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ObjectiveTo investigate the value of prognostic nutritional index (PNI) in predicting the prognosis of patients with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 242 patients who were admitted to Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Qinghai University Affiliated Hospital, from January 2015 to December 2018 and underwent surgical treatment of hepatic alveolar echinococcosis. The results of routine blood test and liver function were collected at 1 week before surgery, and PNI was calculated. X-Tile software was used to determine the cut-off value of PNI, and according to this cut-off value, the patients were divided into high PNI group with 216 patients and low PNI group with 26 patients. The chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups; the Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot survival curves, and the log-rank test was used for comparison between groups; the Cox regression model was used to perform univariate and multivariate analyses, and hazard ratio (HR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. ResultsPNI was associated with treatment modality, intraoperative blood loss, stage of echinococcosis, number of lesions, Child-Pugh class, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, albumin, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), prothrombin time (PT), and lymphocyte count (all P＜0.05). The low PNI group had 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates of 92.1%, 30.5%, and 20.3%, respectively, after surgery, while the high PNI group had 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates of 957%, 79.5%, and 56.9%, respectively. The mean survival time was 33.783 (95% CI: 26.450-51.355) months in the low PNI group and 51.355 (95% CI: 49.044-53.666) months in the high PNI group, and there was a significant difference between the two groups (χ2=24.626, P＜0.001). The univariate Cox regression analysis showed that PNI, surgical procedure, intraoperative blood loss, stage of echinococcosis, Child-Pugh class, complication, ALP, PT, neutrophils, and platelets were associated with the prognosis of patients with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (all P＜0.05), and the multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that treatment modality (HR=1.461, 95%CI: 1.132-1.890, P=0.004), intraoperative blood loss (HR=6.078, 95%CI: 3.412-10.826, P＜0001), PNI(HR=0.367, 95%CI: 0.192-0.701, P=0.002), complications (HR=2.007, 95%CI: 1.204-3.346, P=0.008), and neutrophils (HR=2.772, 95%CI: 1.304-5.891, P=0.008) were independent risk factors for the prognosis of patients with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis. ConclusionPNI can be used to predict the prognosis of patients with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis. The higher the peripheral blood PNI before surgery, the better the prognosis of patients.
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Aim To determine whether 8-bromo-7-me-thoxychrysin ( BrMC) inhibits in vitro carcinogenicity via up-regulating miR-519d expression and down-regu-lating Twist1 expression in liver cancer stem-like cells ( LCSLCs) derived from SMMC-7721 cell line. Meth-ods The second generation spheroids derived from SMMC-7721 cell line were obtained by sphere-forming assay and were considered as LCSLCs . Then LCSLCs were treated with various concentrations ( 1.0, 3.0, 10.0 μmol·L-1) of BrMC. The expression level of miR-519d was detected using real-time PCR. And in vitro carcinogenicity was investigated by sphere-forming assay and clone-forming assay in agar. The transcrip-tional activity and protein expression of Twist1 were an-alyzed using luciferase reporter assay and Western blot. Moreover, the molecular mechanism of BrMC was elucidated via miR-519 mimic transfection and Twist1 gene transduction, respectively. Results Compared with SMMC-7721 cells, miR-519d-3p was low-ex-pressed and Twist1 was over expressed in LCSLCs. And the sphere-forming ratio and the clone-forming ra-tio decreased by treatment with BrMC ( 1.0, 3.0, 10.0 μmol·L-1) in a dose-dependent manner. Fur-thermore, luciferase reporter assay demonstrated miR-519d could directly target the 3′ untranslated region of Twist1 mRNA and regulate protein expression. miR-519d mimic enhanced the effects of BrMC (3.0 μmol ·L-1) . However, Twist1 gene transduction effective-ly reversed the effects of BrMC ( 3.0 μmol·L-1) . Conclusion BrMC inhibits in vivo carcinogenicity via regulating miR-519/Twist1 signal axis in LCSLCs de-rived from SMMC-7721 cell line.
