Study on the correlation between endometriosis and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the correlation between endometriosis (EMS) and adverse obstetric outcomes. METHODS: In this retrospective study 2,925 cesarean section cases were analyzed at the Women and Children's Hospital of Ningbo University, Department of Obstetrics, between May 2019 and December 2023. The study included 1,363 women diagnosed with endometriosis during pregnancy at the time of surgery (study group) and 1,562 women without such a diagnosis (control group). The comparative assessment covered the age of first-time mothers, number of pregnancies and births, gestational age at delivery, incidence rates of assisted reproductive technology (ART), spontaneous abortion, preterm birth, placenta previa, placental adhesion, and postpartum hemorrhage. RESULTS: The study group demonstrated a higher average age of first-time mothers, fewer pregnancies and births, and a significantly shorter gestational age at delivery (P < 0.05) compared to the control group. Incidences of primary infertility, spontaneous abortion, and ART utilization were higher in the study group. The occurrence of placenta previa, placental adhesion, and postpartum hemorrhage was also higher in the study group, indicating significant statistical differences (P < 0.05). No significant difference was observed in preterm birth rates between the groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Pregnancy in women with endometriosis is associated with a higher likelihood of adverse outcomes, therefore highlighting the need for increased clinical awareness.

Dynamically changing antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies in granulomatosis with polyangiitis: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is one of the most prevalent forms of the antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis. GPA is characterized histologically by necrotizing granulomatous inflammation in addition to vasculitis. The diagnosis of GPA depends on clinical presentation, serological evidence of a positive ANCA, and/or histological evidence of necrotizing vasculitis or granulomatous destructive parenchymal inflammation. Cytoplasmic ANCA (c-ANCA) is positive in 65%-75% of GPA patients, accompanied by proteinase 3 (PR3), the main target antigen of c-ANCA, another 5% of GPA patients had negative ANCA. CASE SUMMARY: The patient, a 52-year-old male, presented with unexplained nasal congestion, tinnitus, and hearing loss. After a duration of 4 months experiencing these symptoms, the patient subsequently developed fever and headache. The imaging examination revealed the presence of bilateral auricular mastoiditis and partial paranasal sinusitis, and the ANCA results were negative. The anti-infective therapy proved to be ineffective, but the patient's symptoms and fever were quickly relieved after 1 wk of treatment with methylprednisolone 40 mg once a day. However, after continuous use of methylprednisolone tablets for 3 months, the patient experienced a recurrence of fever accompanied by right-sided migraine, positive c-ANCA and PR3, and increased total protein in cerebrospinal fluid. The patient was diagnosed with GPA. After receiving a treatment regimen of intravenous methylprednisolone 40 mg/d and cyclophosphamide 0.8 g monthly, the patient experienced alleviation of fever and headache. Additionally, the ANCA levels became negative and there has been no recurrence. CONCLUSION: For GPA patients with negative ANCA, there is a potential for early missed diagnosis. The integration of histopathological results and multidisciplinary communication plays a crucial role in facilitating ANCA-negative GPA.

Prognostic and reproductive outcomes in women who had uterine myomas removed during cesarean section and sutured using different techniques.

