Our purpose was to test glycyrrhizin (GLY) effects and ciprofloxacin interactions on multidrug resistant (MDR) isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro and in vivo in a mouse model of keratitis.

Background and objectives: Informed decision-making requires the ability to identify and integrate high-quality scientific evidence in daily practice. We aimed to assess whether randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on endometriosis therapy follow methodological criteria corresponding to the RCTs' specific level in the hierarchy of evidence in such details to allow the reproduction and replication of the study. Materials and Methods: Using the keywords "therapy" and "endometriosis" and "efficacy" three bibliographic databases were searched for English written scientific articles published from 1 January 2008 to 3 March 2018. Only the randomized clinical trials (RCTs) were evaluated in terms of whether they provided the appropriate level of scientific evidence, equivalent to level 1, degree 1b in the hierarchy of evidence. A list of criteria to ensure study replication and reproduction, considering CONSORT guideline and MECIR standards, was developed and used to evaluate RCTs' methodological soundness, and scores were granted. Three types of bias, namely selection bias (random sequence generation and allocation concealment), detection bias (blinding of outcome assessment), and attrition bias (incomplete outcome data) were also evaluated. Results: We found 387 articles on endometriosis therapy, of which 38 were RCTs: 30 double-blinded RCTs and 8 open-label RCTs. No article achieved the maximum score according to the evaluated methodological criteria. Even though 73.3% of the double-blinded RCTs had clear title, abstract, introduction, and objectives, only 13.3% provided precise information regarding experimental design and randomization, and also showed a low risk of bias. The blinding method was poorly reported in 43.3% of the double-blinded RCTs, while allocation concealment and random sequence generation were inadequate in 33.3% of them. Conclusions: None of the evaluated RCTs met all the methodological criteria, none had only a low risk of bias and provided sufficient details on methods and randomization to allow for the reproduction and replication of the study. Consequently, the appropriate level of scientific evidence (level 1, degree 1b) could not be granted. On endometriosis therapy, this study evaluated the quality of reporting in RCTs and not the quality of how the studies were performed.

Unlike the other WHO evidence reviews, the systematic review on birth outcomes could not provide a quantitative estimate of the effect of environmental noise. With that in mind, we aimed to update it with additional studies published through to 12 May, 2019 to allow for a formal meta-analysis of the association of residential road traffic noise with birth weight, low birth weight (LBW), small for gestational age (SGA), and preterm birth (PTB). The quality effects and random effects estimators were used for meta-analysis and the robustness of findings was tested in several sensitivity analyses. Nine studies were included in the qualitative synthesis, from which we extracted seven estimates for birth weight (n = 718,136 births) and LBW (n = 620,221), and five for SGA (n = 547,256) and PTB (n = 74,609). We found -8.26 g (95% CI: -20.61 g, 4.10 g) (I2 = 87%) lower birth weight associated with a 10 dB(A) increase in day-evening-night noise level (Lden), and this effect became significant in sensitivity analyses. No evidence of significant effects was found for LBW (OR = 1.06; 95% CI: 0.91, 1.23) (I2 = 49%), SGA (OR = 1.02; 95% CI: 0.86, 1.21) (I2 = 90%), or PTB (OR = 1.00; 95% CI: 0.79, 1.27) (I2 = 69%). The quality of evidence for continuous birth weight was graded as "moderate", while for the other outcomes it was deemed "very low". Finally, we discuss limitations of the risk of bias assessment criteria employed by Nieuwenhuijsen et al.

The use of porous scaffolds created by additive manufacturing is considered a viable approach for the regeneration of critical-size bone defects. This paper investigates the xenotransplantation of polycaprolactone (PCL) tissue constructs seeded with differentiated and undifferentiated human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADSCs) to treat calvarial critical-sized defect in Wistar rats. PCL scaffolds without cells were also considered. In vitro and in vivo biological evaluations were performed to assess the feasibility of these different approaches. In the case of cell seeded scaffolds, it was possible to observe the presence of hADSCs in the rat tissue contributing directly (osteoblasts) and indirectly (stimulation by paracrine factors) to tissue formation, organization and mineralization. The presence of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) in the rat tissue treated with cell-seeded PCL scaffolds suggests that the paracrine factors of undifferentiated hADSC cells could stimulate BMP-2 production by surrounding cells, leading to osteogenesis. Moreover, BMP-2 acts synergistically with growth factors to induce angiogenesis, leading to higher numbers of blood vessels in the groups containing undifferentiated and differentiated hADSCs.

