Drainage and Orbitofrontal Reconstruction After Removal of a Giant Frontal Sinus Osteoma: A Case Report.

After removal of a large frontal sinus osteoma in this case, the contralateral nasofrontal canal was opened to drain the intraoperative fluid and prevent infection, and the defect in the orbitofrontal area was restored using a titanium mesh designed with 3D printing technology.

Uncovering the Mechanism of Curcuma in the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis Based on Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking Technology, and Experiment Verification.

AIM: The incidence of ulcerative colitis (UC) is increasing steadily in developed countries, it is plaguing nearly 1 million people in the United States and European countries, while developing countries have had a rapidly increased incidence over the past decades. Curcuma is widely used in treating malaria, UC, Crohn's disease, and colon cancer, which lead to diarrhea and bloody stool. However, the systemic mechanism of curcuma in treating UC is still unclear. Our work was supposed to expound how does curcuma alleviate UC in a comprehensive and systematic way by network pharmacology, molecular docking, and experiment verification. METHODS: Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology Database (TCMSP), Shanghai Chemistry & Chemical Industry Data Platform (SGST), and papers published in Chinese Network Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) and PubMed were used to collect the chemical constituents of curcuma based on ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion). And effective targets were predicted by Swiss Target Prediction to establish the curcuma-related database. The disease targets of UC were screened by GeneCards and DrugBank databases, and Wayne (Venn) analysis was carried out with curcuma targets to determine the intersection targets. AutoDock software and TCMNPAS system were used to dock the core chemical components of curcuma with key UC targets. Protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed based on the STRING database and Cytoscape software. Gene function GO analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were carried out by using Metascape database. Finally, HE staining was performed to identify the inflammatory infiltration and expression difference in TNF-α and STAT3 before and after the treatment of curcuma which was verified by immunoblotting. RESULTS: Twelve active components containing 148 target genes were selected from curcuma. Potential therapeutic targets of curcuma in the treatment of UC were acquired from 54 overlapped targets from UC and curcuma. Molecular docking was used to filter the exact 24 core proteins interacting with compounds whose docking energy is lower than -5.5 and stronger than that of 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA). GO and KEGG analyses showed that these targets were highly correlated with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, JAK-STAT signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Experiments verified curcuma relieved pathological manifestation and decreased the expression of TNF-α and STAT3. CONCLUSION: Curcuma relieved the colon inflammation of ulcerative colitis via inactivating TNF pathway, inflammatory bowel disease pathway, and epithelial cell signaling in Helicobacter pylori infection pathway, probably by binding to STAT3 and TNF-α.

Xuesaitong exerts long-term neuroprotection for stroke recovery by inhibiting the ROCKII pathway, in vitro and in vivo.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Xuesaitong (XST) is a traditional Chinese medicine injection with neuroprotective properties and has been extensively used to treat stroke for many years. The main component of XST is Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS), which is the main extract of the Chinese herbal medicine Panax notoginseng. AIM OF THE STUDY: In this study, we investigated whether XST provided long-term neuroprotection by inhibiting neurite outgrowth inhibitor-A (Nogo-A) and the ROCKII pathway in experimental rats after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and in SH-SY5Y cells exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rats with permanent MCAO were administered XST, Y27632, XST plus Y27632, and nimodipine for 14 and 28 days. Successful MCAO onset was confirmed by 2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining. Neurological deficit score (NDS) was used to assess neurological impairment. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of synaptophysin (SYN) and postsynaptic density protein-95 (PSD-95) were performed to evaluate cerebral ischemic injury and the neuroprotective capability of XST. Nogo-A levels and the ROCKII pathway were detected by IHC analysis, western blotting, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) to explore the protective mechanism of XST. OGD/R model was established in SH-SY5Y cells. Cell counting kit 8 (CCK8) was applied to detect the optimum OGD time and XST concentration. The expression levels Nogo-A and ROCKII pathway were determined using western blotting. RESULTS: Our results showed that XST reduced neurological dysfunction and pathological damage, promoted weight gain and synaptic regeneration, reduced Nogo-A mRNA and protein levels, and inhibited the ROCKII pathway in MCAO rats. CCK8 assay displayed that the optimal OGD time and optimal XST concentration were 7 h and 20 µg/mL respectively in SH-SY5Y cells. XST could evidently inhibit OGD/R-induced Nogo-A protein expression and ROCKII pathway activation in SH-SY5Y cells. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggested that XST exerted long-term neuroprotective effects that assisted in stroke recovery, possibly through inhibition of the ROCKII pathway.

