Development, Validation and Characterization of a Novel Portable Closed Fracture Device.

BACKGROUND/AIM: As one of the common clinical diseases, fractures have many causes, mechanisms, healing and influencing factors; especially fracture healing is a long-term and complex process. Animal fracture models can simulate the various states of human fractures, and on this basis, the prevention, mechanism, and treatment of fractures can be studied to further guide clinical practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Here, we developed a novel and portable device to create a closed fracture model in mice. We then compared this novel closed fracture model with the traditional open model in multiple dimensions to evaluate the modelling process of establishment and healing. The two models were evaluated by imaging, immunostaining, and behavioral tests, which fully demonstrated the stability, universality and operability of the modified fracture model in mice. RESULTS: Surgical quality assessment revealed that the closed fracture model had a shorter operation time and smaller wound than the open model. X-ray and micro-CT results showed no differences between the two models in the evaluation of radiographic and morphological changes during fracture healing. Histological examination revealed the process of the typical intrachondral osteogenic pathway after fracture. Moreover, animal gait analysis indicated reduced postoperative pain in the closed group compared to the open group. CONCLUSION: This study provides a constructive strategy for a closed fracture model in mice and demonstrates the effectiveness and feasibility of the closed fracture model in studying the typical intrachondral osteogenic pathway of fractures from multiple dimensions.

A Novel LysR Family Factor STM0859 is Associated with The Responses of Salmonella Typhimurium to Environmental Stress and Biofilm Formation.

Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium (ST) is an intracellularly parasitic bacterium. This zoonotic pathogen causes food poisoning and thus imposes a severe threat to food safety. Here, to understand the regulatory roles of the novel transcription factor STM0859 on the response of ST to environmental stress and biofilm formation, the STM0859 gene-deficient strain and the complementation strain ΔSTM0859/STM0859 were generated, respectively. Then, its capacity of responding to environmental stresses and biofilm (BF) formation ability under different stresses, including acid, alkali, high salt, cholate, and oxidative stresses was tested. We further analyzed the interaction between the STM0859 protein and the promoter of the acid stress response-related gene rcsB by performing an electrophoresis mobility shift assay (EMSA). The results showed that acid resistance and BF formation capacities of ST-ΔSTM0859 strain were significantly weaker, as compared with those of Salmonella Typhimurium SL1344 (ST-SL1344) wild strain (p < 0.01). Quantitative qRT-PCR analysis showed that the expression levels of acid stress and BF formation-related genes, rcsB and rpoS, of ST-ΔSTM0859 strain were significantly reduced at the transcription levels, while the transcription levels of these genes were fully restored in complementation strain ST-ΔSTM0859/STM0859. The results of EMSA showed that STM0859 was capable of binding the promoter DNA fragments of the rcsB gene, suggesting that STM0859 can promote the transcription of the rcsB gene through interaction with its promoter, thereby exerting an indirectly regulatory role on the adaptive responses to acid stress and BF formation of ST. This study provided new insights into the regulatory mechanisms of the LysR family factors on the tolerances of ST under adverse environmental stresses.

Knockdown of hypoxia inducible factor-2α inhibits cell invasion via the downregulation of MMP-2 expression in breast cancer cells.

Hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs) are important regulatory molecules of the intracellular oxygen-signaling pathway. The role of HIF-1α has been confirmed in breast carcinoma; however, little is understood concerning the function of HIF-2α. The present study treated human breast adenocarcinoma MCF-7 cells with the HIF activator cobalt chloride, and transfected HIF-2α small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) into MCF-7 cells to suppress HIF-2α expression. The siRNAs significantly reduced the levels of HIF-2α and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 in the treated MCF-7 cells. An invasion assay demonstrated that the siRNAs targeting HIF-2α inhibited the invasion potency of the cells. The present study concludes that loss of HIF-2α may be associated with a decreased risk for the progression of human breast cancer, due to the downregulation of the expression of MMP-2.

Clinical effects of perazine ferulate tablets combined with eucalyptol limonene pinene enteric soft capsules for treatment of children with IgA nephropathy.

The clinical effects of piperazine ferulate tablets combined with eucalyptol limonene pinene enteric soft capsules for treatment of children with IgA nephropathy were investigated. Sixty children with IgA nephropathy were included in the study and were randomly divided into the control (n=30) and observation (n=30) groups. The patients in the control group were treated with conservative or hormone therapy while patients in the observation group were treated with piperazine ferulate tablets combined with eucalyptol-limonene-pinene enteric soft capsules. Clinical effects were observed and compared. The total effective rate of the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group, while the incidence of complications was significantly lower than that of the control group (p<0.05). Serum IgA and fibronectin levels of the observation group were significantly lower than those of the control group, while the level of C3 was significantly higher than that of the control group (p<0.05). In conclusion, piperazine ferulate tablets combined with eucalyptus enteric soft capsule constituted a safe and effective for the treatment of children with IgA nephropathy. The treatment was superior to conservative or hormone therapy, and thus worthy of clinical promotion.

