778 research outputs found
Therapeutic Applications and Mechanisms of YC-1: A Soluble Guanylate Cyclase Stimulator
Nitric oxide (NO) is an essential endogenous vasodilator to maintain vascular homeostasis, whose effects are mainly mediated by NO-dependent soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) which catalyzes the synthesis of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), a critical mediator of vascular relaxation. YC-1, a novel NO-independent sGC stimulator, was first introduced as an inhibitor of platelet aggregation and thrombosis. Accumulating studies revealed that YC-1 has multiple medication potentials to use for a broad spectrum of diseases ranging from cardiovascular diseases to cancers. In contrast to NO donors, YC-1 has a more favorable safety profile and low medication tolerance. In this chapter, we introduce canonical and pathological roles of NO, review activations, and regulatory mechanisms of YC-1 on NO-independent sGC/cGMP pathway and present the potential pharmacological applications and molecular mechanisms of YC-1
Recent advances in crystalline oxidopolyborate complexes of d-block or p-block metals: structural aspects, syntheses and physical properties
Crystalline materials containing hybrid inorganicβorganic metal borates (complexes with oxidoborate ligands) display a variety of novel framework building blocks. The structural aspects of these hybrid metallaoxidoborates containing Cd(II), Co(II), Cu(II), Ga(III), In(III), Mn(II), Ni(II) or Zn(II) metal centers are discussed in this review. The review describes synthetic approaches to these hybrid materials, their physical properties, their spectroscopic properties and their potential applications
Shoupa: An AI System for Early Diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a progressive nervous system disorder that has
affected more than 5.8 million people, especially the elderly. Due to the
complexity of its symptoms and its similarity to other neurological disorders,
early detection requires neurologists or PD specialists to be involved, which
is not accessible to most old people. Therefore, we integrate smart mobile
devices with AI technologies. In this paper, we introduce the framework of our
developed PD early detection system which combines different tasks evaluating
both motor and non-motor symptoms. With the developed model, we help users
detect PD punctually in non-clinical settings and figure out their most severe
symptoms. The results are expected to be further used for PD rehabilitation
guidance and detection of other neurological disorders.Comment: 2 pages, 1 figure, accepted by IEEE/ACM CHASE 2022 (Poster
Presentation
Centella asiatica extract protects against amyloid Ξ²1β40-induced neurotoxicity in neuronal cells by activating the antioxidative defence system
AbstractCentella asiatica (ι·ε
¬ζ Ή lΓ©i gΕng gΔn) is a traditional medicinal herb with high antioxidant activity, which decreases amyloid-Ξ² (AΞ²) deposition in the brain. At the same time, aggregated AΞ²-induced oxidative stress is the trigger in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we investigated the ability of C. asiatica ethanol extract (CAE) to protect PC12 and IMR32 cells from AΞ²1β40-induced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and concomitant neurotoxicity. Aggregated AΞ²1β40 treatment resulted in reduced cell viability, which can be reversed by cotreatment with 25, 50, and 100Β ΞΌg/mL CAE. Moreover, CAE eliminated the AΞ²1β40-mediated increase in ROS production. Thus, CAE-mediated protection against aggregated AΞ²1β40-induced neurotoxicity is attributable to modulation of the antioxidative defense system in cells, including the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, and levels of glutathione and glutathione disulfide by CAE. This emphasizes the potential therapeutic and preventive value of CAE in the treatment of AD
Antimicrobial susceptibility and clinical outcomes of Candida parapsilosis bloodstream infections in a tertiary teaching hospital in Northern Taiwan
BackgroundCandida parapsilosis is an emerging non-albicans Candida that is associated with central line-associated infection. C. parapsilosis has higher minimal inhibitory concentration to echinocandin than Candida albicans, and the effects of echinocandin on C. parapsilosis are ambiguous. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the susceptibility and the correlation between incidence and drug consumption.MethodsThis retrospective study was conducted in a tertiary teaching hospital in northern Taiwan between 2008 and 2012. The Candida species distribution, the correlation between the use of antifungal agents and the incidence of C. parapsilosis bloodstream infection, demographic information, clinical characteristics, mortality rate, and inΒ vitro susceptibility of C. parapsilosis were analyzed.ResultsA total of 77 episodes from 77 patients were included for analysis. The overall 90-day mortality rate was 41.6%. The incidence of C. parapsilosis bloodstream infection showed a moderate positive correlation with the increased defined daily dose of echinocandin. The risk factors associated with mortality included malignancy or a metastatic tumor. Multivariate logistical regression analysis showed that patients with malignancy had higher odds ratios in terms of mortality. The rate of C. parapsilosis resistance to fluconazole was 3%, whereas the susceptibility rate was 95.5%.ConclusionUnderlying comorbidity and malignancy were factors leading to death in patients with C. parapsilosis bloodstream infection. Catheter removal did not influence the mortality rate. The survival rate of patients receiving echinocandin was lower than the group receiving fluconazole. Fluconazole remains the drug of choice to treat C. parapsilosis bloodstream infections
Aerosolized Colistin for the Treatment of Multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Pneumonia: Experience in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Northern Taiwan
Background/PurposeVentilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) due to multidrug-resistant (MDR) Acinetobacter baumannii in critically ill patients presents an emerging challenge to clinicians. Administration of aerosolized colistin as an adjunctive therapy is one therapeutic option mentioned in limited evidence-based studies. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of adjunctive aerosolized colistin treatment for VAP due to MDR pathogens.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who had received aerosolized colistin for treatment of VAP due to MDR A. baumannii in our hospital from August to December 2008.ResultsForty-five patients were enrolled in our study. The mean age was 71 Β± 15 years. The mean Acute Physiological and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scores on the day of intensive care unit admission and on the first day of aerosolized colistin administration were 22.5 Β± 6.7 and 18.9 Β± 5.7, respectively. The mean duration of intensive care unit stay was 34 Β± 16 days. The mean daily dosage of aerosolized colistin was 4.29 Β± 0.82 million IU, and the mean duration of administration was 10.29 days. Seventeen patients (37.8%) had a favorable microbiological outcome and 26 (57.8%) showed a clinical response. Mortality due to all causes was 42.2%. No adverse effects related to inhaled colistin were recorded.ConclusionAerosolized colistin may be considered as an adjunct to intravenous treatments in patients with VAP due to colistin-susceptible MDR A. baumannii in critically ill patients
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ΠΠ½Π°Π»ΠΈΠ·ΠΈΡΡΠ΅ΡΡΡ Π²ΡΠΎΡΠΎΠΉ Π΄Π΅ΠΊΠΎΠ½ΡΡΡΡΠΊΡΠΈΠ²ΠΈΡΡΡΠΊΠΈΠΉ ΡΡΠ°ΠΏ Π»ΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠ°ΡΡΡΠ½ΠΎ-ΠΊΡΠΈΡΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΎΠΉ Π΄Π΅ΡΡΠ΅Π»ΡΠ½ΠΎΡΡΠΈ ΠΠΆ. Π₯. ΠΠΈΠ»Π»Π΅ΡΠ° Π½Π° ΠΌΠ°ΡΠ΅ΡΠΈΠ°Π»Π΅ 80-90-Ρ
Π³ΠΎΠ΄ΠΎΠ². Π¦Π΅Π»Ρ Π΄Π°Π½Π½ΠΎΠΉ ΡΡΠ°ΡΡΠΈ - ΠΏΠΎΠΊΠ°Π·Π°ΡΡ Π½ΠΎΠ²ΡΠΉ Π΄Π΅ΠΊΠΎΠ½ΡΡΡΡΠΊΡΠΈΠ²ΠΈΡΡΡΠΊΠΈΠΉ ΠΏΠΎΠ΄Ρ
ΠΎΠ΄ Π°ΠΌΠ΅ΡΠΈΠΊΠ°Π½ΡΠΊΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΠΊΡΠΈΡΠΈΠΊΠ° ΠΈ Π²ΡΡΠ²ΠΈΡΡ ΡΠΏΠ΅ΡΠΈΡΠΈΠΊΡ Π΅Π³ΠΎ Π»ΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠ°ΡΡΡΠ½ΠΎ-ΠΊΡΠΈΡΠΈΡΠ΅ΡΠΊΠΎΠ³ΠΎ ΠΌΠ΅ΡΠΎΠ΄Π°.The article deals with the second deconstructive period of J.H. Miller's literary theory and criticism (80-90-s' works). The purpose of the article is to define the new deconstructive approach of the American literary critic and specify his method
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