A multicentre randomized double-blind placebo-controlled phase III study of the efficacy and safety of xeligekimab (GR1501) in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

BACKGROUND: Xeligekimab (GR1501) is a fully human monoclonal antibody that selectively neutralizes interleukin (IL)-17A and has shown potential efficacy in treating moderate-to-severe psoriasis in preliminary trials. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of xeligekimab in Chinese patients with moderate-to-severe psoriasis. METHODS: A total of 420 Chinese patients were randomized to 200 mg xeligekimab every 2 weeks (n = 281) or placebo (n = 139) for the first 12 weeks, followed by an extension of the treatment schedule to xeligekimab every 4 weeks for a further 40 weeks. Efficacy was assessed by evaluating achievement of Physician Global Assessment (PGA) 0/1 and 75%, 90% and 100% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 75, PASI 90 and PASI 100, respectively). The safety profile was also evaluated. RESULTS: At week 12, PASI 75, PASI 90 and PASI 100 were achieved in 90.7%, 74.4% and 30.2% of patients in the xeligekimab group vs. 8.6%, 1.4% and 0% of patients in the placebo group, respectively. PGA 0/1 was achieved in 74.4% patients in the xeligekimab group and 3.6% of patients in the placebo group. PASI 75 and PGA 0/1 were maintained until week 52. No unexpected adverse events were recorded. CONCLUSIONS: Xeligekimab showed high efficacy and was well tolerated in Chinese patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a skin disease characterized by scaly and raised patches of skin on any part of the body. The condition can be caused by a combination of how a person's immune system works, their genes and their environment. A cytokine is a substance secreted by certain cells of the immune system that have an effect on other cells. One such cytokine, called IL-17A, has been associated with different inflammatory diseases, including psoriasis. We conducted a large trial in Chinese people with moderate-to-severe psoriasis to look at the efficacy (ability to produce the intended result) and safety of a medicine called xeligekimab (known as a 'monoclonal antibody') which works by targeting IL-17A. We randomly assigned 420 Chinese patients to receive 200 mg of xeligekimab every 2 weeks or a 'placebo' (no active medicine) for the first 12 weeks. We extended the treatment schedule of xeligekimab to every 4 weeks for a further 40 weeks. To assess how the medicine worked, we measured people's psoriasis symptoms and severity. To assess how safe the medicine was, we looked at the side-effects (or 'adverse events'). The results of this trial showed that xeligekimab improved people's psoriasis and itching starting at week 4 of receiving treatment, and more than 60% of people achieved improvement or remission by week 6, which was sustained up to week 52. The safety of xeligekimab was similar to another medicine classed as a monoclonal antibody (called secukinumab) and there were no new or unexpected adverse events reported. Overall, our findings suggest that xeligekimab is a safe and effective medicine for the treatment of psoriasis in Chinese people.

Photoheterotroph improved the growth and nutrient levels of Chlorella vulgaris and the related molecular mechanism.

Microalgae are rich in fatty acids, proteins, and other nutrients, which have gained the general attention of researchers all over the world. For the development of Chlorella vulgaris in food and feed industry, this study was conducted to investigate the differences in C. vulgaris' growth and nutritional components under different culture conditions (autotrophic, heterotrophic, photoheterotrophic) and the internal factors through cell counting in combination with transcriptome and nutrient analyses. The results showed that, under the photoheterotrophic condition, Chlorella's growth and the contents of lipid and protein were significantly higher than that under the heterotrophic condition, and the moisture content was lower than that under the heterotrophic condition. The saturated fatty acid content under the photoheterotrophic condition was the lowest, while the polyunsaturated fatty acid content was significantly higher than those under the other two conditions. There were 46,583 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 33,039 up-regulated DEGs (70.93%) and 13,544 down-regulated DEGs (29.07%), under the photoheterotrophic condition in comparison with the autotrophic condition. The fold change between the two conditions of samples of up-regulated genes was higher than that of the down-regulated genes. The KEGG enrichment showed that the up-regulated DEGs in the photoheterotrophic condition were significantly enriched in 5 pathways, including protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum pathway, photosynthesis pathway, photosynthesis-antenna protein pathway, endocytosis pathway, and phosphonate and phosphinate metabolism pathway. DEGs related to fatty acid metabolic pathways were significantly enriched in the fatty acid biosynthesis pathway and the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acid pathway. The qPCR analysis showed that the expression pattern of the selected genes was consistent with that of transcriptome analysis. The results of this study lay a theoretical foundation for the large-scale production of Chlorella and its application in food, feed, and biodiesel. KEY POINTS: • Nutrient levels under photoheterotrophic condition were higher than other conditions. • Six important pathways were discovered that affect changes in nutritional composition. • Explored genes encode important enzymes in the differential metabolic pathways.

