We aimed to investigate the relationship of time-averaged on-treatment systolic blood pressure (SBP) with the risk of first stroke in the CSPPT (China Stroke Primary Prevention Trial). A post hoc analysis was conducted using data from 17 720 hypertensive adults without cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and renal function decline from the CSPPT, a randomized double-blind controlled trial. The primary outcome was first stroke. Over a median follow-up duration of 4.5 years, the ...

MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) has emerged as a critical regulatory molecule and an important serum marker in hepatic fibrogenesis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of inhibiting miR-21 on hepatic fibrosis treatment. Serum miR-21 levels in 60 healthy individuals and 180 patients with different stages of liver cirrhosis were examined, miR-21 levels in normal or cirrhotic human liver tissues (n=10 each) were also detected. An adenoviral vector (Ad-TuD-21) carrying the ...

Our recent work suggests that trait judgment of the self in Christians, relative to nonreligious subjects, is characterized by weakened neural coding of stimulus self-relatedness in the ventral medial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) but enhanced evaluative processes of self-referential stimuli in the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC). The current study tested the hypothesis that Christian belief and practice produce a trait summary about the religious leader (Jesus) in the believers and ...

The incidence of small (≤2 cm), non-functioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (NF-pNETs) increased in the last decades. Before making appropriate strategy for patients with NF-pNETs ≤2 cm, pathological confirmation is vital. Incidentally diagnosed, sporadic small NF-pNETs may bring aggressive behavior and poor prognosis, such as extrapancreatic extension, lymph nodal metastasis, distant metastasis and recurrence, even causing disease-related death. Understanding and formulating an ...

Organic and inorganic metal halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with an outstanding performance of low-cost manufacturing and low-temperature solution processing, have been regarded as the next-generation photovoltaic technology. However, the solution processed perovskite films usually have abundant defects, especially at the grain boundaries and surfaces, causing carrier recombination, hysteresis, and degradation. Herein, 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzylamine (TFMBA) is deposited on the ...

Pancreatic cancer is regarded as the most fatal and aggressive malignancy cancer due to its low 5-year survival rate and poor prognosis. The approaches of early diagnosis and treatment are limited, which makes it urgent to identify the complex mechanism of pancreatic oncogenesis. In this study, we used RNA-seq to investigate the transcriptomic (mRNA and miRNA) profiles of pancreatic cancer in paired tumor and normal pancreatic samples from ten patients. More than 1000 differentially ...

AIM: To observe the efficacy and safety of pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with eye position guided fluid-air exchange (FAX) and air tamponade in the treatment of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD).

METHODS: RRD patients without severe proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) C1 or more were enrolled. All patients underwent PPV combining with air tamponade. During operation, the primary retinal break(s) were placed at lower site and subretinal fluid was aspirated through the break(s) at ...

BACKGROUND: Clinical researches indicate that acyclovir can be used to herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE). However, no systematic review has explored its efficacy for the treatment of HSE. Therefore, this study systematically will investigate the efficacy and safety of acyclovir for patients with HSE.

METHODS: We will search the following databases from inceptions to March 1, 2019 without any language restrictions: Cochrane Library, Embase, MEDICINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Allied and ...

In this paper, we introduce a homotopy analysis method into the structural reliability analysis and propose a different algorithm from the traditional Hasofer–Lind–Rackwitz–Fiessler type of iterations to solve the reliability index. Due to the powerful function of homotopy analysis in solving nonlinear equations, the method presented in this paper yields high efficiency and strong convergence of the reliability analysis. We first establish the Karush–Kuhn–Tucker (KKT) condition of the ...

This book offers a theoretically informed empirical investigation of national media reporting and political discourse on environmental issues in Australia, China and Japan. It illuminates the risks, harms and responsibilities associated with climate change through an analysis of pollution, adopting an interdisciplinary approach drawing on both the social sciences and humanities. A particular strength of the work is the detailed analysis of the data using a range of both quantitative and ...

Saccharomyces cerevisiae AFY is a novel baker's yeast strain with strong freeze-tolerance, and can be used for frozen-dough processing. The present study armed to clarify the growth characteristics of the yeast AFY. Aerobic batch culture experiments of yeast AFY were carried out using media with various initial glucose concentrations, and the culture process was analyzed kinetically. The growth of the yeast AFY exhibited a diauxic pattern with the first growth stage consuming glucose and ...

Dendritic cells (DCs) are efficient antigen-presenting cells (APCs) and potent activators of naïve T cells. Therefore, they act as a connective ring between innate and adaptive immunity. DC subsets are heterogeneous in their ontogeny and functions. They have proven to potentially take up and process tumor-associated antigens (TAAs). In this regard, researchers have developed strategies such as genetically engineered or TAA-pulsed DC vaccines; these manipulated DCs have shown significant ...

Ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2S (UBE2S), an important E2 enzyme in the process of ubiquitination, has exhibited oncogenic activities in various malignant tumors. However, it remains unknown whether UBE2S plays a role in urinary bladder cancer (UBC) development. In the current study, our data confirmed UBE2S upregulation in UBC. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that UBE2S knockdown resulted in attenuated proliferation and enhanced apoptosis, which was inverse to the ...

Globalization and growing supply chain interconnectivity have led to greater complexity, uncertainty, and vulnerability in supply chains. Concequently, supply chains must become smarter to confront these challenges. The smarter supply chain has shown great promise; however, the business, policy, and technical challenges must be addressed before changes can be made. A literature review was performed to synthesize the studies on smarter supply chain management. The proior literature has ...

AIM: To assess the efficacy and safety of parafoveal retinal massage combined with autologous whole blood cover in the treatment of refractory macular holes (MHs) and present the surgical procedure.

METHODS: Patients with giant (minimum diameter ≥800 µm), recurrent or persistent MHs who underwent PPV combined with parafoveal retinal massage and autologous whole blood cover using C3F8 as tamponade agent from February 2018 to May 2019 were enrolled in this retrospective study. After ...