Hybrid stenting with silicone Y stents and metallic stents in the management of severe malignant airway stenosis and fistulas.

BACKGROUND: Airway stenting is frequently used in the palliative treatment of patients with advanced tumor-induced airway stenosis and fistulas. However, there is paucity of studies regarding the use of airway stents in restoring patency. The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy and safety of hybrid silicon Y stents and covered self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) and in reestablishing patency in airway stenoses and fistulas. METHODS: This retrospective study included 31 patients between January 2016 to December 2019 with inoperable complex malignant airway stenoses and fistulas, managed with Silicone Y stents, and covered SEMS. The clinical details, clinical outcomes and complications up to 6 months were extracted from medical records. The improvement of performance was assessed based on modified British Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scores (t=6.892, P<0.001), Karnofsky Performance Scores (KPS) (t=-11.653, P<0.001), and performance status (PS) (t=3.503, P<0.001). RESULT: A total of 31 silicon Y stents and 35 covered SEMSs were inserted. Of the 31 patients (M:F 20:11; age: 54.64±9.57), 25/31 (80.6%) experienced immediate relief of symptoms following stent placement. Patients' mMRC dyspnea scores, KPS, and PS showed significant improvement following stenting. The mean duration of stent placement was 146.3±47.7 days, and 17/31 (55%) patients were alive at 6 months. No major complications related to hybrid stenting were observed during the follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Hybrid stenting is a feasible and safe palliative treatment for malignant airway stenosis and fistulas to improve quality of life and can be performed without major complications.

Selenium Stimulates Cadmium Detoxification in Caenorhabditis elegans through Thiols-Mediated Nanoparticles Formation and Secretion.

Antagonism between heavy metal and selenium (Se) could significantly affect their biotoxicity, but little is known about the mechanisms underlying such microbial-mediated antagonistic processes as well as the formed products. In this work, we examined the cadmium (Cd)-Se interactions and their fates in Caenorhabditis elegans through in vivo and in vitro analysis and elucidated the machinery of Se-stimulated Cd detoxification. Although the Se introduction induced up to 3-fold higher bioaccumulation of Cd in C. elegans than the Cd-only group, the nematode viability remained at a similar level to the Cd-only group. The relatively lower level of reactive oxygen species in the Se & Cd group confirms a significantly enhanced Cd detoxification by Se. The Cd-Se interaction, mediated by multiple thiols, including glutathione and phytochelatin, resulted in the formation of less toxic cadmium selenide (CdSe)/cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles. The CdSe/CdS nanoparticles were mainly distributed in the pharynx and intestine of the nematodes, and continuously excreted from the body, which also benefitted the C. elegans survival. Our findings shed new light on the microbial-mediated Cd-Se interactions and may facilitate an improved understanding and control of Cd biotoxicity in complicated coexposure environments.

Methological quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses on acupuncture for stroke: A review of review.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the methodological quality of systematic reviews and meta-analyses regarding acupuncture intervention for stroke and the primary studies within them. METHODS: Two researchers searched PubMed, Cumulative index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Embase, ISI Web of Knowledge, Cochrane, Allied and Complementary Medicine, Ovid Medline, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang and Traditional Chinese Medical Database to identify systematic reviews and meta-analyses about acupuncture for stroke published from the inception to December 2016. Review characteristics and the criteria for assessing the primary studies within reviews were extracted. The methodological quality of the reviews was assessed using adapted Oxman and Guyatt Scale. The methodological quality of primary studies was also assessed. RESULTS: Thirty-two eligible reviews were identified, 15 in English and 17 in Chinese. The English reviews were scored higher than the Chinese reviews (P=0.025), especially in criteria for avoiding bias and the scope of search. All reviews used the quality criteria to evaluate the methodological quality of primary studies, but some criteria were not comprehensive. The primary studies, in particular the Chinese reviews, had problems with randomization, allocation concealment, blinding, dropouts and withdrawals, intent-to-treat analysis and adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Important methodological flaws were found in Chinese systematic reviews and primary studies. It was necessary to improve the methodological quality and reporting quality of both the systematic reviews published in China and primary studies on acupuncture for stroke.

