The clinical value of lung ultrasound in premature infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the risk factors of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in premature infants and the clinical application value of lung ultrasound in the diagnosis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. METHODS: A total of 80 premature infants with a gestational age of <32 weeks or a birth weight of <1,500 g who were treated in our hospital from January to August 2021 were randomly divided into a bronchopulmonary dysplasia group (n=12) and a non-bronchopulmonary dysplasia group (n=62). The clinical data, lung ultrasound, and X-ray image characteristics of the two groups were compared. RESULTS: Among the 74 preterm infants, 12 preterm infants were diagnosed with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and 62 preterm infants were determined not to have bronchopulmonary dysplasia. There were significant differences in sex, severe asphyxia, invasive mechanical ventilation, premature membrane ruptures, and intrauterine infection between the two groups (p<0.05). Lung ultrasound showed abnormal pleural lines and alveolar-interstitial syndrome in all 12 patients with bronchopulmonary dysplasia and vesicle inflatable signs in 3 patients. Before clinical diagnosis, the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of lung ultrasound in the diagnosis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia were 98.65, 100, 98.39, 92.31, and 100%, respectively. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of X-rays in the diagnosis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia were 85.14, 75.00, 87.10, 52.94, and 94.74%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The diagnostic efficiency of lung ultrasound for premature bronchopulmonary dysplasia is better than that of X-rays. The application of lung ultrasound can screen patients with bronchopulmonary dysplasia early for timely intervention.

Expression of cuproptosis-related gene COX17 in breast cancer tissues and cells and its association with clinical features and patient prognosis / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

@#[摘 要] 目的：探究铜死亡相关基因COX17在乳腺癌组织和细胞中的表达及其与肿瘤免疫细胞浸润、临床特征和患者预后的关系。方法：通过多种数据库数据分析COX17在人体正常组织和泛癌组织与细胞中的表达及其与患者预后的关系、COX17基因突变情况、COX17表达水平与肿瘤免疫微环境的相关性、COX17在浸润性乳腺癌中表达水平及其与患者临床病理特征的相关性、在乳腺癌细胞中COX17基因遗传突变及甲基化情况、COX17差异共表达基因的功能富集分析，构建COX17蛋白质相互作用网络及功能分析。采用免疫组化法检测COX17蛋白在国人乳腺癌组织中的表达以验证数据库分析结果。结果：COX17 mRNA广泛分布于全身组织中且在多数癌组织中呈高表达，COX17蛋白在乳腺癌等癌组织中呈高表达，COX17 mRNA表达水平明显影响乳腺癌等癌症患者的预后，COX17基因在多种癌组织中突变频率高且其主要突变类型为错义突变、扩增和深度缺失，COX17 mRNA表达水平与多种肿瘤的肿瘤纯度和多种免疫细胞浸润存在相关性，COX17蛋白水平与乳腺癌临床分期、病理分型、淋巴结转移、患者性别和年龄有关联。免疫组化法检测结果证实在国人乳腺癌组织中COX17蛋白也呈高表达，COX17基因在乳腺癌中遗传突变和修饰特征分别是截断突变和启动子区高度甲基化。COX17蛋白与ATOX1等多种蛋白表达相关且构成复杂的相互作用网络，COX17在乳腺癌中差异表达基因主要涉及氧化还原酶活性、蛋白翻译、氧化磷酸化及TNF信号通路等生物过程。结论：COX17在乳腺癌组织和细胞中呈高表达，且与癌组织的免疫细胞浸润和患者预后相关，COX17是临床治疗乳腺癌的潜在靶点。

Clinical study on the posterior occlusal plane and morphology of temporomandibular joint / Estudio clínico sobre el plano oclusal posterior y la morfología de la articulación temporomandibular

The objective of the study was to investigate the morphological features of the temporomandibular joint in adult patients with posterior occlusal plane and different inclinations. Fifty five skeletal I occlusion patients with average were included, shooting CBCT in the intercuspal position, divided into 3 groups according to OPP-FH angle, and measurement of the temporomandibular joint morphology was calculated with cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) special software Invivo 5.0, Statistical analysis of three groups of data using SPSS23.0. The condyle usually locates in the middle of the fossa, the maximum axial area of the condyle (A) was statistically significant between the group 1 and the group 3. The internal and external diameter (MD) of the condyle was statistically significant between group 1 and group 3, and group 2 and group 3. The bilateral TMJ morphological features of the three groups were basically symmetrical. The position of the condyle in the fossa is mostly centered, and some of the posterior, the maximum axial area and the internal and external diameter of the condyle are different in three groups.

