Effects of Sintilimab Plus Radiotherapy on Levels of Spondin-2 and Glucose Transporter-1 in Patients with Cervical Cancer.

Purpose: We aimed to evaluate the effects of sintilimab plus radiotherapy on levels of Spondin-2 and glucose transporter-1 (Glut-1) in patients with cervical cancer. Patients and Methods: A total of 112 patients with cervical cancer treated from January 2019 to January 2021 were selected in this randomized control trial and divided into a control group (n = 56) and a study group (n = 56) using the random number table method. Chemotherapy using docetaxel + cisplatin was performed for both groups, based on which the control group was given radiotherapy (external conformal radiotherapy + intracavitary irradiation), and the study group received sintilimab plus radiotherapy. The treatment lasted for six cycles, with 21 days as one cycle. Results: The total response rate of the study group was higher than that of the control group (55.36% vs 33.93%) (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in adverse effects between the two groups (P > 0.05). After six cycles of treatment, the levels of carcinoembryonic antigen, squamous cell carcinoma antigen, vascular endothelial growth factor-A, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2, Spondin-2 and Glut-1 decreased in both groups compared with those before treatment, and they were lower in the study group (P < 0.05). The survival rate of the study group was higher than that of the control group (87.50% vs 71.43%) (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Sintilimab plus radiotherapy can effectively reduce the levels of serum tumor markers, such as Spondin-2 and Glut-1, and enhance the clinical efficacy on patients with cervical cancer, without increasing adverse effects.

Impact of resistance exercise on patients with chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has become an increasingly important public health disease with a high incidence rate and mortality. Although several studies have explored the effectiveness of resistance exercise in improving the prognosis of CKD patients, the number of studies is still limited and the results are still controversial. OBJECTIVES: We conducted this meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCT) studies to evaluate the effectiveness of resistance exercise on CKD patients. METHODS: The PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched from the inception date to October 2023. The meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate 12 main indicators, including glomerular filtration rate (GFR)(ml/(min•1.73m2)), C-reactive protein (CRP) (mg/L), serum creatinine (mg/dL), hemoglobin (g/dL), Glycosylated Hemoglobin, Type A1C (HBA1c) (%), high Density Lipoprotein (HDL) (mg/dL), low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) (mg/dL), 6-min walk(m), body mass index (BMI) (kg/m2), fat-free mass (kg), fat mass (kg), grip strength (kgf). RESULTS: Sixteen RCT studies were included in this meta-analysis from 875 records. GFR exhibited no significant change in CKD patients treated with resistance exercise (WMD 1.82; 95%CI -0.59 to 4.23; P = 0.139). However, 6-min walk (WMD 89.93; 95%CI 50.12 to 129.74; P = 0.000), fat-free mass (WMD 6.53; 95%CI 1.14 to 11.93; P = 0.018) and grip strength (WMD 3.97; 95%CI 1.89 to 6.05; P = 0.000) were significantly improved with resistance exercise. The level of CRP (WMD - 2.46; 95%CI -4.21 to -0.72; P = 0.006) and HBA1c (WMD - 0.46; 95%CI -0.63 to -0.29; P = 0.000) dropped significantly after resistance exercise treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Resistance exercise can improve physical function, metabolic condition, inflammatory response and cardiopulmonary function in CKD patients, specifically reflected in the increase of indicators fat-free mass, grip strength, 6-min walk, as well as the decrease of indicators HBA1c and CRP.

Development and validation of a nomogram for Siewert II esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma: a retrospective analysis.

Background: Due to the complex histological type and anatomical structures, there has been considerable debate on the classification of adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction (AEG), especially Siewert II AEG. Furthermore, neither the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) 7th tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) [esophageal adenocarcinoma (E) or gastric cancer (G)] nor the AJCC 8th TNM (E or G) accurately predicted the prognosis of patients with Siewert II AEG. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the factors influencing the survival and prognosis of patients with Siewert II AEG and establish a new and better prognostic predictive model. Design: A retrospective study. Methods: Patients with Siewert II AEG, retrieved from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) databases, were assigned to the training set. Patients retrieved from a single tertiary medical center were assigned to the external validation set. Significant variables were selected using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses to construct the nomogram. Nomogram models were assessed using the concordance index (C-index), a calibration plot, decision curve analysis (DCA), and external validation. Results: Age, tumor grade, and size, as well as the T, N, and M stages, were included in the nomograms. For the SEER training set, the C-index of the nomogram was 0.683 (0.665-0.701). The C-index of the nomogram for the external validation set was 0.690 (0.653-0.727). The calibration curve showed good agreement between the nomogram estimations and actual observations in both the training and external validation sets. The DCA showed that the nomogram was clinically useful. Conclusion: The new predictive model showed significant accuracy in predicting the prognosis of Siewert II AEG.

