Pro-Calcitonin and C Reactive Protein as Marker of Infection: Evaluation of Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) in Patients with Normal and Impaired Renal Function

Background: To investigate Pro-Calcitonin (PCT) and C reactive protein (CRP) as a predictor of infectious systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) in patients with normal and impaired renal function.Methods: In this cross-sectional study >18 year old patients with features suggestive of SIRS were included.PCT and CRP were done on the first day of admission. Based on clinical features and results of cultures, patients were divided into non-infection and infection (sepsis) groups. Based on glomerular filtration rate (GFR) patients were further divided to Group A (GFR ≥60ml/min) and Group B (GFR <60ml/min).Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used for statistical analysis.Results: Out of 740 patients, 48.3% were diagnosed to be suffering from infection (sepsis). GFR of 50.8% patients was ≥ 60 ml/min/1.73m2 (Group A), and GFR of 364 (49.2%) patients was < 60 ml/min/1.73m2(Group B).For prediction of infection in SIRS patients, ROC curve based AUC for PCT in all, Group A, and Group B patients was 0.84, 0.86, and 0.71 respectively. Similarly for CRP AUC was 0.81, 0.78, and 0.83 respectively. Best cut off value of PCT predicting the infectious cause of SIRS in all, Group A, and Group B patients was 0.24, 0.13, and0.93 ng/mL respectively. Similar best cut off value of PCT for all, Group A and B patients were 13.10 and 11.10 mg/L respectively.Conclusion: Initial PCT≥ 0.24ng/mL and CRP ≥ 13.10 mg/L are predictors of sepsis in SIRS patients. PCT is a better predictor for patients with normal and CRP better predictor for patients with deranged renal function

eIF2α signaling regulates ischemic osteonecrosis through endoplasmic reticulum stress

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) primarily results from ischemia/hypoxia to the femoral head, and one of the cellular manifestations is the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. To understand possible linkage of ischemic osteonecrosis to the ER stress, a surgery-induced animal model was employed and salubrinal was administered to evaluate the role of ER stress. Salubrinal is a synthetic chemical that inhibits de-phosphorylation of eIF2α, and it can suppress cell death from the ER stress at a proper dose. The results indicated that the ER stress was associated with ONFH and salubrinal significantly improved ONFH-induced symptoms such as osteonecrosis, bone loss, reduction in vessel perfusion, and excessive osteoclastogenesis in the femoral head. Salubrinal also protected osteoblast development by upregulating the levels of ATF4, ALP and RUNX2, and it stimulated angiogenesis of endothelial cells through elevating ATF4 and VEGF. Collectively, the results support the notion that the ER stress is an important pathological outcome in the surgery-induced ONFH model, and salubrinal improves ONFH symptoms by enhancing angiogenesis and bone healing via suppressing the ER stress

Simple transanal total mesorectal resection versus laparoscopic transabdominal total mesorectal resection for the treatment of low rectal cancer: a single-center retrospective case-control study

AimTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of simple TaTNE in the treatment of low rectal cancer compared with laparoscopic transabdominal TME.MethodsWe collected patients with low rectal cancer admitted to our hospital between January 2019 and November 2021 who received simple TaTME or laparoscopic transabdominal TME. The main outcome was the integrity of the TME specimen. Secondary outcomes were the number of lymph nodes dissected, intraoperative blood loss, operative time, surgical conversion rate, Specimen resection length, circumferential margin (CRM), and distal resection margin (DRM), complication rate. In addition, the Wexner score and LARS score of fecal incontinence were performed in postoperative follow-up.ResultsPathological tissues were successfully resected in all patients. all circumferential margins of the specimen were negative. Specimen resection length was not statistically significant (9.94 ± 2.85 vs. 8.90 ± 2.49, P > 0.05). The incidence of postoperative complications in group A (n = 0) was significantly lower than that in group B (n = 3) (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in operation time between group A and group B (296 ± 60.36 vs. 305 ± 58.28, P > 0.05). Among the patients with follow-up time less than 1 year, there was no significant difference in Wexner score and LARS score between group A and group B (P > 0.05). However, in patients who were followed up for more than 1 year, the Wexner score in group A (9.25 ± 2.73) was significantly lower than that in group B (17.36 ± 10.95) and was statistically significant (P < 0.05).ConclusionFor radical resection of low rectal cancer, Simple TaTME resection may be as safe and effective as laparoscopic transabdominal TME, and the long-term prognosis may be better

