Super-thin anterolateral thigh flap for reconstruction of the medial plantar artery perforator flap donor site.

BACKGROUND: The medial plantar artery perforator (MPAP) flap is widely used to reconstruct the weight-bearing area of the foot. Traditionally, its donor site is closed using a skin graft, which is associated with several complications, including walking disability. This study aimed to examine our experience with using a super-thin anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap to reconstruct the MPAP flap donor site. METHODS: We examined 10 patients who underwent reconstruction of the MPAP flap donor site using a super-thin ALT flap between August 2019 and March 2021. The vascular pedicle was anastomosed to the proximal end of the medial plantar vessels or the end of the posterior tibial vessels. RESULTS: All reconstruction flaps survived and all patients were satisfied with the aesthetic appearance. No blisters, ulcerations, hyperpigmentation, or contractures occurred. All patients gained protective sensation in the super-thin ALT flap. The average visual analog scale score for the aesthetic appearance of the reconstructed foot was 8.5 ± 0.7 (range, 8-10). All patients were able to ambulate without aids and could wear regular shoes. The average revised Foot Function Index score was 26.4 ± 4.1 (range, 22-34). CONCLUSION: Reconstruction of the MPAP flap donor site using a super-thin ALT flap is reliable and provides satisfactory functional recovery, aesthetic appearance, and protective sensation while minimizing postoperative morbidity.

Predicting prognosis and immune responses in hepatocellular carcinoma based on N7-methylguanosine-related long noncoding RNAs.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which has high rates of recurrence and metastasis and is the main reason and the most common tumor for cancer mortality worldwide, has an unfavorable prognosis. N7-methylguanosine (m7G) modification can affect the formation and development of tumors by affecting gene expression and other biological processes. In addition, many previous studies have confirmed the unique function of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in tumor progression; however, studies exploring the functions of m7G-related lncRNAs in HCC patients has been limited. Methods: Relevant RNA expression information was acquired from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA, https://portal.gdc.cancer.gov), and m7G-related lncRNAs were identified via gene coexpression analysis. Afterward, univariate Cox regression, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression, and multivariate regression analyses were implemented to construct an ideal risk model whose validity was verified using Kaplan-Meier survival, principal component, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, and nomogram analyses. In addition, the potential functions of lncRNAs in the novel signature were explored through Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA). At last, in both risk groups and subtypes classified based on the expression of the risk-related lncRNAs, we analyzed the immune characteristics and drug sensitivity of patients. Results: After rigorous screening processes, we built a model based on 11 m7G-related lncRNAs for predicting patient overall survival (OS). The results suggested that the survival status of patients with high-risk scores was lower than that of patients with low-risk scores, and a high-risk score was related to malignant clinical features. Cox regression analysis showed that the m7G risk score was an independent prognostic parameter. Moreover, immune cell infiltration and immunotherapy sensitivity differed between the risk groups. Conclusion: The m7G risk score model constructed based on 11 m7G-related lncRNAs can effectively assess the OS of HCC patients and may offer support for making individualized treatment and immunotherapy decisions for HCC patients.

Prognostic value of long noncoding RNA MALAT1 in various carcinomas: evidence from nine studies.

RNA-sequencing technology is progressing day by day. Numerous researches have showed that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play oncogenic or tumor suppressor roles in tumor biological processes. To our knowledge, many studies have identified a lot of lncRNAs with aberrant expression in several types of cancers. Metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1), a newly discovered lncRNA, has been reported that is overexpressed in several types of cancers. But the clinical value of MALAT1 in cancers remains unclear. Therefore, in this present study, we aimed to investigate potential clinical application role of MALAT1 as a prognostic biomarker in malignant tumors. We performed a detailed search in PubMed, Embase, Medline, and Cochrane Library until July 2015. According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, nine studies with a total of 941 patients were selected to explore the relationship between high expression of MALAT1 and overall survival in cancers. The result showed that overexpression of MALAT1 could predict poor overall survival (OS) in cancer patients, with pooled hazard ratio (HR) of 1.90 [95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.68-2.16, P < 0.0001]. In conclusion, the present meta-analysis demonstrated that high expression of MALAT1 might be served as a novel prognostic biomarker in different types of cancers.

[Cloud Point extraction for determination of mercury in Chinese herbal medicine by hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometry with optimization using Box-Behnken design].

