Myeloid-derived growth factor suppresses VSMC dedifferentiation and attenuates postinjury neointimal formation in rats by activating S1PR2 and its downstream signaling.

Restenosis after angioplasty is caused usually by neointima formation characterized by aberrant vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) dedifferentiation. Myeloid-derived growth factor (MYDGF), secreted from bone marrow-derived monocytes and macrophages, has been found to have cardioprotective effects. In this study we investigated the effect of MYDGF to postinjury neointimal formation and the underlying mechanisms. Rat carotid arteries balloon-injured model was established. We found that plasma MYDGF content and the level of MYDGF in injured arteries were significantly decreased after balloon injury. Local application of exogenous MYDGF (50 µg/mL) around the injured vessel during balloon injury markedly ameliorated the development of neointimal formation evidenced by relieving the narrow endovascular diameter, improving hemodynamics, and reducing collagen deposition. In addition, local application of MYDGF inhibited VSMC dedifferentiation, which was proved by reversing the elevated levels of osteopontin (OPN) protein and decreased levels of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in the left carotid arteries. We showed that PDGF-BB (30 ng/mL) stimulated VSMC proliferation, migration and dedifferentiation in vitro; pretreatment with MYDGF (50-200 ng/mL) concentration-dependently eliminated PDGF-BB-induced cell proliferation, migration and dedifferentiation. Molecular docking revealed that MYDGF had the potential to bind with sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 2 (S1PR2), which was confirmed by SPR assay and Co-IP analysis. Pretreatment with CCG-1423 (Rho signaling inhibitor), JTE-013 (S1PR2 antagonist) or Ripasudil (ROCK inhibitor) circumvented the inhibitory effects of MYDGF on VSMC phenotypic switching through inhibiting S1PR2 or its downstream RhoA-actin monomers (G-actin) /actin filaments (F-actin)-MRTF-A signaling. In summary, this study proves that MYDGF relieves neointimal formation of carotid arteries in response to balloon injury in rats, and suppresses VSMC dedifferentiation induced by PDGF-BB via S1PR2-RhoA-G/F-actin-MRTF-A signaling pathway. In addition, our results provide evidence for cross talk between bone marrow and vasculature.

Frizzled receptors (FZDs) in Wnt signaling: potential therapeutic targets for human cancers.

Frizzled receptors (FZDs) are key contributors intrinsic to the Wnt signaling pathway, activation of FZDs triggering the Wnt signaling cascade is frequently observed in human tumors and intimately associated with an aggressive carcinoma phenotype. It has been shown that the abnormal expression of FZD receptors contributes to the manifestation of malignant characteristics in human tumors such as enhanced cell proliferation, metastasis, chemotherapy resistance as well as the acquisition of cancer stemness. Given the essential roles of FZD receptors in the Wnt signaling in human tumors, this review aims to consolidate the prevailing knowledge on the specific status of FZD receptors (FZD1-10) and elucidate their respective functions in tumor progression. Furthermore, we delineate the structural basis for binding of FZD and its co-receptors to Wnt, and provide a better theoretical foundation for subsequent studies on related mechanisms. Finally, we describe the existing biological classes of small molecule-based FZD inhibitors in detail in the hope that they can provide useful assistance for design and development of novel drug candidates targeted FZDs.

Design, synthesis, and anti-tumor activity of derivatives of ring A and C-28 of asiatic acid.

Based on computer-aided drug design (CADD), the active groups of the known active small molecule compounds that can bind to EGFR target protein were analyzed through the molecular docking method. Then, 12 novel asiatic acid derivatives were synthesized by introducing active groups at ring A and C-28 positions of asiatic acid. The structures of these novel compounds were determined by NMR and MS. Furthermore, the anti-tumor activities of these derivatives on human lung cancer cells (A549) and human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) were evaluated by MTT assay. In conclusion, compounds I4 and II3 have stronger anti-cancer activity than parent compounds, the activities were stronger than gefitinib and comparable to afatinib, which may be potential candidate compounds for tumor therapy.

Design, synthesis and anti-tumor activity of asiatic acid derivatives as VEGF inhibitors.

