Notes

Vulvar leukoplakia: therapeutic choices.
327, p=0.004).

DCE-MRI is useful to diagnose the involved segments of the affected facial nerve accurately compared to the conventional MRI. This approach has advantages both for the patient, in terms of safety, and for the physician, in terms of the accuracy of the diagnosis.
DCE-MRI is useful to diagnose the involved segments of the affected facial nerve accurately compared to the conventional MRI. This approach has advantages both for the patient, in terms of safety, and for the physician, in terms of the accuracy of the diagnosis.Artificial Intelligence (AI), a concept which dates back to the 1950s, is increasingly being developed by many medical specialties, especially those based on imaging or surgery. While the cognitive component of AI is far superior to that of human intelligence, it lacks consciousness, feelings, intuition and adaptation to unexpected situations. Furthermore, fundamental questions arise with regard to data security, the impact on healthcare professions, and the distribution of roles between physicians and AI especially concerning consent to medical care and liability in the event of a therapeutic accident.White adipose tissue (WAT) is a cellularly heterogeneous endocrine organ that not only serves as an energy reservoir, but also actively participates in metabolic homeostasis. Among the main constituents of adipose tissue are adipocytes, which arise from adipose stem and progenitor cells (ASPCs). While it is well known that these ASPCs reside in the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) of adipose tissue, their molecular heterogeneity and functional diversity is still poorly understood. Driven by the resolving power of single-cell transcriptomics, several recent studies provided new insights into the cellular complexity of ASPCs among different mammalian fat depots. In this review, we present current knowledge on ASPCs, their population structure, hierarchy, fat depot-specific nature, function, and regulatory mechanisms, and discuss not only the similarities, but also the differences between mouse and human ASPC biology.
The current study investigated whether people are less likely to be smokers when they live in greener neighbourhoods, and whether such an association is attributable to lower rates of ever-smoking and/or higher rates of smoking cessation.

Using a representative sample of the adult population of England (N = 8,059), we investigated the relationships between neighbourhood greenspace and three inter-related smoking outcomes (current smoking, ever-smoking and smoking cessation).

After controlling for a range of individual and area-level covariates, including socioeconomic status, income and education, living in the highest greenspace quartile was associated with a 20% lower prevalence of current smoking, compared to living in the lowest greenspace quartile (PR = 0.80, CI = 0.67, 0.96, p < .017). Neighbourhood greenspace was not significantly associated with ever-smoking. However, amongst ever-smokers, residing in the two highest quartiles of neighbourhood greenspace quartiles (vs. 1st quartile) was assocce.Among animals, diploblasts contain two germ layers, endoderm and ectoderm, while triploblasts have a distinct third germ layer called the mesoderm. Spiralians are a group of triploblast animals that have highly conserved development they share the distinctive spiralian cleavage pattern as well as a unique source of mesoderm, the ectomesoderm. This population of mesoderm is distinct from endomesoderm and is considered a hallmark of spiralian development, but the regulatory network that drives its development is unknown. Here we identified ectomesoderm-specific genes in the mollusc Tritia (aka Ilyanassa) obsoleta through differential gene expression analyses comparing control and ectomesoderm-ablated embryos, followed by in situ hybridization of identified transcripts. We identified a Tritia serpin gene (ToSerpin1) that appears to be specifically expressed in the ectomesoderm of the posterior and head. Ablation of the 3a and 3b cells, which make most of the ectomesoderm, abolishes ToSerpin1 expression, consistent with its expression in these cells. Morpholino knockdown of ToSerpin1 causes ectomesoderm defects, most prominently in the muscle system of the larval head. This is the first gene identified that is specifically implicated in spiralian ectomesoderm development.
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease with an estimated 150 000 patients in Germany alone.

This review is based on publications about current diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for ulcerative colitis that were retrieved by a selective search in PubMed, and on current guidelines.

The primary goal of treatment is endoscopically confirmed healing of the mucosa. Mesalamine, in various forms of administration, remains the standard treatment for uncomplicated ulcerative colitis. Its superiority over placebo has been confirmed in meta-analyses of randomized, controlled trials. Glucocorticoids are highly effective in the acute treatment of ulcerative colitis, but they should only be used over the short term, because of their marked side effects. Further drugs are available to treat patients with a more complicated disease course of ulcerative colitis, including azathioprine, biological agents, JAK inhibitors (among them TNF antibodies, biosimilars, ustekinumab, vedolizumab, and tofacitinib), and calcineurin inhibitors. Proctocolectomy should be considered in refractory cases, or in the presence of high-grade epithelial dysplasia. Ulcerative colitis beginning in childhood or adolescence is often characterized by rapid progression and frequent comorbidities that make its treatment a special challenge.

