Promotion of apoptosis in melanoma cells by taxifolin through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway: Screening of natural products using WGCNA and CMAP platforms.

Melanoma is a skin cancer originating from melanocytes. The global incidence rate of melanoma is rapidly increasing, posing significant public health challenges. Identifying effective therapeutic agents is crucial in addressing this growing problem. Natural products have demonstrated promising anti-tumor activity. In this study, a plant flavonoid, taxifolin, was screened using Weighted Correlation Network Analysis (WGCNA) in combination with the Connectivity Map (CMAP) platform. Taxifolin was confirmed to inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion ability of melanoma A375 and MV-3 cells by promoting apoptosis. Additionally, it suppressed the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) process of melanoma cells. Cyber pharmacological analysis revealed that taxifolin exerts its inhibitory effect on melanoma through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, specifically by downregulating the protein expression of p-PI3K and p-AKT. Notably, the addition of SC-79, an activator of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, reversed the effects of taxifolin on cell migration and apoptosis. Furthermore, in vivo experiments demonstrated that taxifolin treatment slowed tumor growth in mice without significant toxic effects. Based on these findings, taxifolin holds promise as a potential drug for melanoma treatment.

Orientin alleviates the inflammatory response in psoriasis like dermatitis in BALB/c mice by inhibiting the MAPK signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory condition of the skin, is characterized by an atypical proliferation of epidermal keratinocytes and immune cell infiltration. Orientin is a flavonoid monomer with potent anti-inflammatory activities. However, the therapeutic effects of orientin on psoriasis and the underlying mechanisms have not been elucidated. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the therapeutic effect of orientin on psoriasis and the underlying mechanisms using network pharmacology and experimental studies. METHODS: A psoriasis-like mouse model was established using imiquimod (IMQ). Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to stimulate the RAW264.7 and HaCaT cells in vitro. The therapeutic effects of orientin and the underlying mechanism were analyzed using histopathological, immunohistochemical, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, flow cytometry, and western blotting analyses. RESULTS: Orientin ameliorated skin lesions and suppressed keratinocyte proliferation and immune cell infiltration in the IMQ-induced psoriasis-like mouse model. Additionally, orientin inhibited the secretion of the pro-inflammatory factors interleukin (IL)-1ß, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17, and IL-23 in the psoriasis-like mouse model and LPS-induced RAW264.7 and HaCaT cells. Furthermore, orientin mitigated the LPS-induced upregulation of reactive oxygen species and downregulation of IL-10 and glutathione levels. Orientin alleviated inflammation by downregulating the MAPK signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: Orientin alleviated psoriasis-like dermatitis by suppressing the MAPK signaling pathway, suggesting that orientin is a potential therapeutic for psoriasis.

Comprehensive Analysis of Enhancer RNAs Identifies LINC00689 and ELFN1-AS1 as Novel Prognostic Biomarkers in Uveal Melanoma.

Enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) have emerged as key players in the pathology of several tumors, including uveal melanoma. Here, we aimed to explore the prognostic values of eRNAs in uveal melanoma (UVM) patients. The expressing data and survival data of UVM patients were downloaded from TCGA and GSE22138 datasets. The Kaplan-Meier methods with the log-rank test were applied to screen survival-related eRNAs in UVM. GEPIA was applied to analyze the associations between expressions of eRNA and disease-free survival. KEGG assays were applied to explore the potential signaling pathways of the key eRNA. The prognostic values of eRNAs were further explored by multivariate assays by the R package survival. The eRNAs were validated in pan-cancer. In this study, we identified 89 survival-related eRNAs in UVM based on TCGA datasets. Based on GSE22138 datasets, we found 27 survival-related eRNAs in UVM. Only two eRNAs (LINC00689 and ELFN1-AS1) were overlapped in both two datasets. The results of multivariate analysis revealed that both LINC00689 and ELFN1-AS1 were independent prognostic factors in UVM patients. The pan-cancer validation results further confirmed the prognostic values of LINC00689 and ELFN1-AS1 in eight tumors. Overall, we identified two novel UVM-related eRNAs, LINC00689 and ELFN1-AS1 which may serve as prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers of UVM patients for clinical decision-making.