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Objective To observe the therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture at Baihui (GV20) in treating post-stroke executive dysfunction.Method Fifty-six eligible patients with post-stroke executive dysfunction were randomized into a treatment group (30 cases) and a control group (26 cases). The treatment group was intervened by acupuncture at Baihui and the control group was intervened by ordinary acupuncture. Before and after the intervention, the Behavioral Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome (BADS) and Trail Making Test (TMT) were adopted to evaluate the executive function, and Modified Barthel Index (MBI) was used to estimate the activities of daily living (ADL).Result Before the intervention, there were no significant differences in comparing the BADS, TMT and MBI scores between the two groups (P>0.05); after the treatment, each scale was improved significantly in both groups (P<0.05). The scores of Rule Shift Cards Test (RSCT), Key Search Test (KST), Temporal Judgment Test (TJT), Zoo Map Test (ZMT) and total point of BADS, TMT-A and MBI scores in the treatment group were superior to those in the control group (P<0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture at Baihui works effectively in improving the executive function of cerebral stroke patients.
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Objective To observe the therapeutic efficacy of acupuncture at Baihui (GV20) in treating post-stroke executive dysfunction.Method Fifty-six eligible patients with post-stroke executive dysfunction were randomized into a treatment group (30 cases) and a control group (26 cases). The treatment group was intervened by acupuncture at Baihui and the control group was intervened by ordinary acupuncture. Before and after the intervention, the Behavioral Assessment of the Dysexecutive Syndrome (BADS) and Trail Making Test (TMT) were adopted to evaluate the executive function, and Modified Barthel Index (MBI) was used to estimate the activities of daily living (ADL).Result Before the intervention, there were no significant differences in comparing the BADS, TMT and MBI scores between the two groups (P>0.05); after the treatment, each scale was improved significantly in both groups (P<0.05). The scores of Rule Shift Cards Test (RSCT), Key Search Test (KST), Temporal Judgment Test (TJT), Zoo Map Test (ZMT) and total point of BADS, TMT-A and MBI scores in the treatment group were superior to those in the control group (P<0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture at Baihui works effectively in improving the executive function of cerebral stroke patients.
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A static, unilateral, and focal bone depression located lingually within the ascending ramus, identical to the Stafne's bone cavity of the angle of the mandible, is being reported. During development of the mandible, submandibular gland inclusion may lead to the formation of a lingual concavity, which could contain fatty tissue, blood vessels, or soft tissue. However, similar occurrences in the ascending ramus at the level of the parotid gland are extremely rare. Similar cases were previously reported in dry, excavated mandibles, and 3 cases were reported in living patients. A 52-year-old African American male patient was seen for pain in the mandibular teeth. Panoramic radiography showed an unusual concavity within the left ascending ramus. Cone-beam computed tomography confirmed this incidental finding. The patient was cleared for the extraction of non-restorable teeth and scheduled for annual follow-up.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Adipose Tissue , Blood Vessels , Cone-Beam Computed Tomography , Depression , Follow-Up Studies , Incidental Findings , Mandible , Parotid Gland , Radiography, Panoramic , Salivary Glands , Submandibular Gland , ToothABSTRACT
To investigate the effect of apigenin on self-renewal for sphere-forming cells in human small cell lung cancer cell line NCI-H446 and the underlying mechanisms. Methods: Sphere-forming cells from NCI-H446 cell line were cultured in stem cell-conditioned culture medium with ultra-low attachment surface plates. The rate of sphere-forming cells in the second passage sphere-forming cells was used to evaluate the inhibitory effects of apigenin on the self-renewal for sphere-forming cells. The protein level of urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) in spheroids was analyzed by Western blot. Results: Apigenin signifcantly inhibited the self-renewal of the second passage sphere-forming cells [0, 5.0, 10.0, 20.0 μmol/L apigenin: (18.2±1.9)%, (13.6±1.7)%, (10.6±1.6)%, (6.9±1.3)%, respectively] and down-regulated uPAR expression in a concentration-dependent manner (P<0.05). Conclusion: Apigenin inhibits the self-renewal capacity of sphere-forming cells in NCI-H446 cells, which may be associated with down-regulation of uPAR expression.