A wide variety of drugs are now available for the treatment of ulcerative colitis, enabling the individualized choice of the best treatment for each patient. Regular surveillance colonoscopies to rule out colon carcinoma should be scheduled at intervals that depend on risk stratification.
A wide variety of drugs are now available for the treatment of ulcerative colitis, enabling the individualized choice of the best treatment for each patient. Regular surveillance colonoscopies to rule out colon carcinoma should be scheduled at intervals that depend on risk stratification.Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection would stimulate human immune system, trigger the activation and aggregation of various immune cells, and lead to the secretion of a large number of chemokines and cytokines, including interleukin 6 (IL-6), IL-10, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), interferon γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor γ (TNF-γ), C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2), C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10) and other cytokines. The development of uncontrolled systemic inflammatory response is a key factor in patients with critical COVID-19. Mild patients have milder inflammation and mild symptoms, but the lung inflammation in critical ones is more severe the inflammatory factor expression levels are abnormally high; the infiltration of lung inflammatory cells is obvious along with the histopathological changes of viral pneumonia and inflammatory pneumonia. Continuous immunity response causes the accumulation of lung fibrin, permeability change, injury of the pulmonary blood vessels, and ultimately destroys the lung structure and affects ventilation and circulatory function of the lung. Therefore, continuous and severe inflammation is closely related to acute respiratory distress syndrome, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and disseminated intravascular coagulation in critical COVID-19 patients, which is the key point for the transition from mild to critical patients.Objective To prepare and preliminarily identify anti-mouse CD226 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) using CD226 knockout (CD226 KO) mice as immunized animals. Methods Animals were immunized by recombinant mouse CD226 protein expressed by eukaryotic cells. Anti-mouse CD226 mAbs were prepared by conventional B-cell hybridoma technology. The application of the generated mAbs for flow cytometry and Western blotting was tested. A sandwich ELISA system was established for the detection of soluble CD226 in mice. And the concentrations of plasma soluble CD226 was determined by this sandwich ELISA system in an LPS-induced sepsis mouse model. Results Two hybridoma cell lines secreting mouse anti-mouse CD226 mAbs were successfully prepared. The clones were named mA1.1 and mA1.3, respectively. The antibody subclasses were both IgG1, and the light chains were κ. The obtained mAbs could be applied for flow cytometry to detect exogenous transfected CD226 on the cell surface and natural CD226 on the mouse platelet membrane. In Western blot assay, the mAb could bind to lymphocyte membrane proteins with a relative molecular mass (Mr) of 67 000 that was consistent with the Mr of CD226. In the sandwich ELISA system, the purified mAbs of mA1.3 were coated on ELISA plates as capture antibody, and the mAbs of mA1.1 were labeled with horseradish peroxidase or biotin as detection antibody. The detection sensitivities were 3.0 and 0.25 ng/mL, respectively. The concentration of plasma soluble CD226 of the septic mice was lower than that of the normal mice in the control group. Conclusion The mouse mAbs for identifying mouse CD226 have been prepared successfully and can be applied in various detection techniques.Objective To investigate the expression of cathepsin S (CTSS) in temozolomide-resistant glioblastoma T98G (T98G-R) cells. Methods The differentially expressed genes involved in T98G-R cells were obtained from NCBI database, and the expression of CTSS in glioblastoma was analyzed in Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA2) and Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) database. Real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot analysis were used to detect CTSS expression in T98G cells and T98G-R cells. The correlation between CTSS expression level and patient prognosis was analyzed using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Results Gene CTSS was screened out by comparing the differentially expressed genes in T98G-R cells using NCBI GEO chip data GSE2221. GEPIA2 database analysis showed higher CTSS expression in glioblastoma tissues than in normal tissues. Both mRNA and protein levels of CTSS in T98G-R cells were significantly higher than those in T98G cells. TCGA database showed that GBM patients with high CTSS expression exhibited poorer prognosis. Conclusion CTSS is highly expressed in T98G-R cells and is associated with poor prognosis in patients.Objective To establish a triple negative breast cancer cell line stably expressing human epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) promoter and luciferase (Luc) reporter gene and to preliminarily verify its application. Methods Using genetic recombination technology, the lentiviral vector carrying Luc reporter and EGFR promoter sequence was designed and constructed to infect MDA-MB231 cells and obtain MDA-MB231-EGFR-Luc2 cell lines by the selection with puromycin. The Luc luminescence value after stimulating with EGFR activator EGF or inhibitor gefitinib regulating the EGFR promoter activities was detected. Results Gene sequencing and enzyme digestion verified that the lentiviral expression vector carrying Luc reporter vector recombined with EGFR promoter was successfully constructed. Lentivirus-infected MDA-MB231 cells were screened by puromycin, the MDA-MB231-EGFR-Luc2 cells stably expressing firefly Luc was obtained. EGF increased the Luc luminescence value of MDA-MB231-EGFR-Luc2 cells in a dose-dependent manner, while gefitinib did the opposite. Conclusion The cell line of MDA-MB231-EGFR-Luc2 containing EGFR promoter and Luc reporter gene has been successfully constructed, which provides a new cell model for high throughput screening of EGFR-targeting drugs.Objective To observe the effect of serum of SD rats lavaged by modified Zuojin decoction on the apoptosis and proliferation of human gastric cancer cells and its mechanism. Methods SD rats were gavaged with modified Zuojin decoction to prepare their sera. Human SGC-7901 and MKN-45 cells were cultured and treated with the sera (0, 25, 50, 100, 200, 400) mL/L. MTT assay was used to observe the effect of drug-containing serum on the proliferation of human gastric cancer cells. Immunofluorescence method was used to detect the expression of ki67 after treatment with the drug-containing serum. The effect of drug-containing serum on the apoptosis of gastric cancer cells was detected by flow cytometry. Western blot analysis was used to detect the protein levels of apoptosis-associated cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-8, cleaved caspase-9, BAX and Bcl2 in SGC-7901 and MKN-45 cells. Results The drug-containing serum significantly inhibited the proliferation and induced the apoptosis of SGC-7901 and MKN-45 cells, and the positive rate of ki67 expression was significantly reduced. The levels of cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-9 and BAX proteins in SGC-7901 and MKN-45 cells increased and the levels of Bcl2 protein decreased. Conclusion The drug-containing serum can significantly inhibit the proliferation and induce the apoptosis of human gastric cancer SGC-7901 and MKN-45 cells, and the mechanism may be