The VEGF receptor is mock-coupled with a known active compound and the active groups of the inhibitor which can bind to VEGF were analyzed. Using asiatic acid as a lead compound, 10 novel skeleton candidate compounds were designed through introduction of the active groups onto the special location and synthesized simultaneously. Furthermore, the structure of these compounds was determined by 1H NMR, 13C NMR and MS and 9 compounds were identified as the new compounds. Moreover, the in vitro anti-tumor activities of these new compounds were determined by MTT assay on two cancer cell lines (HepG2 and SGC-7901). The results showed that compounds I1 and II2 have more potent anticancer activity than positive control drugs such as gefitinib and paclitaxel.

Design, synthesis, and antitumor activity of novel oleanolic acid analogues targeting EGFR.

Based on the simulated docking of Epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors with known active small molecule compounds, computer-aided drug design technology was used to analyze key amino acid fragments and determine the active groups binding with key sites. Then, twelve novel analogues of oleanolic acid (OA) were synthesized by introducing active groups at the C-3 and C-28 positions of OA. The structures of these novel analogues were confirmed by NMR and MS. Furthermore, the antitumor activities of these novel analogues were evaluated by MTT assay. As a result, compounds I3 and II3 showed stronger cytotoxicity on tumor cells than positive controls. In conclusion, our study synthesized twelve novel analogues of OA and determined compounds I3 and II3 had better antitumor effect, which may be potential candidate compounds for tumor therapy.

Synthesis and anti-tumor activity of asiatic acid derivatives targeting VEGFR.

To discovery novel VEGFR inhibitors, 12 novel asiatic acid derivatives were designed by computer-aided drug design (CADD) technology. Then, these novel asiatic acid derivatives were synthesized by introducing active groups at ring A and C-28 positions of asiatic acid. The structures of these novel analogues were confirmed by NMR and MS. Moreover, the anti-tumor activities of these novel asiatic acid derivatives on human hepatoma cells HepG2 and human gastric cancer cells SGC7901 were evaluated by MTT assay. As a result, compounds I2 and II4 showed stronger cytotoxicity on tumor cells than asiatic acid and positive control drugs such as gefitinib and paclitaxel. In conclusion, our study synthesized twelve novel asiatic acid derivatives and determined compounds I2 and II4 had better anti-tumor effect which may be potential candidate compounds for tumor therapy.

Effect of transcutaneous electrical stimulation treatment on lower urinary tract symptoms after class III radical hysterectomy in cervical cancer patients: study protocol for a multicentre, randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Class III radical hysterectomy (RH III)_plus pelvic lymphadenectomy is the standard surgery for early stage cervical cancer (CC) patients, the 5 year survival rate is about 90%, but pelvic floor disorders especially bladder dysfunction are common due to damaged vessels and nerve fibers following surgery. Transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS) treatment has been used to treat bladder disorders for many years, but its effect on cervical cancer patients, the best treatment time point and stimulated protocol, had never been assessed. The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of TENS treatment on lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) after RH III in CC patients. METHODS/DESIGN: The study will be conducted as a clinical, multicentre, randomised controlled trial with balanced randomisation (1:1). The planned sample size is 208 participants (at 1:1 ratio, 104 subjects in each group). At 5-7 days after RH III, patients are screened according to operative and pathological findings. Enrolled participants are randomised into an intervention group (TENS plus conventional clinical care) or control group (conventional clinical care), with stratification by menopausal status (menopause vs. non-menopause) and surgical modality (laparoscopic RH or abdominal RH). Participants in both groups will be followed up at 14 days, 21 days, 28 days, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, 18 months and 24 months after surgery. The primary endpoint is improvement rate of urination function which is defined as recovery (residual urine ≤50 ml) or improvement (residual urine 50-100 ml). Secondary endpoints include urodynamic parameter, urinary incontinence, anorectal function, pelvic function, quality of life (QOL), disease-free survival and adverse events. Primary endpoint analyses will be carried out by Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel tests taking into center effect. DISCUSSION: To our knowledge this is the first trial to investigate the effect of TENS treatment on bladder function recovery after RH III among CC patients. This study will provide new information on TENS efficacy for bladder function recovery. Once confirmed, it may help to provide a new, non-invisive treatment for those postoperative CC patients with poor pelvic function, which would help improve their quality of life. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study is registered to Clinical Trials.gov ( NCT02492542 ) on June 25, 2015.

[Impact of ″imprinting templates″ characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine injection supramolecules on (anaphylactoid) hypersensibility].