Eupafolin induces autophagy and apoptosis in B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas.

OBJECTIVES: Eupafolin, an extract from Artemisia princeps, possesses multiple pharmacological activities. However, the effect of eupafolin on B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas is currently unknown. In this study, we report that eupafolin shows anticancer activity against B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas cell line, OCI-LY-3. METHODS: A CCK-8 assay was used to detect the proliferation inhibition of OCI-LY-3 cells treated with additional concentrations of eupafolin. Flow cytometric analysis method of the cell apoptosis was detected after cells stained with Annexin-V-FITC/PI according to the manufacturer's instructions. The proteins in the cell were detected by western blot after treatment with eupafolin. KEY FINDINGS: Eupafolin induced apoptosis in this cell line evidenced by the caspases activation, cleavage of PARP and downregulation of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl. Eupafolin-induced autophagy was verified by accumulation of LC3-II and beclin-1. Eupafolin induced autophagy promoting apoptosis by the treatment of eupafolin combined with autophagy inhibitors 3-methyladenine and bafilomycin A1, respectively. Moreover, we disclose that the expression levels of p-Akt, p-mTOR,p-P70S6K and p-4EBP1 decrease in the Akt/mTOR signalling pathway, and the expression levels of proteins in the NF-ΚB signalling pathway, such as p-p65, p-IκBα, is downregulation. CONCLUSIONS: Together, these results provide crucial evidences explaining the antitumour activity of eupafolin in human NHL cell line, OCI-LY-3.

Reversal of Social Recognition Deficit in Adult Mice with MECP2 Duplication via Normalization of MeCP2 in the Medial Prefrontal Cortex / 神经科学通报·英文版

Methyl-CpG binding protein 2 (MeCP2) is a basic nuclear protein involved in the regulation of gene expression and microRNA processing. Duplication of MECP2-containing genomic segments causes MECP2 duplication syndrome, a severe neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by intellectual disability, motor dysfunction, heightened anxiety, epilepsy, autistic phenotypes, and early death. Reversal of the abnormal phenotypes in adult mice with MECP2 duplication (MECP2-TG) by normalizing the MeCP2 levels across the whole brain has been demonstrated. However, whether different brain areas or neural circuits contribute to different aspects of the behavioral deficits is still unknown. Here, we found that MECP2-TG mice showed a significant social recognition deficit, and were prone to display aversive-like behaviors, including heightened anxiety-like behaviors and a fear generalization phenotype. In addition, reduced locomotor activity was observed in MECP2-TG mice. However, appetitive behaviors and learning and memory were comparable in MECP2-TG and wild-type mice. Functional magnetic resonance imaging illustrated that the differences between MECP2-TG and wild-type mice were mainly concentrated in brain areas regulating emotion and social behaviors. We used the CRISPR-Cas9 method to restore normal MeCP2 levels in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and bed nuclei of the stria terminalis (BST) of adult MECP2-TG mice, and found that normalization of MeCP2 levels in the mPFC but not in the BST reversed the social recognition deficit. These data indicate that the mPFC is responsible for the social recognition deficit in the transgenic mice, and provide new insight into potential therapies for MECP2 duplication syndrome.

[Application of intervertebral foramen endoscopy BEIS technique in the lumbar spine surgery failure syndrome over 60 years old].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the mid-term efficacy of radiofrequency ablation of nucleus pulposus by intervertebral foramen endoscopy BEIS technique in the treatment of lumbar spine surgery failure syndrome over 60 years old. METHODS: The clinical data of 40 patients over 60 years old with lumbar spine surgery failure syndrome admitted from January 2010 to January 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, there were 34 males and 6 females, aged from 60 to 76 years old with an average of 66 years, the courses of disease ranged from 10 months to 4 years. The patients were divided into two groups (BEIS group and revision group) according to the different surgery. The intervertebral foramen endoscopy BEIS technique and the transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) were performed in BEIS group and revision group respectively. There was no significant difference in general data such as sex, age, course of disease, surgical segment between two groups(P>0.05). The operation time, intraoperative bleeding volume, bed rest time after operation and hospitalization time were observed between two groups. At preoperative, postoperative 1 month, 1 year, 3 years, visual analogue scale(VAS) and Japanese Orthopaedic Association Score(JOA) were used to compare the efficacy. RESULTS: The operation time, intraoperative bleeding volume, bed rest time after operation and hospitalization time in BEIS group were (60.2±10.3) min, (60.1±4.5) ml, (2.2±1.5) d, (4.04±1.40) d, respectively, which were significantly lower than those of revision group (P<0.05). The VAS and JOA scores of the two groups at different time after operation were significantly improved (P<0.05), and there was statistically significant difference between two groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Radiofrequency ablation of nucleus pulposus by intervertebral foramen endoscopy BEIS technique is more effective than TLIF revision in the treatment of lumbar spine surgery failure syndrome over 60 years old. It has advantages of shorter operation time, less bleeding, shorter bed rest after operation and hospitalization time, and is worthy of clinical promotion.

