Influence of continuous nursing on surgical site wound infection and postoperative complication for colorectal cancer patients with stoma: A meta-analysis.

We systematically evaluated the effect of continuous nursing on surgical site wound infections and postoperative complications in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with stomas. Computerised searches of Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wanfang databases were conducted to collect clinical studies on CRC patients receiving continuous nursing interventions after colorectal stoma surgery; the search period was from the establishment of each database to August 2023. Two researchers independently screened the literature, extracted the data and completed a literature quality assessment. The meta-analysis was performed using Stata 17.0 and included 20 studies with 1759 patients. The meta-analysis showed that continuous nursing significantly lowered the rates of surgical site wound infection (risk ratio [RR] = 0.24, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.14-0.43, p < 0.001) and postoperative complications (RR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.23-0.39, p < 0.001) for CRC stoma patients compared with the control group. Therefore, continuous nursing intervention should be promoted for use in clinical care.

Effects of application of the clinical nursing pathway on surgical site wound infection and postoperative complication rates in patients with total knee arthroplasty: A meta-analysis.

This study aimed to systematically evaluate the effects of clinical nursing on surgical site wound infections and postoperative complications in patients after undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Computerised searches of Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP and Wanfang databases were conducted from inception to August 2023 to collect randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on patients with TKA who received clinical nursing pathway interventions. Literature screening, data extraction and quality assessment of the included studies were performed independently by two researchers. The meta-analysis was performed using Stata 17.0. A total of 14 RCTs with 1174 patients were included, including 587 patients each in the intervention and control groups. The meta-analysis results showed that the application of clinical nursing pathways to patients undergoing TKA significantly reduced surgical site wound infections (risk ratio [RR] = 0.28, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.15-0.54, p < 0.001) and postoperative complications (RR = 0.25, 95% CI: 0.17-0.37, p < 0.001). Therefore, clinical nursing pathway interventions in patients undergoing TKA should be promoted in clinical practice as they can effectively reduce the incidence of wound infection and postoperative complications.

Early changes of retinal and choroidal microvascular structure in hypertensive patients / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM: To explore the feasibility of swept source optical coherence tomography angiography(SS-OCTA)in evaluating early retinal and choroidal microcirculation changes in patients with hypertension.METHODS:Prospective clinical study. A total of 27 patients with grade 2 or 3 essential hypertension(hypertension group)diagnosed in the Department of Cardiology of Xi'an First Hospital from July to November 2022 were included in the study. There were 14 males and 13 females. The mean age was(57.11±3.36)years. During the same period, 27 age- and sex-matched normal people without a history of hypertension were selected as the control group, including 12 males and 15 females. The average age was(55.74±2.95)years old. All patients underwent BCVA(LogMAR), intraocular pressure, axial length, slit lamp examination, fundus color photography and SS-OCTA examination. SS-OCTA was used to scan the macular area of the right eye in the range of 6×6 mm. The retina and choroid were divided into three concentric circles with diameters of 0-1 mm, 1-3 mm and 3-6 mm around the fovea according to ETDRS. Macular vessel density(VD), perfusion area(PA), retinal thickness(CMT), choroidal thickness(CT), choroidal vessel volume(CVV)and choroidal vasculr index(CVI)of the superficial capillary plexus(SCP)and the deep capillary plexus(DCP)in the macular area of 0-1 mm, 1-3 mm and 3-6 mm were analyzed and recorded. The changes in VD, PA, CMT, CT, CVV and CVI were compared between the two groups. Independent sample t-test was used to compare VD, PA, CMT and CVI between the two groups; CT, CVV and LogMAR visual acuity were analyzed by Wilcoxon signed rank test of independent samples.RESULTS:Compared with the control group, the hypertensive group had significantly lower VD in the macular area 0-3 mm(0-1 mm, t=-3.144; 1-3 mm, t=-3.611, P&#x003C;0.05). VD in the area of 3-6 mm showed a tendency to increase compared with the control group(t=1.715, P&#x003E;0.05). The CMT in the 0-1mm area of the macular area in the hypertension group was lower than that in the control group(t=-2.624, P&#x003C;0.05). There was no significant difference in CT, CVV and CVI between the two groups(P&#x003E;0.05).CONCLUSION:The VD of DCP in the 0-3 mm area and the CMT in the 0-1 mm area are decreased in hypertensive patients. There were no significant differences in CT, CVV and CVI between the two groups. VD and CMT in macular DCP may be used as indicators to evaluate the early changes of retinal and choroidal microcirculation in hypertensive patients.