BACKGROUND: In this study, the prognostic and reproductive outcomes of women who underwent excision of uterine myomas and were sutured using different techniques while undergoing a cesarean section were investigated. METHODS: A total of 299 females who underwent cesarean section between January 2015 and June 2022 due to a scarred uterus were enrolled in this study. These participants were segregated into two categories: the experimental group (comprising 155 cases) in which uterine myoma (single lesion) was excised during the cesarean procedure, and the control group (consisting of 144 cases) in which only the cesarean section was conducted. A comparison between the two groups was carried out based on the following parameters: volume of intraoperative bleeding (mL), additional measures taken for intraoperative hemostasis (n, %), percentage (%) of patients experiencing postoperative fever, duration required for the passage of gas (hours [h]), length of hospital stay (days [d]), weight of newborns (kg) and their Apgar scores, and the reproductive outcomes of the experimental group assessed two years after the surgical procedure. RESULTS: In the experimental group, the amount of bleeding during surgery, occurrence of postoperative fever among women, time taken for patients to resume passing gas, and length of hospital stay were 540.65 ± 269.12 mL, 9.03%, 15.99 ± 4.68 h, and 5.08 ± 1.18 days, respectively. In contrast, the control group had values of 409.03 ± 93.24 mL, 2.77%, 16.24 ± 4.92, and 4.47 ± 0.70 days, respectively (P < 0.05). No notable increase was observed in the need for additional intraoperative hemostasis measures, and there was no significant difference in the time it took for patients to pass gas after the surgery. All newborns had positive health status. In the experimental group, 25 patients underwent subsequent pregnancies, and 15 of them successfully reached full-term deliveries, all of which had positive outcomes. CONCLUSION: Combining myomectomy with various suture methods during cesarean delivery did not cause excessive bleeding and resulted in healthy newborns. This approach offers the advantage of avoiding additional surgeries under anesthesia and can be considered a viable option. Subsequent pregnancies after myomectomy were considered high-risk.

Toll-Like Receptor 4 Deficiency Ameliorates Propofol-Induced Impairments of Cognitive Function and Synaptic Plasticity in Young Mice.

Propofol is one of the most used intravenous anesthetic agents, which is widely used in clinical anesthesia induction and maintenance of pediatric patients. Exposure of the developing brain to propofol has been reported to lead to adverse brain changes, which in turn can induce persistent behavioral abnormalities in adulthood. However, the mechanisms by which propofol exposure in the developing brain induces cognitive impairment remain unclear. Here we report that repeated propofol exposure during the second postnatal week impairs spatial learning and memory in young mice. The reduced excitatory synaptic function and synaptogenesis in hippocampal CA1 neurons underlie this cognitive impairment. Propofol exposure specifically activates Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-myeloid differentiation primary response protein 88 (MyD88)-NF-κB signaling pathway. TLR4 deficiency recues propofol exposure-induced synaptic function and cognitive deficits in young mice. Thus, we provide evidence that the activation of the TLR4-mediated pathway by propofol exposure may serve as a crucial trigger for the cognitive impairment in young adulthood caused by repeated exposure to propofol in the developing brain.

Insights into ZmWAKL in maize kernel development: genome-wide investigation and GA-mediated transcription.

BACKGROUND: The functional roles of the Wall Associated Kinase (WAK) and Wall Associated Kinase Like (WAKL) families in cellular expansion and developmental processes have been well-established. However, the molecular regulation of these kinases in maize development is limited due to the absence of comprehensive genome-wide studies. RESULTS: Through an in-depth analysis, we identified 58 maize WAKL genes, and classified them into three distinct phylogenetic clusters. Moreover, structural prediction analysis showed functional conservation among WAKLs across maize. Promoter analysis uncovered the existence of cis-acting elements associated with the transcriptional regulation of ZmWAKL genes by Gibberellic acid (GA). To further elucidate the role of WAKL genes in maize kernels, we focused on three highly expressed genes, viz ZmWAKL38, ZmWAKL42 and ZmWAKL52. Co-expression analyses revealed that their expression patterns exhibited a remarkable correlation with GA-responsive transcription factors (TF) TF5, TF6, and TF8, which displayed preferential expression in kernels. RT-qPCR analysis validated the upregulation of ZmWAKL38, ZmWAKL42, ZmWAKL52, TF5, TF6, and TF8 following GA treatment. Additionally, ZmWAKL52 showed significant increase of transcription in the present of TF8, with ZmWAKL52 localizing in both the plasma membrane and cell wall. TF5 positively regulated ZmWAKL38, while TF6 positively regulated ZmWAKL42. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, these findings provide novel insights into the characterization and regulatory mechanisms of specific ZmWAKL genes involved in maize kernel development, offering prospects for their utilization in maize breeding programs.