Application of intervertebral foramen endoscopy BEIS technique in the lumbar spine surgery failure syndrome over 60 years old / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the mid-term efficacy of radiofrequency ablation of nucleus pulposus by intervertebral foramen endoscopy BEIS technique in the treatment of lumbar spine surgery failure syndrome over 60 years old.@*METHODS@#The clinical data of 40 patients over 60 years old with lumbar spine surgery failure syndrome admitted from January 2010 to January 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, there were 34 males and 6 females, aged from 60 to 76 years old with an average of 66 years, the courses of disease ranged from 10 months to 4 years. The patients were divided into two groups (BEIS group and revision group) according to the different surgery. The intervertebral foramen endoscopy BEIS technique and the transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) were performed in BEIS group and revision group respectively. There was no significant difference in general data such as sex, age, course of disease, surgical segment between two groups(>0.05). The operation time, intraoperative bleeding volume, bed rest time after operation and hospitalization time were observed between two groups. At preoperative, postoperative 1 month, 1 year, 3 years, visual analogue scale(VAS) and Japanese Orthopaedic Association Score(JOA) were used to compare the efficacy.@*RESULTS@#The operation time, intraoperative bleeding volume, bed rest time after operation and hospitalization time in BEIS group were (60.2±10.3) min, (60.1±4.5) ml, (2.2±1.5) d, (4.04±1.40) d, respectively, which were significantly lower than those of revision group (<0.05). The VAS and JOA scores of the two groups at different time after operation were significantly improved (<0.05), and there was statistically significant difference between two groups (<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Radiofrequency ablation of nucleus pulposus by intervertebral foramen endoscopy BEIS technique is more effective than TLIF revision in the treatment of lumbar spine surgery failure syndrome over 60 years old. It has advantages of shorter operation time, less bleeding, shorter bed rest after operation and hospitalization time, and is worthy of clinical promotion.

Ocular surface heat effects on ocular hemodynamics detected by real-time measuring device.

AIM: To investigate the ocular hemodynamic effects of applying a hot compress to the eye. METHODS: The right eyes of five New Zealand white rabbits, both male and female, were hot-compressed for 18min. An independently designed novel ocular contact-type temperature measuring device was used to measure the ocular surface temperature before and after the heating. Relevant retrobulbar hemodynamic parameters such as peak systolic velocity (PSV), end diastolic velocity (EDV), and resistance index (RI) of each of the central retinal artery (CRA), long posterior ciliary artery (LPCA), and ophthalmic artery (OA), as well as the mean velocity (Vm) of the central retinal vein (CRV), were measured using a color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) technique and expressed as mean values with standard deviation (mean±SD). A statistical analysis was conducted based on a paired t-test and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULTS: The employed real-time temperature measuring device was able to accurately measure ocular surface temperature during the hot-compress process. The temperature increased after the hot compress was applied. Analysis showed that the PSV and EDV values of the CRA and LPCA significantly increased after the application of the hot compress, as did the Vm of the CRV. There were no significant changes in the EDV of the OA nor the RI of each artery. CONCLUSION: This experiment, which is the first of its kind, confirms that the retrobulbar blood flow velocities can increase upon heating the ocular surface. This simple method may be useful in the future.