Curcumin protects PC12 cells from a high glucose-induced inflammatory response by regulating the miR-218-5p/TLR4 axis.

BACKGROUND: Curcumin exerts a protective effect on diabetic encephalopathy (DN), It is known for its potent neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticancer properties. However, the underlying mechanisms of curcumin's neuroprotective effects resulting from high glucose (HG)-induced injuries remain unknown. The purpose of this study is to identify the protective mechanism of Curcumin in the DN. METHODS: In this study, pheochromocytoma cells (PC12 cells) were pretreated with different concentrations of Curcumin and then co-treated with Curcumin and glucose for 48 hours, and the cell viability was evaluated by CCK-8, the expression of the inflammatory mediators were detected by ELISA, the miR-218-5p and toll-like receptors (TLR4) level were examined by both quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting, the potential target genes of miR-218-5p were identified using luciferase reporter assay. RESULTS: The viability of PC12 cells treated with HG was significantly reduced in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Cotreatment of curcumin with HG significantly increased cell viability. Curcumin inhibited the expression of the inflammatory mediators, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin 6 (IL-6), and induced the expression of the anti-inflammatory mediator interleukin-10 (IL-10). Curcumin upregulated the levels of miR-218-5p and downregulated the expression of TLR4 in HG-treated PC12 cells. The curcumin-induced anti-inflammatory effect was abrogated by a miR-218-5p inhibitor and overexpression of TLR4. The results suggest that curcumin ameliorates the inflammatory response by upregulating miR-218-5p levels in PC12 cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate a protective role for curcumin in PC12 cells and suggest that it should be considered for the prophylactic treatment of DN in the future.

Using Ex Situ Seedling Baiting to Capture Seedling-Associated Mycorrhizal Fungi in Medicinal Orchid Dendrobium officinale.

Using orchid mycorrhizal fungi (OMFs) to facilitate orchid proliferation is considered an effective method of orchid conservation. Based on the success of using in situ seedling baiting to obtain plant growth-promoting fungi in our previous study, in this study, we developed the method of using ex situ seedling baiting to capture seedling-associated fungi from Dendrobium officinale. We collected substrates (e.g., litters, barks and mosses) from six original habitats of D. officinale in different geographical locations in China, and then, transplanted in vitro-produced seedlings of D. officinale into the substrates. After cultivation for 75 days, it was obvious that fungi colonized the seedling roots and formed large numbers of pelotons in all six groups. From these seedling roots, a total of 251 fungal strains, which were divided into 16 OMF and 11 non-OMF species, were successfully isolated. The 16 OMFs included 13 Tulasnella and 3 Serendipitaceae species. The fungal species isolated from the different groups (original habitat sources) were not identical, but the dominant OMFs with high isolation frequencies (more than 10 times) were commonly isolated from more than four original sources. Among the 11 non-OMFs, Fusarium oxysporum TP-18 and Muscodor sp. TP-26 were the dominant endophytes. Fusarium oxysporum is a common endophyte associated with many orchid species, including D. officinale. The results suggest that ex situ seedling baiting is an easy and efficient approach to obtaining seedling-associated fungi for this species and could be performed for other over-collected species, especially orchids for which wild plants have disappeared in the field but their original habitats are known. This approach has great potential for application in OMF studies in the future.

Effectiveness and Safety of Anlotinib with or without PD-1 Blockades in the Treatment of Patients with Advanced Primary Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Retrospective, Real-World Study in China.