Maternal Common Cold or Fever During Pregnancy and the Risk of Orofacial Clefts in the Offspring: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

The common cold and/or an associated fever during pregnancy have/has been suspected to harm the developing fetus. We sought possible correlations between a maternal common cold or fever during pregnancy and the risk of orofacial clefts in the offspring.We systematically searched PubMed and Embase using appropriate keywords, and we checked the reference lists of retrieved articles. We used random-effects models to estimate overall relative risks.Incidence of orofacial clefts.We included 13 case-control studies. Modest but statistically significant associations were found between a maternal common cold and cleft lip with or without a cleft palate (CL/CP) (odds ratio [OR] 2.17; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.66-2.83) and a cleft palate only (CPO) (OR 3.08; 95% CI 1.5-6.34). Furthermore, maternal fever was also associated with an increased risk of CL/CP (OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.3-2.8) and CPO (OR 1.48, 95% CI 0.83-2.63) in the offspring. Further analyses of maternal influenza (alone) yielded similar results.Although evidence of heterogeneity should be carefully evaluated, our findings suggest that maternal common cold or fever during pregnancy may be associated with a greater risk of CL/CP or CPO in the offspring. Future cohort studies using valid assessments of maternal common cold exposure during pregnancy that consider the severity of fever are needed to clarify the contribution of maternal common cold or fever status to the risk of orofacial clefts in children.

METTL3 contributes to slow transit constipation by regulating miR-30b-5p/PIK3R2/Akt/mTOR signaling cascade through DGCR8.

BACKGROUND: N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent methylation modification of eukaryotic RNA, and methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) plays a vital role in multiple cell functions. This study aimed to investigate the role of m6A methylase METTL3 in slow transit constipation (STC). MATERIAL AND METHOD: The expression of METTL3 and DGCR8 was measured in STC tissues and glutamic acid-induced interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs). The effects of METTL3, miR-30b-5p, and DGCR8 on the biological characteristics of ICCs were investigated on the basis of loss-of-function analyses. Luciferase reporter assay was used to identify the direct binding sites of miR-30b-5p with PIK3R2. RESULTS: The results showed that the METTL3, DGCR8, miR-30b-5p, and the methylation level of m6A were significantly increased in STC tissues and glutamic acid-induced ICCs. Silencing of METTL3 and miR-30b-5p inhibited apoptosis, autophagy, and pyroptosis of glutamic acid-induced ICCs. Moreover, overexpression of miR-30b-5p reversed the cytoprotection of METTL3 knockdown in glutamic acid-induced ICCs. Besides, DGCR8 knockdown could facilitate cell growth and decrease apoptotic glutamic acid-induced ICCs. Mechanically, we illustrated that METTL3 in glutamic acid-induced ICCs significantly accelerated the maturation of pri-miR-30b-5p by m6A methylation modification, resulting in the reduction of PIK3R2, which results in the inhibition of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway and ultimately leads to the cell death of STC. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, these data demonstrated that METTL3 promoted the apoptosis, autophagy, and pyroptosis of glutamic acid-induced ICCs by interacting with the DGCR8 and successively modulating the miR-30b-5p/PIK3R2 axis in an m6A-dependent manner, and METTL3 may be a potential therapeutic target for STC.

Application of the Plan-Do-Check-Act Cycle in Shortening the Decision to Delivery Interval Time.

Objective: To discuss the application value of the plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle in shortening the decision to delivery interval (DDI) time. Methods: A total of 106 DDI cases from the Ningbo Women and Children's Hospital (China) from January 2019 to December 2020 were selected as the subjects of this study. The causes for the prolongation of DDI were analyzed and protocols were developed. Through continuous summaries and improvement, a standardized process was established to direct clinical application, ie, the PDCA cycle. Results: The DDI was shortened from 14.26 min in 2019 to 12.18 min in 2020 and the neonatal asphyxia rate significantly decreased from 34.69% in 2019 to 12.50% in 2020 (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The PDCA cycle management mode effectively shortened the DDI time and reduced the neonatal asphyxia rate, without increasing adverse maternal outcomes.

