Long-chain non-coding RNA LINC01554 promotes NGFR expression and inhibits cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma by binding to microRNA-3681-3p.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the role of LINC01554 in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and explore the potential mechanism through which LINC01554 affects the migration and proliferation of HCC cells. PATIENTS AND METHODS: LINC01554 expression in HCC tissues and its link to the prognosis of patients were analyzed by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) was carried out to examine LINC01554 levels in 60 cases of HCC clinical tissues and HCC cell lines. Then, LINC01554 overexpression model was constructed using lentivirus in HCC cell lines. HCC proliferation and invasive ability were evaluated through Cell Counting Kit (CCK-8) and transwell tests, respectively. Furthermore, the potential action mechanism of LINC01554 was explored using bioinformatics analysis and in vitro cell experiments. RESULTS: Analysis of the TCGA database revealed that LINC01554 was remarkably under-expressed in HCC tissues. Decreased expression of LINC01554 predicted a poor prognosis for patients. Besides, LINC01554 overexpression markedly blunted the proliferation and migratory capacities of HCC cells. LINC01554 competed with NGFR to bind to microRNA-3681-3p, thereby providing possible mechanisms by which LINC01554 could participate in the progression of HCC. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows for the first time that LINC01554 modulates NGFR expression by binding to microRNA-3681-3p, thereby participating in the progression of HCC.

Evaluation of two intensive care models in relation to successful extubation after cardiac surgery / Evaluación de 2 modelos de cuidados intensivos en cuanto a extubación exitosa de pacientes después de cirugía cardíaca

Objective: To compare outcomes between intensivist-directed and cardiac surgeon-directed care delivery models. Design: This retrospective, historical-control study was performed in a cohort of adult cardiac surgical patients at Zhongshan Hospital (Fudan University, China). During the first phase (March to August 2015), cardiac surgeons were in charge of postoperative care while intensivists were in charge during the second phase (September 2015-June 2016). Both phases were compared regarding successful extubation rate, intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS), and in-hospital mortality. Setting: Tertiary Zhongshan Hospital (Fudan University, China). Patients: Consecutive adult patients admitted to the cardiac surgical ICU (CSICU) after heart surgery. Interventions: Phase I patients treated by cardiac surgeons, and phase II patients treated by intensivists. Main variables of interest: Successful extubation, ICU LOS and in-hospital mortality. Results: A total of 1792 (phase I) and 3007 patients (phase II) were enrolled. Most variables did not differ significantly between the two phases. However, patients in phase II had a higher successful extubation rate (99.17% vs. 98.55%; p=0.043) and a shorter median duration of mechanical ventilation (MV) (18 vs. 19h; p<0.001). In relation to patients with MV duration >48h, those in phase II had a comparatively higher successful extubation rate (p=0.033), shorter ICU LOS (p=0.038) and a significant decrease in in-hospital mortality (p=0.039). Conclusions: The intensivist-directed care model showed improved rates of successful extubation and shorter MV durations after cardiac surgery

Objetivo: Comparar el manejo entre intensivistas y cirujanos de pacientes de cirugía cardíaca en la unidad de cuidados intensivos. Diseño: Este estudio de control retrospectivo se llevó a cabo con una cohorte de pacientes adultos de cirugía cardíaca. Durante la primera fase (de marzo a agosto de 2015), los cirujanos cardíacos estuvieron a cargo del manejo médico en la unidad; y durante la segunda fase (septiembre de 2015 a junio de 2016), lo hicieron intensivistas. Comparamos las fases en cuanto al número de extubaciones exitosas, el tiempo de estancia y la mortalidad. Lugar del estudio: Hospital Zhongshan de la Universidad de Fudan, China. Pacientes: Adultos admitidos secuencialmente a la unidad de cuidados intensivos cardíacos después de intervenciones quirúrgicas. Intervenciones: Manejo médico por cirujanos en la primera fase, y por intensivistas en la segunda fase. Variables prioritarias: Extubación exitosa, tiempo de estancia en la unidad de cuidados intensivos y mortalidad. Resultados: Participaron 1.792 pacientes en la fase i y 3.007 en la fase ii. Los pacientes de la fase II tuvieron más extubaciones exitosas (99,17 frente al 98,55%, p=0,043), y necesitaron menos tiempo de ventilación mecánica (mediana de 18 frente a 19h, p<0,001). De entre los pacientes con ventilación mecánica de más de 48h, los de la fase iifueron extubados exitosamente más veces, tuvieron una estancia más corta (p=0,038), y una menor mortalidad (p=0,039). Conclusiones: El manejo médico por intensivistas aumentó significativamente el número de extubaciones exitosas y disminuyó el tiempo de ventilación mecánica