Incidence of cancer for patients after bariatric surgery: evidence from 33 cohort studies.

BACKGROUND: With the rising prevalence of severe obesity, bariatric surgery has emerged as a crucial treatment option. As the number of surgeries performed worldwide increases, there has been growing interest in the impact of bariatric surgery on cancer incidence. While several studies have examined this relationship, the topic remains controversial. OBJECTIVES: We conducted this systematic review of cohort studies with meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of bariatric surgery versus nonsurgical treatment on overall cancer incidence. However, the effects may vary when focusing on specific cancer types, surgical procedures, or gender, so we conducted additional subgroup analyses. SETTING: A meta-analysis. University hospital. METHODS: The Cochrane, Embase, PubMed, and Web of Science databases were searched for studies from 1 January 2000 to 1 December 2022. Meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate the pooled effect and further implemented subgroup analysis stratified by cancer type, operation type, and sex. RESULTS: All cohort studies were included in this meta-analysis from 18,216 studies. The overall cancer incidence demonstrated a significant decrease in the group with bariatric surgery (odds ratios [OR] = .56, P = .000, 95% CI .46 to .68). In subgroup analysis, similar decrease effect was found in 9 cancers. Furthermore, the incidence of cancer decreased significantly in male (OR = .66, P = .001, 95% CI .51 to .85) and female patients (OR = .63, P = .000, 95% CI .57 to .69) and patients undergoing gastric bypass (OR = .46, P = .000, 95% CI .33 to .63) or sleeve gastrectomy (OR = .44, P = .001, 95% CI .27 to .70). CONCLUSIONS: In the overall analysis, bariatric surgery could reduce the incidence of cancer significantly. Further large-scale well-matched studies are needed to verify the protective effect of bariatric surgery on cancer incidence.

Association between IL-6 and prognosis of gastric cancer: a retrospective study.

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the common and fatal cancers. Even though the Tumor, Node, Metastasis (TNM) staging system is the most classical staging system recognized worldwide, it has been controversial because there are various factors affecting the prognosis of GC patients. Objectives: The study aims to evaluate the relationship between interleukin-6 (IL-6) and several clinical indicators and construct a prognostic model to better predict the prognosis of GC. Design: A retrospective study. Methods: Data of 249 patients with GC diagnosed in GC center of West China Hospital were collected. Clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed to determine whether there were differences between IL-6 HIGH group and IL-6 LOW group. Besides, the association between the two groups and tumor marker levels was clarified. The K-M curves of 3- and 5-year were plotted with log-rank test. Afterward, we conducted univariate and multivariate analysis and a predicting nomogram. Significantly, C-index, and calibration were used to evaluate the value of nomogram in predicting prognosis. Results: The overall survival of GC in the IL-6 HIGH and IL-6 LOW groups were 47.8 months (95% CI: 42.1-53.4) and 57.9 months (95% CI: 54.1-61.7), respectively, with significant differences (p = 0.0046). Average tumor size of GC (p = 0.000) and nerve invasion (p = 0.018) were statistically significant between two groups. Multivariate analysis revealed that the factors affecting prognosis were IL-6 (<5.51 and ⩾5.51 pg/ml) (Hazard Ratio(HR): 1.665, 95% CI: 1.026-2.703, p = 0.039), N stage (HR: 1.336, 95% CI: 1.106-1.615, p = 0.003), and T stage (HR: 1.268, 95% CI: 0.998-1.611, p = 0.052), which were included in the nomogram with a C-index of 0.71. The current data calculated TNM staging C-index was 0.68, and the p-value for the difference between the two models was 0.08. Internal validation revealed that the predicted overall survival did not differ significantly from the actual observed patient survival. Conclusion: The differential expression of IL-6 has a tendency to differentiate the prognosis of GC patients. IL-6, N stage, and T stage are independent prognostic factors, and the new survival prognostic model consisting of the above three indicators is better than the classical TNM staging system. Trial registration: This study is a retrospective study, which does not require clinical registration.