Complete mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) are important molecular markers for understanding the phylogenetics of various species. Although recent studies on the mitogenomes of the Scorpaeniformes species have been greatly advanced, information regarding molecular studies and the taxonomic localization of Platycephalidae is still sparse. To further analyze the phylogeny of Platycephalidae, we sequenced the complete mitogenome of Cociella crocodilus of the Platycephalidae family within Scorpaeniformes for the first time. The mitogenome was 17,314 bp in length, contained two ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), and two typical noncoding control regions (the control region (CR) and origin of the light strand (OL)). All PCGs used standard initiation codons ATG, apart from cox1. The majority of the tRNA genes could be folded into cloverleaf secondary structures, whereas the secondary structure of tRNASer (AGN) lacked a dihydrouridine (DHU) stem. The CR contained several conserved sequence blocks (CSBs) and eight tandem repeats. In addition, the phylogenetic relationship based on the concatenated nucleotides sequences of 13 PCGs indicated that the Platycephalidae species are relatively basal in the phylogenetic relationships of Scorpaeniformes. Our results may not only advance the origin and the evolution of Scorpaeniformes, but also provide information for the genetic evolution and taxonomy of the teleostean species.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a major cause of death in India and worldwide. Atherosclerosis is caused by the interaction of environmental and genetic factors. Hypercholesterolemia is an example of a classical risk factor for CVD. The low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) is one of the regulating mechanisms the liver uses for cholesterol homeostasis. Gene variations in the LDLR have been reported to cause hypercholesterolemia and consequently CVD. We investigated the association of polymorphisms in the LDLR (rs5925 and rs1529729) with coronary artery disease (CAD) in 200 coronary artery disease patients and 200 matched healthy controls using allele-specific PCR (AS-PCR). The results indicated that the CT genotype of the rs1529729 polymorphism was associated a decreased susceptibility to CAD with an odds ratio (OR) = 0.42 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.23-0.77), risk ratio (RR) = 0.59 (0.39-0.89), P = 0.0047. The TT genotype of the rs1529729 polymorphism was also associated with decreased susceptibility to CAD with an OR = 0.19 (95% CI, 0.076-0.47), RR = 0.57 (0.47-0.69), P = 0.0003. The GA genotype of the rs5925 polymorphism was associated with decreased susceptibility to CAD with an OR = 0.45 (95% CI, 0.27-0.75), RR = 0.65 (0.47-0.88), P = 0.002. We concluded that the CT and TT genotypes of the rs1529729 polymorphism and the GA genotype of the rs5925 polymorphism are probably associated with decreased susceptibility to CAD. The simplicity of AS-PCR makes it particularly suitable for the rapid, large-scale screening of gene variabilities in the LDLR. AS-PCR could provide significant benefits in clinical applications with its ability to amplify a lower quantity of samples in a cost-saving manner. Nevertheless, these findings need to be validated in well-designed studies with larger sample sizes and in different populations.

Over the last years, a growing body of evidence suggests that gut microbial communities play a fundamental role in many aspects of human health and diseases. The gut microbiota is a very dynamic entity influenced by environment and nutritional behaviors. Considering the influence of such a microbial community on human health and its multiple mechanisms of action as the production of bioactive compounds, pathogens protection, energy homeostasis, nutrients metabolism and regulation of immunity, establishing the influences of different nutritional approach is of pivotal importance. The very low carbohydrate ketogenic diet is a very popular dietary approach used for different aims: from weight loss to neurological diseases. The aim of this review is to dissect the complex interactions between ketogenic diet and gut microbiota and how this large network may influence human health.