Purpose: Anlotinib, a novel multi-target tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has shown encouraging antitumor effects in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of anlotinib with or without programmed death-1 (PD-1) blockades for patients with advanced primary HCC in a real-world setting in China. Patients and Methods: Between July 2019 and May 2021, 27 patients with advanced primary HCC who received at least 2 cycles of anlotinib were included in this retrospective study. Primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR). Secondary endpoints were disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. Results: Of the 27 patients, ORR and DCR were 25.93% and 74.07%, respectively. The median follow-up time was 6.27 months (range: 1.30-17.40) with a median PFS and OS of 3.29 months (95% CI: 1.31-15.47) and 6.21 months (95% CI: 2.23-15.87), respectively. A total of 14 patients received anlotinib and PD-1 blockade combination therapy, and 13 received anlotinib monotherapy. No significant differences were observed in ORR (28.57 vs 23.08%), DCR (71.43 vs 76.92%), PFS (3.38 [95% CI: 2.66-13.14] vs 11.86 months [95% CI: 4.27-15.93]) and OS (4.90 [95% CI: 2.56-13.60] vs 11.04 months [95% CI: 1.31-17.18]) between the two groups (all p>0.05). Treatment-related AEs were reported in 88.89% of patients. Grade 3 AE was bleeding, which occurred in 3 patients (11.11%). Conclusion: Anlotinib yielded a promising efficacy and manageable safety in patients with advanced primary HCC irrespective of whether patients received PD-1 blockades, indicating that anlotinib might be a promising treatment option for this patient population.

[Spatiotemporal dynamics of soil salinity in the Yellow River Delta under the impacts of hydrology and climate.] / 水文气候影响下黄河三角洲土壤盐分时空动态.

In recent years, soil salinization in the Yellow River Delta under the effects of hydrology, climate and human activities have become increasingly prominent. Based on the 20 Landsat series images of Hekou, Kenli, Dongying districts and Lijin County of Dongying City selected from 1985 to 2018, numerical regression correction method was used to perform image spectral consistency conversion. The partial least squares regression method was used to construct quantitative inversion models of soil salt content. The soil salt content of the study area were retrieved by the best salt prediction model. The temporal and spatial characteristics of soil salt changes in the Yellow River Delta were analyzed. The results showed that the soil salt inversion model constructed with 10 sensitive spectral indices performed higher prediction accuracy, with coefficient of determination R2=0.769 and RMSE=1.125 for calibration, R2=0.752 and RMSE=1.203 for validation, and relative prediction deviation (RPD)=2.08. Using the measured soil salt data in 2016 to verify the inversion accuracy of the model, the correlation between the measured value and the inverted value was 0.7279. The model was used to map the soil salinity of the Yellow River Delta based on 20 images from 1985 to 2018. The abnormal soil salinity retrieval values was all less than 10%. During the study period, the soil salinity showed an overall trend of rising first and then falling which was lowest in 1985 (3.14 g·kg-1) and highest in 1995 (5.86 g·kg-1). Spatially, the area of heavily saline soil and saline soil in the study area decreased, and that of mildly and moderately saline soil significantly increased (66.6%). The total area of saline soil showed an increasing trend. The effects of hydrological and climatic conditions on soil salinity exhibited hysteresis. The increases of temperature promoted soil salinity, with the relationship between the soil salinity and the average temperatures in the past six months and one year being significantly correlated (R=0.507 and 0.538). Soil salinity did not correlate with regional precipitation, and was most affected by the Yellow River streamflow in the previous season (R=-0.543).

