Small Molecules Accelerate Skin Wound Healing: Shikonin Efficacy and Mechanism of Action in Mice / Las Moléculas Pequeñas Aceleran la Curación de Heridas en la Piel: Eficacia de Shikonin y Mecanismo de Acción en Ratones

SUMMARY: The objective of this study was to investigate the therapeutic wound healing potential and molecular mechanisms of shikonin as small molecules in vitro. A mouse burn model was used to explore the potential therapeutic effect of shikonin; we traced proliferating cells in vivo to locate the active area of skin cell proliferation. Through the results of conventional pathological staining, we found that shikonin has a good effect on the treatment of burned skin and promoted the normal distribution of skin keratin at the damaged site. At the same time, shikonin also promoted the proliferation of skin cells at the damaged site; importantly, we found a significant increase in the number of fibroblasts at the damaged site treated with shikonin. Most importantly, shikonin promotes fibroblasts to repair skin wounds by regulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. This study shows that shikonin can effectively promote the proliferation of skin cell, and local injection of fibroblasts in burned skin can play a certain therapeutic role.

El objetivo de este trabajo fue investigar el potencial terapéutico de cicatrización de heridas y los mecanismos moleculares de la shikonina como moléculas pequeñas in vitro. Se utilizó un modelo de quemaduras en ratones para explorar el posible efecto terapéutico de la shikonina; Rastreamos las células en proliferación in vivo para localizar el área activa de proliferación de células de la piel. A través de los resultados de la tinción para patología convencional, encontramos que la shikonina tiene un buen efecto en el tratamiento de la piel quemada y promueve la distribución normal de la queratina de la piel en el sitio dañado. Al mismo tiempo, la shikonina también promovió la proliferación de células de la piel en el sitio dañado. Es importante destacar que encontramos un aumento significativo en la cantidad de fibroblastos en el sitio dañado tratado con shikonina. Lo más importante es que la shikonina promueve la función reparadora de fibroblastos en las heridas de la piel regulando la vía de señalización PI3K/ AKT. Este estudio muestra que la shikonina puede promover eficazmente la proliferación de células de la piel y que la inyección local de fibroblastos en la piel quemada puede desempeñar un cierto papel terapéutico.

Multicenter epidemiological characteristics of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in children in Hainan Province, 2012-2020 / 中国热带医学

@#Abstract: Objective　To analyze the epidemiological characteristics (season, age, gender, mixed infection and clinical manifestations, etc.) of Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) infection in children in Hainan Province, so as to provide epidemiological evidence-based medical basis for the prevention and control of MP infection in children in Hainan Province. Methods　The serum IgM antibodies of MP, Legionella pneumophila, Chlamydia pneumoniae, adenovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), Q fever Rickettsia, parainfluenza virus, influenza A virus and influenza B virus in children with respiratory tract infections (RTIs) who were hospitalized in pediatrics of many hospitals in Hainan Province from March 2012 to February 2020 were detected by indirect immunofluorescence method. The positive serum MP-IgM antibody was defined as MP infection. The epidemiological and clinical data of MP infected cases were analyzed retrospectively. Results　From March, 2012 to February, 2020, a total of 35 731 qualified pediatric inpatients with RTIs in many hospitals in Hainan Province were tested for serum MP-IgM with the total positive rate of 39.12% (13 978/35 731). The yearly positive rates of MP-IgM from 2012 to 2020 were 48.39%, 56.23%, 56.62%, 47.04%, 29.71%, 24.14%, 47.55%, 36.84% and 24.46% respectively. The positive rates of MP-IgM in 2013 and 2014 were significantly higher than those in other years (P<0.05). The positive rate of MP-IgM in summer in Hainan Province was the highest (41.34%) and the lowest in winter (35.77%) (P<0.05). MP infection occurred in all age groups, the positive rate of MP-IgM in children of preschool (51.80%) was significantly higher than that in other age groups (P<0.01), and the positive rate of MP IgM in children of infancy (15.36%) was lower than that in other age groups (P<0.01). The positive rate of MP-IgM in female was 44.77%, which was significantly higher than that in male (35.83%) (P<0.05). MP infection combined with positive IgM of another pathogen accounted for 32.63% (4 561 cases), positive IgM of another two pathogens accounted for 1.26% (176 cases). MP infection was mostly found in pneumonia (68.73%), and the main clinical symptoms were cough (84.72%), fever (51.01%) and wheezing (3.16%). Conclusions　MP is an important pathogen of respiratory tract infection in children in Hainan Province, and infection is more common in children in early school age and early childhood. Mp-specific tests should be performed to identify the pathogen in children suspected of MP infection. In the high incidence season, health education should be strengthened in kindergartens, schools and other places to prevent respiratory tract infection.