The safety and efficacy of emergency stenting during bridging therapy: A Single-Center Retrospective Study.

INTRODUCTION: To investigated the safety and efficacy of emergency stenting for patients with ischemic stroke treated with bridging therapy. METHODS: Patients with onset of stroke who underwent bridging therapy were included in the two groups with emergency stenting (ESG) and without stenting (NSG). To avoid the bias due to confounding variables, subjects were further assigned in two groups using 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM). The safety outcomes include the incidence of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), parenchymal hemorrhage type 2 (PH2), symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH), fatal hemorrhage, and mortality. The efficacy outcomes include successful recanalization, three-month favorable outcome (modified Rankin Scale [mRS]: 0-2). RESULTS: 175 patients treated with bridging therapy were included in this study, with 52 patients in the ES group and 123 patients in the groups without ES, and with 30 patients in each group after PSM. No significant differences in the incidences of ICH, PH2, sICH, fatal hemorrhage, and mortality were found between the two groups with ES and without ES before and after PSM (P>0.05 for all groups). The analysis without PSM showed that the group with ES had a higher rate of successful recanalization (98.1% vs. 81.6%，P=0.041) than the group without ES, but no significant difference was seen (96.6% vs. 93.3%，P=0.554) between the two groups after PSM. There was no difference in favorable outcome between the two groups before and after matching as well (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: It is safe and effective for patients with onset of ischemic stroke to receive emergency stenting during bridging therapy, without increasing the risk of hemorrhagic transformation and mortality.

Association between circulating tumor cells in the peripheral blood and the prognosis of gastric cancer patients: a meta-analysis.

Background: Research on the correlation between circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and gastric cancer (GC) has increased rapidly in recent years. However, whether CTCs are associated with GC patient prognosis is highly controversial. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the value of CTCs to predict the prognosis of GC patients. Design: A meta-analysis. Data Sources and Methods: We searched the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases for studies that reported the prognostic value of CTCs in GC patients before October 2022. The association between CTCs and overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS)/recurrence-free survival (RFS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of GC patients was assessed. Subgroup analyses were stratified by sampling times (pre-treatment and post-treatment), detection targets, detection method, treatment method, tumor stage, region, and HR (Hazard Ratio) extraction methods. Sensitivity analysis was performed by removing individual studies to assess the stability of the results. Publication bias was evaluated using funnel plots, Egger's test, and Begg's test. Results: We initially screened 2000 studies, of which 28 were available for further analysis, involving 2383 GC patients. The pooled analysis concluded that the detection of CTCs was associated with poor OS (HR = 1.933, 95% CI 1.657-2.256, p < 0.001), DFS/RFS (HR = 3.228, 95% CI 2.475-4.211, p < 0.001), and PFS (HR = 3.272, 95% CI 1.970-5.435, p < 0.001). Furthermore, the subgroup analysis stratified by tumor stage (p < 0.01), HR extraction methods (p < 0.001), detection targets (p < 0.001), detection method (p < 0.001), sampling times (p < 0.001), and treatment method (p < 0.001) all showed that CTC detection was associated with poor OS and DFS/RFS for GC patients. Furthermore, the study showed that CTCs were associated with the poor DFS/RFS of GC when CTCs were detected for patients from Asian or No-Asian regions (p < 0.05). In addition, higher CTCs predicted poorer OS for GC patients who are from Asian regions (p < 0.001), but without statistical difference for GC patients from No-Asian regions (p = 0.490). Conclusion: CTC detection in peripheral blood was associated with poor OS, DFS/RFS, and PFS in patients with GC.

Dietary supplementation of Ocimum gratissimum improves growth performance and immune response in broilers under high ambient temperature.

