Systems Pharmacology-based Analysis of Anti-tumor Mechanism of Houttuynia cordata / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the effective components， targets， and mechanism of Houttuynia cordata against lung cancer by means of systems pharmacology and further to provide a reference for the further development and clinical application of this medicinal. MethodChemical components of H. cordata were retrieved from Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform （TCMSP） and the active components were screened based on oral bioavailability （OB） and drug-likeness （DL）. Then the potential targets were predicted， followed by enrichment analysis. Finally， sodium houttuyfonate （SH） was selected for verifying the anti-tumor mechanism. Cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay was used to evaluate the effect of SH on the in vitro proliferation of two lung cancer cell lines： A549 and LLC， and the regulation of tumor-related proteins by SH was verified by Western blot. ResultA total of 7 active compounds and 352 targets of the active components were screened out. According to the enrichment analysis of targets， H. cordata had potential therapeutic effects on cancer. SH had inhibitory effect on both A549 and LLC. Western blot results showed that G1/S-specific Cyclin D1， E1 and cyclin-dependent kinase （CDK）2， CDK4 all tended to be down-regulated， and Janus kinase 2 （JAK2）/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3） also changed significantly. ConclusionH. cordata has the potential anti-tumor effects by arresting the tumor cells in the G1 phase through the JAK2/STAT3 pathway.

Research progress of DNA methylation in the diagnosis of early colorectal cancer / 国际外科学杂志

Colorectal cancer is a common tumor of the digestive system with a high degree of malignancy. Most patients are in the advanced stages of the disease when they develop symptoms. Although the detection rate of traditional screening methods is improving with advances in imaging and the popularity of colonoscopy, the diagnosis of early, asymptomatic colon cancer is still unsatisfactory. Therefore, it is particularly important to further study the occurrence and development mechanism of colorectal cancer and obtain new ideas for the diagnosis and treatment.? In recent years, with the deepening of epigenetics research, the role of DNA methylation in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer has gradually attracted attention. This paper will review the research progress of DNA methylation in colorectal cancer′s diagnosis and treatment.

Modified Bascom cleft lift procedure for chronic pilonidal sinus / 中华普通外科杂志

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of modified Bascom cleft lift procedure in the treatment of chronic sinus.Methods Modified Bascom cleft lift procedure was performed in 53 patients admitted from Oct 2012 to Jul 2016.49 cases were male and 4 were female.The average age was (25.4± 2.3) years.Results All patients were satisfied with the operation.There were 49 cases of primary healing and 4 cases of incision complications.The average follow-up was (12.1 ±4.3) months,no recurrence was observed.Conclusion The modified Bascom cleft lift technique is effective and reliable,with less complications and a lower recurrence rate.

The therapeutic evaluation of video-assisted anal fistula treatment for Parks Ⅱ anal fistula / 中华普通外科杂志

Objective To evaluate video-assisted anal fistula treatment (VAAFT) for Parks type Ⅱ anal fistula.Methods 40 Parks type Ⅱ anal fistula patients underwent VAAFT procedure from June 2015 to June 2017.Results were compared with 40 cases treated by incision and thread drawing.Results There was no significant difference between the two groups for curative effect,postoperative urinary retention,wound edema,bleeding and recurrence rate after 6 months of operation (90％ vs.95％,x2 =0.722,P =0.697;5％ vs.8％,x2 =0.213,P=1.0;2％ vs.8％,x2 =1.053,P=0.615;0 vs.5％,x2 =2.051,P =0.494;10％ vs.5％,x2 =0.721,P =0.675).Pain on first day and one week after operation in the VAAFT was less [(1.9±0.6) vs.(3.7±1.0),t =9.438,P=0.001;(0.9±0.7) vs.(1.9±0.8),t=6.269,P=0.001],hospital stay was shorter [8.4 ±1.3) d vs.(9.2 ±2.2) d,t =2.030,P=0.047],wound healing was faster [(27 ±8) dm.(38 ±6) d,t =7.328,P =0.001].The Jorge-Wexner incontinence score [(0.5±0.7) vs.(1.2±1.3),t =2.951,P=0.005] and the fecal incontinence severity index [(1.1±1.6) vs.(5.1 ±3.2),t =7.097,P=0.001] were lower in patients receiving VAAFT procedure.Conclusion Video-assisted anal fistula treatment is a safe and effective surgical method with the advantages of less trauma,and pain,quicker recovery and no damage to the anal sphincter.

Six Degree-of-Freedom Haptic Simulation of a Stringed Musical Instrument for Triggering Sounds.

Six degree-of-freedom (DoF) haptic rendering of multi-region contacts between a moving hand avatar and varied-shaped components of a music instrument is fundamental to realizing interactive simulation of music playing. There are two aspects of computational challenges: first, some components have significantly small sizes in some dimensions, such as the strings on a seven-string plucked instrument (e.g., Guqin), which makes it challenging to avoid pop-through during multi-region contact scenarios. Second, deformable strings may produce high-frequency vibration, which requires simulating diversified and subtle force sensations when a hand interacts with strings in different ways. In this paper, we propose a constraint-based approach to haptic interaction and simulation between a moving hand avatar and various parts of a string instrument, using a cylinder model for the string that has a large length-radius ratio and a sphere-tree model for the other parts that have complex shapes. Collision response algorithms based on configuration-based optimization is adapted to solve for the contact configuration of the hand avatar interacting with thin strings without penetration. To simulate the deformation and vibration of a string, a cylindrical volume with variable diameters is defined with response to the interaction force applied by the operator. Experimental results have validated the stability and efficiency of the proposed approach. Subtle force feelings can be simulated to reflect varied interaction patterns, to differentiate collisions between the hand avatar with a static or vibrating string and the effects of various colliding forces and touch locations on the strings.

