Single-crystal one-dimensional (1-D) nanostructures of [2-(p-dimethyl-aminophenyl)ethenyl]-phenyl-methylene-propanedinitrile (DAPMP) have been prepared by a simple solution process without the assistance of added surfactant, catalyst, or template under ambient condition. The approach exploits the directional supramolecular interaction induced by strong donor-acceptor dipole-dipole supramolecular interaction in the growth of 1-D nanostructures. By varying the process temperatures, the DAPMP nanostructures can be controllably prepared as either nanoribbons, nanotubes, or nanowires with high morphological and chemical purities. Significant changes in optical properties were observed for nanostructures of different morphology.

Background: The pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has threaten the global health. The characteristics of laboratory findings of coronavirus are of great significance for clinical diagnosis and treatment. We found indicators that may most effectively predict a non-severe COVID-19 patient develop into a severe patient. Methods: We conducted a meta-analysis to compare the laboratory findings of severe patients with non-severe patients with COVID-19 from searched articles. Results: Through the analysis of laboratory examination information of patients with COVID-19 from 35 articles (5912 patients), we demonstrated that severe cases possessed higher levels of leukocyte (1.20-fold), neutrophil (1.33-fold), CRP (3.04-fold), PCT (2.00-fold), ESR (1.44-fold), AST (1.40-fold), ALT (1.34-fold), LDH (1.54-fold), CK (1.44-fold), CK-MB (1.39-fold), total bilirubin (1.14-fold), urea (1.28-fold), creatine (1.09-fold), PT (1.03fold) and D-dimer (2.74-fold), as well as lower levels of lymphocytes (1.44-fold), eosinophil (2.00-fold), monocyte (1.08-fold), Hemoglobin (1.53-fold), PLT (1.15-fold), albumin (1.15-fold), and APTT (1.02-fold). Lymphocyte subsets and series of inflammatory cytokines were also different in severe cases with the non-severe ones, including lower levels of CD4 T cells (2.10-fold) and CD8 T cells (2.00-fold), higher levels of IL-1β (1.02fold), IL-6 (1.93-fold) and IL-10 (1.55-fold). Conclusions: Some certain laboratory inspections could predict the progress of the COVID-19 changes, especially lymphocytes, CRP, PCT, ALT, AST, LDH, D-dimer, CD4 T cells and IL6, which provide valuable signals for preventing the deterioration of the disease.

3D (1)H-MRS could differentiate recurrent tumor from radiation injury in patients with recurrent contrast-enhancing lesions in the vicinity of the previously treated gliomas.

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Traditional Chinese medication (TCM) is increasingly used to treat cardiovascular disease (CVD) in China and some other Asian countries. However, therapeutic efficacy and adverse effects of TCM are difficult to evaluate because few large-scale, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) enrolling patients with CVD have been performed. In this Review, we critically examine the current evidence on the cardiovascular effects of TCM. We reviewed 68 RCTs that included a total of 16,171 patients. The methodological quality of the trials was generally low. Only three reports described adverse cardiovascular events specifically, although in most studies TCM was associated with significant improvements in surrogate end points for hypertension, coronary heart disease, cardiac arrhythmias, and heart failure. The risk of adverse effects was not increased compared with no intervention, placebo, or Western medications. However, whether TCM is effective in reducing the all-cause or cardiovascular mortality in patients with CVD remains unknown and must be tested in large-scale RCTs with adverse cardiovascular events as primary end points.

We demonstrate the bulk synthesis of single crystalline Cu-doped ZnO nanowires using (CuI+ZnI2) powders at 600 °C. These mass nanowires are characterized through x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction, and high-resolution TEM; they have uniform diameters of about 65 nm and are several tens of microns in length. The growth of ZnCuO nanowires is suggested for self-catalyzed vapour–liquid–solid. In particular, the PL spectra of these nanowires show emission peaks that strongly shift to long wavelength with increasing Cu, and the doping quantity is found to be responsible for the different characteristics; the PL mechanism is explained in detail.