Antidiabetic features of AdipoAI, a novel AdipoR agonist.

Adiponectin is an antidiabetic endogenous adipokine that plays a protective role against the unfavorable metabolic sequelae of obesity. Recent evidence suggests a sinister link between hypoadiponectinemia and development of insulin resistance/type 2 diabetes (T2D). Adiponectin's insulin-sensitizing property is mediated through the specific adiponectin receptors R1 and R2, which activate the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) α pathways. AdipoAI is a novel synthetic analogue of endogenous adiponectin with possibly similar pharmacological effects. Thus, there is a need of orally active small molecules that activate Adipoq subunits, and their downstream signaling, which could ameliorate obesity related type 2 diabetes. In the study we aim to investigate the effects of AdipoAI on obesity and T2D. Through in-vitro and in-vivo analyses, we investigated the antidiabetic potentials of AdipoAI and compared it with AdipoRON, another orally active adiponectin receptors agonist. Our results showed that in-vitro treatment of AdipoAI (0-5 µM) increased adiponectin receptor subunits AdipoR1/R2 with increase in AMPK and APPL1 protein expression in C2C12 myotubes. Similarly, in-vivo, oral administration of AdipoAI (25 mg/kg) observed similar effects as that of AdipoRON (50 mg/kg) with improved control of blood glucose and insulin sensitivity in diet-induced obesity (DIO) mice models. Further, AdipoAI significantly reduced epididymal fat content with decrease in inflammatory markers and increase in PPAR-α and AMPK levels and exhibited hepatoprotective effects in liver. Further, AdipoAI and AdipoRON also observed similar results in adipose tissue. Thus, our results suggest that low doses of orally active small molecule agonist of adiponectin AdipoAI can be a promising therapeutic target for obesity and T2D.

Plasma membrane-localized hexose transporter OsSWEET1b, affects sugar metabolism and leaf senescence.

KEY MESSAGE: OsSWEET1b is a hexose transporter protein, which localized in cell membranes and interacting with itself to form homodimer and knockout of OsSWEET1b resulted in reduced leaves sugar content and accelerating leaf senescence. In the rice genome, the SWEET gene family contains 21 homologous members, but the role of some of them in rice growth and development is still unknown. The function of the sugar transporter OsSWEET1b protein in rice was identified in this research. Expression analysis showed that the expression levels of OsSWEET1b in leaves were higher than that in other tissues. The hexose transport experiment confirmed that OsSWEET1b has glucose and galactose transporter activity in yeast. Subcellular localization indicates that OsSWEET1b protein was targeted to the plasma membrane and BiFC analysis showed that OsSWEET1b interacts with itself to form homodimers. Functional analysis demonstrated that the ossweet1b mutant plants were have reduced the sucrose, glucose, fructose, starch and galactose contents, and induced carbon starvation-related gene expression, which might lead to carbon starvation in leaves at filling stage. The ossweet1b knockout plants showed decreased chlorophyll content and antioxidant enzyme activity, and increased ROS accumulation in leaves, leading to leaf cell death and premature senescence phenotype at filling stage. In ossweet1b mutants, the leaf senescence-related gene expression levels were increased and the abundance of photosynthesis-related proteins was decreased. Loss of OsSWEET1b were affected the starch, sucrose metabolism and carbon fixation in photosynthetic organelles pathway by RNA-seq analysis. The destruction of OsSWEET1b function will cause sugar starvation, decreased photosynthesis and leaf senescence, which leading to reduced rice yield. Collectively, our results suggest that the OsSWEET1b plays a key role in rice leaves carbohydrate metabolism and leaf senescence.

Improve disaster literacy in nurses: a qualitative descriptive study.

