Efficacy and safety of different chemotherapy regimens combined with thalidomide in the treatment of diagnosed HIV-associated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Objective: To investigate the short-term efficacy and safety of different chemotherapy regimens combined with thalidomide, in the treatment of low-income patients with newly diagnosed HIV-associated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 42 patients with HIV-DLBCL who were admitted to the Infectious Diseases Department of Yunnan Provincial Infectious Diseases Hospital from January 2018 to December 2020. 14 cases (including 1 case in stage II and 13 cases in stage III/IV) were treated with R-CHOP, 24 cases (including 1 case in stage II and 23 cases in stage III/IV) were treated with R-DAEPOCH, and 4 cases (including 1 case in stage II and 3 cases in stage III/IV) were treated with EPOCH. All patients were treated with thalidomide. The ART regimen was adjusted. At least 1 and up to 6 intrathecal injections were given during chemotherapy, and cotrimoxazole was taken orally to prevent infection. The clinical efficacy was evaluated after 4 cycles of chemotherapy, and adverse events were evaluated at each cycle of chemotherapy. Results: All patients received 1-8 cycles of chemotherapy. CR (64.2 %) was achieved in 9 patients in R-CHOP group, and 5 patients died. In the R-DAEPOCH group, 17 patients achieved CR (70.8 %) and 7 died. In the EPOCH group, 2 patients reached CR (50 %) and 2 died. The main adverse reactions were grade II and above myelosuppression. Conclusion: Combined treatment with thalidomide can improve the prognosis of low-income patients with newly diagnosed HIV-DLBCL.

Feature interaction network based on hierarchical decoupled convolution for 3D medical image segmentation.

Manual image segmentation consumes time. An automatic and accurate method to segment multimodal brain tumors using context information rich three-dimensional medical images that can be used for clinical treatment decisions and surgical planning is required. However, it is a challenge to use deep learning to achieve accurate segmentation of medical images due to the diversity of tumors and the complex boundary interactions between sub-regions while limited computing resources hinder the construction of efficient neural networks. We propose a feature fusion module based on a hierarchical decoupling convolution network and an attention mechanism to improve the performance of network segmentation. We replaced the skip connections of U-shaped networks with a feature fusion module to solve the category imbalance problem, thus contributing to the segmentation of more complicated medical images. We introduced a global attention mechanism to further integrate the features learned by the encoder and explore the context information. The proposed method was evaluated for enhance tumor, whole tumor, and tumor core, achieving Dice similarity coefficient metrics of 0.775, 0.900, and 0.827, respectively, on the BraTS 2019 dataset and 0.800, 0.902, and 0.841, respectively on the BraTS 2018 dataset. The results show that our proposed method is inherently general and is a powerful tool for brain tumor image studies. Our code is available at: https://github.com/WSake/Feature-interaction-network-based-on-Hierarchical-Decoupled-Convolution.

[Effect of up-regulation of Decorin on expression of EGFR, C-Myc and p21 in nude mice with oral squamous cell carcinoma].

PURPOSE: To explore the effect of overexpression of DCN（decorin） gene on the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), cellular-myelocytomatosis viral oncogene (C-Myc) and cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor (p21)in tumor-bearing nude mice with oral squamous cell carcinoma（OSCC）. METHODS: The expression of DCN gene in human oral squamous cell carcinoma(HSC-3) was up-regulated by liposome transfection. Nude mice were used as the carrier of OSCC. H-E staining was used to determine the pathological grade of tumor-bearing tissues in each group. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of EGFR, C-Myc and p21 protein in tumor-bearing tissues of each group after DCN overexpression. RT-qPCR and Western blot were used to quantitatively detect the expression of EGFR, C-Myc and p21 in tumor-bearing tissues of each group after DCN overexpression, and to determine the effects of DCN overexpression on the expression of EGFR, C-Myc and p21 in tumor-bearing tissues of OSCC nude mice. SPSS 20.0 software package was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: H-E staining showed that the animal model of OSCC was successfully constructed. The tumor-bearing tissues of nude mice in the plasmid group were significantly lighter than those in the empty vector group and non-transfected group(P＜0.05). IHC results showed that DCN, EGFR, C-Myc and p21 proteins were expressed in the tumor-bearing tissues of nude mice in each group, the expression of DCN,EGFR and C-Myc proteins in the plasmid group was significantly different from the other groups(P＜0.05).There was no significant differece in p21 protein expression in each group(P＞0.05). RT-qPCR and Western blot results showed that DCN, EGFR, C-Myc and p21 were expressed in diffrent degrees in tumor-bearing tissues of nude mice（P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS: DCN can inhibit the growth of tumor in OSCC nude mice. In tumor-bearing tissues of nude mice with OSCC, overexpression of DCN can down-regulate the expression of EGFR and C-Myc, and up-regulate the expression of p21.DCN may play an inhibitory role in the occurrence and development of OSCC.