To explore the potential therapeutic effects of angiotensin(1–7) (Ang(1–7)), an endogenous ligand of the Mas receptor, on streptozotocin-induced diabetic nephropathy, male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups: a control group and a diabetic model group. After 12 weeks, the diabetic rats were divided into subgroups for 4-week treatments consisting of no-treatment group, small-, moderate-, and large-dose Ang(1–7) groups, a valsartan group, a large-dose Ang(1–7) plus valsartan group, and an A779 (antagonist of the Mas receptor) group, each with 15 rats. Ang(1–7) improved renal function, attenuated glomeruli sclerosis, oxidative stress, and cell proliferation, decreased the expression of collagen IV, TGF-β1, VEGF, NOX4, p47phox, PKCα, and PKCβ1, and the phosphorylation of Smad3. In the rat mesangial HBZY-1 cell line, Ang(1–7) decreased high-glucose-induced oxidative stress, the proliferation and expression of NOX4, p47phox, and TGF-β1, the phosphorylation of Smad3, collagen IV, and VEGF, and the membrane translocation of PKCα and PKCβ1. A779 blocked the effects of Ang(1–7) both in vivo and in vitro. The effects of large-dose Ang(1–7) alone and in combination with valsartan were superior to valsartan alone, but the combination had no significant synergistic effect compared with Ang(1–7) alone. Thus, Ang(1–7) ameliorated streptozotocin-induced diabetic renal injury. Large-dose treatment was superior to valsartan in reducing oxidative stress and inhibiting TGFβ1/Smad3- and VEGF-mediated pathways.

Objective-To test the hypothesis that chronic infusion of angiotensin-(1-7) [Ang-(1-7)] may dose-dependently inhibit atherosclerotic lesion formation by targeting vascular smooth muscle cells and a large dose of Ang-(1-7) may stabilize mature plaque by targeting macrophages. Approach and Results-In vivo, the effects of Ang-(1-7) on atherogenesis and plaque stability were observed in ApoE −/− mice fed a high-fat diet and chronic angiotensin II infusion. In vitro, the effects of Ang-(1-7) on vascular smooth muscle cells' proliferation and migration, and macrophage inflammatory cytokines were examined. Ang-(1-7) dosedependently attenuated early atherosclerotic lesions and inhibited vascular smooth muscle cells' proliferation and migration via suppressing extracellular regulated protein kinase/P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and janus kinase/ signal transducers and activators of transcription activities and enhancing smooth muscle 22α and angiotensin II type 2 receptor expression. Ang-(1-7) treatment resulted in high contents of collagen and vascular smooth muscle cells, and low contents of macrophages and lipids in carotid mature plaques. Ang-(1-7) lowered the expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines and activities of matrix metalloproteinases in mature plaques. Conclusions-Ang-(1-7) treatment inhibits early atherosclerotic lesions and increases plaque stability in ApoE−/− mice, thus providing a novel and promising approach to the treatment of atherosclerosis. Materials and MethodsMaterials and Methods are available in the online-only Supplement. Results Body Weight, Blood Pressure, and Serum Lipid ProfileAt the end of the first part (8 weeks) and the second part (10 weeks) of the in vivo study, both systolic and diastolic blood pressures were substantially increased in comparison with the baseline blood pressure measurements (data not shown). However, no significant differences were found in body weight, blood pressure, and serum lipid levels among vehicle-treated, Ang-(1-7)-treated and Ang-(1-7)+A779-treated groups, indicating that chronic infusion of Ang-(1-7) or A779 had no significant effects on these parameters (Table I in the online-only Data Supplement). In ApoE −/− mice without Ang-II infusion, blood pressure levels were not statistically different among vehicle-treated, Ang-(1-7)-treated, and Ang-(1-7)+A779-treated groups ( Figure 1; Table II in the online-only Data Supplement). Aortic Lesion FormationIn the first part of the in vivo study, the relative en face lesion area of the aorta arches was dose-dependently decreased in the Ang-(1-7)-treated subgroups. However, only the difference between the large dose of Ang-(1-7) subgroup and the vehicle-treated group reached a statistical significance. The antiatherosclerosis effect of Ang-(1-7) was significantly reversed by coadministration of A779 (Figure 2A and 2B). Similarly, the relative cross-sectional area of the aortic lesion also showed a dose-dependent decrease in the Ang-(1-7)-treated subgroups but only the difference between the large do...