Application value of the fusiform tube stomach in the digestive tract reconstruction after thoracoscopic and laparoscopic radical resection of esophageal carcinoma / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective To explore the application value of the fusiform tube stomach in the digestive tract reconstruction after thoracoscopic and laparoscopic radical resection of esophageal carcinoma.Methods The retrospective cohort study was conducted.The clinicopathological data of 96 patients with thoracic esophageal cancer who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University between November 2016 and May 2017 were collected.All the patients underwent thoracoscopic and laparoscopic radical resection of esophageal carcinoma,45 using thin tubular stomach and 51 using fusiform tube stomach for digestive tract reconstruction were respectively allocated into the tubular stomach group and fusiform stomach group.Observation indicators:(1) intra-and post-operative situations;(2) postoperative complications;(3) detection of gastric hemodynamics;(4) follow-up situations.Follow-up using outpatient examination and telephone interview was performed to detect patients' survival up to November 2017.Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as-x±s and comparison between groups was analyzed using the t test.Measurement data with skewed distribution were described as M (range) and comparison between groups was analyzed using the rank sum test.Ordinal data and categorical variables were respectively done using the independent-sample Wilcoxon rank-sum test and chi-square test.Paired experimental data were analyzed by the Friedman test and Wilcoxon test.Results (1) Intra-and post-operative situations:96 patients underwent successful thoracoscopic and laparoscopic radical resection of esophageal carcinoma.The number of closers,time of postoperative mediastinal tube removal,thoracic stomach anteroposterior diameter by postoperative CT examination,number of slices at maximal width of thoracic stomach by postoperative CT examination and duration of hospital stay were respectively 4 (range,3-5),14 days (range,11-45 days),28.35 mm (range,9.96-75.70 mm),0.56 (range,0.33-2.13),16 days (range,12-62 days) in the tubular stomach group and 4 (range,2-4),12 days (range,10-16 days),45.80 mm (range,17.36-89.77 mm),1.10 (range,0.47-2.15),14 days (range,12-61 days) in the fusiform stomach group,with statistically significant differences between groups (Z=4.525,4.240,-3.796,-4.604,2.154,P＜0.05).(2) Postoperative complications:cases with postoperative cervical anastomotic fistula,thoracic gastric fistula,grading Ⅰ-Ⅱ and Ⅲ-Ⅳ of Clavien-Dindo classification were respectively 4,5,32,13 in the tubular stomach group (1 with a combination cervical anastomotic fistula and thoracic gastric fistula) and 0,0,47,4 in the fusiform stomach group,with statistically significant differences between groups (x2 =9.937,7.266,P＜0.05).Patients with complications were improved by symptomatic treatment.(3) Detection of gastric hemodynamics:hemodynamic values of gastric antrum,gastric body and gastric fundus that was detected by non-contact laser Doppler line imaging were respectively 314 PU (range,294-320 PU),252 PU (range,242-259 PU),206 PU (range,194-223 PU) in self-control status of 7 patients and 295 PU (range,277-314 PU),255 PU (range,244-267 PU),219 PU (range,199-233 PU) in tubular stomach model and 277 PU (range,263-300 PU),216 PU (range,201-235 PU),199 PU (range,176-207 PU) in fusiform stomach model,with statistically significant differences among groups (x2 =10.286,14.000,10.286,P＜0.05).There were statistically significant differences in the hemodynamic values of gastric antrum,gastric body and gastric fundus between self-control status and fusiform stomach model (Z=-2.028,-2.384,-2.197,P＜0.05),between self-control status and tubular stomach model (Z =-2.371,-2.371,-2.201,P＜0.05) and between fusiform stomach model and tubular stomach model (Z =-2.201,-2.366,-2.366,P＜0.05).(4) Follow-up situations:among 96 patients,90 were followed up for 6-12 months,with a median time of 8 months.During the follow-up,1 patient in the tubular stomach group died of tumor recurrrence,and no patient died in the fusiform stomach group,with no statistically significant difference between groups (x2 =1.264,P ＞ 0.05).Conclusion Compared with the thin tubular stomach,the fusiform tube stomach can reduce the incidences of postoperative fistula and pulmonary complications and shorten duration of hospital stay after the thoracoscopic and laparoscopic radical resection of esophageal carcinoma,and hemodynamics of the fusiform tube stomach is superior to that of thin tubular stomach.