Inhibition of hippocampal cyclin-dependent kinase 5 activity ameliorates learning and memory dysfunction in a mouse model of bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

AIMS: Oxygen therapy plays a vital role in the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), which is the independent risk factor for neurodevelopment deficits in premature infants. However, the effect of hippocampal cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) on BPD-associated neurodevelopment deficits is not fully understood. METHODS: Mice were placed in a hyperoxia chamber from postnatal Day 1 to Day 7. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was used to evaluate the lung histomorphological characteristics. Learning and memory functions of mice were detected by Morris water maze. TUNEL staining was applied to measure the number of apoptotic cells. The expression of CDK5, apoptosis-related protein, and neuroplasticity-related proteins were analyzed by Western blot. Golgi staining was used to assess the structure of dendritic spines. RESULTS: Hyperoxia-induced BPD mice showed a long-term learning and memory dysfunction, more severe neuronal apoptosis, and a decline of synaptic plasticity. Inhibition of CDK5 overactivation ameliorated cognitive deficits, neuronal apoptosis, and synaptic plasticity disorders in BPD mice. CONCLUSIONS: This study first found a vital role of CDK5 in BPD-associated neurodevelopmental disorders. Inhibition of CDK5 overexpression could effectively improve cognitive dysfunctions in BPD mice, which indicated that hippocampal CDK5 may be a new target for prevention and treatment in learning and memory dysfunction of BPD.

Intentional replantation combined root resection therapy for the treatment of type III radicular groove with two roots: A case report.

BACKGROUND: A radicular groove is an anatomic malformation that usually initiates at the central fossa, extending along the root at varying lengths and depths and predisposes the involved tooth to a severe periodontal defect. Severe grooves that extend to the root apex often lead to complex combined periodontal-endodontic lesions. They are a serious challenge for doctors to diagnose and treat. CASE SUMMARY: In this report, we described a patient with a maxillary lateral incisor with a deep palatogingival groove with two roots, which led to complex combined periodontal-endodontic lesions. Suggested treatment modalities included curettage of the affected tissues, elimination of the groove by grinding and/or sealing with a variety of filling materials, and surgical procedures. In this case, a combination of endodontic therapy, intentional replantation, and root resection were used, which resulted in periodontal/periradicular healing after 12 mo. CONCLUSION: Intentional replantation and root resection offer a predictable procedure and should be considered a viable treatment modality for the management of palatogingival grooves, especially for two-rooted teeth.

Spectroscopic and Theoretical Investigation of ß-Lactoglobulin Interactions with Hematoporphyrin and Protoporphyrin IX.

