MicroRNA-182 suppresses clear cell renal cell carcinoma migration and invasion by targeting IGF1R

The purpose of our study was aimed to determine the functional role of microRNA (miR)-182 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and try to clarify its underlying molecular mechanism. Expression of miR-182 in both cancer and peripheral blood samples was analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Human RCC line Caki-1 cells were transfected with miR-182 mimic, miR-182 inhibitor, or negative controls, and then the cell viability, colony-formation ability, migration, and invasion assay were determined. Luciferase reporter assay, qRT-PCR and Western blotting were used to determine whether insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) was a target of miR-182. Further, small interfering RNA (siRNA) against IGF1R was co-transfected with miR-182 inhibitor into cells, and then the effects on migration and invasion were assessed. MiR-182 was down-regulated in both cancer and blood samples compared to the matched non-tumor adjacent tissues and healthy volunteers, respectively (both P<0.05). Compared to the control group, cell viability, colony-forming ability, and numbers of migrated and invaded cells were significantly decreased by transfection with miR-182 mimic but were markedly increased by miR-182 inhibitor (all P < 0.05). Luciferase reporter assay confirmed that IGF1R was a target gene of miR-182, and IGF1R was negatively regulated by miR-182. Co-transfection of miR-182 inhibitor with si-IGF1R reversed the effect of miR-182 inhibitor on the migration and invasion of the cells. MiR-182 functions as an anti-oncogene in ccRCC, and miR-182-mediated inhibition of cell migration and invasion might be through directly targeting IGF1R.

Optimal expression and purification of sapelovirus A structural protein VP1, and its immunogenicity in mice

Sapelovirus A (SV-A) is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus which is associated with acute diarrhea, pneumonia and reproductive disorders. The virus capsid is composed of four proteins, and the functions of the structural proteins are unclear. In this study, we expressed SV-A structural protein VP1 and studied its antigenicity and immunogenicity. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed that the target gene was expressed at high levels at 0.6 mM concentration of IPTG for 24 h. The mouse polyclonal antibody against SV-A VP1 protein was produced and reached a high antiserum titer (1: 2,048,000). Immunized mice sera with the recombinant SV-A VP1 protein showed specific recognition of purified VP1 protein by western blot assay and could recognize native SV-A VP1 protein in PK-15 cells infected with SV-A by indirect immunofluorescence assay. The successfully purified recombinant protein was able to preserve its antigenic determinants and the generated mouse anti-SV-A VP1 antibodies could recognize native SV-A, which may have the potential to be used to detect SV-A infection in pigs.

[Value of LSR and ADCs in differential diagnosis of hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes in lung cancer]

Objective: To evaluate the value of minimum ADC(ADC(min))and mean ADC(ADC(mean)), lesion to spinal cord signal intensity ratio (LSR) in diagnosis of metastatic hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes in patients with lung cancer. Methods: A total of 34 patients (89 lymph nodes) pathologically diagnosed as lung cancer were enrolled into this study who were examined in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University from January 2016 to June 2017. All patients underwent MRI scan 1 week before surgery or endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA). The short-axis diameter, ADC(mean) and ADC(min) of lymph nodes were measured and recorded respectively by two radiologists.The signal intensity of lymph nodes and spinal cord was also measured on DWI images (b=800 s/mm(2)). According to pathological findings, all lymph nodes were divided into metastasis group (58 lymph nodes) and non-metastasis group(31 lymph nodes). An independent sample t-test was used to compare the differences between the two groups of short-axis diameter, LSR, ADC(mean) and ADC(min) between two groups.The diagnostic performance of short-axis diameter, LSR, ADC(mean) and ADC(min) was analyzed by ROC curves. Results: There were significant differences in short-axis diameter, ADC(mean), ADC(min) and LSR values between two groups (all P<0.01). The short-axis diameter and LSR of the metastatic group were higher than that in non-metastasis group, while ADC(mean) and ADC(min) in metastatic group were lower than that in non-metastasis group.The ROC curve analysis showed that ADC(mean), ADC(min) and LSR achieved excellent but comparable diagnostic performance with an AUC of 0.977, 0.972 and 0.941, respectively (P<0.05). While the short-axis diameter of lymph nodes demonstrated poor diagnosis performance with an AUC of 0.798 (P<0.05). The thresholds of short-axis diameter, ADC(mean), ADC(min) and LSR were 9.86 mm, 1.88×10(-3) mm(2)/s, 1.57×10(-3) mm(2)/s and 0.80, respectively.Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy for ADC(mean) were 96.6%, 90.3%, 94.9%, 93.3% and 94.4%, respectively, and those for ADC(min) were 98.3%, 90.3%, 95.0%, 96.6% and 94.4%, respectively, those for LSR were 91.4%, 90.3%, 94.6%, 84.8% and 89.9%, respectively, while those for short-axis diameter were 79.3%, 71.0%, 83.6%, 64.7% and 76.4%, respectively.There were significant differences in the area under the ROC curve between short-axis diameter and LSR, short-axis diameter and ADC(mean), short-axis diameter and ADC(min) (P<0.05). But there was no significant difference in the area under ROC curve between LSR and ADC(mean), LSR and ADC(min), ADC(mean) and ADC(min) (P>0.05). Conclusion: LSR, ADC(min) and ADC(mean) are the reliable parameters for the differentiation of metastatic and non-metastatic lymph nodes in lung cancer patients, and have good performance.

[Effects of decline of pH value on cardiomyocyte viability of rats and the mechanism]