Liuwei Dihuang Pill () Treats Postmenopausal Osteoporosis with Shen (Kidney) Yin Deficiency via Janus Kinase/Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription Signal Pathway by Up-regulating Cardiotrophin-Like Cytokine Factor 1 Expression / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVES</b>To investigate the mechanism of Liuwei Dihuang Pill (, LDP) in treating postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) with Shen (Kidney) yin deficiency.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In this study, 205 cases of PMOP were divided into the PMOP Shen-yin deficiency group (Group A), PMOP Shen-yang deficiency group (Group B), PMOP without Shen deficiency group (Group C), and control group (Group N). Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot techniques were used to observe the effects of LDP treatment on the cardiotrophin-like cytokine factor 1 (CLCF1), ankyrin repeat and SOCS box containing 1 (ASB1), and prokineticin 2 (PROK2) genes and the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling pathway.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The mRNA (P<0.05) and protein (P<0.01) expression levels of the CLCF1 gene in Group A were significantly lower than the corresponding levels in Group N. After LDP treatment for 3 months, the mRNA expression levels of the CLCF1 gene were obviously up-regulated (P<0.01). After 6-month treatment, the expression levels of CLCF1 mRNA and protein were significantly up-regulated (both P<0.01), and the average bone density of the top femur had significantly increased (P<0.05). In vitro, CLCF1 overexpression resulted in a significant increase in the total protein and phosphorylated protein levels of JAK2 and STAT3.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The CLCF1 gene is an important gene associated with PMOP Shen-yin deficiency and the therapeutic effects of LDP may be mediated by up-regulation of CLCF1 gene expression and activation of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway.</p>

[Effects of dihydroartemisinin on radiosensitivity of Raji cells].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of dihydroartemisinin (DHA) on radiation sensitivity of Raji cells, and explore its mechanisms. METHODS: CCK8 was used to determine the effect of DHA on cell viability of Raji cells; apoptosis, intracellular reactive oxygen speies(ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential of Raji cells were detected by flow cytometry; and the protein expressions of protein kinase B(AKT), phospho-rylated-protein kinase B(p-AKT), Bcl-2 and Bax were determined by Western blot. RESULTS: The cells were randomly divided into four groups:control group, DHA(5µmol/L DHA), irradiation(IR, 4 Gy), IR+DHA group (4 Gy IR+5 µmol/L DHA). Compared with the other three groups, cells in DHA+IR group exhibited lower mitochondrial membrane potential (P<0.01). While the intracellular ROS content and apoptosis rate of Raji cells in DHA+IR group were increased significantly(P<0.01). In addition, compared with the other three groups, there was no significant difference in the expression of AKT, but the phosphorylation of AKT protein were significantly inhibited and the expression of Bcl-2 protein was markedly decreased. However, the expressions of Bax and Cleaved-Caspase-3 protein were markedly increased. CONCLUSIONS: DHA might activate the mitochondrial apoptotic signal via inhibiting phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K/AKT) pathway and increase oxidative stress to enhance the radiosensitivity of Raji cells.