Ocimum gratissimum (OG) was found to have immunity boosting effect on Taiwan country chickens and broiler chickens raised in moderate ambient temperature in previous studies, and the current study investigates its potential on the growth performance, blood traits, intestinal traits, and immune responses in Ross 308 broilers raised in high ambient temperature which can induce mild heat-stress (26 to 33 ˚C, average 30 ˚C). Two hundred 1-d-old male/female chicks were randomly assigned to a control group, three OG (1 g/kg, 3 g/kg, and 5 g/kg)/basal diet groups, and one Amoxicillin group. Data collected during the experiment indicated that the weight gain increase of 1742 g/bird to 1815 g/bird comparing control to 5 g/kg OG supplementation was statistically significant. In addition, the production efficiency factor was also noticeably increased by OG, particularly in the 5 g/kg group, and the uric acid levels were decreased in the 3 and 5 g/kg OG groups (from 4.26 to 2.91 and 2.90 mg/dL, respectively), indicating heat-stress alleviation was observed. Several areas of the carcass saw desirable growth changes, including the increase of breast muscle ratio observed in the 5 g/kg OG group, an overall decrease in abdominal fat in all OG groups, as well as dimensional changes in several areas of the digestive system. Lastly, the hemaglutination, hemaglutination inhibition, and phytohemaglutinin tests indicated elevated immuno-response in all OG groups. In conclusion, OG has exhibited the ability to alleviate symptoms of mild heat-stress, leading to improvement of the digestive organ development and increase of carcass mass and mean weight gain for birds, and we find OG to be a potentially beneficial feed supplement for poultry raising in high ambient temperature conditions.

Ocimum gratissimum (OG) was found to have immunity boosting effect on Taiwan country chickens and broiler chickens raised in moderate ambient temperature in previous studies, and the current study investigates its potential on broilers raised in high ambient temperature. Data collected during the experiment indicated desirable changes in the physiology of the chickens, including overall increase in production efficiency factor, a significant weight gain in the 5 g/kg OG supplementation group, noticeable weight gain in several areas of the carcass especially the breast, an overall decrease in abdominal fat, dimensional changes in several areas of the digestive system, elevated immuno-response for all OG groups. In conclusion, OG has exhibited the ability to alleviate symptoms of mild heat-stress, leading to improvement of the digestive organ development and increase of carcass mass and mean weight gain for birds, and we find OG to be a potentially beneficial feed supplement for poultry raising in high ambient temperature conditions.

A Gastrectomy for early-stage gastric cancer patients with or without preserving celiac branches of vagus nerves: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Vagus nerve-preserving gastrectomy is increasingly popular in treating gastric cancer in the early stage, however the long and short-term outcomes after gastrectomy while preserving the celiac branch of the vagus nerve are not well defined. We aimed to summarize and compare perioperative and longer-term outcomes after celiac branch vagus nerve-preserving gastrectomy (CBP, preserving both the celiac and hepatic branches of the vagus nerve), compared to those without CBP (non-CBP, only the hepatic branch of the vagus nerve is preserved). METHODS: We searched the Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases for papers published before October 2021. The primary results were evaluated by short-term and long-term postoperative complications, whereas the secondary outcomes included surgery-related parameters, recovery-related parameters and overall survival. Random-effects or fixed-effects model were used to estimate odds ratio, and weighted mean difference for the outcomes. The underlying publication bias was identified via funnel charts, Begg's test and Egger's test. Sensitivity analysis was conducted by removing the research one by one. RESULTS: A total of 9 studies consisting of 8 retrospective studies and one randomized control trial were included. The analysis included 1,109 patients, with 568 (51.2%) of patients receiving CBP and 541 (48.8%) patients who received non-CBP. The CBP group had a shorter time in terms of first flatus (weighted mean difference = -0.436, 95% confidence interval: -0.603 to -0.269; P < 0.001) and hospital stay (weighted mean difference = -0.456, 95% confidence interval: -0.874 to -0.037, P = 0.033) than the non-CBP group, but the time to the start of oral intake was comparable between the groups. Regarding short-term complications and surgery-related parameters, between CBP and non-CBP, no evident differences were observed in pancreatic complications, anastomotic leakage, postoperative bleeding, operation time, blood loss or lymph nodes examined. In terms of long-term complications, the incidence of gallstones in CBP was lower than that in non-CBP (odds ratio = 0.582, 95% confidence interval: 0.356-0.953, P = 0.031), and the incidence of bile reflux in CBP was lower than that in non-CBP (odds ratio = 0.473, 95% confidence interval: 0.280-0.800, P = 0.005). However, the prevalence rates of diarrhea, early dumping syndrome, esophageal reflux, and delayed gastric emptying were comparable between CBP and non-CBP. CONCLUSION: The present research showed that gastric cancer patients in the early stage under CBP were superior to those without CBP in terms of incidence of gallstones, bile reflux, time of first flatus and hospital stay. Furthermore, it is imperative to conduct randomized control studies with larger sample sizes to determine the oncological survival outcomes when preserving the celiac branch.

