ABSTRACT Introduction: Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) is a new noninvasive myocardial protection strategy that uses blood pressure cuf inflation to simulate transient non-fatal ischemia to protect the myocardium and reduce ischemia-reperfusion injury. Sulfonylureas may mask the effects of RIPC due to their cardioprotec-tive effect. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate whether RIPC, in the absence of sulfonylureas, reduces troponin release in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Methods: We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials to determine whether RIPC can reduce postoperative troponin release in cardiac surgery patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass without treatment with sulfonylureas. The data were normalized to equivalent units prior to the analysis. A random-effects model was used to provide more conservative estimate of the effects in the presence of known or unknown heterogeneity. Results: Six studies with a total of 570 participants were included. The analysis showed that troponin release was lower in the RIPC group than in the control group at six hours (test of standardized mean differences = 0, Z=3.64, P<0.001) and 48 hours (Z=2.72, P=0.007) postoperatively. When the mean of cross-clamping time was > 60 minutes, RIPC reduced troponin release at six hours (Z=2.84, P=0.005), 24 hours (Z=2.64, P=0.008), and 48 hours (Z=2.87, P=0.004) postoperatively. Conclusion: In cardiac surgery patients who are not taking sulfonylureas, RIPC can reduce troponin release at six and 48 hours postoperatively; hence, RIPC may serve significant benefits in certain cardiac surgery patients.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) is a new noninvasive myocardial protection strategy that uses blood pressure cuf inflation to simulate transient non-fatal ischemia to protect the myocardium and reduce ischemia-reperfusion injury. Sulfonylureas may mask the effects of RIPC due to their cardioprotec-tive effect. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate whether RIPC, in the absence of sulfonylureas, reduces troponin release in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Methods: We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials to determine whether RIPC can reduce postoperative troponin release in cardiac surgery patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass without treatment with sulfonylureas. The data were normalized to equivalent units prior to the analysis. A random-effects model was used to provide more conservative estimate of the effects in the presence of known or unknown heterogeneity. Results: Six studies with a total of 570 participants were included. The analysis showed that troponin release was lower in the RIPC group than in the control group at six hours (test of standardized mean differences = 0, Z=3.64, P<0.001) and 48 hours (Z=2.72, P=0.007) postoperatively. When the mean of cross-clamping time was > 60 minutes, RIPC reduced troponin release at six hours (Z=2.84, P=0.005), 24 hours (Z=2.64, P=0.008), and 48 hours (Z=2.87, P=0.004) postoperatively. Conclusion: In cardiac surgery patients who are not taking sulfonylureas, RIPC can reduce troponin release at six and 48 hours postoperatively; hence, RIPC may serve significant benefits in certain cardiac surgery patients.

Abstract Background: Bungarus multicinctus is one of the most dangerous venomous snakes prone to cardiopulmonary damage with extremely high mortality. In our previous work, we found that glutamine (Gln) and glutamine synthetase (GS) in pig serum were significantly reduced after Bungarus multicinctus bite. In the present study, to explore whether there is a link between the pathogenesis of cardiopulmonary injury and Gln metabolic changes induced by Bungarus multicinctus venom. We investigated the effect of Gln supplementation on the lung and heart function after snakebite. Methods: We supplemented different concentrations of Gln to mice that were envenomated by Bungarus multicinctus to observe the biological behavior, survival rate, hematological and pathological changes. Gln was supplemented immediately or one hour after the venom injection, and then changes in Gln metabolism were analyzed. Subsequently, to further explore the protective mechanism of glutamine on tissue damage, we measured the expression of heat-shock protein70 (HSP70), NF-κB P65, P53/PUMA by western blotting and real-time polymerase in the lung and heart. Results: Gln supplementation delayed the envenoming symptoms, reduced mortality, and alleviated the histopathological changes in the heart and lung of mice bitten by Bungarus multicinctus. Additionally, Gln increased the activity of glutamine synthetase (GS), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and glutaminase (GLS) in serum. It also balanced the transporter SLC7A11 expression in heart and lung tissues. Bungarus multicinctus venom induced the NF-κB nuclear translocation in the lung, while the HO-1 expression was suppressed. At the same time, venom activated the P53/PUMA signaling pathway and the BAX expression in the heart. Gln treatment reversed the above phenomenon and increased HSP70 expression. Conclusion: Gln alleviated the glutamine metabolism disorder and cardiopulmonary damage caused by Bungarus multicinctus venom. It may protect lungs and heart against venom by promoting the expression of HSP70, inhibiting the activation of NF-κB and P53/PUMA, thereby delaying the process of snake venom and reducing mortality. The present results indicate that Gln could be a potential treatment for Bungarus multicinctus bite.

