Predictive value of multiple imaging predictive models for spread through air spaces of lung adenocarcinoma: A systematic review and network meta­analysis.

Spread Through Air Spaces (STAS) is involved in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) recurrence, where cancer cells spread into adjacent lung tissue, impacting surgical planning and prognosis assessment. Radiomics-based models show promise in predicting STAS preoperatively, enhancing surgical precision and prognostic evaluations. The present study performed network meta-analysis to assess the predictive efficacy of imaging models for STAS in LUAD. Data were systematically sourced from PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Wiley and Web of Science, according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions) and A Measurement Tool to Assess systematic Reviews 2. Using Stata software v17.0 for meta-analysis, surface under the cumulative ranking area (SUCRA) was applied to identify the most effective diagnostic method. Quality assessments were performed using Cochrane Collaboration's risk-of-bias tool and publication bias was assessed using Deeks' funnel plot. The analysis encompassed 14 articles, involving 3,734 patients, and assessed 17 predictive models for STAS in LUAD. According to comprehensive analysis of SUCRA, the machine learning (ML)_Peri_tumour model had the highest accuracy (56.5), the Features_computed tomography (CT) model had the highest sensitivity (51.9) and the positron emission tomography (pet)_CT model had the highest specificity (53.9). ML_Peri_tumour model had the highest predictive performance. The accuracy was as follows: ML_Peri_tumour vs. Features_CT [relative risk (RR)=1.14; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.99-1.32]; ML_Peri_tumour vs. ML_Tumour (RR=1.04; 95% CI, 0.83-1.30) and ML_Peri_tumour vs. pet_CT (RR=1.04; 95% CI, 0.84-1.29). Comparative analyses revealed heightened predictive accuracy of the ML_Peri_tumour compared with other models. Nonetheless, the field of radiological feature analysis for STAS prediction remains nascent, necessitating improvements in technical reproducibility and comprehensive model evaluation.

The correlation between tumor radiological features and spread through air spaces in peripheral stage IA lung adenocarcinoma: a propensity score-matched analysis.

BACKGROUND: The consolidation tumor ratio (CTR) is a predictor of invasiveness in peripheral T1N0M0 lung adenocarcinoma. However, its association with spread through air spaces (STAS) remains largely unexplored. We aimed to explore the correlation between the CTR of primary tumors and STAS in peripheral T1N0M0 lung adenocarcinoma. METHODS: We collected data from patients who underwent surgery for malignant lung neoplasms between January and November 2022. Univariate and multivariate analyses following propensity-score matching with sex, age, BMI, were performed to identify the independent risk factors for STAS. The incidence of STAS was compared based on pulmonary nodule type. A smooth fitting curve between CTR and STAS was produced by the generalized additive model (GAM) and a multiple regression model was established using CTR and STAS to determine the dose-response relationship and calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: 17 (14.5%) were diagnosed with STAS. The univariate analysis demonstrated that the history of the diabetes, size of solid components, spiculation, pleural indentation, pulmonary nodule type, consolidation/tumor ratio of the primary tumor were statistically significant between the STAS-positive and STAS-negative groups following propensity-score matching(p = 0.047, 0.049, 0.030, 0.006, 0.026, and < 0.001, respectively), and multivariate analysis showed that the pleural indentation was independent risk factors for STAS (with p-value and 95% CI of 0.043, (8.543-68.222)). Moreover, the incidence of STAS in the partially solid nodule was significantly different from that in the solid nodule and ground-glass nodule (Pearson Chi-Square = 7.49, p = 0.024). Finally, the smooth fitting curve showed that CTR tended to be linearly associated with STAS by GAM, and the multivariate regression model based on CTR showed an OR value of 1.24 and a p-value of 0.015. CONCLUSIONS: In peripheral stage IA lung adenocarcinoma, the risk of STAS was increased with the solid component of the primary tumor. The pleural indentation of the primary tumor could be used as a predictor in evaluating the risk of the STAS.

