Clinical significance and prognostic value of C-reactive protein/albumin ratio in gastric cancer.

PURPOSE: This study was aimed to evaluate the clinical significance and prognostic value of CRP/albumin ratio (CAR) in patients with gastric cancer. METHODS: The data of 205 gastric cancer patients who underwent surgery was analyzed retrospectively. The association of CAR with the clinical features and prognostic value in gastric cancer was analyzed. The data of this study was combined with previous studies to further determine the prognostic value of CAR in patients with gastric cancer using a meta-analysis method. RESULTS: Cox analysis revealed that preoperative CAR was an independent prognosis indicator in patients with gastric cancer. High expression of CAR indicated a shorter survival time than in those with lower expression. CAR has a higher prognostic value in the 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival in patients with gastric cancer. CAR showed significant difference regarding the gastric cancer patients' age, M stage, and clinical stage. The discriminate value of CAR in M stage of gastric cancer was high (area under the curve, 0.809). A meta-analysis combining previous data and our data showed that preoperative CAR demonstrated a significant association with the overall survival of patients with gastric cancer. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that preoperative CAR could serve as an important prognostic indicator in patients with gastric cancer.

Effect of intraoperative pressure ulcer preventive nursing on inflammatory markers in patients with high-risk pressure ulcers: A protocol of systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This study will be designed to appraise the effects of intraoperative pressure ulcer preventive nursing (IPUPN) on inflammatory markers (IMs) in patients with high-risk pressure ulcers (HRPU) based on high quality randomized controlled trials (RCTs). METHODS: In this study, we will perform a rigorous literature search from the following electronic databases: Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database. All electronic databases will be retrieved from their initial time to March 1, 2020 without limitations of language and publication status. We will only consider high quality RCTs that explored the effects of IPUPN on IMs in patients with HRPU. Two investigators will identify relevant trials, extract data, and appraise risk of bias in each eligible trial. Data will be pooled by either a fixed-effects model or a random-effects model according to the results of heterogeneity identification. The primary outcomes include IMs, and incidence of new pressure ulcers. The secondary outcomes are time to ulcer development, quality of life, length of hospital stay, and adverse events. Statistical analysis will be undertaken using RevMan 5.3 software. RESULTS: This study will summarize high quality clinical evidence of RCTs to evaluate the effects of IPUPN on IMs in patients with HRPU. CONCLUSION: The expected findings may provide helpful evidence to determine whether IPUPN is an effective intervention on IMs in patients with HRPU. INPLASY REGISTRATION NUMBER: INPLASY202040029.

C-reactive protein/albumin ratio is a prognostic indicator in Asians with pancreatic cancers: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The prognostic value of C-reactive protein/albumin ratio (CAR) in pancreatic cancer remains controversial. This study aimed to determine the potential role of CAR as a prognostic indicator in pancreatic cancer. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search up to December 2018 was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, and other databases. The hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) was employed to quantitatively assess CAR as a prognostic indicator in patients with pancreatic cancer. RESULTS: Eleven studies with 2047 pancreatic cancer patients were selected for the analysis. Ten out of 11 studies included only Asian patients. The pooled results showed that a higher CAR value was significantly associated with a poor overall survival of pancreatic cancer patients (random-effects model: HR = 1.86; 95% CI = 1.53-2.26). Sensitivity analysis indicated the stability of the overall pooled results. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression analysis revealed that the country under study, cut-off value of CAR, treatment of patients, and the period of follow-up did not affect the prognostic value of CAR in pancreatic cancer patients (P > .05). No publication bias was noted across the studies (P = .933). CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis suggests that CAR is associated with the survival of pancreatic cancer patients of Asian ethnicity, and a higher CAR may be a potential prognostic indicator in pancreatic cancers.

Association of transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) gene polymorphism with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Chinese Korean ethnicity population.

