[The phenotypes and genotypes in 314 patients with isolated methylmalonic acidemia]

Objectives: To summarize the clinical and genetic characteristics of the patients with isolated methylmalonic acidemia and investigate the strategies for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention. Methods: Three hundred and fourteen patients (180 males, 134 females) with isolated methylmalonic acidemia were ascertained from 26 provinces or cities across the mainland of China during January 1998 to March 2020. Genetic analysis was performed by Sanger sequencing, gene panel sequencing, whole exome sequencing, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification or quantitative PCR. According to the age of onset, the patients were divided to early-onset group (≤12 months of age) and the late-onset group (>12 months of age). They were treated by cobalamin, L-carnitine and (or) special diet and symptomatic treatment. Statistical analysis was done using Chi-square test. Results: Fifty-eight of 314 (18.5%) patients were detected by Newborn screening using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Five cases (1.6%) had a postmortem diagnosis. Two hundred and fifty-one patients (79.9%) were clinically diagnosed with an age of onset ranged from 3 hours after birth to 18 years. One hundred and fifty-nine patients (71.0%) belonged to early-onset groups, 65 patients (29.0%) belonged to the late-onset group. The most common symptoms were metabolic crises, psychomotor retardation, epilepsy, anemia and multiple organ damage. Metabolic acidosis and anemia were more common in early-onset patients than that in late-onset patients (20.8%(33/159) vs. 9.2% (6/65), 34.6% (55/159) vs. 16.9% (11/165), χ(2)=4.261, 6.930, P=0.039, 0.008). Genetic tests were performed for 236 patients (75.2%), 96.2%(227/236) had molecular confirmation. One hundred and twenty-seven variants were identified in seven genes (MMUT, MMAA, MMAB, MMADHC, SUCLG1, SUCLA2, and MCEE), of which 49 were novel. The mut type, caused by the deficiency of methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, was the most common (n=211, 93%) cause of this condition. c.729_730insTT, c.1106G>A and c.914T>C were the three most frequent mutations in MMUT gene. The frequency of c.914T>C in early-onset patients was significantly higher than that in late-onset patients (8.3% (18/216) vs. 1.6% (1/64), χ(2)=3.859, P=0.037). Metabolic crisis was more frequent in mut type than the other types (72.6% (114/157) vs. 3/13, χ(2)=13.729, P=0.001),developmental delay and hypotonia were less frequent in mut type (38.2% (60/157) vs. 9/13, 25.5% (40/157) vs. 8/13, χ(2)=4.789, 7.705, P=0.030, 0.006). Of the 58 patients identified by newborn screening, 44 patients (75.9%) who were treated from asymptomatic phase developed normally whereas 14 patients (24.1%) who received treatment after developing symptoms exhibited varying degrees of psychomotor retardation. Conclusions: The characteristics of phenotypes and genotypes among Chinese patients with isolated methylmalonic acidemia were analyzed. Expanded the mutation spectrum of the associated genes. Because of the complex clinical manifestations and severe early onset of isolated methylmalonic acidemia, Newborn screening is crucial for early diagnosis and improvement of prognosis. MMUT gene is recommended for carrier screening as an effort to move the test earlier as a part of the primary prevention of birth defects.

[Spectomycin B1 induces VEGFR2 de-SUMO modification to inhibit angiogenesis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma]

Objective:To explore the new mechanism of spectomycin B1 in inhibiting angiogenesis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and to provide a theoretical basis for targeted gene therapy of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Method:Human nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE1 cells were divided into two groups, the control group and spectomycin B1 group. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of small ubiquitin-related modified protein（SUMO） 1 and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2（VEGFR2）. The angiogenesis assay was used to detect the angiogenic ability of CNE1 cells, and the apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. The model of nasopharyngeal carcinoma-bearing mice was established, spectomycin B1 was administered, tumor volume and weight were measured, and protein expression of CD31 was detected by immunohistochemistry and microvessel density was compared. Result:Spectomycin B1 could reduce deSUMOylation of VEGFR2 protein by 4.05 times, significantly reduce the angiogenic ability of CNE1 cells, and increase the apoptosis rate by 20.68%. In the tumor-bearing mouse model, spectomycin B1 treatment could inhibit subcutaneous tumor growth rate and weight, and the blood vessel density decreased by 40.04%. Conclusion:Spectomycin B1 can inhibit neovascularization of nasopharyngeal carcinoma by inducing deSUMOylation of VEGFR2 protein.