Clinical Efficacy of Tonic Traditional Chinese Medicine Injection on Acute Cerebral Infarction: A Bayesian Network Meta-Analysis.

Western medicine (WM) has certain limitations in terms of treating acute cerebral infarction (ACI), while tonic traditional Chinese medicine injections (TCMIs) have been shown to have obvious clinical effects as an adjunct to WM for ACI. However, most randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to date have not performed direct comparisons of efficacy among tonic TCMIs. This study designed a Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA) to explore the therapeutic effect of tonic TCMIs on ACI. A comprehensive search of RCTs of TCMIs combined with WM for ACI was conducted using electronic databases for studies dated from the start date of each database until February 2020. Stata 13.0 and ADDIS 1.16.7 software were used to plot and analyze the data. Sixty-six RCTs with a total of 5,989 patients involving 7 kinds of tonic TCMIs were included. Among TCMIs, Shenfu injection (SFI) + WM ranked first in terms of improving clinical efficacy and the activities of daily living (ADLs) rating and reducing interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) levels. While Ciwujia injection (CI) + WM was the best choice for reducing neurological impairment and the high-cut viscosity of whole blood (HCV). Shenmai injection (SI) + WM had the greatest effects in terms of decreasing the levels of low-cut viscosity of whole blood (LCV), fibrinogen (FIB), and plasma viscosity (PV). Based on the cluster analysis of the clinical efficacy and the neurological impairment, CI + WM and Shenqifuzheng (SQI) + WM were the best options for treating ACI. With respect to adverse drug reactions (ADRs), 35 RCTs did not monitor ADRs during treatment. In conclusion, tonic TCMIs could assist WM in benefiting patients with ACI. However, due to the limitations of the current study, strict monitoring of ADRs and data from high-quality RCTs will be required in future to verify the advantage of TCMIs.

Topical use of Jiawei Simiao Yongan Gao to prevent radiodermatitis in patients with head and neck cancer: A retrospective cohort study.

Radiodermatitis is a common side effect of radiotherapy, but currently there is no standard treatment for its prevention. This study aimed to observe the effect of topical application of a paste based on traditional Chinese medicine, Jiawei Simiao Yongan Gao, on radiodermatitis caused by radiotherapy for patients with head and neck cancer.This was a retrospective cohort study of 40 patients with head and neck cancer evaluated during their radiotherapy. Of these, 20 patients were treated with Jiawei Simiao Yongan Gao on the irradiated skin from the beginning of radiotherapy (JSY group). The other 20 patients were given standard nursing (standard group). Acute skin reactions were classified according to the radiation-induced skin reaction assessment scale (RISRAS) and American radiation therapy oncology group (RTOG) acute toxicity grading criteria every 2 weeks, and adverse effects were recorded until the end of the radiotherapy.The two groups showed differences in severity of radiodermatitis. At 0 to 30 Gy, the skin reactions were similar in the two groups, while above 40 Gy the skin reactions were significantly lower grade in the JSY group (P < .05). At 0 to 20 Gy, there was no statistical significance (P > .05); but above 30 Gy they were lower in the JSY group (P < .05).Jiawei Simiao Yongan Gao effectively alleviated acute radiodermatitis caused by radiotherapy of head and neck cancer patients compared with standard nursing.

Randomized controlled trial of regional tissue oxygenation following goal-directed fluid therapy during laparoscopic colorectal surgery.

BACKGROUND: A randomized, double-blinded controlled trial was performed to evaluate how perioperative goal-directed fluid therapy (GDFT) influences tissue oxygenation in laparoscopic colorectal surgery. METHODS: A total of 74 patients undergoing elective laparoscopic colorectal surgery were treated with GDFT (G group) guided by stroke volume variation or conventional fluid therapy (C group). Forearm, crural, and cerebral tissue oxygen saturation (rSO2) were simultaneously measured by near-infrared spectroscopy. Parameters of hemodynamics and rSO2 were obtained at seven time points including before induction of anesthesia (T1), 5 min after trachea cannula (T2), 5, 60, and 120 min after pneumoperitoneum in the Trendeleburg position (T3, T4 and T5, respectively), after desufflation in the Trendeleburg position (T6), and at the end of the operation in a supine position (T7). The postoperative outcomes were recorded. RESULTS: Compared to C group, intraoperatively, patients in the G group received more colloid (P<0.05). The stroke volume variation in G group at T5, T6 and T7 was significantly lower than that in C group (P<0.05). The cardiac index, forearm and crural rSO2 in G group at T4, T5, T6 and T7 were significantly higher than those in C group (P<0.05). No significant differences were observed for the cerebral rSO2 between the two groups (P > 0.05). The postoperative hospital stay and complications also showed no differences between these two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Although the implementation of GDFT cannot increase cerebral rSO2, the forearm and crural rSO2 are improved during the laparoscopic colorectal surgery, which is helpful to reduce the risk of regional tissue hypoxia.