Distribution characteristics of pathogenic bacteria in hospitalized HIV/AIDS patients with wound infection in Yunnan / 中国热带医学

@#Abstract: Objective　To analyze the distribution characteristics of the main pathogens of HIV/AIDS patients with wound infections and provide basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment. Methods　The clinical data of 294 patients with positive secretions or pus specimens from 2016 to 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. Results　A total of 357 strains of pathogenic bacteria were isolated from 294 cases, of which 123 strains of Gram-negative bacilli (G-b), accounting for 34.5%, were mainly Escherichia coli (15.4%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (3.9%), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (3.6%); Gram-positive bacilli (G+b) 14 strains, accounting for 3.9%; 108 Gram-positive cocci (G+c), accounting for 30.3%, of which 44 strains were coagulase-positive Staphylococcus aureus (12.3%), Coagulase-negative staphylococci were mainly Staphylococcus epidermidis (4.2%) and Staphylococcus hemolyticus (2.8%); 37 strains of fungi, accounting for 10.4%, were mainly Candida albicans (5.9%); 75 strains of Mycobacterium, accounting for 21.0%, including 41 strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (11.5%) and 34 strains of non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (9.5%). 52 of the 294 HIV/AIDS patients had mixed infections, accounting for 17.7%. There was significant difference in the distribution of G+c, G-b, mycobacteria and mixed infection among different specimen sources (P<0.05), and there was significant difference in the distribution of mycobacteria among different CD4+T lymphocyte counts (P<0.05). There was significant difference in the level of CD4+T lymphocytes between patients of different ages (P<0.05), and there was significant difference in the level of CD4+T lymphocytes from postoperative incision and other parts (P<0.05). Conclusions　Patients with HIV/AIDS are prone to combined wound infections with various pathogenic bacteria. We should strengthen the research on wound infection in HIV/AIDS patients, and timely send patients with a low number of CD4+T lymphocytes for secretion or pus culture, so as to carry out targeted treatment and improve the prognosis of patients.

Genotyping of nucleocapsid protein gene of HCV in HIVHCV co-infected patients in Kunming in 2019 / 中国热带医学

@#Abstract: Objective　To investigate the distribution characteristics of HCV genotypes and subtypes in patients with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus, HIV)/HCV co-infection in Kunming based on the nucleocapsid protein gene sequence of HCV (hepatitis C virus). Methods　Serum was collected from HIV/HCV co-infected patients with household registration in 14 county-level cities, districts and counties under the jurisdiction of Kunming, who admitted to Yunnan Provincial Infectious Disease Hospital from March to August 2019. The viral RNA was extracted from the serum, reverse transcribed to synthesize cDNA, and the HCV nucleocapsid protein gene-specific primers were used for nested PCR amplification. The positive amplification products were sequenced, bioinformatics software such as DNAstar and MEGAX were used for sequence analysis. Results　A total of 64 samples from co-infected patients with clinical diagnosis of suspected HIV/HCV were collected and amplified by HCV nucleocapsid protein gene-specific primers, of which 17 samples were amplified positively. The results of sequence analysis showed that the sequences of 9 cases were located in the same evolutionary branch as the HCV 3b subtype sequence, and the nucleotide homology was 93.3%-95.2%; the sequences of 5 cases were located in the same evolutionary branch as the HCV 1b subtype sequence, and the nucleotide homology was 96.8%-97.6%; the sequence of one case and the subtype sequence of HCV 3a gene were located in the same evolutionary branch, and the nucleotide homology was 95.2%; the sequence of one case and HCV 6n gene subtype sequence were located in the same evolutionary branch, and the nucleotide homology was 97.9%; One case was located in the same evolutionary branch as the HCV 6u gene subtype sequence, and the nucleotide homology was 98.4%. Conclusions　HCV 1b, HCV 3a, HCV 3b, HCV 6n and HCV 6u genotypes or subtypes of HCV are prevalent in Kunming, and HCV 3b is the most prevalent genotype.