[Clinical analysis of transnasal endoscopic repair of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea]

Objective:To summarize the common clinical types of cerebrospinal fluid（CSF） rhinorrhea and key points of transnasal endoscopic repair of CSF rhinorrhea. To evaluate clinical effects. Method:In 29 patients with cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea, 9 patients with traumatic CSF rhinorrhea, 10 patients with spontaneous CSF rhinorrhea, 7 patients with CSF rhinorrhea after tumour excision, and 3 patients with iatrogenic CSF rhinorrhea. All the 29 patients were treated with transnasal endoscopic repair of CSF rhinorrhea. Result:There were 25 patients were successfully repaired at one time. Three patients developed intracranial infection and 2 patient developed pneumocephalus after surgery, all of them were cured with conservative treatment. All the patients who were followed-up for more than half a year had no recurrence. Conclusion:Transnasal endoscopic repair of CSF rhinorrhea is safe and effective, the success rate of operation is high, it is not easy to recur, and the complications are few. It can be used as the first choice for repairing of CSF rhinorrhea and effective prevention measures. Accurate location of leak, appropriate repair, effective reconstruction of the skull base, continuous drainage of the lumbar cistern when necessary and active prevention of intracranial infection are critical to the success of operation.

STAT3 Targets ERR-α to Promote Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition, Migration, and Invasion in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells

STAT3 is constitutively activated in many malignant tumor types and plays an important role in multiple aspects of cancer aggressiveness. In this study, we found that estrogen-related receptor α (ERR-α) correlating with STAT3 was highly expressed in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines and tissues, which was associated with both the pathologic stage and prognosis of patients with TNBC. In vitro studies showed that ERR-α promoted TNBC cell migration and invasion, which was regulated by STAT3. Phosphorylated STAT3 (p-STAT3, Tyr 705) could bind to the promotor of ERR-α, and activate its transcription, which was suggested by luciferase assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. We also found that ERR-α was the key target gene regulated by STAT3 in promoting epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), migration, and invasion. ERR-α upregulated the expression of ZEB1, N-cadherin, and vimentin while downregulated the expression of E-cadherin. Furthermore, in vivo studies showed that ERR-α could increase the metastasis ability of TNBC. Our finding demonstrated that ERR-α was a direct regulatory gene target of p-STAT3, which was enriched for processes involving invasion and metastasis in TNBC and provided insight into TNBC pathogenesis, as well as a potential therapeutic option against TNBC metastasis. IMPLICATIONS: Our research first showed that p-STAT3 (Tyr 705) could bind to the promotor region of ERR-α and promote EMT in TNBC by ZEB1 pathways, thus providing a potential clinical target for TNBC.

Ivalin Induces Mitochondria-Mediated Apoptosis Associated with the NF-κB Activation in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma SMMC-7721 Cells

Ivalin, a natural compound isolated from Carpesium divaricatum, showed excellent microtubule depolymerization activities among human hepatocellular carcinoma in our previous work. Here, we investigated its functions on mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721 cells. DAPI (4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole) staining, annexin V-fluorexcein isothiocyanate (FITC) apoptosis detection, and western blotting were applied to explore the apoptotic effect of Ivalin. Next, the induction effect of Ivalin on the mitochondrial pathway was also confirmed via a series of phenomena including the damage of mitochondria membrane potential, mitochondria cytochrome c escape, cleaved caspase-3 induction, and the reactive oxygen species generation. In this connection, we understood that Ivalin induced apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway and the overload of reactive oxygen species. Furthermore, we found that the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and subsequent p53 induction were associated with the apoptotic effect of Ivalin. These data confirmed that Ivalin might be a promising pro-apoptotic compound that can be utilized as a potential drug for clinical treatment.