Objective: To explore the effects of decline of pH value on cardiomyocyte viability of rats, and to analyze the possible mechanism. Methods: Hearts of five newborn Sprague-Dawley rats were isolated, and then primary cardiomyocytes were cultured and used in the following experiments. (1) The primary cardiomyocytes were divided into pH 7.4+ 6 h, pH 7.0+ 6 h, pH 6.5+ 6 h, pH 6.0+ 6 h, pH 6.5+ 1 h, and pH 6.5+ 3 h groups according to the random number table, with 4 wells in each group. After being routinely cultured for 48 h (similarly hereinafter), cells in pH 7.4+ 6 h, pH 7.0+ 6 h, pH 6.5+ 6 h, and pH 6.0+ 6 h groups were cultured with pH 7.4, pH 7.0, pH 6.5, and pH 6.0 DMEM-F12 medium (similarly hereinafter), respectively, and then they were cultured for 6 h. Cells in pH 6.5+ 1 h and pH 6.5+ 3 h groups were cultured with pH 6.5 medium, and then they were cultured for 1 h and 3 h, respectively. Viability of cells was detected by methyl-thiazolyl-tetrazolium (MTT) method. (2) The primary cardiomyocytes were divided into pH 7.4, pH 6.5, and pH 6.5+ taxol groups according to the random number table, with 2 wells in each group. Cells in pH 7.4 group were cultured with pH 7.4 medium, while cells in pH 6.5 and pH 6.5+ taxol groups were cultured with pH 6.5 medium. Cells in pH 6.5+ taxol group were added with taxol of a final molarity of 0.2 μmol/L in addition, and then they were cultured for 6 h. Morphology and density of microtubule of cells was detected by immunofluorescence assay. (3) The primary cardiomyocytes were grouped and treated as in experiment (2), with 2 wells in each group. The expressions of polymerized microtubulin and free microtubulin were determined with Western blotting. (4) The primary cardiomyocytes were grouped and treated as in experiment (2), with 4 wells in each group. Viability of cells after treated with taxol was detected by MTT method. Data were processed with one-way analysis of variance and LSD-t test. Results: (1) The viability of cells in pH 7.4+ 6 h, pH 7.0+ 6 h, pH 6.5+ 6 h, pH 6.0+ 6 h, pH 6.5+ 1 h, and pH 6.5+ 3 h groups were 1.00±0.08, 0.90±0.08, 0.85±0.06, 0.83±0.04, 0.91±0.10, and 0.89±0.10, respectively. Compared with that in pH 7.4+ 6 h group, viability of cells in pH 7.0+ 6 h, pH 6.5+ 6 h, pH 6.0+ 6 h, pH 6.5+ 1 h, and pH 6.5+ 3 h groups were all decreased in different degrees (t=2.476, 4.002, 4.996, 2.168, 2.400, P<0.05). (2) Microtubules of cells in pH 7.4 group were radially distributed around the nucleus with clear tubular structure. Compared with that in pH 7.4 group, the skeleton of microtubules of cells in pH 6.5 group was obviously damaged, with broken structure of microtubule and reduced density. Compared with that in pH 6.5 group, the damage degree of microtubules of cells in pH 6.5+ taxol group was obviously alleviated, and the structure of microtubules basically returned to normal. (3) Compared with that in pH 7.4 group, the expression of free microtubulin of cells in pH 6.5 group was significantly increased (t=3.030, P<0.05), while the expression of polymerized microtubulin of cells was significantly decreased (t=8.604, P<0.05). Compared with that in pH 6.5 group, the expression of free microtubulin of cells in pH 6.5+ taxol group was significantly decreased (t=4.559, P<0.05), while the expression of polymerized microtubulin of cells was significantly increased (t=5.472, P<0.05). (4) Viability of cells in pH 7.4, pH 6.5, and pH 6.5+ taxol groups were 1.00±0.10, 0.83±0.04, and 0.93±0.10, respectively. Compared with that in pH 7.4 group, the viability of cells in pH 6.5 group was obviously declined (t=4.412, P<0.05). Compared with that in pH 6.5 group, the viability of cells in pH 6.5+ taxol group was obviously increased (t=2.461, P<0.05). Conclusions: The decline of pH value reduces the viability of cardiomyocytes of rats through destroying the skeleton of microtubule. Stabilizing microtubule skeleton can significantly reduce acidic treatment-induced damage and ameliorate cardiomyocyte viability.

Expression of wild-type p53-induced phosphatase 1 in diabetic epiretinal membranes

Objective

The aims of the present study were to investigate the expression and distribution of Wild-type p53-induced phosphatase 1 (Wip1) in diabetic patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) with epiretinal membranes (ERMs) meanwhile analyze the colocalization of Wip1 and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) p65 in ERMs.

Methods

ERMs samples were collected from patients with PDR (PDR group) or non-diabetic patients with idiopathic epiretinal membranes (iERMs) (control group) during pars plana vitrectomy. Real-Time PCR analysis was carried out to examine the mRNA expression of Wip1 in ERMs. Immunohistochemical analysis and Immunofluorescent analysis were performed to detect the protein expression of Wip1 in ERMs. Double immunofluorescent staining was performed to detect the colocalization of Wip1 and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) (retinal glial cells marker), also Wip1 and NF-κB.

Results

ERMs were obtained from 17 eyes of 17 patients with PDR (the PDR group) and 9 eyes of 9 nondiabetic patients (the control group) with iERMs. Our results showed high expression levels of Wip1 mRNAs in ERMs after PDR, but low in iERMs. In addition, both immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence assay showed strong immunoreactivity for Wip1 in PDR ERMs. Furthermore, Wip1 and GFAP were coexpressed in PDR membranes. Finally, the expression of Wip1 was paralleled with NF-κB.

Conclusion

These data support the notion that Wip1 contributes to the formation of the ERMs in PDR membranes via NF-κB signaling.

Perineural invasion in early-stage cervical cancer and its relevance following surgery

Perineural invasion (PNI) is the neoplastic invasion of nerves by cancer cells, a process that has attracted attention as a novel prognostic factor for cancer. The present study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of PNI in patients with early-stage cervical cancer (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IA2-IIA). A total of 210 patients who underwent radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy between 2007 and 2012 were included in the current study, of whom 8.57% (18/210) exhibited PNI. Patients with PNI were more likely to exhibit adverse histopathological features, such as increased tumor size, depth of stromal invasion, parametrial invasion, lymphovascular space invasion and lymph nodes metastases (all P<0.05). Patients with PNI exhibited shorter disease-free and overall survival (P=0.002 and P=0.017, respectively). However, PNI was not identified as an independent risk factor for either recurrence or death by multivariate analysis. Furthermore, 88.9% (16/18) of patients with PNI received adjuvant therapy following surgery. PNI was significantly associated with well-established indicators for adjuvant therapy. In conclusion, PNI was associated with multiple high-risk factors and its presence was indicative of a poor outcome in patients with early-stage cervical cancer, which may influence management decisions regarding adjuvant therapy.

[Effects of double-dose antihistamine or combined therapy in allergic rhinitis]

Objective:To compare the efficacy and side effects of combined therapy with single-dose oral antihistamine and intranasal corticosteroid to monotherapy with double-dose oral antihistamine in the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis. Method:Eighty-two patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis caused by cypress pollen were enrolled in a randomized, parallel-group studycomparing 2 weeks therapy of either 10mg oral ebastine plus 200 μg intranasal mometasone furoate once daily (combined group) or 20 mg oral ebastine once daily (double-dose group) during the pollen season. Daily rhinoconjunctivitis symptom score and rescue medication use were recorded in both groups. After the treatment period, questionnaires were used to survey the side effects of medicines and dosage form preference of the patients. The levels of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α in the peripheral blood were measured before and after the therapy. Result:During the cypress pollen season, the daily rhinoconjunctivitis symptom score of the combined group (n=42, 3.7±0.4) was significantly lower than that of double-dose group (n=40, 4.5±0.5), P<0.001. The daily rescue medication score of the combined group (1.3±0.6) was also significantly lower than double-dose group(1.7±0.7), P<0.001. The daily medication cost of combined group was 7.08±0.33 Yuan, which was less than that of double-dose group (7.28±0.51 Yuan, P=0.002). There was no statistical difference in the rate of adverse reactions between the two groups. The peripheral levels of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α in two groups did not show significant difference at the end of therapy . Conclusion:The combined therapy with single-dose oral antihistamine and intranasal corticosteroid was superior to the monotherapy with double-dose oral antihistamine in the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis in our study.

Analysis of sensitive skin barrier function: basic indicators and sebum composition

OBJECTIVES

Sensitive skin (SS) is a condition characterised by high reactivity, low tolerance, and susceptibility to allergies of the skin. Owing to changes in the environment and marketing strategies, as well as the increasing public awareness about skin care, attention to skin condition is gradually increasing. The aim of this study is to explore the differences in the skin barrier of SS and normal skin (NS).

