Construction of Planar Gliding Restriction Buffer and Kinetic Self-Accelerator Stabilizing Single-Crystalline LiNi0.9Co0.05Mn0.05O2 Cathode.

The single-crystalline Ni-rich cathode has aroused much attention for extenuating the cycling and safety crises in comparison to the polycrystalline cathode. However, planar gliding and kinetic hindrance hinder its chemo-mechanical properties with cycling, which induce delamination cracking and damage the mechanical integrity in single crystals. Herein, a robust Li2.64(Sc0.9Ti0.1)2(PO4)3 (LSTP) ion/electron conductive network was constructed to decorate single-crystal LiNi0.9Co0.05Mn0.05O2 (SC90) particles. Via physicochemical characterizations and theoretical calculations, this LSTP coating that evenly grows on the SC90 particle with good lattice matching and strong bonding effectively restricts the anisotropic lattice collapse along the c-axis and the cation mixing activity of SC90, thus suppressing planar gliding and delamination cracking during repeated high-voltage lithiation/delithiation processes. Moreover, such a 3D LSTP network can also facilitate the lithium-ion transport and prevent the electrolyte's corrosion, lightening the kinetic hindrance and triggering the surface phase transformation. Combined with the Li metal anode, the LSTP-modified SC90 cell exhibits a desirable capacity retention of 90.5% at 5 C after 300 cycles and stabilizes the operation at 4.3/4.5 V. Our results provide surface modification engineering to mitigate planar gliding and kinetic hindrance of the single-crystalline ultra-high Ni-rich cathode, which inspires peers to design other layered cathode materials.

Concurrent alcoholic cirrhosis and malignant peritoneal mesothelioma in a patient: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma (MPM) originates from the mesothelial and subcutaneous cells of the abdominal cavity. Its diagnose is difficult due to its nonspecific and vague symptoms, and it should be differentiated from alcoholic cirrhosis and liver and pancreatic cancers. Misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis can easily occur when MPM presents with other diseases. To the best of our knowledge, no case of MPM concurrent with alcoholic cirrhosis has been reported. CASE SUMMARY: A 63-year-old man presented to our hospital with abdominal distension for 20days. He had a history of alcohol consumption for nearly 30 years and no history of special drug use or toxic exposure. After treatment for alcoholic cirrhosis in a community hospital, his symptoms did not improve significantly. The patient underwent exploratory laparotomy and surgical resection. Pathologic examination showed an epithelioid MPM. He was treated with chemotherapy and intraperitoneal hyperthermic perfusion after surgery. Currently, he is in a stable condition and tumor recurrence has not occurred. CONCLUSION: Misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis of MPM can easily occur because of its insidious onset. Therefore, there is a need to understand. MPM in clinical practice, make the correct diagnosis, and provide timely and effective treatment.

Knockdown circZNF131 Inhibits Cell Progression and Glycolysis in Gastric Cancer Through miR-186-5p/PFKFB2 Axis.

Gastric cancer (GC) is a prevalent and heterogeneous malignancy in the digestive system. Increasing studies have suggested that circular RNAs are implicated in GC pathogenesis. This study aimed to explore the biological role and underlying mechanism of circRNA zinc finger protein 131 (circZNF131) in GC. The expression pattern of circZNF131, microRNA-186-5p (miR-186-5p), and 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2, 6-bisphosphatase 2 (PFKFB2) mRNA in GC tissues and cells was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The stability of circZNF131 was verified using ribonuclease R assay. Functional experiments were performed by colony formation assay for cloning ability analysis, transwell assay and wounding healing assay for cell metastasis, and flow cytometry for cell apoptosis. Glycolysis metabolism was investigated by determining the levels of glucose uptake and lactate production. The protein detection of apoptosis- or glycolysis-associated markers, PFKFB2, and Ki-67 was implemented by western blot or immunohistochemistry. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was conducted to identify the interaction between miR-186-5p and circZNF131 or PFKFB2. The role of circZNF131 on tumor growth in nude mice was investigated via xenograft tumor assay. Expression analysis indicated that circZNF131 was upregulated in GC tissues and cells in a stable structure. Functional analyses showed that circZNF131 knockdown suppressed GC cell colony formation ability, migration, invasion and glycolysis metabolism, and induced cell apoptosis. Mechanically, miR-186-5p was a target of circZNF131, and miR-186-5p could bind to PFKFB2. Rescue experiments presented that miR-186-5p inhibition reversed the effects of circZNF131 knockdown on GC cell growth and glycolysis, and PFKFB2 overexpression abolished the impacts of miR-186-5p restoration on GC cell progression. Moreover, circZNF131 could positively modulate PFKFB2 expression via sponging miR-186-5p. In vivo, circZNF131 knockdown hindered GC tumor growth by regulating the miR-186-5p/PFKFB2 axis. circZNF131 could exert an oncogenic role in GC malignant development through the miR-186-5p/PFKFB2 axis, which might provide novel targets for GC treatment.