Risk factors analysis of cervical esophagogastric anastomotic fistula after esophagectomy of esophageal cancer / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective To investigate the risk factors of cervical esophagogastric anastomotic fistula after esophagectomy of esophageal cancer.Methods The retrospective case-control study was conducted.The clinicopathological data of 956 patients who underwent esophagectomy and cervical esophagogastrostomy from January 2012 to December 2016 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were collected.Patients underwent Sweet or Mckeown surgery.Observation indicators:(1) intra-and post-operative situations;(2) the risk factors analysis of cervical esophagogastric anastomotic fistula after esophagectomy;(3) follow-up situations.Follow-up using outpatient examination and telephone interview was performed to detect the esophagogastric anastomotic stenosis of patients up to February 2017.Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as the (x)±-s.Univariate analysis and comparison of count data were done using the chi-square test or Fisher exact probability method.Multivariate analysis was done using the Logistic regression model.Results (1) Intra-and post-operative situations:all the 956 patients underwent successful operations,including 107 with Sweet operation and 849 with Mckeown operation.Of 956 patients,336 received thoracotomy and 620 received thoracoscopic surgery.Tumors located in upper,middle and lower esophagus were respectively detected in 143,627 and 186 patients.Operation time,volume of intraoperative blood loss and number of lymph node dissected in 956 patients were (274 ± 67) minutes,(210 ± 167) mL and 18 ± 11,respectively.Of 956 patients,117 had cervical esophagogastric anastomotic fistula,with an incidence of anastomotic fistula of 12.24％ (117/956).Of 117 patients with cervical esophagogastric anastomotic fistula,2 had early stage fistula,110 had middle stage fistula and 5 had later stage fistula;12 were cured by two-tube method (stomach tube and nutrition tube),24 were cured by three-tube method (stomach tube,nutrition tube and chest tube or mediastinal tube),43 were cured by open neck incision dressing,15 were cured by fistula cavity drainage and 17 were cured by esophageal stent implantation.Sixteen patients died in hospital postoperatively,including 6 with cervical esophagogastric anastomotic fistula and 10 without cervical esophagogastric anastomotic fistula.Duration of hospital stay of 956 patients was (16± 11)days,and durations of hospital stay of patients with and without cervical esophagogastric anastomotic fistula were (39± 19) days and (13±6) days.Postoperative pathological examinations:873,9 and 74 patients were respectively diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma,adenocarcinoma and other types of cancer.TNM staging:stage 0,Ⅰ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ,Ⅳ and unidentified stage were respectively detected in 135,110,325,376,1 and 10 patients.(2) The risk factors analysis of cervical esophagogastric anastomotic fistula after esophagectomy:univariate analysis showed that gender,age,history of diabetes,surgical method,tubular stomach production,operation time,postoperative pulmonary infection and postoperative aspirating sputum through fiberbronchoscope were risk factors affecting cervical esophagogastric anastomotic fistula after esophagectomy,with statistically significant differences (x2 =4.179,6.174,4.427,4.377,6.266,7.057,55.036,51.806,P＜ 0.05).Multivariate analysis showed that tubular stomach production,postoperative pulmonary infection and aspirating sputum through fiberbronchoscope were independent risk factors affecting cervical esophagogastric anastomotic fistula after esophagectomy,with statistically significant differences (OR =1.922,2.907,2.323,95％ confidence interval:l.203-3.070,1.682-5.023,1.235-4.370,P＜0.05).(3) Follow-up situations:908 of 956 patients were followed up for 2-62 months,with a median follow-up time of 28 months.During the follow up,21 of 111 patients with cervical esophagogastric anastomotic fistula were complicated with cervical esophagogastric anastomotic stenosis,59 of 797 patients without cervical esophagogastric anastomotic fistula were complicated with cervical esophagogastric anastomotic stenosis,showing a statistically significant difference in cervical esophagogastric anastomotic stenosis (x2-16.803,P＜0.05).Conclusion Tubular stomach production,postoperative pulmonary infection,postoperative aspirating sputum through fiberbronchoscope are independent risk factors affecting cervical esophagogastric anastomotic fistula after esophagectomy.

Distribution and drug resistance of pathogens from patients with anastomotic fistula infection after esophageal cancer surgery / 中国感染控制杂志

