BackgroundOsteoprotegerin (OPG) is supposed to participate in the development of atherosclerosis and cardio-cerebrovascular disease. However, the results of research on relationship between OPG and ...ischemic stroke (IS) are controversial. Therefore, we carried out the first systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate prognostic effect of osteoprotegerin in patients with IS.MethodsWe comprehensively searched databases of PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library through 21 August 2023 to identify observational studies that evaluated effect of OPG on poor functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale mRS Score of 3-6) and mortality in patients with IS. Adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of each included study were used as much as possible to assess the pooled effect.ResultsFive studies that enrolled 4,506 patients in total fulfilled our inclusion criteria. Three studies were included in the pooled analysis for each endpoint since one of the included studies had provided data on poor functional outcome as well as mortality. OPG was neither associated with poor functional outcome (aOR 1.29, 95% CI 0.90-1.85) nor with mortality (aOR 1.57, 95% CI 0.90-2.74) in patients with IS.ConclusionsThere is insufficient evidence to demonstrate the correlation between OPG and mortality or poor functional outcome in IS patients. OPG cannot be applied to predict worse neurological function in IS patients based on the current evidence.
Abstract Background Oxidative stress and inflammation are implicated in the process of liver regeneration. Lactulose orally administered can be bacterially fermented and induces dramatic amounts of ...endogenous hydrogen. Hydrogen has been confirmed to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This study investigated the potential influence of lactulose administration on liver regeneration. Materials and methods Antibiotics were used to suppress bacterial fermentation of lactulose, and hydrogen-rich saline was used as a supplementary measure of exogenous hydrogen. The liver regeneration model was produced in Sprague–Dawley rats through 70% partial hepatectomy. Results Compared with non–lactulose-treated group, lactulose administration remarkably increased the weights of remnant liver and inhibited increases in serum levels of transaminases more notably. In the lactulose-treated group, increases of markers for regeneration, such as proliferating cell nuclear antigen and cyclin D1, were highly elevated. Biochemically, lactulose administration increased liver superoxide dismutase activity and decreased malondialdehyde content. In the lactulose-treated group, excessive increases in inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α, were inhibited significantly. Increased heme oxygenase-1 and superoxide dismutase 2 expression were also observed after lactulose treatment. The antibiotics suppressed the regeneration-promoting effect of lactulose by reducing hydrogen production, whereas supplementing hydrogen by hydrogen-rich saline would get a similar regeneration-promoting effect as lactulose administration. Conclusions Lactulose administration accelerates posthepatectomized liver regeneration in rats by inducing hydrogen, which may result from attenuation of the oxidative stress response and excessive inflammatory response.
Synergistic transdermal photodynamic therapy (PDT)/photothermal therapy (PTT) has emerged as a novel strategy for improving hypertrophic scar (HS) therapeutic outcomes. Herein, a near-infrared ...heptamethine cyanine dye, named IR-808, has been selected as the desirable photosensitizer owing to its PDT and PTT properties. Benefitting from the transdermal delivery ability of ethosomes (ESs), IR-808 loaded nanoethosomes (IR-808-ES) have been prepared as a novel nanophotosensitizer for the transdermal PDT/PTT of HSs. The special structure of IR-808 aggregate distribution in the ES lipid membrane enhances ROS generation and hyperthermia. The
in vitro
experiments indicate that the IR-808-ES enhances the PDT/PTT efficacy for inducing the HS fibroblast (HSF) apoptosis
via
the intrinsic mitochondrial pathway. Furthermore, the
in vivo
transdermal delivery studies reveal that the IR-808-ES efficiently delivers IR-808 into HSFs in the HS tissue. Systematic assessments in the rabbit ear HS models demonstrate that the enhanced PDT/PTT performance of the IR-808-ES has remarkable therapeutic effects on improving the HS appearance, promoting HSF apoptosis and remodeling collagen fibers. Therefore, the IR-808-ES integrates both the transdermal delivery ability and the aggregation-enhanced PDT/PTT effect, and these features endow the IR-808-ES with significant potential as a novel nanophotosensitizer for the transdermal phototherapy of HSs in the clinical field.