Actinomycin V Suppresses Human Non-Small-Cell Lung Carcinoma A549 Cells by Inducing G2/M Phase Arrest and Apoptosis via the p53-Dependent Pathway

Actinomycin V, extracted and separated from marine-derived actinomycete Streptomyces sp., as the superior potential replacement of actinomycin D (which showed defect for its hepatotoxicity) has revealed an ideal effect in the suppression of migration and invasion in human breast cancer cells as referred to in our previous study. In this study, the involvement of p53 in the cell cycle arrest and pro-apoptotic action of actinomycin V was investigated in human non-small-cell lung carcinoma A549 cells. Results from the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay showed that cytotoxic activity of actinomycin V on A549 cells (with wild-type p53) was stronger than the NCI-H1299 cells (p53-deficient). Actinomycin V upregulated both of the protein and mRNA expression levels of p53, p21Waf1/Cip1 and Bax in A549 cells. For this situation, actinomycin V decreased the M-phase related proteins (Cdc2, Cdc25A and Cyclin B1) expression, arrested cells in G2/M phase and subsequently triggered apoptosis by mediating the Bcl-2 family proteins' expression (Bax and Bcl-2). Furthermore, the effects of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in A549 cells which were induced by actinomycin V could be reversed by the pifithrin-α, a specific inhibitor of p53 transcriptional activity. Collectively, our results suggest that actinomycin V causes up-regulation of p53 by which the growth of A549 cells is suppressed for cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.

[Analysis of clinical features of respiratory epithelial adenomatoid hamartoma in the nasal cavity]

Objective: To analyze the clinical features of respiratory epithelial adenomatoid hamartoma (REAH) in the nasal cavity. Methods: Clinical datas of 23 patients, who were hospitalized in Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, from February 2016 to February 2018 with histopathologically proved REAH in the nasal cavity were reviewed. There were 18 males and 5 females, with the age range from 16 to 71 years old. The most common area, main symptoms, surgical methods and follow-up results were analyzed. Results: The most common area was olfactory cleft (21 cases), and the mainly symptom was nasal congestion (18 cases). All the patients received transnasal endoscopic surgery and had no recurrence during following-up from three months to one year. Conclusions: The most common area of REAH in the nasal cavity is the olfactory cleft. Histopathological result is needed to make a definite diagnosis. Complete surgical resection is the main treatment.

Identification of a four-gene metabolic signature predicting overall survival for hepatocellular carcinoma

While hundreds of consistently altered metabolic genes had been identified in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the prognostic role of them remains to be further elucidated. Messenger RNA expression profiles and clinicopathological data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas-Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma and GSE14520 data set from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Univariate Cox regression analysis and lasso Cox regression model established a novel four-gene metabolic signature (including acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase 1, glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase 2, phosphatidylserine synthase 2, and uridine-cytidine kinase 2) for HCC prognosis prediction. Patients in the high-risk group shown significantly poorer survival than patients in the low-risk group. The signature was significantly correlated with other negative prognostic factors such as higher α-fetoprotein. The signature was found to be an independent prognostic factor for HCC survival. Nomogram including the signature shown some clinical net benefit for overall survival prediction. Furthermore, gene set enrichment analyses revealed several significantly enriched pathways, which might help explain the underlying mechanisms. Our study identified a novel robust four-gene metabolic signature for HCC prognosis prediction. The signature might reflect the dysregulated metabolic microenvironment and provided potential biomarkers for metabolic therapy and treatment response prediction in HCC.

[Hypoxia increases chemotherapy resistance in nasopharyngeal carcinoma via inducing CDK6 deSUMOylation]

