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Fish oil has been used effectively in the treatment of cardiovascular disease via triglyceride reduction and inflammation modulation. This study aimed to assess the effects of fish oil on patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) associated with hyperlipidemia. Eighty participants with NAFLD associated with hyperlipidemia were randomly assigned to consume fish oil (n=40, 4 g/d) or corn oil capsules (n=40, 4 g/d) for 3 months in a double-blind, randomized clinical trial. Blood levels of lipids, glucose and insulin, liver enzymes, kidney parameters and cytokines at baseline and the end of the study were measured. Seventy people finished the trial. Plasma concentrations of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid significantly increased in the fish oil group after intervention. After adjustment for age, gender and BMI, fish oil significantly decreased fasting serum concentrations of total cholesterol, triglyceride, apolipoprotein B and glucose (by (mean±SD) 0.49±0.43 mmol/L, 0.58±0.89 mmol/L, 0.28±0.33 g/L and 0.76±0.56 mmol/L, respectively, P<0.05), as well as alanine aminotransferase and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase levels (by (median (interquartile)) 9.0(0.5, 21.5) and 7.0(2.2, 20.0) IU/L, respectively, P<0.05), significantly increased serum adiponectin levels (by 1.29±0.62 μg/mL, P<0.001), and reduced serum levels of tumor necrosis factor α, leukotrienes B4, fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21), cytokeratin 18 fragment M30 and prostaglandin E2 (by 1.70±1.18 pg/mL, 0.59±0.28 ng/mL, 121±31 pg/mL, 83±60 IU/L and 10.9±2.3 pg/mL, respectively, P<0.001). Corn oil had no effect except for increasing serum creatinine concentrations by 7.7±8.9 μmol/L (P=0.008). The effects of fish oil on lipids, glucose and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase were positively correlated with the reductions of serum FGF21 and prostaglandin E2 concentrations after adjustment for age, gender and BMI (r = 0.275 to 0.360 and 0.261 to 0.375, respectively, P<0.05). In conclusion, our findings suggest that fish oil can benefit metabolic abnormalities associated with NAFLD treatment. ChiCTR-TRC-12002380.

We investigate the quantum metric and topological Euler number in a cyclically modulated Su-Schrieffer-Heeger (SSH) model with long-range hopping terms. By computing the quantum geometry tensor, we derive exactly expressions for the quantum metric and Berry curvature of the energy band electrons, and we obtain the phase diagram of the model marked by the first Chern number. Furthermore, we also obtain the topological Euler number of the energy band based on the Gauss-Bonnet theorem on the topological characterization of the closed Bloch states manifold in the first Brillouin zone. However, some regions where the Berry curvature is identically zero in the first Brillouin zone results in the degeneracy of the quantum metric, which leads to ill-defined non-integer topological Euler numbers. Nevertheless, the non-integer \"Euler number\" provides valuable insights and provide an upper bound for absolute values of the Chern numbers.

The purpose of this study was to compare the craniofacial morphology of a group of Chinese children from northern China with a group of Swedish children. Each ethnic group comprised 20 boys and 20 girls with Class I occlusion, and 20 boys and 20 girls with Class II occlusion. The ages of the children ranged from eight to ten years. Lateral cephalometric radiographs were used for the recording of a number of skeletal, dental, nasopharyngeal airway, and hyoid bone variables. The results of the comparisons of the two ethnic groups showed that the antero-posterior dimensions of the anterior cranial base and the maxilla in the Chinese children were significantly smaller than the corresponding dimensions in the Swedish children. The mean values of anterior and posterior face heights, inclination of the upper incisors, and protrusion of the lower incisors, were significantly greater in the Chinese than in the Swedish samples. In the median piane, the size of the nasopharyngeal airway was significantly greater in the Chinese than in the Swedes. This difference was due to the fact that the soft tissues covering the posterior nasopharyngeal wali were thinner in the Chinese children than in the Swedish children. In generał, the ethnic differences were the same in the Class I and the Class II groups. The differences in some of the dental and skeletal characteristics found between northern Chinese and Caucasian children are similar to previously described differences between southern Chinese and Caucasian children.

