[Clinical effect of endoscopic transnasal sphenoidal approach with simple muscle packing for intrasellar arachnoid cyst].

Objective: To examine the clinical effect of simple muscle packing through transnasal sphenoid approach in the treatment of intrasellar arachnoid cyst. Methods: The clinical data of 11 patients with intrasellar arachnoid cyst treated by transnasal sphenoidal approach with simple muscle packing at the Neurosurgery Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2014 to February 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 5 males and 6 females, with a median age of 48 years (range: 23 to 75 years). The clinical manifestations included headache in 6 cases, dizziness in 4 cases, hypo-libido in 1 case, disturbance of consciousness in 1 case, visual impairment in 7 cases and mixed pituitary dysfunction in 5 cases. The enlargement of the sellar fossa was seen in the preoperative MRI images. The enhanced MRI images showed that the cyst wall of the intrasellar arachnoid cyst was not enhanced, and the compression and thinning of the sellar base was seen in the CT images. In 9 cases, the cyst extended suprasellar and the sellar septum was "arched". In 7 cases, the cyst compressed the optic chiasm upward. The cyst walls of all patients were incised through the nasal sphenoid approach under the endoscope, and the muscle was packed after sufficient drainage. The postoperative symptoms, pituitary endocrine function and recurrence of patients were followed up. Results: MRI images of the sellar region in all patients showed significant reduction or disappearance of cysts. Intracranial infection occurred in 1 case and electrolyte disorder in 2 cases, which were relieved after symptomatic treatment. No cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea occurred. Postoperative clinical symptoms were completely relieved in 6 cases and partially relieved in 5 cases. Pituitary endocrine function recovered completely in 2 cases and improved significantly in 4 cases. All patients were followed up for 10 to 40 months. One patient found to have a partial recurrence of the cyst 3 months after surgery. Because there were no new symptoms appeared, the follow-up was continued without second operation. Conclusion: Transnasal sphenoidal approach is a feasible method for the treatment of intrasellar arachnoid cyst.

[Correlation between the pre-and post-operative sagittal parameters and the quality of life in patients with degenerative and isthmic spondylolisthesis].

Objective: To assess the relationship between health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and spinal sagittal parameters in patients with degenerative and isthmic spondylolisthesis before and after surgery, and to provide a biomechanical basis for improving the clinical prognosis of such patients. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 63 patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis who received lumbar fusion surgery in the Department of Spine Surgery, Tianjin Union Medical Center from December 2017 to June 2020 was carried out. There were 16 males and 47 females with a mean age of (59±8) years. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on disease type (degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis (DS) and the isthmic spondylolisthesis (IS)) and HRQOL scores. Patients were evaluated post-operatively to observe the improvement of symptoms and quality of life. The relationship between operative related factors, HRQOL scores before and after surgery, and spino-pelvic sagittal parameters (including sagittal axis of the spine, lumbar lordosis angle, pelvic incidence angle, pelvic tilt angle (PT), sacral tilt angle, matching degree of pelvic incidence angle (PI) and lumbar lordosis angle (LL), lumbar 1 vertebra plumb line, upper lumbar curve, lower lumbar curve) in the two groups were analyzed. The correlation between the improvement of HRQOL scores and spino-pelvic sagittal parameters in the DS group and the IS group was analyzed and compared. Results: There were significant differences between postoperative HRQOL scores compared with those before the operation in both the DS and IS groups at three times of follow-up after the operation (all P<0.05). There was no difference in the last HRQOL score, the number of surgical segments, operation time and intraoperative blood loss between the two groups (all P>0.05). The parameters of PT and PI-LL in DS patients with VAS back pain score>3 and ≤3 were statistically different (13.7°±6.4° vs 26.6°±7.4°, 5.1°±8.2° vs 18.2°±13.1°, respectively, both P<0.05), similar results were obtained in IS patients (14.1°±6.9° vs 16.4°±8.7°, 2.9°±9.7° vs 6.8°±9.8°, respectively, both P<0.05). In addition, the parameters of PT and PI-LL between patients with ODI>20 and ≤20 were all statistically different in the two groups at the last follow-up after surgery (all P<0.05). The improvement of VAS back pain score in DS and IS groups was significantly related to the improvement of PT value, respectively (r=0.76, 0.78, both P<0.05). The PT, LL and PI-LL were significantly correlated with the ODI in the DS group (r=0.60, 0.62, 0.50, all P<0.05). There was also a correlation between the improvement of ODI and PT, LL and PI-LL in the IS group, respectively (r=0.22, 0.41, 0.76, all P<0.05). Conclusions: Certain correlation exists between the HRQOL and spinal sagittal parameters in patients with degenerative and isthmic spondylolisthesis before and after surgery. For the treatment of lumbar spondylolisthesis and improvement of quality of life, the primary goal is to reconstruct the matching degree of the lumbar lordosis angle and PI, and to reduce the PT value to the normal range by tilting the pelvis forward.