Cardioprotection against Heart Failure by Shenfu Injection via TGF- β

Objective. To explore the potential cardioprotective mechanism of Shenfu injection (SFI) against heart failure (HF) by attenuating myocardial fibrosis and cardiac remodeling. Methods and Results. Four weeks after myocardial infarction (MI), adult male Sprague Dawley rats were randomized for 4-week treatment with Valsartan, SFI, or vehicle. Echocardiography and hemodynamics were applied to evaluate cardiac functions. Myocardia of coronary artery ligated (CAD) rats were observed to investigate changes in cardiac structure and function. Our findings suggest that treatment with SFI could inhibit progression of myocardial fibrosis and attenuate cardiac remodeling. In addition, SFI decreased expression of Smad2 and Smad3, while increasing the expression of Smad7 through regulation of TGF-β/Smads signaling pathway. Conclusion. Treatment with SFI in Sprague Dawley rats improves ventricular structure and function and reduces cardiac fibrosis by ameliorating TGF-β/Smads signaling pathway after ventricular remodeling

Synthesis, photophysical properties and two-photon absorption study of tetraazachrysene-based N-heteroacenes

Three novel N‐heteroacene molecules (SDNU‐1, SDNU‐2 and SDNU‐3) based on tetraazachrysene units as cores have been designed, synthesized and fully characterized. Their photophysical, electrochemical and fluorescence properties were investigated, and they exhibited blue to green emission in the solid state. Interestingly, SDNU‐2 exhibited high solid photoluminescence quantum efficiencies (75.3 %), which is the highest value of N‐heteroacenes derivatives to date. Two‐photon absorption studies have been conducted by using the open and close aperture Z‐san technique. SDNU‐3 showed a significant enhancement in the two‐photon absorption cross‐section with magnitudes as high as about 700 GM (1 GM=1×10−50 cm4 s/photon) when excited with 800 nm light, which is the largest value based on a heteroacene system measured by using a Z‐scan experiment so far. We attribute the outcome to sufficient electronic coupling between the strong charge transfer of quadrupolar substituents and the tetraazachrysene core. Our result would provide a new guideline to design novel efficient two‐photon materials based on N‐heteroacene cores

Quantitative composite testing model based on measurement uncertainty and its application for the detection of phthalate esters

To improve the quantitative detection efficiency of chemical analysis and reduce the detection cost, the sample pass rate was estimated and mathematical statistics were used to calculate the optimal group size (Kopt) of the composite testing to save on the maximum workload. A quantitative composite testing model was developed based on chemical analysis measurement uncertainty. Using this model, the maximum allowable number of composited samples (Kmax) is first calculated using parameters of regulated limits (L), limit of quantification (LOQ), and method measured uncertainty (Urel) to ensure that the sensitivity of the composite testing can meet the limit requirements. Finally, the appropriate composite group size (Ka) can be obtained by creating a balance between Kopt, Kmax, and the practical information used for that particular test. Furthermore, based on a constructed model, a practical quantitative composite testing method of 3–10 samples was established for the routine detection of toy phthalates (PAEs). The experimental results showed that the quantitative limits of 7 PAEs were 9.1–41.8 mg/kg, the relative expansion uncertainties were 16.6%–23.2%, and the recovery rates were 91.0%–112.3%, with a relative deviation of less than 10%. All these meet international PAEs standards. Compared with the traditional individual and qualitative composite testing, this model will not decrease the detection sensitivity, but can save up to 17.9%–80.4% of the workload when it is employed in toy PAEs testing with the pass rate of 80%–99%. This quantitative composite testing method will be implemented in the coming revision of ISO 8124-6 toy PAEs standards