METHODS

A questionnaire survey was conducted and basic indicators of the skin barrier were analysed. It was found that sebum secretion in the SS group was lower than that in the NS group, suggesting that the development of SS might be associated with sebum secretion and its specific components. Next, an ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometer was used to identify facial sebum components in female volunteers.

RESULTS

The results showed that the sebum of female volunteers with SS had high levels of ceramides, glycerophosphoethanolamines, and diacylglycerols, and low levels of glucosylceramides, glycerophosphoserines, glycerophosphocholines, and triacylglycerols.

CONCLUSION

Analysis of lipid functions suggested that the main reason for SS development in women might be a barrier dysfunction caused by excessive apoptosis and lack of water. Therefore, anti-allergy additives in cosmetic products that could inhibit apoptosis of keratinocytes and methods to maintain the stability of water molecules in the skin should be further studied.

CD200Fc Attenuates Retinal Glial Responses and RGCs Apoptosis After Optic Nerve Crush by Modulating CD200/CD200R1 Interaction

To explore the hypothesis that CD200Fc, a CD200R1 agonist with anti-inflammatory properties, will inhibit retinal glial cells hyperactivation and retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) apoptosis after optic nerve injury. CD200Fc was immediately administered after optic nerve crush (ONC) once by intravitreal injection. Rats were euthanized at 5 days after ONC. The density of RGCs was counted by immunostaining of retina flat mounts for Brn3a. TUNEL assay, immunoblotting analysis of ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1(iba1) (microglia marker) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) (astrocytes and Müller cells marker), RT-PCR analysis of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-8 and IL-10, ELISA measure protein levels of inflammatory cytokines and western blot analysis of CD200 and CD200R1 were evaluated. CD200Fc treatment suppressed ONC-induced RGCs loss through inhibition of RGCs apoptosis. Additionally, expression of glial cells activation markers GFAP and iba1 and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (COX-2, iNOS, MCP-1, TNF-α, IL-8) were decreased in CD200Fc treated animals after ONC. Meanwhile, anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was increased by CD200Fc treatment in ONC-induced rat retina. Finally, we found that CD200Fc significantly inhibited ONC-induced increased in expression of CD200 and raised the already high basal CD200R1 expression in the rat retina after ONC. Our results demonstrated that the anti-inflammatory effects of CD200Fc in ONC rats model through inhibited the activation of retinal glial cells via the interaction between CD200 and CD200R1, and the neuroprotective effects of CD200Fc on RGCs thought inhibited its apoptosis.

Surgical Management of Renal Cell Carcinoma Extending Into Venous System: A 20-Year Experience

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The purpose of this study is to report our 20-year experience with the surgical management of renal cell carcinoma extending into the inferior vena cava using a novel classification system.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the data of 103 patients (69 males, 34 females, mean age: 52.9 ± 12.6 years) with renal cell carcinoma involving the venous system treated between 1993 and 2014. The inferior vena cava tumor thrombus was classified into five levels: 0 (renal vein, n = 12), 1 (infrahepatic, n = 33), 2a (low retrohepatic, n = 26), 2b (high retrohepatic, n = 19), and 3 (supradiaphragmatic, n = 13). Clinical data were summarized, and overall survival, cancer-specific survival, and disease-free survival were examined by Cox regression analysis.

RESULTS

All patients underwent radical surgery. Complete resections of the renal tumor and thrombus were achieved in 101 patients (98.1%). Two intraoperative and one postoperative in-hospital deaths (2.9%) occurred. In total, 19 patients (18.8%) had a total of 29 postoperative complications. Mean follow-up time was 46 months (range, 1-239 months). The 5- and 10-year overall survival rates were 62.9% and 56.0%, respectively. Metastasis, rather than thrombus level, was a significant risk factor associated with overall survival (hazard ratio = 4.89, 95% confidence interval: 2.24-10.67, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

Our novel classification system can be used to select the optimal surgical approach and method for patients with renal cell carcinoma and venous thrombus. Its use is associated with prolonged survival and relatively few complications. Metastasis is an independent risk factor of overall survival.

Next-generation sequencing reveals a novel NDP gene mutation in a Chinese family with Norrie disease

PURPOSE

Norrie disease (ND) is a rare X-linked genetic disorder, the main symptoms of which are congenital blindness and white pupils. It has been reported that ND is caused by mutations in the NDP gene. Although many mutations in NDP have been reported, the genetic cause for many patients remains unknown. In this study, the aim is to investigate the genetic defect in a five-generation family with typical symptoms of ND.

METHODS

To identify the causative gene, next-generation sequencing based target capture sequencing was performed. Segregation analysis of the candidate variant was performed in additional family members using Sanger sequencing.

RESULTS

We identified a novel missense variant (c.314C>A) located within the NDP gene. The mutation cosegregated within all affected individuals in the family and was not found in unaffected members. By happenstance, in this family, we also detected a known pathogenic variant of retinitis pigmentosa in a healthy individual.

CONCLUSION

c.314C>A mutation of NDP gene is a novel mutation and broadens the genetic spectrum of ND.

Dysregulation of Circulating Tfr/Tfh Ratio in Primary biliary cholangitis

Follicular helper T (Tfh) cells and follicular regulatory T (Tfr) cells are critical for the development and maintenance of germinal centre (GC) and humoral immune responses. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that the dysregulation of either Tfh cells or Tfr cells contributes to the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. We aim to investigate the roles of circulating Tfh cells and circulating Tfr cells in the pathogenesis of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). A total of 34 patients with PBC and 27 health individuals were enrolled in this study. Flow cytometry revealed that circulating Tfh (CD4⁺ CXCR5⁺ CD127^hi CD25^lo ) cells were increased, but Tfr (CD4⁺ CXCR5⁺ CD127^lo CD25^hi ) cells and ratio of Tfr/Tfh were dramatically decreased in PBC patients compared with healthy controls. The Tfr/Tfh ratio was negatively correlated with level of serum IgM. Meanwhile, we also observed effector memory (CCR7^lo PD-1^hi ) Tfh cells and Tfr cells were dramatically increased, but central memory (CCR7^hi PD-1^lo ) Tfh cells and Tfr cells were decreased in PBC patients compared with healthy controls. Effector memory Tfr cells were positively correlated with level of serum ALP. These results indicate that an imbalance of circulating Tfr cells and Tfh cells may be involved in the immunopathogenesis of PBC and may provide novel insight for the development of PBC therapies.