BACKGROUND: The enhancement of nurses' disaster literacy is crucial for effective disaster emergency management, especially for clinical nurses with no prior experience in disaster rescue. This study aims to explore the perspectives of nurses who have been involved in disaster rescue operations on strategies to advance nurses' disaster literacy. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive study, which follows unified qualitative study reporting guidelines. Thirty disaster rescue nurses were recruited to participate in this study, who came from 30 third-class hospitals in China. From October to December 2021, information was acquired by conducting semi-structured telephone interviews with participants. Qualitative content analysis was used to examine the data. RESULTS: Six categories and eleven subcategories were created. Strengthening disaster education and training was the main focus, and its subcategories included continuing education, nursing curriculum development, and disaster rescue experience guide. The second focus, which included scene simulation, actual combat/military simulation, and virtual reality simulation, was strengthening disaster simulation and drill. The third focus was on providing psychosocial support, which included improving self-psychological adjustment, developing resilience, and engaging in active coping. The fourth category was to strengthen nurse/hospital managers roles and leadership, which included enhancing professional identity and policies/leadership support. The fifth category was disaster preparedness, and the sixth was enhancing knowledge transformation. CONCLUSIONS: Government agencies or healthcare organizations should actively promote the formation of nurses' disaster literacy from multiple viewpoints. Disaster education and training, simulation exercises, and psychosocial support should be prioritized.

Knockdown of circ_0038467 alleviates lipopolysaccharides-induced 16HBE cell injury by regulating the miR-545-3p/TRAF1 axis in neonatal pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: Neonatal pneumonia is a common illness in the neonatal period with a high fatality rate. Accumulating proofs have attested to the crucial role of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in pneumonia. This study was intended to expound on the function of circ_0038467 and the underlying mechanism in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated 16HBE cell injury in neonatal pneumonia. METHODS: 16HBE cells were exposed to LPS to establish an in vitro neonatal pneumonia cell model. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was implemented for detecting the levels of circ_0038467, microRNA-545-3p (miR-545-3p), and tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 1 (TRAF1) in neonatal pneumonia serums and LPS-treated 16HBE cells. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation, and flow cytometry assays were used to examine cell viability, proliferation, and apoptosis, respectively. The protein abundances of proliferation/apoptosis/inflammation-correlated makers and TRAF1 were tested by Western blot. RNase R and Actinomycin D assays were implemented to determine the features of circ_0038467. The mutual effect between miR-545-3p and circ_0038467 or TRAF1 was affirmed by a dual-luciferase reporter and RNA pull-down assay assays. RESULTS: Circ_0038467 was upregulated in neonatal pneumonia serum specimens and LPS-triggered 16HBE cells. LPS administration restrained 16HBE cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis and inflammation, whereas circ_0038467 silence recovered these influences. Meanwhile, miR-545-3p was targeted by circ_0038467, and circ_0038467 could modulate LPS-treated 16HBE cell injury through absorbing miR-545-3p. Furthermore, circ_0038467 controlled TRAF1 level via segregating miR-545-3p. Moreover, TRAF1 overexpression relieved the suppressive impact of circ_0038467 silence in LPS-triggered 16HBE cell detriment. CONCLUSION: Circ_0038467 knockdown mitigated LPS-exposed 16HBE cell damage through regulating miR-545-3p/PPARA axis.

Metabolomics in liver injury induced by dietary cadmium exposure and protective effect of calcium supplementation.

The purpose of the study was to explore the effect of calcium (Ca) supplementation on liver injury induced by cadmium (Cd) in rats and its potential metabolic mechanisms through metabolomics analysis. Seventy rats were randomly allotted into 7 groups, including a control group, 3 groups with different levels of Cd exposed (1, 5, and 50 mg Cd/kg diet), and 3 corresponding Ca supplement groups (4 g Ca/kg diet) based on the Cd exposed groups. Dietary intake was simulated by giving Cd or Cd+Ca in the diets of rats. After 13-week feeding, serum biochemical parameters and liver histopathology were examined. Then the metabolic analysis of rat liver tissues was performed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole-time-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). It was demonstrated that Ca supplementation could reverse the abnormal alterations in TG, TC, GSH, MDA induced by Cd exposure, as well as the hepatic pathological changes in rats. Furthermore, the metabolomics analysis of liver samples revealed several distinct regulatory pathways, including energy, amino acid, and lipid metabolic pathways. In conclusion, it showed that Ca supplementation had an ameliorative effect on liver injury induced by Cd exposure in rats, which may be related to the role of Ca in regulating multiple metabolic pathways.