Cloud point extraction (CPE) is proposed as a pre-concentration procedure for the determination of Hg in Chinese herbal medicine samples by hydride generation-atomic fluorescence spectrometry (HG-AFS). Hg2+ was reacted with dithizone to form hydrophobic chelate under the condition of pH. Using Triton X-114, as surfactant, chelate was quantitatively extracted into small volume of the surfactant-rich phase by heating the solution in a water bath for 15 min and centrifuging. Four variables including pH, dithizone concentration, Triton X-114 concentration and equilibrium temperature (T) showed the significant effect on extraction efficiency of total Hg evaluated by single-factor experiment, and Box-Behnken design and response surface method- ology were adopted to further investigate the mutual interactions between these variables and to identify their optimal values that would generate maximum extraction efficiency. The results showed that the binomial was used to fit the response to experimental levels of each variable. ALL linear, quadratic terms of four variables, and interactions between pH and Trion X-114, pH and di- thizone affected the response value(extraction efficiency) significantly at 5% level. The optimum extraction conditions were as follows: pH 5.1, Triton X-114 concentration of 1.16 g x L(-1), dithizone concentration of 4.87 mol x L(-1), and T 58.2 degrees C, the predicted value of fluorescence was 4528.74 under the optimum conditions, and the experimental value had only 2.1% difference with it. Under the conditions, fluorescence was linear to mercury concentration in the range of 1-5 microg x L(-1). The limit of detection obtained was 0.01247 microg x L(-1) with the relative standard deviations (R.S.D.) for six replicate determinations of 1.30%. The proposed method was successfully applied to determination of Hg in morindae Radix, Andrographitis and dried tangerine samples with the recoveries of 95.0%-100.0%. Apparently Box-Behnken design combined with response surface analysis method was considered to be well used for optimization of the cloud point extraction.

[Effects of radiotherapy upon progression of crescentic glomerulonephritis in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of radiotherapy upon progression of crescentic glomerulonephritis in rats. METHODS: Male SD rats were divided into three groups: (1) control (n=12), sham-operation; (2) crescentic glomerulonephritis (n=23), intravenously inject with nephrotoxic serum (NTS); (3) radiotherapy (n=55), a single low-dose irradiation of 0.5 Gy X-ray to both kidneys at Days 6, 13, 20 and 27 after NTS injection, and sacrificed at different time points among control and crescentic glomerulonephritis rats. Radiotherapy rats have received local kidney irradiation at Days 6, 13, 20 and 27 after bolus NTS injection and would be referred to as NTS7dRa1d, NTS14dRa1d, NTS21dRa1d and NTS28dRa1d, respectively. RESULTS: For NTS7dRa1d and NTS14dRa1d rats of radiotherapy, the levels of serum creatinine, glomerular hypercellularity, crescents and global sclerosis were significantly lower at Days 8 (P < 0.05), 15, and 22 post-irradiation as compared with group of crescentic glomerulonephritis of similar time intervals (P < 0.01). The extent of tubulointerstitial damage was also reduced, and radiotherapy associated histological improvements were accompanied by reduced macrophage infiltration in glomeruli and interstitium. The numbers of PCNA- and ED1-positive cells were reduced in the kidneys at Day 1 postirradiation in NTS7dRa1d and NTS14dRa1d rats as compared with group of crescentic glomerulonephritis at similar time intervals (P < 0.05). A larger number of TUNEL-positive cells were noted at Day 1 postirradiation in rats irradiated at Days 6 & 13 after NTS injection as compared with group of crescentic glomerulonephritis at similar time intervals (P < 0.05). With regards to immunostaining for macrophages ED1 and TUNEL, serial sections of irradiated nephritic kidney showed that fewer ED1-positive macrophages were stained for TUNEL. As evaluated expression of active caspases 3 & 7 was noted in irradiated kidneys as compared with the corresponding group of crescentic glomerulonephritis at similar time intervals. Western blot analysis showed marked increase in the expression of active caspase 3 & 7 in irradiated kidneys as compared with NTS injection only the expression of a marked increase in the expression of p53 protein, closely related to radiation-induced apoptosis, was also observed in irradiated kidneys as compared with NTS injection only. CONCLUSION: Radiotherapy inhibits the progression of experimental crescentic glomerulonephritis through inducing apoptosis by a p53-dependent pathway.