Genetic mapping using 1.4M SNP array refined loci for fatty acid composition traits in Chinese Erhualian and Bamaxiang pigs

Chinese indigenous pigs display marked genetic and phenotypic differences compared with western commercial pigs. In this study, we tested the association between 660K SNPs and longissimus muscle fatty acid composition traits in Chinese Erhualian (n = 331) and Bamaxiang (n = 315) pigs based on a customized 1.4 million SNP array. We identified a total of 64 significant associations for 20 fatty acid composition traits at the p-value threshold of 1 × 10^-6 among which 42 associations in low linkage disequilibrium (r²  < .2) with previously reported loci were considered novel. We substantially improved the strength and precision of the associations at four previously detected loci near FADS2, ELOVL7, ELOVL6 and FASN genes, facilitating follow-up candidate gene studies. Moreover, we also identified loci near ABCD2, ACSBG1, ELOVL5, HPGDS, DAGT2, ACAD10 and ACSL1 genes with function relevant to metabolism of fatty acids. In this study, valuable genetic variants and candidate genes associated with fatty acid composition traits were identified in Erhualian and Bamaxiang pigs. Some identified loci could be used to improve pork nutrition in pig breeding practice. Using the SNP array with higher marker density and less ascertainment bias improved QTL detection power and precision in Chinese indigenous pigs.

Correlation between diffusion tensor imaging parameters and clinical assessments in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy with and without high signal intensity

STUDY DESIGN

A cross-sectional observational study.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to compare the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) between patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) with and without high T2-weighted signal intensity, and to correlate each parameter with clinical assessments.

SETTING

CSM is a common cause of spinal cord dysfunction. The significance of T2 high signal intensity in the prognosis of CSM remains controversial.

METHODS

Diffusion tensor imaging was performed at the cervical spinal cord in 40 patients with CSM and 42 healthy subjects. Patients with high signal intensity were separated from those without high signal intensity. ADC and FA values were compared among different groups, and the correlation between each parameter and the modified Japanese Orthopedic Association (mJOA) score was examined.

RESULTS

The ADC and FA values of C2/3 differed significantly from those of C5/6 and C6/7 in healthy subjects. Patients with CSM had a higher ADC but a lower FA value than did healthy subjects. In all patients with CSM, there was a negative linear correlation between ADC and mJOA score, but FA value correlated positively with mJOA score. Secondary analysis suggested that FA value in patients with high signal intensity was lower than that in patients without high signal intensity. FA value showed a positive linear correlation with mJOA score in the patients with high signal intensity but not in the patients without high signal intensity.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with high signal intensity may have more severe spinal cord injury than patients without high signal intensity, and FA may be a useful indicator of functional status in patients with CSM with high signal intensity.

Stepwise preconditioning enhances mesenchymal stem cell-based cartilage regeneration through epigenetic modification

OBJECTIVE

This study is to investigate the functions and underlying mechanisms of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) underwent stepwise preconditioning in chondrogenic medium before expansion, then further explore their therapeutic effects in a surgically induced osteoarthritis (OA) model.

METHODS

MSCs isolated from the adult rats expressing Green Fluorescence Protein (GFP) were incubated in basal medium or primed in chondrogenic medium before expansion. The multipotency including cell proliferation, differentiation, and survivability was compared between chondrogenic manipulated MSCs (M-MSCs) and untreated MSCs. Methylation modification of Nanog and Oct4 were detected by bisulfite genomic sequencing. Loss-of-function phenotype in M-MSCs induced by shNanog was also observed. Then the therapeutic effect of the cells was evaluated in a surgically induced OA rat model by single intraarticular injection. The injected GFP-labeled cells in the joints were monitored in vivo. These rats were sacrificed and subjected to histological examinations and microstructural analysis after 4 weeks.

RESULTS

We found that cell clonogenicity, proliferation, survivability, and chondrogenic property were enhanced after stepwise preconditioning. We then further found that the expression level of Nanog and Oct4 was temporarily increased in the M-MSCs. Results of epigenetic analysis revealed that demethylation happened in Nanog and Oct4 after the stepwise preconditioning. Results of in vivo imaging showed more GFP-labeled cells in the M-MSCs-injected group. And results of histology and micro-CT analysis also indicated a superior therapeutic effect of M-MSCs on the surgically induced-OA.

CONCLUSION

These findings indicated a feasible method to obtain a cell population with high survivability and chondrogenic commitment for the treatment of OA.

Vertebral fracture in postmenopausal Chinese women: a population-based study

In a random sample of postmenopausal Chinese women, the prevalence of radiographic vertebral fractures increased from 13% between ages 50 and 59 to over 50% after age 80 years. A model with seven clinical risk factors predicted the probability of vertebral fractures as well with as without BMD and better than a model with only three risk factors. More than half an hour of outdoor activity per day might correlate with lower risk of vertebral fracture in this population.

INTRODUCTION

We aimed to describe the prevalence and develop a model for prediction of radiographic vertebral fractures in a large random sample of postmenopausal Chinese women.

METHODS

We enrolled 1760 women from an age-stratified random sample of postmenopausal women in Beijing, China. The presence of vertebral fracture was assessed by semi-quantitative grading of lateral thoracolumbar radiographs, risk factors by interview, bone mineral density (BMD) of the proximal femur and lumbar spine by dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and markers of bone turnover from a fasting blood sample. Associations of these factors were analyzed in logistic models and discrimination by areas of receiver operating characteristics curves (AUC).

RESULTS

The prevalence of vertebral fracture, ranged from 13.4% ages 50 to 59 years old to 58.1% at age 80 years or older. Older age, a history of non-vertebral fracture, lower femoral neck BMD T-score, body mass index (BMI), height loss, housework, and less than half an hour of outdoor activity were significantly associated with increased probability of having a vertebral fracture. A model with those seven factors had a similar AUC with or without BMD and performed better than a simple model with three factors.

CONCLUSION

This study is from a true random sample of postmenopausal women in urban China with high response rate. The prevalence of vertebral fractures in postmenopausal women in Beijing increases from 13% under age 60 to over 50% by age 80 years. A model with seven clinical risk factors with or without BMD is better than simple models and may guide the use of spine x-rays to identify women with vertebral fractures. More than half an hour of outdoor activity might correlate with lower risk of vertebral fracture in this population.

Interaction of Wip1 and NF-κB regulates neuroinflammatory response in astrocytes

OBJECTIVE

The aims of the present study were to detect the interaction of Wip1 and NF-κB P65 in retina of an LPS-induced astrocytes activation model.

METHODS

The interaction between Wip1 and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) P65 was observed in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated primary rat astrocytes derived from retina. The expressions of Wip1 and NF-κB P65 were evaluated using Western blot and RT-PCR. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) against Wip1 was transfected into astrocytes to clarify the phosphorylation status and nuclear translocation of NF-κB P65 and expressions of these proinflammatory factors. Meanwhile, expression of Wip1 was assessed following treatment with NF-κB inhibitor.

RESULTS

Wip1 and phospho-NF-κB P65 (p-P65) expressions were significantly increased and colocalization in astrocytes after LPS treatment. The expression of p-P65 was augmented by transfected with Wip1 siRNA followed by LPS. Furthermore, pre-treatment with Wip1 siRNA further enhanced LPS-induced NF-κB P65 translocation into the nuclei and proinflammatory cytokine release. Finally, inhibition of NF-κB decreases Wip1 expression and transcription in primary astrocytes.

CONCLUSION

These data provide a mechanism for the role for a negative feedback loop of Wip1 and NF-κB in LPS-induced astrocytic activation.