Evaluation of two intensive care models in relation to successful extubation after cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To compare outcomes between intensivist-directed and cardiac surgeon-directed care delivery models. DESIGN: This retrospective, historical-control study was performed in a cohort of adult cardiac surgical patients at Zhongshan Hospital (Fudan University, China). During the first phase (March to August 2015), cardiac surgeons were in charge of postoperative care while intensivists were in charge during the second phase (September 2015-June 2016). Both phases were compared regarding successful extubation rate, intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS), and in-hospital mortality. SETTING: Tertiary Zhongshan Hospital (Fudan University, China). PATIENTS: Consecutive adult patients admitted to the cardiac surgical ICU (CSICU) after heart surgery. INTERVENTIONS: Phase I patients treated by cardiac surgeons, and phase II patients treated by intensivists. MAIN VARIABLES OF INTEREST: Successful extubation, ICU LOS and in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: A total of 1792 (phase I) and 3007 patients (phase II) were enrolled. Most variables did not differ significantly between the two phases. However, patients in phase II had a higher successful extubation rate (99.17% vs. 98.55%; p=0.043) and a shorter median duration of mechanical ventilation (MV) (18 vs. 19h; p<0.001). In relation to patients with MV duration >48h, those in phase II had a comparatively higher successful extubation rate (p=0.033), shorter ICU LOS (p=0.038) and a significant decrease in in-hospital mortality (p=0.039). CONCLUSIONS: The intensivist-directed care model showed improved rates of successful extubation and shorter MV durations after cardiac surgery.

MicroRNA-296 functions as a tumor suppressor in breast cancer by targeting FGFR1 and regulating the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE: Breast cancer (BC) is a common malignancy all over the world. However, the detailed mechanism underlying BC progression remains incompletely understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been observed to play crucial roles in tumorigenesis. The present study aimed to determine the expression and function of miR-296 in BC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: MiR-296 expressions in BC tissue samples and cell lines were examined by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR). After that, we performed functional assays, including MTT (3-(4,5-dimethyl thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assays and transwell assays, to show the functions of miR-296 in BC cell proliferation, invasion and migration. Immunological histological chemistry (IHC) assays were carried out to detect the expression levels of fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) in BC tissue samples. Western blot was used to explore potential mechanisms of miR-296 in regulating BC progression. A Luciferase reporter assay was carried out to confirm the target gene of miR-296. RESULTS: Quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) results demonstrated a significant decrease of miR-296 expressions in BC when compared to the corresponding normal controls. In addition, the decreased miR-296 was correlated with the malignant phenotypes and poorer prognosis of BC patients. The functional assays indicated that miR-296 restoration could repress the proliferation, invasion and migration abilities of BC cells. Moreover, the results of the current study revealed that miR-296 exerted the repressive functions in BC cells via regulating FGFR1, the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway and EMT. Additionally, miR-296 up-regulation could inhibit in vivo BC cell growth. CONCLUSIONS: All these findings indicated that miR-296 exerted anti-BC functions, providing novel therapeutic strategies in BC treatment.