Objective: To understand the mechanism of chemotherapy resistance in nasopharyngeal carcinoma under hypoxic conditions through the perspective of protein SUMOylation modification. Methods: Cobalt chloride (CoCl(2)) was used to establish the hypoxic model of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE1 cells. Then, the cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry, and the expression level of small ubiquitin-related modifier(SUMO) and cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6) proteins were detected by western blotting. MTT assay was used to determine the median lethal dose (IC(50)) of cancer cells against cisplatin, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level. Results: The cell cycle of CNE1 induced by hypoxia was arrested in G0/G1 phase.The results of Western blot showed that the protein expression level of CDK6 in CNE1 cells was lower than that in the control group (0.83±0.25 vs. 0.43±0.21, t=14.67, P=0.003). The protein level of conjugated SUMO1 was significantly lower than that in the control group (2.69±0.48 vs. 1.38±0.31, t=17.22, P=0.001), while the level of free SUMO1 protein was significantly higher than that in the control group (2.01±0.43 vs. 2.60±0.59, t=15.45, P=0.002).The LC50 of CNE1 cells in the control group was significantly lower than that in the hypoxic group (29.44 μg/ml vs. 97.72 μg/ml, t=12.79, P=0.001). After CNE1 cells received 50 μg/ml cisplatin for 48 h, the LDH content in the supernatant of the control group was significantly higher than that in the hypoxic group ((541.49±64.59) ng/ml vs. (234.67±41.03) ng/ml, t=11.94, P=0.007)). The apoptosis rate of CNE1 cells in the control group was significantly higher than that in the hypoxic group ((76.64±5.37)% vs. (32.84±4.77) ng/ml, t=8.49, P=0.003)). Conclusion: Hypoxia can dissociate the covalent modification of CDK6 and SUMO1, inhibit cell cycle and increase the chemotherapy resistance of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

The associations of TNF-α gene polymorphisms with bone mineral density and risk of osteoporosis: A meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Fracture is a common consequence of osteoporosis and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Recently, increasing evidence has suggested that polymorphisms in tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) gene were associated with osteoporosis risk and bone mineral density (BMD), but results remain conflicting. We herein performed a meta-analysis based on evidence currently available from the literature to make a more precise estimation of these relationships.

METHODS

The PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure) and Wan Fang databases were searched for eligible studies. Articles meeting the inclusion criteria were comprehensively reviewed and all available data were accumulated. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) or mean differences (MDs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were applied to assess the strength of the relationships.

RESULTS

A total of 15 studies involving 5273 subjects were included in our meta-analysis. The GG genotype of TNF-α G308A was associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis under a mutant model (GG vs GA+AA: OR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.51-0.77, P < 0.0001, I²  = 31%). Additionally, we also observed a significant association between G308A polymorphism and BMD of lumbar spine (AA vs GG: P = 0.01, I²  = 53%). However, TNF-α T1031C, C857T and C863A polymorphisms had no obvious impacts on osteoporosis risk.

CONCLUSIONS

The present meta-analysis demonstrated that TNF-α G308A polymorphism may act as a potential candidate biomarker for screening, diagnosis, and treatment of osteoporosis, which will help improve individualized therapy of osteoporosis patients in clinics.

[Effects of Photosynthesis of Submerged Aquatic Plants on CDOM in a Karst Water System: A Case Study from Xueyu Cave, Chongqing, China]

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) in karst water is one of the most important carbon sink components, whose origins, distributions, and transport processes are of significance to carbon sink studies. Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) can be utilized to express the composition and structural properties of DOM. In this paper, water samples were collected monthly from Xueyu Cave in a karst underground river from both inside and outside the cave. The changes in hydrochemistry and CDOM spectral characteristics as well as the influencing factors for CDOM changes were studied, with the aim of providing experimental support for carbon sink fluxes in karst processes. The main results were as follows. ① The dominant type of CDOM in Xueyu Cave karst water consisted of small molecular weight organic matter that was autochthonously derived and easily bio-degraded, and the tryptophan-like and tyrosine-like components accounted for more than 60% of the total CDOM. ② The most effective influencing factor inside the cave was microbes, which degraded the small molecular DOM in groundwater and induced slight decreases in the TOC and DOC concentrations; they also increased the humic index (HIX). ③ However, the dominant factor outside the cave was submerged aquatic plant photosynthesis, which induced significant increases in the TOC and DOC concentrations and autochthonous small molecular weight DOM contents.

Identification of a six-gene signature predicting overall survival for hepatocellular carcinoma

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a major challenge for public health worldwide. Considering the great heterogeneity of HCC, more accurate prognostic models are urgently needed. To identify a robust prognostic gene signature, we conduct this study.