Clinical diagnosis and treatment of primary thyroid tuberculosis: a retrospective study

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Primary thyroid tuberculosis (PTT) is an uncommon type of extrapulmonary tuberculosis, which is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It does not have specific clinical manifestations, and most cases are diagnosed through postoperative histopathological examination. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the diagnostic pattern and management strategy among patients with primary thyroid tuberculosis. DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective study on patients with primary thyroid tuberculosis in the First Hospital of Jilin University (Changchun, China). METHODS: Between March 2015 and June 2020, nine cases of PTT were diagnosed and treated in the Department of Thyroid Surgery of the First Hospital of Jilin University. Age at diagnosis, primary symptoms, preoperative biopsy, operation method, pathological classification, acid-fast staining test, anti-TB therapy and prognosis were registered in order to explore the appropriate protocol for diagnosis and treatment of this disease. RESULTS: None of the patients was diagnosed with thyroid tuberculosis before surgery. All the patients underwent surgery. Granulomatous changes or caseous necrosis in thyroid tissue were found through postoperative histopathological evaluation. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results for Mycobacterium tuberculosis were positive in all patients. Most patients had a good prognosis after surgery and anti-tuberculosis drug therapy. CONCLUSION: PTT is a rare disease. It is important to improve the preoperative diagnosis. Preoperative diagnostic accuracy relies on increased awareness of the disease and appropriate use of preoperative diagnostic methods, such as PCR detection, fine-needle aspiration cytology, acid-fast bacillus culture, ultrasound and blood sedimentation. PCR detection of M. tuberculosis is recommended as the gold standard for diagnosis.

Study on the association between sleep deficiency and myopia in children and adolescents / 中国学校卫生

Abstract@#In recent years, the overall prevalence of myopia has been increasing in China, towards younger age at onset and greater severity. Studies have shown that the occurrence and progression of myopia are affected by environmental and behavioral factors, e.g. prolonged near concentration and lack of outdoor activities. In recent years, studies on the association between insufficient sleep and myopia have increased. Domestic and foreign studies have found that there is a positive correlation between insufficient sleep and the occurrence of myopia in children and adolescents, but the results are not uniform. Therefore, this paper reviews the epidemiology and possible mechanism of sleep deprivation and myopia in children and adolescents, in order to provide theoretical basis for sleep improvement and myopia prevention in children and adolescents.

Analysis of intestinal flora in Mongolian female students under anxiety in a medical university / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To investigate the change in intestinal flora in Mongolian students with anxiety,so as to provide basis for exploring the relationship between flora and secretion expression in vivo.@*Methods@#The Self rating Anxiety Scale(SAS)was used to assess anxiety in medical college students; then a semi structured interview was administered. Fecal samples that met the inclusion criteria were collected and divided into anxiety (SAS score≥50) and control groups (no anxiety, SAS score<50) according to the standard score of SAS. Samples provided by Mongolian female students were selected from each group. The total bacterial DNA was extracted from the fecal samples for PCR amplification and NovaSeq 2x250bp high throughput sequencing was performed for the V3- V4 region of 16S rDNA gene to obtain the biological information of the intestinal flora. The intergroup OTU, structural diversity, significant difference, and LEfSe analyses were performed with information mining of the literature think tanks.@*Results@#Anxiety existed in 23.86% of the Mongolian students,and 16.96% of the Han people. A Chi square test showed no significant difference in detection of anxiety between Mongolian and Han college students ( P =0.07). Analysis of the alpha diversity index showed that the Shannon index, Simpson index, Chao1 index, and Observed species did not differed significantly between the two groups( t =8.0， 9.0 ，6.0，6.5). The difference in abundance of some bacteria was significant at the Class, Order, Family, and Genus levels between the two groups( t =-2.26-2.57，-5.08-3.58，-2.65-2.09， P <0.05).@*Conclusion@#The alpha diversity index showed that there was no significant difference in the abundance and diversity of intestinal flora between the two groups. While there were significant differences at different classification levels, the results suggest that the structure of intestinal flora can change in students with anxiety.