Nanophotosensitizer IR-808-ES is prepared for the PDT/PTT of HSs with the structure of IR-808 aggregating in the ES membrane. IR-808-ES integrates transdermal delivery and the aggregation-enhanced PDT/PTT effect, which enhances the PDT/PTT efficiency for HSs.
A dual-responsive green-light-emitting supramolecular metal hydrogel (G-gel) was prepared by the reaction of a simple hydrazide-functionalized benzimidazole ligand (L) with Tb(NO3)3. The green ...luminescence of gelator L is enhanced in the G-gel due to the coordination effect between L and Tb(3+). In addition, the G-gel shows different luminescence when in a semisolid state (gel) and in a solid state (xerogel). Remarkable reversible sol-gel transitions induced by temperature or pH were observed for this G-gel.
•Non-invasive optical methods can greatly aid cutaneous melanoma diagnosis.•Key methods include dermoscopy, reflectance confocal microscopy, optical coherence tomography, multiphoton imaging and ...stepwise two-photon excited fluorescence.•Optical methods offer advantages of being non-invasive, sensitive and can provide objective and automated diagnosis.•Diagnostic accuracy, detection time, portability and the cost-effectiveness can all be further improved.
Cutaneous melanoma is one of the most common malignancies with increased incidence in the past few decades, making it a significant public health problem. The early diagnosis of melanoma is a major factor in improving patient’s survival. The traditional pathway to melanoma diagnosis starts with a visual diagnosis, followed by subsequent biopsy and histopathologic evaluation. Recently, multiple innovative optical technology-based methods, including dermoscopy, reflectance confocal microscopy, optical coherence tomography, multiphoton excited fluorescence imaging and stepwise two-photon excited fluorescence (dermatofluoroscopy), have been developed to increase the diagnostic accuracy for the non-invasive melanoma diagnosis. Some of them have already been applied to real-life clinical settings, others require more research and development. These technologies show promise in facilitating the diagnosis of melanoma since they are non-invasive, sensitive, objective and easy to apply. Diagnostic accuracy, detection time, portability and the cost-effectiveness of the device are all aspects that need to be improved. This article reviews the method of these emerging optical non-invasive diagnostic technologies, their clinical application, their benefits and limitations, as well as their possible future development.
•Combined Cu and Cd exposure causes a decrease in ovarian G.S.I. in tilapia.•Combined Cu and Cd exposure leads to decreased serum hormone levels in tilapia.•Combined Cu and Cd exposure leads to ...reduced levels of fertility-related genes in tilapia.•Artificial and natural hormonal treatments can speed up ovarian recovery levels.
Female tilapia of the Genetic Improvement of Farmed Tilapia (GIFT) strain were selected as an animal model to study the effects of four hormonal drugs in mitigating ovarian damage following exposure to copper and cadmium. After combined exposure to copper and cadmium in aqueous phase for 30 d, tilapia were randomly injected with oestradiol (E2), human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH), or coumestrol and raised in clear water for 7 d Ovarian samples were collected after combined exposure to heavy metals for 30 d and after recovery for 7 d Gonadosomatic index (GSI), copper and cadmium levels in the ovary, reproductive hormone levels in serum, and mRNA expression of key reproductive regulatory factors were determined. After 30 d of exposure to the combined copper and cadmium in aqueous phase, the Cd2+ content in tilapia ovarian tissue increased by 1,242.46% (p < 0.05), whereas the Cu2+ content, body weight, and GSI decreased by 68.48%, 34.46%, and 60.00% (p < 0.05), respectively. Additionally, E2 hormone levels in tilapia serum decreased by 17.55% (p < 0.05). After drug injection and recovery for 7 d, compared to the negative control group, the HCG group exhibited an increase of 39.57% (p < 0.05) in serum vitellogenin levels. Increases of 49.31%, 42.39%, and 45.91% (p < 0.05) in serum E2 levels were observed, and mRNA expression of 3β-HSD increased by 100.64%, 113.16%, and 81.53% (p < 0.05) in the HCG, LHRH, and E2 groups, respectively. The mRNA expression of CYP11A1 in tilapia ovaries increased by 282.26% and 255.08% (p < 0.05) and mRNA expression of 17β-HSD increased by 109.35% and 111.63% in the HCG and LHRH groups, respectively (p < 0.05). All four hormonal drugs, particularly HCG and LHRH, promoted the restoration of tilapia ovarian function to varying degrees after injury induced by combined exposure to copper and cadmium. This study presents the first hormonal treatment protocol for the mitigation of ovarian damage in fish exposed to combined aqueous phases of copper and cadmium as a strategy to prevent and treat fish ovarian damage induced by heavy metals.
