Gastric Leiomyosarcoma in Post-Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor Era: Revisit.

Primary gastric leiomyosarcoma is an exceptionally rare disease. This review covers 41 post-gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) era gastric leiomyosarcoma cases that are supported by immunohistochemistry markers. Other spindle cell lesions are also excluded through histological and immunohistochemistry evaluations. The patients range from 3 to 82 years old, with an average age of 54.6 years. The male-to-female ratio is 1.4:1, from diverse geographic areas. Patients may experience abdominal symptoms, and tumor sizes vary between 1 cm and 22 cm. Morphologically, tumors originate from the muscularis propria or the muscularis mucosae, well-circumscribed with spindle cells arranged in fascicule. Tumoral cells exhibit positivity for smooth muscle markers while being negative for GIST markers and others. The mitotic index ranges from 2 to 500/50 high power field. Ki-67 index varies from 15% to 70%. Management typically involves gastrectomy and other appropriate treatments, with tumor recurrence being uncommon. 56% of patients are alive, with 5 patients dying from this disease. Statistical analyses conducted on post-GIST era cases reveal that a mitotic index of ≥100/50 high power field, tumor recurrence, metastasis, or positive lymph nodes significantly correlate with prognosis.

Decreased PDLIM1 expression in endothelial cells contributes to the development of intracranial aneurysm.

INTRODUCTION: Intracranial aneurysm (IA) is a common vascular enlargement that occurs in the wall of cerebral vessels and frequently leads to fatal subarachnoid hemorrhage. PDZ and LIM domain protein 1 (PDLIM1) is a cytoskeletal protein that functions as a platform for multiple protein complex formation. However, whether PDLIM is involved in the pathogenesis of IA remains poorly understood. METHODS: Loss-of-function and gain-of-function strategies were employed to determine the in vitro roles of PDLIM1 in vascular endothelial cells (VECs). A rat model of IA was generated to study the role of PDLIM1 in vivo. Gene expression profiling, Western blotting, and dual luciferase reporter assays were performed to uncover the underlying cellular mechanism. Clinical IA samples were used to determine the expression of PDLIM1 and its downstream signaling molecules. RESULTS: PDLIM1 expression was reduced in the endothelial cells of IA and was regulated by Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1). Genetic silencing of PDLIM1 inhibited the viability, migratory ability, and tube formation ability of VECs. Opposite results were obtained by ectopic expression of PDLIM1. Additionally, PDLIM1 overexpression mitigated IA in vivo. Mechanistic investigations revealed that PDLIM1 promoted the transcriptional activity of ß-catenin and induced the expression of v-myc myelocytomatosis viral oncogene homolog (MYC) and cyclin D1 (CCND1). In clinical settings, reduced expression of PDLIM1 and ß-catenin downstream target genes was observed in human IA samples. CONCLUSION: Our study indicates that YAP1-dependent expression of PDLIM1 can inhibit IA development by modulating the activity of the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway and that PDLIM1 deficiency in VECs may represent a potential marker of aggressive disease.

Effect of social integration on family doctor contracting services among migrant populations in China: a national cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: The family doctor (FD) contracting system is a key reform in the development of the Chinese health system, and is considered an effective way to ensure equitable access to healthcare services. This study investigates the effects of social integration on FD contracting services among migrant populations. METHODS: In total, 120,106 respondents from the 2018 China Migrants Dynamic Survey were included in this study. Two multivariate regression models were used to estimate the effect of social integration and other factors on FD contracting services among migrant populations. RESULTS: This study found that only 14.0% of the migrant populations had a FD. Multiple dimensions of social integration and some covariates were shown to be positively associated with FD contracting services, including average monthly household income, local medical insurance (odds ratio [OR] = 1.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.29-1.39), employment status (OR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.82-0.91), settlement intention (OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.09-1.22), received health education (OR = 4.88, 95% CI = 4.51-5.27), sex (OR = 1.16, 95% CI = 1.12-1.20), age (OR = 1.66, 95% CI = 1.51-1.82), marital status (OR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.31-1.46), sickness within a year (OR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.79-0.89), and flow range (OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.07-1.16). CONCLUSIONS: All dimensions of social integration, including economic integration, social identity, and social involvement, are associated with FD contracting services among migrant populations. Policymakers should focus on improving the signing rates of migrant populations and implement more effective measures to enhance their social integration, such as settlement incentives and encouraging social participation.