Hypertrophic pachymeningitis with co-occurrence of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies and immunoglobulin G4 seropositivity: Case report and literature review.

We report an extremely rare case of hypertrophic pachymeningitis in which a 71-year-old man presented with an intractable recurrent headache for >1 year. During this period, he became positive for immunoglobulin G4 and proteinase 3-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging showed characteristic diffuse thickening of the dura. Symptoms were improved by intravenous methylprednisolone (500 mg per day for 5 days) and cyclophosphamide pulse therapy during corticosteroid withdrawal; he remained symptom-free during 1-year follow-up. This case suggests that this disease can be treated by corticosteroids combined with immunosuppressive agents.

PDGF-BB exhibited therapeutic effects on rat model of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw by enhancing angiogenesis and osteogenesis.

The mechanism and effective treatment of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ) are still uncertain. Our previous study revealed that zoledronate (ZOL) preferentially inhibited osteoclasts formation and platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) secretion, causing suppression of angiogenesis and osteogenesis in vitro. The present study aimed to elucidate whether PDGF-BB had therapeutic effects on rat model of BRONJ by enhancing angiogenesis and angiogenesis. Firstly, rat model of BRONJ was established by ZOL and dexamethasone administration, followed by teeth extraction. The occurrence of BRONJ was confirmed and detected dead bone formation by maxillae examination, micro-CT scan and HE staining (10/10). Compared to control rats (0/10), both angiogenesis and mature bone formation were suppressed in BRONJ-like rats, evidenced by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for VEGF (P < 0.01), immunohistochemistry of CD31 (P < 0.05) and OCN (P < 0.01). Moreover, in the early stage of bone healing, the number of preosteoclasts (P < 0.001) and PDGF-BB secretion (P < 0.05) were significantly decreased in bisphosphonates-treated rats, along with the declined numbers of microvessels (P < 0.05) and osteoblasts (P < 0.05). In vitro study, CCK8 assay, alizarin red S staining and western blot assay showed that mandible-derived bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) in BRONJ-like rats presented suppressed functions of proliferation, osteogenesis and angiogenesis. Interestingly, recombinant PDGF-BB was able to rescue the impaired functions of BMMSCs derived from BRONJ-like rats at more than 10 ng/ml. Then fibrin sealant with or without recombinant PDGF-BB were tamped into the socket after debridement in BRONJ rats. After 8 weeks, fibrin sealant containing PDGF-BB showed significant therapeutic effects on BRONJ-like rats (bone healing: 8/10 vs 3/10, P < 0.05) with enhancing microvessels and mature bone formation. Our study suggested that the inhibition of angiogenesis and osteogenesis, the potential mechanisms of BRONJ, might partly result from suppression of PDGF-BB secretion in the early stage of bone healing. PDGF-BB local treatment after debridement might avail the healing of BRONJ by increasing angiogenesis and osteogenesis.

VSNL1 Promotes Gastric Cancer Cell Proliferation and Migration by Regulating P2X3/P2Y2 Receptors and Is a Clinical Indicator of Poor Prognosis in Gastric Cancer Patients.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of Visinin Like 1 (VSNL1) in the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer (GC) cells as well as its clinical prognostic significance. METHODS: To this end, we evaluated VSNL1 expression in GC tissues and cell lines by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry. To further explore the effects of VSNL1, a lentiviral vector expressing a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) against VSNL1 was constructed and transduced into the GC cell lines BGC-823 and SGC-7901. The interference efficiency of VSNL1-shRNA was determined by western blot. The effects of VSNL1 on the migration and invasion of GC cells as well as the expression of P2X3/P2Y2 were explored using MTS, colony formation, migration, and western blot assays. RESULTS: VSNL1 mRNA and protein levels were increased in GC tissues and cell lines. Furthermore, VSNL1 expression was positively correlated with Lauren's classification, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, TNM stage, and prognosis. VSNL1 expression was inversely correlated with the 5-year survival rate of GC patients. VSNL1 expression was markedly reduced in cells transduced with lentivirus expressing shRNA against VSNL1, and inhibiting VSNL1 expression significantly suppressed cell growth, migration, and colony formation and reduced the expression of P2X3/P2Y2. CONCLUSION: VSNL1 may promote the proliferation and migration of GC cells by regulating P2X3 and P2Y2 expression. VSNL1 plays important roles in GC development and metastasis and may be correlated with patient prognosis.