Low-dose bevacizumab induces radiographic regression of vestibular schwannomas in neurofibromatosis type 2: A case report and literature review.

The current case study aimed to explore the efficacy of a low-dose bevacizumab regimen in inhibiting tumor growth and minimizing adverse effects. A 55-year-old man with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) suffered bilateral vestibular schwannomas (VS) measuring 5.25 and 2.54 cm3 on the left and right, respectively. His capacity for bilateral language recognition was impaired. However, the patient refused microsurgical tumor resection and gamma knife therapy. Low-dose bevacizumab regimen (3.3-2.2 mg/kg every 2-4 weeks) was administered by intravenous injection for ~1.5 years to inhibit tumor growth and avoid further deterioration of hearing. Compared with baseline measurements prior to treatment, the bilateral VS regressed to 3.59 cm3 (68%) and 2.08 cm3 (82%) on the left and right, respectively. No hearing improvement was detected; however, the patient subjectively experienced a significant hearing improvement as his ability to communicate with people and distinguish voices was restored. No adverse effects were observed. Bevacizumab provides an alternative treatment option for those who refuse surgical intervention. Given the adverse effects commonly induced by bevacizumab, the use of a low-dose regimen would appear to be promising with regard to tumor regression and hearing preservation for patients with VS in NF2. However, the minimum dose required to sustain a response to bevacizumab in NF2 patients remains unknown. Finding the minimum effective dose sufficient to sustain hearing and/or volumetric response for individual patients is required.

miR-196b regulates gastric cancer cell proliferation and invasion via PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

miR-196b plays a significant role in the regulation of tumor pathogenesis and progression by promoting tumor cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis. In order to explore the effects of miR-196b on the proliferation and invasion ability of gastric cancer cells and the involved mechanisms, in the present study the lentivirus expression vector miR-196b was constructed and transfected into the human gastric cancer cell line MKN28. The cell proliferation and invasion ability were observed and the expression of PI3K/AKT/mTOR protein and mRNA were analyzed following upregulation of the expression of miR-196b. 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) results revealed that the proliferation of MKN28 cells was notably increased following upregulation of the expression of miR-196b (P<0.01). Flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that miR-196b decreased the ratios of cells in the GO/G1 stage but increased the ratios in S and G2 stage (P<0.05). Furthermore, the cell clone formation and trans-membrane rates were increased following upregulation of the expression of miR-196b (P<0.01). The nude mouse tumor growth test revealed that tumor growth was more rapid following upregulation of the expression of miR-196b. The expression of PI3K/AKT/mTOR protein and mRNA were increased following upregulation of the expression of miR-196b. We concluded that upregulation of miR-196b promotes the proliferation and invasion ability of gastric cancer cells by regulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.

[ANALYSIS OF THE RESULTS OF ENDOSCOPIC AND MORPHOLOGICAL STUDIES OF THE STOMACH MUCOSA WITH REDUCED PEPSINOGEN-I IN PATIENTS WITH H. PYLORI (H.P.)--ASSOCIATED GASTRITIS IN TOMSK AND TOMSK REGION].

AIM OF INVESTIGATION: To explore and describe the endoscopic picture of HP--associated atrophic gastritis and to analyze the specificity of endoscopic markers indicating the presence of atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia using high-tech methods of endoscopy in comparison with morphological characteristics of atrophic gastritis defining the degree of activity and stage of atrophic gastritis according to the system OLGA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 40 people: males and females aged 40 to 70 years with a reduced level of pepsinogen I and a positive titre of antibodies to H. pylori in serum--were included into the study. THE RESULTS: Risk groups with atrophic gastritis based on indicators of pepsinogen 1 were formed. Endoscopic picture of H. Pylori--associated atrophic gastritis in patients with reduced level of pepsinogen I in serum is studied and described. Analysis of the specificity of endoscopic markers indicating the presence of AG, intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia using high-tech methods of endoscopy (endoscopy with high resolution, magnifying endoscopy, chromoendoscopy and narrow band imaging endoscopy (NBI) is made. Analysis of their sensitivity in comparison with the results of morphological studies of biopsy material is made. CONCLUSION: Thus, these studies show that high-resolution endoscopy in combination with magnification and chromoendoscopy allows accurately identify areas of atrophy, intestinal.Narrow band imaging endoscopy (NBI) provides a detailed picture of the vascular pattern of tissues, pattern changes typical for pathological areas of inflammatory genesis, as well as for precancers and early cancers. All these methods have high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of HP-associated atrophic gastritis in comparison with the results of morphological studies of biopsy materials of stomach mucosa.