Fração de Ejeção do Ventrículo Esquerdo Aumentada, Diminuída ou Estável ao Longo do Tempo em uma Série de 626 Pacientes com Insuficiência Cardíaca que Receberam Tratamento Médico / Increased, Decreased, or Stable Left Ventricle Ejection Fraction over Time in a Series of 626 Heart Failure Patients Receiving Medical Treatment

Resumo Fundamento: A fração de ejeção (FE) tem sido utilizada em análises fenotípicas e na tomada de decisões sobre o tratamento de insuficiência cardíaca (IC). Assim, a FE tornou-se parte fundamental da prática clínica diária. Objetivo: Este estudo tem como objetivo investigar características, preditores e desfechos associados a alterações da FE em pacientes com diferentes tipos de IC grave. Métodos: Foram incluídos neste estudo 626 pacientes com IC grave e classe III-IV da New York Heart Association (NYHA). Os pacientes foram classificados em três grupos de acordo com as alterações da FE, ou seja, FE aumentada (FE-A), definida como aumento da FE ≥10%, FE diminuída (FE-D), definida como diminuição da FE ≥10%, e FE estável (FE-E), definida como alteração da FE <10%. Valores p inferiores a 0,05 foram considerados significativos. Resultados: Dos 377 pacientes com IC grave, 23,3% apresentaram FE-A, 59,5% apresentaram FE-E e 17,2% apresentaram FE-D. Os resultados mostraram ainda 68,2% de insuficiência cardíaca com fração de ejeção reduzida (ICFEr) no grupo FE-A e 64,6% de insuficiência cardíaca com fração de ejeção preservada (ICFEp) no grupo FE-D. Os preditores de FE-A identificados foram faixa etária mais jovem, ausência de diabetes e fração de ejeção do ventrículo esquerdo (FEVE) menor. Já os preditores de FE-D encontrados foram ausência de fibrilação atrial, baixos níveis de ácido úrico e maior FEVE. Em um seguimento mediano de 40 meses, 44,8% dos pacientes foram vítimas de morte por todas as causas. Conclusão: Na IC grave, a ICFEr apresentou maior percentual no grupo FE-A e a ICFEp foi mais comum no grupo FE-D.

Abstract Background: Ejection fraction (EF) has been used in phenotype analyses and to make treatment decisions regarding heart failure (HF). Thus, EF has become a fundamental part of daily clinical practice. Objective: This study aims to investigate the characteristics, predictors, and outcomes associated with EF changes in patients with different types of severe HF. Methods: A total of 626 severe HF patients with New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III-IV were enrolled in this study. The patients were classified into three groups according to EF changes, namely, increased EF (EF-I), defined as an EF increase ≥10%, decreased EF (EF-D), defined as an EF decrease ≥10%, and stable EF (EF-S), defined as an EF change <10%. A p-value lower than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Out of 377 severe HF patients, 23.3% presented EF-I, 59.5% presented EF-S, and 17.2% presented EF-D. The results further showed 68.2% of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) in the EF-I group and 64.6% of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) in the EF-D group. The predictors of EF-I included younger age, absence of diabetes, and lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The predictors of EF-D were absence of atrial fibrillation, lower uric acid level, and higher LVEF. Within a median follow-up of 40 months, 44.8% of patients suffered from all-cause death. Conclusion: In severe HF, HFrEF presented the highest percentage in the EF-I group, and HFpEF was most common in the EF-D group.

Cichoric acid from extracted Echinacea purpurea induces the proliferation and apoptosis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells from yaks

BACKGROUND: Cichoric acid (CA) is extracted from Echinacea purpurea. It is well known and widely used for its immunological function. However, the effect of CA on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from yaks is still unclear. This study investigated the potential influences of CA on the proliferation, cytokine induction, and apoptosis of PBMCs from Datong yak in vivo, and aimed to provide a basis for exploring the pharmacological activities of CA on yaks. RESULTS: In this study, CA promoted PBMCs proliferation by combining concanavalin A (Con A) and exhibited a dose-dependent effect as demonstrated by a Cell Counting Kit-8. The concentration of 60 µg/ml CA was the best and promoted the transformation from the G0/G1 phase to the S and G2/M phases with Con A. Furthermore, 60 µg/ml CA significantly increased IL-2, IL-6, and IFN-γ levels and PCNA, CDK4 and Bcl-2 expression levels, but it significantly inhibited the TP53, Bax, and Caspase-3 expression levels. Transcriptome analysis revealed a total of 6807 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the CA treatment and control groups. Of these genes, 3788 were significantly upregulated and 3019 were downregulated. Gene Ontology and pathway analysis revealed that DEGs were enriched in cell proliferation and immune function signaling pathways. The expression level of some transcription factors (BTB, Ras, RRM_1, and zf-C2H2) and genes (CCNF, CCND1, and CDK4) related to PBMCs proliferation in yaks were significantly promoted after CA treatment. By contrast, anti-proliferation-associated genes (TP53 and CDKN1A) were inhibited. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, CA could regulate the immune function of yaks by promoting proliferation and inhibiting inflammation and apoptosis of PBMCs.