An HPLC-MS/MS method for determination of sulbactam in human plasma and its pharmacokinetic application in critically ill patients with augmented renal clearance.

OBJECTIVE: A simple, rapid, and specific method has been developed and validated to measure sulbactam in human plasma using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The pharmacokinetic characteristics of sulbactam in critically ill patients with augmented renal clearance were investigated after the repeated administration of cefoperazone-sulbactam (3 g, q8, IV drip, combination ratio of 2 : 1). Sulbactam plasma concentration was determined using LC-MS/MS with tazobactam used as an internal standard (IS). RESULTS: The method was fully validated with a sensitivity of 0.20 µg/mL, the linear concentration was ranged from 0.20 to 30.0 µg/mL. The intra-batch precision (RSD%) was less than 4.9%, and the accuracy deviation (RE%) ranged from -9.9 to 1.0%; the inter-batch precision (RSD%) was less than 6.2%, and the accuracy deviation (RE%) ranged from -9.2% to 3.7%. The value of the mean matrix factor at the low and high quality control (QC) concentration was 96.8 and 101.0%, respectively. The extraction recovery for QCL and QCH of sulbactam were 92.5 and 87.5%,respectively. Plasma samples and clinical data were collected at 0 (pre dose), 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 6, and 8 hours (post dose) from 11 critically ill patients. Pharmacokinetic parameters were determined by non-compartmental analysis (NCA) using Phoenix WinNonlin software. CONCLUSION: This method was successfully applied to study the pharmacokinetics of sulbactam for critically ill patients. The main pharmacokinetic parameters of sulbactam in augmented renal function and normal renal function groups were summarized as follows: half-life, 1.45 ± 0.66 and 1.72 ± 0.58 hours, area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 8 hours, 59.1 ± 20.1 and 111.4 ± 23.2 µg × h/mL, drug plasma clearance at steady state, 18.9 ± 7.5 and 9.32 ± 2 .03 L/h, respectively. These results suggested that a higher dose of sulbactam should be used in critically ill patients with augmented renal clearance.

Electroencephalographic slowdowns during sleep are associated with cognitive impairment in patients who have obstructive sleep apnea but no dementia.

OBJECTIVES: To research the relationship between quantitative electroencephalogram (qEEG) and impaired cognitive function patients who have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) but no dementia. METHODS: Subjects who complained of snoring between March 2020 and April 2021 in the Sleep Medicine Center of Weihai Municipal Hospital were included. All subjects underwent overnight in-laboratory polysomnography (PSG) and were assessed using a neuropsychological scale. Standard fast fourier transform (FFT) was used to obtain the electroencephalogram (EEG) power spectral density curve, and to calculate the delta, theta, alpha, and beta relative power and the ratio between slow and fast frequencies. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the risk factors for cognitive impairment in patients who had OSA but no dementia. Correlation analysis was performed to determine the relationship between qEEG and cognitive impairment. RESULTS: A total of 175 participants without dementia who met the inclusion criteria were included in this study. There were 137 patients with OSA, including 76 with mild cognitive impairment (OSA + MCI), 61 without mild cognitive impairment (OSA-MCI), and 38 participants without OSA (non-OSA). The relative theta power in the frontal lobe in stage 2 of non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM 2) in OSA + MCI was higher than that in OSA-MCI (P = 0.038) and non-OSA (P = 0.018). Pearson correlation analysis showed that the relative theta power in the frontal lobe in NREM 2 was negatively correlated with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) Beijing version scores, and MoCA subdomains scores (visual executive function, naming, attention, language, abstraction, delayed recall and orientation) outside language. CONCLUSIONS: In patients who had OSA but no dementia, the EEG slower frequency power increased. The relative theta power in the frontal lobe in NREM 2 was associated with MCI of patients with OSA. These results suggest that the slowing of theta activity may be one of the neurophysiological changes in the early stage of cognitive impairment in patients with OSA.