Materials and methods

Level 3 mRNA expression profiles and clinicopathological data were obtained in The Cancer Genome Atlas Liver Hepatocellular Carcinoma (TCGA-LIHC). GSE14520 dataset from the gene expression omnibus (GEO) database was downloaded to further validate the results in TCGA. Differentially expressed mRNAs between HCC and normal tissue were investigated. Univariate Cox regression analysis and lasso Cox regression model were performed to identify and construct the prognostic gene signature. Time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC), Kaplan–Meier curve, multivariate Cox regression analysis, nomogram, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to assess the prognostic capacity of the six-gene signature. The prognostic value of the gene signature was further validated in independent GSE14520 cohort. Gene Set Enrichment Analyses (GSEA) was performed to further understand the underlying molecular mechanisms. The performance of the prognostic signature in differentiating between normal liver tissues and HCC were also investigated.

Results

A novel six-gene signature (including CSE1L, CSTB, MTHFR, DAGLA, MMP10, and GYS2) was established for HCC prognosis prediction. The ROC curve showed good performance in survival prediction in both the TCGA HCC cohort and the GSE14520 validation cohort. The six-gene signature could stratify patients into a high- and low-risk group which had significantly different survival. Cox regression analysis showed that the six-gene signature could independently predict OS. Nomogram including the six-gene signature was established and shown some clinical net benefit. Furthermore, GSEA revealed several significantly enriched oncological signatures and various metabolic process, which might help explain the underlying molecular mechanisms. Besides, the prognostic signature showed a strong ability for differentiating HCC from normal tissues.

Conclusions

Our study established a novel six-gene signature and nomogram to predict overall survival of HCC, which may help in clinical decision making for individual treatment.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12935-019-0858-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Protective effects of 3β-angeloyloxy-8β, 10β-dihydroxyeremophila-7(11)-en-12, 8α-lactone on paraquat-induced oxidative injury in SH-SY5Y cells

3β-Angeloyloxy-8β,10β-dihydroxyeremophila-7(11)-en-12,8α-lactone (FJ1) inhibited effectively paraquat (PQ)-induced injury in SH-SY5Y cells. In this way, FJ1 was shown to reverse the PQ-induced activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3, the increase in Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and the release of cytochrome c. The mechanism was associated with a reduction of oxidative stress, including the decrease in the levels of ROS and MDA and maintaining the activity of SOD and GSH. Taken together, findings revealed that FJ1 had protective effects against PQ-induced injury via attenuating the oxidative stress in SH-SY5Y cells, which suggested that FJ1 might be a candidate for further evaluation against neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease.

Soil microbial community structure in the rhizosphere of Robinia pseudoacacia L. seedlings exposed to elevated air temperature and cadmium-contaminated soils for 4 years

The co-occurrence of heavy metal contamination of soils and increasing air temperature can affect the microbial community in rhizosphere soils by altering the allocation of plant photosynthates to roots. Here, we investigated the community structure of bacteria, fungi, ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and ammonia oxidizing archaea (AOA) in the rhizosphere of Robinia pseudoacacia L. seedlings exposed to elevated air temperature (+1.99 °C) and cadmium (Cd) for 4 years. Elevated temperature increased the richness of bacterial and AOA communities by 15.1% to 43.8% and by 1.4% to 18.6%, respectively, and decreased fungal and AOB richness by 3.7% to 28.7% and by 2.1% to 30.6%, respectively, under Cd exposure. Elevated temperature combined with Cd exposure decreased fungal diversity by 1.5% to 14.0%. However, elevated temperature decreased the diversity of bacteria, AOB and AOA by 1.4%, 17.4% and 10.1%, respectively, under 1.0 mg Cd kg^-1 dry soil and increased the diversity of these taxa by 1.5%, 15.3% and 9.2%, respectively, under 5.0 mg Cd kg^-1 dry soil relative to Cd exposure alone. Elevated temperature led to increased abundance of genera such as Methylobacterium, Stenotrophomonas, and Archangium and decreased abundance of genera including Ramlibacter, Microascus and Nitrosospira under Cd exposure. Over all, 4 years of exposure to elevated temperature had a greater effect on the community structure of bacteria, fungi, AOB and AOA when combined with Cd pollution.