El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar las características morfológicas de la articulación temporomandibular (ATM) en pacientes adultos con plano oclusal posterior y diferentes inclinaciones. Se incluyeron 55 pacientes con oclusión esquelética tipo I, visualizados por tomografía computarizada de haz cónico (CBCT) en posición intercuspiana, y se dividieron en 3 grupos según el ángulo OPP-FH. La medición morfológica de la articulación temporomandibular se calculó con CBCT y mediante el software especial Invivo 5.0. El análisis estadístico de datos se realizó con el software SPSS 23.0. El cóndilo de la mandíbula generalmente se ubica en el centro de la fosa; el área axial máxima del cóndilo de la mandíbula (A) fue estadísticamente significativa entre los grupos 1 y 3. Los datos de los diámetros medial y lateral (DM) del cóndilo de la mandíbula fueron estadísticamente significativos entre los grupos 1 y 3 y los grupos 2 y 3. Las características morfológicas de la ATM de los tres grupos fueron básicamente simétricas. La posición del cóndilo de la mandíbula en la fosa fue principalmente centrada, y parte del área axial máxima, posterior y los diámetros medial y lateral del cóndilo de la mandíbula fueron diferentes en los tres grupos.

Arsenic trioxide induces cell cycle arrest and affects Trk receptor expression in human neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells

BACKGROUND: Arsenic trioxide (As2O3), a drug that has been used in China for approximately two thousand years, induces cell death in a variety of cancer cell types, including neuroblastoma (NB). The tyrosine kinase receptor (Trk) family comprises three members, namely TrkA, TrkB and TrkC. Various studies have confirmed that TrkA and TrkC expression is associated with a good prognosis in NB, while TrkB overexpression can lead to tumor cell growth and invasive metastasis. Previous studies have shown that As2O3 can inhibit the growth and proliferation of a human NB cell line and can also affect the N-Myc mRNA expression. It remains unclear whether As2O3 regulates Trks for the purposes of treating NB. METHODS: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of As2O3 on Trk expression in NB cell lines and its potential therapeutic efficacy. SK-N-SH cells were grown with increasing doses of As2O3 at different time points. We cultured SK-N-SH cells, which were treated with increasing doses of As2O3 at different time points. Trk expression in the NB samples was quantified by immunohistochemistry, and the cell cycle was analyzed by flow cytometry. TrkA, TrkB and TrkC mRNA expression was evaluated by real-time PCR analysis. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical and real-time PCR analyses indicated that TrkA and TrkC were over-expressed in NB, and specifically during stages 1, 2 and 4S of the disease progression. TrkB expression was increased in stage 3 and 4 NB. As2O3significantly arrested SK-N-SH cells in the G2/M phase. In addition, TrkA, TrkB and TrkC expression levels were significantly upregulated by higher concentrations of As2O3 treatment, notably in the 48-h treatment period. Our findings suggested that to achieve the maximum effect and appropriate regulation of Trk expression in NB stages 1, 2 and 4S, As2O3 treatment should be at relatively higher concentrations for longer delivery times;however, for NB stages 3 and 4, an appropriate concentration and infusion time for As2O3 must be carefully determined. CONCLUSION: The present findings suggested that As2O3 induced Trk expression in SK-N-SH cells to varying degrees and may be a promising adjuvant to current treatments for NB due to its apoptotic effects.

