Retracted Article: MicroRNA-135a alleviates lipid accumulation and inflammation of atherosclerosis through targeting lipoprotein lipase

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have recently attracted increasing attention for their involvement in atherosclerosis (AS). The purpose of this study was to further explore the function and underlying mechanism of miR-135a in AS progression. The expression levels of miR-135a and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) mRNA were detected by qRT-PCR, and LPL protein expression was measured by western blotting. The levels of blood lipids and inflammatory cytokines, and LPL activity were assessed using corresponding Assay Kits, and an HPLC assay was used to determine the levels of free cholesterol (FC), total cholesterol (TC) and cholesterol ester (CE). A Dil-oxLDL binding assay was performed to evaluate the ability of cholesterol uptake. The direct interaction between miR-135a and LPL was confirmed by a dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation assay. Our data indicated that miR-135a was downregulated in serum samples of AS patients and mice. Upregulation of miR-135a alleviated lipid metabolic disorders and inflammation in AS mice. Moreover, miR-135a negatively regulated lipid accumulation and inflammation in ox-LDL-treated THP-1 macrophages. Mechanistically, miR-135a directly targeted LPL and repressed LPL expression. LPL mediated the regulatory effect of miR-135a on lipid accumulation and inflammation in ox-LDL-treated THP-1 macrophages. In conclusion, our study indicated that miR-135a upregulation ameliorated lipid accumulation and inflammation at least partly by targeting LPL in THP-1 macrophages, highlighting miR-135a as a potential antiatherogenic agent.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have recently attracted increasing attention for their involvement in atherosclerosis (AS).     

DMSO increases radioiodination yield of radiopharmaceuticals.

A high-yield radioiodination method for various types of molecules is described. The approach employs DMSO as precursor solvent, a reaction ratio of 2-5 precursor molecules per iodine atom, 5-10 microg oxidant, and a 10-25 microl reaction volume. The solution is vortexed at room temperature for 1-5 min and progress of the reaction is assessed by HPLC. Radioiodinated products are obtained in > or = 95% yield and meet the requirements for radiotracer imaging, biodistribution studies, and molecular and cellular biology research.     

Psychotropic drugs in the management of psychiatric emergencies.

Antipsychotic drugs are the agents of choice for the management of acute functional psychoses. In most instances, hourly intramuscular injections of chlorpromazine or haloperidol will bring tranquilization within six hours or less. These drugs also are useful in amphetamine-induced psychoses. In psychosis resulting from hallucinogen, however, an antipsychotic drug should be given only as a last resort. In many organic psychoses, including psychosis due to ingestion of an atropine-like drug, use of anti-psychotic drug should be avoided. Before any drug is given to a psychotic patient, an effort should be made to identify an organic brain syndrome, characterized by clouded sensorium, disorientation, and poor recent memory.     

Esophageal rupture after regional anesthesia: report of two cases.

Esophageal perforation after anesthesia is rare. It is usually secondary to esophageal instrumentation. Only one case of barogenic rupture after regional anesthesia has been reported. We report two additional cases and present possible mechanisms for this unusual entity. Neither patient had anatomic abnormalities by history or preoperative endoscopy. However, both patients and the previously reported patient had esophageal dysmotility resulting from advanced age, alcoholism, intraoperative medications, and preexisting disease. Each patient experienced at least one episode of emesis with subsequent perforation of the distal one third of the esophagus. The previously reported patient died; both of our patients underwent successful surgical repair and are alive 2 years later. Intraoperative or postoperative emesis in patients with esophageal dysmotility appears to be the principal factor causing esophageal rupture after regional anesthesia. Prevention of nausea and vomiting and recognition of this high-risk population may minimize this complication in the future.     

Thoracic radiology of infections emerging after natural disasters

When natural disasters demolish shelter, destroy sources of clean drinking water, and disrupt the availability of medical care, vast numbers of people are placed at increased risk of disease. The infectious diseases that propagate under these conditions are usually common ones. Occasionally, a natural disaster alters the local environment in ways that markedly increase the prevalence of a disease that is endemic to a geographic region, occurring only as isolated cases under normal conditions. Many of these infections may affect the thorax. In this article, we discuss the radiologic findings of 4 infectious diseases, coccidioidomycosis, leptospirosis, melioidosis, and Chagas disease, which may flourish after natural disasters strike areas where they are endemic.