[Percutaneous catheterization for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a retrospective case series]

Objective: To review the experience of percutaneous catheterization for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) by respiratory intensivists at a single institution. Methods: A retrospective review of 87 patients undergoing percutaneous catheterization for ECMO in Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital from November 2009 to January 2017. Subject demographics, type of support, cannulation configuration, types of cannulas, use of imaging modalities, and complications were recorded and summarized. Results: The 87 patients consisted of 61 males and 26 females. The average age was (47±16)years (range 15-82 years ). Fifty-six patients were given ECMO therapy because of acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS), and 16 were treated as a bridge for lung transplantation and 15 for other causes. Eighty-one cases were given VV-ECMO support, and 6 cases were given VA-ECMO support. The most commonly used cannulas were 15-17 F arterial cannulas and 21-23 F venous cannulas. Preinsertion ultrasound was performed in 62 patients (71%) . Bedside chest radiography was used to help adjust the position of the end of the cannula in 11 patients (13%). Percutaneous catheterization was successful in 85 cases (97%) , while it failed in 2 female patients due to thick subcutaneous fat layer, and open surgical approach was used. Percutaneous femoral artery collateral circulation was established by ourselves in 5 cases. One patient with femoral artery catheterization without collateral circulation had gangrene of limbs. The complications included 9 cases of catheter site hemorrhage, 4 catheter-related bloodstream infection and 1 pulmonary embolism during ECMO weaning. Conclusion: Percutaneous catheterization for ECMO can be performed with a high rate of success and a low rate of complications.

In vitro and in vivo antitumor activity of a novel chlorin derivative for photodynamic therapy

In presented paper, a new chlorin derivative 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[(5-N-morpholino)pentyl] chlorin (TMC) was investigated as a photosensitizer in photodynamic therapy (PDT). Cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, intracellular location, biodistribution and antitumor effects were studied using human esophageal cancer cells (Eca-109) and human cervical cancer cells (Hela) in vitro and an esophageal cancer model in BALB/c nude mice. Cellular uptake and biodistribution of TMC were measured by fluorescence spectrophotometer. Cytotoxicity of TMC against Eca-109 and Hela cells was determined by MTT assay. The intracellular location of TMC was detected with a confocal microscopy. It was showed that TMC could rapidly accumulate in tumor cells and localize in cytoplasm. TMC was found to be low-toxic in dark but extensively photosensitive in vitro. A fast clearance rate of TMC was observed in Eca-109-bearing mice. In particular, TMC could significantly inhibit the tumor growth and exhibit a notable antitumor efficacy for PDT in vivo.

Development of a five-gene signature as a novel prognostic marker in ovarian cancer

The prognosis of ovarian cancer (OC) remains poor. Thus, the present study aims to identify independently prognostic factor in patients with OC. OC gene expression study GSE26712 and TCGA-OV were included in the study. Prognosis associated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between normal ovarian tissue and OC were identified. LASSO Cox proportional hazards regression model was conducted and a prognostic signature was constructed based on these DEGs. The predictive ability of the signature was analyzed in the training set and test set. The prognosis performance of the signature was compared with CA-125 and HE4. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was conducted to identify relevant mechanism. 332 DEGs were identified, of which 64 DEGs were significantly correlated with the overall survival (OS) of OC patients, and 5 DEGs (IGF2, PEG3, DCN, LYPD1 and RARRES1) were applied to build a 5-gene signature. Patients in the 5-gene signature low risk group had significantly better OS compared with those in the 5-gene high risk group (P=0.0004) in the training set. Similar results were found in the test set, and the signature was also an independent prognostic factor. The prognosis performance of the 5-gene signature was significantly better than that of CA-125 and HE4. GSEA suggested that OC samples in the 5-gene high risk group were significantly enriched in WNT/β-catenin signaling and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. We developed and validated a 5-gene signature that might be used as an independent prognostic factor in patients with OS.

Ivalin Inhibits Proliferation, Migration and Invasion by Suppressing Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition in Breast Cancer Cells

Ivalin, an eudesmane-type sesquiterpene compound, was isolated from the Chinese herb Carpesium divaricatum in our chemistry group. In this study, we investigated the anti-migration and anti-invasion activities and underlying mechanisms of Ivalin in breast cancer cells in vitro. Cell viability was evaluated using the MTT assay, Western blotting was used to determine the expression of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, vimentin and ZEB1, and mRNA levels were analyzed by qPCR. The anti-migration and anti-invasion effects of Ivalin were measured by wound-healing and Transwell assays. In this connection, Ivalin treatment reduced the mRNA and protein expressions of ZEB1 as well as N-cadherin and vimentin expression in various breast cancer cells. E-cadherin expression was enhanced by Ivalin in the same cells, which implied that Ivalin depressed the process of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Our results revealed that Ivalin significantly inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion in breast cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner in vitro. This study suggests that Ivalin may merit further investigation as a potential therapeutic leading compound for the treatment of breast cancer migration and invasion.