スマホで古辞書 : 『篆隷万象名義』のIDS検索を例に

会議名: 言語資源活用ワークショップ2016, 開催地: 国立国語研究所, 会期: 2017年3月7日-8日, 主催: 国立国語研究所 コーパス開発センター近年,スマートフォンやタブレットのようなモバイル端末が普及し,日常生活を変えつつあり,日本語教育・日本語研究にも使えるようになると予想される。しかしながら,構築・公開が盛んである古典籍・古文書のデータベースはPC 向けが多く,PC以外の端末で利用する際は表示サイズのずれや機能障害がしばしば発生する。そこで,モバイル端末でデータベースを利用しているユーザを想定した利便性が高い言語資源データベースのWeb インターフェイスを開発したい。漢字字形の構造情報を用いて古辞書のテキスト・画像を検索することによって文字の同定に利用できるWeb アプリはまだないので,篆隷万象名義の掲出字についてIDS 検索と画像表示を可能にするツールを試作した。本アプリによって,漢字のパーツで篆隷万象名義に掲載している文字の画像をスマートフォンなどの携帯端末で検索でき,写本の解読・翻刻する際に役立つと期待している

Protecting Intestinal Microenvironment Alleviates Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease

Acute gut graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) is a leading threat to the survival of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) recipients. Abnormal gut microbiota is correlated with poor prognosis in allo-HSCT recipients. A disrupted intestinal microenvironment exacerbates dysbiosis in GVHD patients. We hypothesized that maintaining the integrity of the intestinal barrier may protect gut microbiota and attenuate aGVHD. This hypothesis was tested in a murine aGVHD model and an in vitro intestinal epithelial culture. Millipore cytokine array was utilized to determine the expression of proinflammatory cytokines in the serum. The 16S rRNA sequencing was used to determine the abundance and diversity of gut microbiota. Combining Xuebijing injection (XBJ) with a reduced dose of cyclosporine A (CsA) is superior to CsA alone in improving the survival of aGVHD mice and delayed aGVHD progression. This regimen also reduced interleukin 6 (IL-6) and IL-12 levels in the peripheral blood. 16S rRNA analysis revealed the combination treatment protected gut microbiota in aGVHD mice by reversing the dysbiosis at the phylum, genus, and species level. It inhibited enterococcal expansion, a hallmark of GVHD progression. It inhibited enterococcal expansion, a hallmark of GVHD progression. Furthermore, Escherichia coli expansion was inhibited by this regimen. Pathology analysis revealed that the combination treatment improved the integrity of the intestinal tissue of aGVHD mice. It also reduced the intestinal permeability in aGVHD mice. Besides, XBJ ameliorated doxorubicin-induced intestinal epithelial death in CCK-8 assay. Overall, combining XBJ with CsA protected the intestinal microenvironment to prevent aGVHD. Our findings suggested that protecting the intestinal microenvironment could be a novel strategy to manage aGVHD. Combining XBJ with CsA may reduce the side effects of current aGVHD prevention regimens and improve the quality of life of allo-HSCT recipients

Loci-specific phase separation of FET fusion oncoproteins promotes gene transcription

Abnormally formed FUS/EWS/TAF15 (FET) fusion oncoproteins are essential oncogenic drivers in many human cancers. Interestingly, at the molecular level, they also form biomolecular condensates at specific loci. However, how these condensates lead to gene transcription and how features encoded in the DNA element regulate condensate formation remain unclear. Here, we develop an in vitro single-molecule assay to visualize phase separation on DNA. Using this technique, we observe that FET fusion proteins undergo phase separation at target binding loci and the phase separated condensates recruit RNA polymerase II and enhance gene transcription. Furthermore, we determine a threshold number of fusion-binding DNA elements that can enhance the formation of FET fusion protein condensates. These findings suggest that FET fusion oncoprotein promotes aberrant gene transcription through loci-specific phase separation, which may contribute to their oncogenic transformation ability in relevant cancers, such as sarcomas and leukemia