Comprehensive analysis of distal-less homeobox family gene expression in colon cancer.

BACKGROUND: The distal-less homeobox (DLX) gene family plays an important role in the development of several tumors. However, the expression pattern, prognostic and diagnostic value, possible regulatory mechanisms, and the relationship between DLX family genes and immune infiltration in colon cancer have not been systematically reported. AIM: We aimed to comprehensively analyze the biological role of the DLX gene family in the pathogenesis of colon cancer. METHODS: Colon cancer tissue and normal colon tissue samples were collected from the Cancer Genome Atlas and Gene Expression Omnibus databases. Wilcoxon rank sum test and t-test were used to assess DLX gene family expression between colon cancer tissue and unpaired normal colon tissue. cBioPortal was used to analyze DLX gene family variants. R software was used to analyze DLX gene expression in colon cancer and the relationship between DLX gene family expression and clinical features and correlation heat map. The survival package and Cox regression module were used to assess the prognostic value of the DLX gene family. The pROC package was used to analyze the diagnostic value of the DLX gene family. R software was used to analyze the possible regulatory mechanisms of DLX gene family members and related genes. The GSVA package was used to analyze the relationship between the DLX gene family and immune infiltration. The ggplot2, the survminer package, and the clusterProfiler package were used for visualization. RESULTS: DLX1/2/3/4/5 were significantly aberrantly expressed in colon cancer patients. The expression of DLX genes were associated with M stage, pathologic stage, primary therapy outcome, residual tumor, lymphatic invasion, T stage, N stage, age, perineural invasion, and history of colon polyps. DLX5 was independently correlated with the prognosis of colon cancer in multivariate analysis. DLX1/2/3/4/5/6 were involved in the development and progression of colon cancer by participating in immune infiltration and associated pathways, including the Hippo signaling pathway, the Wnt signaling pathway, several signaling pathways regulating the pluripotency of stem cells, and Staphylococcus aureus infection. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest a possible role for the DLX gene family as potential diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in colon cancer.

[Performance Study of Bromochloracetonitrile Degradation in Drinking Water by Fe/Cu Catalytic Reduction].

The paper used the method of iron copper catalyst reduction to degrade low concentrations of bromochloracetonitrile (BCAN) to lighten the damage to human being, which is a kind of disinfection by-products (DBPs) produced during the chlorination process of drinking water. The removal efficiency of BCAN and its influencing factors were investigated. The mechanism of degradation and kinetics were also explored. The results indicated that iron copper had a greater degradation ability towards BCAN, and the degradation rate of iron copper (mass ratio of 10:1) was 1.5 times that of the zero-valent iron. The removal of BCAN increased obviously with the increase of Fe/Cu dosage. When the initial concentration was set at 20 microg x L(-1), after a reaction time of 150 min, removal of BCAN was improved from 51.1% to 89.5% with the increase of iron copper (mass ratio of 10:1) dosage from 5 g x L(-1) to 10 g x L(-1). The temperature also had great impact on BCAN removal and the removal increased with the increase of temperature. However, BCAN removal did not change a lot with the variation of the initial concentration of BCAN when it was at a low level. The BCAN degradation by iron copper catalytic-reduction followed the first-order kinetics model.

[Treatment of constipation by intensive acupoints thread embedding combined with local anal operation].

OBJECTIVE: To search for the best therapy for slow transmission constipation (STC) or mixed constipation (MC) by intensive acupoints thread embedding (IATE). METHODS: A total of 310 patients with constipation were assigned to 5 groups using a stratification control method. The 62 patients of STC in the observation group I were treated by IATE at Dachangshu (BL 25), Tianshu (ST 25), Zhongji (CV 3) and Zusanli (ST 36) acupoints; the 62 of MC in the observation group II by IATE at the same acupoints and local anal operation; both the 62 of STC in the control group I and the 62 of MC in the control group 1I were treated by oral administration of Simo Decoction, while the 62 of MC in the control group III were treated by local anal operation alone. Conditions of defecation were recorded every day in the 6-month follow-up period. Gastrointestinal transit test (GITT) was carried out before and after treatment. One follow-up was conducted at the 1st, 3rd and 6th month. RESULTS: In the 124 patients of the two observation groups, 52 (41.9%) were cured after treatment, they could normally discharge stool, 5 (4.0%) showed markedly effective with their constipation alleviated, but having occasional bowel slackened sensation. In the control group I and II, none was cured or effectively treated, while in the control group III, the efficacy in 8 patients were judged as marked effective, but none was cured. CONCLUSION: IATE is a convenient and effective composite therapy. It shows favorable clinical efficacy for STC, and also for MC in case of combined with local anal operation.

[Copper ion electrochemistry in treatment of bleeding and prolapse due to hemorrhoid, experimental and clinical studies].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of copper ion electrochemistry (CIE) in treatment of bleeding and prolapse due to hemorrhoid. METHODS: Bleeding was caused at several points on the sacrospinal muscles of 26 rabbits. Routine hemostasis was used at one side (control side) and CIE was used on the opposite side (experimental side). The stanch times at the different sides were recorded. Then the rabbits were killed. Pathological examination was made to the lung, liver, and kidney to observe the amount of small thrombus and inflammation. CIE was performed at the right side of anus of 6 dogs and the right side was used as control side. Tissue specimens of rabbit muscle and dog anus mucosa were collected to examine the copper ion concentration. A copper needle was inserted into each pile to the depth of 10 - 15 mm for 4'40" (with the mean number of treated points of 9.8) upon 202 patients suffering from bleeding due to hemorrhoid, 79 with inner hemorrhoids and 123 patients with mixed hemorrhoids (experimental group). Another 171 patients suffering from bleeding due to hemorrhoid, 64 with inner hemorrhoids and 107 with mixed hemorrhoids were treated with suppository as controls. CEI was performed on 128 patients suffering from prolapse of hemorrhoid, 41 with inner hemorrhoids and 87 with mixed hemorrhoids (experimental group). Another 115 patients suffering from prolapse of hemorrhoid, 40 with inner hemorrhoids and 75 with mixed hemorrhoids were treated with suppository as controls. Biopsy specimens of anus mucosa were taken from 18 patients with mixed hemorrhoid who underwent CIE. The copper ion concentration was measured in 30 patients undergoing CIE. RESULTS: The stanch time in the experimental side of rabbit was (1.16 +/- 0.18) min, significantly shorter than that in the control side [(2.13 +/- 0.46) min, P = 0.0037]. Extensive small thrombi and edema of vascular wall were seen in the rabbit liver, lung, kidney, and muscle tissues in comparison with the tissues of the control side (P < 0.01). Copper ion complex was seen in the experimental rabbit tissues. The copper ion concentration was significantly higher in the experimental area of dog anus mucosa than in the control area. Clinical study showed that after CIE the curative rate for bleeding was 95.5%, significantly higher than that of the control group (8.8%, U = 44.6, P < 0.001). The curative rate for prolapse in the experimental group was 60.8%, significantly higher than that of the control group (20.9%, U = 313.2, P < 0.01). No patient felt pain while treated and later. After the CIE treatment, the patients only needed to take a rest for 4 hours. Pathology showed there were much more small thrombi in the treated tissues. The blood copper ion concentration in the trial group did not increase significantly after CIE in comparison with that before treatment. CONCLUSION: CIE is safe, effective and easy to perform in treatment of bleeding and prolapse due to hemorrhoid.