Aim： Aconiti Lateralis Radix Preparata is a traditional Chinese medicine used to treat chronic arthritis and is highly effective against rheumatoid arthritis. However, the effects of aconine, a derivative of aconitum alkaloids, on osteoclasts, which can absorb bone, remain unknown. Here, we investigated the effects of aconine on osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption in vitro. Methods： The viability of mouse leukemic monocyte/macrophage cell line RAW264.7 was measured using CCK-8 assays. Osteoclast differentiation was induced by incubation of RAW264.7 cells in the presence of RANKL, and assessed with TRAP staining assay. Bone resorption was examined with bone resorption pits assay. The expression of relevant genes and proteins was analyzed using RT-PCR and Western blots. The activation of NF-κB and nuclear factor of activated T-cells （NFAT） was examined using stable NF-κB and NFATcl luciferase reporter gene systems, RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Results： Aconine （0.125, 0.25 pmol/L） did not affect the viability of RAW264.7 cells, but dose-dependently inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclast formation and bone resorptive activity. Furthermore, aconine dose-dependently inhibited the RANKL-induced activation of NF-κB and NFATcl in RAW264.7 cells, and subsequently reduced the expression of osteoclast-specific genes （c-Src, 133-1ntegrin, cathepsin K and MMP-9） and the expression of dendritic cell-specific transmembrane protein （DC-STAMP）, which played an important role in cell-cell fusion. Conclusion： These findings suggest that aconine inhibits RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation in RAW264.7 cells by suppressing the activation of NF-κB and NFATcl and the expression of the cell-cell fusion molecule DC-STAMP.

The IL-6-STAT3 axis is critically involved in inflammation-associated carcinogenesis (IAC). How this axis is regulated to modulate IAC remains unknown. Here, we show that the plasma membrane-associated E3 ubiquitin ligase MARCH3 negatively regulates STAT3 activation triggered by IL-6, as well as another IL-6 subfamily member, Oncostatin M (OSM). MARCH3 is associated with the IL-6 receptor α-chain (IL-6Rα) and its coreceptor gp130. Biochemical experiments indicated that MARCH3 mediates the polyubiquitination of IL-6Rα at K401 and gp130 at K849 following IL-6 stimulation, leading to their translocation to and degradation in lysosomes. MARCH3 deficiency increases IL-6- and OSM-triggered activation of STAT3 and induction of downstream effector genes in various cell types. MARCH3 deficiency enhances dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced STAT3 activation, increases the expression of inflammatory cytokines, and exacerbates colitis, as well as azoxymethane (AOM)/DSS-induced colitis-associated cancer in mice. In addition, MARCH3 is downregulated in human colorectal cancer tissues and associated with poor survival across different cancer types. Our findings suggest that MARCH3 is a pivotal negative regulator of IL-6-induced STAT3 activation, inflammation, and inflammation-associated carcinogenesis.

Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are regarded as the most promising treatment for advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer (aNSCLC). Unfortunately, there has been no unified accuracy biomarkers and systematic model specifically identified for prognostic and severe immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Our goal was to discover new biomarkers and develop a publicly accessible method of identifying patients who may maximize benefit from ICIs. Methods This retrospective study enrolled 138 aNSCLC patients receiving ICIs treatment. Progression-free survival (PFS) and severe irAEs were end-points. Data of demographic features, severe irAEs, and peripheral blood inflammatory-nutritional and immune indices before and after 1 or 2 cycles of ICIs were collected. Independent factors were selected by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) combined with multivariate analysis, and incorporated into nomogram construction. Internal validation was performed by applying area under curve (AUC), calibration plots, and decision curve. Results Three nomograms with great predictive accuracy and discriminatory power were constructed in this study. Among them, two nomograms based on combined inflammatory-nutritional biomarkers were constructed for PFS (1 year-PFS and 2 year-PFS) and severe irAEs respectively, and one nomogram was constructed for 1 year-PFS based on immune indices. ESCLL nomogram (based on ECOG PS, preSII, changeCAR, changeLYM and postLDH) was constructed to assess PFS (1-, 2-year-AUC = 0.893 [95% CI 0.837–0.950], 0.828 [95% CI 0.721–0.935]). AdNLA nomogram (based on age, change-dNLR, changeLMR and postALI) was constructed to predict the risk of severe irAEs (AUC = 0.762 [95% CI 0.670–0.854]). NKT-B nomogram (based on change-CD3+CD56+CD16+NKT-like cells and change-B cells) was constructed to assess PFS (1-year-AUC = 0.872 [95% CI 0.764–0.965]). Although immune indices could not be modeled for severe irAEs prediction due to limited data, we were the first to find CD3+CD56+CD16+NKT-like cells were not only correlated with PFS but also associated with severe irAEs, which have not been reported in the study of aNSCLC-ICIs. Furthermore, our study also discovered higher change-CD4+/CD8+ ratio was significantly associated with severe irAEs. Conclusions These three new nomograms proceeded from non-invasive and straightforward peripheral blood data may be useful for decisions-making. CD3+CD56+CD16+NKT-like cells were first discovered to be an important biomarker for treatment and severe irAEs, and play a vital role in distinguishing the therapy response and serious toxicity of ICIs.