Expression of plasma-cytoma variant translocation gene 1 in ovarian cancer and its malignant biologic behavior / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

@#[Abstract] Objective: To investigate the effects of plasma-cytoma variant translocation gene 1 (PVT1) on proliferation, migration and invasion of ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells. Methods: Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression of PVT1 in 32 pairs of ovarian cancer tissues and corresponding para-carcinoma tissues. The effects of PVT1 on proliferation, migration and invasion of ovarian cancer cells were studied by CCK-8, scratch wound healing assay and Transwell assay. Results: The expression level of PVT1 in SKOV3 cells and ovarian cancer tissues was significantly increased (all P<0.01). The expression level of PVT1 was correlated with histological grade, FIGO stage and lymph node metastasis in patients with ovarian cancer (P<0.05 or P< 0.01).After transfection with PVT1 siRNAfor 36, 48 h, expression of PVT1 was significantly decreased in SKOV3 cells; and the inhibition of PVT1 expression could decrease the proliferation ability and inhibit the migration and invasion of SKOV3 cells (P<0.05 or 0.01). Conclusion: LncRNA PVT1 was highly expressed in ovarian cancer. Down-regulation of PVT1 could inhibit the proliferation, migration and invasion of ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells.

Regulation of nitric oxide donor JS-K on tumor energy metabolism in H22 tumor-bearing mice / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

OBJECTIVE To investigate the regulation of {O2 (2,4-dinitrophenyl)1-〔(4-ethoxycarbonyl) piperazin-1-yl〕diazen-1-ium-1,2-diolate}(JS-K), anitric oxide donor, on tumor energy metabolism in H22 tumor- bearing mice. METHODS The hepatoma animal model in BALB/c mice was established with H22 cell line. The JS-K group and model group were received JS-K (0.75 and 1.5 mg?kg-1) and saline via tail intravenous once every 3 d for 14 d, received 5 injections, respectively. The positive group was received 5-FU 20 mg·kg- 1 by intraperitoneal injection once a day for 14 d. On the 15th day mice were sacrificed. The tumor growth inhibition rate were calculated. The activities of hexokinase (HK), phospho?fructo kinase (PFK), pyruvate kinase (PK), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase), and the levels of lactic acid (LD) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in tumor tissues were de?termined by colorimetric method. RESULTS Compared with model group, the tumor mass of JS- K 0.75 and 1.5 mg·kg- 1group was significantly reduced (P<0.01),and the tumor growth inhibition rate was 23.9% and 50.3%, respectively. The activity of HK, PFK, PK, SDH and ATPase of tumor tissue in model group was (22.6±3.7, 14.4±2.6, 12.9±3.2 and 10.5±2.6)U·g-1 protein and (0.70±0.10)μmolPi·mg-1 protein per hour, respectively; which in JS-K 1.5 mg?kg-1 group was dropped by 42.0%, 26.6%, 22.7%, 23.3% and 21.7% (P<0.01, P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the level of ATP and LD in JS-K group was dropped (P<0.01). CONCLUSION JS-K can inhibit the growth of tumor in H22 tumor-bearing mice and its mechanism may be related to regulating the tumor energy metabolism with inhibition of glycolysis and aerobic oxidation.

Study on pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics correlation of Danshensu in rats with focal cerebral ischemia / 中国中药杂志

To study the pharmacokinetic process of Danshensu in cerebal ischemia injury model rats and the correlation with its anti-cerebral ischemia effect. In this study, the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model was established, in which all of the rats were intravenously injected of Danshensu at a single dose of 40 mg x kg(-1). The HPLC-DAD method was applied to determine the plasma concentration of Danshensu at different time points and draw the drug-time curve. Meanwhile, the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity were determined to draw the time-effect curve. The DAS 3.2. 6 software was used to process the data, analyze their correlation, compare the pharmacokinetic difference between model and normal rats after the administration of the same doses of Danshensu and the changes in pharmacodynamic indicators of model rats after the administration, and evaluate the effect of Danshensu in treating the cerebral ischemia disease. According to the results, the pharmacokinetic processes of Danshensu in the cerebral ischemia-reperfusion and normal rats were consistent to the two-compartment model. The main pharmacokinetic parameters were: t1/2alpha were (0.267 +/- 0.026), (0.148 +/- 0.020) h;t1/2beta were (1.226 +/- 0.032), (1.182 +/- 0.082) h; AUC0-infinity were (42.168 +/- 4.007), (26.881 +/- 1.625) mg x L(-1) x h. After the cerebral ischemia-reperfusion, the activity of SOD decreased and the activity of LDH increased. Danshensu could inhibit the decrease in the SOD activity and the increase in the LDH activity within a certain period of time. This indicated that Danshensu could stay longer in cerebral ischemia-reperfusion rats than in normal rats and eliminated more slowly, which reflected the rationality of Danshensu in the clinical treatment of cerebral ischemia diseases. Danshensu's effect against the cerebral ischemic injury may be related with its level in vivo. Its plasma concentration is positively related to the SOD activity and negatively related to the LDH activity.