Dysregulation of objectively assessed 24-hour motor activity patterns as a potential marker for bipolar I disorder: results of a community-based family study

There has been a growing number of studies that have employed actigraphy to investigate differences in motor activity in mood disorders. In general, these studies have shown that people with bipolar disorders (BPDs) tend to exhibit greater variability and less daytime motor activity than controls. The goal of this study was to examine whether patterns of motor activity differ in euthymic individuals across the full range of mood disorder subtypes (Bipolar I (BPI), Bipolar II (BPII) and major depression (MDD)) compared with unaffected controls in a community-based family study of mood spectrum disorders. Minute-to-minute activity counts derived from actigraphy were collected over a 2-week period for each participant. Prospective assessments of the level, timing and day-to-day variability of physical activity measures were compared across diagnostic groups after controlling for a comprehensive list of potential confounding factors. After adjusting for the effects of age, sex, body mass index (BMI) and medication use, the BPI group had lower median activity intensity levels across the second half of the day and greater variability in the afternoon compared with controls. Those with a history of BPII had increased variability during the night time compared with controls, indicating poorer sleep quality. No differences were found in the average intensity, variability or timing of activity in comparisons between other mood disorder subgroups and controls. Findings confirm evidence from previous studies that BPI may be a manifestation of a rhythm disturbance that is most prominent during the second half of the day. The present study is the largest study to date that included the full range of mood disorder subgroups in a nonclinical sample that increases the generalizability of our findings to the general community. The manifestations of activity patterns outside of acute episodes add to the accumulating evidence that dysregulation of patterns of activity may constitute a potential biomarker for BPD.

Plasma pharmacokinetics of quinocetone in ducks after oral and intravenous administration

Quinocetone (QCT), an antimicrobial growth promoter, is widely used in food-producing animals. However, information about pharmacokinetics (PK) of QCT in ducks still remains unavailable up to now. In this study, QCT and its major metabolites (1-desoxyquinocetone, di-desoxyquinocetone and 3-methyl-quinoxaline-2-carboxylic) in ducks were studied using a simple and sensitive UHPLC-MS/MS assay. Twenty ducks were divided into two groups. (n = 10/group). One group received QCT by oral administration at dose of 40 mg/kg while another group received QCT intravenously at 10 mg/kg. Plasma samples were collected at various time points from 0 to 96 hr. QCT and its major metabolites in duck plasma samples were extracted by 1 ml acetonitrile and detected by UHPLC-MS/MS, with the gradient mobile phase that consisted of 0.1% formic acid in water (A) and acetonitrile (B). A noncompartment analysis was used to calculate the PK parameters. The results showed that following oral dosing, the peak plasma concentration (C_max ) of QCT was 32.14 ng/ml and the area under the curve (AUCINF_obs) was 233.63 (h ng)/ ml. Following intravenous dosing, the C_max , AUCINF_obs and Vss_obs were 96.70 ng/ml, 152.34 (h ng)/ ml and 807.00 L/kg, respectively. These data indicated that the QCT was less absorbed in vivo following oral administration, with low bioavailability (38.43%). QCT and its major metabolites such as 1-desoxyquinocetone and 3-methyl-quinoxaline-2-carboxylic were detected at individual time points in individual ducks, while the di-desoxyquinocetone was not detected in all time points in all ducks. This study enriches basic scientific data about pharmacokinetics of QCT in ducks after oral and intravenous administration and will be beneficial for clinical application in ducks.

Population-production-pollution nexus based air pollution management model for alleviating the atmospheric crisis in Beijing, China

In recent years, increscent emissions in the city of Beijing due to expanded population, accelerated industrialization and inter-regional pollutant transportation have led to hazardous atmospheric pollution issues. Although a number of anthropogenic control measures have been put into use, frequent/severe haze events have still challenged regional governments. In this study, a hybrid population-production-pollution nexus model (PPP) is proposed for air pollution management and air quality planning (AMP) with the aim to coordinate human activities and environmental protection. A fuzzy-stochastic mixed quadratic programming method (FSQ) is developed and introduced into a PPP for tackling atmospheric pollution issues with uncertainties. Based on the contribution of an index of population-production-pollution, a hybrid PPP-based AMP model that considers employment structure, industrial layout pattern, production mode, pollutant purification efficiency and a pollution mitigation scheme have been applied in Beijing. Results of the adjustment of employment structure, pollution mitigation scheme, and green gross domestic product under various environmental regulation scenarios are obtained and analyzed. This study can facilitate the identification of optimized policies for alleviating population-production-emission conflict in the study region, as well as ameliorating the hazardous air pollution crisis at an urban level.

MicroRNA-199a acts as a potential suppressor of cardiomyocyte autophagy through targeting Hspa5

Autophagy is an adaptive response to cardiomyocytes survival under stress conditions. MicroRNAs (miRNAs, miR) have been described to act as potent modulators of autophagy. To investigate whether and how miR-199a modulated autophagy in vitro, primary cardiomyocytes were treated under starvation to induce autophagy. Results showed that down-regulation of miR-199a was sufficient to activate cardiomyocytes autophagy. MiR-199a suppressed cardiomyocytes autophagy through direct inhibiting heat shock protein family A member 5 (Hspa5). Forced overexpression of Hspa5 recovered the inhibitory effect of miR-199a in autophagy activation. Our results suggested miR-199a as an effective suppressor of starvation-induced cardiomyocytes autophagy and that Hspa5 was a direct target during this process. These results extend the understanding of the role and pathway of miR-199a in cardiomyocytes autophagy, and may introduce a potential therapeutic strategy for the protection of cardiomyocytes in myocardial infarction or ischemic heart disease.

Overexpression of β-arrestin2 induces G1-phase cell cycle arrest and suppresses tumorigenicity in renal cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to investigate the role of β-arrestin2 in the proliferation, migration, apoptosis, cell cycle and clone formation of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) cell lines and to explore the possible mechanism of β-arrestin2 in RCC invasion and metastasis to find a new therapeutic target.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis, cell cycle and clone formation were analyzed after RCC cell lines (786-0 and CaKi) and transfected with β-arrestin2 overexpression plasmid. Using small interfering RNA (siRNA) interference technology abrogates β-arrestin2 overexpression, and changes in cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis, cell cycle and clone formation were analyzed. The expression levels of total IkBa, IkBa phosphorylation (P-IkBa) and NFkB P65 in 786-0 cells were examined after transfection with β-arrestin2 overexpression plasmid to explore the mechanism of β-arrestin2.

RESULTS

After transfection with β-arrestin2 overexpression plasmid, the abilities of proliferation, migration, and cloning formation in 786-0 and CaKi cells decreased significantly, the apoptosis rate increased significantly, and the cell cycles were blocked in the G1 phase. After siRNA reduced the expression of β-arrestin2, the abilities to proceed through cell proliferation, migration, apoptosis, the cell cycle and clone formation were enhanced. The P-IkBa level in 786-0 cells decreased significantly after transfection, while the expression of P-IkBa in the control group remained high. The expression of NFkB P65 was high in the control group and low in the transfection group.

CONCLUSIONS

The overexpression of β-arrestin2 can inhibit the growth of RCC cells in vitro, and β-arrestin2 acts as a tumor suppressor gene in RCC. The main mechanism may directly suppress the phosphorylation of IkBa and indirectly suppress NFkB activation. Thus, β-arrestin2 is expected to be an important marker of RCC prognosis and a new therapeutic target.