The (anaphylactoid) hypersensibility mechanism of ″imprinting templates″ characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) injection supramolecules was clarified to lay the foundation to build safety evaluation method. Based on the previous publication on special impact of Chinese medicine theories on supramolcular chemistry, combined with the natural origination of (anaphylactoid) hypersensitized special rules as well as the sensitization phenomenon of cordate houttuynia injection, the impact of the structure characteristics of ″imprinting templates″ in TCM injection supramolecules on its (anaphylactoid) hypersensibility was clarified. In Chinese medicine injections, the supramolecular structures can independently be generated, showing overall apparent (anaphylactoid) hypersensibility nature, and their structure characteristics were dependent on the strength. In addition, (anaphylactoid) hypersensitive critical supramolecular structure was present. When it was administrated by ″injection″, it's structure was not easy to be destroyed, often showing apparent immunogenicity, whereas if it was administrated by ″oral″, the structure would be destroyed by the gastrointestinal tract, showing weaker or no apparent immunogenicity. Therefore, there are differences in (anaphylactoid) hypersensibility between ″injection″ and ″oral″ administration of TCM. TCM injections would produce the supramolecules between ″molecular society″ by independent reaction of supramolecular ″imprinting template″ (chemical determinants), showing apparent immune process of recognition, copying, and storage. Single molecule is a special example for this. The screening of anaphylactoid (sensitinogen) includes the single ingredients and their forming supramolecules for TCM injection. This is the unique feature for safety evaluation of Chinese medicine injection.

Novel nanosystem to enhance the antitumor activity of lapatinib in breast cancer treatment: Therapeutic efficacy evaluation.

The present study was performed to investigate the therapeutic performance of polymer-lipid hybrid nanoparticles towards the delivery of lapatinib (LPT) in breast cancers. We have successfully developed the lapatinib-loaded polymer-lipid hybrid nanosystem and showed its therapeutic potential in in vitro and in vivo models of breast cancer. The nanoformulations consisted of a polymeric core (poly[lactide-co-glycolide]-D-a-tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate [PLGA-TPGS]), which was then enveloped by a PEGylated lipid layer (DSPE-PEG) (PLPT) to maintain the structural integrity. The PLPT formulation controlled the drug release in pH 7.4 conditions and accelerated the release at pH 5.5 conditions. The PLPT showed a remarkable cellular internalization and efficiently killed the MCF-7 cancer cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, LPT-loaded nanoparticles effectively induced apoptosis of cancer cells than compared to free LPT. Pharmacokinetic data suggested that nanoparticles could significantly enhance the blood circulation time of LPT by reducing the uptake by a reticuloendothelial system (RES). The prolonged blood circulation of PLPT could allow the preferential accumulation of drug in the tumor tissues. Importantly, PLPT significantly reduced the tumor burden of cancerous mice and effectively controlled the tumor cell proliferation. TUNEL assay further showed a greater apoptosis of tumor tissues in the PLPT treated mice group. Our results suggest that the use of a hybrid system may allow a decrease in the dosage regimen without the loss of therapeutic effect. Overall, lapatinib-loaded hybrid nanoparticles hold great potential for achieving an optimal therapeutic effect in breast cancer treatment. The present anticancer drug delivery system could be potentially applied for the treatment of other cancers.

A cell-targeted chemotherapeutic nanomedicine strategy for oral squamous cell carcinoma therapy.

BACKGROUND: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) or cancers of oral cavity is one of the most common cancers worldwide with high rate of mortality and morbidity. At present, chemotherapy is one of the most effective treatments; however it often fails to meet the requirements in the clinical therapy. In the present study, we have successfully formulated ligand-decorated cancer-targeted CDDP-loaded PLGA-PEG/NR7 nanoparticles and demonstrated the feasibility of using NR7 peptide for targeted delivery, rapid intracellular uptake, and enhanced cytotoxic effect in receptor-overexpressed OSCC cancer cells. RESULTS: Nanosized particles were formed and sustained release patterns were observed for PLGA/NR7 nanoparticles. Significantly higher cellular uptake was observed in HN6 OSCC cancer cells and superior anticancer effects are observed from the optimized targeted nanoparticles. Furthermore, Live/Dead assay showed a higher extent of red fluorescence was observed for the cells exposed with PLGA/NR7 than compared with non-targeted PLGA NP. The presence of the NR7-targeting moiety on the surface of PLGA carriers could allow the specific receptor-mediated internalization, enhanced cellular uptake, and higher cell killing potency. Especially, PLGA/NR7 NP exhibited a superior apoptosis effect in HN6 cancer cells with around ~45 % (early and late apoptotic stage) and ~59 % after 24 and 48 h incubation, respectively. It is apparent that the actively targeted micelles will deliver more anticancer agent to cancer cell than non-targeted one. CONCLUSION: Altogether, our results show the feasibility and promise of a cell-targeted anticancer nanomedicine strategy that can be effective for the treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma. The present work might be of great importance to the further exploration of the potential application of PLGA/NR7 in the clinically relevant animal models.