Non-nutritive sweeteners represent an ingredient class that directly affects human health, via the development of inflammatory processes that promote chronic diseases related to microbiota dysbiosis. Several in vitro tests were conducted in the static GIS1 simulator. The aim of the study was to highlight the effect of sweeteners on the microbiota pattern of healthy individuals, associated with any alteration in the metabolomic response, through the production of organic acids and ammonium. The immediate effect of the in vitro treatment and the influence of the specific sweetener type on the occurrence of dysbiosis were evaluated by determining the biomarkers of the microbiota response. The presence of the steviol reduced the ammonium level (minimum of 410 mg/L), while the addition of cyclamate and saccharin caused a decrease in the number of microorganisms, in addition to lowering the total quantity of synthesized short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). The bifidobacteria appeared to decrease below 102 genomes/mL in all the analyzed samples at the end of the in vitro simulation period. Barring the in vitro treatment of steviol, all the sweeteners tested exerted a negative influence on the fermentative profile, resulting in a decline in the fermentative processes, a rise in the colonic pH, and uniformity of the SCFA ratio.

Chemoresistance is a major obstacle that limits the benefits of cisplatin-based chemotherapy in various cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma. De-regulation of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1)/high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) signaling pathway has been proposed as an important mechanism involved in cisplatin-resistance. In this study, we investigated therapeutic potential of a natural flavonoid Morin hydrate against cisplatin-induced toxicity using the HepG2DR multi-drug resistant cell line, which is derived from the HepG2 human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line. HepG2DR cells were exposed to cisplatin and Morin hydrate alone or together after which autophagy and apoptotic signaling pathways were monitored by fluorometric assay and Western blot analysis. Xenograft mouse models were performed to confirm the in vitro effect of Morin hydrate. PARP1 was hyper activated in cisplatin-resistant HepG2DR cells. Cisplatin-induced PARP1 activation resulted in chemoresistance via increased autophagy. The cisplatin/Morin hydrate combination was effective in the reversal of the HepG2DR cell resistance via suppression of PARP1-mediated autophagy by regulating the HMGB1 and microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B light chain 3B (LC3) I/II. Moreover, PARP1 inhibition by 4-amino-1,8-naphthalimide or autophagy inhibition by a knockdown of the autophagy-related 5 (Atg5) gene resulted in sensitizing the HepG2DR cells to cisplatin (CP) through activation of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway. In a mouse xenograft model, the treatment of cisplatin with Morin hydrate reversed the increased expression of PARP and HMGB1 and significantly suppressed tumor growth. These findings indicate dysregulated expression of PARP1 confers cisplatin-resistance via autophagy activation in HepG2DR cells. Morin hydrate inhibits cisplatin-mediated autophagy induction, resulting in increased susceptibility of HepG2DR cells to cisplatin cytotoxicity. The combination of Morin hydrate with cisplatin may be a promising therapeutic strategy to enhance the efficacy of conventional chemotherapeutic drugs.

Curcumin is a polyphenol compound derived from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa that exhibits antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antimicrobial properties. However, its low solubility in aqueous solutions, low absorption following oral administration, and rapid degradation limit its use as a functional food material. In this study, a hydroxypropyl methylcellulose-based solid dispersion of curcumin (DW-CUR 20) was prepared and its bioavailability was evaluated. In addition, its therapeutic efficacy as a hepatoprotective agent was investigated using the model of tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP)-induced hepatocyte damage. The rat plasma pharmacokinetic study showed that the oral curcumin bioavailability of DW-CUR 20 significantly increased compared to that of non-formulated curcumin. DW-CUR 20 showed a concentration-dependent hepatocyte protective effect on t-BHP-induced HepG2 cells. DW-CUR 20 inhibited the release of lactate dehydrogenase and decreased apoptosis-related proteins such as Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, cleaved caspase-7 and cleaved caspase-8 on t-BHP-treated HepG2 cells. These findings suggest that DW-CUR 20 could be a promising formulation for enhancing the therapeutic efficiency of curcumin and for improving the safety.