[Clinicopathological Features of Primary Small Cell Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Bladder].

Objective To investigate the clinicopathological features,immunohistochemical features,diagnosis,and relationship with sporadic prostate cancer in primary small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the bladder. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical characteristics of 12 patients with primary small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the bladder diagnosed at Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University from January 2013 to September 2022.The histological features of primary small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the bladder were re-evaluated by two pathologists according to the 2022 revision of the World Health Organization Classification of Tumors of the Urinary System and Male Genital Organs.Electronic medical records were retrieved,and telephone follow-up was conducted from the time of histopathological diagnosis to the death or the end of the last follow-up until January 31,2023. Results The 12 patients include 7 patients in pT3 stage and 1 patient in pT4 stage.Eight patients were complicated with other types of tumors,such as high-grade urothelial carcinoma of the bladder and squamous cell carcinoma.Five patients had sporadic prostate cancer.Immunohistochemical staining showed that 12 (100.0%),10 (83.3%),and 8 (66.7%) patients were tested positive for CD56,Syn,and CgA,respectively.The Ki67 proliferation index ranged from 80% to 90%.Five patients with urothelial carcinoma were tested positive for CK20,GATA3,and CK7.P504S was positive in all the 5 patients with prostate cancer,while P63 and 34ßE12 were negative.The follow-up of the 12 patients lasted for 3-60 months.Eight of these patients died during follow-up,with the median survival of 15.5 months.Four patients survived. Conclusions Primary small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the bladder is a rare urological tumor with high aggressiveness and poor prognosis.In male patients with bladder prostatectomy,all prostate tissue should be sampled.If prostate cancer is detected,the prostate-specific antigen level should be monitored.

Establishment, verification, and application of concentration intervals corresponding to dipstick grades for urinary protein.

BACKGROUND: To address the situation that the accuracy of concentration intervals (CI) corresponding to dipstick grades is not given by the manufacturers or literature, we developed a method that determined reasonable dipstick grades with concentration intervals (GCIs) based on the percent agreement (PA) and discussed the GCI application to comparability among currently dipstick tests. METHODS: By comparing the results of 2 dipstick tests (iChem and KU-500) with the quantitative test (AU5800), the GCIs were verified and established based on the PAs, which were calculated and used as an indicator of GCI's accuracy. The overlap (percent) between the 2 GCIs with the same grade (2 dipstick devices), was calculated and used to evaluate the agreement between their test results. RESULTS: After verification and adjustment, the GCI and PA combinations for iChem Velocity were as follows: - (<0.1 g/l, 85 %), ± (0.1-0.3 g/l, 66 %), 1+ (0.3-1 g/l, 78 %), 2+ (1-3 g/l, 74 %), 3+ (3-6 g/l, 77 %), and 4+ (≥6 g/l, 84 %). The determined GCI and PA combinations for KU-500 were: - (<0.1.2 g/l, 75 %), ± (0.12-0.5 g/l, 63 %), 1+ (0.5-1.2 g/l, 69 %), 2+ (1.2-3.2 g/l, 76 %), and 3+ (≥3.2 g/l, 82 %). The GCI overlaps between the 2 dipstick devices were - (83 %), ± (45 %), 1+ (56 %), 2+ (82 %), and 3+ or ≥3+ (94 %). The overall overlap was 72 %. Since the overlaps ± (45 %) and 1+ (56 %) were within the overlap reject limit for any grade (70 %), and the overall overlap (72 %) was within the overall overlap reject limit (80 %), the test results of the 2 devices were not comparable. CONCLUSIONS: GCIs can be verified and established correctly based on PAs, and industry standards for dipstick tests can be established based on GCIs and PAs. Comparability between dipstick devices, historical data, and literature data can be roughly determined based on the overlap.

Comprehensive analysis of untargeted metabolomics and lipidomics in girls with central precocious puberty.