Analysis of radiological protection standard status for non-uranium mines in China / 中国职业医学

In China, the current effective special standards on radiological protection for non-uranium mines include GBZ 139-2019 Radiological Protection Requirements for the Production Places of Rare Earths, GBZ/T 233-2010 Radiological Protection Standards for the Workplaces of Tin Mine, and GBZ/T 256-2014 Radiological Protection Requirements for Radon Exposure in the Non-Uranium Mining. The above-mentioned special standards are applicable to all types of non-uranium mines except coal mines, and basically cover all aspects related to the practice of occupational exposure protection principles, such as responsibilities, workplace protection requirements, occupational exposure dose control, protective facilities and equipment, occupational exposure monitoring and evaluation, occupational health surveillance, and personnel training et al. However, there are differences in aspects such as workplace classification, individual dose monitoring and occupational health surveillance. According to the requirements of Chinese basic safety standard GB 18871-2002 Basic Standards for Protection Against Ionizing Radiation and for the Safety of Radiation Sources and international standards on occupational exposure protection, the hierarchical management in the workplace, occupational health management and radiological protection training of miners should be further improved, to provide suggestions and references for the formulation and revision of relevant standards for the prevention and control of occupational radiological diseases of non-uranium mine employees in China.

[Effect of Tiaoli Piwei needling technique on diabetic gastroparesis and transmembrane protein 16A].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effect of Tiaoli Piwei needling technique (acupuncture for regulating spleen and stomach) on diabetic gastroparesis (DGP), and to explore its possible mechanism. METHODS: A total of 128 patients with DGP were randomized into an observation group (64 cases, 4 cases dropped off) and a control group (64 cases, 4 cases dropped off). On the basis of intervention on controlling blood glucose by western medication, Tiaoli Piwei needling technique was adopted at Zhongwan (CV 12), Zusanli (ST 36), Yinlingquan (SP 9), Xuehai (SP 10), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Diji (SP 8), etc. in the observation group, once a day. Mosapride citrate dispersible tablet 5 mg was given orally 3 times a day in the control group. The treatment was given 6 times a week in the both groups, and totally 4-week treatment was required. Before and after treatment, the DGP symptom score, serum content of transmembrane protein 16A (ANO1) were observed, and the clinical therapeutic effect and the safety were evaluated in the both groups. RESULTS: After treatment, the each subitem score (belching, abdominal distension, inappetence, nausea and vomiting, epigastric pain, abnormal defecation) and the total score of DGP symptom were decreased in both groups (P<0.05), the subitem scores of belching, abdominal distension, inappetence, nausea and vomiting and the total score in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the serum contents of transmembrane protein 16A were reduced in both groups (P<0.05), and that in the observation group was lower than the control group (P<0.05). The total effective rate was 86.7% (52/60) in the observation group, which was superior to 70.0% (42/60) in the control group (P<0.05). Subcutaneous hematoma occurred in 5 cases in the observation group, which was improved after cold compress without other particular intervention. CONCLUSION: The therapeutic effect of Tiaoli Piwei needling technique on improving symptoms in patients with diabetic gastroparesis is superior to mosapride citrate dispersible tablet, its mechanism may be related to alleviating the damage of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC).

Ruxolitinib attenuates intimal hyperplasia via inhibiting JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway activation induced by PDGF-BB in vascular smooth muscle cells.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases are associated with proliferation and phenotypic switch. Platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) is a major initiating factor for proliferative vascular diseases, such as neointimal lesion formation, restenosis after angioplasty, and atherosclerosis. Ruxolitinib, a potent Janus kinase (JAK) 1 and 2 inhibitor, has been reported to significantly block the proliferation-related signaling pathway of JAK2/signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) and harbor a broad spectrum of anti-cancer activities, including proliferation inhibition, apoptosis induction, and anti-inflammation. However, the role of ruxolitinib in regulating PDGF-BB-induced VSMC proliferation remains to be elucidated. Thus, this study investigates the role of ruxolitinib in regulating PDGF-BB-induced VSMC proliferation and its underlying mechanisms. METHODS: In vivo, the medial thickness of the carotid artery was evaluated using a mouse carotid ligation model, ruxolitinib was administered orally to the mice every other day, and the mice were euthanized on day 28 to evaluate the therapeutic effects of ruxolitinib. Cell proliferation markers were measured using real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blotting. In vitro, VSMCs were treated with ruxolitinib with or without PDGF-BB at an indicated time and concentration. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were measured using Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, MTS assays and flow cytometry. The JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway involved in the effects of ruxolitinib on VSMCs was detected by western blotting with the specific pathway inhibitor AG490. RESULTS: In vivo, ruxolitinib significantly decreased the ratio-of-intima ratio (I/M ratio) by inhibiting the expression of PCNA and cyclinD1 (p <0.05). In vitro, ruxolitinib inhibited PDGF-BB-induced VSMC proliferation compared with the PDGF-BB treatment group (p <0.05). In addition, ruxolitinib inhibited the PDGF-BB-induced activation of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway and decreased the expression of proliferation related-proteins cyclinD1 and PCNA in VSMCs (p <0.05). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that ruxolitinib inhibits VSMC proliferation in vivo and in vitro by suppressing the activation of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. Therefore, ruxolitinib has a therapeutic potential for proliferative vascular diseases.