The Role of Nitric Oxide Signaling in Plant Responses to Cadmium Stress.

Nitric oxide (NO) is a widely distributed gaseous signaling molecule in plants that can be synthesized through enzymatic and non-enzymatic pathways and plays an important role in plant growth and development, signal transduction, and response to biotic and abiotic stresses. Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal pollutant widely found in the environment, which not only inhibits plant growth but also enters humans through the food chain and endangers human health. To reduce or avoid the adverse effects of Cd stress, plants have evolved a range of coping mechanisms. Many studies have shown that NO is also involved in the plant response to Cd stress and plays an important role in regulating the resistance of plants to Cd stress. However, until now, the mechanisms by which Cd stress regulates the level of endogenous NO accumulation in plant cells remained unclear, and the role of exogenous NO in plant responses to Cd stress is controversial. This review describes the pathways of NO production in plants, the changes in endogenous NO levels in plants under Cd stress, and the effects of exogenous NO on regulating plant resistance to Cd stress.

Research of the Algebraic Multigrid Method for Electron Optical Simulator.

At present, electron optical simulator (EOS) takes a long time to solve linear FEM systems. The algebraic multigrid preconditioned conjugate gradient (AMGPCG) method can improve the efficiency of solving systems. This paper is focused on the implementation of the AMGPCG method in EOS. The aggregation-based scheme, which uses two passes of a pairwise matching algorithm and the K-cyle scheme, is adopted in the aggregation-based algebraic multigrid method. Numerical experiments show the advantages and disadvantages of the AMG algorithm in peak memory and solving efficiency. The AMGPCG is more efficient than the iterative methods used in the past and only needs one coarsening when EOS computes the particle motion trajectory.

Irisin deficiency disturbs bone metabolism.

Balancing the process of bone formation and resorption is important in the maintenance of healthy bone. Therefore, the discovery of novel factors that can regulate bone metabolism remains needed. Irisin is a newly identified hormone-like peptide. Recent studies have reported the involvement of irisin in many physiological and pathological conditions with bone mineral density changes, including osteopenia and osteoporotic fractures. In this study, we generated the first line of Osx-Cre:FNDC5/irisin KO mice, in which FNDC5/irisin was specifically deleted in the osteoblast lineage. Gene and protein expressions of irisin were remarkably decreased in bones but no significant differences in other tissues were observed in knockout mice. FNDC5/irisin deficient mice showed a lower bone density and significantly delayed bone development and mineralization from early-stage to adulthood. Our phenotypical analysis exhibited decreased osteoblast-related gene expression and increased osteoclast-related gene expression in bone tissues, and reduced adipose tissue browning due to bone-born irisin deletion. By harvesting and culturing MSCs from the knockout mice, we found that osteoblastogenesis was inhibited and osteoclastogenesis was increased. By using irisin stimulated wildtype primary cells as a gain-of-function model, we further revealed the effects and mechanisms of irisin on promoting osteogenesis and inhibiting osteoclastogenesis in vitro. In addition, positive effects of exercise, including bone strength enhancement and body weight loss were remarkably weakened due to irisin deficiency. Interestingly, these changes can be rescued by supplemental administration of recombinant irisin during exercise. Our study indicates that irisin plays an important role in bone metabolism and the crosstalk between bone and adipose tissue. Irisin represents a potential molecule for the prevention and treatment of bone metabolic diseases.

6-Shogaol promotes bone resorption and accelerates orthodontic tooth movement through the JNK-NFATc1 signaling axis.