Objective: Central precocious puberty (CPP) is a rare condition that causes early sexual development in children. Although the cure is effective, the etiology of central precocious puberty is unclear. Methods: In total, 10 girls with central precocious puberty and same number of age-matched female controls were enrolled. Plasma samples were collected from each participant and subjected to untargeted metabolomics and lipidomics. Student's t-tests were employed to compare the mean of each metabolite and lipid. Furthermore, orthogonal partial least-squares discriminant analysis was conducted and the variable importance in the projection was calculated to identify differentially expressed metabolites or lipids. Subsequent bioinformatics was conducted to investigate the potential function of differentially expressed metabolites and lipids. Results: Fifty-nine differentially expressed metabolites were identified based on the criteria used (variable importance in the projection >1 and a P value < 0.05). Kyoto Encyclopedia Genes and Genome (KEGG) enrichment analysis showed that differentially expressed metabolites were enriched in four pathways: beta-alanine metabolism, histidine metabolism, bile secretion, and steroid hormone biosynthesis. As for the lipidomics, 41 differentially expressed lipids were observed and chain length analysis and lipid saturation analysis yielded similar results. Significant differences between the two groups were only observed in (O-acyl) ω-hydroxy fatty acids (OAHFA). Conclusion: The present study showed that antibiotic overuse, increased meat consumption, and obesity may have potential roles in the development of central precocious puberty in girls. Several metabolites have diagnostic value but further research is required.

[Clinical efficacy of mild therapeutic hypothermia with different rewarming time on neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy: a prospective randomized controlled study]. / æ–°ç”Ÿå„¿ç¼ºæ°§ç¼ºè¡€æ€§è„‘ç— ä¸åŒå¤æ¸©æ—¶é—´äºšä½Žæ¸©æ²»ç–—ä¸´åºŠæ•ˆæžœçš„å‰çž»æ€§éšæœºå¯¹ç §ç ”ç©¶.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical efficacy of mild therapeutic hypothermia (MTH) with different rewarming time on neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). METHODS: A prospective study was performed on 101 neonates with HIE who were born and received MTH in Zhongshan Hospital, Xiamen University, from January 2018 to January 2022. These neonates were randomly divided into two groups: MTH1 group (n=50; rewarming for 10 hours at a rate of 0.25°C/h) and MTH2 group (n=51; rewarming for 25 hours at a rate of 0.10°C/h). The clinical features and the clinical efficacy were compared between the two groups. A binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors influencing the occurrence of normal sleep-wake cycle (SWC) on amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram (aEEG) at 25 hours of rewarming. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the MTH1 and MTH2 groups in gestational age, 5-minute Apgar score, and proportion of neonates with moderate/severe HIE (P>0.05). Compared with the MTH2 group, the MTH1 group tended to have a normal arterial blood pH value at the end of rewarming, a significantly shorter duration of oxygen dependence, a significantly higher proportion of neonates with normal SWC on aEEG at 10 and 25 hours of rewarming, and a significantly higher Neonatal Behavioral Neurological Assessment score on days 5, 12, and 28 after birth (P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in the incidence rate of rewarming-related seizures between the two groups (P>0.05). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the incidence rate of neurological disability at 6 months of age and the score of Bayley Scale of Infant Development at 3 and 6 months of age (P>0.05). The binary logistic regression analysis showed that prolonged rewarming time (25 hours) was not conducive to the occurrence of normal SWC (OR=3.423, 95%CI: 1.237-9.469, P=0.018). CONCLUSIONS: Rewarming for 10 hours has a better short-term clinical efficacy than rewarming for 25 hours. Prolonging rewarming time has limited clinical benefits on neonates with moderate/severe HIE and is not conducive to the occurrence of normal SWC, and therefore, it is not recommended as a routine treatment method.

Effect of Alteplase Thrombolysis on Coagulation Function and Nerve Function of Patients with Ischemic Stroke.