Author Correction: The Apostasia genome and the evolution of orchids.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Silencing of miR-17-5p suppresses cell proliferation and promotes cell apoptosis by directly targeting PIK3R1 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence has suggested that microRNAs (miRNAs) act as key post-transcriptional regulators in tumor progression. Previous studies have confirmed that miR-17-5p functions as an oncogene in multiple cancers and contributes to tumor progression. However, the role and biological functions of miR-17-5p in the development of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) still remain unknown. METHODS: qRT-PCR was used to detect miRNA and mRNA expression levels in LSCC tissues and cell lines. CCK-8 assay was used to measure cell viability and flow cytometry was performed to evaluate cell apoptosis. Western blot analysis was used to detect the protein levels of BAX, BCL-2, cleaved Caspase-3, PIK3R1 and AKT. Luciferase reporter assay was used to detect the effect of miR-17-5p on PIK3R1 expression. Xenograft animal model was used to test the effect of miR-17-5p on LSCC cell in vivo. RESULTS: In the present study, we found that miR-17-5p expression level was upregulated in LSCC tissues and cell lines. Depletion of miR-17-5p in LSCC cells significantly reduced cell proliferation and promoted cell apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. Mechanically, knockdown of miR-17-5p in LSCC cells inhibited BCL-2 expression while enhanced BAX and cleaved Caspase-3 protein expression. Moreover, depletion of miR-17-5p in LSCC cells suppressed AKT phosphorylation but did not influence PTEN expression. Importantly, miR-17-5p positively regulated PIK3R1 expression by directly binding to its 3'-untranslated region (UTR). Additionally, PIK3R1, which expression was downregulated in LSCC tissues and cell lines, was involved in LSCC cell survival by modulating the activation of AKT signal pathway. Dysregulation of miR-17-5p/PIK3R1 axis was participated in LSCC cell proliferation and apoptosis by inhibiting the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our study indicates that the miR-17-5p/PIK3R1 axis plays an essential role in the development of LSCC and provides a potential therapeutic target for LSCC treatment.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Psylliodes balyi Jacoby (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

The complete mitogenome of Psylliodes balyi Jacoby (GenBank accession number MT644112) is 14,561 bp in length, and contains 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 transfer RNA genes (tRNAs), 2 ribosomal RNA genes, and a putative control region. The gene content and orientation of P. balyi were identical to other beetle mitogenomes. ATT, ATA, and ATG were initiation codons and TAA, TAG, and T were termination codons. All the 22 tRNAs have the typical cloverleaf secondary structure, except for trnS1 which lacked the dihydrouracil (DHU) arm. The phylogenetic relationship based on the neighbor-joining method showed that P. balyi is closely related to Agasicles hygrophila, which agrees with the conventional classification.

Effect of Intradialytic Exercise on Physical Performance and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Patients Receiving Maintenance Hemodialysis: A Pilot and Feasibility Study.

