[Clinical characteristics and related factors of acute tubular necrosis in patients with minimal change disease]

Objective: To investigate the clinical characteristics and related factors of acute tubular necrosis (ATN) in patients with minimal change disease (MCD). Methods: Patients from Chinese PLA General Hospital who were pathologically diagnosed with MCD and had clinical manifestations of nephrotic syndrome from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2019 were included. The clinical and pathological data of patients were retrospectively analyzed. Meanwhile, the incidence and clinical characteristics of ATN in different age groups were compared. The risk factors for ATN were assessed using binary logistic regression. Results: A total of 525 patients were included, with a gender ratio of 1.56∶1 (male: female), aged 33 (21, 48) years old. ATN occurred in 49 (9.3%) of 525 patients, of which 34 were male and 15 were female. The incidence of ATN increased with age in MCD patients of different age groups (χ(2)=31.442, P<0.001). The incidence of ATN in groups of age≤20 years, 21-40 years, 41-60 years, and >60 years was 2.4% (3/123), 5.2% (10/192), 13.2% (20/152) and 27.6% (16/58), respectively. Elevations of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) and serum IgE occurred in 92 patients (17.5%), 53 patients (10.1%), 99 patients (18.9%), and 303 patients (57.7%), respectively. There were significant differences in age, ALT, serum creatinine, serum urea nitrogen, history of diabetes and history of hypertension between non-ATN group and ATN group (all P<0.05). The results of logistic regression analysis showed that>40 years old (OR=6.283, 95% CI: 2.695-14.649, P<0.001) and serum albumin (OR=0.924, 95% CI: 0.857-0.997, P=0.040) was independently associated with ATN in MCD patients. Conclusion: Age>40 years is an independent risk factor and serum albumin is a protective factor for ATN in MCD patients.

Parallel beam generation method for a high-precision roll angle measurement with a long working distance

A novel measurement system for a high-precision roll angle measurement of long working distance on the basis of two parallel beams in association with two detectors is presented. The measurement system consists of a light source part and a detecting part. The light source part uses transmission grating and a plane mirror to produce a pair of high-precision parallel beams. The nonparallelism of the dual beam caused by the installation error can be compressed to ensure the measurement system achieves high-precision measurement and long working distance. The effectiveness of the measurement system and proposed methods are demonstrated by a series of experiments. The resolution of 0.5'' and measurement accuracy of 1.1'' can be obtained by the set-up measurement system.

[Intraobserver reproducibility of Ki-67 assessment of breast cancers based on digital slide]

Objective: To investigate the intra-observer reproducibility of Ki-67　　　assessment in breast cancers using three methods based on digital slide. Methods: Thirty cases of invasive breast cancer tissues were immunostained for Ki-67 by automatic stainer, and then scanned into digital pathological slides. Ki-67 positive index was measured individually by three pathologists using size-set visual assessment of hot spot (SSVAHS), size-set semi-automatic counting of hot spot(SSSACHS), and size-set automatic counting of hot spot (SSACHS), respectively, and repeated for 10 times. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of each assessment method was calculated, and the intraobserver reliability was classified as excellent, good, fair and poor according to ICC. Results: The ICC by 3 pathologists using SSVAHS was 0.832, 0.843 and 0.826, respectively, The ICC using SSSACHS was 0.926,0.938,0.929, and the ICC using SSACHS was 0.964, 0.971 and 0.968.The intraobserver reliability level of all three methods was excellent. Conclusion: The three methods of Ki-67 assessment achieve satisfactory intraobserver reproducibility, and the order of reproducibility from high to low is SSACHS, SSSACHS, and SSVAHS.

Coating film and asymmetric amplitude difference effects on measurement performance in phase grating interference-based metrology

In this study, the effects of the coating film thickness on a grating interferometry system were analyzed. The asymmetry-induced error of the deformed phase grating varied periodically with the coating film thickness, due to the spurious interference of multiple reflections in the film layer and asymmetry in the amplitudes of the diffraction orders, which led to phase offsets (and thus position errors). The average error obtained with a multiorder interferometer was compared to that simulated by atomic force microscopy. The simulation and measurement results were consistent with the theoretical analysis, which will facilitate accurate measurement error analysis.

