p53/microRNAs signaling in the pathological mechanism of Diabetic Kidney Disease

Recent studies found that high glucose increases the expression of tumor suppressor factor p53. And in the process of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) development p53 involves in regulating multiple signaling pathways. In addition, microRNAs (miRNAs) involve in many diseases pathogenesis. And miRNAs affect DKD development via adjusting multiple mechanism. More importantly, p53/miRNAs signaling may participate in a variety of signaling pathways regulating kidney inflammation and fibrosis to control DKD pathological development. However, the mechanism of p53/miRNAs signaling participate in DKD pathological development is not yet clear. To illuminate the role of p53/miRNAs signaling may inspire a new thinking for elucidating the pathological mechanism of DKD, and provide a new theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of DKD

Barrier effects of cellulosic fibers with hybrid coating based on zirconium metal-organic framework

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have great potential for the development of fire barriers for flammable materials. Accordingly, zirconium-based metal-organic framework (Zr-MOF), branched polyethyleneimine (BPEI), and vinyltriethoxysilane (VTES) were deposited to produce composites assembled on cellulosic fibers to investigate their barrier effects. The structure, morphology, and thermal properties of the cellulosic fibers were characterized using FTIR spectroscopy, SEM, and TGA. Compared with the untreated cotton sample, the temperature of the maximum rate of weight loss (Tmax) of C-Zr-MOF/BPEI/VTES increased from 479 to 523.3 °C and the maximum weight loss rate (Rmax) at Tmax decreased from 37.6 to 17.2 wt%/min. At 800 °C, the pristine cotton was burned out without residues whereas the residual char content of the C-Zr-MOF/BPEI/VTES sample was 7.2355 wt%. From the vertical burning tests, the results suggested that the C-Zr-MOF/BPEI/VTES sample had better barrier effects by reducing the flame-spread speed and generating more protective char layers.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Fire performance of cotton fabrics coated with 10-(2,5- Dihydroxyphenyl)-9,10-dihydro-9-xa-10-phosphaphenanthrene10-oxide (DOPO-HQ) Zr-based metal-organic fr

We investigated the performance of cotton fabrics coated with DOPO-HQ and Zr-based Metal–organic Frameworks when exposed to fire. The chemical structure of the cotton fabrics before and after the coating was characterized using FTIR spectroscopy, and the surface morphology of cotton and their combustion residues was probed via scanning electron microscopy. In our experiments, we used flammability tests and thermogravimetric methods to understand the burning behavior of the coated fibers, as well as their thermal stability. The cotton fabrics coated with DOPOHQ and Zr MOFs exhibited shorter combustion times, had better thermal degradation properties, promoted the creation of heat-insulating layers, and exhibited improved smoke suppression behaviorPostprint (published version

All-cause mortality in metabolically healthy individuals was not predicted by overweight and obesity

BACKGROUND Metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) and metabolically healthy overweight (MH-OW) have been suggested to be important and emerging phenotypes with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, whether MHO and MH-OW are associated with all-cause mortality remains inconsistent. METHODS The association of MHO and MH-OW and all-cause mortality was determined in a Chinese community-based prospective cohort study (the Kailuan study), including 93,272 adults at baseline. Data were analyzed from 2006 to 2017. Participants were categorized into 6 mutually exclusive groups, according to BMI and metabolic syndrome (MetS) status. The primary outcome was all-cause death, and accidental deaths were excluded. RESULTS During a median follow-up of 11.04 years (interquartile range, 10.74-11.22 years), 8977 deaths occurred. Compared with healthy participants with normal BMI (MH-NW), MH-OW participants had the lowest risk of all-cause mortality (multivariate-adjusted HR [aHR], 0.926; 95% CI, 0.861-0.997), whereas there was no increased or decreased risk for MHO (aHR, 1.009; 95% CI, 0.886-1.148). Stratified analyses and sensitivity analyses further validated that there was a nonsignificant association between MHO and all-cause mortality. CONCLUSIONS Overweight and obesity do not predict increased risk of all-cause mortality in metabolic healthy Chinese individuals

The Expression of miR-192 and Its Significance in Diabetic Nephropathy Patients with Different Urine Albumin Creatinine Ratio

Objective. To investigate the expression of miR-192 and its significance in diabetic nephropathy (DN) patients. Methods. 464 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) were divided into normal albuminuria group (NA, = 157), microalbuminuria group (MA, = 159), and large amount of albuminuria group (LA, = 148). 127 healthy persons were selected as the control group (NC, = 127). The serum miR-192 levels were detected by Real-Time PCR and transforming growth factor-1 (TGF-1) and fibronectin (FN) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The relationships among these parameters were analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis and multiple linear regression analysis. Results. The miR-192 in the LA group was significantly lower than other groups, which was lower in the MA group than in the NA group ( < 0.01). The TGF-1 and FN in the LA group were significantly higher than other groups, which were higher in the MA group than in the NA group ( < 0.01). The expression of miR-192 was negatively correlated with TGF-1, FN, and Ln (UACR) and miR-192, TGF-1, and FN were independent relevant factors affecting Ln (UACR) in T2DM ( < 0.01). Conclusions. These findings indicate that the levels of miR-192 were lower accompanied by the decrease of urine albumin creatinine ratio (UACR) and the association between miR-192 and nephritic fibrosis in DN