Randomized, prospective, multicenter trial assessing the numen coil embolization system in the endovascular treatment of small intracranial aneurysms: outcomes from the CATCH Trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The CATCH (Coil Application Trial in China) trial was designed to assess the safety and efficacy of the Numen Coil Embolization System in the treatment of intracranial aneurysms in comparison with the Axium coil (ev3/Medtronic). Although the endovascular treatment of small (< 5 mm) intracranial aneurysms has been reported with favorable long-term clinical and angiographic outcomes, randomized trials are still lacking. Data for aneurysms smaller than 5 mm were extracted from the CATCH trial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A randomized, prospective, multicenter trial was conducted at ten centers throughout China. Enrolled subjects with small intracranial aneurysms were randomly assigned to receive treatment with the Numen Coil or the Axium coil. The primary outcome was successful aneurysm occlusion at the 6-month follow-up. In contrast, the secondary outcomes included complete aneurysm occlusion, recurrence rate, clinical deterioration, and safety data at the 6-month and 12-month follow-ups. RESULTS: A total of 124 patients were enrolled in the study. Overall, 58 patients were assigned to the Numen group, and 66 were assigned to the Axium group. At the 6-month follow-up, the successful aneurysm occlusion rate was 93.1% (54/58) in the MicroPort NeuroTech group and 97.0% (64/66) in the Axium group, with a common odds ratio of 0.208 (95% confidence interval, 0.023-1.914; P = 0.184). Complications were comparable between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with the Aixum coil, the Numen coil is safe and effective in treating small intracranial aneurysms. TRIAL REGISTRATION: (13/12/2016, NCT02990156).

Tranexamic acid use in arthroscopic rotator cuff repair is an effective and safe adjunct to improve visualization: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Although tranexamic acid (TXA) is being increasingly used in orthopedic arthroplasty and lower-extremity arthroscopic procedures, its use in arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) is less widely reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of TXA administration in ARCR. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was performed to compare clinical outcomes in patients who underwent ARCR with or without TXA. Literature was retrieved using the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, PubMed, and Embase electronic databases. The primary outcome of this study was visual clarity. Secondary outcomes contained total operative time, postoperative pain score, amount of blood loss, shoulder swelling (change in shoulder circumference), volume of irrigation fluid, number of adjustments of the pump pressure for irrigation, and adverse cardiovascular events. RESULTS: Seven studies (3 and 4 with level I and II evidence, respectively), which included 272 and 265 patients who underwent arthroscopy with and without TXA, respectively, met the eligibility criteria. Pooled analysis showed significant improvements in visual clarity (mean difference, 9.10%; 95% CI, 4.05-14.15; P = .0004) and total operative time (mean difference, -11.24 minute; 95% CI, -19.90 to -2.57) associated with perioperative TXA application. None of the trials reported adverse events and complications associated with TXA. CONCLUSION: The best available evidence indicates that TXA administration could significantly improve arthroscopic visual clarity and effectively save operative time in ARCR without increasing the incidence of adverse events. Furthermore, the optimal dose, route, and timing of TXA application in ARCR surgery remains to be validated by future high-level evidence studies.

Direct Oxygen Transfer from H2 O to Cyclooctene over Electron-Rich RuO2 Nanocrystals for Epoxidation and Hydrogen Evolution.