Objective To understand the distribution and drug resistance of pathogens from patients with anastomotic fistula infection after esophageal cancer surgery, and provide basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment.Methods Patients were admitted to a hospital due to anastomotic fistula after esophageal cancer surgery between January 2012 and December 2015, microbial culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing results of patients were retrospectively analyzed.Results 1 986 patients underwent radical resection of esophageal cancer within 4 years, 148 of whom developed anastomotic fistula, 104 (70.27％) were with positive microbial culture.A total of 197 pathogenic strains were isolated, 52(26.40％)and 145 (73.60％)strains were isolated from intrathoracic anastomotic fistula and cervical anastomotic fistula respectively;127 (64.47％)strains were gram-negative bacteria, the major were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Acinetobacter baumannii, 62(31.47％) strains were gram-positive bacteria, the major were Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus spp., and Streptococcus viridans, 8 strains (4.06％) were fungi.49(47.12％) cases were with mixed pathogenic infection.The resistance rates of gram-negative bacteria to imipenem were 17.86％-47.62％, to polymyxin B was 0, resistance rates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to other antimicrobial agents were all70％, Acinetobacter baumannii to most antimicrobial agents were all>50.00％;resistance rates of gram-positive bacteria to clindamycin and tetracycline were both>50.00％, to linezolid, vancomycin, and teicoplanin were all 0, resistance rates of Staphylococcus aureus to penicillin, oxacillin, and ciprofloxacin were all>60％,resistance rate of Enterococcus spp.to quinupristin/dalfopristin was 100.00％.Conclusion Postoperative anastomotic fistula combined with infection can affect the prognosis of patients after esophageal cancer surgery, regular monitoring on distribution and drug resistance of pathogens can provide the basis for initial empirical treatment, and is conducive to the early treatment and rational use of antimicrobial agents.

Comparative study on the quality of life in patients with prevertebral or retrosternal reconstruction after cervical tubular gastroesophagostomy / 中华胃肠外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare the quality of life in patients with prevertebral or retrosternal reconstruction after cervical tubular gastroesophagostomy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 167 patients enrolled in this prospective study from July 2008 to June 2012 in Shantou Central Hospital, and divided into prevertebral route group(85 cases) and retrosternal route group(82 cases) according to the random number table method. Quality of life questionnaire was investigated 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after operation respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The incidence of anastomotic stenosis was lower in the prevertebral route group (P<0.05). However, the differences in perioperative general conditions between the two groups were not statistically significant(all P>0.05). One hundred and forty-nine patients completed the postoperative quality of life questionnaire. Dysphagia and swallowing retching symptom were better, while acid reflux and heartburn symptom were more serious in prevertebral route group as compared to retrosternal route group(all P<0.05). Overall quality of life score difference between the two groups was not statistically significant(P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>For digestive tract reconstruction after resection of esophageal cancer, tubular gastroesophagostomy by prevertebral or retrosternal route both can obtain better quality of life after surgery. Swallowing function after surgery of the former is superior to the latter, but the reflux symptoms is more serious. Therefore the two mehods have their own advantages and disadvantages, and the choice of route should be depended on clinical experience and patient condition.</p>

An analysis of the current status of hospital emergency preparedness for infectious disease outbreaks in Beijing, China.

BACKGROUND: In the event of a large-scale infectious disease outbreak, hospitals will play a critical role. The objective of our study is to understand the current status of hospitals preparedness for infectious disease outbreaks in Beijing and to provide basic information for infectious disease prevention and control in hospitals. METHODS: One hundred fifty-two secondary and tertiary care hospitals in Beijing were surveyed by a standardized questionnaire. Data related to hospital demographic information and their emergency plans, laboratory diagnosis capacity, medical treatment procedures for infectious diseases, stockpiles of drugs and personal protective equipment, and staff training were collected. RESULTS: Responses were received from 134 (88.2%) of the 152 hospitals surveyed. Overall, hospitals reported that the number of physicians and nurses in infectious disease accounted for only 1.8% of the total physicians and 2.5% of the total nurses, and surgery beds accounted for 8.5% of all the fixed beds. Approximately 93.3% of the hospitals surveyed reported that they had an emergency plan, and none of those reported that their laboratories were able to isolate and identify all 8 kinds of common pathogens of infectious diseases: 22.4% of the hospitals had medical treatment procedures for all these infectious diseases, 23.1% had stored specific drugs for treatment, 2.2% had all personal protective equipment, and 30.6% reported that their health care staff had been trained in hospital emergency preparedness for infectious diseases. In general, emergency preparedness for infectious diseases in tertiary care hospitals was better than that in secondary care hospitals; the preparedness at general hospitals was better than that at specialized hospitals; and that at teaching hospitals was better than that at nonteaching hospitals. CONCLUSION: Emergency preparedness for infectious disease at hospitals in Beijing was in an early stage of development during this survey. Comprehensive measures should be developed and implemented to enhance their capacity for infectious disease emergency.