Causal association of circulating cholesterol levels with dementia: a mendelian randomization meta-analysis

Prospective studies have shown that abnormally circulating cholesterol is associated with the risk of dementia. However, whether the association is causal or not remains unclear. We attempt to infer the causal association in a MR meta-analysis by using ApoE gene polymorphisms as instrument variables. Studies with dementia risk (27 studies) or circulating lipid levels (7 studies) were included, with totally 3136 dementia patients and 3103 healthy controls. The analyses showed that carriers of ε2 allele significantly were of decreased risk of AD (OR = 0.70; 95% CI: 0.58–0.84; P \u3c 0.01), whereas carriers of ε4 allele were of increased risk of AD (OR = 3.62; 95% CI: 3.03–4.32; P \u3c 0.05), compared to these of ε3 allele. Circulating TC was significantly reduced in carriers of ε2 allele (WMD = − 0.29 mmol/L; 95% CI: −0.54 to −0.03; P \u3c 0.05) and increased in carriers of ε4 allele (WMD = 0.42 mmol/l; 95% CI: 0.001–0.84; P \u3c 0.05). In addition, carriers of ε4 allele had reduction in circulating HDL-C (WMD = − 0.04 mmol/L; 95% CI: − 0.07 to −0.001; P \u3c 0.05). In comparing allele ε2 with ε3, the predicted OR of having AD for 1 mg/dL increment in circulating TC was 0.97 (95% CI: 0.86–0.98; P \u3c 0.05). Comparing allele ε4 with ε3, the predicted OR for a 1 mg/dL increment in TC was 1.08 (95% CI: 1.05–17.58; P \u3c 0.05), and reduction in HDL-C was 2.30 (95% CI: 1.51–43.99; P \u3c 0.05). Our findings demonstrate that high circulating TC and reduced HDL-C levels might be potential risk factors of the development of AD

The Impacts of Emission Control and Regional Transport on PM2.5 Ions and Carbon Components in Nanjing during the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games

Highly time-resolved measurements of water soluble ions, organic and elemental carbon concentrations in the particle diameter size range D-p <2.5 mu m (PM2.5) were performed at a downwind urban site in Nanjing in the western part of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) in eastern China during the 2014 Youth Olympic Games (YOG). In this study, we discuss the impacts of emission control in Nanjing and the surrounding areas during the YOG and regional/long-range transport on PM2.5 pollution in Nanjing. The average concentrations of NO3-, SO42-, NH4+ were 12.1 +/- 9.9, 16.5 +/- 9.2, 9.0 +/- 5.4 mu g m(-3) during the YOG, and increased 34.3%, 53.7%, 43.9% after the YOG, respectively. The control of construction or on-road soil dust and control of industry led to the decrease of Ca2+ concentration by 55% and SO2 concentration by 46%. However, SO42- concentrations remained at relatively high levels, suggesting a significant impact of regional pollution to secondary fine particles in Nanjing. Strong correlations between OC and EC were observed during and after the YOG. A higher percentage (41%) of secondary organic carbon in Nanjing during the YOG periods was consistent with high potential photochemistry and low contributions from coal combustion. Lagrangian dispersion modelling results proved that the city clusters along the Nanjing and Shanghai axis were the major source region for high PM2.5 pollution in upwind Nanjing. This work shows that short-term strict control measures could improve the air quality, especially that affected by the primary pollutants; however, regional collaborative control strategy across administrative borders in the YRD is needed for a substantial improvement of air quality.Peer reviewe

Vascular endothelial growth factor and the risk of venous thromboembolism: A genetic correlation and two-sample Mendelian randomization study

Background: The relationship between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) has always been one of the concerns in the medical field. However, the causal inferences from published observational studies on this issue may be affected by confounders or reverse causality. We performed a two-sample bidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) to infer the associations between VEGF and VTE. Methods: Summary statistics from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for VEGF and VTE were obtained from published meta-analysis studies and the FinnGen consortium, respectively. Independent genetic variables significantly associated with exposure were selected as instrumental variables. Linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) and five robust MR analytical approaches were conducted to estimate the genetic correlations and causal inference. The MR-Egger intercept, Cochran’s Q, and MR pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO) were performed to evaluate the horizontal pleiotropy, heterogeneities, and stability of these genetic variants on outcomes. Notably, replication analyses were performed using different subgroups of VTE. Results: LDSC failed to identify genetic correlations between VEGF and VTE. Based on 9 SNPs, the circulating VEGF level was positively related to the risk of VTE using inverse variance weighting (IVW) method (odds ratio (OR) = 1.064, 95 % confidence interval (CI), 1.009 – 1.122). Reverse MR analyses showed that genetic liability for VTE was not associated with increased VEGF level (β = -0.021, 95 % CI, -0.087-0.045). Pleiotropy-robust methods indicated no bias in any estimates. Conclusions: Our findings failed to detect coheritability between VEGF and VTE. The suggestive positive effect of the higher VEGF level on the VTE risk may have clinical implications, suggesting that VEGF as a possible predictor and therapeutic target for VTE prevention need to be further warranted