Hematoporphyrin (HP) and protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) are useful porphyrin photosensitizers with significant application values in photodynamic therapy. Currently, many strategies have been developed to improve their clinical performance, such as incorporating them with nanoparticle (NP) carriers. In this work, we studied the possibility of using ß-lactoglobulin (BLG) as a potential NP carrier due to their hydrophobic affinity, pH sensitivity, and low cost of extraction and preservation. The interaction mechanisms of BLG with HP and PPIX were investigated using spectroscopic techniques and molecular docking methods. The molecular docking results agree well with the experimental results, which demonstrate that the formations of HP-BLG and PPIX-BLG complexes are endothermic processes and the main acting force is hydrophobic force. Furthermore, the opening-closure states of EF loop have a great influence on the HP-BLG complex formation, where the central hydrophobic cavity of ß-barrel is available for HP binding at pH 7.4 but not available at pH 6.2. However, the formation of the PPIX-BLG complex is less dependent on the states of the EF loop, and the binding sites of PPIX are both located on the external surface of BLG under both pH 7.4 and 6.2 conditions. All of our results would provide new insight into the mechanisms of noncovalent interactions between BLG and HP/PPIX. It is believed that this work indicated the potential application values of BLG in designing pH-sensitive carriers for the delivery of HP and PPIX, as well as other poorly soluble drugs.

[microRNA-1 gene delivery mediated by exosomes suppresses CAL-27 cell proliferation].

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to construct endogenous exosomes abundantly loaded with miR-1 and investigate the role of exosome-mediated microRNA-1 (miR-1) delivery on CAL-27 cell proliferation. METHODS: Exosomes secreted by miR-1-overexpressing HEK293 cells (miR1-EXO) were purified via ultracentrifugation and subjected to transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticle analysis, Western blot analysis, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). CAL-27 cells were cocultured with exosomes secreted by HEK293 cells (CON-EXO) and miR1-EXO and equivalent phosphate buffer saline. The intracellular transport of exosomes was measured by using immunofluorescence, the expression of miR-1 and its target gene MET were investigated via qPCR, CAL-27 cell proliferation was measured through MTT assay, and cell cycle state was determined by applying flow cytometry. RESULTS: Electron microscopy revealed that miR1-EXO and CON-EXO were spherical or cup-shaped with an average diameter of approximately 110 nm. The well-known exosome markers CD9, Tsg101, and Alix were enriched. The expression of miR-1 in miR1-EXO was higher than that in CON-EXO (285.80±14.33 vs 1.00±0.06, P<0.000 1). After coculture with CAL-27 cells, miR1-EXO was internalized and unloaded miR-1 into CAL-27 cells. After coculture with miR1-EXO, the expression of miR-1 in CAL-27 cells was upregulated, whereas that of MET, the target gene of miR-1, was suppressed and the proliferation of CAL-27 cells was inhibited significantly. Normal oral keratinocyte cell proliferation was negligibly affected after coculture with miR1-EXO. CONCLUSIONS: Exosomes secreted from miR1-EXO cells could load abundant miR-1. Exosomal miR-1 delivered into CAL-27 cells by using miR1-EXO suppressed the expression of MET mRNA and inhibited cell proliferation.

microRNA-1 gene delivery mediated by exosomes suppresses CAL-27 cell proliferation / 华西口腔医学杂志

OBJECTIVES@#This study aims to construct endogenous exosomes abundantly loaded with miR-1 and investigate the role of exosome-mediated microRNA-1 (miR-1) delivery on CAL-27 cell proliferation.@*METHODS@#Exosomes secreted by miR-1-overexpressing HEK293 cells (miR1-EXO) were purified via ultracentrifugation and subjected to transmission electron microscopy, nanoparticle analysis, Western blot analysis, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). CAL-27 cells were cocultured with exosomes secreted by HEK293 cells (CON-EXO) and miR1-EXO and equivalent phosphate buffer saline. The intracellular transport of exosomes was measured by using immunofluorescence, the expression of miR-1 and its target gene MET were investigated via qPCR, CAL-27 cell proliferation was measured through MTT assay, and cell cycle state was determined by applying flow cytometry.@*RESULTS@#Electron microscopy revealed that miR1-EXO and CON-EXO were spherical or cup-shaped with an average diameter of approximately 110 nm. The well-known exosome markers CD9, Tsg101, and Alix were enriched. The expression of miR-1 in miR1-EXO was higher than that in CON-EXO (285.80±14.33 vs 1.00±0.06, @*CONCLUSIONS@#Exosomes secreted from miR1-EXO cells could load abundant miR-1. Exosomal miR-1 delivered into CAL-27 cells by using miR1-EXO suppressed the expression of MET mRNA and inhibited cell proliferation.