A QM protein from Bombyx mori negatively regulates prophenoloxidase activation and melanization by interacting with Jun protein.

The QM gene that encodes for the ribosomal protein L10 was firstly identified from human tumour cells as a tumour suppressor. In this study, a QM gene was identified in silkworm Bombyx mori (BmQM) and its immunomodulatory function was explored. BmQM messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein were highly expressed in the silk gland and fat body, and expressed in all stages of silkworm growth. After challenged with four different microorganisms, the expression levels of BmQM mRNA in fat body or haemocytes were significantly upregulated compared with the control. After knock-down of BmQM gene, the expressions of some immune genes (PGRPS6, Gloverin0, Lysozyme and Moricin) were affected, and the transcripts of prophenoloxidase1 and prophenoloxidase2 have different degrees of change. The phenoloxidase activity was significantly reduced when the purified recombinant BmQM protein was injected. Recombinant BmQM protein inhibited systemic melanization and suppressed prophenoloxidase activation stimulated by Micrococcus luteus, but it did not affect phenoloxidase activity. Far-western blotting assays showed that the BmQM protein interacted with silkworm BmJun protein, which negatively regulates AP-1 expression. Our results indicated that BmQM protein could affect some immune gene expression and negatively regulate the prophenoloxidase-activating system, and it may play an important role in regulation of the innate immunity in insects.

Circulating UCA1 is highly expressed in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and promotes the progression through the AKT pathway.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of Urothelial Carcinoma Associated 1 (UCA1) during the progression of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and the underlying mechanism. PATIENTS AND METHODS: UCA1 expression in peripheral blood of SLE patients, as well as the expression of protein kinase B (AKT) in the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC), was detected by qRT-PCR. Expression differences in UCA1 and AKT between different groups were compared by t-test or univariate analysis. Through correlation analysis, the correlation between UCA1, AKT and clinical indicators of patients was analyzed. After overexpression and knockout of UCA1, the effect on phenotypes of BaF3 cell was examined. Finally, we analyzed the correlation between AKT and UCA1, and the effect on AKT pathway after overexpression and knockout of UCA1. RESULTS: We found that plasma level of UCA1 and AKT was significantly enhanced in SLE patients. By analyzing the clinical data, a higher UCA1 level was observed in female patients than in males. In addition, UCA1 level in SLE patients with active stage and pathological lesions was higher than those in a stable stage without organ involvement. Correlation analysis showed that there was a positive correlation between UCA1 and C3, anti-ds-DNA, ESR and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI). Similarly, there was a positive correlation between AKT and C3, anti-ds-DNA, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and SLEDAI, respectively. After overexpression and knockdown of UCA1, it was found that overexpression of UCA1 significantly enhanced cell proliferation, while the interference with UCA1 significantly inhibited cell proliferation. Western blot revealed increased expressions of PI3K and AKT after overexpressing UCA1, whereas knockdown of UCA1 led significantly decreased expressions of PI3K and AKT. CONCLUSIONS: UCA1 expression was significantly increased in SLE, which promoted the progression of SLE by activating AKT pathway.

Cytotoxicity of 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide on HepG2 cells.

We evaluated the cytotoxicity of 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazo-lium bromide ([C12mim][Br]) on HepG2 cells and its influence on plasma membrane permeability. The results showed that [C12mim][Br] inhibited HepG2 cell growth and decreased cell viability in a concentration-depen-dent manner. The results also revealed that [C12mim][Br] exposure induced apoptosis in [C12mim][Br]-treated HepG2 cells. In addition, the results showed that [C12mim][Br] increased membrane permeability in HepG2 cells. These results suggest that plasma membrane permeability may be responsible for apoptosis induced by [C12mim][Br] in HepG2 cells.