Circ_0006948 Contributes to Cell Growth, Migration, Invasion and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Esophageal Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) can act as promoters or inhibitors in cancer progression. Has_circ_0006948 (circ_0006948) was reported to aggravate the malignant behaviors of esophageal carcinoma (EC). AIMS: This study focused on investigating the molecular mechanism of circ_0006948 in EC progression. METHODS: The quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed to detect the expression of circ_0006948, microRNA-4262 (miR-4262) and fibronectin type III domain containing 3B (FNDC3B). Cell growth analysis was conducted by Cell Counting Kit-8 and colony formation assays. Cell migration and invasion were assessed by transwell assay. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated proteins and FNDC3B protein expression were assayed using western blot. Dual-luciferase reporter and RNA pull-down assays were performed to validate the target combination. Xenograft tumor assay was used for investigating the role of circ_0006948 in vivo. RESULTS: Circ_0006948 was upregulated in EC tissues and cells. Downregulating the expression of circ_0006948 or FNDC3B repressed cell growth, migration, invasion and EMT in EC cells. Target analysis indicated that miR-4262 was a target for circ_0006948 and FNDC3B was a downstream gene for miR-4262. Moreover, circ_0006948 could affect the expression of FNDC3B via sponging miR-4262. The effects of si-circ_0006948#1 on EC cells were partly restored by miR-4262 inhibition or FNDC3B overexpression. In addition, circ_0006948 also facilitated EC tumorigenesis in vivo by targeting the miR-4262/FNDC3B axis. CONCLUSION: Taken together, circ_0006948 functioned as an oncogenic factor in EC by the miR-4262-mediated FNDC3B expression regulation.

Submucosal hematoma with a wide range of lesions, severe condition and atypical clinical symptoms: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Submucosal hematoma (SH) is one of the rare causes of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. As a rare and critical disease in clinical practice, it should be paid more attention to by clinicians to avoid missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis. Most of the esophageal submucosal hematomas have clear causes, including retrosternal pain, dysphagia, etc. Here, we report a rare case of SH extending from the hypopharynx to the lower esophagus caused by oral administration of hirudin and panax notoginseng powder, with atypical clinical manifestation. Such a long submucosal hematoma has rarely been reported. CASE SUMMARY: The patient was a 60-year-old male with a history of gastritis, hypertension, coronary heart disease, and coronary stent implantation. The patient developed chest tiredness and heartburn after taking 10 capsules of a homemade mixture of hirudin and notoginseng powder in the previous 2 d. He did not have hematemesis or black stool. Gastroscopy and chest computed tomography confirmed the diagnosis of SH, which ranged from the pharynx to the lower esophagus and was 35-40 cm in length. After the diagnosis was confirmed, we performed active conservative treatment on the patient, and the patient recovered well and remained asymptomatic during the 26-mo follow-up. CONCLUSION: SH is rare, and cases with atypical clinical symptoms may lead to misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis. Ignorance of this disease can lead to serious clinical consequences. Conservative therapy is effective and the prognosis is good.

Radiofrequency ablation in a patient with radiation enteritis: A case report.

RATIONALE: Radiation enteritis (RE) is one of the serious complications caused by the radiotherapy and it can occur in any segment of the intestine, including small intestine, colon, and rectum. It can cause a number of serious problems of the intestine, such as chronic ulcers, bleeding, intestinal stenosis, intestinal fistula, and perforation. At present, there is no standard treatment guideline for the RE. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 54-year-old male patient received surgery and chemotherapy for rectal cancer and radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for a single metastatic carcinoma of the liver. Three years later, he was diagnosed with recurrent lesion in the rectal anastomotic stoma and was treated with radiotherapy with a total dose of 70 Gy. Following this, he had persistent abdominal pain and diarrhea for 1 year. DIAGNOSES: Colonoscopy confirmed a diagnosis of RE. INTERVENTIONS: Since intestinal probiotics, intestinal mucosal protectants, antidiarrheal drugs, and other treatments were not effective; the patient was treated by RFA. OUTCOMES: Clinical symptoms of the patient were gradually decreased after the RFA. Colonoscopy examination was performed 3 months later and intestinal mucosa was found to have healed well. LESSONS: RFA is an effective treatment for patients with RE, and it is expected to be one of the standard treatments for the RE.