Schizandrin A exhibits potent anticancer activity in colorectal cancer cells by inhibiting heat shock factor 1.

Heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) is a powerful multifaceted oncogenic modifier that plays a role in maintaining the protein balance of cancer cells under various stresses. In recent studies, there have been reports of increased expression of HSF1 in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells, and the depletion of the HSF1 gene knockdown has inhibited colon cancer growth both in vivo and in vitro. Therefore, HSF1 is a promising target for colon cancer treatment and chemoprevention. In the present study, we found that Schizandrin A (Sch A) significantly inhibited the growth of CRC cell lines by inducing cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and death. Through HSE luciferase reporter assay and quantitative PCR (qPCR), we identified Sch A as a novel HSF1 inhibitor. In addition, Sch A could effectively inhibit the induction of HSF1 target proteins such as heat-shock protein (HSP) 70 (HSP70) and HSP27, whether in heat shock or normal temperature culture. In the Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) experiment, Sch A showed moderate affinity with HSF1, further confirming that Sch A might be a direct HSF1 inhibitor. The molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulation results of HSF1/Sch A suggested that Sch A formed key hydrogen bond and hydrophobic interactions with HSF1, which may contribute to its potent HSF1 inhibition. These findings provide clues for the design of novel HSF1 inhibitors and drug candidates for colon cancer treatment.

Paired eye-control study of unilateral opaque bubble layer in femtosecond laser assisted laser in situ keratomileusis.

AIM: To investigate the predictive factors of the opaque bubble layer (OBL) compared to the fellow eye of same patients in FS200 femtosecond laser assisted laser in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK). METHODS: This study consisted of 60 consecutive patients (120 eyes) with unilateral OBL during FS-LASIK. Eyes were divided into OBL (the OBL eyes) and OBL-free groups (the fellow eyes) based on the occurrence of OBL. The preoperative demographic data, refraction, keratometry, corneal astigmatism, pachymetry, intraocular pressure and intraoperative data including the outlet location of gas diffusing canal were collected. Conditional logistic regression analysis was performed to find the associated factors with OBL in the two groups by determining odds ratios (OR) and 95%CI. RESULTS: The preoperative demographic data, mean spherical errors, mean K value, suction time, intraocular pressure and central cornea thickness were not significantly different between the two groups. The outlet location of gas diffusing canal (P<0.01, OR 7.16, 95%CI 2.53-20.32) and the corneal astigmatism (P=0.013, OR 0.13, 95%CI 0.03-0.65) were significantly associated with the incidence of OBL by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Visual acuity, efficacy, and safety were comparable between the two groups two months after surgery except for a slightly lower predictability value for the hard OBL eyes. CONCLUSION: The reduction of the incidence of OBL is obvious when the outlet of gas diffusing canal located at the posterior border of the corneoscleral limbus. This is probably consequent to more effectiveness of gas diffusing canal. Corneal astigmatism is also an independent protective factor for OBL formation.

Radiation of the high-order plasmonic modes of large gold nanospheres excited by surface plasmon polaritons.

