth muscle actin (α|-SMA) expression and ensuing intracellular signaling pathways in adventitial fibroblasts (AFs). METHODS: Growth-arrested AFs and rat tunica adventitia of vessels were incubated with UII and inhibitors of signal transduction pathways for 1|‒|24 h. The cells were then harvested for TNF-α receptor (TNF-|α-R) messenger RNA (mRNA) and TNF-|α protein expression determination by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. Adiponectin and adiponectin receptor (adipoR) expression was measured by RT-PCR, quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), immunohistochemical analysis, and cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) cell proliferation experiments. We then quantified TNF-α and α-SMA mRNA and protein expression levels by qPCR and immunofluorescence (IF) staining. RNA interference (RNAi) was used to explore the function of the adipoR genes. To investigate the signaling pathway, we applied western blotting (WB) to examine phosphorylation of adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)|-activated protein kinase (AMPK). In vivo, an adiponectin (APN)|-knockout (APN-KO) mouse model mimicking adventitial inflammation was generated to measure TNF-α and α|-SMA expression by application of qPCR and IF, with the goal of gaining a comprehensive atlas of adiponectin in vascular remodeling. RESULTS: In both cells and tissues, UII promoted TNF-α protein and TNF-α-R secretion in a dose- and time-dependent manner via Rho/protein kinase C (PKC) pathway. We detected marked expression of adipoR1, T-cadherin, and calreticulin as well as a moderate presence of adipoR2 in AFs, while no adiponectin was observed. Globular adiponectin (gAd) fostered the growth of AFs, and acted in concert with UII to induce α-SMA and TNF-α through the adipoR1/T-cadherin/calreticulin/AMPK pathway. In AFs, gAd and UII synergistically induced AMPK phosphorylation. In the adventitial inflammation model, APN deficiency up-regulated the expression of α-SMA, UII receptor (UT), and UII while inhibiting TNF-|α expression. CONCLUSIONS: From the results of our study, we can speculate that UII induces TNF|-|α protein and TNF-|α|-R secretion in AFs and rat tunica adventitia of vessels via the Rho and PKC signal transduction pathways. Thus, it is plausible that adiponectin is a major player in adventitial progression and could serve as a novel therapeutic target for cardiovascular disease administration.