Objective: To investigate the effects of alteplase thrombolysis on coagulation function and nerve function of patients with ischemic stroke. Methods: 76 cases with ischemic stroke receiving thrombolytic therapy in Cangzhou Central Hospital from November 2018 to November 2019 were recruited. They were assigned via the random number table method at a ratio of 1 : 1 to receive alteplase thrombolysis either within 3h after the onset (observation group) or within 3-4.5 h after the onset (control group), followed by aspirin administration after no bleeding in cranial computed tomography (CT). Outcome measures included plasma fibrinogen (FIB), activated partial prothrombin time (APTT), platelet (PLT) levels, the National Institute of Health stroke scale (NIHSS) score, and adverse events. Results: Alteplase thrombolysis within 3 h was associated with better prothrombin time (PT), APTT, FIB, and PLT levels versus thrombolysis within 3-4.5 h (P < 0.05). Thrombolysis within 3 h showed significantly lower NIHSS scores versus within 3-4.5 h (P < 0.05). The two groups showed a similar incidence of adverse events (X 2 = 2.963, P=0.615). Conclusion: Alteplase thrombolysis showed benefits in mitigating the coagulation function and nerve function damage of patients with ischemic stroke, especially within 3 hours after the onset, with a high safety profile.

[Application and Progress of Convolutional Neural Network-based Pathological Diagnosis of Gastric Cancer].

The incidence of gastric cancer is the highest among all kinds of malignant tumors in China. Because gastric cancer is very hard to identify in its early stage, the early diagnosis rate of gastric cancer in China is relatively low. At present, the pathological diagnosis of gastric cancer mainly depends on the diagnosis of pathologists. However, the gradual improvement of people's living standards and the growing demand for medical and health care have exacerbated the shortage of medical resources, which has become a even more serious problem. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new technologies to help deal with this challenge. In recent years, with the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital pathology, AI-aided pathological diagnosis based on convolutional neural network (CNN) as the core technology is showing promises for improving the diagnostic efficiency of gastric cancer. It is also of great significance for the early diagnosis and treatment of the disease and the reduction of its high incidence and mortality. We herein summarize the application and progress of deep-learning CNN in pathological diagnosis of gastric cancer, as well as the existing problems and prospects of future development.

[Analysis of Gene Mutation Types in 141 Cases of α-Thalassemia in Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province].

OBJECTIVE: To detecte the carrying rate, the type and distribution of α-Thalassemia gene mutation in Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province, and analyze the differences in average erythrocyte volume (MCV), mean erythrocyte hemoglobin content (MCH) and hemoglobin among different types of α-Thalassemia. METHODS: The DNA samples from small cell hypochromic carriers or anemia patients and women of childbearing age who underwent hematological screening in The First People's Hospital of Honghe State was from 2015 to 2019 were enrolled and analyzed, and the mutation types and frequency of alpha-thalassemia positive rate were diagnosed by PCR reverse dot blot or PCR fluorescence dissolution curve. RESULTS: Among the 1 016 samples, 141(13.88%) of the patients were diagnosed as α-thalassemia. The α-thalassemia was subdivided into 3 types, silent (36.17%), minor (51.77%), and HbH disease (12.06%), and the MCV, MCH and HB levels were detected and showed a obvious decrease trend with significant difference (P < 0.05). The gene mutation types were 9 kinds, the deletion type gene was mainly --SEA (51.06%), followed by -α3.7/αα deletion (29.79%), the α- mutation type gene was mainly αcsα(3.55%). The absence of complex heterozygote was most common, which was 17 cases, accounting for 12.77%, mainly --SEA/-α3.7 (10.64%). The areas were mainly distributed in Mengzi (47.52%), followed by Jinping (17.02%). Ethnic groups were mainly distributed in Han nationality (49.65%), followed by Zhuang (15.60%), Yi (3.48%) and Dai (7.09%). The patients with double heterozygous mutation was slightly higher in Mengzi than that in Jinping County (4.26% vs 3.55%), the Dai (2.13%) showed Zhuang ethnic group (2.13%) had the relatively high incidence except the Hans, and showed the most serious anemia. CONCLUSION: Alpha-thalassemia in Honghe prefecture of Yunnan Province shows complex genetic diversity and significant genetic heterogeneity, and the mainly type of gene mutation is --SEA and --SEA/-α3.7, which is mainly distributed in Han, Zhuang and Dai ethnic groups in Mengzi, Jinping. The anemia index of HbH group is the most obvious, and it is significantly different from other groups.

