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This study aims to examine the cross-sectional association between serum total bilirubin (STB) and type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk in the general population, and whether obesity could moderate this association.

We used data from the 1999-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES), including a total of 38,641 US adult participants who were 18years or older. The STB was classified as the low, moderate, and high groups according to tertiles.

We found that participants with lower STB had a significantly higher risk of T2D than those with moderate (OR = 0.81; 95% CI 0.74, 0.89; P < 0.001) and high (OR = 0.65; 95% CI 0.59, 0.73; P < 0.001) STB. Also, a significant interaction between body mass index (BMI) and STB on T2D was observed (P < 0.001). Stratified analysis showed that low STB was associated with a 20% and 27% decrease of T2D risk for moderate and high STB groups in obese patients, however, these effect estimates were smaller in the population with lower BMI (< 30kg/m

). Similar associations of STB with glycohemoglobin and insulin resistance were observed.

This study suggests that STB is associated with an elevated risk of T2D. More importantly, we reported for the first time that BMI may moderate the association between bilirubin and T2D.

This study suggests that STB is associated with an elevated risk of T2D. More importantly, we reported for the first time that BMI may moderate the association between bilirubin and T2D.

Fatty acids (FA) derived from adipose tissue and liver serve as the main fuel in thermogenesis of brown adipose tissue (BAT). Catalase, a peroxisomal enzyme, plays an important role in maintaining intracellular redox homeostasis by decomposing hydrogen peroxide to either water or oxygen that oxidize and provide fuel for cellular metabolism. Although the antioxidant enzymatic activity of catalase is well known, its role in the metabolism and maintenance of energy homeostasis has not yet been revealed. The present study investigated the role of catalase in lipid metabolism and thermogenesis during nutrient deprivation in catalase-knockout (KO) mice.

We found that hepatic triglyceride accumulation in KO mice decreased during sustained fasting due to lipolysis through reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in adipocytes. Furthermore, the free FA released from lipolysis were shuttled to BAT through the activation of CD36 and catabolized by lipoprotein lipase in KO mice during sustained fasting. Although the exact mechanism for the activation of the FA receptor enzyme, CD36in BAT is still unclear, we found that ROS generation in adipocytes mediated the shuttling of FA to BAT.

Taken together, our findings uncover the novel role of catalase in lipid metabolism and thermogenesis in BAT, which may be useful in understanding metabolic dysfunction.

Taken together, our findings uncover the novel role of catalase in lipid metabolism and thermogenesis in BAT, which may be useful in understanding metabolic dysfunction.

Timely recognition of warning signs from deteriorating patients and proper treatment are important in improving patient safety. In comparison to the traditional medical emergency team (MET) activation triggered by phone calls, automated activation of MET may minimize activation delays. However, limited data are available on the effects of automated activation systems on the time from derangement to MET activation and on clinical outcomes. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of an automated alert and activation system for MET on clinical outcomes in unselected hospitalized patients.

This is an observational study using prospectively collected data from consecutive patients managed by the MET at a university-affiliated, tertiary hospital from March 2013 to December 2019. The automated alert system automatically calculates the Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) and subsequently activates MET when the MEWS score is 7 or higher, which was implemented since August 2016. The outcome measuresned ICU admission rates (41.2% vs. 71.8%, P < 0.001) was reduced during the post-implementation period. Hospital mortality was decreased after implementation of the automated alert system (27.2% vs. 38.5%, P < 0.001). The implementation of the automated alert and activation system was associated with decreased risk of death in the multivariable analysis (adjusted OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.56-0.90).

After implementing an automated alert and activation system, the time from deterioration to MET activation was shortened and clinical outcomes were improved in hospitalized patients.

After implementing an automated alert and activation system, the time from deterioration to MET activation was shortened and clinical outcomes were improved in hospitalized patients.Although paedomorphosis is widespread across salamander families, only two species have ever been documented to exhibit paedomorphosis in Hynobiidae. One of these two exceptional species is Hynobius retardatus in which paedomorphosis was first reported in 1924, in specimens from Lake Kuttara in Hokkaido. This population became extinct after the last observation in 1932; since then, no paedomorphs of this species have been reported anywhere. Here, we report the rediscovery of paedomorphs of this species. Three paedomorph-like male salamanders were collected from a pond in the south Hokkaido in December 2020 and April 2021; in size, these specimens were similar to metamorphosed adults but they still displayed larval features such as external gills and a well-developed caudal fin. An artificial fertilization experiment demonstrated that they were sexually compatible with metamorphosed females, thus, confirming them to be paedomorphs. Future efforts to find additional paedomorphs in this and other populations are required to assess the prevalence of paedomorphosis in H. retardatus and to improve understanding of the ecology and evolution of paedomorphisis in Urodela.

