Levonorgestrel intrauterine system and breast cancer risk: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

Objectives: Levonorgestrel intrauterine sustained release system (LNG-IUS) is an intrauterine hormonal contraceptive device. Breast cancer (BC) was the most common type of cancer in women in the world in 2020. The relationship between LNG-IUS and BC is controversial. We conducted an updated meta-analysis (larger sample capacity and including Asian data) to explore whether LNG-IUS can increase the risk of BC. Study design: We performed a thorough review of peer-reviewed publications from January 2005 through November 2022 using combinations of search terms for BC risk and LNG-IUS in the PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, Science Direct, and Web of Science databases. Studies reporting BC risk estimates among users of LNG-IUS were included according to the PRISMA criteria. Two authors independently evaluated all studies identified from the databases using Endnote software, and a third author resolved disagreements. The quality of evidence was evaluated using the Newcastle‒Ottawa Scale (NOS). A funnel plot was generated to assess publication bias. Results: We identified 3029 studies; 12 studies were included in our systematic review, and 6 studies involving 261,221 women were included in our meta-analysis. Two subgroup analyses were performed for different study designs. A total of 190,475 women were included in the meta-analysis of cohort studies, and the results were RR = 0.80 (95% CI 0.57-1.11, Z = 1.33, P = 0.18 > 0.05). The meta-analysis of the case‒control studies included 70,746 women, and the results were OR = 1.38 (95% CI 0.98-1.94, Z = 1.85, P = 0.06 > 0.05). Conclusions: Evidence of an increased risk of BC was not observed among LNG-IUS users. Implications: There are inconsistencies in existing studies that prevent us from confirming whether LNG-IUS can increase the risk of BC. Our updated meta-analysis preliminarily suggested that LNG-IUS did not increase the risk of BC, providing evidence for more clinically safe use and thus providing a better choice for contraception.

Microbial community structure of different tongue fur types in patients with chronic gastritis.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the correlation between tongue and oral microbiota, we studied the microbial community structure of different tongue coating types in patients with chronic gastritis. METHODS: 16S rDNA gene sequencing and bioinformatics analysis were used to study the dynamic changes and correlation of microbial flora in patients with chronic gastritis, healthy people, and patients with different tongue fur. In addition, it was also discussed between the severity of gastritis and the microflora of tongue fur. RESULTS: The microbial diversity of tongue fur in patients with chronic gastritis was significantly different from healthy controls. There were significant changes in bacterial communities' diversity and relative abundance between extra tongue fur in patients but not in healthy people. Oral bacteria with relative abundance > 1% and < 0.05 among different tongue fur flora were dominant bacteria, including 12 phyla such as and , and 256 genera such as and . CONCLUSIONS: The changes in oral flora in patients with chronic gastritis were related to tongue fur. Therefore, the significant microbiota might enlighten further study on the correlation between tongue inspection and oral microbiota in patients with chronic gastritis.

Flavobacterium aurantiibacter sp. nov., an orange-pigmented bacterium isolated from cyanobacterial aggregates in a eutrophic lake.

A bacterial strain, designated TH167T, was isolated from cyanobacterial aggregates in eutrophic Lake Taihu in China. Cells were observed to be slightly curved rod-shaped, motile by gliding, aerobic, Gram-stain-negative, proteorhodopsin-containing. Optimal growth was obtained at pH 7.0 (range: 6.0-9.0), 28 °C (range: 4-32 °C) and 0 % (w/v) NaCl (range: 0-2.0 %) in Reasoner's 2A broth. No growth was observed at 37 °C. The cells were found to be positive for catalase and oxidase activities. The major fatty acids (>10 %) were identified as iso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 1 G and anteiso-C15 : 0. The major polar lipids of the isolate comprised phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified phospholipid and two unidentified aminolipids. The major respiratory quinone was menaquinone-6. The genomic G+C content of strain TH167T was 40.4 mol% based on total genome calculations. Based on similarities of 16S rRNA gene sequences, strain TH167T was affiliated with the genus Flavobacterium, exhibiting the highest sequence similarities to Flavobacterium eburneum SA31T (94.16 %), Flavobacterium yanchengensehgT (94.09 %) and Flavobacterium lacus NP180T (93.95 %). The phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic properties, and genome analysis suggested that strain TH167T represented a novel species within the genus Flavobacterium, for which the name Flavobacterium aurantiibacter sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is TH167T (=CGMCC 1.15805T=LMG 29719T).

[Complications of supratemporalis approach with scalp coronal incision for orbital-zygomatic fracture].