Comparing the Conventional and Balloon-Guided Catheter-Assisted SWIM Technology for the Treatment of Acute Ischemic Stroke.

Objective: Acute ischemic stroke is common in elder patients. This study investigates whether using the balloon-guided catheter (BGC) would improve the effect of stent thrombectomy (Solitaire FR With Intracranial Support Catheter for Mechanical Thrombectomy, SWIM) for patients with acute ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion (AIS-LVO). Method: The data of 209 patients with AIS-LVO underwent SWIM were collected retrospectively from January 2017 to June 2021. These patients were divided into two groups based on whether they used of BGC or not. The propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was used to compare the differences in the first pass effect (FPE), successful recanalization, embolus escape rate, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH), 90-day clinical favorable outcome, 90-day all-cause mortality, and complications in the patients treated with SWIM combined with balloon-guided catheter or conventional catheter. Results: Among the 209 patients, 44 patients were treated with BGC and 165 patients were not. After matching, a total of 111 patients were included. The results showed that there was no statistical difference in FPE (35.1% in non-BGC group compared to 24.3% in BGC group, matched RR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.24-1.44), successful recanalization (89.2 vs. 91.9%, matched RR, 1.37; 95%CI, 0.34-5.51), embolus escape (6.8 vs. 8.1%, matched RR, 1.22; 95%CI, 0.28-5.40), sICH (8.1 vs. 13.5%; matched RR, 1.77; 95%CI 0.50-6.24), 90-day clinical favorable outcome (48.7 vs. 54.1%, matched RR, 1.11; 95%CI 0.51-2.46), 90-day all-cause mortality (17.6 vs. 21.6%, matched RR, 1.29; 95%CI 0.48-3.47), and the incidence of complications (6.8 vs. 5.4%, matched RR, 0.79 95%CI 0.15-4.27). These results indicate that using SWIM as the first-line treatment for patients with AIS-LVO, there is no statistical significance in FPE, final successful recanalization, distal emboli, sICH, procedural time, 90-day favorable outcome, 90-day mortality, and complications with or without BGC. Conclusion: Balloon-guided catheter does not affect the result of using SWIM as the first-line treatment for patients with AIS-LVO. Our results will guide daily practice, with the adoption of the use of a guided catheter without a balloon.

Phosphoproteomic analysis of ozone stress-responsive mechanisms in grapevine identifies KEG required for stress regulation.

The environmental damage caused by ozone is of increasing concern globally. The phosphoproteomics approach was used to explore the mechanisms underlying grapevine tolerance to ozone stress and identify phosphoproteins altered by ozone treatment. Results revealed that 194 of 2275 quantitatively analyzed phosphoproteins were significantly regulated after ozone treatment. Biological pathways related to transport were significantly enriched by the differentially regulated phosphoproteins. Among these phosphoproteins, the phosphorylation of RING E3 ligase in grape (V. vinifera KEEP ON GOING, VvKEG) decreased after ozone treatment. Over-expression of VvKEG in Arabidopsis decreased abscisic acid (ABA) sensitivity and enhanced ozone tolerance. Furthermore, VvKEG interacted with the ABA-responsive transcription factor ABSCISIC ACID-INSENSITIVE3 (ABI3). The exogenous application of ABA on grapevine leaves significantly influenced chlorophyll fluorescence, chlorophyll, and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents under ozone treatment; however, treatment with 150 µmol ABA aggravated ozone stress. These results indicate that phosphorylation modification provides information on ozone-induced processes and that VvKEG plays a critical role in these processes via regulation of the ABA signaling pathway in grape.