INTRODUCTION: Although intradialytic exercise is considered a form of "nonpharmacological medicine" for patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis (MHD), this practice has not been widely implemented in most dialysis centers because of clinical limitations. We, therefore, aimed to design an intradialytic exercise training program to improve the implementation of this practice and determine its impact on physical performance and cardiovascular risk factors in patients receiving MHD. METHODS: A total of 132 MHD patients at 4 outpatient dialysis units were enrolled and assigned randomly into exercise (n = 67) and control groups (n = 65). During a 2-year period, patients in the exercise group participated in 20-min exercise training sessions within dialysis sessions on 3 days per week. All patients underwent assessments of physical function (6-min walk test) and cardiovascular risk factors (blood pressure [BP], total cholesterol [TC], low-density lipoprotein [LDL], high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [hsCRP], albumin [Alb], hemoglobin [Hb], and erythropoietin [EPO] dose) at the baseline and annually thereafter. RESULTS: Of the participants, 50.8% had completed the study after 2 years. No statistically significant intragroup or intergroup differences were observed in the measures of 6MD, BP, TC, hsCRP, Alb, Hb, and EPO dose. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that although this low-intensity, nonprogressive intradialytic exercise program may be practical, it was not sufficient to improve physiological function and reduce cardiovascular disease risk factors in patients receiving MHD.

Effect of needling technique on diabetic gastroparesis and transmembrane protein 16A / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the therapeutic effect of needling technique (acupuncture for regulating spleen and stomach) on diabetic gastroparesis (DGP), and to explore its possible mechanism.@*METHODS@#A total of 128 patients with DGP were randomized into an observation group (64 cases, 4 cases dropped off) and a control group (64 cases, 4 cases dropped off). On the basis of intervention on controlling blood glucose by western medication, needling technique was adopted at Zhongwan (CV 12), Zusanli (ST 36), Yinlingquan (SP 9), Xuehai (SP 10), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Diji (SP 8), etc. in the observation group, once a day. Mosapride citrate dispersible tablet 5 mg was given orally 3 times a day in the control group. The treatment was given 6 times a week in the both groups, and totally 4-week treatment was required. Before and after treatment, the DGP symptom score, serum content of transmembrane protein 16A (ANO1) were observed, and the clinical therapeutic effect and the safety were evaluated in the both groups.@*RESULTS@#After treatment, the each subitem score (belching, abdominal distension, inappetence, nausea and vomiting, epigastric pain, abnormal defecation) and the total score of DGP symptom were decreased in both groups (<0.05), the subitem scores of belching, abdominal distension, inappetence, nausea and vomiting and the total score in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (<0.05). After treatment, the serum contents of transmembrane protein 16A were reduced in both groups (<0.05), and that in the observation group was lower than the control group (<0.05). The total effective rate was 86.7% (52/60) in the observation group, which was superior to 70.0% (42/60) in the control group (<0.05). Subcutaneous hematoma occurred in 5 cases in the observation group, which was improved after cold compress without other particular intervention.@*CONCLUSION@#The therapeutic effect of needling technique on improving symptoms in patients with diabetic gastroparesis is superior to mosapride citrate dispersible tablet, its mechanism may be related to alleviating the damage of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC).

Upregulation of ERp57 promotes clear cell renal cell carcinoma progression by initiating a STAT3/ILF3 feedback loop.

BACKGROUND: ERp57 dysfunction has been shown to contribute to tumorigenesis in multiple malignances. However, the role of ERp57 in clear cell renal carcinoma (ccRCC) remains unclear. METHODS: Cell proliferation ability was measured by MTT and colony forming assays. Western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) were performed to measure protein and mRNA expression. Co-immunoprecipitation (CoIP) and proximity ligation assay (PLA) were performed to detect protein-protein interaction. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), ribonucleoprotein immunoprecipitation (RIP), and oligo pull-down were used to confirm DNA-protein and RNA-protein interactions. Promoter luciferase analysis was used to detect transcription factor activity. RESULTS: Here we found ERp57 was overexpressed in ccRCC tissues, and the higher levels of ERp57 were correlated with poor survival in patients with ccRCC. In vivo and in vitro experiments showed that ccRCC cell proliferation was enhanced by ERp57 overexpression and inhibited by ERp57 deletion. Importantly, we found ERp57 positively regulated ILF3 expression in ccRCC cells. Mechanically, ERp57 was shown to bind to STAT3 protein and enhance the STAT3-mediated transcriptional activity of ILF3. Furthermore, ILF3 levels were increased in ccRCC tissues and associated with poor prognosis. Interestingly, we revealed that ILF3 could bind to ERp57 and positively regulate its expression by enhancing its mRNA stability. Furthermore, ccRCC cell proliferation was moderated via the ERp57/STAT3/ILF3 feedback loop. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, our results indicate that the ERp57/STAT3/ILF3 feedback loop plays a key role in the oncogenesis of ccRCC and provides a potential therapeutic target for ccRCC treatment.