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the complications of supratemporalis approach with scalp coronal incision for the treatment of orbital-zygomatic fractures. METHODS: A total of 206 patients with orbital-zygomatic fractures were treated with scalp coronal incision through the supratemporalis approach. The effects and complications of the treatment were analyzed. RESULTS: The degree of fracture of the 206 patients was successfully reduced. The facial morphologies and functions were improved. No facial nerve injury was observed in all of the cases. However, the following complications were noted: fossa introcession in 1 case, forehead scalp pain or paresthesia in 11 cases, incision infection in 1 case, subcutaneous hematoma in 1 case, incision scar in 5 cases, and alopecia in 3 cases. CONCLUSIONS: The supratemporalis approach prevents facial nerve injury and does not increase the frequency of other complications. Therefore, this approach can be applied as a routine and safe procedure in clinical settings. 
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Biochemical Defenses Induced by Mycorrhizae Fungi Glomus Mosseae in Controlling Strawberry Fusarium Wilt.

The effect of VAM on reducing wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum Schlecht. f.sp. fragariae Winks et Williams (FO) infection in strawberry and the possible mechanisms involved were investigated. Two key substance involved in disease defenses, lignin and hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein were induced and formed in the cell wall of strawberry root, and the peak content of lignin and hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein occurred on the 25(th) day (149.52mg/g) and on the 15(th) day (10.08 mg/g). The activity of protective enzymes SOD, POD and CAT inoculation with VAM significantly increased when compared with the control under both CK (natural growth) and inoculated with FO. The conductivity of VAM plus FO treatment was higher than the CK treatment, but significantly was lower than the FO treatment.

[Roles of Y box-binding protein 1 in SK-BR-3 breast cancer proliferation].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the roles of Y box-binding protein 1 (YB-1) in breast cancer cell proliferation. METHODS: Twenty cases of surgical removal of breast cancer tissue (diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, stage II, by postoperative paraffin pathology) and normal breast tissues adjacent to carcinoma were collected during June 2013 to August 2013.Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed to detect the YB1 mRNA levels. Cultured mammary epithelial cells (HBL-100) and breast cancer cells (MCF7, MDA-MB-231 & SK-BR-3 cells) were harvested and qRT-PCR was performed to detect the YB1 mRNA levels.SK-BR-3 cells were stimulated with various concentrations of PDGF-BB and YB1 expression levels were detected by qRT-PCR. Down-regulation or over-expression of YB1 by si-YB1 or Ad-GFP-YB1 was detected in SK-BR-3 cells. And MTS cell proliferation assay kit was used to detect cell proliferation. RESULTS: YB1 mRNA levels were significantly higher in breast cancer tissues and MDA-MB-231 and SK-BR-3 breast cancer cell lines than that in adjacent normal breast tissues and HBL-100 mammary epithelial cells respectively (P < 0.05).YB1 expression levels increased in PDGF-BB stimulated SK-BR-3 cells in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: A down-regulation of endogenous YB1 decreases and an over-expression of exogenous YB1 promotes the proliferation activity in SK-BR-3 cells.

Differential expression of perforin in cytotoxic lymphocyte in HIV/AIDS patients of China.

Cytotoxic lymphocytes are critical in the control of HIV replication, it has been shown that perforin is the key effector of killing machinery for CTLs and NK cells, so we investigated the circulating levels of perforin in CD8+ T cells and NK cells by flow cytometry intracellular stain in Chinese HIV infected individuals, its association with disease progression was analyzed. Our results showed that NK cells express perforin more efficiently than CD8+ T cells, CD8+ T cells expressed perforin higher than that of healthy controls, but NK cells expressed lower perforin than that of healthy controls, both were not correlated with disease progression. but significantly associated with their numbers, anti-retrovirus therapy had no evident effects on peforin expression in CD8+ T cells, but enhanced perfrin expression in NK cells, perforin expression in CD8+ T cells and CD16+ NK cells correlate with CD4+ T cell counts significantly in HAART-treated group. Therefore, different mechanisms may be involved in regulating peripheral perforin expression in different cell types.

Pelvic inflammatory disease in the People's Republic of China: aetiology and management.

OBJECTIVES: To study the causes of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in Shenyang, Northeastern China, and to assess the efficacy of the syndromic management flowchart for PID recommended by World Health Organization (WHO). METHODS: 200 outpatients with PID attending Gynaecologic Clinic of No. 1 and No. 2 hospital of China Medical University in Shenyang, and 155 control women without symptoms underwent pelvic examination, and were tested for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT), Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), Mycoplasma hominis (MH), bacterial vaginosis (BV), Candida albicans (CA) and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV). RESULTS: In PID patients, the prevalence of MH was 26%, of BV 26%, of CT 16%, of CA 11%, of TV 4% and of NG 2.5%. In the control population, prevalences were 5.2%, 8.4%, 0%, 5.2%, 0.7%, 0% respectively. MH, BV and CT were significantly more common in PID patients than in controls (P<0.01). One hundred and thirty-seven of the 200 patients with PID (68.5%) returned for follow-up. Symptoms had resolved completely in 64 (47%), and had improved in 68 (50%). There was no improvement in five (4%). CONCLUSIONS: The management protocol for female lower abdominal pain recommended by WHO is effective in this setting.