related to the activation of mitochondrial pathways.Objective To investigate the immunotherapeutic effect and mechanism of dendritic cell (DC) vaccine assisted by Tiaohengfang polysaccharides (ThPP) in S180 tumor-bearing mice. Methods Mouse bone marrow-derived cells were cultured in vitro and mature DCs were obtained with the assistance of cytokines and ThPP. The expression of CD80 and CD86 of DCs induced by ThPP was examined, and S180 tumor cells were used as antigens to stimulate dendritic cells to become dendritic cell tumor vaccine. Tumor-bearing models were established in mice by S180 tumor cells inoculated into the armpit of the left forelimb, and the mice were randomly divided into four groups according to body mass, namely tumor-bearing blank group, positive control group (cyclophosphamide), dendritic cell vaccine group adjuvanted by ThPP and TNF-α. The tumor-bearing mice were treated on the 5th and 10th days after inoculation of tumor cells. The tumor-bearing mice were killed on the 12th day and the tumor inhibition was observed by the tumor mass dete-12 in the macrophages of ThPP group was higher than that in the model blank group and positive group, without significant difference compared with TNF-α group. Conclusion ThPP-adjuvanted DC tumor vaccine can inhibit tumor growth and prolong survival time of S180 tumor-bearing mice, which is related to promoting the maturation of DCs and increasing the secretion of IL-12 and TNF-α.Objective To compare the efficiency of four methods for extracting extracellular vesicles (EVs) from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells(hUCMSCs). Methods EVs were isolated from the conditioned medium of hUCMSCs by ultracentrifugation (group A), or ultrafiltration combined with ultracentrifugation (group B), or ultrafiltration combined with polyethylene glycol precipitation (group C), or ultrafiltration combined with aqueous two phase system (group D). The total protein concentration of EVs in each group was determined by BCA method. The expression of Alix, CD9, and calnexin were detected by Western blotting. The morphology of EVs was analyzed by transmission electron microscopy. The particle size distribution and particle concentration of EVs were measured by nanoparticle tracking analysis. Results The total protein concentrations of EVs extracted by the above four methods were (1.92±1.77) μg/μL, (18.1±1.07) μg/μL, (6.33±1.02) μg/μL, (36.48±23.13) μg/μL from group A to D respectively. We observed the expression of CD9 and Alix, but not calnexin, in EVs from group A, B and C. However, the expression levels of CD9 and Alix were lowest in group C. In addition, the expression of CD9, Alix and calnexin were undetectable in EVs from group D. The particle concentrations of EVs in group A, B and C were 0.85×1011 particles/mL, 0.63×1011 particles/mL, 1.83×1011 particles/mL, respectively. Meanwhile, the particle distributions were all within the size range of EVs. We also observed the typical saucer-like membrane structure in EVs from group A, B and C. Conclusion The method of ultrafiltration combined with ultracentrifugation could be applied to the experiments demanding large amounts of EVs. The method of ultracentrifugation is recommended for the extraction of little amounts of EVs due to the lower risk of EV fragmentation.Objective To investigate the reducing effects of shikimic acid from the total extract of Chaenomeles speciose on the differentiation of chondrocytes into hypertrophic chondrocytes by inhibiting RBL-2H3 cell degranulation. Methods The chondrocytes were identified by toluidine blue staining and tryptase immunohistochemical staining. The chondrocytes were divided into normal chondrocytes control group, C48/80 activated RBL-2H3 cell culture supernatant treatment group, 3, 10 and 30 μg/mL SA activated RBL-2H3 cell culture supernatant treatment groups. The toxicity of SA and RBL-2H3 cell supernatant were detected by MTT assay. Western blotting was used to detect the expression of collagen type II (Col2) and collagen type X (Col10) in chondrocytes. The levels of matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13), soluble nuclear factor B receptor activated protein ligand (sRANKL) and bone protective factor (OPG) were determined by ELISA, and glycosaminoglycan polysaccharide (GAG) were tested by dimethylmethylene blue (DMB) colorimetry. Results (0~30) μg/mL SA had no significant effects on the growth of chondrocytes. Compared with the C48/80 activated RBI-2H3 cell supernatant treatment group, the expression of Col2 and GAG proteins increased significantly, while the expression of Col10 and MMP13 and the ratio of sRANKL/OPG decreased significantly in the SA treatment groups in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion SA can effectively reduce the differentiation of chondrocytes into hypertrophic chondrocytes by inhibiting RBL-2H3 cell degranulation.Objective To analyze the physicochemical properties, structure and function of melanoma-associated antigen D4 (MAGE-D4) protein, and then construct the eukaryotic expression vector of MAGE-D4. Methods The physicochemical properties, structure and function of MAGE-D4 protein were analyzed by bioinformatics. Using MAGE-D4/pMAL-C2 prokaryotic recombinant plasmid as the template, PCR product digested by restriction enzyme was connected with pEGFP-C1 eukaryotic expression plasmid and transformed into E. coli. Ligation products were identified by antibiotic screening, enzyme digestion and sequencing. Then the recombinant plasmid was transfected into A549 lung cancer cells by liposome. Results MAGE-D4 protein was an unstable hydrophilic protein without transmembrane structure and signal peptide. Its secondary structure was mainly α-helix. MAGE-D4 contained multiple functional modification sites and was mainly located in the nucleus. SLLLVILGV might be a restricted T cell epitope of HLA-A*0201 derived from MAGE-D4. The first three proteins to potentially interact with MAGE-D4 were NSMCE4A, MLANA/MART-1 and BAGE5. DNA sequencing showed that the recombinant plasmid contained full-length coding sequence (CDS) of MAGE-D4 and it could be successfully transfected into A549 lung cancer cells. Conclusion MAGE-D4 protein is an unstable nuclear protein, which may play functions by interacting with a variety of melanoma-related proteins. The peptide derived from MAGE-D4 may have strong immunogenicity. The eukaryotic expression vector of MAGE-D4 has been successfully constructed.Objective To investigate the expression levels of microRNA-186-5p (miR-186-5p) and Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) and their relationships with the apoptosis in high-glucose (HG)-treated AC16 cardiomyocytes. Methods Target Scan7.1 database predicted that miR-186-5p could act directly on TLR3. Diabetic cardiomyopathy model was established in cardiomyocytes stimulated by HG. The expression of miR-186-5p was detected by real-time quantitative PCR and the expression of TLR3 was detected by Western blot analysis. The expression of miR-186-5p or TLR3 was enhanced or reduced by cell transfection. The apoptosis of cardiomyocytes was detected by flow cytometry. The expression of cleaved caspase-3(c-caspase-3) was detected by Western blot analysis, and the interaction between miR-186-5p and TLR3 was analyzed by luciferase activity assay. Results The bioinformatics analysis and luciferase activity assay showed that TLR3 was a direct target gene of miR-186-5p. The expression of miR-186-5p was down-regulated in HG-treated cardiomyocytes, and the over-expression of miR-186-5p reversed HG-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis and reduced the protein level of c-caspase-3. Down-regulation of TLR3 inhibited HG-induced apoptosis and reduced protein level of c-caspase-3 in cardiomyocytes. Over-expression of TLR3 increased HG-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis and reversed the effect of miR-186-5p. Conclusion The miR-186-5p can inhibit the apoptosis of cardiomyocytes induced by HG via down-regulating TLR3 expression.Objective To investigate the effects of inorganic arsenic exposure on the differentiation of renal CD4+T lymphocytes and the possible mechanism. Methods Female C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control group, (2.5, 5, 10) mg/kg NaAsO2 exposure groups, 10 mice in each group. As was administered once intragastrically for 24 hours, and control mice were treated with normal saline. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect T helper type 1 (Th1) cell-specific transcription factor T-box expressed in T cells (T-bet) and IFN-γ, Th2 cell-specific transcription factor GATA-binding protein 3 (GATA3) and interleukin 4 (IL-4), Th17 cell-specific transcription factor retinoic acid related orphan nuclear receptor γt (ROR-γt) and cytokine IL-22, regulatory T cells (Tregs)-specific transcription factor forkhead box P3 (FOXP3) and cytokine transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) mRNA levels. We used commercial kits to detect catalase (CAT) activity and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in serum as well as renal malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Results Compared with the control group, the body mass, renal mass and kidney index of the mice in all arsenic-treated groups have no significant changes. The levels of the master transcription factors T-bet, GATA3, ROR-γt and FOXP3 as well as related cytokines IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-22 and TGF-β of Th1, Th2, Th17 cells and Tregs decreased in the arsenic-treated groups. Serum CAT activity and T-AOC level in the arsenic-treated mice dropped greatly. In addition, arsenic markedly increased renal MDA level while decreased SOD activity. Conclusion Inorganic arsenic exposure can suppress renal T cell subpopulation function and induce renal oxidative injure.Objective To investigate dynamic changes of type 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3) in lungs of mice with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Methods Forty newborn C57BL/6 mice were randomized into air group and the hyperoxia group, 20 mice in each group. C57BL/6 newborn mice were delivered by caesarean section on the 19th day of pregnancy and exposed to 850 mL/L O2 for replication of the BPD model. Five mice in each group were sacrificed 1 day, 3, 7, 14 days after they were born for procurement of fresh lung tissues. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of lung tissues. ELISA was used to detect the protein content of downstream cytokines interleukin-17 (IL-17), IL-22 and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in lung homogenate. Flow cytometry was used for measuring the proportion of ILC3 in lymphocytes as well as the proportions of IL-17+ ILC3 and IL-22+ ILC3 in the lung. Results The proportion of ILC3 in lung tissues reached the peak on the 7th day after birth. In contrast with the air group, the proportion of ILC3 in the hyperoxia group was significantly elevated at the same time points. The protein content of IL-17 and IL-22 in the hyperoxia group went up significantly in comparison with those in the air group at the same time points, while the GM-CSF content in the hyperoxia group showed no significant changes. The proportions of IL-17+ILC3 and IL-22+ILC3 in the hyperoxia group significantly increased as compared with those in the air group at the same time points. Conclusion The secretion of IL-17 and IL-22 derived from ILC3 is associated with BPD.Proper development of the nervous system is critical for its function, and deficits in neural development have been implicated in many brain disorders. A precise and predictable developmental schedule requires highly coordinated gene expression programs that orchestrate the dynamics of the developing brain. Especially, recent discoveries have been showing that various mRNA chemical modifications can affect RNA metabolism including decay, transport, splicing, and translation in cell typeand tissue-specific manner, leading to the emergence of the field of epitranscriptomics. Moreover, accumulating evidences showed that certain types of RNA modifications are predominantly found in the developing brain and their dysregulation disrupts not only the developmental processes, but also neuronal activities, suggesting that epitranscriptomic mechanisms play critical post-transcriptional regulatory roles in development of the brain and etiology of brain disorders. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of molecular regulation on transcriptome plasticity by RNA modifications in neurodevelopment and how alterations in these RNA regulatory programs lead to human brain disorders. [BMB Reports 2020; 53(11) 551-564].Bacterial endoribonuclease toxins belong to a protein family that inhibits bacterial growth by degrading mRNA or rRNA sequences. The toxin genes are organized in pairs with its cognate antitoxins in the chromosome and thus the activities of the toxins are antagonized by antitoxin proteins or RNAs during active translation. In response to a variety of cellular stresses, the endoribonuclease toxins appear to be released from antitoxin molecules via proteolytic cleavage of antitoxin proteins or preferential degradation of antitoxin RNAs and cleave a diverse range of mRNA or rRNA sequences in a sequence-specific or codon-specific manner, resulting in various biological phenomena such as antibiotic tolerance and persister cell formation. Given that substrate specificity of each endoribonuclease toxin is determined by its structure and the composition of active site residues, we summarize the biology, structure, and substrate specificity of the updated bacterial endoribonuclease toxins. [BMB Reports 2020; 53(12) 611-621].Bone resorption is linked to bone formation via temporal and spatial coupling within the remodeling cycle. Several lines of evidence point to the critical role of coupling factors derived from pre-osteoclasts (POCs) during the regulation of bone marrowderived mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs). However, the role of glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) in BMMSCs is not completely understood. Herein, we demonstrate the role of POC-derived GDNF in regulating the migration and osteogenic differentiation of BMMSCs. RNA sequencing revealed GDNF upregulation in POCs compared with monocytes/macrophages. Specifically, BMMSC migration was inhibited by a neutralizing antibody against GDNF in pre-osteoclast-conditioned medium (POC-CM), whereas treatment with a recombinant GDNF enhanced migration and osteogenic differentiation. In addition, POC-CM derived from GDNF knock-downed bone marrow macrophages suppressed BMMSC migration and osteogenic differentiation. SPP86, a small molecule inhibitor, inhibits BMMSC migration and osteogenic differentiation by targeting the receptor tyrosine kinase RET, which is recruited by GDNF into the GFRα1 complex. Overall, this study highlights the role of POC-derived GDNF in BMMSC migration and osteogenic differentiation, suggesting that GDNF regulates bone metabolism. [BMB Reports 2020; 53(12) 646-651].Skeletal myogenesis is a complex process that is finely regulated by myogenic transcription factors. Recent studies have shown that saturated fatty acids (SFA) can suppress the activation of myogenic transcription factors and impair the myogenic differentiation of progenitor cells. Despite the increasing evidence of the roles of miRNAs in myogenesis, the targets and myogenic regulatory mechanisms of miRNAs