Identification of differentially methylated genes as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers of breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Aberrant DNA methylation is significantly associated with breast cancer. METHODS: In this study, we aimed to determine novel methylation biomarkers using a bioinformatics analysis approach that could have clinical value for breast cancer diagnosis and prognosis. Firstly, differentially methylated DNA patterns were detected in breast cancer samples by comparing publicly available datasets (GSE72245 and GSE88883). Methylation levels in 7 selected methylation biomarkers were also estimated using the online tool UALCAN. Next, we evaluated the diagnostic value of these selected biomarkers in two independent cohorts, as well as in two mixed cohorts, through ROC curve analysis. Finally, prognostic value of the selected methylation biomarkers was evaluated breast cancer by the Kaplan-Meier plot analysis. RESULTS: In this study, a total of 23 significant differentially methylated sites, corresponding to 9 different genes, were identified in breast cancer datasets. Among the 9 identified genes, ADCY4, CPXM1, DNM3, GNG4, MAST1, mir129-2, PRDM14, and ZNF177 were hypermethylated. Importantly, individual value of each selected methylation gene was greater than 0.9, whereas predictive value for all genes combined was 0.9998. We also found the AUC for the combined signature of 7 genes (ADCY4, CPXM1, DNM3, GNG4, MAST1, PRDM14, ZNF177) was 0.9998 [95% CI 0.9994-1], and the AUC for the combined signature of 3 genes (MAST1, PRDM14, and ZNF177) was 0.9991 [95% CI 0.9976-1]. Results from additional validation analyses showed that MAST1, PRDM14, and ZNF177 had high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for breast cancer diagnosis. Lastly, patient survival analysis revealed that high expression of ADCY4, CPXM1, DNM3, PRDM14, PRKCB, and ZNF177 were significantly associated with better overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: Methylation pattern of MAST1, PRDM14, and ZNF177 may represent new diagnostic biomarkers for breast cancer, while methylation of ADCY4, CPXM1, DNM3, PRDM14, PRKCB, and ZNF177 may hold prognostic potential for breast cancer.

Diprophylline inhibits non-small cell lung cancer A549 cell proliferation and migration, and promotes apoptosis, by downregulating PI3K signaling pathway.

Diprophylline (DPL) is identified as a methylxanthine (MX) derivative. A number of MX derivatives are reported to have anti-tumor effects. However, it is not clear whether DPL has a therapeutic effect on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of DPL on NSCLC and to elucidate the potential underlying mechanism. A Cell Counting Kit-8 assay was used to evaluate the potential effect of DPL on A549 cell proliferation. Transwell invasion and migration assays were performed to assess the effect of DPL on A549 cell migration and invasion. Furthermore, the percentage of apoptotic cells was detected by flow cytometric analysis, and proteins associated with apoptosis, including apoptosis regulator Bcl-2, apoptosis regulator BAX and active caspase-3, were examined by western blotting. Finally, the expression levels of molecules relevant to phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) signaling were detected by western blot analysis. The present study demonstrated that DPL may significantly inhibit A549 cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Furthermore, treatment with DPL may significantly induce A549 cell apoptosis. Finally, the protein expression levels associated with the PI3K signaling pathway were significantly inhibited in A549 cells following treatment with DPL. In conclusion, DPL may inhibit the proliferation and migration of NSCLC by inactivating the PI3K signaling pathway, and DPL is a promising novel therapeutic drug for NSCLC.

Associations between Ambient Temperature and Acute Myocardial Infarction.