[Significance of prognostic evaluation of International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics 2009 staging system on stage I endometrioid adenocarcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the impact of 2009 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) staging system alteration for stage I endometrioid adenocarcinoma on its' prognosis assessing. METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out on 244 cases with endometrial carcinoma admitted in Peking University People's Hospital from Jan.1995 to Feb.2008. RESULTS: (1) All 244 patients were divided into FIGO 2009 Ia group (n = 200) and FIGO 2009 Ib group (n = 44) according to FIGO 2009 staging system, while they were divided into FIGO 1988 Ia group (n = 34), FIGO 1988 Ib group (n = 156) and FIGO 1988 Ic group (n = 29). The others 25 cases were stage IIa (n = 16) and stage IIIa with merely positive abdominal cytology (n = 9) according to FIGO 1988 staging system.(2) The higher percentage of low-grade in FIGO 1988 Ia group than that in FIGO 2009 Ia group (P = 0.003). Compared with FIGO 2009 Ia group, the age of the patients, surgery extent, the percentage of lymph node excision and received chemotherapy and radiotherapy, there were no difference in FIGO 1988 Ia and Ib group, respectively (P > 0.05). There were 5.9% (2/34) and 6.7% (10/150) found relapse among FIGO 1988 Ia group and FIGO 1988 Ib group, and there were 2.9% (1/34) and 2.7% (4/150) for the two groups died of carcinoma. Compared with FIGO 2009 Ia group, there were not significant difference [7.5% (13/200) vs. 3.0% (6/200); P > 0.05]. The 5 years and 10 years progression-free survival (PFS) of FIGO 1988 Ia group and Ib group were (97.0 ± 3.0)%, (90.9 ± 6.5)% and (95.3 ± 2.1)%, (90.2 ± 3.6)%, respectively, in which there were not significant difference compared with that in FIGO 2009 Ia group [(96.1 ± 1.6)%, (89.6 ± 3.2)%; P > 0.05]. The 5 years and 10 years overall survival (OS) in FIGO 1988 Ia group and Ib group were 100%, (93.8 ± 6.0)% and (96.9 ± 1.8)%, (95.2 ± 2.5)%, respectively, in which there were did not significant difference with that in FIGO 2009 Ia group [(97.9 ± 1.2)%, (93.4 ± 2.8)%; P > 0.05].(3) There were not significant difference between FIGO 1988 Ic group and FIGO 2009 Ib group (P > 0.05) for the age of the patients, grade, surgery extent, lymph node excision, the percentage of received chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Between FIGO 1988 Ic group and FIGO 2009 Ib group, there were 3.4% (1/29) and 6.8% (3/44) cases found relapse, respectively. And there were 0 and 2.3% (1/44) cases died of carcinoma in the two groups, in which there were not differ much either (P > 0.05). The 5 years and 10 years PFS in FIGO 1988 Ic group were all 100%, while they were 100% and (90.9 ± 6.2)% in FIGO 2009 Ib group. The 5 years and 10 years OS in FIGO 1988 Ic group were all 100%, but were 100% and (95.0 ± 4.9)% in FIGO 2009 Ib group, in which they all did not significantly differ much (P > 0.05). (4) The patients in FIGO 2009 Ia group were younger than those in FIGO 2009 Ib group (P < 0.01). The percentage of low grade in FIGO 2009 Ia group were higher than that in FIGO 2009 Ib group (P = 0.029). The percentages of received chemotherapy and radiotherapy in FIGO 2009 Ia group were lower than that in FIGO 2009 Ib group remarkably (P < 0.01). But there were not significant difference in the uterine excision extent and the percentage of lymph node excision between the two groups (P > 0.05). There were not significantly differ in the relapse rates and the death rates between the FIGO 2009 Ia group and FIGO 2009 Ib group (P > 0.05). There were also not significant difference in PFS and OS between the two groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There were not significant difference in the prognosis between FIGO 2009 stage Ia and FIGO 1988 stage Ia and Ib. There were also not significant difference in the prognosis between FIGO 2009 stage Ia and FIGO 2009 stage Ib, which may be due to received more chemotherapy and radiotherapy in FIGO 2009 stage Ib patients.