Effects of casein kinase 2 interacting protein-1 on the osteogenic differentiation ability of human periodontal ligament stem cells / 口腔疾病防治

Objective @#To investigate the effects of casein kinase 2 interacting protein-1 (CKIP-1) on the osteogenic differentiation ability of human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs).@*Methods @#The hPDLSCs were obtained by primary culture with periodontal ligament tissues that were collected from normal humans. Then, a lentiviral vector containing a CKIP-1-specific siRNA sequence was constructed, and the transcriptional level of CKIP-1 in hPDLSCs was downregulated after vector infection. The P4 cells were divided into four groups: the control group, negative control group (infected with a control vector), CKIP-siRNA group (infected by a CKIP-1 siRNA lentivirus) and CKIP-1 group (infected by a CKIP-1 overexpression virus). All of the cells were cultured under osteogenic induction for 21 days. Then, alizarin red staining and quantitative determination were performed to detect the osteogenic differentiation ability of the hPDLSCs. In addition, qPCR was used to detect the transcriptional level of osteogenesis-related regulatory factors, such as Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin (OCN), and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL), and the osteogenesis-related regulatory factors of the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling pathway.@*Results@#There were no differences in the indexes between the negative control group and the control group (P > 0.05). Compared with the negative control group, the CKIP-siRNA group demonstrated more mineralized nodules (P < 0.05), significantly increased calcium salt deposition (P < 0.05), and increased mRNA levels of osteogenesis-related regulatory factors, such as Runx2 , ALP, OCN, and RANKL, and the osteogenesis-related regulatory factors of BMP signaling pathway (P < 0.05). @*Conclusion@#Downregulation of CKIP-1 could promote the osteogenic differentiation of hPDLSCs, which is related to the transcription level of osteogenic-related regulatory factors.

A feasibility study of jaw thrust as an indicator assessing adequate depth of anesthesia for insertion of supraglottic airway device in morbidly obese patients / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

BACKGROUND@#Jaw thrust has been proven as a useful test determining adequate depth of anesthesia for successful insertion of supraglottic airway device (SAD) in normal adults and children receiving intra-venous or inhalational anesthesia induction. This prospective observational study aimed to determine the feasibility and validity of this test when using as an indicator assessing adequate depth of anesthesia for successful insertion of SAD in spontaneously breathing morbidly obese patients receiving sevoflurane inhalational induction.@*METHODS@#Thirty morbidly obese patients with a body mass index 40 to 73 kg/m undergoing bariatric surgery in Beijing Friendship Hospital from October 2018 to January 2019 were included in this study. After adequate pre-oxygenation, 5% sevoflurane was inhaled and inhalational concentration of sevoflurane was increased by 1% every 2 min. After motor responses to jaw thrust disappeared, a SAD was inserted and insertion conditions were graded. The anatomic position of SAD was assessed using a fiberoptic bronchoscope.@*RESULTS@#The SAD was successfully inserted at the first attempt in all patients. Insertion conditions of SAD were excellent in nine patients (30%) and good in 21 patients (70%), respectively. The fiberoptic views of SAD position were adequate in 28 patients (93%).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Jaw thrust test is a reliable indicator determining adequate anesthesia depth of sevoflurane inhalational induction for successful insertion of SAD in spontaneously breathing morbidly obese patients.@*CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION@#ChiCTR1800016868; http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=28646.

A feasibility study of jaw thrust as an indicator assessing adequate depth of anesthesia for insertion of supraglottic airway device in morbidly obese patients / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

Background@#Jaw thrust has been proven as a useful test determining adequate depth of anesthesia for successful insertion of supraglottic airway device (SAD) in normal adults and children receiving intra-venous or inhalational anesthesia induction. This prospective observational study aimed to determine the feasibility and validity of this test when using as an indicator assessing adequate depth of anesthesia for successful insertion of SAD in spontaneously breathing morbidly obese patients receiving sevoflurane inhalational induction.@*Methods@#Thirty morbidly obese patients with a body mass index 40 to 73 kg/m2 undergoing bariatric surgery in Beijing Friendship Hospital from October 2018 to January 2019 were included in this study. After adequate pre-oxygenation, 5% sevoflurane was inhaled and inhalational concentration of sevoflurane was increased by 1% every 2 min. After motor responses to jaw thrust disappeared, a SAD was inserted and insertion conditions were graded. The anatomic position of SAD was assessed using a fiberoptic bronchoscope.@*Results@#The SAD was successfully inserted at the first attempt in all patients. Insertion conditions of SAD were excellent in nine patients (30%) and good in 21 patients (70%), respectively. The fiberoptic views of SAD position were adequate in 28 patients (93%).@*Conclusions@#Jaw thrust test is a reliable indicator determining adequate anesthesia depth of sevoflurane inhalational induction for successful insertion of SAD in spontaneously breathing morbidly obese patients.@*Clinical trial registration@#ChiCTR1800016868; http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=28646.