The effect of antisense tyrosinase-related protein 1 on melanocytes and malignant melanoma cells.

BACKGROUND: Tyrosinase-related proteins (TRPs) include tyrosinase, TRP-1 and TRP-2. The functions of tyrosinase and TRP-2 have been determined, but the biological role of TRP-1 is still controversial and is not well known in humans. OBJECTIVES: To study further the biological role of the human TRP-1 gene in melanocytes and melanoma cells. METHODS: TRP-1 cDNA was subcloned into eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1 in the reverse direction, and antisense recombinant vector was transfected into melanocytes and a melanoma cell line using Lipofectamine 2000. Positive cells were selected by geneticin. TRP-1 mRNA level was measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and TRP-1 protein level by Western blot. Cell cycles were determined by flow cytometry, and the activity of tyrosinase was evaluated by L-DOPA reaction. Light microscopy, electron microscopy and flow cytometry were used to observe cell morphology and apoptosis. For in vivo assays, the antitumour activity of antisense TRP-1 against the malignant melanoma (MM) cell line, Libr, was evaluated in an animal-tumour model of subcutaneous tumours. RESULTS: Positive transfected cells steadily expressed TRP-1 antisense RNA. RT-PCR and Western blot showed a low level of TRP-1 mRNA and TRP-1 protein, respectively. Cell cycles were blocked in the G1 stage, and the activity of tyrosinase decreased significantly (P < 0.01). Light and electron microscopy showed abnormal cell morphology, and apoptosis was detected. The neoplasia activity of antisense TRP-1-transfected MM cells was significantly lower than that of MM cells (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: TRP-1 plays an important role in the proliferation, morphology and tyrosinase activity of melanocytes and melanoma cells.

Tissue injury following inhalation of fine particulate matter and hydrogen peroxide is associated with altered production of inflammatory mediators and antioxidants by alveolar macrophages.

Hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) is present in the atmosphere at concentrations known to induce cell and tissue damage. However, inhaled H(2)O(2) vapor should not reach the lower lung due to its high water solubility. It has been suggested that hygroscopic components of particulate matter (PM) may transport H(2)O(2) into the lower lung and induce tissue injury and this was investigated. Ammonium sulfate [(NH(4))(2)SO(4)] was selected as a model for fine atmospheric PM. Treatment of female Sprague-Dawley rats with (NH(4))(2)SO(4) (429 or 215 microg/m(3); 0.3-0.4 microm mass median diameter) or H(2)O(2) (10, 20, or 100 ppb) alone or in combination for 2 h had no major effect on bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cell number or viability or on protein content or lactate dehydrogenase levels, either immediately or 24 h after exposure, relative to air-exposed rats. However, electron microscopy revealed increased numbers of neutrophils in pulmonary capillaries adhered to the vascular endothelium in rats treated with the combination of (NH(4))(2)SO(4) + H(2)O(2). Exposure of rats to (NH(4))(2)SO(4) + H(2)O(2) also resulted in tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) production by alveolar macrophages. This was observed immediately and 24 h after exposure. Immediately after inhalation of (NH(4))(2)SO(4) + H(2)O(2), a transient increase in production of superoxide anion by alveolar macrophages was observed. In contrast, nitric oxide production by cells from rats exposed to (NH(4))(2)SO(4) + H(2)O(2) or H(2)O(2) alone was decreased, and this persisted for 24 h. Decreases in nitric oxide may be due to superoxide anion-driven formation of peroxynitrite. In this regard, nitrotyrosine, an in vivo marker of peroxynitrite, was detected in lung tissue after exposure of rats to (NH(4))(2)SO(4) + H(2)O(2) or H(2)O(2). We also found that expression of the antioxidant enzyme heme oxygenase-1 by stimulated alveolar macrophages was increased following exposure of rats to (NH(4))(2)SO(4) + H(2)O(2). Taken together, these studies demonstrate that the biological effects of inhaled fine PM are augmented by H(2)O(2). Moreover, tissue injury induced by fine PM may be related to altered production of cytotoxic mediators by alveolar macrophages.

Incidence of gastroesophageal malignancy in patients with dyspepsia in Hong Kong: implications for screening strategies.