Inclusion of Exercise Prescription in Solid Organ Transplant in Physical Therapy Curricula Across Canadian Universities: A National Survey.

Purpose: This study evaluated the extent of education about exercise prescription for patients with solid organ transplant (SOT) provided in physical therapy (PT) entry-level programmes across Canadian universities. The nature (content being taught), delivery (modes used to disseminate information), time dedicated to the topic, and opinions of educators were explored. Method: A cross-sectional survey was emailed to 36 educators at Canadian universities. The survey questions related to the nature, delivery, and time dedicated to SOT exercise prescription, and the opinions of educators. Results: The response rate was 93%. Educators reported that lung and heart transplantation were taught the most, followed by kidney and liver, with little to no emphasis on pancreas transplants. This material was mainly taught at the graduate level and as part of cardiopulmonary courses with minimal emphasis on practical skills. Aerobic exercise is the main exercise prescription being taught. The main barrier to offering more SOT prescription education experienced by educators was the lack of available class time. Conclusions: SOT exercise prescription is not extensively covered in PT curricula and does not include all organ groups to the same extent. Students have few practical opportunities, which are important to gain the abilities and confidence to treat this population. The development of a continuing education course could promote greater knowledge.

Objectif : évaluer la portée de l'éducation fournie par les programmes de physiothérapie des universités canadiennes pour l'entrée en pratique à l'égard des prescriptions d'exercices aux patients ayant une transplantation d'organe plein (TOP). Les auteurs ont exploré la nature (matière enseignée), la prestation (modes de diffusion de l'information), le temps consacré au sujet et les avis des éducateurs sur la question. Méthodologie : les auteurs ont envoyé un sondage transversal par courriel à 36 éducateurs d'universités canadiennes. Les questions du sondage portaient sur la nature, la prestation, le temps consacré aux prescriptions d'exercices aux TOP et les avis des éducateurs. Résultats : le taux de réponse s'est élevé à 93 %. Les éducateurs ont indiqué que les transplantations des poumons et du cœur étaient les plus enseignées, suivies des reins et du foie, et que celles du pancréas étaient très peu abordées, sinon pas du tout. Cette matière était surtout enseignée aux cycles supérieurs, dans le cadre de cours cardiorespiratoires qui s'attardaient très peu aux habiletés pratiques. L'exercice aérobique était la principale prescription d'exercices enseignée. Selon les éducateurs, le manque de temps en classe était le principal obstacle à l'offre d'une période d'éducation plus prolongée sur les prescriptions aux TOP. Conclusions : les prescriptions d'exercices aux TOP ne sont pas approfondies dans les programmes de physiothérapie et n'accordent pas la même importance à tous les groupes d'organes. Les étudiants ont peu de possibilités d'exercice pratique, ce qui est toutefois important pour acquérir les habiletés et la confiance nécessaires pour traiter cette population. La création d'une formation continue pourrait favoriser l'accroissement des connaissances.

Plastic surgery for giant metastatic endometrioid adenocarcinoma in the abdominal wall: A case report and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Endometrial cancer (EC) is a common gynecological malignancy, but metastasis to the abdominal wall is extremely rare. Therefore, an appropriate treatment approach for large metastatic lesions with infection remains a great challenge. CASE SUMMARY: We report the case of a 65-year-old woman who developed abdominal metastasis of endometrioid adenocarcinoma, as defined by International Obstetrics and Gynecology stage II, in which the lesion was complicated by infection. A right hemicolectomy was performed for colon metastasis in relation to her initial gynecological cancer 3 years ago. When admitted to our department, a complete resection of the giant abdominal wall lesion was performed, and a Bard composite mesh was used to reconstruct the abdominal wall. A local flap was used to close the resultant large defect in the external covering of the abdomen. The patient underwent chemotherapy following cytoreductive surgery. Pathology revealed metastasis of EC, and molecular subtyping showed copy number high of TP53 mutation, implying a poor prognosis. CONCLUSION: When EC patients develop giant abdominal wall metastasis, a plastic surgeon should be included before contemplating resection of tumors.