[Study on expression of LIM domain only protein 1 in SD rat oral buccal mucosa carcinogenesis induced by 4-nitro-quinoline N-oxide].

OBJECTIVE: This work aimed to determine the expression changes in LIM domain only protein 1 (LMO1) in gene transcription and protein levels during oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) development. METHODS: The tissues in this study were taken from our team's previous animal model building, and we performed hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining on 49 cases. The pathological classification of the experiment group was determined on the basis of the abnormal epithelial hyperplasia degree. The expression part of LMO1 was determined by immunohistochemistry staining. The mRNA and protein LMO1 expression levels in five groups were detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative of nucleotide polymer chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western blot, respectively. RESULTS: HE staining determined 7 cases of the control group, 6 cases of mild epithelial dysplasia, 11 cases of moderate epithelial dysplasia, 9 cases of severe epithelial dysplasia, and 16 cases of OSCC. Immunohistochemistry results: LMO1 expression was localized in the cytoplasm, and the positive expression rates of the protein LMO1 in the control and experiment groups were 14.3% for normal buccal mucosal tissue, 33.3% for mild epithelial dysplasia, 81.8% for moderate epithelial dysplasia, 88.9% for severe epithelial dysplasia, and 93.8% for OSCC. RT-qPCR results: mRNA expression was lowest in the control group and highest in the OSCC group, the difference between the mild dysplasia and control groups was not significant (P>0.05). Pairwise comparison among other groups showed statistically significant differences (P<0.05). Western blot results: with the aggravation of the pathological degree, the protein LMO1 expression level increased gradually. The OSCC group expressed the highest LMO1 expression level. CONCLUSIONS: The oral mucosa carcinogenesis models showed abnormal the mRNA and protein LMO1 expression levels, and the mRNA and protein expression levels were positively correlated with the degree of abnormal proliferation.

[Effect of the focal adhesion kinase inhibitor TAE226 on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell line].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of the focal adhesion kinase inhibitor TAE226 on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell line. METHODS: HSC-3 and HSC-4 cells were cultured with TAE226 under different concentrations (0, 1, 5, and 10 µmol·L⁻¹) for 24, 48, and 72 h. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect the mRNA expressions of E-cadherin and Vimentin. The protein expressions of E-cadherin and Vimentin were determined by Western blot assay after 48 h of TAE226 treatment. RESULTS: Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed that increasing the TAE226 dose and reaction time resulted in increased and decreased E-cadherin and Vimentin mRNA expressions, respectively (P<0.05). Western blot assays showed that increasing the TAE226 dose resulted in increased and decreased E-cadherin and Vimentin protein expressions, respectively (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: TAE226, which is expected to be an effective drug for OSCC treatment, can effectively inhibit the EMT of the OSCC cell line.

Effect of the focal adhesion kinase inhibitor TAE226 on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell line / 华西口腔医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To study the effect of the focal adhesion kinase inhibitor TAE226 on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell line.@*METHODS@#HSC-3 and HSC-4 cells were cultured with TAE226 under different concentrations (0, 1, 5, and 10 μmol·L⁻¹) for 24, 48, and 72 h. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect the mRNA expressions of E-cadherin and Vimentin. The protein expressions of E-cadherin and Vimentin were determined by Western blot assay after 48 h of TAE226 treatment.@*RESULTS@#Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed that increasing the TAE226 dose and reaction time resulted in increased and decreased E-cadherin and Vimentin mRNA expressions, respectively (P<0.05). Western blot assays showed that increasing the TAE226 dose resulted in increased and decreased E-cadherin and Vimentin protein expressions, respectively (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#TAE226, which is expected to be an effective drug for OSCC treatment, can effectively inhibit the EMT of the OSCC cell line.

