Liraglutide restores late cardioprotective effects of remote preconditioning in diabetic rats via activation of hydrogen sulfide and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 signaling pathway

ABSTRACT Purpose The present study explored the influence of liraglutide on remote preconditioning-mediated cardioprotection in diabetes mellitus along with the role of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), hypoxia inducible factor (HIF-1α) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Methods Streptozotocin was given to rats to induce diabetes mellitus and rats were kept for eight weeks. Four cycles of ischemia and reperfusion were given to hind limb to induce remote preconditioning. After 24 h, hearts were isolated and subjected to 30 min of ischemia and 120 min of reperfusion on Langendorff system. Liraglutide was administered along with remote preconditioning. Cardiac injury was assessed by measuring the release of creatine kinase (CK-MB), cardiac troponin (cTnT) and development of left ventricular developed pressure. After ischemia-reperfusion, hearts were homogenized to measure the nuclear cytoplasmic ratio of Nrf2, H2S and HIF-1α levels. Results In diabetic rats, there was more pronounced injury and the cardioprotective effects of remote preconditioning were not observed. Administration of liraglutide restored the cardioprotective effects of remote preconditioning in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, liraglutide increased the Nrf2, H2S and HIF-1α levels in remote preconditioning-subjected diabetic rats. Conclusions Liraglutide restores the lost cardioprotective effects of remote preconditioning in diabetes by increasing the expression of Nrf2, H2S and HIF-1α.

Low-dose CT screening can reduce cancer mortality: A meta-analysis

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death. To reduce lung cancer mortality and detect lung cancer in early stages, low dose CT screening is required. A meta-analysis was conducted to verify whether screening could reduce lung cancer mortality and to determine the optimal screening program. METHODS We searched PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane library, ScienceDirect, and relevant Chinese databases. Randomized controlled trial studies with participants that were smokers older than 49 years (smoking >15 years or quit smoking 10 or 15 years ago) were included. RESULTS Nine RCT studies met the criteria. LDCT screening could find more lung cancer cases (RR=1.58, 95%CI=1.25-1.99, P<0.001) and more stage I lung cancers (RR=3.45, 95%CI=2.08-5.72, P<0.001) compared to chest-X ray or the no screening group. This indicated a statistically significant reduction in lung-cancer-specific mortality (RR=0.84, 95%CI=0.75-0.95, P=0.004), but without a statistically reduction in mortality due to all causes (RR=1.26, 95%CI=0.89-1.78, P=0.193). Annually, LDCT screening was sensitive in finding more lung cancers. CONCLUSIONS Low-dose CT screening is effective in finding more lung cancer cases and decreasing the deaths from lung cancer. Annual low-dose CT screening may be better than a biennial screening to detect more early-stage lung cancer cases.

RESUMO OBJETIVO O câncer de pulmão é a principal causa de mortes relacionadas ao câncer. Para reduzir a mortalidade por câncer de pulmão e encontrar câncer de pulmão em um estágio inicial, é necessária uma triagem por tomografia de baixa dose. Uma meta-análise foi emitida para testemunhar se a triagem poderia reduzir a mortalidade por câncer de pulmão e investigar o melhor programa de triagem. MÉTODOS Pesquisamos PubMed, Web of Science, biblioteca Cochrane, ScienceDirect e relevante banco de dados chinês. Ensaios clínicos controlados aleatórios, em que os participantes eram fumantes com mais de 49 anos (tabagismo >15 anos ou parar de fumar 10 ou 15 anos atrás) foram incluídos. RESULTADOS Nove estudos RCT preencheram os critérios. O rastreamento de LDCT pôde encontrar mais cânceres de pulmão (RR=1,58, IC 95%=1,25-1,99, P<0,001) e mais cânceres de estágio I do pulmão (RR=3,45, IC 95%=2,08-5,72, P<0,001) em comparação com raio X do tórax ou nenhum grupo de triagem. Ele indicou uma redução estatisticamente significativa na mortalidade específica do câncer de pulmão (RR=0,84, IC 95%=0,75-0,95, P=0,004), mas sem uma redução estatisticamente significativa na mortalidade por todas as causas (RR=1,26, IC 95%=0,89-1,78, P=0,193). Anualmente, o rastreamento de LDCT foi sensível em encontrar mais cânceres de pulmão. CONCLUSÕES A triagem de TC de baixa dose é eficaz para encontrar mais cânceres de pulmão e diminuir as mortes por câncer de pulmão. Para encontrar mais cânceres de pulmão em estágio inicial, a triagem anual de tomografia de baixa dose pode ser melhor do que a triagem bianual.