are largely unknown, particularly when myogenesis is dysregulated by SFA deposition. This study examined the implications of SFA-induced miR-183-5p on the myogenic differentiation in C2C12 myoblasts. Long-chain SFA palmitic acid (PA) drastically reduced myogenic transcription factors, such as myoblast determination protein (MyoD), myogenin (MyoG), and myocyte enhancer factor 2C (MEF2C), and inhibited FHL1 expression and myogenic differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts, accompanied by the induction of miR-183-5p. The knockdown of FHL1 by siRNA inhibited myogenic differentiation of myoblasts. Interestingly, miR-183-5p inversely regulated the expression of FHL1, a crucial regulator of skeletal myogenesis, by targeting the 3'UTR of FHL1 mRNA. Furthermore, the transfection of miR-183-5p mimic suppressed the expression of MyoD, MyoG, MEF2C, and MyHC, and impaired the differentiation and myotube formation of myoblasts. Overall, this study highlights the role of miR-183-5p in myogenic differentiation through FHL1 repression and suggests a novel miRNA-mediated mechanism for myogenesis in a background of obesity. [BMB Reports 2020; 53(11) 605-610].Osteosarcoma is the most prevailing malignant bone tumor among adolescents. Punicalagin, a polyphenolic compound extracted from pomegranate, possesses many functions such as anti-oxidation, anti-bacterial, anti-virus, and immunosuppression, which can counter the aggressiveness of a variety of cancers such cervical, ovarian and prostate. This study aimed to investigate the inhibitory effect of punicalagin on the proliferation and metastasis of osteosarcoma cells and its potential regulatory mechanisms. Osteosarcoma cell lines (HOS cells, U2OS cells and MG63 cells) were treated with different doses of punicalagin, and the effects on osteosarcoma cell activity were examined in vitro using cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation and apoptosis assays. The mobility, migration and invasion abilities of osteosarcoma cells were detected by wound healing and Transwell assays. NF-κB activity was explored by the NF-κB p65 luciferase reporter assay. Western blot was used to investigate the expressions of downstream proteins. We found that punicalagin inhibited the viability of osteosarcoma cells in vitro in dose-dependent and time-dependent manners and promoted apoptosis. In addition, punicalagin could significantly impede the mobility, migration and invasion abilities of osteosarcoma cells. In terms of mechanism, punicalagin down-regulated the expressions of p65, survivin, XIAP, CIAP2 and other proteins, and suppressed the proliferation and metastasis of osteosarcoma cells by repressing NF-κB signaling pathway. In conclusion, it is concluded that punicalagin restrains the growth and metastasis of osteosarcoma by obstructing the NF-κB signal transduction pathway.A central function of health technology assessment (HTA) agencies is the production of HTA reports to support evidence-informed policy and decision making. HTA agencies are interested in understanding the mechanisms of HTA impact, which can be understood as the influence or impact of HTA report findings on decision making at various levels of the health system. The members of the International Network of Agencies for HTA (INAHTA) meet at their annual Congress where impact story sharing is one important activity. This paper summarizes four stories of HTA impact that were finalists for the David Hailey Award for Best Impact Story.The methods to measure impact include document review; claims analysis and review of reimbursement status; citation analysis; qualitative evaluation of stakeholders' views; and review of media response. HTA agency staff also observed changes in government activities and priorities based on the HTA. Impact assessment can provide information to improve the HTA process, for example, the value of patient and clinician engagement in the HTA process to better define the assessment question and literature reviews in a more holistic and balanced way.HTA reports produced by publicly funded HTA agencies are valued by health systems around the globe as they support decision making regarding the appropriate use, pricing, reimbursement, and disinvestment of health technologies. HTAs can also have a positive impact on information sharing between different levels of government and across stakeholder groups. These stories show how HTA can have a significant impact, irrespective of the health system and health technology being assessed.The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a public health emergency of international concern. This pandemic poses a challenge to research and scientific community. In this study, we developed and tested content reliability and content validity of a questionnaire designed for evaluating the readiness and willingness of researchers to participate in virology research in Jordan. The survey was hosted on an online platform, and the link was emailed. A total of 332 participants from universities across Jordan completed the survey. For factor analysis, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value (KMO) and Bartlett's Test of Sphericity were conducted. Furthermore, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with parallel analysis and scree plots were conducted to evaluate the most suitable model for the data. The result of the EFA suggested a 5-factor model would fit the survey. Data showed that the lowest means were for researchers' readiness to conduct virology research and readiness for virology research with means of 2.07 and 2.95, respectively. Moreover, years of experience and speciality had a significant effect on the readiness and willingness of virology research in Jordan. In conclusion, readiness for research and researchers should be addressed and authorities should pay attention to these shortcomings in virology research.Poor diets, including excess added sugar consumption, contribute to the global burden of disease. Subsequently, many nutrition policies have been implemented to reduce added sugar intake and improve population health, including taxes, education, labelling and environmental interventions. A potential consequence of these policy actions is the substitution of added sugars with non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) in a variety of foods and beverages. NNS are used to reduce the energy and sugar content of foods and beverages while maintaining their palatability. Evidence of the toxicological risks of NNS is inconsistent, though concerns have been raised over the potential substitution effects of ultra-processed foods containing NNS for whole foods. This review aimed to provide an overview of current NNS food supply and consumption patterns, assess added sugar-reduction policies and their impact on NNS, and determine the impact of NNS on food choice, energy intake and diet quality. NNS are widely available in a variety of products, though most commonly in carbonated beverages, dairy products, confectionery, table-top sweeteners and fruit drinks. However, the longitudinal trends of different product categories, and differences between geographies and economy-income levels, require further study. Few studies have examined NNS consumption trends globally, though an increase in NNS consumption in beverages has been observed in some regions. Research examining how the increased availability of low-sugar, NNS-containing products affects global dietary patterns is limited, particularly in terms of their potential substitution effects.
This study aims to assess the knowledge and awareness, and to identify the practice reflection of knowledge concerning Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) on hospital visitor's daily life.