[The value of different antibodies detection in diagnosis of rheumatism with uveitis]

Objective: To investigate the value of HLA-B27 antigen, antinuclear antibody (ANA), anti-dsDNA and Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies (ANCA) detection in diagnosis of rheumatism with uveitis. Methods: Seven hundred and twenty four newly diagnosed patients with non-infection uveitis in Beijing Tongren Hospital from March 2012 to March 2016 who long-term lived in Beijing and its surrounding areas were continuously enrolled. HLA-B27 antigen expressions in peripheral blood lymphocytes and ANA, anti-dsDNA and ANCA levels in serum were tested. The detailed clinical data, imaging examinations and pathological examinations were recorded to define whether the patients had rheumatism and the types of rheumatism. Results: There were 285 patients were diagnosed with rheumatism in 724 patients (39.4%), with 135 male (47.4%) and 150 female (52.6%). The mean age of male (41±14) was lower than that of female (44±14), with statistically significant (t=2.18, P<0.05). There were 176 patients with Spondyloarthropathies, 48 patients with primary systemic vasculitis, 22 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, 18 patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome, 16 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 5 patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis in 285 rheumatism patients. The positive rate of HLA-B27(57.2%), ANA(15.8%), anti-dsDNA (5.3%) and ANCA(9.1%) in rheumatic uveitis patients were obviously higher than those of non-rheumatic uveitis patients [HLA-B27(1.1%), ANA(1.6%), anti-dsDNA (0.0%) and ANCA(0.9%)], with statistically significant (Fisher's exact test, P<0.01). The HLA-B27 positive antigen were mainly in patients with Spondyloarthropathies, rate was 92.1%; the positive ANA were mainly in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, rate was 95.5%; the positive anti-dsDNA were mainly in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, rate was 59.1%; the positive ANCA were mainly in patients with primary systemic vasculitis (besides Behcet disease), rate was 57.1%. Conclusions: The detections of HLA-B27 antigen, ANA, anti-dsDNA and ANCA are valuable for primary screening of some rheumatic uveitis. There fore, clinicians should select targeted laboratory examination combine with the patients' clinical manifestations. This will be helpful in the auxiliary diagnosis of some types of rheumatic uveitis.

Two novel polymorphisms in PLCE1 are associated with the susceptibility to esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in Chinese population

Esophageal cancer is the sixth leading cause of cancer-associated death worldwide. Phospholipase C epsilon 1 (PLCE1) gene was found to be associated with the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) by three large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in Chinese populations. To evaluate the association between the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in PLCE1 gene and ESCC risk, a case-control study including 550 patients with ESCC and 550 age, gender-matched controls was carried out to investigate the genetic susceptibility of three SNPs (rs3765524 C/T and two unreported potentially functional SNPs rs10882379 G/A and rs829232 G/A) as well as the interactions of gene-gene and gene-environment in the development of ESCC. And the results showed that GA genotype of rs10882379 was significantly associated with reduced ESCC risk compared with GG genotype (adjusted OR [95% CI]: 0.66 [0.51, 0.86]), while AA genotype of rs829232 was significantly associated with increased ESCC risk compared with GG genotype (adjusted OR [95% CI]: 1.37 [1.12, 1.67]). The haplotype analysis showed increased ESCC risk in Grs10882379Crs3765524Ars829232 and Grs10882379Trs3765524Ars829232 haplotypes with OR (95% CI) of 1.40 (1.13, 1.73) and 1.66 (1.18, 2.34), respectively and inversely reduced ESCC risk in Ars10882379Crs3765524Grs829232 haplotype with OR (95% CI) of 0.74 (0.61, 0.91). The gene-environment interaction analysis emerged a best model consisted of four factors (rs10882379, rs3765524, rs829232 and family history of ESCC) that could increase the ESCC risk in the 'high risk group' with 4.45-fold (OR [95% CI]: 5.45 [4.13, 7.19]), compared to the 'low risk group.' Our results further validate that the SNPs in PLCE1 gene may contribute to the ESCC susceptibility in Chinese Han population. Also the gene-gene and gene-environment interactions play a certain crucial role in the ESCC progression.

Fast-track surgery after gynaecological oncological surgery: study protocol for a prospective randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Fast-track surgery (FTS), also known as enhanced recovery after surgery, is a multidisciplinary approach to accelerate recovery, reduce complications, minimise hospital stay without increasing readmission rates, and reduce health care costs, all without compromising patient safety. The advantages of FTS in abdominal surgery most likely extend to gynaecological surgery, but this is an assumption, as FTS in elective gynaecological surgery has not been well studied. No consensus guidelines have been developed for gynaecological oncological surgery although surgeons have attempted to introduce slightly modified FTS programmes for patients undergoing such surgery. To our knowledge, there are no published randomised controlled trials; however, some studies have shown that FTS in gynaecological oncological surgery leads to early hospital discharge with high levels of patient satisfaction. The aim of this study is whether FTS reduces the length of stay in hospital compared to traditional management. The secondary aim is whether FTS is associated with any increase in post-surgical complications compared to traditional management (for both open and laparoscopic surgery).

METHODS/DESIGN

This trial will prospectively compare FTS and traditional management protocols. The primary endpoint is the length of post-operative hospitalisation (days, mean ± standard deviation), defined as the number of days between the date of discharge and the date of surgery. The secondary endpoints are complications in both groups (FTS versus traditional protocol) occurring during the first 3 months post-operatively including infection (wound infection, lung infection, intraperitoneal infection), post-operative nausea and vomiting, ileus, post-operative haemorrhage, post-operative thrombosis, and the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Enquiry II score.

DISCUSSION

The advantages of FTS most likely extend to gynaecology, although, to our knowledge, there are no randomised controlled trials. The aim of this study is to compare the post-operative length of hospitalisation after major gynaecological or gynaecological oncological surgery and to analyse patients' post-operative complications. This trial may reveal whether FTS leads to early hospital discharge with few complications after gynaecological surgery.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

NCT02687412 . Approval Number: SCCHEC20160001. Date of registration: registered on 23 February 2016.

[Dihydrotestosterone inhibits foam cell formation via a lectin-like ox-low-density lipoprotein receptor mediated mechanism in J774.1 cell line]

Objective: To investigate the effect of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) on lectin-like ox- low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor(LOX-1)expression and foam cell formation in the female macrophage cell line J774.1. Methods: In cultured J774.1 cells, after pretreated with DHT at concentrations of 1×10^-9 mol/L and 1×10^-8 mol/L, ox-LDL-induced LOX-1 expression and foam cell formation were investigated by quantitative real-time PCR, Western blotting, and oil-red O staining. Results: DHT at concentrations of 1×10^-9 mol/L and 1×10^-8 mol/L inhibited ox-LDL-induced LOX-1 mRNA (2.81±0.46 and 2.29±0.21 vs 4.71±0.31, both P<0.01) and protein expression (1.35±0.06 and 1.09±0.04 vs 1.75±0.11, both P<0.05). The effect was partly reversed by the androgen receptor (AR) blocker flutamide (87.6%, P=0.004). Oil-red O staining also revealed that DHT at concentrations of 1×10^-9 mol/L and 1×10^-8 mol/L suppressed ox-LDL-induced foam cell formation as quantified by the number of foam cells per high-power field (HPF) (36.0±3.0 and 29.1±1.3 vs 45.9±3.7, both P<0.05) and by the area of oil-red O stained particles per HPF (7 983±1 035 and 4 060±390 vs 14 750±2 489, both P<0.05). Conclusion: DHT at concentrations of 1×10^-9 mol/L and 1×10^-8 mol/L decreases LOX-1 expression and foam cell formation via AR.