Efficacy, Safety, and Overall Quality of Life of Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Early Colorectal Cancer in Elderly Patients.

PURPOSE: Studies reporting the treatment of early colorectal cancer (ECC) by endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in elderly patients are lacking in China. The aim was to evaluate the efficacy, safety and overall quality of life of elderly patients with ECC who undergoing ESD. METHODS: Three hundred and seventy-nine patients with 401 colorectal lesions entered into our study from March 2013 to March 2016 (Patients with an age 70 years old or older were divided into the elderly group and those who were less than 70-year-old entered the non-elderly group). RESULTS: No significant differences were found in sex ratio, body mass index, location, endoscopic classification, pathological pattern, lesion size, mean procedure time, hospitalization days, complete excision, and en bloc resection rate between the two groups (P > 0.05). No significant differences were observed between the groups in terms of complications during and after ESD procedure (P > 0.05). There were no statistical differences between two groups in Quality of life index (QL-Index) and European Organization for Research and Treatment quality of life version 3.0 questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) scores (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: ESD was relatively safe and effective for elderly patients with ECC, and it may be an recommended first-line treatment.

Association of nNOS and Rho-kinase with age-associated erectile dysfunction in Sprague-Dawley rats.

The present study aimed to investigate the changes of Rho-associated kinase (Rho-kinase) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) expression in age-associated erectile dysfunction (ED) in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. A total of 100 intact male SD rats were divided into 20 groups according to their age (5-24 months; rats that were the same age in months were in the same group). Erectile response measurements were performed and the functional index intracavernosal pressure/mean arterial pressure (ICP/MAP) was tested, followed by detection of Rho-kinase and nNOS protein by western blot analysis. Finally, correlation analyses of the association between ICP/MAP and Rho-kinase, nNOS, or nNOS/Rho-kinase, as well as between age and nNOS or Rho-kinase, were performed. The functional index ICP/MAP decreased with age in SD rats. Moreover, the expression of nNOS protein decreased, while Rho-kinase expression increased, indicating that the nNOS/Rho-kinase ratio decreased with age. The Pearson's correlation coefficients for the association between ICP/MAP and Rho-kinase, nNOS and nNOS/Rho-kinase ratio were -0.917, 0.853 and 0.937, respectively (P<0.01). Furthermore, nNOS was found to be significantly negatively correlated with age (r=-0.855; P<0.01), whereas Rho-kinase was positively correlated with age (r=0.943; P<0.01). Age-associated ED was therefore correlated with decreased nNOS and increased Rho-kinase, indicating that the nNOS/Rho-kinase ratio may be used as a candidate indicator of age-associated ED.

Microarray analysis of differentially-expressed genes and linker genes associated with the molecular mechanism of colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide and remains the third leading cause of cancer-associated mortality. The present study aimed to fully elucidate the pathogenesis of CRC and identify associated genes in tumor development. Microarray GSE44076, GSE41328 and GSE44861 datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and integrated with meta-analysis. Differentially-expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from CRC samples compared with adjacent non-cancerous controls using the Limma package in R, followed by functional analysis using the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery online tool. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of DEGs and linker genes was constructed using NetBox software and modules were also mined. Functional annotation was performed for modules with a maximum number of nodes. Subsequent to meta-analysis to pool the data, one dataset that included 327 samples involved in 11,081 genes was obtained. A total of 697 DEGs were identified between CRC samples and adjacent non-cancerous controls. In the PPI network, modules 1 and 5 contained the maximum number of nodes. Collagen, type I, α1 (COL1A1), COL1A2 and matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9) in module 1 and UDP-glucose 6-dehydrogenase (UGDH), aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family, member A1 (ALDH1A1), fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) and monoglyceride lipase (MGLL) in module 5 exhibited a high degree of connectivity. Functional analysis indicated that the genes in module 1 were involved in extracellular matrix (ECM)-associated functions and that the genes in module 5 were involved in metabolism-related functions. Overall, significant DEGs and linker genes, namely COL1A1, COL1A2, MMP9, UGDH, ALDH1A1, FABP4 and MGLL, play a crucial role in the development of CRC via regulating the ECM and cell metabolism.