[Experimental study of a new animal model with trigeminal neuralgia produced by administration of talc to peripheral infraobital nerve in rats].

PURPOSE: To establish a new animal model of trigeminal neuralgia（TN） produced by administration of talc to peripheral infraobital nerve in rats. METHODS: Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into 2 groups. Talcum powder (30％,0.3 mL) was injected into the peripheral infraorbital foramen in one group, the same dose of normal saline was injected by the same method in another group. On 3 day before surgery and 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks, 8 and 12 weeks postoperatively, mechanical pain behavior was determined. Statistical analysis of the threshold of pain response was performed and the behavior of pain was observed in the area of infraorbital nerve innervation in rats. Histopathological changes of the peripheral infraorbital nerve tissue in the rats were observed 3 days, 4 weeks, 8 weeks and 12 weeks postoperatively. The expression of inflammatory factors such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin -1ß (IL-1ß) in the territory of the infraorbital nerve was detected by immunohistochemistry. SPSS16.0 software package was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The mechanical pain threshold of rats in the infraorbital innervation area 3 days postoperatively in the experimental group was significantly decreased compared with that in the preoperative group and the control group (P<0.01). The rats in the experimental group 3 days postoperatively experienced symptoms of irritability, scratching the face or aggressive behavior. Twelve weeks after operation, the mechanical pain threshold was still significantly decreased. Histopathological examination in the experimental group 3 days postoperatively mainly showed inflammation with a few inflammatory factors（IL-1ß and TNF-α）expression. Inflammation in the experimental group 1week postoperatively was more intense and more inflammatory factors were expressed. Four weeks postoperatively, there was more proliferation of granulation tissue in the area of peripheral infraorbital nerve tissue and expression of inflammatory factors was highest. Four to twelve weeks, the inflammatory response in the experimental group was gradually reduced, increased scar and infraorbital nerve compressing by scar were observed, and the expression of inflammatory factors decreased gradually. CONCLUSIONS: Injection of talc to the peripheral infraorbital foramen can establish a reliable and stable animal model for research of etiology and treatment of TN.

[Effect of Decitabine on DKK1 Gene Demethylation in Leukemia Cells].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of decitabine on Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) gene expression level and its downstream Wnt signaling pathway in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell line HL-60. METHODS: Flow cytometry and DNA ladder analysis were performed to detect apoptosis in HL-60 cell treated with different concentration of decitabine. Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MS-PCR) was used to examine the methylation status of DKK1 gene. The expressions of mRNA and protein were determined by qRT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. RESULTS: Flow cytometric detection showed that after treating HL-60 cell line with decitabine of different concentrations for 48 h, the early apoptosis of HL-60 cells increased significantly as compared with control group (P < 0.05). DNA ladder analysis showed that the DNA ladder and demethylation of DKK1 gene appeared. RT-PCR and Western blot showed that the expressions of mRNA and protein increased. The protein expressions of ß-catenin and C-MYC decreased. CONCLUSION: The decitabine can promote the apoptosis of HL-60 cells throngh demethylation of DDK1 gene and inhibition of Wnt signalling pathway.

[Research Progress on DKK1 Gene in Leukemia].

A number of studies have demonstrated that the methylation of Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) gene promoter is related with the occurrence and development of many neoplastic diseases. By means of binding with corresponding receptors, DKK1 blocks the transduction pathway of Wnt/ß-catenin/TCF and inhibits the proliferation and invasion of tumor cells, inducing apoptosis. Leukemia is a hyperplastic disease of hematopoietic stem cell malignant clone. Its pathogenesis has been confirmed to be closely related with the aberrant activation of Wnt signaling pathway. This pathway is associated with the self-renewal and proliferation of the hematopoietic stem cells, which can regulate growth, differentiation, migration of the cells, angiogenesis and embryonic development. Its expression is regulated by some suppressor genes like Dickkopf 1 (DKK1). Leukemia often accompanied by methylation modification of the DKK1 gene, so as to leads to silencing itself and activation of the Wnt signaling pathway, which cause the occurrence of leukemia. Some therapeutic methods on leukemia aiming at DKK1 gene have been reported, among which DKK1 gene was demethylated. The intensive study on the expression and function of DKK1 should be important for the early diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. This article reviews the current progress in this field.