Association between different parent-child separation types and emotion regulation strategies among preschool children / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To understand effects of timing and duration of separation experiences from parents on emotion regulation of left-behind preschoolers,and to provide the reference for phychological instruction and intervention among the special groups of children.@*Methods@#Children’s emotion regulation strategy and the relevant information among 1 373 left-behind preschool children from Funan county in Fuyang.Qianshan county in Anqing,Changfeng county and Fexi county inFeixi were investigated.@*Results@#Children with left-behind experiences younger than 18 months old tend to use less cognitive restructuring (P=0.03) and alternative action strategies (P=0.00) than non-left behind children. Children separated from father less than 47 months (median) and 36 months (median) from mother tend to use less cognitive restructuring (P=0.00) and alternative action strategies (P=0.00) than non-left behind children.@*Conclusion@#Separation experiences from parents younger than 18 months old exert severe damage on children’s emotional regulation. With the duration of separation increases, children show resilience of emotion regulation, which might be a protective factor for negative emotion due to parent-child separation.

Long non-coding RNA AFAP1-AS1 facilitates tumor growth and promotes metastasis in colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Long non-coding RNAs can regulate tumorigenesis of various cancers. Dys-regulation of lncRNA-AFAP1-AS1 has not been studied in colorectal carcinoma (CRC). This study was to examine the function involvement of AFAP1-AS1 in tumor growth and metastasis of CRC. METHODS: Relative expression of AFAP1-AS1 in CRC tissues and CRC cells lines was determined using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Functional involvement of AFAP1-AS1 in tumor proliferation and metastasis was evaluated in AFAP1-AS1-specific siRNA-treated CRC cells and in CRC cell xenograft. Expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related gene expression was determined using western blot. RESULTS: Relative expression of AFAP1-AS1 was significantly elevated in CRC tissues and CRC HCT116 and SW480 cell lines. AFAP1-AS1 knock-down suppressed SW480 cell proliferation, colony formation, migration and invasion. Also AFAP1-AS1 knock-down inhibited tumor metastasis-associated genes expression in terms of EMT. This carcinostatic action by AFAP1-AS1 knock-down was further confirmed by suppression of tumor formation and hepatic metastasis of CRC cells in nude mice. CONCLUSION: lncRNA-AFAP1-AS1 knock-down exhibits antitumor effect on colorectal carcinoma in respects of suppression of cell proliferation and metastasis of cancer cells.

The molecular characterization of a cyclophilin A from Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis and the antifungal activity of its recombinant protein

Background: Cyclophilin A (CypA), a receptor for the immunosuppressive agent cyclosporin A (CsA), is a cis-trans peptidyl-prolyl isomerase (PPIase) which accelerates the cis-trans isomerization of prolyl-peptide bonds and interacts with a variety of proteins to regulate their activities. Results: The full-length cDNA of crab Eriocheir sinensis CypA (EsCypA) was cloned by EST and RACE technique. The complete sequence of EsCypA cDNA contained a 5' untranslated region (UTR) of 50 bp, a 3’ UTR of 233 bp with a polyA tail, and an open reading frame (ORF) of 495 bp encoding a polypeptide of 164 amino acids with the predicted molecular weight of 17.36 kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence of EsCypA contained two highly conserved signature sequences of peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase and a pro-isomerase domain. The mRNA transcripts of EsCypA were detectable in all the examined tissues, including haemocytes, gill, hepatopancreas, gonad, muscle and heart, with higher expression level in hepatopancreas and gonad. No significant difference in the relative mRNA expression level of EsCypA was observed during the whole course of bacteria challenge, whereas it was up-regulated during fungi challenge. The purified recombinant protein rEsCypA exhibited a significant PPIase activity and an antifungal activity. Conclusions: All these results indicated that it was a typical CypA member and potentially involved in the innate immune responses of crab.