Hormetic effect and mechanism of imidazolium-based ionic liquids on the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

In the present study, we used Caenorhabditis elegans assay system to investigate in hormetic effects of imidazolium-based bromide Ionic Liquids (ILs) and explored the possible underlying mechanism. Firstly, C. elegans was treated with ILs with different alkyl chain lengths at different concentrations. We found that exposure to ILs at 0.01 mg/L extended the mean lifespan of C. elegans and the ILs with longer alkyl chain showed more obvious effects. To investigate the possible mechanism, the nematodes were exposed to the three ILs at 0.01 mg/L for 2, 5, 7, 9 and 11 days. The levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in C. elegans increased significantly when treated for 2 days and then declined gradually compared to those of respective controls as time went on. After exposure for 11 days, the ROS levels and liposuscin accumulation were significantly lower in the treated groups than those of control group. Meanwhile, the expression of aging-related genes sod-5 and daf-16 were both massively up-regulated for the three ILs examined. Our results show that low concentration of ILs exert hormetic effect on C. elegans. ROS generation and expression of aging-related genes may play important roles in the IL-induced hormetic effect on C. elegans.

RAD51 potentiates synergistic effects of chemotherapy with PCI-24781 and cis-diamminedichloroplatinum on gastric cancer.

AIM: To explore the efficacy of PCI-24781, a broad-spectrum, hydroxamic acid-derived histone deacetylase inhibitor, in the treatment of gastric cancer (GC). METHODS: With or without treatment of PCI-24781 and/or cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (CDDP), GC cell lines were subjected to functional analysis, including cell growth, apoptosis and clonogenic assays. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and luciferase reporter assays were used to determine the interacting molecules and the activity of the enzyme. An in vivo study was carried out in GC xenograft mice. Cell culture-based assays were represented as mean ± SD. ANOVA tests were used to assess differences across groups. All pairwise comparisons between tumor weights among treatment groups were made using the Tukey-Kramer method for multiple comparison adjustment to control experimental-wise type I error rates. Significance was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: PCI-24781 significantly reduced the growth of the GC cells, enhanced cell apoptosis and suppressed clonogenicity, and these effects synergized with the effects of CDDP. PCI-24781 modulated the cell cycle and significantly reduced the expression of RAD51, which is related to homologous recombination. Depletion of RAD51 augmented the biological functions of PCI-24781, CDDP and the combination treatment, whereas overexpressing RAD51 had the opposite effects. Increased binding of the transcription suppressor E2F4 on the RAD51 promoter appeared to play a major role in these processes. Furthermore, significant suppression of tumor growth and weight in vivo was obtained following PCI-24781 treatment, which synergized with the anticancer effect of CDDP. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that RAD51 potentiates the synergistic effects of chemotherapy with PCI-24781 and CDDP on GC.

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in a three-dimensional gelatin sponge scaffold attenuate inflammation, promote angiogenesis, and reduce cavity formation in experimental spinal cord injury.

Three-dimensional (3D) gelatin sponge (GS) scaffolds were constructed by ensheathing GS with a thin film of poly-(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA). Rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were isolated, cultured, and then seeded to the scaffolds. Distribution of cells and cell growth, survival, and proliferation within the scaffolds were then determined. Immunofluorescence and Western blot analysis were employed to detect the deposition of fibronectin to the scaffolds on day 3 and day 7 of culture. Scaffolds with or without MSCs were then transplanted into the transected rat spinal cord. One or 8 weeks following transplantation, cavity areas, activated macrophages/microglia, expression of TNF-α and IL-1ß, and neovascularization within the grafts were examined and quantified. Deposition of fibronectin (FN) and expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) as potential inducing factors for angiogenesis were also examined. Results showed that 3D GS scaffolds allowed MSCs to adhere, survive, and proliferate and also FN to deposit. In vivo transplantation experiments demonstrated that these scaffolds were biocompatible, and MSCs seeded to the scaffolds played an important role in attenuating inflammation, promoting angiogenesis, and reducing cavity formation. Therefore, the GS scaffolds with MSCs may serve as promising supporting transplants for repairing spinal cord injury.