[Expression and clinical significance of LRFN4 in colorectal cancer tissue].

Objective: To investigate the expression and clinical significance of LRFN4 in colorectal cancer. Methods: A total of 210 cases of colorectal cancer tissues and 228 cases of corresponding surgical margin tissues were collected. Immunohistochemistry was employed to evaluate the expression of LRFN4 in colorectal cancer.The correlation between LRFN4 expression and clinicopathological features of colorectal cancer as well as patient outcome were analyzed. Results: The positive rate of LRFN4 in colorectal cancer and in non-cancer was 55.24%(116/210), and 37.28% (85/228) , respectively.The expression of LRFN4 in colorectal cancer tissues was higher than that in non-cancer tissues(χ(2)=14.196, P<0.001). High expression of LRFN4 was significantly correlated with tumor location(χ(2)=4.133,P=0.042), T staging(χ(2)=6.494,P=0.039), N staging(χ(2)=11.715,P=0.008), TNM staging(χ(2)=13.398,P=0.004), CEA (χ(2)=6.017, P=0.049), but without gender, age, degree of differentiation, M staging(P>0.05).The Kaplan-Meier survival curves indicated that high LRFN4 expression was associated with good survival (P<0.05). In addition, Cox proportional hazards model showed that the high expression of LRFN4(HR=0.585, P=0.018)was an independent risk factor for prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer. Conclusions: The expression of LRFN4 is up-regulated in colorectal cancer, which is significantly correlated with the clinicopathological features and prognosis. High expression of LRFN4 reduced the risk of death in patients with colorectal cancer.

Association between air pollution and upper respiratory tract infection in hospital outpatients aged 0-14 years in Hefei, China: a time series study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between air pollution and upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) in children aged 0-14 years in Hefei, China in 2014-2015. STUDY DESIGN: An ecological method (i.e. generalised additive model [GAM]) was used to explore the effects of air pollutants on paediatric hospital outpatients with URTI. METHODS: GAM was used to evaluate the lag effects (including lag0 to lag6, lag01 and lag06) between daily changes in particulate matter (PM10), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), ozone (O3) and carbon monoxide (CO) and the number of hospital outpatients with URTI in 2014-2015, after controlling for the confounding effects of long-term trends, seasonality, day of the week, public holidays and meteorological factors. RESULTS: PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2 and CO in the single-pollutant models had significant positive effects on the number of paediatric hospital outpatients with URTI. It was found that per 10 µg/m3 increasing in concentrations of PM10 at lag3, PM2.5, SO2, NO2 and CO at lag06 were associated with an increase of Excess risk (ER) with 0.15% (95% CI: 0.07%∼0.23%), 0.38% (95% CI: 0.17%∼0.60%), 2.92% (95% CI: 1.88%∼3.97%), 4.47% (95% CI: 3.69%∼5.25%) and 0.05% (95% CI: 0.02%∼0.08%), respectively. Only NO2 remained significantly positively associated with the number of hospital outpatients with URTI in the full-pollutant models, and ERs were 4.72% (95% CI = 3.76%-5.69%) and 4.70% (95% CI = 3.76%-5.65%) per 10 µg/m3 increase in NO2 in Model 1 (including PM10, SO2, NO2, O3 and CO) and Model 2 (including PM2.5, SO2, NO2, O3 and CO), respectively. CONCLUSION: This study showed that short-term exposure to air pollution was associated with increased risk of URTI among paediatric hospital outpatients aged 0-14 years in Hefei. NO2 was the major air pollutant affecting the daily number of paediatric hospital outpatients with URTI.

Overexpression of zinc finger protein 687 enhances tumorigenic capability and promotes recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Zinc finger protein 687 (ZNF687), identified as a C2H2 zinc finger protein, has been found to be mutated and upregulated in giant cell tumor of bone and acute myeloid leukemia, suggesting an oncogenic role for ZNF687 in cancer. However, the clinical significance and precise role of ZNF687 in cancer progression are largely unknown. Herein, we report that ZNF687 was markedly upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines and HCC tissues, and was significantly correlated with relapse-free survival in HCC. ZNF687 overexpression greatly enhanced HCC cell capability for tumorsphere formation, invasion and chemoresistance in vitro, whereas inhibiting ZNF687 reduced these capabilities and inhibited HCC cell tumorigenic capability in vivo. Importantly, extreme limiting dilution analysis revealed that even 1 × 102 ZNF687-transduced cells could form tumors in vivo, indicating that ZNF687 contributes to HCC recurrence. Moreover, we demonstrate that ZNF687 transcriptionally upregulated the expression of the pluripotency-associated factors BMI1, OCT4 and NANOG by directly targeting their promoters. Therefore, our results suggest that ZNF687 has a promoter role in regulating HCC progression, which provides a potential therapeutic target for HCC in humans.

[One-night-stand behavior and associated factors among young men who have sex with men in Wuhan, China].

Objective: This present study was to examine the prevalence and determinants of one-night-stand behavior among young men who have sex with men (YMSM). Methods: A total of 403 YMSM aged 16 to 25 were recruited through internet promotion, extending activity and HIV VCT in Wuhan. Data was gathered through anonymous questionnaire. Binary logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with one-night-stand behavior. Results: Of the 398 YMSM, 48.99% (195/398) reported having had casual sex in the last 6 months. Of the ones having had casual sex, 34.29% (60/175) and 28.65% (49/171) reported using condoms consistently during anal or oral sexual contacts, respectively. These figures were lower than those of YMSM not having casual sexual contacts [with anal sex as 49.08% (80/163) and oral sex as 38.85% (61/157)]. 76.80% (149/194) of the YMSM reported having had multiple sexual partners, with the figure higher than those without [33.15% (60/181)] (P<0.01). Results from the logistic regression analysis showed that the following factors seemed to be associated with casual sex activities among YMSM, including: often using internet, (OR=4.89, 95%CI: 1.90-12.54), taking illegal drugs (OR=2.72, 95%CI: 1.60-4.63). Conclusions: YMSM who had engaged in casual sex, practicing unprotected sex or having multiple sexual partners, were recognized as high risk population. Targeted intervention programs are needed to decrease the one-night-stand behavior. Internet intervention strategy seemed an important method to serve the purpose.

[Association between HIV infection and female sex workers in middle aged and old men in a city in Hubei provine, 2014].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the HIV infection status in middle aged and old men and the association between HIV infection and female sex workers in a city in Hubei province and provide evidence for the targeted prevention and control of HIV infection. METHODS: Ten communities/villages were selected through stratified cluster sampling from the suburban and rural areas of the city. A total of 634 men aged ≥50 years were surveyed by using self-designed questionnaire in December, 2014. RESULTS: The awareness rate of HIV/AIDS related knowledge was 13.3%(68/513). Among the men surveyed, 63.2%(371/587)thought they couldn't be infected with HIV, 9.1%(52/573)believed that extramarital sex is acceptable, and 32.4%(189/583)considered that commercial sexual behavior is just as well. Among the surveyed men reporting sexual behavior in the past 6 months, 6.6%(15/228)had sex with regular sexual partners, in which 63.6%(7/11)never used condoms, 21.8%(128/586)reported that some friends had commercial sexual behaviors. Among 601 men receiving HIV testing, 7 were HIV positive(1.2%). The HIV detection rates among the men living at 3 communities near red light district were 4.2%(5/119), 1.1%(1/95)and 0.5%(1/192)respectively; while no HIV infections were found in the men living at 2 towns far away from red light district. Seventy seven of 581 men surveyed(13.2%)reported to meet visiting female sex workers and they had higher HIV positive rate(5.2%, 4/77)than those without such experiences(0.6%, 3/504)(P=0.007). CONCLUSION: The middle aged and old men in this city had low awareness of HIV/AIDs related knowledge, and high-risk sexual behaviors existed among them. HIV positive rate was relatively high in this population, and HIV infection might be associated with sex service.

Effects of pioglitazone and glipizide on platelet function in patients with type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: Platelet hyper-reactivity is one of the most important causes of accelerated atherosclerosis and increased risk of thrombotic vascular events associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study aimed to investigate the effects of different add-on anti-diabetic therapies on platelet function in T2DM patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A three-group parallel study was conducted in 120 patients with T2DM (HbA1c > 7%) undergoing treatment with metformin. Patients were randomly assigned to receive add-on therapy with glipizide or pioglitazone. Markers of PF (platelet PAC-1 binding, p-selectin expression and adenosine diphosphate-induced platelet aggregation) were measured at weeks 0, 4 and 24. Primary outcome was effects of pioglitazone and glipizide on platelet aggregation. Secondary outcome was the related influencing factors of platelet aggregation. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between glipizide and pioglitazone groups. After 24 weeks, fasting blood glucose (p < 0.01) and HbA1c (p < 0.01) were higher in pioglitazone group than those in glipizide group. Fasting insulin (p < 0.01) and HOMA-IR (p < 0.01) were lower in pioglitazone group than that in glipizide group. Markers of platelet function were significantly decreased in both groups at 24 weeks (PAC-1: pioglitazone: -63.3%; glipizide: -45.9%; p-selectin: pioglitazone: -73.9%; glipizide: -54.9%; platelet aggregation: pioglitazone: -24.1%; glipizide: -13.4%; all p < 0.01 vs. baseline), but the decrease in platelet function was more significant in pioglitazone group (p < 0.05). Multiple linear regression analyses showed that platelet aggregation was independently associated with treatment groups (p < 0.001), Triglyceride (p = 0.009) and HDL-C (p = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: Add-on therapy with pioglitazone may be more effective than glipizide for inhibiting platelet activation in T2DM.

Clinicopathological features and prognostic factors of rectal gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

AIM: Rectal gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) was a rare disease. This study sought to summarize clinicopathological features and prognostic factors of rectal GISTs. METHODS: Clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic factors of rectal GISTs were investigated by reviewing patients undergoing curative resection at the Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center between 1986 and 2010. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients, 15 male and 6 female, were included. The mean age of onset was 51 years. The most common initial presentation was hematochezia (7 cases). Eleven patients underwent radical resection, and the other 10 received local resection. No lymph node metastases were identified. All cases were positive for CD117. Seventeen patients were classified as high National Institutes of Health (NIH) risk category. The 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival were 33 and 46 %, respectively. Fifteen cases had recurrence postoperatively. Both univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated the NIH risk category (p = 0.028) and hematochezia symptom (p = 0.014) were independent prognostic factors of the DFS of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Hematochezia was the most common initial symptom. Over 50 % of patients received radical surgery. More than 80 % of patients were at high NIH risk of recurrence. Hematochezia symptom and high NIH risk category indicated poor prognosis of rectal GISTs.