Clinical manifestations and BTK gene defect in 4 unrelated Taiwanese families with Bruton’s disease.

Background and objective: X-linked agammaglo-bulinemia (XLA, also called Bruton’s disease) is is an X-linked recessive disorder characterized by recurrent bacterial infections, usually occurring in the first few years of life. Here, we report the results of a BTK gene mutation screening study that was performed in Taiwanese families with the BTK gene defect to further understand the inheritance patterns of XLA patients in Taiwan and to avoid new cases of XLA within families. Materials and methods: In this study, 52 members of 4 unrelated Taiwanese families with the BTK gene defect were enrolled. We studied the immunologic reports of 6 symptomatic living male patients with confirmed BTK gene defects and correlated the findings with their clinical symptoms. The genomic DNA of the subjects was subjected to direct sequencing mutation analysis. Results: We screened 52 members of 4 unrelated Taiwanese families with the BTK gene defect for BTK gene mutation and found that there were 6 symptomatic living patients with a confirmed defect, 7 symptomatic deceased patients highly suspected to have had the defect and 11 asymptomatic female carriers. Conclusions: This is the first report in a series of the thorough screening for the BTK mutation and its carrier status in 4 unrelated Taiwanese families. One pedigree of our study comprises 4 generations. A complete BTK gene mutation study for the patient’s family members is strongly suggested.

Juvenile scleroderma: experience in one institution.

Background: Scleroderma is a chronic connective tissue disease characterized by hardened or scaly skin and widespread abnormalities of the viscera, which is rare in the pediatric age group. Objective: In this study, we retrospectively reviewed 23 pediatric patients suffering systemic (SSc) and localized (LS) scleroderma. Methods: Twenty-three patients were enrolled and were diagnosed with SSc or LS from March 1993 to September 2009 in the Department of Pediatrics at Mackay Memorial Hospital in Taipei, Taiwan. These diagnoses were based on the criteria of the American College of Rheumatology and the clinicalmanifestations of hard skin. Data recorded included sex, age-at-onset, age-at-diagnosis, laboratory data, family history, trauma history, treatment, and outcomes. Results: Three patients suffered SSc and 20 patients had LS, including 16 girls and 7 boys. Mean age-at-onset was 6.55±3.28 years old. Antinuclear antibodies were positive in 15 patients. Tests for anti-Scl-70 antibodies were positive in 1 patient with SSc. One boy had en coup de sabre combined with a posterior fossa tumor. Twenty-two patients were treated with D-penicillamine. Oral prednisolone and methotrexate were added, if indicated. One girl with LS developed proteinuria after Dpenicillamine treatment. All patients with localized disease ultimately documented a softening of their skin lesions. Conclusions: While scleroderma is rare in children, the prognosis of SSc is poor but better than for adults. The prognosis for LS is usually benign, however, the skin may become progressively indurated and it may not only be a skin disease. No progression from LS to SSc was observed in our study.

Factors for high-risk asthma in Taiwanese children.

Background: Asthma is one of the major causes of death in otherwise healthy young individuals. However, many of these deaths may have been prevented by more aggressive treatment. To determine factors correlated with a high risk of death in Taiwanese children with atopic asthma. Methods: Taiwanese children aged 5-18 years, diagnosed with atopic asthma were enrolled in the study. Atopic asthma was diagnosed and immunoglobulin E (IgE) specific to antigens from any 1 of 8 allergens was measured (i.e. Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farinae, cat and dog dander, cockroach, egg white, milk and fish). High-risk asthma was defined as asthma requiring admission to a hospital or a visit to an emergency department. The study tried to determine the association of high-risk asthma with allergy-related parameters (e.g. asthma severity, asthma score, total serum IgE levels, serum levels of allergenspecific IgE, eosinophil count) and pulmonary function in Taiwanese children. Results: One thousand one hundred and twenty-two Taiwanese children were evaluated. Those with higher asthma severity, asthma symptom score, serum levels of IgE specific to D. pteronyssinus and D. farinae, higher total serum IgE levels, and lower FEF25-75% (forced expiratory flow, 25-75%) values were considered to be members of the highrisk asthma group. Conclusions: The characterization of risk factors has enabled us to identify high-risk asthma in Taiwanese children, which will facilitate the treatment of these children in the future.