BACKGROUND: The associations between incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and the ambient temperature were mixed in prior studies. METHODS: Data of 2033 consecutive admissions of AMI in a central tertiary hospital in North China from 1st Jan 2003 to 31st Dec 2011 were collected. The weather data in this period were from the local meteorological department. Based on the ambient temperature information, we defined several ambient temperature indices, including daily average temperature, extremely low temperature, and daily temperature range, then characterized the independent associations between them and the incidence of AMI. RESULTS: The daily average temperature one day before was independently associated with AMI incidence rate: a rise of 5°C of the daily average temperature led to a 5% decrease in AMI admissions. Daily average temperature and temperature range two days before were independently associated with AMI incidence rate: a rise of 5°C of the daily average temperature led to a fall of 6% in AMI admissions, and a rise of 2°C of the daily temperature range led to a rise of 4% in AMI admission. CONCLUSION: Low ambient temperature has substantial association with AMI, and can play an important role in warning and forecasting the incidence.

[Clinical features and treatment of macrolide-resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children].

OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical features of macrolide-resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia and its treatment regimens in children. METHODS: The samples of throat swab or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were collected from 136 children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to detect 2063/2064 A:G mutation in 23S rRNA, and according to such results, the children were divided into drug-resistance group with 81 children and sensitive group with 55 children. The two groups were compared in terms of age composition, respiratory symptoms, extrapulmonary complications, laboratory markers, imaging changes, treatment regimens, and length of hospital stay. RESULTS: Compared with the sensitive group, the drug-resistance group had significantly longer duration of pyrexia and severe fever, a significantly higher percentage of children with reduced blood oxygen saturation, and significantly higher levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (P<0.05). The conventional azithromycin treatment had a good clinical effect in the sensitive group, while corticosteroid therapy was usually needed in the drug-resistance group. CONCLUSIONS: Macrolide-resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection cannot be identified based on a single clinical feature, but prolonged duration of pyrexia and severe fever, reduced blood oxygen saturation, and increased ALT and LDH can suggest the presence of this disease. Azithromycin combined with glucocorticoids may be a good treatment regimen for children with macrolide-resistant Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia.

Correlation between serum vitamin B12 level and peripheral neuropathy in atrophic gastritis.

AIM: To explore the correlation between serum vitamin B12 level and peripheral neuropathy in patients with chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG). METHODS: A total of 593 patients diagnosed with chronic gastritis by gastroscopy and pathological examination from September 2013 to September 2016 were selected for this study. The age of these patients ranged within 18- to 75-years-old. Blood pressure, height and weight were measured in each patient, and the body mass index value was calculated. Furthermore, gastric acid, serum gastrin, serum vitamin and serum creatinine tests were performed, and peripheral nerve conduction velocity and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) were detected. In addition, the type of gastritis was determined by gastroscopy. The above factors were used as independent variables to analyze chronic gastritis with peripheral neuropathy and vitamin B12 deficiency risk factors, and to analyze the relationship between vitamin B12 levels and peripheral nerve conduction velocity. In addition, in the treatment of CAG on the basis of vitamin B12, patients with peripheral neuropathy were observed. RESULTS: Age, H. pylori infection, CAG, vitamin B9 and vitamin B12 were risk factors for the occurrence of peripheral nerve degeneration. Furthermore, CAG and H. pylori infection were risk factors for chronic gastritis associated with vitamin B12 deficiency. Serum vitamin B12 level was positively correlated with sensory nerve conduction velocity in the tibial nerve (R = 0.463). After vitamin B12 supplementation, patients with peripheral neuropathy improved. CONCLUSION: Serum vitamin B12 levels in patients with chronic gastritis significantly decreased, and the occurrence of peripheral neuropathy had a certain correlation. CAG and H. pylori infection are risk factors for vitamin B12 deficiency and peripheral neuropathy. When treating CAG, vitamin B12 supplementation can significantly reduce peripheral nervous system lesions. Therefore, the occurrence of peripheral neuropathy associated with vitamin B12 deficiency may be considered in patients with CAG. Furthermore, the timely supplementation of vitamin B12 during the clinical treatment of CAG can reduce or prevent peripheral nervous system lesions.

