Int J Med Sci
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Isolation of quality RNA from articular cartilage has been challenging due to low cellularity and the high abundance of extracellular matrix and proteoglycan proteins. Recently developed methods for isolation of high quality RNA from cartilage are more applicable to larger cartilage specimens typically weighing at least 25 mg. ⋯ Here we report a protocol for direct RNA isolation from less than 3 mg of wet weight rabbit articular cartilage for quantitative microarray gene profiling. This protocol is useful for identifying differentially expressed genes in chondrocytes following focal cartilage repair and can potentially be adopted for gene expression analysis of cartilage biopsy specimens from human joints.
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Abnormally decreased renal Klotho is linked to endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation in mice.
Aim: Endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD), which involves degradation of improperly folded proteins retained in the ER, is implicated in various diseases including chronic kidney disease. This study is aimed to determine the role of ERAD in Klotho deficiency of mice and human kidney tubular epithelial cells (HK-2) with renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF). Methods: Following establishment of a mouse RIF model by unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO), a specific ERAD inhibitor, Eeyarestatin I (EerI), was administered to experimental animals by intraperitoneal injection. ⋯ These observations suggest that UPR was remarkably enhanced in the presence of ERAD inhibition and compensated for excess improperly folded proteins, subsequently contributing to the additional production of mature Klotho protein. Conclusion: ERAD is involved in Klotho deficiency in RIF and its specific inhibition significantly promoted Klotho expression, possibly through enhanced UPR. This may represent a novel regulatory mechanism and new therapeutic target for reversing Klotho deficiency.
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Purpose: We aimed to determine if lactate dehydrogenase to albumin ratio (LAR) might play a prognostic role for patients with operable colorectal cancer (CRC). Patients and Methods: 1334 operable CRC patients in Wuhan Union Hospital Between July 2013 and September 2017 were enrolled in this study and were randomly appointed them into training (n=954) and validation (n=380) sets. The relationship between LAR and overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were determined by restricted cubic splines (RCS) with Cox regression models. ⋯ LAR was superior to TNM stage for OS as well as DFS and LAR plus TNM stage could add more net benefit than clinical model alone. Moreover, the survival nomograms based on LAR achieved great predictive ability for OS and DFS in operable CRC patients. Conclusions: LAR could be served as a reliable prognostic factor for OS as well as DFS, with more accurate prognostic prediction than current TNM stage for patients with operable CRC.
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Purpose: When dexmedetomidine is used in elderly patients, high incidence of bradycardia is reported. Given age-related physiological changes in this population, it is necessary to know the safety margin between the loading dose of dexmedetomidine and bradycardia. Therefore, we conducted this study to investigate the median effective dose (ED50) of dexmedetomidine causing bradycardia in elderly patients. ⋯ Conclusion: The ED50 of dexmedetomidine causing bradycardia in our cohort was higher than clinical recommended dose. A higher loading dose appears acceptable for a faster onset of sedation under careful hemodynamic monitoring. Trial registration: ChiCTR 15006368.
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Observational Study
Clinical efficacy of short-term prewarming in elderly and adult patients: A prospective observational study.
Background: Short-term prewarming effectively reduces intraoperative hypothermia in adult patients. However, few data exist regarding its efficacy in elderly patients. Elderly people have a reduced ability to regulate their body temperature, which affects the efficacy of prewarming. ⋯ Postoperative shivering was more frequent in elderly than in adult patients (33.3% vs. 8.0%, p = 0.037). A greater number of elderly patients in the post-anaesthesia care unit required active warming (33.3% vs. 8.0%, p = 0.037). Conclusions: The effects of short-term prewarming on the prevention of hypothermia and maintenance of perioperative normothermia are not the same in the elderly and adult patients.