[Clinical trials of acupuncture treatment of post-stroke shoulder pain].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical therapeutic effect of "Tiaoshen Zhitong" (mental regulating and pain relieving) needling and its influence on serological indicators in the treatment of post-stroke shoulder pain, so as to provide new therapeutic thoughts and approach for post-stroke shoulder pain. METHODS: A total of 80 inpatients with post-stroke shoulder pain were randomly divided into a control group (routine needling, 39 cases) and an observation group ("Tiaoshen Zhitong" needling, 41 cases) according to the random number table. Patients of the two groups accepted basic medication treatment including anticoagulants, hypotensive drugs, hypoglycermic drugs, lipid-lowering drugs, etc. In addition, patients of the control group were also treated by routine acupuncture stimulation (uniform reinforcing-reducing stimulation) of Jianyu (LI15), Jianqian (EX-UE12), Jianhou (Extra), Jianliao (TE14), Waiguan (TE5) and Hegu (LI4) on the affected side, and those of the observation group also treated by "Tiaoshen Zhitong" needling of Ear-Shenmen (MA-TF1), bilateral Neiguan (PC6, lifting-thrusting-reducing method), Shuigou (GV26, lifting-thrusting-reducing method), and Jianyu (LI15), Jianliao(TE14), Jianzhen (SI9) and Yanglingquan (GB34, the latter 4 points were stimulated with uniform reinforcing-reducing method) on the affected side. The treatment was given once every day, 6 days a week for 4 weeks. The pain severity was assessed by using visual analogue scale (VAS), the upper limb function evaluated by using Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) scale, the shoulder-joint function evaluated by using Constant-Murley score (CMS) questionnaire, and the daily living ability assessed by using Barthel index (BI) scale. The enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine the contents of serum beta-endorphin (ß-EP), enkephalin (ENK) and dynorphin (Dyn). The clinical therapeutic effect was evaluated by using Nimodipine scale method. RESULTS: Of the 39 and 41 cases in the control and observation groups, 7(17.95%) and 12(29.27%) were basically cured, 12(30.77%) and 13(31.71%) experienced marked improvement, 8(20.51%) and 11(26.83%) were effective, 12(30.77%) and 5 (12.19%) failed, with the total effective rate being 69.23% and 87.80%, respectively. The effective rate of the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group (P<0.05). After the treatment, the VAS score was obviously reduced (P<0.01), and the scores of FMA scale, CMS questionnaire and BI scale, and contents of serum ß-EP, ENK and Dyn were all increased obviously in the two groups compared with their own pre-treatment (P<0.01). The therapeutic effect of "Tiaoshen Zhitong" needling was significantly superior to that of the routine needling in lowering VAS, and in raising scores of FMA scale, CMS questionnaire and BI scale and in up-regulating serum ß-EP, ENK and Dyn levels (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: "Tiaoshen Zhitong" needling is effective in reducing post-stroke shoulder pain and improving the motor function of the upper limb and shoulder-joint as well as the quality of daily life in stroke patients with shoulder pain. Its analgesic effect is probably related to the increase of the levels of serum ß-EP, ENK and Dyn.

Upregulation of circFLNA contributes to laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma migration by circFLNA-miR-486-3p-FLNA axis.