Characterization of different biodegradable scaffolds in tissue engineering.

The aim of the present study was to compare the characteristics of acellular dermal matrix (ADM), small intestinal submucosa (SIS) and Bio­Gide scaffolds with acellular vascular matrix (ACVM)­0.25% human­like collagen I (HLC­I) scaffold in tissue engineering blood vessels. The ACVM­0.25% HLC­I scaffold was prepared and compared with ADM, SIS and Bio­Gide scaffolds via hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, Masson staining and scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations. Primary human gingival fibroblasts (HGFs) were cultured and identified. Then, the experiment was established via the seeding of HGFs on different scaffolds for 1, 4 and 7 days. The compatibility of four different scaffolds with HGFs was evaluated by H&E staining, SEM observation and Cell Counting Kit­8 assay. Then, a series of experiments were conducted to evaluate water absorption capacities, mechanical abilities, the ultra­microstructure and the cytotoxicity of the four scaffolds. The ACVM­0.25% HLC­I scaffold was revealed to exhibit the best cell proliferation and good cell architecture. ADM and Bio­Gide scaffolds exhibited good mechanical stability but cell proliferation was reduced when compared with the ACVM­0.25% HLC­I scaffold. In addition, SIS scaffolds exhibited the worst cell proliferation. The ACVM­0.25% HLC­I scaffold exhibited the best water absorption, followed by the SIS and Bio­Gide scaffolds, and then the ADM scaffold. In conclusion, the ACVM­0.25% HLC­I scaffold has good mechanical properties as a tissue engineering scaffold and the present results suggest that it has better biological characterization when compared with other scaffold types.

LATE: A Level-Set Method Based on Local Approximation of Taylor Expansion for Segmenting Intensity Inhomogeneous Images.

Intensity inhomogeneity is common in real-world images and inevitably leads to many difficulties for accurate image segmentation. Numerous level-set methods have been proposed to segment images with intensity inhomogeneity. However, most of these methods are based on linear approximation, such as locally weighted mean, which may cause problems when handling images with severe intensity inhomogeneities. In this paper, we view segmentation of such images as a nonconvex optimization problem, since the intensity variation in such an image follows a nonlinear distribution. Then, we propose a novel level-set method named local approximation of Taylor expansion (LATE), which is a nonlinear approximation method to solve the nonconvex optimization problem. In LATE, we use the statistical information of the local region as a fidelity term and the differentials of intensity inhomogeneity as an adjusting term to model the approximation function. In particular, since the first-order differential is represented by the variation degree of intensity inhomogeneity, LATE can improve the approximation quality and enhance the local intensity contrast of images with severe intensity inhomogeneity. Moreover, LATE solves the optimization of function fitting by relaxing the constraint condition. In addition, LATE can be viewed as a constraint relaxation of classical methods, such as the region-scalable fitting model and the local intensity clustering model. Finally, the level-set energy functional is constructed based on the Taylor expansion approximation. To validate the effectiveness of our method, we conduct thorough experiments on synthetic and real images. Experimental results show that the proposed method clearly outperforms other solutions in comparison.