[Transthoracic implantation of dual-chamber pacemaker for synchronous treatment of cardiac dysfunction due to idiopathic complete left bundle branch block in children]

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and feasibility of transthoracic implantation of permanent left atrial and left ventricular dual-chamber pacemaker for synchronous treatment of cardiac dysfunction due to idiopathic complete left bundle branch block (CLBBB) in children. Methods: The clinical data of five children with cardiac dysfunction due to idiopathic CLBBB and accepting implantation of permanent left atrial and left ventricular epicardial dual chamber pacemaker from January 2015 to July 2019 at the Pediatric Cardiologic Department of the First Hospital of Tsinghua University were analyzed retrospectively. The effects of pacemaker implantation on patients' cardiac function and cardiac synchrony were evaluated by echocardiogram. Results: Among 5 patients, 2 were males and 3 females. At the time of pacemaker implantation, the age of these patients was 0.5-5.7 years, the left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) was 29%-46%, the left ventricle end stage of diastolic diameter was 30-53 mm and the mean Z score was 4.0-34.0. Pacemaker was successfully implanted for all the patients. After the implantation, medications that can suppress atrioventricular node conduction were used and sensed atrioventricular delay (SAV) parameters were modulated until patients' QRS duration became shortest and the percentage of left ventricular pacing increased to and maintained at 97% to 100%. Patients' QRS duration was 120-160 ms before implantation and 90-120 ms after implantation. Patients' cardiac function began to improve 1 day to 1 month after implantation. Patients' cardiac function normalized after a mean of 1-12 months. LVEF increased from 29%-46% to 55%-67%. During the follow-up, interventricular mechanical delay, septal-to-posterior wall motion delay, and left ventricular systolic dyssynchrony index decreased significantly: IVMD decreased from 31-62 ms to 26-50 ms; SPWMD decreased from 40-63 ms to 10-50 ms and Ts-SD decreased from 34.3-50.3 ms to 16.3-31.4 ms. The global longitudinal strain of left ventricle decreased from -7.7%--13.8% to -13.5%--20.3%. Conclusion: Cardiac dysfunction due to CLBBB in children can be treated with transthoracic implantation of permanent epicardial left atrial and left ventricular dual chamber pacemaker which can substitute three chamber pacemaker to achieve the effects of synchronous therapy that lead to reversion and normalization of cardiac function.

CT and MRI features of giant cell tumours with prominent aneurysmal bone cysts in the extremities: a comparison with primary aneurysmal bone cysts

AIM

To test the hypothesis that computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could help distinguish between giant cell tumours with prominent aneurysmal bone cysts (GABCs) and primary aneurysmal bone cysts (PABCs) of the extremities.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

CT and MRI features of 13 patients with GABCs and 13 patients with PABCs in the extremities were analysed retrospectively. The ages and sex of the patients were also recorded. Independent-samples t-tests were used for continuous variables and Fisher's exact tests were used for categorical variables to compare the differences between the two groups. Diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and interobserver agreement were calculated.

RESULTS

The average age of patients with GABCs (38.2±15.8 years) was higher than that of patients with PABCs (19.3±12.7 years; p=0.003). The transverse/longitudinal diameter ratio was different between GABCs (0.8±0.3) and PABCs (0.6±0.2; p=0.007). Subchondral bone involvement (92.3% versus 30.8%, p=0.004) and deep lobulation (38.5% versus 0%, p=0.039) were more likely to be noted in patients with GABCs. Surrounding blood vessels were identified in six cases of PABCs (6/13), but not in GABCs (p=0.015). The following characteristics were suggestive of GABCs, older patient age, higher transverse/longitudinal diameter ratio, subchondral bone involvement, and deep lobulation indicated a sensitivity of 84.6%, 76.9%, 75%, and 100%, and a specificity of 84.6%, 69.2%, 90%, and 61.9%, respectively. Conversely, surrounding blood vessels were suggestive of PABCs, with a sensitivity of 46.2% and specificity of 100%. The concordance between the two readers was moderate to nearly perfect.

CONCLUSION

Age, subchondral bone involvement, lobulation, transverse/longitudinal diameter ratio, and surrounding blood vessels can be used to distinguish GABCs from PABCs.

Oncogene miR-934 promotes ovarian cancer cell proliferation and inhibits cell apoptosis through targeting BRMS1L

OBJECTIVE

Ovarian cancer is a common malignant cancer among women. Increasing studies have demonstrated that microRNAs function as important regulation factors in the progression of ovarian cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Human ovarian cancer cell lines HO8910 and OVCAR-3 were transfected with miR-934 inhibitor and corresponding negative control (inhibitor control). Cell proliferation and apoptosis were detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and TUNEL assay, respectively. The expression levels of proliferation/apoptosis-related genes and BRMS1L were measured by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting. Furthermore, the association between miR-934 and BRMS1L was investigated through luciferase reporter assays.

RESULTS

MiR-934 was significantly increased in ovarian cancer cell lines, whereas BRMS1L was significantly decreased. Downregulated miR-934 remarkably inhibited cell proliferation and induced cell apoptosis. Meanwhile, miR-934 could influence the expression levels of Ki67, Cyclin D1, Caspase3, and Bcl-2. In addition, BRMS1L was identified as a target gene of miR-934.

