Overregulation of microRNA-212 in the poor prognosis of esophageal cancer patients.

There have been few reports evaluating the expression and function of the microRNA miR-212 in esophageal cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between miR-212 expression and clinicopathological factors and prognoses of esophageal cancer. MicroRNA was extracted from 46 esophageal cancer patients using the Taqman MicroRNA assay. All patients were at the same tumor node metastasis stage, but with different prognoses, and had all undergone surgery. The correlation between miR-212 expression and clinicopathological features was analyzed and the significance of miR-212 as a prognostic factor as well as its relationship with survival was determined. miR-212 expression was higher in patients with poor prognoses than in those with good prognoses (P < 0.0001). Kaplan-Meier analysis results showed that the miR-212 expression level was significantly correlated with survival time (P = 0.024). Patients with higher expression of miR-212 showed longer survival times. Cox multi-factor model analysis showed that miR-212 expression was significantly correlated with survival time (P = 0.026). mir-212 is related with prognostic factors and survival time and may be a biomarker for esophageal cancer.

Implications of microRNA-197 downregulated expression in esophageal cancer with poor prognosis.

The aim of this study was to investigate the significance of the microRNA miR-197 expression level in relation to clinicopathological factors and prognoses of esophageal cancer (EC). MicroRNA was extracted using the Taqman(®) MicroRNA Assay from 46 EC patients at the same tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage, but with different prognoses, who underwent surgery. Paracancerous normal tissues were used as controls. The correlation between miR-197 expression and clinicopathologic features was analyzed, and the significance of miR-197 as a prognostic factor and its relationship with survival was determined. miR-197 expression was lower in patients with poor prognosis than in those with good prognosis (P < 0.05). Kaplan-Meier analysis results showed that the miR-197 expression level is significantly correlated with survival time (P = 0.030), and that patients with higher expression of miR-197 had longer survival times. Cox multi-factor model analysis showed that patient prognosis (P = 0.001), tumor length (P = 0.010) and expression (P = 0.042), and survival time were significantly correlated, with corresponding risks of 9.183, 2.318, and 1.925, respectively. This study supports a role of miR-197 as an anti-oncogene and a biomarker for EC and its relationship with other prognostic factors and survival.

The application of ultrasonic harmonic scalpel in the radical surgery of gastric cancer.

PURPOSE: Ultrasonic harmonic scalpel has been widely applied to laparoscopic surgery of gastric cancer, but it has not been evaluated properly in open surgery. The objective of this study was to evaluate the value of the ultrasonic harmonic scalpel in the open radical surgery of gastric cancer. METHODS: 106 gastric cancer patients who had accepted distal D2 lymphadenectomy were included in this study. Patients were divided into ultrasonic harmonic scalpel (UHS) surgery group (50 cases) and conventional electric scalpel surgery group (56 cases). UHS surgery group patients were accepted surgery by ultrasonic harmonic scalpel. Instead, conventional electric scalpel surgery group patients were accepted surgery by monopolar electrocautery shovel and other traditional instruments. Then the average operation time, intra-operative blood loss, number of harvested lymph nodes, average post operative drainage within 3 days, and postoperative hospital stay were collected and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The average operation time, blood loss, postoperative hospital stay in UHS group were significantly lower than traditional group (P < 0.05). The number of lymph node dissection was significantly higher than conventional surgery group (P < 0.05). There were no difference between two groups in average drainage within 3 days after surgery and the hospitalization costs (P > 0.05). In the presence of atherosclerotic patients, the average operation time, blood loss in UHS surgery group were significantly lower than the traditional group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Ultrasonic harmonic scalpel may have better effect in the radical surgery of gastric cancer patients. It meets the requirements of the future development of precise surgical procedure.

Dietary vitamin A can improve immune function in heat-stressed broilers.

This experiment was undertaken to evaluate the effect of dietary vitamin A on the performance and immune competence of broilers under heat stress (HS). A total of 180 birds, at 22 days of age, were randomly assigned to be reared either at 24°C (thermoneutral, TN, 24°C, constant) or 24°C to 38°C (heat stress, HS, cycling) until the age of 42 days. Birds were then supplemented with vitamin A at 750, 1500, 15 000 IU/kg. Each of the 2 × 3 factorially arranged treatments were replicated in six cages, each containing five birds. Humoral immunity was assessed by intravenous injection of 7% sheep red blood cells (SRBC) followed by evaluation of serum for antibody titers in primary and secondary responses. Cell-mediated immunity was assessed by using a Sephadax stimulation method to recruit abdominal exudate cells (AEC) to evaluate macrophage phagocytic ability. Body weight (BW) and feed conversion were significantly affected by dietary vitamin A (P < 0.05). HS significantly reduced BW, feed intake and feed conversion (P < 0.05). Numbers of AEC, percentage of macrophages in AEC, phagocytic macrophages, internalized opsonized and unopsonized SRBC were increased by dietary vitamin A (P < 0.05). Both primary and secondary antibody responses were characterized by increasing titers of antibody to SRBC by dietary vitamin A when birds were exposed to HS (P < 0.05). Lymphoid organ weights, antibody responses, incidence of macrophages in AEC and phagocytic ability of macrophages were all significantly reduced under HS. These results indicated that HS severely reduced performance and immunocompetence of broilers, whereas the immune response of broilers improved by dietary vitamin A supplementation under HS.