Large metallic nanoparticles with sizes comparable to the wavelength of light are expected to support high-order plasmon modes exhibiting resonances in the visible to near infrared spectral range. However, the radiation behavior of high-order plasmon modes, including scattering spectra and radiation patterns, remains unexplored. Here, we report on the first observation and characterization of the high-order plasmon modes excited in large gold nanospheres by using the surface plasmon polaritons generated on the surface of a thin gold film. The polarization-dependent scattering spectra were measured by inserting a polarization analyzer in the collection channel and the physical origins of the scattering peaks observed in the scattering spectra were clearly identified. More interestingly, the radiation of electric quadrupoles and octupoles was resolved in both frequency and spatial domains. In addition, the angular dependences of the radiation intensity for all plasmon modes were extracted by fitting the polarization-dependent scattering spectra with multiple Lorentz line shapes. A significant enhancement of the electric field was found in the gap plasmon modes and it was employed to generate hot-electron intraband luminescence. Our findings pave the way for exploiting the high-order plasmon modes of large metallic nanoparticles in the manipulation of light radiation and light-matter interaction.

Microstructure and Tensile Properties of Friction Stir Processed Mg⁻Sn⁻Zn Alloy.

In this study, as-cast Mg⁻6Sn⁻2Zn (wt.%) alloy was subjected to friction stir processing (FSP) and the microstructure and tensile properties of FSP Mg⁻6Sn⁻2Zn samples were investigated. It was found that, in the stir zone (SZ) of FSP Mg⁻6Sn⁻2Zn samples, α-Mg grains were significantly refined via dynamic recrystallization (DRX) and the Mg2Sn phase was broken and partially dissolved. The microstructure in SZ was nonuniform and DRXed grains in the SZ-up regions were coarser than those in the SZ-down regions. Coarse broken Mg2Sn particles were observed in the SZ-up regions, while only fine Mg2Sn particles were observed in the SZ-down regions. Strong {0001} basal texture developed in the SZ regions of Mg⁻6Sn⁻2Zn samples after FSP. The increase of travel speed had little effect on the texture of different SZ regions. The ductility of FSP Mg⁻6Sn⁻2Zn samples was obviously improved, while the improvement in strength was negligible when compared to the as-cast sample. The tensile properties of FSP Mg⁻6Sn⁻2Zn samples were influenced by grain refinement, texture modification, and the breaking up and dissolution of the Mg2Sn phase.

Risk factors and prognosis for salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma in southern china: A 25-year retrospective study.

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is characterized by slow growth, frequent local recurrences, and high incidence of distant metastasis (DM). The aim of this study was to evaluate predictive factors for local-regional (LR) recurrence, DM, and survival in ACC.A retrospective review of the medical records for patients with salivary glands ACC from 1990 to 2015 was performed. The clinical parameters were assessed to identify correlations with the development of LR recurrence, DM, and survival of these patients.Among 228 patients who underwent surgery as definitive treatment, 210 (92.1%) were followed up in the study. DM was detected in 64 (30.5%) patients, LR recurrence was detected in 58 (27.6%) patients. The estimated 5, 10, and 15-year overall survival rates were 84.7%, 70.8%, and 34.0%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that the presence of lymphovascular invasion and a high T classification were very strong adverse factors, which independently influenced LR recurrence, DM, and survival of ACC patients. Positive/close margin and N+ status were independent risk factors for DM and LR recurrence, respectively. Survival of ACC patents was also affected by tumor location.Presence of lymphovascular invasion and a high T classification were very strong adverse factors and independent predictors for ACC patients' prognosis, which influenced LR control, DM control, and survival.

Association between high expression of phosphorylated Akt and mammalian target of rapamycin and improved survival in salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Previous genomic studies revealed phosphotidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway mutation in human salivary gland adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). No validation of its prognostic value has been reported. METHODS: P-Akt, pan-Akt, phosphorylated-mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR), PI3K, and insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor beta (IGF-1Rß) were detected on 120 salivary gland ACC/adjacent salivary gland pairs immunohistochemically and were correlated with clinicopathological data. RESULTS: Expression of cytoplasmic and nuclear p-Akt, cytoplasmic p-mTOR, nuclear pan-Akt, and nuclear IGF-1Rß were higher in ACC than in adjacent salivary glands. P-Akt, p-mTOR, PI3K, and IGF-1Rß expression were correlated with one another in both cytoplasm and nucleus. Low p-mTOR expression in both subcellular compartments was associated with locoregional recurrence, poor disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS). Low nuclear p-Akt (Ser473) and p-mTOR expression were independent predictors for poor OS and DFS, respectively. CONCLUSION: High level of Akt/mTOR activation in ACC is correlated with a significantly improved survival. P-mTOR and nuclear p-Akt are prognostic biomarkers of salivary gland ACC. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 39: 1145-1154, 2017.