A novel and simple synthesis method of preparing ethylene diamine (ED) functionalized graphene (ED-Gh) decorated with Pt nanoparticle has been reported. Morphology, microstructure of the resulted ...material was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy (Raman), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Electrochemical studies toward formic acid electrooxidation were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA). These results showed that Pt nanoparticle with the crystallite size of about 5 nm was highly dispersed on ED-Gh and the catalyst exhibited good electrocatalytic activity and long-term stability. Therefore, ED-Gh can be a potential support for Pt in direct formic acid fuel cells.
•A novel and simple synthesis method was applied to preparing Pt/ED-Gh catalyst.•Pt/ED-Gh with high dispersion and small particle size was obtained.•The electrocatalytic activity of Pt/ED-Gh toward FA is far higher than Pt/Gh.
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) remains one of the leading causes of death in neonatal infants and new therapeutic strategies for NEC are urgently required. The immunomodulatory agent FTY720 has been ...shown to have protective effects in various inflammatory diseases. In this study, we hypothesized that treatment with FTY720 confers protection against experimental NEC. Experimental NEC was induced in five-day-old C57BL/6 neonatal mice by hyperosmolar formula feeding plus hypoxia and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenges. Induction of NEC resulted in substantial weight loss and high mortality compared to the control group, whereas FTY720 treatment significantly attenuated weight loss and improved survival in NEC-challenged neonatal mice. FTY720 treatment strongly ameliorated NEC-induced intestinal injury with reduced apoptosis and up-regulation of intestinal barrier proteins in the ileal tissues. Furthermore, FTY720 treatment abrogated NEC-initiated intestinal and systemic inflammation with markedly diminished inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Moreover, FTY720 treatment suppressed NEC-activated CXCL5/CXCR2 axis with down-regulated expression of CXCL5 and CXCR2 at both mRNA and protein levels. Thus, we demonstrate that FTY720 protects neonatal mice against NEC-associated lethality by ameliorating intestinal injury and attenuating inflammation, possibly via its down-regulation of NEC-induced activation of intestinal CXCL5/CXCR2 axis.
•FTY720 reduces weight loss and improves survival in experimental NEC.•FTY720 ameliorates intestinal injury in experimental NEC.•FTY720 attenuates inflammatory response in experimental NEC.•FTY720 down-regulates CXCL5/CXCR2 axis in experimental NEC.
The largemouth bass
Micropterus salmoides
is a carnivorous fish species that is widely farmed in China using artificial compound feeds. Alterations from its natural diet affect intestinal microbiota ...structure and growth performance and can reduce disease and stress resistance. In this study, we examined growth performance, immunity, intestinal microflora, and resistance to
Aeromonas veronii
infections-fed prey fish (PF) and artificial compound feed (ACF). Weight gains in the PF group were 27% significantly (
P
< 0.05) greater than the ACF group. Antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase and mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, transforming growth factor β1, and interleukin 10 were also significantly higher than for the ACF group. In contrast, levels of malondialdehyde were lower for the PF group consistent with the antioxidant activities. These results indicated that the commercial artificial compound diet reduced the immunity and anti-stress ability of the fish. Survival in against
A. versonii
infection were similar although the PF fish resisted the infection to a greater extent and succumbed at a slower rate. The gut microbiomes also differed between the PF and ACF feeding groups and operational taxonomic units were 1105.75 and 971.63, respectively. The high abundance of
Verrucomicrobia
were associated with weight gain and enhanced immunity for the PF group and were significantly (
P
< 0.05) higher than that in ACF group.
Bacteroidetes
abundance was closely related to weight loss in the ACF group. The results of this study suggest that the changes in intestinal microflora structure caused by dietary changes in largemouth bass affected its growth performance and reduce its immune and anti-stress abilities and provide a theoretical basis for the improvement of largemouth bass compound feeds.