Expression and significance of HIF-1? and CXCR4 protein in tissues of breast cancer / 上海第二医科大学学报

Objective To investigate the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1?(HIF-1?) and chemokine receptor 4(CXCR4) protein in tissues of breast cancer and its association with clinicopathological features.MethodsThe expression of HIF-1? and CXCR4 protein in 60 breast cancer,30 breast fibroadenoma and 20 normal breast samples were detected by immunohistochemistry,and the relationship between the expression of HIF-1? and CXCR4 protein in the tissues of breast cancer and its association with clinicopathological factors were analysed.ResultsThere was no positive expression of HIF-1? and CXCR4 protein in normal breast tissues.The positive expression rates of HIF-1? protein in tissues of breast cancer and breast fibroadenoma were 65.0% and 26.7%,respectively(P

Expression of Smad4 during rat ovarian development.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the signal transduction pathway of transforming growth factor-betasuperfamily (TGF-betas) in the regulation of follicle growth by investigating the expressions of Smad4 protein and mRNA in rat ovaries in different developmental stages. METHODS: Rat ovaries of different developmental stages were obtained to determine the expression of Smad4 protein by immunohistochemistry and image analysis system, with Smad4 mRNA measured by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Specific primers of Smad4 and GAPDH (internal control) were used for amplification by RT-PCR, and the ratios of their integrated optical densities were calculated to estimate the relative quantity of Smad4 mRNA expression. RESULTS: Smad4 protein was widely expressed in the ovary, mainly in the follicles, and the location and intensity of Smad4 expression varied with the degree of maturation of the ovary. In the early developmental stages, Smad4 protein expressed mainly in the primordial and preantral follicles, but little in the stromal cells, and its expression intensity in the stroma increased gradually in the course of ovarian maturation. After sexual maturity, Smad4 expression intensity varied only insignificantly among the granulosa cells, theca cells and stromal cells of the antral and mature follicles (P>0.05). The staining intensity of Smad4 in the follicles also underwent changes in relation with their development, being less intense in the oocytes of the antral and matured follicles as compared to the preantral follicles (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively) but markedly greater in the theca cells of the antral and matured follicles than in the preantral follicles (P<0.01). No significant difference in Smad4 expression was found in the granulosa cells of different developmental stages (P>0.05). RT-PCR demonstrated that Smad4 mRNA was expressed in all the developmental stages of the rat ovary; and from the 3rd week on, the integrated optical density of Smad4 and GAPDH was significantly higher than that in 1-day-old neonatal rats. CONCLUSION: The expression patterns of Smad4 protein and mRNA in rat ovary in the course of its development indicate that Smad signal transduction may play a role in the folliculogenesis.

[Establishment of canine models of acute mesenteric ischamia].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a new canine model of acute mesenteric ischemia for imaging studies. METHODS: Ten Beagle dogs were divided into ischemic group (n=8) and control group (n=2). Via a 4F Cobra catheter, the absolute ethanol was selectively injected into the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) for embolization in the former group while the saline was injected in the latter. Imaging study and pathological examination were performed. RESULTS: Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) revealed that occlusion of some branches of the SMA was induced in the ischemic group while no changes occurred in the control group. The signs of acute mesenteric ischemia were confirmed by CT and pathological examination in the ischemic group whereas no abnormalities identified in the group. CONCLUSION: Canine models of acute mesenteric ischemia can be established by selective catheterization with absolute ethanol injection.

Azolla--a model organism for plant genomic studies / 基因组蛋白质组与生物信息学报·英文版

The aquatic ferns of the genus Azolla are nitrogen-fixing plants that have great potentials in agricultural production and environmental conservation. Azolla in many aspects is qualified to serve as a model organism for genomic studies because of its importance in agriculture, its unique position in plant evolution, its symbiotic relationship with the N2-fixing cyanobacterium, Anabaena azollae, and its moderate-sized genome. The goals of this genome project are not only to understand the biology of the Azolla genome to promote its applications in biological research and agriculture practice but also to gain critical insights about evolution of plant genomes. Together with the strategic and technical improvement as well as cost reduction of DNA sequencing, the deciphering of their genetic code is imminent.