Effect of puerarin in promoting fatty acid oxidation by increasing mitochondrial oxidative capacity and biogenesis in skeletal muscle in diabetic rats.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes is characterized by dyslipidemia and the accumulation of lipids in non-adipose tissue, including skeletal muscle. Puerarin, which is a natural isoflavonoid isolated from the root of the plant Pueraria lobata, has been shown to have antidiabetic activity. However, the lipid-reducing effect of puerarin, in particular in skeletal muscle, has not yet been addressed. METHODS: We examined the effect of puerarin on mitochondrial function and the oxidation of fatty acids in the skeletal muscle of high-fat diet/streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. RESULTS: Puerarin effectively alleviated dyslipidemia and decreased the accumulation of intramyocellular lipids by upregulating the expression of a range of genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis, oxidative phosphorylation, the detoxification of reactive oxygen species, and the oxidation of fatty acids in the muscle of diabetic rats. Also, the effect of puerarin on mitochondrial biogenesis might partially involve the function of the µ-opioid receptor. In addition, puerarin decreased the trafficking of fatty acid translocase/CD36 to the plasma membrane to reduce the uptake of fatty acids by myocytes. In vitro studies confirmed that puerarin acted directly on muscle cells to promote the oxidation of fatty acids in insulin-resistant myotubes treated with palmitate. CONCLUSIONS: Puerarin improved the performance of mitochondria in muscle and promoted the oxidation of fatty acids, which thus prevented the accumulation of intramyocellular lipids in diabetic rats. Our findings will be beneficial both for elucidating the mechanism of the antidiabetic activity of puerarin and for promoting the therapeutic potential of puerarin in the treatment of diabetes.

CD8+CD28+/CD8+CD28- T cell equilibrium can predict the active stage for patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The balance of blood CD8+CD28+/CD8+CD28- T cells has been verified to be vital for patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), but their role in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains unknown. This investigation aimed to evaluate the efficiency of the balance in predicting the active stage in IBD patients. METHODS: Fifty-three IBD subjects, including 31 UC and 22 Crohn's disease (CD) patients, were enrolled, and their peripheral blood CD8+CD28+ and CD8+CD28- T cell levels were tested using flow cytometry. The risk factors related to prognosis were compared between UC and CD patients. A 1-year follow-up was performed for all the IBD patients, and the CD8+ T cells and their ratio were compared at the 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th months during follow-up. The sensitivity and specificity of the CD8+ T cell level and balance were analyzed through receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves. The cumulative remission lasting rates (CRLRs) under the different factors were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Higher prescription rates of immunosuppressants, steroids, probiotics, and biological agents (BAs) were found in CD subjects in comparison to UC subjects (P=0.005, 0.024, 0.034, and 0.001), as was a higher active rate during follow-up (95.5% of CD patients vs 67.7% of UC patients, P=0.035). The CD8+CD28+ T cell level and the CD8+CD28+/CD8+CD28- T cell ratio were significantly higher in UC patients than in CD patients, but the reverse was true for CD8+CD28- T cells during follow-up at the 9th and 12th month (all P<0.05). The diagnostic models of the initial CD8+CD28+ and CD8+CD28- T cell numbers and the CD8+CD28+/CD8+CD28- T cell ratio in predicting the active stage were found to be significant, with areas under the curves (AUCs) of 0.883, 0.098, and 0.913 for UC subjects (with 95% CI: 0.709-0.940, 0.009-0.188, and 0.842-1.003; P=0.001, 0.00, and 0.000) and 0.812, 0.078, and 0.898 for CD subjects (with 95% CI: 0.683-0.957, 0.003-0.158, and 0.837-0.998; P=0.003, 0.00, and 0.000). The cut-off values showed that when the ratios were 1.30 for UC and 1.22 for CD patients, the best sensitivity and specificity were observed, with 91.6% and 89.0% for UC and 88.5% and 85.1% for CD, respectively. The CRLRs were significantly higher in female, non-BA-treated, non-surgical IBD subjects when compared to male, BA-treated, surgical subjects (P=0.031, 0.000, and 0.000). The number of CD8+CD28+ and CD8+CD28- T cells and the CD8+CD28+/CD8+CD28- T cell ratio were correlated with BA treatment and surgery (all P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The CD8+CD28+/CD8+CD28- T cell balance, expected to be a novel immunologic marker, presented a satisfactory efficiency with high sensitivity and specificity in predicting the active stage in UC and CD patients, and the balance was closely related to the use of BAs and surgery.

Oral health status in Sichuan Province: findings from the oral health survey of Sichuan, 2015-2016.