Beta-adrenergic receptor blockers (BB) play an important role in the protection of organs that are susceptible for secondary injury due to stress-induced adrenergic surge. However, the use of BB in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients is not yet the standard of care which necessitates clear scientific evidence to be used. The BBTBBT study aims to determine whether early administration of propranolol based on the high-sensitive troponin T(HsTnT) status will improve the outcome of TBI patients. We hypothesized that early propranolol use is effective in reducing 10- and 30-day mortality in TBI patients. Secondary outcomes will include correlation between serum biomarkers (troponin, epinephrine, cytokines, enolase, S100 calcium binding protein B) and the severity of injury and the impact of BB use on the duration of hospital stay and functional status at a 3-month period.

The BBTBBT study is a prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled three-arm trial of BB use in mild-to-severe TBI patients based on the HsTnT status. All enrolled patients will be tested for HsTnT at the first 4 and 6 h post-injury. Patients with positive HsTnT will receive BB if there is no contraindication (group 1). Patients with negative HsTnT will be randomized to receive either propranolol (group 2) or placebo (group 3). The time widow for receiving the study treatment is the first 24 h post-injury.

Early BB use may reduce the catecholamine storm and subsequently the cascade of immune and inflammatory changes associated with TBI. HsTnT could be a useful fast diagnostic and prognostic tool in TBI patients. This study will be of great clinical interest to improve survival and functional outcomes of TBI patients.

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04508244. Registered on 7 August 2020. Recruitment started on 29 December 2020 and is ongoing.

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04508244. Registered on 7 August 2020. Recruitment started on 29 December 2020 and is ongoing.

Poor graft function or graft failure after allogeneic stem cell transplantation is an unmet medical need, in which mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) constitute an attractive potential therapeutic approach. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) overexpression in MSC (HIF-MSC) potentiates the angiogenic and immunomodulatory properties of these cells, so we hypothesized that co-transplantation of MSC-HIF with CD34

human cord blood cells would also enhance hematopoietic stem cell engraftment and function both in vitro and in vivo.

Human MSC were obtained from dental pulp. Selleckchem Saracatinib Lentiviral overexpression of HIF-1α was performed transducing cells with pWPI-green fluorescent protein (GFP) (MSC WT) or pWPI-HIF-1α-GFP (HIF-MSC) expression vectors. Human cord blood CD34

cells were co-cultured with MSC WT or HIF-MSC (41) for 72h. Then, viability (Annexin V and 7-AAD), cell cycle, ROS expression and immunophenotyping of key molecules involved in engraftment (CXCR4, CD34, ITGA4, c-KIT) were evaluated by flow cytometry in Ctransplantation of human CD34

cells with HIF-MSC enhances cell engraftment in vivo. This is probably due to the ability of HIF-MSC to increase clonogenic capacity of hematopoietic cells and to induce the expression of adhesion molecules involved in graft survival in the hematopoietic niche.

Co-transplantation of human CD34+ cells with HIF-MSC enhances cell engraftment in vivo. This is probably due to the ability of HIF-MSC to increase clonogenic capacity of hematopoietic cells and to induce the expression of adhesion molecules involved in graft survival in the hematopoietic niche.

The advancement of molecular techniques in an era in which high-throughput sequencing has revolutionized biology renders old-fashioned alternatives to high-throughput methods obsolete. Such advanced molecular techniques, however, are not yet accessible to economically disadvantaged region-based laboratories that still obtain DNA profiles using gel-based techniques. To explore whether cost-efficient techniques can produce results that are as robust as those obtained using high-throughput methods, we compared the performance of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE)- and capillary electrophoresis (CE)-derived genomic data in estimating genetic diversity and inferring relatedness using 70 individuals of fine flounder (Paralichthys adspersus) selected from a hatchery population and genotyped for five microsatellite loci.

Here, we show that PAGE- and CE-derived genomic datasets yield comparable genetic diversity levels regarding allelic diversity measures and heterozygosity. However, relatedness inferred frresearch not be discouraged from using the PAGE system if high-throughput technologies are unavailable and the method is adequate to address the biological question.

Pseudoaneurysm of ascending aorta is a rare but serious complication of cardiovascular surgeries and it infrequently occurs in the normal prosthetic graft materials. We share our experience with an unusual case ofascending aorta Dacron graft pseudoaneurysm caused by a fractured sternal wire.

A 34-year-old man, known case of Marfan syndrome, with history of two prior aortic surgeries for aneurysm of ascending aorta, arch and thoracoabdominal aorta, presented with hemoptysis. The hemoptysis originated from an aortobronchial fistula secondary to a huge ascending aorta Dacron graft pseudoaneurysm. The graft erosion and subsequent pseudoaneurysm was caused by a fractured sternal wire. Surgical repair of the pseudoaneurysm was performed successfully and a Gore-tex patch was placed behind the sternum over the graft to prevent further direct contact of the wire and the graft.

Sternal wires can damage the adjacent vascular grafts and lead to fatal complications such as pseudoaneurysm formation. Thus, preventive measures such as using sternal bands and placing a covering layer between the sternal wires and aortic grafts are recommended in patients with dilated or replaced ascending aorta.