Production of more than 20 million tons of epoxides per year from olefins suffers from low atom economy due to the use of oxidants and complex catalysts with unsatisfactory selectivity, leading to huge environmental and economic costs. We present a proof-of-concept application of electron-rich RuO2 nanocrystals to boost the highly selective epoxidation of cyclooctene via direct oxygen transfer from water as the sole oxygen source under mild conditions. The enhanced electron enrichment of RuO2 nanocrystals via the Schottky effect with nitrogen-doped carbons largely promotes the capture and activation of cyclooctene to give a high turnover frequency (260 h-1 ) of cyclooctene oxide, far surpassing the reported values (<20 h-1 ) of benchmarked catalysts at room temperature with oxidants. Our electron-rich RuO2 electrocatalysts enable efficient and durable hydrogen production (Faradaic efficiency >90 %) on the cathode without impacting on the selectivity to epoxide (>99 %) on the anode.

Vancomycin-induced reversible pancytopenia and rash in a 16-month-old boy with osteomyelitis: A case report
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OBJECTIVE: Vancomycin is a commonly used glycopeptide antibiotic due to its effectiveness in treating serious Gram-positive bacterial infections, especially methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection. Pancytopenia is a rare, yet serious, complication of vancomycin. Previous isolated cases have been reported in adults but none in children. CASE REPORT: A 16-month-old boy received vancomycin for treatment of osteomyelitis caused by MRSA. During his administration of vancomycin, reversible pancytopenia, pulmonary infection, and skin rash developed, which resolved after withdrawal. CONCLUSION: This is the first known case of vancomycin causing reversible pancytopenia and skin rash in a child, suggesting that pancytopenia caused by vancomycin could complicate treatment of children, and the hypothesis that pancytopenia is an immune-mediated reaction seems to be preferable. According to drug hypersensitivity syndrome (DHS) risk assessment in 10-D assessment system, this case was at grade of no risk.

The first case of teeth discoloration induced by linezolid in children in China Mainland.

Linezolid is an oxazolidinone antimicrobial agent often used to treat multidrug-resistant Gram-positive bacterial infections. The common adverse reactions of linezolid are diarrhea, nausea, headache and bone marrow suppression, and so on. Here, we report the first case of teeth discoloration induced by linezolid linked with extrinsic discoloration in China Mainland. This case report highlights a rare adverse reactions of a commonly used antibiotic.

Rational Construction of 3D-Networked Carbon Nanowalls/Diamond Supporting CuO Architecture for High-Performance Electrochemical Biosensors.

Tremendous demands for highly sensitive and selective nonenzymatic electrochemical biosensors have motivated intensive research on advanced electrode materials with high electrocatalytic activity. Herein, the 3D-networked CuO@carbon nanowalls/diamond (C/D) architecture is rationally designed, and it demonstrates wide linear range (0.5 × 10-6 -4 × 10-3 m), high sensitivity (1650 µA cm-2 mm-1 ), and low detection limit (0.5 × 10-6 m), together with high selectivity, great long-term stability, and good reproducibility in glucose determination. The outstanding performance of the CuO@C/D electrode can be ascribed to the synergistic effect coming from high-electrocatalytic-activity CuO nanoparticles and 3D-networked conductive C/D film. The C/D film is composed of carbon nanowalls and diamond nanoplatelets; and owing to the large surface area, accessible open surfaces, and high electrical conduction, it works as an excellent transducer, greatly accelerating the mass- and charge-transport kinetics of electrocatalytic reaction on the CuO biorecognition element. Besides, the vertical aligned diamond nanoplatelet scaffolds could improve structural and mechanical stability of the designed electrode in long-term performance. The excellent CuO@C/D electrode promises potential application in practical glucose detection, and the strategy proposed here can also be extended to construct other biorecognition elements on the 3D-networked conductive C/D transducer for various high-performance nonenzymatic electrochemical biosensors.

A Retrospective Analysis of the Effect of Tigecycline on Coagulation Function.