A cross-sectional study, conducted in 2 tertiary referral hospitals in Riyadh Saudi Arabia, from February 2015 to February 2016. A total random sample of 305 hospital visitors consented to participate. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire consisting of questions regarding awareness and practice of measures to prevent the spread of infection.

Study showed that participants have a fair knowledge regarding the cause of MERS (N = 228; 74.8%). Nearly half of them (47%) stated that camels are the source of the spread of MERS. Approximately 70% of the participants preferred both sanitization and wearing facemasks as preventive measures for MERS. However, only 3.95% practiced not eating camel products, such as milk and meat.

Although hospital visitors showed some knowledge and positive awareness in several aspects of MERS awareness, there are weak areas where knowledge and awareness were not up to recommended guidelines. Continued educational programs are needed to improve awareness and knowledge of all the public toward MERS-coronavirus infection. This study may assist in the development of future strategies on preventive measures of the disease.
Although hospital visitors showed some knowledge and positive awareness in several aspects of MERS awareness, there are weak areas where knowledge and awareness were not up to recommended guidelines. Continued educational programs are needed to improve awareness and knowledge of all the public toward MERS-coronavirus infection. This study may assist in the development of future strategies on preventive measures of the disease.The need for increased testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has resulted in an increase of testing facilities outside of traditional clinical settings and sample handling by individuals without appropriate biohazard and biocontainment training. During the repatriation and quarantine of passengers from the Grand Princess cruise ship at a US military base, biocontainment of a potentially infectious sample from a passenger was compromised. This study describes the steps taken to contain the spill, decontaminate the area, and discusses the needs for adequate training in a biohazard response.
Time to Change, an anti-stigma programme in England, has worked to reduce stigma relating to mental illness in many facets of life. Newspaper reports are an important factor in shaping public attitudes towards mental illnesses, as well as working as a barometer reflecting public opinion. This study aims to assess the way that coverage of mental health topics and different mental illnesses has changed since 2008.