Background. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), widely used as an alternative therapy in patients with severe aortic stenosis, is expected to be offered to low-risk patents with a longer life expectancy. The durability of transcatheter aortic valve is becoming of increasing importance. Method. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane CENTRAL from the inception to March 2020 were systematically screened for studies reporting on structural valve deterioration (SVD) in TAVR patients. Incidence of SVD was diagnosed according to the latest European consensus as the primary end point. Predictors of SVD evaluated at multivariable analysis and cumulative incidence function (CIF) of SVD were the secondary end point. Result. Twelve studies encompassing 10031 patients evaluating the incidence of SVD were included, with a follow-up between 1 and 8 years. The pooled incidence of SVD was 4.93% (95% CI, 2.75%–7.70%, I2 = 96%) at 1 year and 8.97% (95% CI, 6.89%–11.29%, I2 = 86%) in the long term (≥5 years). Subgroup analysis was performed to identify the valve type that may result in partial heterogeneity. SVD was more frequent in patents with a valve diameter of <26 mm (HR: 3.57, 1.47–8.69), oral anticoagulants (OAC), exposure at discharge (OR: 0.48, 0.38–0.61), or by a disease of renal dysfunction (OR 1.42, 1.03–1.96). Conclusion. SVD represents infrequent events after TAVR in the long term (>5 years), occurring more commonly in renal dysfunction patients, with small valve diameter and without OAC exposure. There may be an underestimation of the incidence if we assume death as a competing risk.

The indoor positioning for visually impaired people has influence on their daily life in unknown indoor environment. This study designs the robot that can assist the blind walking safety and navigate in indoor environment by a single camera. The sense classification is proposed to position the blind in indoor environment by proposed convolutional neural network framework and integrate the semantic segmentation to find the road surface through a depth camera to guide the blind walking. The proposed vision-based sense classification method is compared with the traditional WiFi triangular-positioning method, and the average error of x-y coordinate position result as (9.25,3.65) is better. From the experiment, the designed robot can help the visually impaired people to indoor navigation in unknown indoor environment.

Background Sufentanil-induced cough (SIC) is a common complication during anesthesia induction. We explored the recommended sufentanil dose that effectively avoids cough during general anesthesia using a clinical trial to analyze the effective dose (ED)50 and ED95 of sufentanil that avoids cough, hemodynamic fluctuations, and adverse reactions. Methods On the basis of sufentanil dose, 136 patients (ASA class I–II) were randomly allocated into the following groups: I, 0.1 μg/kg; II, 0.3 μg/kg; III, 0.5 μg/kg; or IV, 1.0 μg/kg. The number of coughing incidents, dizziness, panic, and chest tightness within 1 minute after sufentanil injection, and the patient’s heart rate (HR) and blood pressure 5 minutes after intubation were recorded and analyzed. Cough was assessed as follows: none, 0 times; mild, 1 to 2 times/minute; moderate, 3 to 4 times/minute; and severe, 5 times/minute or more. Results The ED50 and ED95 of cough incidence induced by intravenous sufentanil in patients during general anesthesia induction was 0.332 μg/kg and 1.423 μg/kg, respectively. The cough rate in group I was lower than the other groups. The incidence of dizziness, panic, chest tightness, hypertension, bradycardia, and tachycardia were not significantly different. Conclusions The recommended sufentanil dose during general anesthesia induction is 0.1 μg/kg.

Ginsenoside Rh2 (GRh2) and ginsenoside Rg3 (GRg3) are primary bioactive components in Panax ginseng. The present study aimed to investigate the underlying mechanisms of apoptotic cell-death induced by GRh2 and GRg3 in human leukemia Jurkat cells. The Cell Counting kit-8 assay was used to determine cell proliferation. Apoptosis was detected by nuclear morphologic observation by Hoechst 33342 staining and Annexin V-allophycocyanin and 7-amino-actinomycin D assay. mitoTEMPO, a mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger, was used to examine the effects of mitochondrial ROS on cell viability and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Finally, the expression levels of numerous mitochondrial-associated apoptosis proteins were assessed by western blot analysis. These results demonstrated that GRh2 and GRg3 inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis, and that GRh2 had greater cytotoxicity than GRg3. GRh2 induced generation of more mitochondrial ROS compared with GRg3 in Jurkat cells; however, this effect was ameliorated by subsequent treatment with mitoTEMPO. Furthermore, excess mitochondrial ROS induced by GRh2 was more potent than GRg3 in inhibiting cell proliferation and reducing MMP. In addition, expression levels of apoptosis-associated proteins were significantly increased in Jurkat cells treated with GRh2 than GRg3. In conclusion, these findings suggested that GRh2 and GRg3 induce mitochondrial-associated apoptosis by increasing mitochondrial ROS in human leukemia Jurkat cells. GRh2 may more effectively inhibit cell growth and accelerate apoptosis than GRg3. This study provides a potential novel strategy for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.