[Clinical analysis on the lymph nodes metastasis characters and their relation with the prognosis of the endometrial carcinoma patients].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the lymph nodes (LN) metastasis characters of the endometrial carcinoma and its relation with the patients' prognosis. METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out on 227 cases of endometrial carcinoma who admitted to our department and underwent LN excision from Jul.2000 to Feb.2008. RESULTS: Among 227 cases who underwent pelvic LN excision, there were 22 cases (9.7%) presented LN metastasis. There were 12 cases with positive external iliac LN from 20 cases of patients with data in LN grouping. Para-aortic LN excision was carried out on 138 patients. There were 6 cases with positive para-aortic LN, 5 cases of them together with pelvic LN metastasis. Those patients with cervix involvement, annex metastasis, deep myometrium infiltration, grade 2-3 and negative estrogen receptor occurred pelvic LN metastasis more frequently than the others (P < 0.05). Among the 6 cases with positive para-aortic LN, there were 3 cases (3/6) with deep myometrium infiltration. For those whose para-aortic LN was negative, it was only 16.7% (22 cases). But there were no difference statistically between them (P > 0.05). There were significant difference in 3 years disease-free survival rate between patients with positive pelvic LN or negative pelvic LN [(81.8 ± 8.2)% vs (97.4 ± 1.2)%, P = 0.004]. While there were not significant difference in 3 years disease-free survival rate between patients with positive para-aortic LN or negative para-aortic LN [100% vs (96.7 ± 1.6)%, P > 0.05]. Single factor analysis showed that the age more than 50 years, annex metastasis and pelvic LN metastasis related with the recurrence (P < 0.01). But cervix involvement, deep myometrium infiltration, para-aortic LN metastasis, pathology type, tumor grade and estrogen receptor did not relate with the recurrence (P > 0.05). Cox regression analysis showed that annex metastasis and the age of patients were independent risk factors affecting the recurrence (P = 0.011, P = 0.025). CONCLUSIONS: The most common site of pelvic LN metastasis is the external iliac LN for endometrial carcinoma patients. The patients with positive para-aortic LN always accompanied pelvic LN metastasis. Those patients with cervical involvement, annex metastasis, deep myometrium infiltration, poor differentiation and negative estrogen receptor be more likely exist pelvic LN metastasis. Pelvic LN metastasis may affect the prognosis of endometrial carcinoma patients.

[An analysis on the clinicopathological characteristics of 79 cases atypical endometrial hyperplasia].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinicopathological characteristics in atypical endometrial hyperplasia patients. METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out on 79 cases with atypical endometrial hyperplasia patients admitted to Department of Gynecology, Peking University People's Hospital from Mar. 2007 to Jul. 2010. All patients were divided into two groups, hyperplasia group (merely atypical endometrial hyperplasia, 49 cases, 62%) and cancerization group (atypical endometrial hyperplasia accompanying endometrial carcinoma, 30 cases, 38%). RESULTS: The mean age of 79 cases were (50 ± 11) years old, while they were (50 ± 10) and (51 ± 11) years old for hyperplasia group and cancerization group, there were not difference (P = 0.994). The gravidity and delivery frequencies were also not differently between two groups. The rates of complicated other diseases were 47% (23/49) and 43% (13/30), which was not significantly different (P = 0.755). The body mass index (BMI) of cancerization group was higher than that of hyperplasia group [(27.9 ± 5.4) vs. (25.2 ± 2.9) kg/m², P = 0.024]. There were 50% (15/30) and 31% (15/49) menopause cases in two groups, respectively. Among them there were 13/15 and 8/15 cases showed vaginal bleeding. Among premenopausal patients, there were 12/15 and 68% (23/34) showed abnormal vaginal bleeding, but there were not significantly different between two groups (all P > 0.05). The uterine cavity mass found by ultrasonography in the cancerization group patients was more than that in hyperplasia group [73% (22/30) vs. 51% (25/49), P = 0.050]. There were 23 cases (29%), 44 cases (56%) and 12 cases (15%) were diagnosed by dilatation and curettage (D&G), hysteroscopy and hysterectomy, respectively. The rates of diagnosing atypical endometrial hyperplasia by D&G and hysteroscopy were 87% (21/23) and 93% (41/44), respectively. The rate of diagnosis of canceration were 6/12 and 12/16, respectively. While, the rate of missed diagnosis of canceration in the atypical endometrial hyperplasia patients by D&G and hysteroscopy were 6/13 and 19% (4/21), respectively. Which all did not shown significantly different (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Hysteroscopy or D&G should be chosen on those peri-menopausal patients with abnormal bleeding, while those atypical endometrial hyperplasia patients with high BMI and uterine cavity mass diagnosed with D&G and ultrasonography should consider the possibility of canceration.