A number of clinical trials demonstrated that tigecycline was effective and well tolerated in the treatment of patients with various bacterial infections, but few literatures had shown the coagulopathy induced by tigecycline. To address this concern, we performed a retrospective analysis to assess the impact of tigecycline treatment on coagulation parameters in 50 patients with bacterial infections in our hospital (Shandong Provincial Hospital, China). These patients were treated with tigecycline at Shandong Provincial Hospital in 2015-2016 at either a recommended (50 mg q12h) or a higher dose (100 mg q12h). Coagulation parameters, including Fibrinogen (FIB) levels, prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT), platelet count (PLT) and D-dimer, were evaluated in order to assess the impact of tigecycline treatment in these severely infected patients. What we found was that the plasma fibrinogen (FIB) level was 4.63 ± 1.56 g/L before tigecycline treatment, and decreased to 2.92 ± 1.23 g/L during treatment, which was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The mean values of aPTT and PT were significantly increased from 39.58 ± 8.72 to 44.05 ± 10.45 s (p = 0.002), and from 15.37 ± 1.53 to 16.37 ± 2.64 s (p = 0.004), respectively. This study demonstrates that treatment of tigecycline could reduce FIB, prolong aPTT and PT. In conclusion, we advise that it is necessary for practitioners routinely monitor coagulation level in at-rick patient populations treated with tigecycline.

MiR-539 inhibits proliferation and migration of triple-negative breast cancer cells by down-regulating LAMA4 expression.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have shown that laminin subunit alpha 4 (LAMA4) plays an important role in carcinogenesis. However, its molecular biological function in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has not been entirely clarified. This study investigated the expression of LAMA4 in TNBC and its effect on cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Furthermore, we also identified the potential miRNA directly targeting LAMA4. METHODS: Western blot, Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) and immunohistochemical staining (IHC) were used to detect the expression of LAMA4 in TNBC. The effects of LAMA4 on TNBC cell proliferation, migration and invasion were also explored in vitro. The potential miRNA that targets LAMA4 was determined by dual luciferase reporter assay and verified by qPCR and western blot analysis. RESULTS: Our study showed LAMA4 mRNA (p = 0.001) and protein (p = 0.005) expression in TNBC tissue samples were elevated compared with adjacent normal tissue samples, and LAMA4 was mainly expressed in the cytoplasm of breast carcinoma cells. Knockdown of LAMA4 inhibited TNBC cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro. Moreover, further study revealed that LAMA4 was a putative target of miR-539, and miR-539 negatively regulated LAMA4 expression by directly targeting its 3'-UTR. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggested that miR-539 suppressed the expression of LAMA4. LAMA4 plays an important role in tumor progression and may be an important target in treatment of TNBC.

The physiological cold tolerance of warm-climate plants is correlated with their latitudinal range limit.

Plants are moving poleward and upward in response to climate warming. However, such movements lag behind the expanding warming front for many reasons, including the impediment of plant movement caused by unusual cold events. In this study, we measured the maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) in 101 warm-climate angiosperm species to assess their cold tolerance at the end of a severe chilling period of 49 days in a southern subtropical region (Nanning) in China. We found that 36 of the 101 species suffered from chilling-induced physiological injury, with predawn Fv/Fm values of less than 0.7. There was a significant exponential relationship between the predawn Fv/Fm and northern latitudinal limit of a species; species with a lower latitudinal limit suffered more. Our results suggest that the range limits of warm-climate plants are potentially influenced by their physiological sensitivity to chilling temperatures and that their poleward movement might be impeded by extreme cold events. The quick measurement of Fv/Fm is useful for assessing the cold tolerance of plants, providing valuable information for modelling species range shifts under changing climate conditions and species selection for horticultural management and urban landscape design.

Efficient Convex Optimization for Energy-Based Acoustic Sensor Self-Localization and Source Localization in Sensor Networks.

The energy reading has been an efficient and attractive measure for collaborative acoustic source localization in practical application due to its cost saving in both energy and computation capability. The maximum likelihood problems by fusing received acoustic energy readings transmitted from local sensors are derived. Aiming to efficiently solve the nonconvex objective of the optimization problem, we present an approximate estimator of the original problem. Then, a direct norm relaxation and semidefinite relaxation, respectively, are utilized to derive the second-order cone programming, semidefinite programming or mixture of them for both cases of sensor self-location and source localization. Furthermore, by taking the colored energy reading noise into account, several minimax optimization problems are formulated, which are also relaxed via the direct norm relaxation and semidefinite relaxation respectively into convex optimization problems. Performance comparison with the existing acoustic energy-based source localization methods is given, where the results show the validity of our proposed methods.