CONCLUSIONS

Oncogene miR-934 promotes ovarian cancer cell proliferation and inhibits cell apoptosis through targeting BRMS1L. MiR-934 and BRMS1L may be novel biomarkers or therapeutic targets for ovarian cancer in the future.

MiR-99a suppressed cell proliferation and invasion by directly targeting HOXA1 through regulation of the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway and EMT in ovarian cancer

OBJECTIVE

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the third frequently tumor worldwide. MicroRNA-99a (miR-99a), acting as a tumor suppressor, has been reported to be downregulated in multiple tumors. We aimed at exploring the significant roles of miR-99a in ovarian cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Quantitative Real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting were applied to calculate the mRNA and protein levels of miR-99a and its target genes. Kaplan-Meier method was conducted to evaluate the overall survival of ovarian cancer patients. CCK8 and transwell assays were performed to measure the proliferative and invasive abilities.

RESULTS

miR-99a, acting as a prognosis predictor, was downregulated in ovarian cancer tissues and cell lines. miR-99a mediated the expression of homeobox A1 (HOXA1) through directly targeting to the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of its mRNA in ovarian cancer cell lines. miR-99a inhibited the proliferation of ovarian cancer by AKT/mTOR pathway in vitro and in vivo, and it suppressed the invasion-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) through direct targeting to the 3'-UTR of HOXA1 mRNA.

CONCLUSIONS

miR-99a suppressed the proliferation through AKT/mTOR signaling pathway and the invasion-mediated EMT in ovarian cancer. The newly identified miR-99a/HOXA1/AKT/mTOR axis provides novel insight into the pathogenesis of ovarian cancer.

Long non-coding RNA LINC01287 promotes breast cancer cells proliferation and metastasis by activating Wnt/ß-catenin signaling

OBJECTIVE

Long noncoding RNA (lncRNAs) frequently exhibited abnormal levels in numerous tumors and other diseases in current biological researches. LINC01287, a newly discovered lncRNA, has been found to act as an oncogene in hepatocellular carcinoma. The aim of this research was to explore the expressions and functions of LINC01287 in breast cancer (BC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The relative expressions of LINC01287 in BC tissues and cells were determined using RT-PCR. The associations between the LINC01287 expression, the clinicopathological factors, and the overall survival of BC patients were statistically examined. The apoptosis and proliferation abilities of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468 cells were analyzed by MTT and flow cytometry assay after LINC01287 knockdown. The effects of LINC01287 in migration and invasion were determined using wound-healing and transwell assays. The protein expressions of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway were determined using Western blot.

RESULTS

We showed that the levels of LINC01287 were significantly upregulated in BC tissues and BC cell lines, and the abnormal expressions of LINC01287 were correlated with TNM stage and lymph node metastasis. A distinct difference was observed and indicated that BC patients with higher LINC01287 expressions had significantly shorter overall survival than patients with lower LINC01287 expressions. The multivariate analysis demonstrated that LINC01287 expression was independently correlated with the overall survival. Si-LINC01287 transfection significantly inhibited the proliferation and metastasis of BC cells, and further promoted apoptosis. Besides, the knockdown of LINC01287 suppressed Wnt/β-catenin activation and affected the expressions of β-catenin, cyclin D1, and c-myc.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicated that the new lncRNA LINC01287 was correlated with poor clinical outcome and may function as a novel prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in the development of antineoplastic therapies for BC.

[The value of color doppler ultrasonography in the diagnosis of impending ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm]

Objective: To study the value of color doppler ultrasonography (CDU) in diagnosis of impending ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (IRAAA). Methods: A total of 35 cases with IRAAA which were identified by CDU in our department from June 2014 to June 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. All the patients were detected by computed tomographic angiography (CTA). The types, length of the neck of aneurysm, largest diameter, thrombosis, involvement of common iliac artery and impending ruptured conditions were compared. The postoperative patients were followed-up by CDU and CTA (mean time was 2.6 months). Results: Among 35 patients, CDU diagnosed that 5 cases were pararenal types and 30 cases were infrarenal types. CTA showed that 4 cases were pararenal types and 31 cases were infrarenal types. The misdiagnosis rate of CDU was 2.9% (1/35). CDU showed that bilateral common iliac arteries were involved in 21 cases, right common iliac arteries were involved in 3 cases, and left common iliac arteries were involved in 2 cases. CTA detected the same results. There was no statistical difference between CDU and CTA for detection of the largest anteroposterior diameter, transverse diameter and the thickness of thrombosis (P values were 0.354, 0.310 and 0.865). There was statistical difference in the detection of the length of the aneurysm's neck (P=0.006). CDU showed 3 cases of focal wall discontinuity, 4 cases of hyperattenuating crescent sign, 3 cases of thrombus fissuration and 2 cases of saclike protuberance, which were consistent with the detection of CTA. CDU showed that locally thin wall of aneurysm was detected in the rest of 23 cases. CTA showed 2 patients were negative. The misdiagnosis rate of CDU was 5.7% (2/35). Three cases did not undergo surgery. Open repairs (OR) were performed in 5 cases. Endovascular aneurysm repairs (EVAR) were performed in 27 cases. The postoperative patients were followed up by CDU and CTA at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months. All the artificial blood vessels and stents were patent. Endoleak was observed in 5 cases. Aneurysm sac thrombosis was found in the rest of the cases. Conclusions: CDU plays an important role in the analysis and diagnosis of the size, range, and the impending ruptured symptoms of the aneurysm. It provides a reliable basis for IRAAA screening, diagnosis and postoperative follow-up, and has important clinical value.