Resistance trends among clinical isolates in China reported from CHINET surveillance of bacterial resistance, 2005-2014.

With the aim of gathering temporal trends on bacterial epidemiology and resistance from multiple laboratories in China, the CHINET surveillance system was organized in 2005. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out according to a unified protocol using the Kirby-Bauer method or automated systems. Results were analyzed according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) 2014 definitions. Between 2005 and 2014, the number of bacterial isolates ranged between 22,774 and 84,572 annually. Rates of extended-spectrum ß-lactamase production among Escherichia coli isolates were stable, between 51.7 and 55.8%. Resistance of E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae to amikacin, ciprofloxacin, piperacillin/tazobactam and cefoperazone/sulbactam decreased with time. Carbapenem resistance among K. pneumoniae isolates increased from 2.4 to 13.4%. Resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains against all of antimicrobial agents tested including imipenem and meropenem decreased with time. On the contrary, resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii strains to carbapenems increased from 31 to 66.7%. A marked decrease of methicillin resistance from 69% in 2005 to 44.6% in 2014 was observed for Staphylococcus aureus. Carbapenem resistance rates in K. pneumoniae and A. baumannii in China are high. Our results indicate the importance of bacterial surveillance studies.

Potential role of soluble B7-H3 in liver immunopathogenesis during chronic HBV infection.

Immune-mediated mechanisms have been implicated in liver pathogenesis and subsequent progression in hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Costimulatory molecules, the important regulators of immune responses, participate in the regulation of liver pathology in HBV infection. However, the role of B7-H3 (CD276, a new member of B7 family) in this process has not been investigated. In this study, we detected abundant soluble B7-H3 (sB7-H3) in the plasma of patients with chronic HBV infections. The increase of the plasma B7-H3 was associated with the progression of liver cirrhosis and accompanied by decreased expression of B7-H3 on hepatocytes. The identification analysis suggests that the plasma B7-H3 might be derived from the membrane-bound B7-H3 on hepatocytes. A functional study showed that immobilized (4Ig) B7-H3Ig fusion protein could inhibit TCR-induced proliferation and IFN-γ secretion of T cells, which could be partially blocked by soluble B7-H3flag fusion protein. These results suggest that the reduced expression of B7-H3 in the livers might temper the inhibition of T-cell responses mediated by B7-H3 expressed on hepatocytes and thus promote the hepatic inflammation and hepatitis progression in the chronic HBV-infected patients.

Anti-angiogenesis by lentivirus-mediated small interfering RNA silencing of angiopoietin-2 gene in pancreatic carcinoma.

Angiopoietin-2 (Ang2) has been shown highly expressed in resected human pancreatic carcinoma samples, but the role of it is less clear. We were, therefore, interested in exploring the effects of Ang2 silencing on the angiogenesis and growth of pancreatic carcinoma. Lentivirus mediated Ang2 small hairpin RNA (LV-RNAi) were transfected into pancreatic carcinoma cell line MIA PaCa-2. Three groups were designed in this study: the control group (Mia PaCa-2 cells), the LV-NC group (cells transfected with the control GFP-lentivirus) and the LV-RNAi group (cells transfected with LV-RNAi). The mRNA and protein level of Ang2 gene were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot respectively. MTT assay and Flow Cytometry were used to detect the cell growth and apoptosis. Anti-angiogenesis effect was measured by chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. In nude mice bearing tumors, after treatment with intratumoral injection of LV-RNAi, mice growth and tumor volume were observed, and the expression of Ang2, VEGF and CD34 were measured by immunohistochemistry. Compared with the control group and the LV-NC group, the mRNA and protein level of Ang2 gene were successfully knocked down in LV- RNAi group. Also the vessel count was decreased in CAM assay after LV-RNAi transfection. Meanwhile, no obvious cell viability and apoptosis changes were found in MTT assay and Flow Cytometry, respectively. LV-RNAi inhibited pancreatic carcinoma angio- genesis and growth by downregulating the expression of VEGF and CD34. These findings demonstrate that Ang2 gene silencing may exert a anti-angiogenesis effect in vitro and in vivo, and Ang2 targeted gene therapy has the potential to serve as a novel way for pancreatic carcinoma treatment.