To investigate oral health status in the residents of Sichuan Province, southwest China, a cross-sectional study was performed using the latest Oral Health Survey Basic Methods recommended by the World Health Organization. A multistage stratified random cluster-sampling method was used to enroll participants from the following three groups: children aged 3-5 years, adolescents aged 12 years, and people aged 65-74 years. In these three groups, the mean numbers of teeth that were affected by caries were 3.28, 0.86 and 5.13, respectively, resulting in a prevalence of 63.47%, 37.20% and 83.20%, respectively. Relative to the high rate of decayed teeth, the prevalence of fillings was very low in all age groups (0.97%, 7.24% and 5.43%, respectively). In the 12-year-old adolescent group, only 3.61% had good pit and fissure sealing. In addition, the rate of dental fluorosis was 24.80%, and the Community Fluorosis Index value was 0.39. In the elder group, the community periodontal index was 2.92. The prevalence in the elderly of having lost at least one tooth was 75.54%. Additionally, 4.44% of these participants were edentulous. The incidence of dental prosthesis was 51.75%, the proportion with a removable partial denture, a fixed denture, full dentures, dental implants and an informal fixed bridge was 21.59%, 11.45%, 4.64%, 0 and 16.67%, respectively. In this study, 8.2% of the elderly participants were affected by different types of oral mucosal lesions. Among such lesions, recurrent aphthous ulcers were most prevalent (2.69%) and oral lichen planuses were second (1.6%). The conclusion presented in this survey is that oral diseases, especially dental caries and periodontal disease, are frequent and common in Sichuan province, China. Moreover, the treatment rate is very low, and primary prevention and treatment options are therefore urgently needed in this population.

[Immunological balance of CD8+CD28+/CD8+CD28- T lymphocytes can predict gastrointestinal hemorrhage in patients with inflammatory bowel disease].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of CD8+CD28+/CD8+CD28- T lymphocyte balance in predicting the gastrointestinal hemorrhage (GH) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). METHODS: Forty-nine IBD patients, including 30 with ulcerous colitis (UC) and 19 with Crohn's disease (CD), were enrolled to test peripheral blood CD8+CD28+ and CD8+CD28- T cells using flow cytometry. All the patients were followed up for one year. The receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to test the efficiency of CD8+CD28+/CD8+CD28- T lymphocyte balance to predict GH. The differences in lasting time of remission (LTR) under different factors were compared using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and the correlation between CD8+ T lymphocytes and the factors were analyzed. RESULTS: The utilization rates of immunosuppressant, steroids, and biological agent (BA) were significantly higher in CD patients than in UC patients (P=0.003, 0.043 and 0.002, respectively). The frequencies of CD8+CD28+T cells were obviously higher in UC patients than those in CD patients (t=3.022, P=0.004). CD8+CD28+T cells, CD8+CD28- T cells, and especially CD8+CD28+/CD8+CD28- ratio (area under curve of 0.977, P=0.000; cut-off value of 1.14 [13.95%/12.24%] with a sensitivity of 93.3% and a specificity of 91.2%) showed good efficiencies in predicting GH (P<0.01). The mean and median of LTR of IBD patients who did not receive BA or surgical treatment were significantly longer (Χ2=9.730, P=0.002; Χ2=15.981, P=0.000). CD8+CD28+/CD8+CD28- ratio was significantly related to both BA (P=0.009) and surgery (P=0.038). CONCLUSION: Both decreased CD8+CD28+T cells and elevated CD8+CD28-T cells are closely correlated with GH, and their ratio can predict the occurrence of GH with a high sensitivity and specificity and is correlated with BA and surgery at the cut-off value of 1.14.

[Expression of cytokeratin 19 in the development and progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma].