BACKGROUND: A "test-and-treat" strategy for H pylori infection has been recommended in Europe and North America as safe and cost-effective for management of patients with dyspepsia. The primary aim of this study was to determine the frequency of gastroesophageal cancer in 2 groups of patients with dyspepsia: those 45 years of age or younger without "alarm" symptoms (low-risk group) and patients over 45 years of age or any patient with "alarm" symptoms (high-risk group). A secondary aim was to determine the frequency of gastric cancer among patients in the low-risk group with or without a positive serology for H pylori. METHODS: Patients with persistent dyspepsia were recruited from 4 regional hospitals in Hong Kong. Those in the low-risk group were evaluated for H pylori by using a whole blood serology test; they underwent endoscopy within 1 week. Those in the high-risk group and those taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) underwent endoscopy promptly. Alarm symptoms were as follows: weight loss (10 or more pounds over 8 weeks), recurrent vomiting, dysphagia, bleeding, or anemia. RESULTS: Of 2627 patients enrolled, 1017 were in the low-risk group and 1610 in the high-risk group. Twenty-three patients (0.9%) had gastroesophageal cancers (20 gastric, 3 esophageal). Four patients with cancer (17.4%) were in the low-risk group (3 gastric, 1 esophageal); all except the patient with esophageal cancer had a positive serology test. In the high-risk group, 19 patients had cancer (17 gastric, 2 esophageal). CONCLUSION: Gastric cancer is relatively frequent among young patients with dyspepsia who have no alarm features in Hong Kong. This finding raises concerns as to the safety of the "test-and-treat" strategy for the management of patients with dyspepsia in Asia.

K562 cells implicate increased chromatin accessibility in Alu transcriptional activation.

Alu repeats in K562 cells are unusually hypomethylated and far more actively transcribed than those in other human cell lines and somatic tissues. Also, the level of Alu RNA in K562 cells is relatively insensitive to cell stresses, namely heat shock, adenovirus infection and treatment with cycloheximide, which increase the abundance of Alu RNA in HeLa and 293 cells. Recent advances in understanding the interactions between DNA methylation, transcriptional activation and chromatin conformation reveal reasons for the constitutively high level of Alu expression in K562 cells. Methylation represses transcription of transiently transfected Alu templates in all cell lines tested but cell stresses do not relieve this repression suggesting that they activate Alu transcription through another pathway. A relatively large fraction of the Alus within K562 chromatin is accessible to restriction enzyme cleavage and cell stresses increase the chromatin accessibility of Alus in HeLa and 293 cells. Cell stress evidently activates Alu transcription by rapidly remodeling chromatin to recruit additional templates.

Anti-Helicobacter pylori treatment in bleeding ulcers: randomized controlled trial comparing 2-day versus 7-day bismuth quadruple therapy.

BACKGROUND: One-week bismuth triple therapy has been established to be highly effective in curing H. pylori infection, but patient compliance has been the major factor of success in therapy. For patients hospitalized for ulcer bleeding, an effective regimen that can completed before discharge will ensure full compliance. AIM: To compare 2-day versus 1-wk bismuth triple therapy plus omeprazole in curing H. pylori infection and bleeding peptic ulcers. METHODS: 100 patients with non-actively bleeding duodenal (DU) or gastric ulcers (GU) and confirmed H. pylori infection were randomized to receive either bismuth subcitrate 120 mg, tetracycline 500 mg, and metronidazole 400 mg four times daily for 1 wk (OBTM-7) or bismuth subcitrate 240 mg, tetracycline 500 mg, and metronidazole 400 mg four times daily for 2 days (OBTM-2). Both groups of patients also received omeprazole 20 mg twice daily for the first week. In the OBTM-2 group, the anti-Helicobacter therapy was finished during hospitalization. Endoscopy was repeated 5 wk after randomization to monitor ulcer healing and determine H. pylori status. Side effects related to the anti-Helicobacter therapy was graded as follows: A, mild discomfort, which did not affect daily activity; B, moderate discomfort affecting daily activity; and C, severe discomfort and patients discontinued therapy. RESULTS: Forty-six patients in the OBTM-2 group and 50 in the OBTM-7 group returned for follow-up endoscopy. With an intention-to-treat analysis, ulcer healing was achieved in 44 of 46 patients (95.7%) in the OBTM-2 group versus 49 of 50 (98%) in the OBTM-7 group, p = 0.61. H. pylori eradication was successful in 35 of 46 patients (76.1%) in the OBTM-2 and in all 50 patients (100%) in the OBTM-7 group, p = 0.00024. There was no difference in the severity of side effects experienced by the patients in the OBTM-2 group than in the OBTM-7 group (19 vs 32%, p = 0.16). None of the patients had rebled during the period of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Despite similar efficacy in ulcer healing, the 2-day quadruple therapy is less effective than the 1-wk regimen in curing H. pylori infection.