Prehypertension and socioeconomic status: A cross-sectional study in Chongqing, China.

BACKGROUND: A large amount of research is available on the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and hypertension. However, the relationship between SES and prehypertension remains complex and unclear. Prehypertension is defined as a systolic blood pressure (SBP) between 120 and 139 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) 80 and 89 mmHg. This paper focuses on the impact of SES on the prevalence of prehypertension and provides suggestions for the prevention and control measures of prehypertension and health resource allocation. METHOD: Using multistage random sampling, 11,773 subjects were selected. Subjects aged above 15 years old and subjects who had been living in the eight selected districts for more than 6 months were analyzed using a multivariable logistical model. RESULTS: The prevalence of prehypertension at the present time reaches 55.17%, with it being higher among men than that among women (63.15% vs. 47.19%, p < 0.05). After adjustment for other factors such as age and gender, a logistic regression showed that a higher education level and a history of marital status were significantly associated with prehypertension. CONCLUSIONS: People of different SES indicate different working and living conditions. They also face different risk factors for prehypertension. Lower education and a history of marital status were associated with a higher risk of prehypertension among residents in Chongqing, China.

Stent-assisted coiling embolization of tiny, wide-necked intracranial aneurysms.

BACKGROUND: Tiny, wide-necked intracranial aneurysms pose a significant therapeutic challenge for interventional neuroradiologists because of the small volume for microcatheterization and coil stabilization inside the aneurysm sac. We report our preliminary experience of stent-assisted coiling embolization of these aneurysms. METHODS: A total of 50 patients with 52 tiny, wide-necked aneurysms who were treated with stent-assisted coiling from January 2007 to December 2014 were reviewed retrospectively. Baseline characteristics, procedure-related complications, angiographic follow-up results and clinical outcomes were statistically analyzed. RESULT: All aneurysms were successfully treated with the stent-assisted coiling technique, and at the end of the procedure, aneurysm occlusion was complete for 45 (86.5 %), near complete for 3 (5.8 %) and incomplete for 4 (7.7 %). Procedural complications (1 intraprocedural rupture, 2 coil migrations and 1 aneurysm re-rupture) occurred in 4 (8 %) of 50 patients, resulting in permanent morbidity in 1 (2 %) patient and death in 1 (2 %) patient. Follow-up imaging was available in 43 (84.3 %) aneurysms for 6-31 months (mean, 13 months). Complete occlusion was achieved in 40 (93 %) of 43 aneurysms on long-term follow-up. One aneurysm with complete occlusion and one with incomplete occlusion after the initial embolization developed a significant recurrence (4.7 %). Clinical follow-up was available for 43 (86 %) of 50 patients at a mean of 36.7 months (range 15-66 months). Of these 43 patients, 42 (97 %) made an excellent recovery achieving a GOS of 5. None of the patients died or experienced re-bleeding or ischemic cerebral vascular events during follow-up. CONCLUSION: Stent-assisted coiling embolization is feasible and relatively safe for tiny, wide-necked intracranial aneurysms of carotid arteries. Furthermore, long-term follow-up angiography indicated stent-assisted coiling seems to be effective in preventing early recanalization.