Inactivation of Cronobacter sakazakii in reconstituted infant formula by combination of thymoquinone and mild heat

AIMS

The objective of this study was to determine the combined effect of thymoquinone (TQ) and mild heat on Cronobacter sakazakii in reconstituted infant formula.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Reconstituted infant formula samples inoculated with a mixture of four C. sakazakii strains (approx. 6·5 log CFU ml(-1) ) were prepared with various concentrations of TQ (0, 5, 10, 20 and 30 mmol l(-1) ) and were heated to 45, 50 and 55°C for 0, 10, 20, 30, 60 and 120 min, and the surviving populations of C. sakazakii at each sampling time were enumerated. To elucidate the mode of action of TQ, membrane integrity and changes in cell morphology were examined by LIVE/DEAD(®) BacLight(™) bacterial viability kit and field emission scanning electron microscope respectively. TQ at 30 mmol l(-1) reduced the pathogen to undetectable level in between 60 and 120 min at 45°C, 60 min at 50°C and 10 min at 55°C respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results demonstrated that the combined treatments significantly reduced (P < 0·05) the population of C. sakazakii, compared to the control. Cronobacter sakazakii numbers were reduced much more rapidly with higher temperatures and increased concentrations of TQ. And combined treatment inactivated pathogen partly by causing cell membrane disruption.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

These findings suggested that TQ, together with mild heat, may have potential application in infant formula to control C. sakazakii before consumption and therefore is a possible way to prevent infections associated with C. sakazakii in infant formula.

[Total laparoscopy to treat hepatolithiasis using gallbladder-hepatic duct subcutaneous tunnel]

To investigate the effect and feasibility of total laparoscopy to treat hepatolithiasis using gallbladder-hepatic duct subcutaneous tunnel. Retrospective analysis was conducted of the case data of 11 patients with hepatolithiasis who underwent total laparoscopic treatment using gallbladder-hepatic duct subcutaneous tunnel from January 2010 to October 2014. The operation time, blood loss, postoperative complications and recurrence of stones were recorded.All the cases completed the operation.The average hospital-stay was 9.2 days (range: 3-29 d). The average operation time was 298 min (range: 225-480 min). The average blood loss was 253 mL (range: 50-700 mL), and the average blood loss of liver resection groups was 325 mL (range: 200-700 mL). The average discharge time was 3.3 days (range: 3-5 d). The rate of postoperative residual stones was 36.4% (4/11).We extracted stones with choledochofiberscope via T-tube sinus six weeks after operation. One case developed biliary leakage, and healed through adequate drainage and the T-tube was pulled out after one month. There was no perioperative mortality. All the cases were followed up and the mean follow-up was 22 months (range: 2-51 months). The anastomotic stenosis of gallbladder-hepatic duct was found in one case. But we got a good therapeutic result with performed gallbladder chemical ablation with 95% ethanol. No recurrence of hepatolithiasis was found. As a choice for minimally invasive method to hepatolithiasis using gallbladder-hepatic duct subcutaneous tunnel,total laparoscopy is a safe and feasible procedure.

Age-related effects on osteoclastic activities after orthodontic tooth movement

Objectives

To elucidate the effects of age on the expression levels of the receptor activator of the nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) and osteoclasts in the periodontal ligament during orthodontic mechanical loading and post-orthodontic retention.

Materials and Methods

The study included 20 male Sprague-Dawley rats, ten in the young group (aged four to five weeks) and ten in the adult group (aged 18 to 20 weeks). In each rat, the upper-left first molar was subjected to a seven-day orthodontic force loading followed by a seven-day retention period. The upper-right first molar served as a control. The amount of orthodontic tooth movement was measured after seven-day force application and seven-day post-orthodontic retention. The expression levels of RANKL and the tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive osteoclasts were evaluated on day 7 (end of mechanical force loading) and day 14 (after seven days of post-orthodontic retention). Statistical analysis was performed using the t-test, and significance was set at p < 0.05.

Results

There was no significant difference between the amount of tooth movement in the young group (0.96, standard deviation (sd) 0.30mm) and that in the adult group (0.80mm, sd 0.28) (p > 0.05) after the seven-day force application. On the compression side, the expression of RANKL and TRAP-positive osteoclasts in both the young and the adult groups increased after the application of force for seven days, and then decreased at the end of the seven-day retention period. However, by the end of the period, the expression of RANKL on the compression side dropped to the control level in the young group (p > 0.05), while it was still higher than that on the control side in the adult group (p < 0.05). The expression of RANKL on the compression side did not show significant difference between the young and the adult groups after seven-day force application (p > 0.05), but it was significantly higher in the adult group than that in the young group after seven-day post-orthodontic retention (p < 0.05). Similarly, the decreasing trend of TRAP-positive osteoclasts during the retention period in the adult group was less obvious than that in the young group.

Conclusions

The bone-resorptive activity in the young rats was more dynamic than that in the adult rats. The expression of RANKL and the number of osteoclasts in adult rats did not drop to the control level during the post-orthodontic retention period while RANKL expression and the number of osteoclasts in young rats had returned to the baseline.

Cite this article: X. Li, M. Li, J. Lu, Y. Hu, L. Cui, D. Zhang, Y. Yang. Age-related effects on osteoclastic activities after orthodontic tooth movement. Bone Joint Res 2016;5:492–499. DOI: 10.1302/2046-3758.510.BJR-2016-0004.R2.

Interstimulus Interval Effect on Event-Related Potential N270 in a Color Matching Task

Event-related brain potentials were recorded in a matching task, in which subjects were asked to discriminate if the color of the second stimulus (S2) was the same as the first stimulus (S1). The interstimulus interval between the two stimuli of a pair was of three levels (150 ms, 500 ms and 1000 ms). A negative component about 270 ms after the presentation of S2 was elicited when the color of the two stimuli was not identical for the interstimulus interval of 500 ms and 1000 ms, but not for the interval of 150 ms. This may suggest that N270 represented the response of the brain to conflicting information between different cortical levels.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and motor neuron syndromes in Asia

While the past 2 decades have witnessed an increasing understanding of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) arising from East Asia, particularly Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and China, knowledge of ALS throughout the whole of Asia remains limited. Asia represents >50% of the world population, making it host to the largest patient cohort of ALS. Furthermore, Asia represents a diverse population in terms of ethnic, social and cultural backgrounds. In this review, an overview is presented that covers what is currently known of ALS in Asia from basic epidemiology and genetic influences, through to disease characteristics including atypical phenotypes which manifest a predilection for Asians. With the recent establishment of the Pan-Asian Consortium for Treatment and Research in ALS to facilitate collaborations between clinicians and researchers across the region, it is anticipated that Asia and the Pacific will contribute to unravelling the uncertainties in ALS.