Evaluation of Reference Genes for Quantitative PCR in Four Tissues from Rabbits with Hypercholesterolaemia

Abstract Rabbit with hypercholesterolaemia is an important model for studying cholesterol metabolism disease. This study aimed to evaluate the expression stability of nine reference genes for quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis in adrenal gland, liver, spleen, and kidney tissue from rabbits with hypercholesterolaemia. In total, 30 male Harbin Large White (HLW) rabbits were fed a normal feed (n = 15) or a high cholesterol feed (n = 15) for 8 weeks to induce hypercholesterolaemia. Nine reference genes were verified by qPCR using cDNA extracted from rabbit tissue samples. For qPCR analysis, reference genes were evaluated using the RefFinder and GeNorm algorithms. Overall, seven rabbits with hypercholesterolaemia were identified based on body weight and total cholesterol measurements. Combining the results of the RefFinder and GeNorm algorithms, the most stable reference genes were hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase 1 (Hprt1) and eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1 alpha 1 (Eef1a1) in the adrenal gland, β-2-microglobulin (B2m) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (Gapdh) in the liver, tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5-monooxygenase activation protein zeta (Ywhaz) and Gapdh in the spleen, and peptidylprolyl isomerase (Ppia), β-actin (Actb), succinate dehydrogenase complex subunit A flavoprotein (Sdha), and B2m in the kidney. Taken together, our results confirmed that Hprt1 and Eef1a1, B2m and Gapdh, Ywhaz and Gapdh, and Ppia, Actb, Sdha, and B2m were the best reference genes for qPCR analyses in adrenal gland, liver, spleen, and kidney tissue, respectively, of rabbits with hypercholesterolaemia.

Practice and service models of adolescent outpatient clinic / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#Practice of setting up campus clinics in school,to explore adolescent outpatient service mode to better meet the diversified demands of teenagers,and to promote more effective implementation of adolescent health care.@*Methods@#Campus-based adolescent outpatient clinics were established in 2 universities in Chongqing,a questionnaire survey was conducted among 136 students who participated in the consultation, campus-based outpatient services and adolescents’ satisfaction towards the services were analyzed. Hospital adolescent outpatient services were compared before and after the establishment of campus adolescent clinic.@*Results@#Most of adolescent outpatient clinic in hospitals offered disease-based treatment instead of consultation. The overall satisfaction rate was 94.85%, and the satisfaction towards service ability, communication skills, outpatient time arrangement, and privacy protection was 96.32%, 96.32%, 88.97% and 94.12%, respectively. After the establishment of campus adolescent outpatient clinics, adolescent outpatient services in hospital increased dramatically including consultation.@*Conclusion@#It is necessary to offer adolescent outpatient services in schools, which are more helpful for the diversified demands of teenagers.

Antibacterial activity of the nisin-containing single-bond universal adhesive / 口腔疾病防治

