An autophagy-related long non-coding RNA signature for glioma.

Glioma is one of the most common types of malignant primary central nervous system tumor, and prognosis for this disease is poor. As autophagic drugs have been reported to induce glioma cell death, we investigated the potential prognostic role of autophagy-associated long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) in glioma patients. In this study, we obtained 879 lncRNAs and 216 autophagy genes from the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas microarray, and found that 402 lncRNAs are correlated with the autophagy genes. Subsequently, 10 autophagy-associated lncRNAs with prognostic value (PCBP1-AS1, TP53TG1, DHRS4-AS1, ZNF674-AS1, GABPB1-AS1, DDX11-AS1, SBF2-AS1, MIR4453HG, MAPKAPK5-AS1 and COX10-AS1) were identified in glioma patients using multivariate Cox regression analyses. A prognostic signature was then established based on these prognostic lncRNAs, dividing patients into low-risk and high-risk groups. The overall survival time was shorter in the high-risk group than that in the low-risk group [hazard ratio (HR) = 5.307, 95% CI: 4.195-8.305; P < 0.0001]. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that the gene sets were significantly enriched in cancer-related pathways, including interleukin (IL) 6/Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3 signaling, tumor necrosis factor α signaling via nuclear factor κB, IL2/STAT5 signaling, the p53 pathway and the KRAS signaling pathway. The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset was used to validate that high-risk patients have worse survival outcomes than low-risk patients (HR = 1.544, 95% CI: 1.110-2.231; P = 0.031). In summary, our signature of 10 autophagy-related lncRNAs has prognostic potential for glioma, and these autophagy-related lncRNAs may play a key role in glioma biology.

Design and biomechanical properties of a new reconstruction device for treating thoracolumbar burst fractures.

Implants currently used for reconstruction of a burst vertebral body are associated with complications, including subsidence, nonunion, and substantial intraoperative blood loss. A new reconstruction device, the U-Cage (Double Engine Medical Material Ltd, Xiamen, Fujian, China), was designed to minimize complications.Six intact adult cadaver thoracolumbar (T11-L3) spines were collected and scanned by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). The stiffness of the burst spine was subsequently compared with its previous intact state during flexion/extension, lateral bending, and rotation, and then subjected to a cyclic test to predict cage subsidence and device loosening. Axial load was applied continuously until failure to test the peak load that the specimen could withstand during the cyclic test. The correlation of bone mineral density and peak load was also analyzed. The instrumented specimens were found to be equivalent to intact bone in all directions (P>.05), with the exception of left rotation (P<.05). All specimens could withstand the cyclic test, and no subsidence or loosening of the device was detected. Average peak load for the instrumented specimens was 4137.5 N, which correlated with the average bone mineral density (r=0.915; P=.011).Thoracolumbar burst fractures instrumented with a U-Cage and anterolateral D-rod fixation achieved a stiffness similar to that of intact spines. This procedure may avoid the subsidence of the cage in vivo and serve as a better option for treating thoracolumbar burst fractures.