Though clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for cardiac rehabilitation (CR) are an effective and widely used treatment method worldwide, they are as yet not widely accepted in Korea. Given that cardiovascular disease is the second leading cause of death in Korea, it is urgent that CR programs be developed. In 2008, the Government of Korea implemented CR programs at 11 university hospitals as part of its Regional Cardio-Cerebrovascular Center Project, and three additional medical facilities will be added in 2019. In addition, owing to the promotion of CR nationwide and the introduction of CR insurance benefits, 40 medical institutions nationwide have begun CR programs even as a growing number of medical institutions are preparing to offer CR. The purpose of this research was to develop evidence-based CPGs to support CR implementation in Korea.

We aimed to evaluate the prevalence, characteristics, and clinical outcomes of spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) in young female patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

To investigate the effects of electroacupuncture in regulating astrocytes and oxidative stress in a rat model of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD).

Post-translational modifications, such as the phosphorylation of tyrosines, are often the initiation step for intracellular signaling cascades. Pan-reactive antibodies against modified amino acids (e.g., anti-phosphotyrosine), which are often used to assay these changes, require isolation of the specific protein prior to analysis and do not identify the specific residue that has been modified (in the case that multiple amino acids have been modified). Phosphorylation state-specific antibodies (PSSAs) developed to recognize post-translational modifications within a specific amino acid sequence can be used to study the timeline of modifications during a signal cascade. We used the FcεRI receptor as a model system to develop and characterize high-affinity PSSAs using phage and yeast display technologies. We selected three β-subunit antibodies that recognized: 1) phosphorylation of tyrosines Y218 or Y224; 2) phosphorylation of the Y228 tyrosine; and 3) phosphorylation of all three tyrosines. We used these antibodies to study the receptor activation timeline of FcεR1 in rat basophilic leukemia cells (RBL-2H3) upon stimulation with DNP24-BSA. We also selected an antibody recognizing the N-terminal phosphorylation site of the γ-subunit (Y65) of the receptor and applied this antibody to evaluate receptor activation. Recognition patterns of these antibodies show different timelines for phosphorylation of tyrosines in both β and γ subunits. Our methodology provides a strategy to select antibodies specific to post-translational modifications and provides new reagents to study mast cell activation by the high-affinity IgE receptor, FcεRI.

In this study, we aimed to clarify the effects of long noncoding ribonucleic acid prostrate androgen-regulated transcript-1 on bladder cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis.

This study aimed to evaluate the association between serum vitamin D levels and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) parameters, such as metabolic syndrome (MS), inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor, high sensitive C-reactive protein) and adipokines (adiponectin, leptin).

In modern dairy breeding programmes, high contributions from foreign sires are nearly always present. Genotyping, and therefore genomic selection (GS), concern only a subpopulation of the breeding programme's wider dairy population. These features of a breeding programme contribute in different ways to the rate of genetic gain for the wider industry.

High-dimensional data of discrete and skewed nature is commonly encountered in high-throughput sequencing studies. Analyzing the network itself or the interplay between genes in this type of data continues to present many challenges. As data visualization techniques become cumbersome for higher dimensions and unconvincing when there is no clear separation between homogeneous subgroups within the data, cluster analysis provides an intuitive alternative. The aim of applying mixture model-based clustering in this context is to discover groups of co-expressed genes, which can shed light on biological functions and pathways of gene products.

China has made remarkable progress in maternal and child health (MCH) over the last thirty years, but socio-economic inequalities persist. Ethnicity has become an important determinant of poor MCH outcomes, but little rigorous analytical work has been done in this area. To understand the socio-economic factors that explain ethnic variation in uptake of MCH care, we report the findings from an analysis in Sichuan province.

Non-host resistance (NHR) presents a compelling long-term plant protection strategy for global food security, yet the genetic basis of NHR remains poorly understood. For many diseases, including stem rust of wheat [causal organism Puccinia graminis (Pg)], NHR is largely unexplored due to the inherent challenge of developing a genetically tractable system within which the resistance segregates. The present study turns to the pathogen's alternate host, barberry (Berberis spp.), to overcome this challenge.