Interleukin-1-beta changes the expression of metalloproteinases in the vitreous humor and induces membrane formation in eyes containing preexisting retinal holes.

PURPOSE: Proliferative vitreoretinopathy occurs when cells migrate into the vitreous humor, where they proliferate and produce a membrane composed of extracellular matrix. Interleukin-1-beta (IL-1-beta) may be involved in these processes because it is chemotactic and mitogenic, and it stimulates metalloproteinase production. In the present study, the effects of intravitreally injected IL-1-beta on retinal membrane formation and the associated changes in metalloproteinase content of vitreous humor were examined. METHODS: Rabbit eyes were injected with IL-1-beta in a buffer, with or without the prior creation of retinal holes. Control eyes received the buffer alone or no injection, with or without retinal holes. Animals were examined by slit lamp biomicroscopy and indirect ophthalmoscopy for 1 month. Zymography was performed on a portion of vitreous humor to assess collagenase content, and the remaining tissue was subjected to histologic analysis. RESULTS: Intraocular IL-1-beta induced perilimbal vessel engorgement, keratic precipitates, synechiae, flare, lens deposits, optic disk hyperemia, and granulomatous formations that gradually subsided during the first week. Intravitreal injection of IL-1-beta in eyes with preexisting retinal holes additionally induced membrane formation. Zymographic analysis of vitreous humor from animals sacrificed 24 hours after IL-1-beta injection showed a 100-kd and a 65-kd gelatinase, whereas control vitreous humor contained predominantly a single gelatinase species of approximately 65 kd. Retinal holes did not affect IL-1-beta induction of the 100-kd gelatinase. CONCLUSIONS: IL-1-beta induces a 100-kd gelatinase in the vitreous humor and epiretinal membrane formation in eyes containing preexisting retinal holes. The presence of retinal holes and abnormal production of cytokines may lead to a cascade of events, including aberrant extracellular matrix remodeling, that result in proliferative diseases of the eye.

Phenotypic expression of the Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae 61 hrp/hrm gene cluster in Escherichia coli MC4100 requires a functional porin.

Plants, in general, appear to be able to detect the presence of incompatible Pseudomonas syringae strains by a hypothetical cell-cell recognition process to initiate inducible defense mechanisms that contribute to disease resistance. A 25-kb hrp/hrm gene cluster isolated from P. syringae pv. syringae 61(pHIR11) enables Escherichia coli to elicit a hypersensitive response (HR), a plant response generally considered to be a manifestation of recognition and resistance. To identify the nature of the HR-eliciting signal produced by E. coli cells carrying pHIR11, bacterial surface features were surveyed by immunological and biochemical procedures. No immunoreactive epitopes or outer membrane proteins were detected that were associated with expression of the P. syringae pv. syringae 61 hrp/hrm cluster in E. coli MC4100. Phenotypic expression of the P. syringae pv. syringae 61 hrp/hrm cluster in E. coli MC4100, however, was found to be dependent upon ompC and ompF, which control outer membrane permeability to hydrophilic solutes. The results suggest that deployment of the HR-eliciting signal occurs via outer membrane porins and imply that a low-molecular-weight, hydrophilic factor mediates signal exchange between the bacterium and the responding plant cell.

The inhibitory effect of deferoxamine on DNA synthesis in human lymphocytes.

As an iron-chelating agent, deferoxamine (DFO) is widely used in treating iron poisoning and disorders of iron overload. This study demonstrates that DFO is a potent S-phase inhibitor of DNA synthesis in human lymphocytes in vitro, and this inhibitory effect of DFO is reversible by adding appropriate amounts of ferric ion. As a nontoxic and selective-S-phase inhibitor, it may play a role in immunosuppression in experimental and therapeutic situations. It may even become an auxiliary therapy for leukemia or other malignant tumors.