Chemokine Signaling Pathway Involved in CCL2 Expression in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

PURPOSE: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory joint disorder, the progression of which leads to the destruction of cartilage and bone. Chemokines are involved in RA pathogenesis. In this study, we investigated the chemokine signaling pathway associated with CCL2 in peripheral blood (PB) and synovial tissues (ST) of RA patients based on our previous work about chemokine signaling pathway involved in the activation of CCL2 production in collagen-induced arthritis rat ST. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Total RNA was isolated from PB leukocytes and synovium of the knee joint in both RA patients and control populations. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to determine CCL4, CCR5, c-Jun, c-Fos, and CCL2 expressions. Serum level of CCL2 was assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the production of CCL2 in ST was analyzed immunohistochemically. RESULTS: The expressions of CCL4, CCR5, c-Jun, c-Fos, and CCL2 messenger RNA in RA patients were significantly higher than those in healthy controls, both in ST and on PB leukocyte. Serum CCL2 levels were elevated in RA patients. Histological examination of rheumatoid joints revealed extensive CCL2 expression in RA ST. CONCLUSION: CCL2, CCL4, c-Jun, c-Fos, and CCR5 may play an important role in the recruitment of PB leukocytes into the RA joints. These data provide evidence that the chemokine signaling pathway is involved in CCL2 expression in RA patient tissues, which may contribute to chronic inflammation associated with RA. Targeting this signaling pathway may provide a novel therapeutic avenue in RA.

Configuration-based optimization for six degree-of-freedom haptic rendering for fine manipulation.

Six-degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) haptic rendering for fine manipulation in narrow space is a challenging topic because of frequent constraint changes caused by small tool movement and the requirement to preserve the feel of fine-features of objects. In this paper, we introduce a configuration-based constrained optimization method for solving this rendering problem. We represent an object using a hierarchy of spheres, i.e., a sphere tree, which allows faster detection of multiple contacts/collisions among objects than polygonal mesh and facilitates contact constraint formulation. Given a moving graphic tool as the avatar of the haptic tool in the virtual environment, we compute its quasi-static motion by solving a configuration-based optimization. The constraints in the 6D configuration space of the graphic tool is obtained and updated through online mapping of the nonpenetration constraint between the spheres of the graphic tool and those of the other objects in the three-dimensional physical space, based on the result of collision detection. This problem is further modeled as a quadratic programming optimization and solved by the classic active-set methods. Our algorithm has been implemented and interfaced with a 6-DOF Phantom Premium 3.0. We demonstrate its performance in several benchmarks involving complex, multiregion contacts. The experimental results show both the high efficiency and stability of haptic rendering by our method for complex scenarios. Nonpenetration between the graphic tool and the object is maintained under frequent contact switches. Update rate of the simulation loop including optimization and constraint identification is maintained at about 1 kHz.

iDental: A Haptic-Based Dental Simulator and Its Preliminary User Evaluation.

Performance evaluation is indispensable for a surgical simulator to become acceptable. A haptics-based dental simulator (iDental) has been developed and preliminary user evaluation on its first-generation prototype has been carried out to gain the knowledge. Based on detailed requirement analysis of Periodontics procedures, a combined evaluation method including qualitative and quantitative analysis was designed. Construct validity was used to compare the performance difference between two groups of participants (faculty members and dental graduate students). These participants were required to perform three periodontal examination and treatment procedures including periodontal pocket probing, calculus detection, and removal. From the evaluation results, we found that penetration between tool and teeth or cheek will greatly decrease the fidelity of the simulation, therefore, it is necessary to utilize 6-DOF haptic device with both force and torque feedback in dental simulator, and accordingly it is needed to extend point-based rendering to 6-DOF haptic rendering of multiregion contacts. Furthermore, several other key research topics that will enable haptic technology to be effective in a practical dental simulator were identified, including simulation of deformable body such as tongue and gingival, and simulation of occlusion of tongue and cheek on teeth, etc.

Collocation Accuracy of Visuo-Haptic System: Metrics and Calibration.

Human resolution of collocation error between haptic and stereoscopic displays influences the design of visuo-haptic rendering algorithms, yet it is not well characterized. In the present study, we propose quantified metrics to measure the visuo-haptic collocation error and a prototype based on half-silvered mirror is established to validate the metrics. After defining collocation error in terms of the spatial correspondence between a tool and a surface, a mathematical model is derived that relates collocation error to the visual and haptic rendering modules within the computational pipeline. A calibration method consisting of Perspective Calibration (PC) and Model Calibration (MC) is then proposed to compensate for manufacturing and assembly tolerances. Based on measurement values by a precise measurement apparatus, i.e., the FARO Arm, parameters for the PC and MC were determined. System performance is evaluated by measuring the collocation error between a real handle and its visual avatar. The average collocation error was 1.8 mm within the XwYwOw plane, and the error never exceeded 7 mm within an 80 mm × 80 mm × 80 mm workspace.

Expression of MMP-9 and its correlation with cancer cell proliferation and metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma / 实用口腔医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9) and its correlation with cancer cell proliferation and metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Methods: Immunohistochemical SP method was used to detect the expression of MMP-9 and Ki-67 in 40 cases of OSCC.Results:The expression of MMP-9 was closely correlated with lymph nodes metastasis and TNM stage of OSCC(P0.05). In cases with lymph nodes metastasis and TNM stage III+IV, the expression of MMP-9 was significantly higher than that in no lymph nodes metastasis and TNM stage I+II(P