Clioquinol and vitamin B12 (cobalamin) synergistically rescue the lead-induced impairments of synaptic plasticity in hippocampal dentate gyrus area of the anesthetized rats in vivo.

Lead (Pb(2+)) exposure in development induces impairments of synaptic plasticity in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) area of the anesthetized rats in vivo. The common chelating agents have many adverse effects and are incapable of alleviating lead-induced neurotoxicity. Recently, CQ, clioquinol (5-chloro-7-iodo-8-hydroxy-quinoline), which is a transition metal ion chelator and/or ionophore with low affinity for metal ions, has yielded some promising results in animal models and clinical trials related to dysfunctions of metal ions. In addition, CQ-associated side effects are believed to be overcome with vitamin B12 (VB12) supplementation. To determine whether CQ treatment could rescue impairments of synaptic plasticity induced by chronic Pb(2+) exposure, we investigated the input/output functions (I/Os), paired-pulse reactions (PPRs) and long-term potentiation (LTP) of different treatment groups in hippocampal DG area of the anesthetized rat in vivo by recording field potentials and measured hippocampal Pb(2+) concentrations of different treatment groups by PlasmaQuad 3 inductive coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. The results show: CQ alone does not rescue the lead-induced impairments of synaptic plasticity in hippocampal DG area of the anesthetized rats in vivo; VB12 alone partly rescues the lead-induced impairments of LTP; however the co-administration of CQ and VB12 totally rescues these impairments of synaptic plasticity and moreover, the effects of CQ and VB12 co-administration are specific to the lead-exposed animals.

Protection by a taurine supplemented diet from lead-induced deficits of long-term potentiation/depotentiation in dentate gyrus of rats in vivo.

Previous studies have demonstrated that synaptic plasticity, which includes long-term potentiation (LTP) and depotentiation (DP) in hippocampus, is important for learning and memory. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of taurine via drinking water on the lead-induced impairments of LTP and DP in rat dentate gyrus (DG) in vivo. The experiments were carried out in four groups of rats (control, lead-exposed, control and lead-exposed with a taurine-supplement diet, respectively). The input-output (I/O) function, excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) and population spike (PS) amplitude were measured in the DG area of adult rats (60-90 days) in response to stimulation applied to the lateral perforant path. The results show that: 1. chronic lead exposure impaired LTP/DP measured on both EPSP slope and PS amplitude in DG area of the hippocampus; 2. in control rats, taurine had no effect on LTP/DP; 3. the amplitudes of LTP/DP of lead-exposed group were significantly increased by applying taurine. These results suggest that dietary taurine supplement could protect rats from the lead-induced impairments of synaptic plasticity and might be a preventive medicine to cure the cognitive deficits induced by lead.

Effects of chronic lead exposure on 1H MRS of hippocampus and frontal lobes in children.

The authors performed IQ testing and magnetic resonance spectroscopy on six lead-exposed and six control children. Levels of N-acetyl aspartate (neuronal density and mitochondrial metabolism), creatine + phosphocreatine (phosphate metabolism), and choline (membrane turnover) were decreased in four brain regions (left and right frontal, left and right hippocampus) in lead-exposed children vs controls. The reductions were right frontal > left frontal > hippocampus but were the same bilaterally in the hippocampus.

Frost heave in argon

The freezing of argon in silica powder is observed to generate bands of pure solid argon in the same manner as in the phenomenon of ice lens formation in the freezing of moist ground. A first principles dynamical theory describes the mechanism of lens formation by the thermomolecular pressure-driven flow of interfacially melted films at the lens-solid boundary.