Abstract Objectives Cardiac involvement is one of the most serious complications of idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) that indicates poor prognosis. However, there is a lack of effective biomarkers for the identification of cardiac involvement and the prediction of prognosis in IIM. Here, we aimed to explore the value of different cardiac biomarkers in IIM patients. Methods A total of 142 IIM patients in the Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Ruijin Hospital from July 2019 to October 2022 were included in this study. The clinical characteristics, laboratory tests, treatments and prognosis were recorded. The disease activity was assessed according to the core set measures. The correlations of the serum cardiac biomarkers levels with disease activity were analyzed by the Spearman correlation test. Risk factors for cardiac involvement were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results Higher high-sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) levels were associated with cardiac involvement (n = 41) in IIM patients [adjusted OR 7.810 (95% CI: 1.962–31.097); p = 0.004], independent of other serum cardiac biomarkers. The abnormal hs-cTnI had the highest AUC for distinguishing of cardiac involvement in IIM patients (AUC = 0.848, 95% CI: 0.772,0.924; p < 0.001). Besides, we found that high serum levels of hs-cTnI were significantly correlated with disease activity. Moreover, patients with higher serum levels of hs-cTnI tended to suffer from poor prognosis. Conclusions Serum hs-cTnI testing may play a role in screening for cardiac involvement in IIM patients. Abnormal levels of serum hs-cTnI were associated with increased disease activity and poor prognosis. Key Points Among all the cardiac biomarkers, the serum levels of hs-cTnI were independently associated with cardiac involvement in IIM patients. The serum levels of hs-cTnI were significantly correlated with disease activity in IIM patients. The abnormal hs-cTnI levels were correlated with poor prognosis in IIM patients.

Abstract There are many restrictions on topical medications for the oral cavity. Various factors affect the topical application of drugs in the oral cavity, an open and complex environment. The complex physical and chemical environment of the oral cavity, such as saliva and food, will influence the effect of free drugs. Therefore, drug delivery systems have served as supporting structures or as carriers loading active ingredients, such as antimicrobial agents and growth factors (GFs), to promote antibacterial properties, tissue regeneration, and engineering for drug diffusion. These drug delivery systems are considered in the prevention and treatment of dental caries, periodontal disease, periapical disease, the delivery of anesthetic drugs, etc. These carrier materials are designed in different ways for clinical application, including nanoparticles, hydrogels, nanofibers, films, and scaffolds. This review aimed to summarize the advantages and disadvantages of different carrier materials. We discuss synthesis methods and their application scope to provide new perspectives for the development and preparation of more favorable and effective local oral drug delivery systems.

