Effect of rosuvastatin and benazepril on matrix metalloproteinase-2, matrix metalloproteinase-9 and leukotriene B4 of patients with acute myocardial infarction

Purpose: To investigate the effects of rosuvastatin and benazepril on matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), MMP-9 and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods: Fifty-six patients with AMI were selected. They were randomly divided into control and study groups. Thirty healthy people were used in the normal group. On the basis of conventional therapy, patients in the control group were given rosuvastatin orally, while those in the study group received rosuvastatin and benazepril orally. The duration of treatment in both groups was 3 months. Serum levels of MMP-2, MMP-9 and LTB4, and incidence of left ventricular remodelling and recurrence of cardiovascular events were determined before and after treatment for both groups. Results: MMP-2, MMP-9 and LTB4 levels in serum were significantly lower for the two groups after treatment, when compared to pre-treatment values, and significantly lower in the study group (p < 0.05). Left ventricular remodelling was lower in the study group than in the control group (p < 0.05). Recurrence of cardiovascular events declined significantly in the study group, relative to control (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Rosuvastatin and benazepril significantly reduce serum levels of MMP-2, MMP-9 and LTB4 in AMI patients, and thus can potentially prevent ventricular remodelling, improve prognosis and reduce recurrence rate

A core syllabus for histology within the medical curriculum – the cardiovascular and lymphoid systems, the respiratory and digestive systems, and the integument

Medical courses worldwide are undergoing significant curricular changes, including the teaching and learning of histology. In order to set international standards for the anatomical sciences, the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists (IFAA) is developing core anatomical syllabuses by means of Delphi panels. Already published is a core syllabus for the teaching of the cell and the basic tissues within medicine. Here, we record the deliberations of an IFAA Delphi panel commissioned to develop core subject matter for the teaching within a medical histology course of the cardiovascular and lymphatic circulatory system, the lymphoid, respiratory, and digestive systems, and the integument. The Delphi panel was comprised of academics from multiple countries who were required to review relevant histological topics/items by evaluating each topic as being either “Essential,” “Important,” “Acceptable,” or “Not required.” Topics that were rated by over 60% of the panelists as being “Essential” are reported in this paper as being core topics for the teaching of medical histology. Also reported are topics that, while not reaching the threshold for being designated as core material, may be recommended or not required within the curriculum

Inversion using a new low-dimensional representation of complex binary geological media based on a deep neural network

Efficient and high-fidelity prior sampling and inversion for complex geological media is still a largely unsolved challenge. Here, we use a deep neural network of the variational autoencoder type to construct a parametric low-dimensional base model parameterization of complex binary geological media. For inversion purposes, it has the attractive feature that random draws from an uncorrelated standard normal distribution yield model realizations with spatial characteristics that are in agreement with the training set. In comparison with the most commonly used parametric representations in probabilistic inversion, we find that our dimensionality reduction (DR) approach outperforms principle component analysis (PCA), optimization-PCA (OPCA) and discrete cosine transform (DCT) DR techniques for unconditional geostatistical simulation of a channelized prior model. For the considered examples, important compression ratios (200 - 500) are achieved. Given that the construction of our parameterization requires a training set of several tens of thousands of prior model realizations, our DR approach is more suited for probabilistic (or deterministic) inversion than for unconditional (or point-conditioned) geostatistical simulation. Probabilistic inversions of 2D steady-state and 3D transient hydraulic tomography data are used to demonstrate the DR-based inversion. For the 2D case study, the performance is superior compared to current state-of-the-art multiple-point statistics inversion by sequential geostatistical resampling (SGR). Inversion results for the 3D application are also encouraging

A core syllabus for histology within the medical curriculum - The cell and basic tissues

The International Federation of Associations of Anatomists (IFAA) are developing core syllabuses for the anatomical sciences by means of Delphi panels. In this article, we provide the core subject matter for the teaching of the cell and of basic tissues within a medical histology course. The goal is to set an international standard providing guidelines for such a core syllabus. The Delphi panel, composed of members across multiple countries, required two rounds to evaluate 257 relevant items/topics approved by the IFAA. Based on the perception of the core knowledge of histology, the items were to be rated by each member of the Delphi panel as being “Essential,” “Important,” “Acceptable,” or “Not required.” Topics that were rated by over 60% of the panelists as being “Essential” and “Important” are provided in this article and are recommended for the teaching of medical histology

The influence of grit on nurse job satisfaction: Mediating effects of perceived stress and moderating effects of optimism

IntroductionNurse job satisfaction, defined as the positive emotional state experienced by nurses regarding their profession, factors related to job performance and outcomes, can affect their career planning and development. Grit, defined as an individual’s relentless effort and enduring enthusiasm for long-term goals, is essential for developing nurses’ competence, increasing job satisfaction, and reducing the willingness to leave the profession. The present study aims to explore the correlation between grit and job satisfaction, whether perceived stress could act as a mediator of the relationship and whether optimism moderated the mediating effect among nurses working in hospitals in southwest China.MethodsThe cross-sectional study utilized self-reported data gathered from 709 nurses in southwest China. To analyze mediating and moderating effects, bootstrapping regressions were conducted.ResultsPerceived pressure mediated the relationship between grit and job satisfaction (indirect effect = 0.195, 95%CI [0.145,0.250]). Furthermore, moderated mediated analysis revealed that optimism moderated grit’s impact on perceived stress (moderating effect = 0.036, 95% CI [0.010, 0.061]).DiscussionLow levels of grit might reduce nurses’ job satisfaction as their perceived stress levels increase. However, optimism among nurses could diminish this negative effect. Nursing managers should actively seek to improve the grit and optimism of hospital nurses while reducing their perceived pressure, thereby improving job satisfaction

All-trans retinoic acid regulates the expression of the extracellular matrix protein fibulin-1 in the guinea pig sclera and human scleral fibroblasts

Purpose: Fibulin-1 (FBLN1) mRNA is expressed in human sclera and is an important adhesion modulatory protein that can affect cell-matrix interactions and tissue remodeling. Scleral remodeling is influenced by all-trans retinoic acid (RA). Our purpose was to confirm the presence of fibulin-1 protein in guinea pig sclera and investigate the effect of RA on the expression of fibulin-1 in guinea pig sclera in vivo and in cultured human scleral fibroblasts (HSFs). Methods: Confocal fluorescence microscopy was used to study fibulin-1 and aggrecan expression and localization in sclera from control guinea pigs and in animals given RA by daily gavage from 4 to 8 days of age. The effects of RA (from 10⁻⁹ to 10⁻⁵ M) on fibulin-1 expression in HSFs were observed by immunohistochemistry and assayed by real-time PCR and western blot analysis. Results: Fibulin-1 protein expression was detected by confocal fluorescence microscopy in guinea pig sclera and in cultured HSFs. Upregulation of fibulin-1 in scleral tissue was observed after feeding with RA. In vitro, the level of Fbln1 mRNA was increased after treatment of HSFs with RA (at concentrations of 10⁻⁸ to 10⁻⁶ M; p<0.001), with a maximum effect at 10⁻⁷ M. Fibulin-1 protein levels were significantly increased after treatment of HSFs with 10⁻⁷ M of RA for 24 or 48 h (p<0.05). Conclusions: Fibulin-1 protein was expressed in guinea pig sclera and cultured HSFs. Expression was regulated by RA, a molecule known to be involved in the regulation of eye growth. Further studies on the role of fibulin-1 in the regulation of eye growth, including during the development of myopia, are therefore warranted