INTRODUCTION: Corticotomy is widely used in clinical practice to accelerate tooth movement and shorten the duration of orthodontic treatment. It is effective, but an invasive surgery is needed to induce alveolar bone osteopenia that enable rapid tooth movement. In this study, we discovered the potential of 6-shogaol as a more patient-friendly non-invasive alternative to induce transient osteopenia and accelerate tooth movement. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effects of 6-shogaol on the bone marrow macrophages (BMM) proliferation and osteoclast differentiation, and bone resorption were determined in vitro. Sprague-Dawley rats were distributed into three groups: CON, IPinj or Localinj and euthanized at day 28. Micro-CT, histology, immunohistological, and TUNEL analysis were performed to evaluate the tooth movement acceleration effect of 6-shogaol. RESULTS: In vitro, 6-shogaol promotes osteoclast differentiation and functional demineralization of alveolar bone. RANKL-induced mRNA expression of osteoclastic-specific genes was significantly higher in the presence of 6-shogaol. A dose-dependent increase in the area of TRAP-positive cells was observed with 6-shogaol treatment. F-actin ring formation and increased bone resorption confirmed that osteoclasts treated with 6-shogaol were mature and functional. 6-shogaol stimulated JNK activation and NFATc1 expression during osteoclast differentiation. In vivo, 6-shogaol promotes alveolar bone transient osteopenia and accelerates orthodontic tooth movement. Alveolar bone mass was reduced, more osteoclasts were observed in bone resorption lacunae on the compression side, and the expression of RANKL and sclerostin were higher than the control group. In conclusion, our results suggest that 6-shogoal accelerates tooth movement by inducing osteopenia by a mechanism similar to surgically induced bone injury.

Lymphomatoid papulosis subtype C: A case report and literature review.

Lymphomatoid papulosis (LyP) is a rare CD30+ lymphoproliferative primary skin disease with a benign clinical course and malignant histopathology. LyP is classified into seven subtypes based on histopathology: subtypes A through F and LyP with 6p25.3 chromosome rearrangement. We present here, a case report of a 51-year-old man, afflicted with multiple papules and nodules on his left arm for over 3 months and diagnosed with LyP subtype C. The patient refused treatment, and his lesions faded with no visible rash on the left arm 14 months after diagnosis.

Bovine surfactant in the treatment of pneumonia-induced-neonatal acute respiratory distress syndrome (NARDS) in neonates beyond 34 weeks of gestation: a multicentre, randomized, assessor-blinded, placebo-controlled trial.

Neonatal acute respiratory distress syndrome (NARDS) reflects pulmonary surfactant dysfunction, and the usage of bovine surfactant (Calsurf) supplement may therefore be beneficial. To determine whether bovine surfactant given in NARDS can improve oxygenation and survival rate, we conducted a multicenter, randomized trial between January 2018 and June 2019, and we compared Calsurf treatment to controls in neonates with pneumonia accompanied by NARDS. Neonates who met the Montreux criteria definition of NARDS were included, and those with congenital heart and lung malformations were excluded. Primary outcomes were oxygenation index (OI) after Calsurf administration, and secondary outcomes were mortality, and duration of ventilator and oxygen between the two groups, and also other morbidities. Cumulatively, 328 neonates were recruited and analyzed, 162 in the control group, and 166 in the Calsurf group. The results shows that OI in the Calsurf group were significantly lower than that in the control group at 4 h (7.2 ± 2.7 and 11.4 ± 9.1, P = 0.001); similarly, OI in the Calsurf group were significantly lower than in the control group at 12 h ( 7.5 ± 3.1 and 11.2 ± 9.2, P = 0.001). Mortality and duration of ventilator support or oxygen use between the two groups were not significantly different.Conclusion: Calsurf acutely improved OI immediately after administration in pneumonia-induced NARDS; although, we observed no significant decrease in mortality, duration of ventilator or oxygen, or major morbidity. What is known: • The definition proposed as the Monteux criteria for neonatal acute respiratory distress syndrome (NARDS). • Surfactant acutely improved oxygenation and significantly decreased mortality in children and adolescents with acute lung injury. What is new: • This is the first large randomized controlled trail to study on surfactant treatment of neonates with acute respiratory distress syndromes. • Surfactant acutely improved oxygenation immediately after administration in pneumonia-induced NARDS at a gestational age beyond 34 weeks.

Effect of glucose metabolism disorders on the short-term prognosis in neonates with asphyxia: a multicenter study in Hubei Province, China. / çª’æ¯æ–°ç”Ÿå„¿ç³–ä»£è°¢ç´Šä¹±å¯¹è¿‘æœŸé¢„åŽçš„å½±å“ï¼šä¸€é¡¹æ¹–åŒ—çœå¤šä¸­å¿ƒç ”ç©¶.