Abstract Background: Retinal neurodegeneration is induced by a variety of environmental insults and stresses, but the exact mechanisms are unclear. In the present study, we explored the involvement of cytosolic mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), resulting in the cGAS-STING dependent inflammatory response and apoptosis in retinal damage in vivo. Methods: Retinal injury was induced with white light or intravitreal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). After light-or LPS-induced injury, the amount of cytosolic mtDNA in the retina was detected by PCR. The mtDNA was isolated and used to transfect retinas in vivo. WB and real-time PCR were used to evaluate the activation of cGAS-STING path-way and the levels of apoptosis-associated protein at different times after mtDNA injection. Retinal cell apoptosis rate was detected by TUNEL staining. Full-field electroretinography (ERG) was used to assess the retinal function. Results: Light injury and the intravitreal injection of LPS both caused the leakage of mtDNA into the cytoplasm in retinal tissue. After the transfection of mtDNA in vivo, the levels of cGAS, STING, and IFN-β mRNAs and the protein levels of STING, phosph-TBK1, phospho-IRF3, and IFN-β were upregulated. mtDNA injection also induced the activation of caspase 3 and caspase 9. BAX and BAK were increased at both the mRNA and protein levels. The release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria to the cytosol was increased after mtDNA injection. The wave amplitudes on ERG decreased and retinal cell apoptosis was detected after mtDNA injection. Conclusions: Cytosolic mtDNA triggers an inflammatory response. It also promotes apoptosis and the dysfunction of the retina.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to analyze the differential expression of DEC1 in oral normal mucosa (NM), oral leukoplakia (OLK) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Surgically excised specimens from patients with OLK (n = 47), OSCC (n = 30) and oral normal mucosa (n=11) were immunostained for DEC1. The expression of DEC1 protein was evaluated, and its association with the clinicopathological features was analyzed. The expression of DEC1 in NM, OLK and OSCC tissues increased in turn, and significant differences were observed among the groups (P < 0.0001). In terms of the association between DEC1 expression and epithelial dysplasia, DEC1 expression was lower in hyperkeratosis without dysplasia (H-OLK) than in OLK with moderate to severe dysplasia (S-OLK), and these differences were significant (p < 0.05). The expression of DEC1 in OSCC with OLK was significantly higher than that in OSCC without OLK (p < 0.01). Therefore, DEC1 could be a potential biomarker of malignant transformation in the carcinogenesis of OSCC, which may provide a new research direction for the transformation of oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) into OSCC.

Currently, there is a trend of an increasing number of Plasmodium vivaxmalaria cases in China that are imported across its Southeast Asia border, especially in the China-Myanmar border area (CMB). To date, little is known about the genetic diversity of P. vivaxin this region. In this paper, we report the first genome sequencing of a P. vivaxisolate (CMB-1) from a vivax malaria patient in CMB. The sequencing data were aligned onto 96.43% of the P. vivaxSalvador I reference strain (Sal I) genome with 7.84-fold coverage as well as onto 98.32% of 14 Sal I chromosomes. Using the de novoassembly approach, we generated 8,541 scaffolds and assembled a total of 27.1 Mb of sequence into CMB-1 scaffolds. Furthermore, we identified all 295 known virgenes, which is the largest subtelomeric multigene family in malaria parasites. These results provide an important foundation for further research onP. vivaxpopulation genetics.

Melanin extracted from Auricularia auricula fruiting bodies (AAFB) was examined by element analyzer, amino acid analyzer, inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry. Elemental composition analysis revealed that main component of AAFB melanin was pheomelanin. Amino acid analysis showed that 16 amino acids were found in AAFB melanin and total amino acid content was 321. 63 mg/g. There were 13 detectable metal elements in AAFB melanin, which was rich in Ca, Fe, Cu and Zn. In addition, AAFB melanin exhibited stronger scavenging activities on 2,2-diphenyl-l-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, superoxide radical and hydroxyl radical with IC50 values of 0.18, 0.59 and 0.34 mg/mL, respectively. These results indicated that AAFB melanin might be potentially used as a natural antioxidant.

Background: Bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum is the most devastating disease in peanut. Planting resistant peanut cultivars is deemed as the sole economically viable means for effective control of the disease. To understand the molecular mechanism underlying resistance and facilitate breeding process, differences in gene expression between seeds of Rihua 1 (a Virginia type peanut variety resistant to bacterial wilt) inoculated with the bacterial pathogen suspension (10(9) cfu ml-1) and seeds of the same cultivar treated with water (control), were studied using the GenefishingTM technology. Results: A total of 25 differentially expressed genes were isolated. Expression of genes encoding cyclophilin and ADP-ribosylation factor, respectively, were further studied by real time RT-PCR, and full length cDNAs of both genes were obtained by rapid amplification of cDNA ends. Conclusions: The study provided candidate genes potentially useful for breeding peanut cultivars with both high yield and bacterial wilt resistance, although confirmation of their functions through transgenic studies is still needed.