Study of the effects of nesfatin-1 on gastric function in obese rats.

AIM: To investigate the effects of nesfatin-1 on gastric function in obese rats. METHODS: The obese rat model was induced by a high-fat diet. The gastric emptying rate and gastric acid secretory capacity of the rats were determined after treatment with different drug concentrations of nesfatin-1 and administration routes. Based on this, the expression of H+/K+-ATPase was measured using RT-PCR and western blot to preliminarily explore the mechanism of gastric acid secretion changes. RESULTS: Body weight, body length, and Lee's index of the rats significantly increased in the high-fat diet-induced obese rat model. Two hours after lateral intracerebroventricular injection of nesfatin-1, the gastric emptying rate and gastric acid secretory capacity of rats decreased. Four hours after injection, both were restored to normal levels. In addition, the expression of H+/K+-ATPase decreased and moved in line with changes in gastric acid secretory capacity. This in vivo experiment revealed that intracerebroventricular injection of nesfatin-1, rather than intravenous injection, could suppress gastric function in obese rats. Moreover, its effect on the gastric emptying and gastric acid secretory capacity of rats is dose-dependent within a certain period of time. CONCLUSION: Through this research, we provide a theoretical basis for further studies on nesfatin-1, a potential anti-obesity drug.

Efficacy and safety of stellate ganglion block in chronic ulcerative colitis.

AIM: To investigate the efficacy and safety of stellate ganglion block for the treatment of patients with chronic ulcerative colitis. METHODS: A total of 120 randomly selected patients with chronic ulcerative colitis treated in Cangzhou Central Hospital from January 2014 to January 2016 were included in this study. These patients were divided into two groups: control group (n = 30), patients received oral sulfasalazine treatment; experimental group (n = 90), patients received stellate ganglion block treatment. Clinical symptoms and disease activity in these two groups were compared before and after treatment using endoscopy. Blood was collected from patients on day 0, 10, 20 and 30 after treatment. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to determine interleukin-8 (IL-8) level. The changes in IL-8 level post-treatment in the two groups were compared using repeated measures analysis of variance. RESULTS: After treatment, clinical symptoms and disease activity were shown to be alleviated by endoscopy in both the control and experimental groups. However, patients in the control group did not have obvious abdominal pain relief. In addition, the degree of pain relief in the experimental group was statistically better than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Ten days after treatment, IL-8 level was found to be significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). In addition, adverse events were significantly higher in the control group than in the experimental group, and the difference was statistically significant (χ2 = 33.215, P = 0.000). CONCLUSION: The application of stellate ganglion block effectively improves treatment efficacy in chronic ulcerative colitis, relieves clinical symptoms in patients, and reduces the level of inflammatory factors. Furthermore, this approach also had a positive impact on the disease to a certain extent.

[Research on Ground Feature's Polarized Properties with Multi-Spectral and Multi-Angle AirMSPI Data].