Presently, data on the type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Chinese Korean ethnicity are very scarce. This study aimed to explore the relationship between the transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) and T2DM in Chinese Korean ethnicity population. This case-control study involved 43 T2DM Chinese Korean ethnicity patients (T2DM group) and 43 healthy Chinese Korean ethnicity normoglycemic subjects as controls (Control group). All included participants aged from 40 to 75 years old. Clinical and biological data were collected to determine the phenotypic traits. The restriction fragment length polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction was used to analyze the TCF7L2 by genotyping for rs7903146 (C/T). Spectrophotometer with Chronolab kits was used to conduct the biochemical analyses. TCF7L2 was associated with T2DM in the Chinese Korean ethnicity population (P < .01 for alleles, and P < .05 for genotypes). Significant differences were found 2 groups regarding the T allele (37.2% T2DM patients vs 15.1% healthy subjects, P < .01), and G allele (62.8% T2DM patients vs 84.9% healthy subjects, P < .01). The risk genotypes were GG (83.7% T2DM patients, vs 44.2% healthy control, P < .01), GT (4.7% T2DM patients, vs 20.9% healthy control, P = .04), and TT (11.6% T2DM patients, vs 34.9% healthy control, P = .01). The results of this study demonstrated that TCF7L2 is associated with T2DM in the Chinese Korean ethnicity population, which is an important risk factor for T2DM in this population.

Correlations of IFN-γ genetic polymorphisms with susceptibility to breast cancer: a meta-analysis.

The meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the correlations between common genetic polymorphisms in the IFN-γ gene and susceptibility to breast cancer. The following electronic databases were searched without language restrictions: MEDLINE (1966 ~ 2013), the Cochrane Library Database (issue 12, 2013), EMBASE (1980 ~ 2013), CINAHL (1982 ~ 2013), Web of Science (1945 ~ 2013), and the Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM) (1982 ~ 2013). Meta-analysis was performed with the use of the STATA statistical software. Odds ratios (OR) with their 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CIs) were calculated. Nine clinical case-control studies met all the inclusion criteria and were included in this meta-analysis. A total of 1,182 breast cancer patients and 1,525 healthy controls were involved in this meta-analysis. Three functional polymorphisms were assessed, including rs2069705 C>T, rs2430561 T>A, and CA repeats 2/X. Our meta-analysis results indicated that IFN-γ genetic polymorphisms might be significantly associated with an increased risk of breast cancer (allele model: OR = 1.37, 95 % CI = 1.03 ~ 1.83, P = 0.031; dominant model: OR = 1.55, 95 % CI = 1.01 ~ 2.37, P = 0.046; homozygous model: OR = 2.23, 95 % CI = 1.30 ~ 3.82, P = 0.004; respectively), especially the rs2430561 T>A polymorphism. Subgroup analysis based on ethnicity suggested that genetic polymorphisms in the IFN-γ gene were closely correlated with increased breast cancer risk among Asians (allele model: OR = 1.21, 95 % CI = 1.02 ~ 1.58, P = 0.017; dominant model: OR = 3.44, 95 % CI = 2.07 ~ 5.71, P < 0.001; recessive model: OR = 1.58, 95 % CI = 1.06 ~ 2.37, P = 0.025; homozygous model: OR = 1.83, 95 % CI = 1.19 ~ 2.80, P = 0.006; respectively), but not among Caucasians (all P > 0.05). Our meta-analysis supported the hypothesis that IFN-γ genetic polymorphisms may contribute to an increased risk of breast cancer, especially the rs2430561 T>A polymorphism among Asians.

Action site of ketanserin enhancing baroreflex function is within the rostral ventrolateral medulla in anesthetized rats.

In our previous studies, it was found that ketanserin enhanced baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) in rats and this effect was not blood pressure dependent. The present work was designed to investigate the effects of ketanserin on BRS within the nucleus tractus solitarus (NTS) and the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM). In anesthetized rats, BRS were evaluated by the changes in depressor action of aortic nerve stimulation and bradycardiac response to rapid pressor action of intravenous phenylephrine. It was found that bilateral injection of ketanserin (250 pmol for each side) into the NTS not only significantly increased blood pressure, but also attenuated baroreflex function. Interestingly, when ketanserin was bilaterally injected into RVLM, a significant enhancement of BRS was found and there were no modifications in basal blood pressure and heart period. The present study demonstrates that ketanserin-induced enhancement of BRS mainly occurred within the RVLM, which might contribute to the systemic effects of ketanserin on BRS.

Restoration of baroreflex function by ketanserin is not blood pressure dependent in conscious freely moving rats.