Polymorphism of the catechol-O-methyltransferase gene in Han Chinese patients with psoriasis vulgaris

Psoriasis vulgaris is defined by a series of linked cellular changes in the skin: hyperplasia of epidermal keratinocytes, vascular hyperplasia and ectasia, and infiltration of T lymphocytes, neutrophils and other types of leukocytes in the affected skin. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) 158 polymorphism can reduce the activity of the COMT enzyme that may trigger defective differentiation of keratinocytes in psoriasis. Immunocytes can degrade and inactivate catecholamines via monamine oxidase (MAO) and COMT in the cells. We hypothesized that the COMT-158G > A polymorphism was associated with the risk of psoriasis vulgaris in Han Chinese people. In a hospital-based case-control study, 524 patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 549 psoriasis-free controls were studied. COMT-158 G > A polymorphism was genotyped using the PCR sequence-specific primer (PCR-SSP) technique. We found no statistically significant association between the COMT-158 allele A and the risk of psoriasis vulgaris (p = 0.739 adjusted OR = 1.03; 95% CI = 0.81-1.31). This suggests that the COMT-158 G > A polymorphism may not contribute to the etiology of psoriasis vulgaris in the Han Chinese population.

Review of the clinical features of skin cancer: a study of 1, 048 cases from a hospital in West China

Skin cancer [SC] is a group of malignancies which include primary and metastatic tumors which involve the skin and its appendages. Up to the present, only a few studies on the clinical features and the trend of S have been reported but the status in West China is still undetermined. The S cases were from a major hospital in West China. A total of 1048 cases from 1981 to 2006 were included in our study. The clinical features of S including age, gender, lesion location and pathological diagnosis were analyzed. In order to illustrate the trend of S incidence, the patients from 1981-1993 and 1994- 2006 were assigned to group A and B respectively. The percentage of S in all malignancies [Ms], including all kinds of internal carcinomas and skin cancers, and the percentage of S in inpatients and outpatients [IOPs] between group A and B were separately compared to illustrate the trend in S incidence in this area. [1] Of the 1048 S s included, 308 [29.4%] were squamous cell carcinoma [S C], 293 [28.0%] basal cell carcinoma [B] and 168 [16.0%] cutaneous malignant melanoma [MM] .Ratio of male to female was 1.5:1.0.Median age was 54.0 +/- 23.0 years.40.8%of the S s occurred on the head, 35.0%on the trunk and 24.2%on the extremities. Median age of MM [53.0 +/- 22.5] was less than those of B [58.0 +/- 18.3 years] and S [57.0 +/- 20.0 years] .83.6%of the B s, 49.8%of the S s and 13.5% of the CMMs occurred on the head. [2] Of the 168 MMs, 106 [63.1%] occurred on the acral, 23 [13.7%] on the head, 24 [14.3%] on the trunk and 15 [8.9%] on the limbs. Of the 106 acral melanoma [AM], 41 [38.7%] occurred on the plantar skin, 19 [17.9%] on the heel, 15 [14.2%] on the subungual skin of thumbs, 13 [12.3%] on the subungual skin of big toes and 18 [17.0%] on other acra. [3] The percentages of S in IOPs [S s/IOPs] in Group A and B were 0.0038% [325/8, 457, 672], 0.0066% [723/11, 037, 720], an increase of by 74%.The percentages of S in all Ms [S /Ms] were 2.1% [325/15, 363] and 3.1% [723/23, 364], an increase of 48%.During the same period, the percentages of Ms in IOPs [Ms/IOPs] were 0.18% [15, 363/8, 457, 672] and 0.21% [23, 364/11, 037, 720], increased only by 17%. In our study, S C, B and MM were major S types. The head and trunk are the main sites for S occurring. AM is the most common MM. In past 26 years, the percentages of S in all malignancies and in inpatients and outpatients have increased in this hospital. The finding in our study provides a clue for understanding of the trend of S in West China