Polarization is an important characteristic of electromagnetic wave, and using polarization information to study ground features has been proved to be an effective means. Research on ground feature's polarized properties is an essential part of earth observation. At present, it is in highly need of accurate polarization sensors globally. AirMSPI , (Airborne Multiangle Spectro-Polarimetric Imager) as a new airborne polarized sensor, can obtain multi-band and multi-angle polarization data, and the spatial resolution can reach to ~10 meters. Using the experimental data of Tracy in the year of 2013, this paper analyzes the varying pattern of DOLP (Degree of Linear Polarization) as well as pBRF(polarized Bidirectional Reflectance Factor) in 470 nm, 660 nm, 865 nm bands and 9 view zenith angles. The result shows that, forward scattering of ground features contains plenty of polarized radiation, and ground features present strong non-lambertian effect near principal plane of incidence. DOLP and pBRF has strong correlation to relative position between incidence and view angle. DOLP reaches the maximum value when two directions are perpendicular while pBRF increases with larger view zenith angle. Because of atmospheric effect, radiance of blue band contains most polarized light. However, red and infrared band can attenuate atmospheric molecular polarization scattering effectively, thus contain more polarization details of ground features. Water, artificial structure, residential area, bare soil and vegetation show distinct polarization characteristics, and can be clearly identified. Due to depolarization effect from multi-scattering effect, DOLP and reflected radiation intensity have highly negative correlation, with correlation coefficient generally more than -0.8. AirMSPI sensor can provide high-quality polarization data, as a strong verification to ground-based and satellite-based polarization data, and support parameters inversion of atmosphere and ground features.

Cytotoxic Nitrobenzoyloxy-substituted Sesquiterpenes from Spongederived Endozoic Fungus Aspergillus insulicola MD10-2.

The emergence of drug resistance and spread of new infectious diseases necessitated the development of novel antibiotics. Marine sponge-associated fungi represent a reservoir of novel molecules with diverse biological potentials. In this study, we isolated five nitrobenzoyloxy-substituted sesquiterpenes 1-5 from the culture mycelia of an endozoic fungus Aspergillus insulicola MD10-2, obtained from the South China Sea sponge Cinachyrella australiensis. Compound 2 showed cytotoxicity against human lung cancer cell line H-460 with an IC50 value of 6.9 µM. Cytotoxicity of the acetylated derivatives (2a and 2b) of compound 2 decreased markedly, suggesting that the hydroxyl group contributed to the cytotoxic activity. Compound 5 was inactive against H-460, which implied the double bond at C-7 had an effect on cytotoxic activity as well.

MicroRNA-191 promotes osteosarcoma cells proliferation by targeting checkpoint kinase 2.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs of 19-25 nt that can regulate gene expression at a posttranscriptional level. Increasing evidence indicates that miRNAs participate in almost every step of cellular processes and are often aberrantly expressed in human cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the functional significance of miR-191 and to identify its possible target genes in osteosarcoma cells. Here, we found that the expression level of miR-191 was increased in osteosarcoma tissues in comparison with the adjacent normal tissues. The enforced expression of miR-191 was able to promote cell proliferation in Saos-2 and MG62 cells, while miR-191 antisense oligonucleotides blocked cell proliferation. At the molecular level, our results further revealed that expression of tumor suppressor gene, checkpoint kinase 2, was negatively regulated by miR-191. Therefore, we consider that miR-191 act as an onco-MicroRNA for osteosarcoma and it would offer a new way in molecular targeting cancer treatment.

Airborne validation of ground-object detection from polarized neutral-point atmosphere.

Based on the object's polarization effects, polarization is a newly emerging method in the field of remote sensing. Both objects and atmosphere have polarization effects, however, the atmosphere's polarization effects are much stronger than that of objects'. Consequently, atmosphere polarization effects will interfere or even cover objects' when observing with sensors. How to maximally eliminate the polarized effects generated by the atmosphere is a crucial problem in polarization remote sensing. Atmospheric neutral point is an area where the degree of atmosphere polarization is near to zero; therefore, if sensors are set up in this area, atmosphere polarization would be greatly eliminated, which is the main content of separating the effects between objects and atmosphere by its neutral point method. In this paper, after processing and analyzing the experimental data got from the first polarization remote sensing flight experiment with atmosphere neutral point, the degree of polarization images captured in neutral and non-neutral point area were obtained, and it can be seen that the main value of polarized degree of images got in neutral point area was obviously smaller than that in non-neutral point area. The results showed that the theory mentioned above was logical and practical. An innovation in our study is that the requirements needed in polarization remote sensing flight with neutral point were clarified. In the meantime, a qualitative conclusion was drawn that observing with longer wavelength is more applicable to polarization remote sensing.