[Clinical characteristics and treatment of congenital fibrovascular pupillary membranes]

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics, surgical approaches and postoperative effects associated with congenital fibrovascular pupillary membranes. Methods: A retrospective study design was used. Thirteen children (13 eyes) with congenital fibrovascular pupillary membranes, treated in Beijing Children's Hospital from January 2014 to December 2017 were included. The morphology of the membrane and the anterior chamber was evaluated using a digital wide-area fundus imaging system. The ophthalmic signs, examination results, operation methods, intraocular pressure and ocular position were analyzed. Results: There were 13 children (13 eyes) were enrolled, including 9 males and 4 females. The age at surgery ranged from 2.0 months to 34.5 months, with an median of 5.1 months. According to the degree of obstruction of the pupil and the intraocular pressure, the eyes were divided into three groups. In the 5 eyes of group A, the pupil membrane did not completely cover the pupil, and the depth of the anterior chamber was normal. Among them, 4 eyes had normal intraocular pressure (9-12 mmHg) (1 mmHg=0.133kPa), and 1 eye had elevated intraocular pressure (18 mmHg). In the 5 eyes of group B, the pupillary membrane completely covered the pupil into a pinhole, the anterior chamber was normal or slightly shallow, and the intraocular pressure was normal (6-16 mmHg). In the 3 eyes of group C, the pupillary membrane completely covered the pupil, the anterior chamber was shallow or disappeared, and the intraocular pressure was high (24-45 mmHg). Membranectomy and pupilloplasty were performed in group A, and trabeculectomy was combined when there was glaucoma; postoperative intraocular pressure was normal (4-10 mmHg). Membranectomy, pupilloplasty and iridectomy were performed in group B; postoperative intraocular pressure was normal (7-13 mmHg). Membranectomy, pupilloplasty, iridectomy and goniosychialysis were performed in group C; after surgery, intraocular pressure was normal in 2 eyes (10 mmHg and 13 mmHg) and 25 mmHg in 1 eye. All eyes were orthophoric before and after operation in group A. In group B, 1 eye was esotropic, 2 eyes were exotropic (worse after surgery in 1 eye), and 2 eyes were orthophoric before surgery. In group C, one eye was esotropic, one eye was exotropic, and one eye was orthophoric before surgery, and all eyes were exotropic after operation. Conclusions: Congenital fibrovascular pupillary membranes are unilaterally a continuation of the iris covering the pupil at different degrees, with or without glaucoma. Surgical treatment should be performed promptly when there is obscuring of the visual axis or incorporating of glaucoma. The main surgical procedures are membranectomy and pupilloplasty and iridectomy. Postoperative intraocular pressure can be well controlled, and strabismus has no improvement. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2018, 54:849-854).

[Advantages and disadvantages of preoperative artificial pneumothorax for medical thoracoscopy]

Objective: To expolre the indications, safety, advantages and disadvantages of performing artificial pneumothorax prior to medical thoracoscopy. Methods: Data of 152 patients undergoing medical thoracoscopy for pleural diseases in the Beijing Tiantan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University from April 2007 to September 2014 were studied through retrospective analysis. According to the performance of artificial pneumothorax prior to medical thoracoscopy, the pleural space adhesions and the pleural effusions, patients were grouped into artificial pneumothorax group (107 cases) and non-artificial pneumothorax group (45 cases), adhesion group (102 cases) and non-adhesion group (50 cases), and few or no pleural effusion group (94 cases) and massive pleural effusion group (58 cases), respectively. The incidence of complications such as subcutaneous emphysema, pleural reaction, infection, aeroembolism and pulmonary injury/hemorrhage in different groups were compared, and the vital signs of patients were observed. Results were compared using the Chi square test. Results: After thoracoscopic examination, the definite diagnosis rates of artificial pneumothorax group and non- artificial pneumothorax group were 83.2% (89/107) and 93.3% (42/45) respectively, which showed no significant difference (χ(2)=2.744, P=0.098). Three cases of subcutaneous emphysema occurred in the artificial pneumothorax group, while all these 3 cases belonged to adhesion group, and one of them belonged to few or no pleural effusion group, and 2 of them belonged to massive pleural effusion group. No subcutaneous emphysema cases were observed in the non-adhesion group. In the non-artificial pneumothorax group, one case of lung trauma caused by trocar was observed, which belonged to adhesion group and few or no pleural effusion group; no lung puncture wound cases were observed in massive pleural effusion group and non-adhesion group. Other complications related to artificial pneumothorax and thoracoscopy, such as pleural reaction, infection, air embolism and pulmonary injury/hemorrhage, were not observed. No significant changes were found between the vital signs of patients before and after artificial pneumothorax. Conclusion: For pleural effusion or pleural disease patients with pleural space adhesion, the performance of artificial pneumothorax prior to operation was recommended. Artificial pneumothorax was not recommended for patients without pleural space adhesions.