Relationship between Perioperative Cardiovascular Events and Glycated Hemoglobin in Diabetic Patients Undergoing Noncardiac Surgery.

This retrospective nested case-control study is aimed at investigating the relationship between HbAlc and perioperative cardiovascular events (PCE) in patients with diabetes who underwent complex or moderately complex noncardiac surgery at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University in 2013-2018. The patients were divided into four groups according to HbA1c ≤7%, 7.1%-7.9%, 8.0%-8.9%, and ≥9%. The occurrence of PCE among the groups was compared using univariable and multivariable analyses. Finally, 318 patients were included. There were 90 cases of PCE among the 318 patients; the occurrence rate of PCE was 28.3%. No death occurred. The occurrence rates of PCE in the HbA1c ≥ 8.0% - 8.9% and HbA1c ≥ 9.0% groups were 30.8% and 35.4%, respectively (P < 0.001 vs. the HbA1c 7.1%-7.9% group). The occurrence rate of PCE in the HbA1c ≤ 7% group was 25.9% (P > 0.05 vs. the HbA1c 7.1%-7.9% group). The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the course of diabetes (HbA1c stratification ≤7%, 7.1%-7.9%, 8.0%-8.9%, ≥9%, OR = 3.672, 95% CI: 1.552-8.687), HbA1c (OR = 1.895, 95% CI: 1.227-4.830), SBP (OR = 1.194, 95% CI: 1.015-2.023), and microalbuminuria (OR = 1.098, 95% CI: 1.005-1.023) was independently associated with PCE in diabetic patients. In conclusion, HbA1c levels are related to the incidence of PCE in diabetic patients undergoing complex or moderately complex noncardiac surgery.

Effectiveness of flipped classroom vs traditional lectures in radiology education: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: With the convert of educational concept, flipped classroom has been adopted gradually in radiology courses as a new teaching mode. Considering no evidence has been concluded to illustrate the effectiveness of of flipped classroom over traditional instructor-centered lectures in radiology education, this meta-analysis was conducted to provide empirical evidence for the reform of pedagogical. METHODS: Studies were retrieved from six databases, including Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, Wanfang Data, CNKI, and VIP, from their inception to 16 February 2020. Literature selection and data extraction were completed by two reviewers independently. The effect size of each index was expressed as the odds ratio (OR) for a categorical variable and standard mean difference (SMD) for a continuous variable, each with corresponding 95% confidence interval (95% CI). RESULTS: A total of 19 studies with 2114 participants were deemed to be eligible for inclusion. The results of this meta-analysis indicated that: the newly emerged flipped classroom represented significant advantage versus traditional lecture in improving theoretical performance (SMD 1.12, 95% CI 0.61-1.63, P < .001), as well as in cultivating students' practical skills (SMD 2.59, 95% CI 1.69-3.59, P < .001). In the subjective findings of investigation, more positive responses were attained in students who took radiology subjects in flipped classroom, covering course satisfaction (OR 1.70, 95% CI 1.35-2.14, P < .001), improvement of teamwork ability (OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.21-2.67, P = .004), self-directed learning and reflection (OR 1.98, 95% CI 1.31-2.97, P = .001), and subjective cognition on consolidation of knowledge mastery (OR 1.38, 95% CI 1.19-1.60, P < .001). CONCLUSION: Flipped classroom displays multiple advantages versus traditional lecture-based teaching mode, which is well worth further promoting and applying in the process of radiology education.