OBJECTIVE: Since the end of the 1980s, the pathological importance of baroreflex function has attracted the attention of many investigators. In our previous studies, it was found that ketanserin lowered blood pressure (BP), decreased BP variability and enhanced baroreflex sensitivity (BRS). The present work was designed to test the hypothesis that the restoration of BRS by ketanserin is not dependent on BP level in conscious rats. DESIGN AND METHODS: Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) aged 8-12 months were used. Blood pressure was recorded for 60 min and BRS was determined separately before and after intragastric administration of ketanserin, with four doses. In a second experiment, 10-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were used for preparing a myocardial infarction (MI) model by ligating the coronary artery. MI rats were treated with ketanserin for 5 weeks, with two doses. At the end of the treatment, BP and BRS of the MI rats were studied in conscious state. In addition, the effects of ketanserin on BRS in Sprague-Dawley rats with normal BRS and the effects of prazosin and ritanserin on BRS in SHR were also observed. RESULTS: It was found that ketanserin significantly decreased BP and improved BRS in the conscious SHR. The decrease in BP was dose-dependent but the improvement of BRS was not. At the smallest dose (0.3 mg/kg), ketanserin did not lower BP but enhanced BRS. In MI rats, the treatment with ketanserin did not significantly decrease BP, but it improved BRS at both doses administered (0.6 and 10 mg/kg). Ketanserin [3 and 10 mg/kg, intragastric (i.g.)] did not affect BRS in SD rats with normal BRS. Prazosin and ritanserin did not enhance BRS in SHR when administered intravenously. Ritanserin markedly and prazosin slightly enhanced BRS in SHR following intracerebroventricular administration. CONCLUSION: The restoration of baroreflex function by ketanserin is not BP dependent and this effect is mediated by central 5-HT2A receptor.

[Combination of adenovirus p16(INK4A) gene therapy and ionizing radiation for laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the anti-tumor effect of p16(INK4A) gene transfer and the combined effect of this gene therapy and ionizing radiation in the treatment of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS: A Complete p16(INK4A) gene was inserted into a replication-defective recombinant adenovirus, and the tumor cells were infected with Adenovinus-p16 (Ad-p16) and irradiated with X-rays. Confirmation of P16(INK4A) protein expression after Ad-p16 infection was performed by Western blotting. The therapeutic effects were evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: The replication-defective recombinant adenovirus could direct a high level of P16INK4A protein expression in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Studies both in vitro and in vivo demonstrated that Ad-p16 treatment significantly inhibited the cell growth and the established tumors in mude mice when compared with the control treatments (P < 0.05). The combination of Ad-p16 and radiation group resulted in greater inhibition of tumor growth, compared with any other treatment groups and controls (P < 0.05). No significant difference was observed between Adenovirus-LacZ (Ad-LacZ) and PBS groups. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate a significant antitumor effect of Ad-p16 against human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma and also demonstrate for the first time a combined effect of radiation and Ad-p16 gene transfer in p16 deficient human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

[Clinical analysis of badly necrotic pyogenic infection in cervical part with pneumatosis of vomica].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical character, diagnosis and treatment of badly necrotic pyogenic infection in cervical part with pneumatosis of vomica. METHODS: The clinical character, diagnosis and treatment of badly necrotic pyogenic infection in cervical part with pneumatosis of vomica of 46 cases were investigated retrospectively. RESULTS: Lateral and bilateral neck infection cases were 38 and 8 respectively. 30 cases formed primary pyogenic infection in cervical part with pneumatosis of vomica, and 16 did from adjacent sites. Besides the characters of the acute infection, gas storage in deep cervical part abscess was notable. CT and B Ultrasonic examination provided useful informations such as sizes, shapes, capacity, extents of abscess and the relationship between the abscess and vessel or vital organ. Diagnosis puncture and germiculture were performed before and after operation. The results showed that 25 of 46 cases were infected by staphylococcus or streptococcus, and 21 cases did by other bacterium. Exploration and drainage treatments were performed. All cases were cured except 2 died. CONCLUSION: Diagnostic puncture, CT and/or B Ultrasonic examination are essential for diagnosis and presurgical planning. Germiculture provides reliable evidence for finding pathogeny and therapy. The most possibilities of pyogenic infection with pneumatosis of vomica in cervical part are the action of aerogenic bacterium, infection both in cervical part and chest or swallowing movement of pharynx.