Correlation of human epidermal growth factor receptor protein expression and colorectal cancer.

AIM: To investigate the correlation between human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER-2) protein expression and colorectal cancer (CRC) using a case-control study and meta-analysis. METHODS: Tumor tissue specimens from 162 CRC patients were selected for the case group. Fifty cases were randomly selected, and normal CRC tissue at least 10 cm away from the tumor margins of these cases was used to generate the control group. The expression of the HER-2 protein in the 162 CRC tissue samples and the 50 adjacent normal mucosa tissue samples was detected via immunohistochemistry. The experimental data were analyzed using SPSS 18.0 software, and R software version 3.1.0 was utilized for further verification. RESULTS: The expression of HER-2 protein in the 162 CRC tissue samples was significantly higher than in the normal tissue specimens. The data showed that the expression of HER-2 in CRC was related to the Dukes' stage, the depth of invasion and lymph node metastasis. The HER-2-positive patients had lower 3- and 5-year OS rates than the HER-2-negative patients, but there was no significant difference. However, there was a statistically significant difference in the 3- and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rates of HER-2-positive and HER-2-negative patients. The results of the meta-analysis showed that the expression of HER-2 in CRC patients was statistically significantly increased over that of healthy people. The 3-year DFS rate in HER-2-positive patients was markedly lower than that in HER-2-negative patients. CONCLUSION: Down-regulation of HER-2 expression might be a dependable strategy for CRC therapy.

Bisexual Behaviors, HIV Knowledge, and Stigmatizing/Discriminatory Attitudes among Men Who Have Sex with Men.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the correlates for bisexual behaviors, HIV knowledge, and HIV/AIDS-related stigmatizing/discriminatory attitudes among men who have sex with men (MSM). METHODS: A cross-sectional survey among MSM was conducted in 2011 to provide demographics, sexual behaviors, HIV knowledge, HIV/AIDS-related stigmatizing/discriminatory attitudes, and services in Jinan, Qingdao, and Yantai of Shandong Province of China. RESULTS: Of 1230 participants, 82.8% were single, 85.7% aged <35 years, and 47.2% received college or higher education. There were 28.6% MSM who reported to be married or cohabitating or ever had sex with woman in the past 6 months (P6M). 74.5% had ≥6 HIV-related knowledge score. The average total score of stigmatizing/discriminatory attitude was 37.4±4.4(standard deviation). Bisexual behavior was independently associated with higher levels of HIV/AIDS-related stigma/discrimination(AOR = 1.1, 95% CI:1.0-1.1), older age(AOR = 1.2, 95%CI:1.1-1.2), and lower HIV-related knowledge score(AOR = 1.6, 95%CI:1.2-2.2). HIV knowledge score ≥6 was independently associated with lower levels of HIV/AIDS-related stigma/discrimination(AOR = 1.3, 95%CI:1.2-1.3), less bisexual behaviors(AOR = 0.6, 95%CI:0.5-0.9), ever received a test for HIV in the past 12 months (P12M)(AOR = 3.2, 95%CI:2.3-4.5), college or higher level education(AOR = 1.9, 95%CI:1.4-2.6), consistent condom use with men in P6M(AOR=6.9, 95%CI:4.6-10.6), recruited from internet or HIV testing sites(AOR = 11.2, 95%CI:8.0-16.1) and bars, night clubs, or tea houses(AOR = 2.5, 95%CI:1.7-4.8). Expressing higher levels of HIV/AIDS-related stigmatizing/discriminatory attitudes was independently associated with bisexual behaviors(Aß = 0.9, 95%CI:0.4-1.4), lower HIV-related knowledge score(Aß = 3.6, 95%CI:3.0-4.1), the number of male sex partners in the past week ≥2(Aß = 1.4, 95%CI:1.0-1.9), unprotected male anal sex in P6M(Aß = 1.0, 95%CI:0.5-1.6), and inversely associated with ever received HIV test(Aß = 1.4, 95%CI:0.8-2.0) and peer education in P12M(Aß = 1.4, 95%CI:0.9-1.9). CONCLUSION: HIV/AIDS-related stigmatizing/discriminatory attitudes were associated with bisexual behaviors, low HIV testing rate, lower HIV-related knowledge and risk behaviors. This study called for innovative programs that would reduce HIV/AIDS-related stigmatizing/discriminatory attitudes and bisexual behaviors and improve the uptake of prevention service among MSM.