Direct synthesis of HKUST-1 onto cotton fabrics and properties

Metal-organic frameworks are crystalline nanostructures formed by a metal interspersed by an organic binder. These metal-organic materials are examples of nanomaterials applied to textile material in search of new functionalized textiles. Cotton is a cellulosic fiber of great commercial importance, and has good absorption capacity and breathability; however, due to these characteristics, it is susceptible to the development of microorganisms on its surface. This work aims to analyze how the direct synthesis of HKUST-1 in cotton fabric modifies the chemical and physical properties. The material obtained was characterized by scanning electron microscopy to obtain its morphology, by spectrophotometry CIE L*a*b* to verify the color change, by a biological test to verify its resistance to microorganisms and, finally, by a unidirectional traction test to verify the change in its mechanical resistance. Thereby, it was possible to observe the formation of MOFs with the morphology of nanorods, and also, with regard to HKUST-1 in the cotton fabric, when applied, an elimination percentage higher than 99% was observed for both bacteria, E. coli and S. aureus. The presence of MOF was detected even after washing, however, the loss of 75% in the mechanical resistance of the material makes its potential for textile finishing unworkable.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Eupatilin Attenuates Ethanol Withdrawal-Induced Anxiety-like Behavior in Rats by Improving Ventral Hippocampus GABAa Transmission

Objective: To study the improving effect of Eupatilin (Eptl) on ethanol withdrawal (EtOHWI)-induced anxiety-like behavior in rats and probe the mechanisms related to ventral hippocampus (vHippo). Methods: Thirty-two adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups, 8 rats per group: Saline-treated control group, EtOHWI model group, low-dose Eptl treatment group and high-dose Eptl treatment group. The EtOHWI was established by intraperitoneal injection of 3 g/kg of ethanol (20% volume/volume, dissolved in saline) once a day for 28 days followed by 3 days of withdrawal, during the withdrawal period, the low-and the high-dose Eptl treatment groups were respectively given 10 and 30 mg/kg Eptl through oral route once a day, while the saline control group was administered with an equal volume of saline. Thirty minutes after the third Eptl, all the rats were subjected to open filed (OF) and elevated plus maze (EPM) tests to detect anxiety-like behaviors. The serum coritosterone (CORT) concentration and vHippo γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) secretion were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and vHippo glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 (GAD 67) mRNA relative expression was assayed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The protein expression of GABAa receptor α1 (GABAaRα1), GABAaRα2, nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygense-1 (HO-1) in the vHippo were analyzed by Western blot. The levels of MDA, T-SOD, CAT and GSH, IL-6 and TNF-α were measured by commercial kits. Meanwhile, in the in vitro experiment, the nuclear levels of Nrf2 in HT22 cells were detected via immunofluorescent technique. Results: Compared with the rats in the EtOHWI group, the rats in low and high-dose Eptl treatment groups moving distance increased significantly (P<0.01) in the central region of OF which was 70.62% and 124.21% respectively, and moving time increased significantly (P<0.05 or P<0.01) which was 251.75% and 371.62% respectively in the central zone of the OF. Visited more frequently (P<0.05 or P<0.01) which was 110.33% and 207.32% respectively, and stayed time increased significantly (P<0.05 or P<0.01) which was 99.56% and 184.18% respectively in the open arms of the EPM1. In biochemical assays, compared with those in EtOHWI rats, in the rats of low-dose and high-dose Eptl treatment groups, the serum CORT concentrations decreased significantly (P<0.01). The vHippo GABA and GAD67 mRNA levels increased significantly (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The protein expression of GABAaRα1, GABAaRα2, Nrf2, HO-1 in the vHippo increased significantly (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The level of MDA decreased significantly (P<0.01), while the activities of T-SOD and CAT, as well as the level of GSH increased respectively significantly (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The levels of IL-6 and TNF-α decreased significantly (P<0.05 or P<0.01). In the in vitro experiment, the immunofluorescent assay showed that compared with blank control group, Nrf2 level in nucleus of HT22 stimulated by 200 μmol/L H2O2 increased significantly (P<0.01), whereas pretreatment with 30 μmol/L Eptl inhibited the increase of Nrf2 level (P<0.05). Conclusion: Eptl attenuates EtOHWI-induced anxiety-like behavior in rats, which may be mediated by regulating the vHippo GABAaR transmissional disorder of EtOHWI rats via its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities