Effect of computerized cognitive remediation therapy on mental time travel in patients with schizophrenia- a pilot randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To investigate the intervention effect of computerized cognitive remediation therapy (CCRT) on mental time travel (MTT) in patients with schizophrenia(SCZ). Methods: From August 2020 to July 2021, 60 patients with SCZ were randomly allocated to either the study or the control group. The control group was treated with conventional drugs alone. The study group received CCRT and medical therapy for 40 minutes three times a week for 4 weeks. The participants underwent the MTT test before and after the training. Results: A total of 28 patients in the study group and 26 patients in the control group were included in the analysis. Before training, there was no significant difference in the concretization ratio of recalling past and imagining future events between the study group and the control group (P > 0.05). After 4 weeks of training, the specific event ratio of the study group was higher than that of the control group (P < 0.01). In terms of the emotional titer of the events, the concreteness of the positive events in the study group was higher than that of the neutral events and negative events (P < 0.01). The concreteness of negative events was higher than that of neutral events (P < 0.01). Conclusion: CCRT can improve the MTT ability of SCZ patients, which is manifested by an increase in the concretiveness of recalling past and imagining future events.

Revealing the potential of necroptosis-related genes in prognosis, immune characteristics, and treatment strategies for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Necroptosis is a recently discovered apoptotic mechanism that has been linked to tumor formation, prognosis, and treatment response. However, the relationship between the TME and NRGs remains unclear. In this study, we analyzed the expression patterns of NRGs in 769 HNSCC cases from two distinct data sets. Our findings revealed distinct genetic groups and a correlation between patient clinical features, prognosis, TME cell infiltration characteristics, and NRG alterations. We then developed an NRG model to predict OS and confirmed its accuracy in predicting OS in HNSCC patients. Moreover, we have devised a precise nomogram that enhances the clinical utility of the NRG model substantially. The low-risk group had a better OS, and they were associated with immune suppression, more mutated genes, and higher TIDE scores. The risk score also had a significant correlation with the CSC index and susceptibility to anti-tumor agents. Our study provides insights into how NRGs affect prognosis, clinically significant features, TME, and immunotherapy response in HNSCC. With a better knowledge of NRGs in HNSCC, we could assess the prognosis and develop immunotherapy regimens that are more successful at opening up new doors.

The LncRNA DUXAP10 Could Function as a Promising Oncogene in Human Cancer.

Cancer is one of the most prevalent and deadliest diseases globally, with an increasing morbidity of approximately 14 million new cancer cases per year. Identifying novel diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for cancers is important for developing cancer therapeutic strategies and lowering mortality rates. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) represent a group of noncoding RNAs of more than 200 nucleotides that have been shown to participate in the development of human cancers. The novel lncRNA DUXAP10 was newly reported to be abnormally overexpressed in several cancers and positively correlated with poor clinical characteristics of cancer patients. Multiple studies have found that DUXAP10 widely regulates vital biological functions related to the development and progression of cancers, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, migration, and stemness, through different molecular mechanisms. The aim of this review was to recapitulate current findings regarding the roles of DUXAP10 in cancers and evaluate the potential of DUXAP10 as a novel biomarker for cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prognostic assessment.

Analysis of difficulties and influencing factors in treatment of appendiceal abscess in children with laparoscopic surgery.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate and analyze the difficulties and the influencing factors in the laparoscopic surgery for appendiceal abscess in children. METHODS: Forty-six patients with appendiceal abscess receiving laparoscopic surgery (laparoscopic surgery group) in Xuzhou Children's Hospital from January 2012 to March 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. The surgery was performed using the 3-hole method, the 30° lens was placed in umbilical region, and the left lower abdomen and superior pubis were the operating holes. If the appendix was thick and big, 10 mm trocar was replaced on the superior pubis and the appendix was removed, followed by pelvic or lower abdominal drainage via the superior pubis incision. RESULTS: The laparoscopic surgery group was compared with 45 cases of laparotomy (traditional surgery group) for appendiceal abscess performed by the same group of operators in the past, and the perioperative period and postoperative complications between the two groups were compared. The child patients' age, history of abdominal pain and prediagnosis treatment were compared within the laparoscopic surgery group. Compared with those in traditional surgery group, the surgery time in laparoscopic surgery group had no statistically significant difference (P>0.05), the incidence rate of complications was lower, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). In laparoscopic surgery group, the surgery time of child patients aged ≥6 years old with the medical history for more than 5 days and unreasonable preoperative treatment was longer than that of child patients aged <6 years old with the medical history for less than or equal to 5 days and reasonable preoperative treatment, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with the traditional surgery, laparoscopic surgery for appendiceal abscess in children can significantly reduce the postoperative complications; at the same time, the history of abdominal pain and preoperative treatment are the influencing factors of surgery.

Exosomal lncRNA KLF3-AS1 derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells stimulates angiogenesis to promote diabetic cutaneous wound healing.

AIMS: We focused on BMSC-derived exosomal lncRNA KLF3-AS1 and its significance in diabetic cutaneous wound healing. METHODS: Potential interaction between KLF3-AS1 and miR-383, miR-383 and VEGFA were predicted using bioinformatic analysis and validated by luciferase reporter, RIP, and FISH assays. The proliferation, apoptosis, migration and tube formation of HUVECs were evaluated by CCK-8, flow cytometry, wound healing, and tube formation assays, respectively. A murine diabetic cutaneous wound model was used to investigate therapeutic effects of exosomal KLF3-AS1 in vivo. Histological alterations in skin tissues were examined using HE, Masson staining, and immunostaining of CD31. RESULTS: BMSC-derived exosomal KLF3-AS1 sufficiently promoted proliferation, migration, and tube formation, while inhibited apoptosis of HUVECs challenged by high glucose. The protective effects of exosomal KLF3-AS1 were achieved at least partially by down-regulating miR-383, and boosting the expression of its target, VEGFA. In vivo, exosomes from KLF3-AS1-expressing BMSCs demonstrated the best effects in promoting cutaneous wound healing in diabetic mice, which were associated with minimal weight loss, increased blood vessel formation, reduced inflammation, decreased miR-383 expression, and up-regulated VEGFA. CONCLUSIONS: Exosomal lncRNA KLF3-AS1 derived from BMSCs induces angiogenesis to promote diabetic cutaneous wound healing.

Quercetin protects oral mucosal keratinocytes against lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory toxicity by suppressing the AKT/AMPK/mTOR pathway.

BACKGROUND: Cytokines can induce a chronic inflammatory response in the periodontium, leading to periodontitis. Quercetin, a naturally occuring flavonoid, has been shown to inhibit periodontitis, but how it works is poorly understood. In this study, we assessed the impact of quercetin on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory damage in oral mucosal keratinocytes (hOMK107) and explored its underlying mechanism. METHODS: The viability and apoptosis of hOMK107 cells were measured after exposure to LPS, followed or not by quercetin. The production of IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-ɑ, iNOS, and COX-2 was quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), while levels of Akt, AMPK, and mTOR and their phosphorylation were detected semi-quantitatively by western blotting. RESULTS: Quercetin significantly improved cell viability and apoptosis by reversing LPS-induced upregulation of Bax and downregulation of Bcl-2 in hOMK107 cells. Quercetin decreased the production of IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-ɑ, iNOS, and COX-2, as well as signal transduction via the Akt/AMPK/mTOR pathway. Inhibitors of Akt, AMPK, and mTOR strengthened the anti-apoptotic effects of quercetin, while agonists of Akt, AMPK, or mTOR or Akt overexpression weakened the anti-apoptotic effects. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that quercetin may have a potential protective effect against the chronic inflammation-related periodontitis via suppressing Akt/AMPK/mTOR pathway.

Expressions of Fib, IL-12 in Serum of Neonatal Necrotizing Enterocolitis and Their Correlation with Clinicopathological Features.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the expressions of fibrinogen (Fib) and Interleukin-12 (IL-12) in serum of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and to analyze the correlation between the two and their relationship with clinicopathological features. METHODS: Forty two children with NEC treated in Xuzhou Children's Hospital, Xuzhou Medical University Xuzhou, China from 2016-2019 were selected as an observation group and 40 children who underwent physical examination at the same period as a control group. The expression levels of Fib and IL-12 in the serum of two groups were detected by ELISA. The correlation between Fib and IL-12 in the observation group and the correlation among the expressions of Fib, IL-12, the clinicopathological features and common examination indexes of the children with NEC were investigated by Pearson correlation analysis. RESULTS: The levels of Fib and IL-12 in the serum of the children in observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group were (P<0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between the levels of Fib and IL-12 in the serum of the children in observation group (P<0.05). The expression levels of Fib, IL-12 were not significantly correlated with sex and age of NEC children, but correlated with vomiting, diarrhea, bloody stool and bradycardia in NEC children (P<0.05). Fib and IL-12 were positively correlated with erythrocyte level (P<0.05) and negatively correlated with platelet level. CONCLUSION: The expressions of Fib and IL-12 in the serum of NEC children can objectively predict the severity of NEC.

Curcumin improves necrotising microscopic colitis and cell pyroptosis by activating SIRT1/NRF2 and inhibiting the TLR4 signalling pathway in newborn rats.

This study aimed to explore comprehensively the biological function of curcumin, and its underlying mechanism, in protecting from necrotising microscopic colitis in newborn rats. A total of 20 normal healthy rats were selected, and a necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) model was established. After hypoxia and hypothermia stimulation, these rats were treated with different doses of curcumin (control group, NEC model group, NEC+20 mg/kg curcumin and NEC+50 mg/kg curcumin). Inflammation was identified using hematoxylin and eosin staining, and inflammatory factors were detected via ELISA. The mRNA and protein levels of SIRT1, NRF2, TLR4, NLRP3 and caspase-1 were determined by quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Curcumin improved the inflammatory condition of NEC and inhibited the expression of inflammatory factors in NEC newborn rat intestinal tissue. Furthermore, the SIRT1/NRF2 pathway was inhibited in the intestinal tissue of NEC newborn rats, whereas curcumin treatment induced the activation of the SIRT1/NRF2 pathway and inhibited TLR4 expression in these animals. In addition, curcumin could also inhibit the expression of inflammatory factors and alleviate the LPS/ATP-induced focal death pathway in intestinal epithelial cells through the SIRT1 pathway. Curcumin can improve necrotising microscopic colitis and cell pyroptosis by attenuating NEC-induced inhibition of SIRT1/NRF2 and inhibiting the TLR4 signalling pathway in newborn rats.

BNIP3 deletion ameliorated enterovirus 71 infection-induced hand, foot and mouth disease via inhibiting apoptosis, autophagy, and inflammation in mice.

Bcl2/adenovirus E1B protein-interacting protein 3 (BNIP3) plays a key role in cellular response to stress by regulating apoptosis and selective autophagy. The present study aimed to determine the effects of BNIP3 on enterovirus (EV) 71 infection-induced hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), and the apoptosis, autophagy and inflammatory in mice and SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cell line. Neonatal BALB/c mice were injected with EV 71 strain to induce the HFMD. Western blotting and ELISA were used to measure the protein expression and cytokine levels. The BNIP3 mRNA and protein levels in the brain were increased in EV 71-infected mice. By contrast, the BNIP3-knockout (KO) mice with EV 71 infection had higher health score and survival rate. BNIP3 deletion reversed the increase of cleaved-caspase 3, cleaved-caspase 8, Bax, LC3 II and LC3 II/LC3 I levels, and the decrease of Bcl2 and Bcl2/Bax and LC3 I levels in the brain of mice with EV 71 infection. The EV 71 infection-induced increase of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1, interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, interferon (IFN)-α and IFN-γ levels were inhibited in BNIP3-KO mice. BNIP3 knockdown with small interfering RNA (siRNA) inhibited the EV 71 infection-induced the increases of apoptosis, autophagy and inflammatory factors in SH-SY5Y cells. BNIP3 overexpression further facilitated the EV 71 infection-induced increase of these inflammatory factors in SH-SY5Y cells. These results demonstrated that BNIP3 deletion ameliorated EV 71 infection-induced HFMD via inhibiting apoptosis, autophagy and inflammation in mice. BNIP3 may be a therapeutic target for HFMD.

Overexpressed FOXO3 improves inflammatory status in mice by affecting NLRP3-mediated cell coronation in necrotizing colitis mice.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between FOXO3 overexpression and NLRP3 and explore the effect of FOXO3 on necrotizing colitis. METHODS: 100 clean grade newborn SD (Sprague Dawley) rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: NEC group, NEC + FOXO3a group, NEC + NC group and control group. NEC rat model was established by hypoxia + hypothermia stimulation; HE staining was used for detection of the inflammation of intestinal tissue. The histological scores of intestinal tissues were histologically scored, generally, there were three types of inflammatory scoring systems including anatomically based systems, severity-based systems and quality of life systems (Lim et al., 2015) and in this study we utilized severity-based systems by HE staining. Human intestinal epithelial cell line was transfected with recombinant plasmid overexpressing FOXO3a and recombinant plasmid overexpressing NLRP3, and divided into control group, LPS group, LPS + NC group, LPS + FOXO3a group and LPS + FOXO3a + NLRP3 group; Caspase-1 was used for the detection of pyroptosis. The expressions of FOXO3a, NLRP3, cleaved Caspase-1 and the expression of TLR4 in TLR4 signaling pathway were detected by RT-qPCR and WB. IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-18 and TNF-α were detected by ELISA. RESULTS: (1) FOXO3a is under-expressed and NLRP3 is highly expressed in NEC neonatal rat intestinal tissue. (2) The inflammatory condition of intestinal tissue in NEC + FOXO3a group was improved compared with NEC group (P < 0.05). (3) FOXO3a was highly expressed in NEC + FOXO3a group. The expression of IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-18, SOD and MDA in NEC + FOXO3a group was lower than that in NEC group. (4) The expression of IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-18, SOD and MDA in intestinal epithelial cells of LPS + FOXO3a group was lower than other groups. (5) Overexpression of FOXO3a inhibits LPS-induced pyroptotic cell death in intestinal epithelial cells by inhibiting NLRP3. CONCLUSION: Overexpression of FOXO3 in mice with necrotizing colitis can improve inflammatory conditions in mice by affecting NLRP3-mediated cell caking.

Comparison of desflurane and sevoflurane on postoperative recovery quality after tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy in children.

Comparison of desflurane and sevoflurane on the postoperative recovery quality after tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy in children was carried out. A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical records of 165 children who underwent tonsil and adenoid radiofrequency ablation under low-temperature plasma and were admitted to the Xuzhou Children's Hospital, Xuzhou Medical University from February 2014 to May 2017. In total, 79 children with sevoflurane anesthesia were in the sevoflurane group, and 86 children with desflurane anesthesia in the desflurane group. The non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP), heart rate (HR) and oxygen saturation (SpO2) level, the postoperative sedation (Ramsay) scores, the modified objective pain score (MOPS) of children were recorded. The pediatric anesthesia emergence delirium (PAED) scores of children were recorded. Children in the sevoflurane group had longer operation time, anesthesia time, extubation time and coincidence time than those in the desflurane group (P<0.05). At the beginning of operation (t1), 10 min after operation (t2), at the time of entering anesthesia recovery room (t3), at the time of tracheal catheter extubated (t4), 10 min after extubation (t5), and at the time of leaving the anesthesia recovery room (t6), children in the sevoflurane had higher NISBP and NIDBP, lower HR than those in the desflurane group (P<0.05). At the time of the tracheal catheter extubation (c2), 10 min after extubation (c3), 30 min after extubation (c4), children in the sevoflurane group had lower Ramsay scores and higher PAED scores than those in the desflurane group (P<0.05). More suitable as an anesthetic maintenance drug for tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy in children, desflurane has a better anesthetic effect and is safer. In addition, children with desflurane anesthesia have high postoperative recovery quality and quick recovery in the short term, with better sedative and analgesic effects. Therefore, it is worthy of promotion in clinic practice.

Efficacy and safety of propofol in preventing emergence agitation after sevoflurane anesthesia for children.

Application of propofol in preventing emergence agitation after sevoflurane anesthesia in children was evaluated. Clinical data of 200 children who received sevoflurane anesthesia in Children's Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 120 patients who received inhaled sevoflurane for pediatric anesthesia and intravenous infusion of propofol (2 mg/kg) were included in observation group. The remaining 80 cases who were directly anesthetized by sevoflurane alone were the control group. T PAED scores, modified Aldrete scores, extubation time, PACU time and adverse reactions (gastrointestinal tract and respiratory response) were analyzed and compared between the control and observation group. PAED scores, extubation time, PACU time and incidence of adverse reactions were significantly lower in observation than in control group, and the modified Aldrete scores were higher in observation than in control group (P<0.05). Spearman's correlation analysis showed that the PAED scores were negatively correlated with modified Aldrete scores and positively correlated with extubation time. There was positive correlation between the PACU time and incidence of adverse reactions and between the PAED scores and extubation time. There was negative correlation between PACU time and incidence of adverse reactions and between Aldrete scores and extubation time (P<0.05). Therefore, we conclude that propofol can be used to prevent agitation after sevoflurane anesthesia in children.

Inhibition of miR-124 improves neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis via an MYPT1 and TLR9 signal regulation mechanism.

BACKGROUNDS: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) was one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in neonates. Our objective was to detect the mechanism of miR-124 in small bowel tissues of NEC. METHODS: Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining was used to detect the repair of the damaged tissues in rat NEC model. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining was used to evaluate the cell apoptosis level in intestinal tissue. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression level of miR-124, Rho-associated coiled-coil-containing protein kinase 1 (ROCK1), myosin phosphatase target subunit 1 (MYPT1), and Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) in NEC tissues and IEC-6 cells. Luciferase reporter assay was used to verify whether ROCK1 is a direct target of miR-124. RESULTS: miR-124 was overexpressed in the NEC tissues, while ROCK1 and MYPT1 was downregulated in the NEC tissues. Inhibition of miR-124, suppressed the intestinal cell apoptosis and promoted the expression of ROCK1 and MYPT1. What is more, overexpression of miR-124 could inhibit the expression of ROCK1, TLR9, and MYPT1. Luciferase assay confirmed that miR-124 can regulate the transcriptional activity of ROCK1 through binding its 3'-UTR region. CONCLUSION: miR-124 was a promoter of NEC, which promotes the intestine cell apoptosis and inflammatory cell infiltration through the inhibition of TLR9 expression by targeting ROCK1.

Interleukin-7 gene polymorphism rs766736182 associates with the risk of asthma in children.

BACKGROUND: Recently studies uncovered associations between polymorphisms of interleukin genes and the risk of asthma. However, the relationship between polymorphisms of interleukin-7 gene and the risk of children asthma has not been discovered yet. This study aims to investigate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on interleukin-7 gene and the risk of children asthma. METHODS: We genotyped eight SNPs of interleukin-7 gene in blood samples from 437 asthma patients and 489 healthy controls to analyze potential associations of these SNPs with the risk of asthma in children. RESULTS: A missense SNP rs766736182 (odds ratio (OR) = 2.185, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.561-2.252, P-value = 8.69468E-19) of the interleukin-7 gene is associated with the risk of children asthma. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals that SNP rs766736182 of interleukin-7 is the risk factor for children asthma and implies potential role of immune system in the pathogenesis of children asthma.