Genome-Wide Analysis of the Catharanthus roseus RLK1-Like in Soybean and GmCrRLK1L20 Responds to Drought and Salt Stresses.

Abiotic stresses, such as drought and salinity, severely affects the growth, development and productivity of the plants. The Catharanthus roseus RLK1-like (CrRLK1L) protein kinase family is involved in several processes in the plant life cycle. However, there have been few studies addressing the functions of CrRLK1L proteins in soybean. In this study, 38 CrRLK1L genes were identified in the soybean genome (Glycine max Wm82.a2.v1). Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that soybean CrRLK1L genes were grouped into clusters, cluster I, II, III. The chromosomal mapping demonstrated that 38 CrRLK1L genes were located in 14 of 20 soybean chromosomes. None were discovered on chromosomes 1, 4, 6, 7, 11, and 14. Gene structure analysis indicated that 73.6% soybean CrRLK1L genes were characterized by a lack of introns.15.7% soybean CrRLK1L genes only had one intron and 10.5% soybean CrRLK1L genes had more than one intron. Five genes were obtained from soybean drought- and salt-induced transcriptome databases and were found to be highly up-regulated. GmCrRLK1L20 was notably up-regulated under drought and salinity stresses, and was therefore studied further. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that the GmCrRLK1L20 protein was located in the cell membrane. The overexpression of the GmCrRLK1L20 gene in soybean hairy roots improved both drought tolerance and salt stresses and enhanced the expression of the stress-responsive genes GmMYB84, GmWRKY40, GmDREB-like, GmGST15, GmNAC29, and GmbZIP78. These results indicated that GmCrRLK1L20 could play a vital role in defending against drought and salinity stresses in soybean.

Long-Term Effect of Early Post-operative Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation on Voiding Function After Radical Hysterectomy: A Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Trial.

Introduction: Post-radical-hysterectomy (RH) patients suffer from a series of problems resulting from neurovascular injury, such as bladder dysfunction, which reduce their quality of life. We have designed this study to evaluate the efficacy of transcutaneous electrical stimulation (TENS) on patient rehabilitation after RH for early cervical cancer. Materials and methods: A total of 97 patients were enrolled in a randomized-controlled trial (from January 2015 to December 2019) involving 7 medical centers nationwide. Patients were assigned to either the intervention group (n = 46), or the control group (n = 51). TENS was given to patients in the intervention group from the 7th day after surgery for a total of 14-21 days. The control group received no TENS. Primary outcomes were measured for residual urine volume and recovery of urination function. Secondary outcomes were measures for urodynamics (UDS), pelvic floor electromyography function examination (PFEmF), and quality of life (QoL). Results: Residual urine volume and improvement in the rate of urination were found to show no significant differences on the 14th, 21st, and 28th days after surgery. The maximum flow rate (Qmax) in the intervention group was significantly higher than that in the control group on the 28th day, but there were no significant differences in average flow rate, voiding time, time to Qmax, muscle fiber strength, muscle fiber fatigue, and the abnormal rate of A3 reflection on the 28th day and the 3rd mo., as well as in the QoL at 3rd mo., 6th mo., and 12th mo. after surgery. Conclusion: Our study showed no sufficient evidence to prove that TENS under the trialed parameters could improve the subject's voiding function, PFEmF, and QOL after RH. This has provided valuable data for rehabilitation after RH. Clinical Trial Registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT02492542.

Synergistic anti-liver cancer effects of curcumin and total ginsenosides.