Is Pilocarpine Effective in Preventing Radiation-Induced Xerostomia? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of concomitant administration of pilocarpine on radiation-induced xerostomia in patients with head and neck cancers. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials were searched to identify randomized, controlled trials studying the effect of concomitant administration of pilocarpine for radiation-induced xerostomia. Included trials were systematically reviewed, and quantifiable outcomes were pooled for meta-analysis. Outcomes of interest included salivary flow, clinician-rated xerostomia grade, patient-reported xerostomia scoring, quality of life, and adverse effects. RESULTS: Six prospective, randomized, controlled trials in 8 articles were included in this systematic review. The total number of patients was 369 in the pilocarpine group and 367 in the control group. Concomitant administration of pilocarpine during radiation could increase the unstimulated salivary flow rate in a period of 3 to 6 months after treatment, and also reduce the clinician-rated xerostomia grade. Patient-reported xerostomia was not significantly impacted by pilocarpine in the initial 3 months but was superior at 6 months. No significant difference of stimulated salivary flow rate could be confirmed between the 2 arms. Adverse effects of pilocarpine were mild and tolerable. CONCLUSIONS: The concomitant administration of pilocarpine during radiation increases unstimulated salivary flow rate and reduces clinician-rated xerostomia grade after radiation. It also relieves patients' xerostomia at 6 months and possibly at 12 months. However, pilocarpine has no effect on stimulated salivary flow rate.

Three-photon-induced blue emission with narrow bandwidth from hot flower-like ZnO nanorods.

ZnO nanorods (NRs) self-organized into flowers were synthesized at different temperatures ranging from 100°C to 180°C by using the hydrothermal method. The existence of Zn interstitials (Zn(i)) was confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and a larger amount of Zn(i) was found in the ZnO NRs prepared at higher temperatures. A redshift of the emission peak of more than 15 nm was observed for the ZnO NRs under single photon excitation. The nonlinear optical properties of the flower-like ZnO NRs were characterized by using focused femtosecond laser light and strong three-photon-induced luminescence was observed at an excitation wavelength of ~750 nm. More interestingly, a large redshift of the emission peak was observed with increasing excitation intensity, resulting in efficient blue emission with a narrow bandwidth of ~30 nm. It was confirmed that the large redshift originates from the heating of the ZnO NRs to a temperature of more than 800°C and the closely packed ZnO NRs in the flowers play a crucial role in heat accumulation. The stable and efficient three-photon-induced blue emission from such ZnO NRs may find potential applications in the fields of optical display, high-temperature sensors and light therapy of tumors.

Long-term outcomes of endoscopic neck dissection in the treatment of early-stage oral cancer: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the feasibility and safety of endoscopic neck dissection in the treatment of early-stage oral cancer and to evaluate the long-term clinical outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: Six patients with early-stage oral cancer were enrolled in this pilot study from December 2006 to May 2007. All the patients underwent endoscopic selective neck dissection (levels I-IV) of the ipsilateral neck and partial glossectomy or hemiglossectomy as the primary treatment. RESULTS: All endoscopic procedures were successfully performed, with important neck structures identified and preserved. All the patients survived with no persistent or recurrent disease during the 76- to 83-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary results indicated that endoscopic neck dissection is a technically feasible and safe technique for treating early-stage oral cancer. The oncologic indications and validation should be further confirmed in patients with clinically positive neck lymph nodes in a future study.