PURPOSE: To investigate the expression of cytokeratin 19 (CK19) in various stages of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), and to explore the relation between CK19 and OSCC. METHODS: Forty-nine specimens including normal oral mucosa, epithelial hyperplasia, epithelial dysplasia, and oral squamous carcinoma were investigated. The expression of CK19 was detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. The serum of OSCC patients and healthy people was collected and CYFRA21-1 level was determined by ELISA. SPSS17.0 software package was used for data elevated. RESULTS: CK19 was detectable in suprabasal cell layers in epithelia dysplasia and in oral cancer, especially in poorly-differentiated cancerous cells. With epithelia dysplasia becoming worse, the positive rate and the intensity of CKI9 raised significantly. CYKA21-1 in OSCC was significantly higher than that in normal control group(P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: CK19 overexpression is an early event in the process of oral mucosal canceration. Its abnormal expression can be used as one of the reliable indexes of early diagnosis of OSCC.

Immunological balance of CD8CD28/CD8CD28T lymphocytes can predict gastrointestinal hemorrhage in patients with inflammatory bowel disease / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of CD8CD28/CD8CD28T lymphocyte balance in predicting the gastrointestinal hemorrhage (GH) in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-nine IBD patients, including 30 with ulcerous colitis (UC) and 19 with Crohn's disease (CD), were enrolled to test peripheral blood CD8CD28and CD8CD28T cells using flow cytometry. All the patients were followed up for one year. The receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to test the efficiency of CD8CD28/CD8CD28T lymphocyte balance to predict GH. The differences in lasting time of remission (LTR) under different factors were compared using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and the correlation between CD8T lymphocytes and the factors were analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The utilization rates of immunosuppressant, steroids, and biological agent (BA) were significantly higher in CD patients than in UC patients (P=0.003, 0.043 and 0.002, respectively). The frequencies of CD8CD28T cells were obviously higher in UC patients than those in CD patients (t=3.022, P=0.004). CD8CD28T cells, CD8CD28T cells, and especially CD8CD28/CD8CD28ratio (area under curve of 0.977, P=0.000; cut-off value of 1.14 [13.95%/12.24%] with a sensitivity of 93.3% and a specificity of 91.2%) showed good efficiencies in predicting GH (P<0.01). The mean and median of LTR of IBD patients who did not receive BA or surgical treatment were significantly longer (Χ=9.730, P=0.002; Χ=15.981, P=0.000). CD8CD28/CD8CD28ratio was significantly related to both BA (P=0.009) and surgery (P=0.038).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Both decreased CD8CD28T cells and elevated CD8CD28T cells are closely correlated with GH, and their ratio can predict the occurrence of GH with a high sensitivity and specificity and is correlated with BA and surgery at the cut-off value of 1.14.</p>

Association Between the MUC5B Promoter Polymorphism rs35705950 and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: A Meta-analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis in Caucasian and Asian Populations.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive disease with a poor prognosis. A number of studies reported the association between MUC5B promoter polymorphism rs35705950 and IPF, but substantial inconsistent findings were observed and the strength of association remains unclear.The aim of the study was to investigate the association between rs35705950 and IPF in different ethnic populations.PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and CENTRAL were searched from their inception to April 15, 2015. Allelic and phenotypic comparisons were conducted separately, as were comparisons in Caucasian and Asian populations. A meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis was conducted.Nine studies presented in 7 full-text articles were included, encompassing 2733 IPF patients and 5044 controls. Six studies were carried out in the Caucasian population, and 3 in the Asian population. Minor T allele was associated with an increased risk of IPF compared with G allele (odds ratio [OR] 4.85, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.79-6.21, P = 5.88 × 10), as were TG and TT genotypes compared with GG genotype (TG vs GG: OR 6.20, 95% CI 5.14-7.48, P = 1.70 × 10; TT vs GG: OR 11.29, 95% CI 5.69-22.40, P = 4.22 × 10), in an allele dose-dependent manner. These observations were confirmed in trial sequential analysis in both populations. The strength of association was more remarkable in the Caucasian population than in the Asian population, and no homozygous TT genotype was detected in the Asian population in our study.Our study revealed strong association between the MUC5B promoter rs35705950 polymorphism and the risk of IPF. The strength of association between rs35705950 minor T allele and IPF susceptibility was particularly evident in the Caucasian population, and milder but still significant in the Asian population.