MicroRNA-219 decreases hippocampal long-term potentiation inhibition and hippocampal neuronal cell apoptosis in type 2 diabetes mellitus mice by suppressing the NMDAR signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a complex polygenic disease that causes hyperglycemia and accounts for 90%-95% of all diabetes mellitus cases. Hence, this study aimed to examine the effects of microRNA-219 (miR-219) on inhibition of long-term potentiation (LTP) and apoptosis of hippocampal neuronal cells in T2DM mice through the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) signaling pathway regulation. METHODS: The T2DM mouse models were established, after which LTP in vivo was recorded by means of electrical biology, and the fasting blood glucose of mice was measured. Next, the density of pyramidal neurons in each group was calculated. Additionally, the expression levels of miR-219, the NMDAR signaling pathway [NMDAR1 (NR) 1, NR2A, and NR2B), downstream target proteins [calmodulin-dependent protein kinase-II (CaMK-II) and cAMP response element binding protein (CREB)], and apoptosis-related factors [Bcl2-associated X protein (Bax), c-caspase-9 and c-caspase-3] in the hippocampal tissues were determined. Finally, immunohistochemistry was applied to detect and measure the positive expression of Bax, caspase-9, and caspase-3 proteins. RESULTS: The results showed that upregulation of miR-219 increases LTP and density of pyramidal neurons in the hippocampal tissues of mice, while it decreases blood glucose of db/db mice. In addition, miR-219 upregulation also leads to decreased mRNA levels of NR1, NR2A, NR2B, CaMK-II, and CREB and protein levels of NR1, NR2A, NR2B, CaMK-II, CREB, p-CREB, Bax, c-caspase-9, and c-caspase-3. Furthermore, upregulation of miR-219 inhibits positive expression of Bax, caspase-9, and caspase-3 proteins, leading to the suppression of hippocampal neuronal cell apoptosis. CONCLUSION: The findings from this study indicated that the upregulation of miR-219 decreases LTP inhibition and hippocampal neuronal cell apoptosis in T2DM mice by downregulating the NMDAR signaling pathway, therefore suggesting that MiR-219 might be a future therapeutic strategy for T2DM.

Type 2 Cesarean Scar Pregnancy Successfully Treated via Hysteroscopy-Assisted Laparoscopy.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of hysteroscopy-assisted laparoscopy as a treatment strategy for type 2 cesarean scar pregnancy at gestational age >8 weeks. DESIGN: Retrospective case series (Canadian Task Force classification II-3). SETTING: A tertiary hospital. PATIENTS: Eight women with type 2 cesarean scar pregnancy at a gestational age >8 weeks. INTERVENTIONS: All patients underwent hysteroscopy-assisted laparoscopic resection and isthmus repair of cesarean scar pregnancy. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: All patients underwent removal of the cesarean scar pregnancy and complete repair of the uterine scar defect. The median operative time was 123.0 minutes (range, 100-168 minutes), median blood loss was 65.0 mL (range, 20-100 mL), and median length of hospital stay was 9.1 days (range, 8-12 days). There were no adverse reactions. The mean time to serum ß-human chorionic gonadotropin (ß-HCG) resolution was 22.9 days (range, 14-30 days), and menstruation resumed after 9 to 15 days with serum ß-HCG returning to nondetectable levels. There was no recurrence of cesarean scar pregnancy at long-term follow-up. CONCLUSION: Hysteroscopy-assisted laparoscopy may be an effective treatment for patients with type 2 cesarean scar pregnancy at gestational age >8 weeks.

[High-level expression behaviors of recombinant human interferon omega in logarithm phrase Pichia pastoris].

Expression difference of heterologous recombinant protein in Pichia pastoris with different specific growth rate (mu) was observed. The expression conditions of recombinant human interferon omega (rhIFN(omega)) in logarithm phrase Pichia pastoris with higher mu were optimized by shake flask tests under various initial pH, methanol concentration, duration of the induction, cell density, and medium volume. The results showed that there were prominent influences of mu on expression of rhlFN(omega). The maximum yield of rhIFN(omega) in the Pichia pastoris with mu of 0.1612 h(-1) was 558 mg/L. However, these in the Pichia pastoris with mu of 0.1321, 0.0505 and 0.0052 h(-1) were reduced by 50%, 68% and 99%, respectively. In 250 mL shake flask, the optimal medium volume, cell density, initial pH, methanol concentration, frequency and duration of methanol induction were 30 mL, 200 - 300 g/L (WCW), natural, 15 g/L, 1 time in every 24h and 4d, respectively. Under the optimal expression condition, the maximum yield of rhIFN(omega) in logarithm phrase Pichia pastoris was 1070 mg/L which was increased by 149% more than that under the initial condition.