OBJECTIVES: To study the effect of glucose metabolism disorders on the short-term prognosis in neonates with asphyxia. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of the neonates with asphyxia who were admitted to 52 hospitals in Hubei Province of China from January to December, 2018 and had blood glucose data within 12 hours after birth. Their blood glucose data at 1, 2, 6, and 12 hours after birth (with an allowable time error of 0.5 hour) were recorded. According to the presence or absence of brain injury and/or death during hospitalization, the neonates were divided into a poor prognosis group with 693 neonates and a good prognosis group with 779 neonates. The two groups were compared in the incidence of glucose metabolism disorders within 12 hours after birth and short-term prognosis. RESULTS: Compared with the good prognosis group, the poor prognosis group had a significantly higher proportion of neonates from secondary hospitals (48.5% vs 42.6%, P<0.05) or with severe asphyxia (19.8% vs 8.1%, P<0.05) or hypothermia therapy (4.8% vs 1.5%, P<0.05), as well as a significantly higher incidence rate of disorder of glucose metabolism (18.8% vs 12.5%, P<0.05). Compared with the good prognosis group, the poor prognosis group had a significantly higher incidence rate of disorder of glucose metabolism at 1, 2, and 6 hours after birth (P<0.05). The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that recurrent hyperglycemia (adjusted odds ratio=2.380, 95% confidence interval: 1.275-4.442, P<0.05) was an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in neonates with asphyxia. CONCLUSIONS: Recurrent hyperglycemia in neonates with asphyxia may suggest poor short-term prognosis, and it is necessary to strengthen the early monitoring and management of the nervous system in such neonates.

O-GlcNAc transferase affects the signal transduction of ß1 adrenoceptor in adult rat cardiomyocytes by increasing the O-GlcNAcylation of ß1 adrenoceptor.

O-GlcNAcylation was first found by Torres and Hart in monocytes. It is a dynamic and reversible post-translational modification catalyzed by O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA). O-GlcNAcylation is increased in diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) patients and it has been reported that OGT plays an important role in the regulation of cardiac gene transcription, cell cycle and calcium homeostasis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of OGT on signal transduction and function of ß1-adrenoceptor (ß1AR) in adult rat cardiomyocytes. We found that after overexpressing OGT by adenovirus vector in adult rat cardiomyocytes, cAMP formation and phosphorylation of phospholamban (PLB) at Ser16 (p16-PLB) were decreased under isoprenaline (ISO) stimulation. Over expression of OGT increased the intracellular [Ca2+]i and deteriorated the death of cardiomyocytes induced by prolonged stimulation with ISO. ß1-adrenoceptor was overexpressed using a plasmid vector and then co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) followed by Western blot was employed to define the O-GlcNAcylation of ß1-adrenoceptor. The results showed that O-GlcNAcylation of ß1-adrenoceptor was increased in OGT overexpressed cells, and there was no significant change in the formation of cAMP and phosphorylation of PLB after ß1-adrenoceptor was blocked by CGP20712A. Given that OGT affects the signal transduction of ß1-adrenoceptor in adult rat cardiomyocytes by increasing the O-GlcNAcylation of ß1-adrenoceptor, the mechanism revealed in this study indicates that OGT and ß1AR may be therapeutic targets in patients undergoing diabetic cardiomyopathy.

Potential roles of miR-335-5p on pathogenesis of experimental periodontitis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Periodontitis is a prevalent oral disease responsible for tooth loss. MicroRNAs have been proven crucial in bone disorders over the past decades. Promotive effect on osteogenic activities by microRNA-335-5p (miR-335-5p) has been well demonstrated, but its role involved in the pathogenesis of periodontitis remains elusive. In this study, we established experimental periodontitis (EP) on transgenic mice overexpressing miR-335-5p (335-Tg) to investigate the novel effects of miR-335-5p on periodontal inflammation and bone loss. METHODS: Experimental periodontitis was established via ligation. The expression of inflammatory and osteoclastic genes was examined by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Morphology of alveolar bone was analyzed by microcomputed tomography (µCT). Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining were conducted for histological analysis. RESULTS: The expression of miR-335-5p decreased significantly in the periodontal tissues of EP. Compared to the WT-EP group, µCT analysis showed less bone loss in the 335-Tg-EP group accompanying with a decreased number of TRAP-positive osteoclasts. H&E and IHC staining exhibited attenuated inflammation and TLR4 expression in the 335-Tg-EP group. Furthermore, reduced expressions of IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, and TLR4 were also detected in the 335-Tg-EP group. Overexpression of miR-335-5p in vivo weakened the periodontal bone destruction and inflammation compared with the WT-EP group. CONCLUSIONS: Our data exhibit novel roles of miR-335-5p in preventing bone loss and inflammation in experimental periodontitis.

Aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy for folliculitis decalvans: A case report.

Folliculitis decalvans (FD) is a chronic inflammatory disease with an unknown etiology. FD is characterized by chronic suppurative folliculitis, is often accompanied by pruritus or even pain, and ultimately progresses to cicatricial alopecia. Adult men have a tendency to develop this disease. The current treatments mainly consist of antibiotics, vitamin A derivatives, immune therapies, and biologics. However, some cases are intractable. Here, we present a case of recalcitrant FD that was successfully treated by photodynamic therapy with topical aminolevulinic acid.

ß-Arrestin 2 mediates arginine vasopressin-induced IL-6 induction via the ERK1/2-NF-κB signal pathway in murine hearts.

Evidence to date suggests that ß-arrestins act beyond their role as adapter proteins. Arginine vasopressin (AVP) may be a factor in inflammation and fibrosis in the pathogenesis of heart failure. In the present study we investigated the effect of AVP on inflammatory cytokine IL-6 production in murine hearts and the impact of ß-arrestin 2-dependent signaling on AVP-induced IL-6 production. We found that administration of AVP (0.5 U/kg, iv) markedly increased the levels of IL-6 mRNA in rat hearts with the maximum level occurred at 6 h. In ß-arrestin 2 KO mouse hearts, deletion of ß-arrestin 2 decreased AVP-induced IL-6 mRNA expression. We then performed in vitro experiments in adult rat cardiac fibroblasts (ARCFs). We found that AVP (10-9-10-6 M) dose-dependently increased the expression of IL-6 mRNA and protein, activation of NF-κB signaling and ERK1/2 phosphorylation, whereas knockdown of ß-arrestin 2 blocked AVP-induced IL-6 increase, NF-κB activation and ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Pharmacological blockade of ERK1/2 using PD98059 diminished AVP-induced NF-κB activation and IL-6 production. The selective V1A receptor antagonist SR49059 effectively blocked AVP-induced NF-κB phosphorylation and activation as well as IL-6 expression in ARCFs. In AVP-treated mice, pre-injection of SR49059 (2 mg/kg, iv) abolished AVP-induced NF-κB activation and IL-6 production in hearts. The above results suggest that AVP induces IL-6 induction in murine hearts via the V1A receptor-mediated ß-arrestin2/ERK1/2/NF-κB pathway, thus reveal a novel mechanism of myocardial inflammation in heart failure involving the V1A/ß-arrestin 2/ERK1/2/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Effects of a Mobile Health Intervention to Promote HIV Self-testing with MSM in China: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study tested a mobile health (mHealth) intervention program entitled WeTest, delivered via the WeChat mobile app, to promote oral HIV self-testing (HIVST) among MSM in Hefei, China. A total of 100 MSM participants enrolled, completed baseline assessment, were randomly assigned to intervention or control, and completed 6-month follow-up surveys. Intervention participants (n = 50) received two oral HIVST kits and access to WeTest, a private WeChat group which provided app-based messages and referrals to health services related to HIV. Control participants (n = 50) received two oral HIVST kits only. All participants received instructions to upload photographic results of their oral HIVST, which were sent to the project counselor via a secure WeChat online portal; immediate contact and referrals were made to any participants who tested HIV-positive. In GEE analyses adjusting for time effects and baseline confounders, intervention participants had significantly higher rates of HIV testing (adjusted rate ratio RR = 1.99, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-3.84) and, in particular, higher rates of testing via oral HIVST (adjusted RR = 2.17, 95% CI 1.08-4.37) compared with the control group. Significant time effects were also found such that all participants, regardless of group allocation, had significantly higher rates of reporting consistent condom use with main partners (adjusted RR = 18.13, 95% CI 5.19-63.31) and with non-main partners (adjusted RR = 5.33, 95% CI 2.35-12.08). Findings from this study provide evidence for the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary effects of this mHealth approach to promoting oral HIVST among MSM in China.