Objective@#To investigate the antibacterial activity to Streptococcus mutans of a nisin-containing single-bond universal adhesive.@*Methods@#Nisin was mixed into the bonding agent to produce concentrations ranging from 0.01 g/mL to 0.05 g/mL for the experiments, and adhesive without nisin was used as the control. Dentin-resin specimens were prepared for the microtensile strength test to evaluate changes in the bonding strength. The proper concentrations were selected for more tests. ① An agar diffusion test was applied with filter paper to detect the release of nisin, and adhesive without nisin was used as the negative control, 0.01 g/mL Nisin aqueous solution was used as the positive control. ② Solidification; resin adhesive specimens were prepared for the assessment of direct contact inhibition activity. ③ Confocal laser scanning microscopy was used to examine the effect of the adhesive on the biological film activity and the ability of Streptococcus mutans to produce extracellular polysaccharides. @*Results @#Nisin did not significantly reduce the bond strength of the modified adhesive at 0.01-0.03 g/mL (P < 0.05); these concentrations were selected for the subsequent antibiosis experiment. Rings could not be observed in the agar diffusion test, except for in the group of adhesive modified with 0.01-0.03 g/mL nisin. Resin adhesive with 0.01-0.03 g/mL nisin could significantly inhibit the proliferation of Streptococcus mutans on the surface of the specimens. The confocal laser scanning microscopy results indicate that only the adhesive resin modified with nisin could reduce the bacteria in the biofilm and the production of extracellular polysaccharides.@*Conclusion@#Single-bond universal adhesive with 0.01-0.03 g/mL nisin can inhibit the growth of Streptococcus mutans and its biofilms on the bonding interface, as well as decrease the production of extracellular polysaccharides, and thus has the potential to decrease the occurrence of secondary caries.

Clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of patients with centrally located hepatocellular carcinoma in different risk levels / 中国肿瘤临床

Objective: To analyze clinical features and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (cHCC) patients after liver resection, so as to clarify the prognostic risk factors. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of patients who underwent mesohepatectomy for cHCC at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Cancer Hospital between October 2006 and December 2014. The patients were assigned into three subgroups according to disease-free survival (DFS): high risk (DFS≤1 year), middle risk (1 year<DFS≤3 years), and low risk (DFS>3 years). Clinicopathological characteristics were compared and prognostic factors were evaluated using univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: In total, 173 patients were reviewed. The median overall survival (OS) in the high-risk group was 13.5 months compared with 24.0 months in the middle-risk group and 45.5 months in the low-risk group. Univariate analysis showed that liver capsule invasion (P=0.022), tumors adjacent to major vascular vessels (<1 cm) (P<0.01), HCC size>50 mm (P=0.012), presence of microvascular invasion (P<0.001), tumor invasive growth (P<0.001), and preoperative transarterial chemoembolization (TACE; P=0.028) were significant risk factors for recurrence. The main risk factors for OS were male gender (P=0.013), alpha-fetoprotein >200 ng/mL (P=0.005), tumor size >50 mm (P=0.013), adjacent to major vascular vessels (P<0.001), high Edmondson-Steiner differentiation grade (P=0.003), preoperative TACE (P=0.010), and tumor invasive growth (P=0.001). Cox multivariate analysis demonstrated that tumors adjacent (<1 cm) to major vascular trunks and tumor invasive growth were inde-pendent prognostic factors for both DFS and OS. In total, 40.5% patients in the high-risk group had both risk factors; this percentage was 13.4% in the middle-risk group and 3.1% in the low-risk group (P=0.001). A prognostic model including the above 9 factors were created based on Logistic regression to predict the percentage of patients belonging to the high-risk group. The results showed that the prediction accuracy continued to increase with the number of more factors added. When all the 9 factors were included, the pre-dictive percentage was 82.1%. Conclusions: cHCC patients in the high-risk group had more risk factors than those in the middle-and low-risk groups. A prognostic model containing these factors may provide accurate prediction of survival or risk stratification, and cHCC patients with these risk factors should be candidates for aggressive following-up and adjuvant therapy.

Propofol inhibits proliferation, migration, and invasion but promotes apoptosis by regulation of Sox4 in endometrial cancer cells

Propofol is an intravenous sedative hypnotic agent of which the growth-inhibitory effect has been reported on various cancers. However, the roles of propofol in endometrial cancer (EC) remain unclear. This study aimed to explore the effects of propofol on EC in vitro and in vivo. Different concentrations of propofol were used to treat Ishikawa cells. Colony number, cell viability, cell cycle, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were analyzed by colony formation, MTT, flow cytometry, and Transwell assays. In addition, the pcDNA3.1-Sox4 and Sox4 siRNA plasmids were transfected into Ishikawa cells to explore the relationship between propofol and Sox4 in EC cell proliferation. Tumor weight in vivo was measured by xenograft tumor model assay. Protein levels of cell cycle-related factors, apoptosis-related factors, matrix metalloproteinases 9 (MMP9), matrix metalloproteinases 2 (MMP2) and Wnt/β-catenin pathway were examined by western blot. Results showed that propofol significantly decreased colony numbers, inhibited cell viability, migration, and invasion but promoted apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner in Ishikawa cells. Moreover, propofol reduced the expression of Sox4 in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, propofol significantly suppressed the proportions of Ki67+ cells, but Sox4 overexpression reversed the results. Furthermore, in vivo assay results showed that propofol inhibited tumor growth; however, the inhibitory effect was abolished by Sox4 overexpression. Moreover, propofol inhibited Sox4 expression via inactivation of Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway. Our study demonstrated that propofol inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion but promoted apoptosis by regulation of Sox4 in EC cells. These findings might indicate a novel treatment strategy for EC.