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence shows that circular RNAs (circRNAs) plays vital roles in tumor progression. However, the biological functions of circRNAs in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) metastasis is still unclear. METHODS: qRT-PCR was used to detect circFLNA, miRNAs and FLNA mRNA expression. Transwell assay and western blot were performed to evaluate cell migration ability and to detect FLNA, MMP2 and MLK1 protein expression, respectively. RNA pull-down analysis was used to find the binding-miRNAs of circFLNA. Luciferase reporter assay was used to examine the effect of circFLNA on miRNAs and miR-486-3p on FLNA expression. RESULTS: In this study, we confirmed that a Filamin A (FLNA)-derived hsa_circ_0092012 known as circFLNA, was upregulated in LSCC, and the higher expression of circFLNA was correlated with LSCC lymph node metastasis. Increased circFLNA facilitates LSCC cell migration ability through upregulating FLNA and MMP2 protein expression. Mechanistically, we find that circFLNA sponges miR-486-3p in LSCC cells, relieving miR-486-3p-induced repression of FLNA which promotes LSCC cell migration. Accordingly, FLNA mRNA is overexpressed in LSCC tissues and a higher FLNA level is correlated with poor survival. Dysregulation of the circFLNA/miR-486-3p/FLNA regulatory pathway contributes to LSCC migration. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, our study sheds light on the regulatory mechanism of circFLNA in LSCC migration via sponging miR-486-3p, which downregulates the FLNA protein expression. Targeting circFLNA/miR-486-3p/FLAN axis provides a potential therapeutic target for aggressive LSCC.

HIF­1α promotes the stemness of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma by activating the Wnt/ß­catenin pathway.

Hypoxia­inducible­factor 1α (HIF­1α) is a marker for poor prognosis in the majority of the cancer types, and it has been revealed to be essential for maintaining cancer stem cells (CSCs). In the present study, it was determined that the expression of HIF­1α and CSC­related genes under hypoxic conditions was upregulated. Stable knockdown of HIF­1α significantly inhibited cell proliferation, migration and tumour growth in vivo in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). A previous study revealed that the Wnt/ß­catenin pathway may play a key role in maintenance and progression of CSCs. Therefore, it was also revealed that stable knockdown of HIF­1α reduced the formation of spheroid body cells, the expression of CSC­related genes and Wnt/ß­catenin pathway­related target genes, as well as the activity of the Wnt/ß­catenin pathway. Collectively, the present results indicated that HIF­1α may regulate the stemness of ESCC by activating the Wnt/ß­catenin pathway.

Local administration of aspirin with ß-tricalcium phosphate/poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (ß-TCP/PLGA) could enhance osteoporotic bone regeneration.

Composite materials ß-tricalcium phosphate (ß-TCP) and poly-lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) have achieved stable bone regeneration without cell transplantation in previous studies. Recent research shows that aspirin (ASP) has great potential in promoting bone regeneration. The objective of the present study was to incorporate PLGA into ß-TCP combined with a lower single-dose local administration of ASP to enhance its in vivo biodegradation and bone tissue growth. After the creation of a rodent critical-sized femoral metaphyseal bone defect, PLGA -modified ß-TCP (TP) was prepared by mixing sieved granules of ß-TCP and PLGA (50:50, v/v) for medical use, then TP with dripped 50 µg/0.1 ml and 100 µg/0.1 ml aspirin solution was implanted into the defect of OVX rats until death at 8 weeks. The defected area in distal femurs of rats was harvested for evaluation by histology, micro-CT, biomechanics and real time RT-PCR. The results of our study show that a single-dose local administration of ASP combined with the local usage of TP can increase the healing of defects in OVX rats. Single-dose local administration of aspirin can improve the transcription of genes involved in the regulation of bone formation and vascularization in the defect area, and inhibits osteoclast activity. Furthermore, treatments with a higher single-dose local administration of ASP and TP showed a stronger effect on accelerating the local bone formation than while using a lower dose of ASP. The results from our study demonstrate that the combination of a single-dose local administration of ASP and ß-TCP/PLGA had an additive effect on local bone formation in osteoporosis rats, and bone regeneration by PLGA/ß-TCP/ASP occured in a dose-dependent manner.