Articles covering mental health in 18 different newspapers were retrieved using keyword searches on two randomly chosen days of each month in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2019. A content analysis approach using a structured coding framework was used to extract information from the articles. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the change in odds of each hypothesised stigmatising or anti-stigmatising element occurring in 2019 compared to 2008 and 2016 with a Wald test to assess the overall significance of year as a predictor in the model. Further logistic regression modeionships showed an interaction with the year of publication.

Anti-stigma programmes should continue to work with newspapers to improve coverage of mental illness. However, interventions should consider providing specific guidance and promote awareness of rarer mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, and evaluation should examine whether reductions in stigma extend to people with all mental illness diagnoses.
Anti-stigma programmes should continue to work with newspapers to improve coverage of mental illness. However, interventions should consider providing specific guidance and promote awareness of rarer mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, and evaluation should examine whether reductions in stigma extend to people with all mental illness diagnoses.employment is critically important in mental health care. Unemployment worsens mental health and gaining employment can improve mental health, even for people with the most serious mental illnesses. In this editorial, we argue for a new treatment paradigm in mental health that emphasises employment, because supported employment is an evidence-based intervention that can help the majority of people with mental health disability to succeed in integrated, competitive employment. Unlike most mental health treatments, employment engenders self-reliance and leads to other valued outcomes, including self-confidence, the respect of others, personal income and community integration. It is not only an effective short-term treatment but also one of the only interventions that lessen dependence on the mental health system over time.
Nurses and paramedics by being the frontline workers of the health-care profession need to be equipped with the relevant knowledge, skills, and protective gears against different forms of infection, including coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Although the governments and concerned stakeholders have provided personal protective equipment (PPE), training and information to protect the health-care professionals; however, until now the scientific literature has virtually not reported the impact of PPE availability, training, and practices on the COVID-19 sero-prevalence among the nurses and paramedics. This study aimed to assess the impact of PPE availability, training, and practices on COVID-19 sero-prevalence among nurses and paramedics in teaching hospitals of Peshawar, Pakistan.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a total of 133 nurses and paramedics as subjects of the study.

A univariate analysis was done for 4 variables. The findings indicate that the health-care professionals (nurses and paramedics) who have received PPE on time at the start of COVID-19 emergence have fewer chances of contracting the COVID-19 infection (odds ratio = 0.96); while the odds for PPE supplies was 0.73, and the odds of hand hygiene training was 0.95.

The study concluded that the availability of the PPE, COVID-19-related training, and compliance with World Health Organization recommended practices against COVID-19 were instrumental in protection against the infection and its spread.
The study concluded that the availability of the PPE, COVID-19-related training, and compliance with World Health Organization recommended practices against COVID-19 were instrumental in protection against the infection and its spread.During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Division of Neurology at BC Children's Hospital rapidly transitioned to almost exclusively virtual health. In April 2020, 96% of outpatient visits were done virtually (64%) or by telephone, and only 4.2% were in-person. Total clinic visit numbers were unchanged compared to previous months. Neurologists reported high satisfaction with the virtual history and overall assessment, while the physical examination was less reliable. Additional in-person visits were rarely required. Rapid, sustained adoption of virtual health is possible in a pediatric neurology setting, providing reliable care that is comparable to in-person consultations when physical distancing is necessary.
Identification of hospital preparedness challenges against biological events such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is essential to improve dynamics, quality, and business continuity confidence in the health system. Accordingly, the purpose of the present study is to evaluate the challenges of hospital preparedness in biological events.

This study used a qualitative method using content analysis in which 20 health-care managers and experts who are experienced in biological events were selected through purposeful sampling. The data collection was done through semi-structured interviews, which continued until data saturation. The data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis as well as the Landman and Graneheim Approach.

Six main concepts (training and practice, resource management, safety and health, patient management, risk communication, and laboratory and surveillance) and 14 subconcepts were extracted on hospital preparedness challenges in biological events through analyzing interviews.