Prognostic role of tumor PIK3CA mutation in colorectal cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Somatic mutations in the phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase/AKT pathway play a vital role in carcinogenesis. Approximately 15%-20% of colorectal cancers (CRCs) harbor activating mutations in PIK3CA, making it one of the most frequently mutated genes in CRC. We thus carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis investigating the prognostic significance of PIK3CA mutations in CRC.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Electronic databases were searched from inception through May 2015. We extracted the study characteristics and prognostic data of each eligible study. The hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were derived and pooled using the random-effects Mantel-Haenszel model.

RESULTS

Twenty-eight studies enrolling 12 747 patients were eligible for inclusion. Data on overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were available from 19 and 10 studies, respectively. Comparing PIK3CA-mutated CRC patients with PIK3CA-wild-type CRC patients, the summary HRs for OS and PFS were 0.96 (95% CI 0.83-1.12) and 1.20 (95% CI 0.98-1.46), respectively. The trim-and-fill, Copas model and subgroup analyses stratified by the study characteristics confirmed the robustness of the results. Five studies reported the CRC prognosis for PIK3CA mutations in exons 9 and 20 separately; neither exon 9 mutation nor exon 20 mutation in PIK3CA was significantly associated with patient survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that PIK3CA mutation has the neutral prognostic effects on CRC OS and PFS. Evidence was accumulating for the establishment of CRC survival between PIK3CA mutations and patient-specific clinical or molecular profiles.

The promoter polymorphisms of receptor for advanced glycation end products were associated with the susceptibility and progression of sepsis

Receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is considered a major pattern recognition receptor, which plays an important role in the development of sepsis. Increasing evidence showed an association between RAGE polymorphisms and the susceptibility to several inflammatory-related diseases. However, little is known about the clinical relationship between RAGE polymorphisms and sepsis. In this study, we analyzed the association of sepsis with three functional RAGE gene polymorphisms (rs1800624, rs1800625 and rs2070600) in a Chinese Han population (372 sepsis cases and 400 healthy controls). Significant differences were observed in the rs1800624 and rs1800625 genotype/allele distributions between the sepsis and controls, but no significant difference was observed in the rs2070600 genotype/allele. Moreover, our results also revealed a significant difference in the genotype/allele frequencies of the rs1800624 and rs1800625 polymorphisms between the sepsis and severe sepsis subtypes, the rs1800624 TT or rs1800625 TT genotype carriers exhibited a significant increase in RAGE mRNA, sRAGE, TNF-α and IL-6 expression compared with the rs1800624 AT/AA or rs1800625 CT/CC carriers in sepsis patients. Overall, this study might provide valuable clinical evidence between the RAGE gene polymorphisms and the risk or the development of sepsis.

Sex Differences in the Transmission of Migraine

Consistent evidence demonstrates that migraine is far more common in women than in men, but the explanations for this preponderance have not been systematically evaluated. We examined whether the female preponderance is attributable to genetic factors using data from a controlled family study which included 260 probands and their 1232 first-degree adult relatives. We found that although the risk of migraine was three times greater among the relatives of probands with migraine compared with controls, there was no differential risk of migraine among the relatives of male vs. female probands with migraine. Taking these data together with other family studies, we conclude that the increased risk of migraine in females is likely to result from increased exposure to non-familial endogenous or exogenous risk factors for migraine that lower the threshold for expression of migraine in women.

Characterisation of matrix vesicles in skeletal and soft tissue mineralisation

The importance of matrix vesicles (MVs) has been repeatedly highlighted in the formation of cartilage, bone, and dentin since their discovery in 1967. These nano-vesicular structures, which are found in the extracellular matrix, are believed to be one of the sites of mineral nucleation that occurs in the organic matrix of the skeletal tissues. In the more recent years, there have been numerous reports on the observation of MV-like particles in calcified vascular tissues that could be playing a similar role. Therefore, here, we review the characteristics MVs possess that enable them to participate in mineral deposition. Additionally, we outline the content of skeletal tissue- and soft tissue-derived MVs, and discuss their key mineralisation mediators that could be targeted for future therapeutic use.

The role of regulatory T cells during Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi AS infection in BALB/c mice

An inappropriate immune response to parasite infection is one of the primary drivers of malaria pathogenesis. Regulatory T cells (Tregs), an important subset of CD4(+) T cells, can maintain self-tolerance and prevent autoimmune diseases. However, there is little consensus about their role in malaria pathogenesis. In this study, we transiently depleted Tregs (CD25(+) T cells) using an anti-CD25 mAb (7D4 clone) at different time points following Plasmodium chabaudi chabaudi AS infection in BALB/c mice and investigated the effect of depletion of Tregs in this model. In control mice, Tregs proliferated significantly and their suppressive function was enhanced after infection. IL-10 was increased drastically during infection. Depletion of Tregs at various time points can lead to divergent outcomes. When Tregs were depleted prior to or during the early phase of infection, most mice survived and had a robust Th1 immune response. In contrast, when Tregs were depleted close to peak parasitemia, all mice died as a result of inflammation. Taken together, these data suggest that in P. c. chabaudi AS-infected BALB/c mice, Tregs inhibit the Th1 response and macrophage activation, leading to increased parasite load; however, they also control inflammation-mediated pathology by secreting high levels of IL-10.

BLCA-4 and UBC combined detection for early diagnosis of bladder cancer

The objective of the present study was to report the clinical significance of bladder cancer specific nuclear matrix protein 4 (BLCA-4) and urinary bladder cancer (UBC) on early diagnosis of bladder cancers. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect BLCA-4 and UBC of 56 bladder cancer patients and 26 patients with urinary tract benign diseases, serving as controls. Urine exfoliated cell test was performed, and then the significance of BLCA-4 and UBC on the diagnosis of bladder cancers was analyzed. The sensitivity of BLCA-4 and UBC of the bladder cancer patients was significantly higher than that of the urine exfoliated cell test (P less than 0.05). The difference of BLCA-4 and UBC was not significant (P >0.05). The difference of BLCA-4 and UBC in the tumors with different gradings and stagings was not significant (P >0.05). Combined detection of BLCA-4 and UBC could improve the diagnosis sensitivity and specificity of bladder cancers with the advantages of high maneuverability, repeatability and objective results.

In situ precision electrospinning as an effective delivery technique for cyanoacrylate medical glue with high efficiency and low toxicity

The side effects or toxicity of cyanoacrylate used in vivo have been argued since its first application in wound closure. We propose an airflow-assisted in situ precision electrospinning apparatus as an applicator and make a detailed comparison with traditional spraying via in vitro and in vivo experiments. This novel method can not only improve operational performance and safety by precisely depositing cyanoacrylate fibers onto a wound, but significantly reduce the dosage of cyanoacrylate by almost 80%. A white blood cell count, liver function test and histological analysis prove that the in situ precision electrospinning applicator produces a better postoperative outcome, e.g., minor hepatocyte injury, moderate inflammation and the significant ability for liver regeneration. This in situ precision electrospinning method may thus dramatically broaden both civilian and military applications of cyanoacrylates.