BACKGROUND: Liver cancer is the sixth most frequently occurring cancer in the world and the fourth most common cause of cancer mortality. The pathogenesis of liver cancer is closely associated with inflammation and immune response in the tumor microenvironment. New therapeutic agents for liver cancer, which can control inflammation and restore cellular immunity, are required. Curcumin (Cur) is a natural anti-inflammatory drug, and total ginsenosides (TG) are a commonly used immunoregulatory drug. Of note, both Cur and TG have been shown to exert anti-liver cancer effects. AIM: To determine the synergistic immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects of Cur combined with TG in a mouse model of subcutaneous liver cancer. METHODS: A subcutaneous liver cancer model was established in BALB/c mice by a subcutaneous injection of hepatoma cell line. Animals were treated with Cur (200 mg/kg per day), TG (104 mg/kg per day or 520 mg/kg per day), the combination of Cur (200 mg/kg per day) and TG (104 mg/kg per day or 520 mg/kg per day), or 5-fluorouracil combined with cisplatin as a positive control for 21 d. Tumor volume was measured and the protein expression of programmed cell death 1 and programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1), inflammatory indicators Toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), and vascular growth-related factors nitric oxide synthases (iNOS) and matrix metalloproteinase 9 were analyzed by Western blot analysis. CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) were counted by flow cytometry. RESULTS: The combination therapy of Cur and TG significantly inhibited the growth of liver cancer, as compared to vehicle-treated animals, and TG showed dose dependence. Cur combined with TG-520 markedly decreased the protein expression of PD-L1 (P < 0.0001), while CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ Tregs regulated by the PD-L1 signaling pathway exhibited a positive correlation with PD-L1. Cur combined with TG-520 also inhibited the cascade action mediated by NF-κB (P < 0.0001), thus inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB signalling pathway (P = 0.0088, P < 0.0001), which is associated with inflammation and acts on PD-L1. It also inhibited the NF-κB-MMP9 signalling pathway (P < 0.0001), which is associated with tumor angiogenesis. CONCLUSION: Cur combined with TG regulates immune escape through the PD-L1 pathway and inhibits liver cancer growth through NF-κB-mediated inflammation and angiogenesis.

DNA-based stable isotope probing identifies triclosan degraders in nitrification systems under different surfactants.

Three widely-used surfactants, rhamnolipid (RL), sophorolipid (SL) and sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS), were chosen to investigate their effects on the nitrification systems treating step-wised triclosan (TCS). Surfactants had little effects on nitrification. Surfactants could promote the desorption of TCS and enhance the TCS biodegradation in nitrification systems. And TCS biodegradation efficiencies obtained with RL, SL and SDBS were 1.25, 1.23 and 1.14 times higher than the control with 9.0 mg/L TCS, respectively. Illumina MiSeq sequencing showed that Amaricoccus could be resistant to TCS. And Amaricoccus, detected with RL, SL and SDBS, were more abundant than the control. DNA-based stable isotope probing assays revealed Amaricoccus was the major TCS degrader. And the addition of surfactants could obviously increase the diversity of active TCS degraders, especially for biosurfactants. It seems that the addition of surfactants showed positive effects for the nitrification systems treating TCS wastewater.

Decreased expression of TRPM4 is associated with unfavorable prognosis and aggressive progression of endometrial carcinoma.

Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 4 (TRPM4) is a nonselective channel conducting monovalent ions and indirectly regulates intracellular Ca2+. Aberrant expression has been reported in a number of cancers. However, the biological function of TRPM4 in endometrial carcinoma (EC) is still unknown. We find that decreased TRPM4 expression is significantly correlated with a poor prognosis, overall survival (OS, P<0.001) and recurrence-free survival (P=0.002) through The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets in mRNA level. Multivariate Cox regression analysis suggests that TRPM4 is an independent prognostic factor for OS in EC patients. In vitro assays show that TRPM4-deletion results in significant promotion of proliferation and migration in EC cells. We then conducted a gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and according to the results, the expression of TRPM4 is modulated by estrogen, which is inhibited by ER antagonist. Furthermore, the silencing of TRPM4 causes a decreased p53 and hyper-activation of EMT, PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in EC, as demonstrated in vitro. Overall, these results indicate that TRPM4 is clinically useful in predicting EC prognosis and represent a potential candidate as a new therapeutic target.