Risk Factors and Stroke Characteristic in Patients with Postoperative Strokes.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous thrombolysis and intra-arterial thrombectomy are now the standard therapies for patients with acute ischemic stroke. In-house strokes have often been overlooked even at stroke centers and there is no consensus on how they should be managed. Perioperative stroke happens rather frequently but treatment protocol is lacking, In China, the issue of in-house strokes has not been explored. The aim of this study is to explore the current management of in-house stroke and identify the common risk factors associated with perioperative strokes. METHOD: Altogether, 51,841 patients were admitted to a tertiary hospital in Shanghai and the records of those who had a neurological consult for stroke were reviewed. Their demographics, clinical characteristics, in-hospital complications and operations, and management plans were prospectively studied. Routine laboratory test results and risk factors of these patients were analyzed by multiple logistic regression model. RESULT: From January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2015, over 1800 patients had neurological consultations. Among these patients, 37 had an in-house stroke and 20 had more severe stroke during the postoperative period. Compared to in-house stroke patients without a procedure or operation, leukocytosis and elevated fasting glucose levels were more common in perioperative strokes. In multiple logistic regression model, perioperative strokes were more likely related to large vessel occlusion. CONCLUSION: Patients with perioperative strokes had different risk factors and severity from other in-house strokes. For these patients, obtaining a neurological consultation prior to surgery may be appropriate in order to evaluate the risk of perioperative stroke.

MicroRNA-503 promotes angiotensin II-induced cardiac fibrosis by targeting Apelin-13.

Cardiac fibrosis is a major cause of heart failure. MicroRNAs (miRs) are important epigenetic regulators of cardiac function and cardiovascular diseases, including cardiac fibrosis. This study aimed to explore the role of miR-503 and its mechanisms in regulating cardiac fibrosis. miR-503 was found up-regulated in the mouse LV tissues subjected to transverse aortic constriction (TAC) and in neonatal cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) cultured with Angiotension II. The role of miR-503 in regulating CF cell proliferation and/or collagen production in mice neonatal CFs were determined using an MTT assay and RT-PCR respectively. Forced expression of miR-503 increased the cellular proliferation and collagen production in mice neonatal CFs. The effects were abrogated by cotransfection with AMO-503 (a specific inhibitor of miR-503). Injection of antagomiR-503 elevated cardiac function and inhibited the expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß in the TAC mice. Additional analysis revealed that Apelin-13 is a direct target of miR-503, as the overexpression of miR-503 decreased the protein and mRNA expression levels of Apelin-13. In the CFs with pre-treatment of AngII, we transfected AMO-503 into the cells treated with siRNA-APLN. siRNA-APLN abolished the effects of AMO-503 on the production of collagen I and III and the expression of TGF-ß and CTGF. Furthermore, pre-treatment of CFs with Apelin-13 (1-100 nmol/l) inhibited angiotensin II-mediated collagen production and activation of CTGF and TGF-ß. So we conclude that miR-503 promotes cardiac fibrosis via miR-503-Apelin-13-TGF-ß-CTGF-collagen production pathway. Thus, miR-503 is a promising therapeutic target for reducing cardiac fibrosis.

The transcriptome of NaCl-treated Limonium bicolor leaves reveals the genes controlling salt secretion of salt gland.

Limonium bicolor, a typical recretohalophyte that lives in saline environments, excretes excessive salt to the environment through epidermal salt glands to avoid salt stress. The aim of this study was to screen for L. bicolor genes involved in salt secretion by high-throughput RNA sequencing. We established the experimental procedure of salt secretion using detached mature leaves, in which the optimal salt concentration was determined as 200 mM NaCl. The detached salt secretion system combined with Illumina deep sequencing were applied. In total, 27,311 genes were annotated using an L. bicolor database, and 2040 of these genes were differentially expressed, of which 744 were up-regulated and 1260 were down-regulated with the NaCl versus the control treatment. A gene ontology enrichment analysis indicated that genes related to ion transport, vesicles, reactive oxygen species scavenging, the abscisic acid-dependent signaling pathway and transcription factors were found to be highly expressed under NaCl treatment. We found that 102 of these genes were likely to be involved in salt secretion, which was confirmed using salt-secretion mutants. The present study identifies the candidate genes in the L. bicolor salt gland that are highly associated with salt secretion. In addition, a salt-transporting pathway is presented to explain how Na(+) is excreted by the salt gland in L. bicolor. These findings will shed light on the molecular mechanism of salt secretion from the salt glands of plants.