Preparation and in vitro-in vivo characterization of trans-resveratrol nanosuspensions

Nanosuspensions technique is an important tool to enhance the saturation solubility and dissolution velocity of poorly soluble drugs. Trans-resveratrol (t-Res) with extensive pharmacological effects was severely restricted by poor solubility and short biological half-life. In this study, anti-solvent precipitation was employed to development trans-resveratrol nanosuspensions (t-Res NS) with PVPK30 as stabilizer. The physicochemical properties, in vitro release and in vivo pharmacokinetics of t-Res NS were investigated. The mean particle size, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency and drug loading of t-Res NS prepared by the optimal prescription were 96.9 nm, -20.4mV, 78% and 28.1%, respectively. The morphology of t-Res nanoparticles was spherical indicated by SEM with amorphous phase verified by XRD and DSC. The t-Res NS present a good physical stability as well as enhanced chemical stability. Compared to crude drug, the in vitro dissolution rate of t-Res NS was increased with fitting Higuchi equation (Q=0.3215t1/2+0.0070). The in vivo pharmacokinetic test in rats showed that the AUC0∼t of t-Res NS (559.4 μg/mL·min) was about 3.6-fold higher than that of t-Res solution. Meanwhile, the MRT of t-Res nanosuspensions was longer than that of t-Res solution. These results suggested that NS may be a potentially nanocarrier for clinical delivery of t-Res.

[Maternal-infant outcome of patients with OSAHS and gestational hypertension treated by CPAP]

Objective:To explore the clinical characteristics of obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) diagnosed during pregnancy.To explore the effect on maternal and infant after treated with CPAP.Method:Data of 117 patients with OSAHS diagnosed by nocturnal blood oxygen saturation (SaO₂) monitoring and PSG during pregnancy were analyzed retrospectively. All the 117 patients were voluntary and divided into intervention group [received continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment with good compliance under informed consent and conventional drug] 70 cases and control group(received conventional drug) 47 cases. Record the relevant data during the treatment about maternal and infant.Result:There was no statistical significance on the difference of cesarean delivery and postpartum hemorrhage in the pregnant women with mild OSAHS (P> 0.05), there was no statistical significance on the difference of cesarean delivery and postpartum hemorrhage in the pregnant women with moderate OSAHS (P> 0.05) and there were statistical significance on the difference of cesarean delivery and postpartum hemorrhage in the pregnant women with severe OSAHS (P< 0.05 or P< 0.01). There was no statistical significance on the difference of asphyxia neonatorum, fetal growth restriction and fetal distress in the pregnant women with mild OSAHS (P> 0.05), there were statistical significance on the difference of fetal growth restriction and fetal distress in the pregnant women with moderate OSAHS (P< 0.05), and there were statistical significance on the difference of asphyxia neonatorum, fetal growth restriction and fetal distress in the pregnant women with severe OSAHS (P< 0.05 or P< 0.01).Conclusion:Pregnant women who have OSAHS risk factors should be paid attention to during the perinatal care and nocturnal SaO₂ monitoring or PSG should be performed in the suspected OSAHS patients. Strongly advise that those serious OSAHS patients should be treated by CPAP early before delivery. CPAP was a safe and effective treatment to OSAHS patients in pregnancy.