Exploration and Consideration of the Medical Alliance Modes.

BACKGROUND: The distribution of medical resources in China has long been in an unbalanced state. Since 2009, the government has initiated the planning and construction of a sound grass-roots medical and health service system, increased investment in grass-roots medical and health institutions, but it has not received the expected results. In order to solve the problem, the medical consortium-with a full-featured, hierarchical and resource-sharing structure has been proposed. METHODS: Overall, 1000 Electronic questionnaires about cognitive status of residents on medical alliance were randomly distributed in 50 community health service centers in 10 cities including Xuzhou, Nanjing, Hefei, Jinan, Zhengzhou, Changsha, Wuhan, Xi'an, Nanchang and Chengdu, China. RESULTS: 94.84% of the respondents responded they had heard about the construction of medical alliance, but they did not know the specific content. When asked about the preferred medical institution after illness, 93.50% participants preferred third-tier general hospital or specialist hospital. 62.58% of the respondents believe that the establishment of the medical alliance has not yet played a role and they are concerned that it cannot be effectively implemented. 62.27% of respondents were attracted by the convenience of medical alliance, 20.72% of respondents thought that they could easily get to famous doctors when they were in need, and 5.46% of respondents thought that there was no advantage in medical alliance. CONCLUSION: The establishment of the medical alliance is an effective means to promote the optimal allocation of medical and health resources. Government should perform its functions, and medical institutions and the whole society should all participate.

Recent perspectives of pediatric mitochondrial diseases.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.3892/etm.2017.5385.].

Influence of AlN(0001) Surface Reconstructions on the Wettability of an Al/AlN System: A First-Principle Study.

A successful application of a hot dip coating process that coats aluminum (Al) on aluminum nitride (AlN) ceramics, revealed that Al had a perfect wettability to the ceramics under specific circumstances, which was different from previous reports. In order to elucidate the mechanism that controlled the supernormal wetting phenomenon during the dip coating, a first-principle calculation of an Al(111)/AlN(0001) interface, based on the density functional theory (DFT), was employed. The wettability of the Al melt on the AlN(0001) surface, as well as the effect that the surface reconstruction of AlN and the oxygen adsorption had on Al for the adhesion and the wettability of the Al/AlN system, were studied. The results revealed that a LCM (laterally contracted monolayer) reconstruction could improve the adhesion and wettability of the system. Oxygen adsorption on the free surface of Al decreased the contact angle, because the adsorption reduced of the surface tension of Al. A prefect wetting was obtained only after some of the oxygen atoms adsorbed on the free surface of Al. The supernormal wetting phenomenon came from the surface reconstruction of the AlN and the adsorption of oxygen atoms on the Al melt surface.

Pediatric sarcomas.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.3892/ol.2017.7467.].

Pediatric sarcomas.

Sarcomas arise from primitive mesenchymal cells, which are classified, into two main groups: Bone and soft tissue sarcomas. We have searched all-important electronic databases including Google scholar and PubMed for the collection of latest literature pertaining to pediatric sarcomas. Latest literature confirmed that these tumors are relatively rare and represent only 1% of all malignancies but they have higher incidence in children. Pediatric sarcomas comprise about 13% of all pediatric malignancies and are ranked third in childhood cancers. The highest incidence rates are reported among rhabdomyosarcoma, osteosarcoma and Ewing's sarcomas in children. All of these neoplasms often display highly aggressive behavior with tendency to form metastases. Important globally used management avenues include surgery with systemic chemotherapy and have success rate of 70% at 5-years. Furthermore, in the cases of advanced stages, the prognosis is poor, chances of treatment failure and recurrence are quite high. Utilization of cancer stem cells is the latest approach with great potential in management of above pathological state. The present review article discuss all-important aspects of commonly found pediatric sarcomas throughout the world.