Efficacy of pre-expanded forehead flap based on the superficial temporal artery in correction of cicatricial ectropion of the lower eyelid

Lower eyelid retraction or ectropion bring suffering to the patients both physically and mentally. Efforts to explore pertinent surgical treatments are still needed. Here we have described our preferred surgical technique for lower eyelid ectropion repair with pre-expanded island forehead flaps or pedicled forehead flaps. Between July 2007 and March 2017, a retrospective review of 12 patients who suffered from cicatricial lower eyelid ectropion as a result of trauma, surgery, or infection was conducted. Forehead skin flap based on the superficial temporal artery was expanded depending on the area of defect of the lower eyelid. Tissue expansion, flap transfer, pedicle delaying and division were involved in this process. There were no major complications, such as expander exposure, infection, haematoma or large skin flap necrosis in all the 12 patients. Venous congestion was reported in two patients. No recurrent ectropion was noted in any patient. During the three-month to two-year follow-up all patients were satisfied with the results in terms of the skin texture, colour, and flexibility after the treatment with an expanded forehead skin flap. This study suggests that expanded forehead skin flaps are effective for correction of cicatricial lower eyelid ectropion.

Functional analysis of Trichinella spiralis serine protease 1.2 by siRNA mediated RNA interference

A T. spiralis serine protease 1.2 (TsSP1.2) was identified in the muscle larvae (ML) and intestinal larvae surface/excretory-secretory (ES) proteins by immunoproteomics. The aim of this study was to determine the TsSP1.2 function in the process of T. spiralis intrusion, growth and reproduction by using RNA interference (RNAi). RNAi was used to silence the expression of TsSP1.2 mRNA and protein in the nematode. On 2 days after the ML were electroporated with 2 µM of TsSP1.2-specific siRNA 534, TsSP1.2 mRNA and protein expression declined in 56.44 and 84.48%, respectively, compared with untreated ML. Although TsSP1.2 silencing did not impair worm viability, larval intrusion of intestinal epithelium cells (IEC) was suppressed by 57.18% (P < 0.01) and the suppression was siRNA-dose dependent (r = 0.976). Infection of mice with siRNA 534 transfected ML produced a 57.16% reduction of enteral adult burden and 71.46% reduction of muscle larva burden (P < 0.05). Moreover, silencing of TsSP1.2 gene in ML resulted in worm development impediment and reduction of female fertility. The results showed that silencing of TsSP1.2 by RNAi inhibited larval intrusion and development, and reduced female fecundity. TsSP1.2 plays a crucial role for worm invasion and development in T. spiralis life cycle, and is a potential vaccine/drug target against Trichinella infection.

The effects of art therapy on anxiety and depression in breast cancer patients: An updated meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

In this meta-analysis, we aimed to investigate the effects of art therapy on anxiety and depression in patients with breast cancer.

METHODS

Electronic databases were searched for relevant studies through December 2019. Standardised mean differences (SMDs) were calculated as the effects of art therapy on improvement of anxiety and depression in women with breast cancer. The meta-analysis included nine studies involving a total of 446 participants.

RESULTS

The summary SMD of art therapy for anxiety was -1.02 (95% confidence interval (CI), -2.08 to 0.04; p = .06). The pooled SMD of art therapy for depression was -0.73 (95% CI, -1.45 to -0.01; p = .046). In the age subgroup analysis, the summary SMD of art therapy for anxiety was -1.30 (95% CI, -2.45 to -0.14; p = .03) for a mean age of more than 55 years. The summary SMD of art therapy for depression was -1.01 (95% CI, -1.95 to -0.05; p = .04) for a mean age of less than 55 years.

CONCLUSION

This meta-analysis revealed that art therapy demonstrates positive effects on depression but not anxiety in patients with breast cancer. There appears to be a critical age period for art therapy to alleviate anxiety or depression in these patients.