The present study indicated that the health system of the country faces many challenges in response to biological events and threats. Moreover, study participants indicated that Iranian hospitals were not prepared for biological events. It is recommended to design preparedness plans of hospitals based on preparedness standards for biological events. In addition, comprehensive measures are required to enhance their capacity to respond to biological emergencies.
The present study indicated that the health system of the country faces many challenges in response to biological events and threats. Moreover, study participants indicated that Iranian hospitals were not prepared for biological events. It is recommended to design preparedness plans of hospitals based on preparedness standards for biological events. In addition, comprehensive measures are required to enhance their capacity to respond to biological emergencies.Big data and related technologies are radically altering our society. In a similar way, these approaches can transform the psychological sciences. The goal of this commentary is to motivate psychologists to embrace big data science for the betterment of the field. Big data sources, algorithmic methods, and a culture that embraces prediction has the potential to advance our science, improve the robustness and replicability of our research, and allow us to focus more centrally on actual behaviors. We highlight these key transformations, acknowledge criticisms of big data approaches, and emphasize specific ways psychologists can contribute to the big data science revolution.The aim was to analyse invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) serotypes in children aged ⩽17 years according to clinical presentation and antimicrobial susceptibility. We conducted a prospective study (January 2012-June 2016). IPD cases were diagnosed by culture and/or real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Demographic, microbiological and clinical data were analysed. Associations were assessed using the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Of the 253 cases, 34.4% were aged less then 2 years, 38.7% 2-4 years and 26.9% 5-17 years. Over 64% were 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) serotypes. 48% of the cases were diagnosed only by real-time PCR. Serotypes 3 and 1 were associated with complicated pneumonia (P less then 0.05) and non-PCV13 serotypes with meningitis (OR 7.32, 95% CI 2.33-22.99) and occult bacteraemia (OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.56-8.76). Serotype 19A was more frequent in children aged less then 2 years and serotypes 3 and 1 in children aged 2-4 years and 5-17 years, respectively. 36.1% of cases were not susceptible to penicillin and 16.4% were also non-susceptible to cefotaxime. Serotypes 14, 24F and 23B were associated with non-susceptibility to penicillin (P less then 0.05) and serotypes 11, 14 and 19A to cefotaxime (P less then 0.05). Serotype 19A showed resistance to penicillin (P = 0.002). In conclusion, PCV13 serotypes were most frequent in children aged ⩽17 years, mainly serotypes 3, 1 and 19A. Non-PCV13 serotypes were associated with meningitis and occult bacteraemia and PCV13 serotypes with pneumonia. Non-susceptibility to antibiotics of non-PCV13 serotypes should be monitored.
To evaluate the association of dietary inflammatory index (DII®) with the occurrence of cardiovascular events, cardiometabolic risk factors and with the consumption of processed, ultra-processed, unprocessed or minimally processed foods and culinary ingredients.

This was a cross-sectional study that analysed the baseline data from 2359 cardiac patients. Data on socio-demographic, anthropometric, clinical and food consumption were collected. Energy-adjusted food intake data were used to calculate DII, and the foods were classified according to the NOVA classification. Furthermore, the patients were grouped according to the number (1, 2 or ≥ 3) of manifested cardiovascular events. The data were analysed using linear and multinomial logistic regression.

Multicentre study from Brazil.

Patients with established cardiovascular events from the Brazilian Cardioprotective Nutritional Program Trial evaluated at baseline.

Most of the patients were male (58·8 %), older adults (64·2 %) and were overweight (68·8 %). Patients in the third tertile of DII (DII > 0·91) had were more likely to have 2 (OR 1·27, 95 % CI 1·01-1·61) and ≥ 3 (OR 1·39, 95 % CI 1·07-1·79) cardiovascular events, with poor cardiometabolic profile. They also were more likely to consume a higher percentage of processed, ultra-processed and culinary ingredients foods consumption compared with the patients in the first DII tertile (DII ≤ 0·91).

A more pro-inflammatory diet is associated with a greater chance of having 2 and ≥ 3 cardiovascular events and cardiometabolic risk factors and were more likely to consume processed, ultra-processed and culinary ingredients compared to those with a more anti-inflammatory diet.
A more pro-inflammatory diet is associated with a greater chance of having 2 and ≥ 3 cardiovascular events and cardiometabolic risk factors and were more likely to consume processed, ultra-processed and culinary ingredients compared to those with a more anti-inflammatory diet.
Substance use and psychiatric illness, particularly psychotic disorders, contribute to violence in emergency healthcare settings. However, there is limited research regarding the relationship between specific substances, psychotic symptoms and violent behaviour in such settings. We investigated the interaction between recent cannabinoid and stimulant use, and acute psychotic symptoms, in relation to violent behaviour in a British emergency healthcare setting.

We used electronic medical records from detentions of 1089 individuals under Section 136 of the UK Mental Health Act (1983 amended 2007), an emergency police power used to detain people for 24-36 h for psychiatric assessment. The relationship between recent cannabinoids and/or stimulant use, psychotic symptoms, and violent behaviour, was estimated using logistic regression.

There was evidence of recent alcohol or drug use in 64.5% of detentions. Violent incidents occurred in 12.6% of detentions. Psychotic symptoms increased the odds of violence by thcare settings should account explicitly for substance use.
Compare the efficacy of two interventions addressing emotional and existential well-being in early life-limiting illness.

Primary trial analysis (n = 135) included patients with advanced cancer, congestive heart failure, or end-stage renal disease; Arm 1 received the Outlook intervention, addressing issues of life completion and preparation, and Arm 2 received relaxation meditation (RM). Primary outcomes at five weeks (primary endpoint) and seven weeks (secondary) completion and preparation (QUAL-E); secondary outcomes anxiety (POMS) quality of life (FACT-G) and spiritual well-being (FACIT-Sp) subscales of faith, meaning, and peace.

Average age was 62; 56% were post-high school-educated, 54% were married, 52% white, 44% female, and 70% had a cancer diagnosis. At baseline, participants demonstrated low levels of anxiety (<5 on POMS subscale) and depression (<10 on CESD) relative to population norms. Results of the primary analysis revealed no significant differences in mean Preparation by treatment arm at five weeks (14.
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