Expression of RUNX1 isoformsand its clinical significance in acute leukemia / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

@# Objective: : To investigate the relationship between the expression of RUNX1 isoforms and the clinical curative effect and the prognosis of acute leukemia (AL), in order to provide valuable experimental data for the individualized treatment, MRD (minimal residual disease) monitoring and prognosis prediction of AL. Methods: AL patients with primary treatment (PT, n=88) and recrudescence (RC, n=10) that treated at the Department of Hematology of Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University from April, 2012 to April, 2013 were included in this study. Real-time PCR was used to examine the mRNA expression of RUNX1 isoforms (RUNX1a and RUNX1b/c) in PT patients, RC patients and controls (non-malignant hematological disease patients).The changes in mRNA expression of RUNX1a and RUNX1b/c in patients before and after the chemotherapy were also observed. Results： ： (1)The expression levels of RUNX1a mRNAinAML andALL PT group andAML RC group was significantly higher than those of control group (P<0.05); The expression level of RUNX1a mRNAinAMLPT group was increased compared withALLPT group (P<0.05). (2) The expression levels of RUNX1a and RUNX1b/c mRNAinAML andALL patients at initial treatment were significantly higher than those after complete remission (CR) (P<0.05). (3) By comparing the expression levels of RUNX1a and RUNX1b/c mRNA at initial diagnosis, there was no significant difference between 6-month death group and survival group, CR group and NCR (non-complete remission) group after first cycle of chemotherapy, or the high leukocyte group and non-high leukocyte group (all P>0.05).The expression level of RUNX1a mRNA in AML-ETO positive group was higher than that of negative group (P<0.05). (4) The expression levels of RUNX1a and RUNX1b/c mRNA in patients with acute leukemia decreased with the increasing chemotherapy cycle, and significantly increased when had a relapse, which may even succeed the initial level.Conclusion: RUNX1a isoforms participate in the pathogenesis of acute leukemia, and isrelated to the relapse ofAML. The expression levels of RUNX1a and RUNX1b/c mRNAare related to the clinical efficacy that can be used as an indicator of curative effect, but have no significant correlation with the prognosis of the disease.Dynamic monitor of theexpression levels of RUNX1a and RUNX1b/c isomers can be used as an effective indicator of MRD monitoring after chemotherapy, which can be used to evaluate the efficacy and identify the risk of recurrence at early stage.

Retrospective analysis of emergent endoscopic management of foreign bodies in the upper gastrointestinal tract / 中国内镜杂志

Objective To present novel measures in endoscopic removal of foreign bodies in the upper gastrointestinal tract. Methods The clinical trial performed a retrospective analysis of emergency endoscopic management of 251 cases of foreign bodies in the upper gastrointestinal tract from January 2013 to November 2016. The patients underwent gastric endoscopic examinations under local pharyngeal anesthesia or general intravenous anesthesia. Flexible endoscopes and retrieval accessories such as rat-tooth and alligator forceps, polyp snares, polyp graspers, dormia basket, lithotripter or grasping forceps or rubber gloves were used for the endoscopic procedures. We reviewed of patients' general data (age, sex, type of foreign body), type of anaesthesia, foreign bodies' locations, type of accessory, complications, success rate. Results A total of 251 foreign bodies were definitely diagnosed through endoscopy, 248 foreign bodies were successfully removed with compatible devices according to the foreign bodies' location, nature, and size, and 3 cases failed. At the same time, 192 cases had little mucosal laceration and bleeding, and 45 cases were found to have underlying diseases. 1cases had esophageal surgery and 1cases had laryngeal surgery. 1 cases refuse to remove the foreign body because no symptoms and therapheutic risks. Conclusion Emergency endoscopic management is the foremost option for foreign bodies in the upper gastrointestinal tract, for its obvious advantages in safety, efficiency, low cost, and minimal invasion. Endoscopic intervention can also diagnose early underlying digestive diseases. Innovative measures can increase the successful rate of removing foreign bodies with gastric endoscopy.