Dual roles of PARP-1 promote cancer growth and progression.

UNLABELLED: PARP-1 is an abundant nuclear enzyme that modifies substrates by poly(ADP-ribose)-ylation. PARP-1 has well-described functions in DNA damage repair and also functions as a context-specific regulator of transcription factors. With multiple models, data show that PARP-1 elicits protumorigenic effects in androgen receptor (AR)-positive prostate cancer cells, in both the presence and absence of genotoxic insult. Mechanistically, PARP-1 is recruited to sites of AR function, therein promoting AR occupancy and AR function. It was further confirmed in genetically defined systems that PARP-1 supports AR transcriptional function, and that in models of advanced prostate cancer, PARP-1 enzymatic activity is enhanced, further linking PARP-1 to AR activity and disease progression. In vivo analyses show that PARP-1 activity is required for AR function in xenograft tumors, as well as tumor cell growth in vivo and generation and maintenance of castration resistance. Finally, in a novel explant system of primary human tumors, targeting PARP-1 potently suppresses tumor cell proliferation. Collectively, these studies identify novel functions of PARP-1 in promoting disease progression, and ultimately suggest that the dual functions of PARP-1 can be targeted in human prostate cancer to suppress tumor growth and progression to castration resistance. SIGNIFICANCE: These studies introduce a paradigm shift with regard to PARP-1 function in human malignancy, and suggest that the dual functions of PARP-1 in DNA damage repair and transcription factor regulation can be leveraged to suppress pathways critical for promalignant phenotypes in prostate cancer cells by modulation of the DNA damage response and hormone signaling pathways. The combined studies highlight the importance of dual PARP-1 function in malignancy and provide the basis for therapeutic targeting.

[Effect of prolonged infusion of propofol on the liver mitochondria respiratory function in rabbits].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes of respiratory function of liver mitochondria in rabbits induced by the general anesthetic propofol. METHODS: Eighteen New Zealand rabbits weighted 1.5-2.5 kg were randomly divided into three groups: control group, emulsion group and propofol group. The control group received continuous infusion of 0.9% sodium chloride solution. The propofol group received continuous infusion of 1% propofol. The emulsion group received continuous infusion of 10% emulsion. The liver mitochondri of the rabbits were isolated. The carnitine acyl transferase (CPT) activity, H+ -ATPase hydrolysis activity and the content of ATP in the mitochondria were analysed. RESULTS: The rabbits in the propofol group had lower activity of CPT than the controls (P < 0.05), while no difference was found between the control group and the emulsion group (P > 0.05). The rabbits in the propofol group had higher H+ -ATPase hydrolysis activity than the controls (P < 0.05), while no difference was found between the control group and the emulsion group (P > 0.05). No significant differences were found in the content of ATP in mitochondria between the three groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Propofol inhibits CPT activity, which disturbs fatty acid beta-oxidation. Emulsion acted as vehicle of propofol seems to have no significant impact on mitochondria respiratory function.

N,N'-Bis(2-thienylmethyl-ene)benzene-1,4-diamine.

The Schiff base, C(16)H(12)N(2)S(2), has been synthesized by refluxing an ethano-lic solution of thio-phene-2-carbaldehyde and benzene-1,4-diamine. The center of the benzene ring is located on a crystallographic center of inversion. The dihedral angle between the benzene and thio-phene rings is 63.6 (1)°.

Effects of Psa and F1 on the adhesive and invasive interactions of Yersinia pestis with human respiratory tract epithelial cells.

Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague, expresses the Psa fimbriae (pH 6 antigen) in vitro and in vivo. To evaluate the potential virulence properties of Psa for pneumonic plague, an Escherichia coli strain expressing Psa was engineered and shown to adhere to three types of human respiratory tract epithelial cells. Psa binding specificity was confirmed with Psa-coated polystyrene beads and by inhibition assays. Individual Y. pestis cells were found to be able to express the capsular antigen fraction 1 (F1) concomitantly with Psa on their surface when analyzed by flow cytometry. To better evaluate the separate effects of F1 and Psa on the adhesive and invasive properties of Y. pestis, isogenic Deltacaf (F1 genes), Deltapsa, and Deltacaf Deltapsa mutants were constructed and studied with the three respiratory tract epithelial cells. The Deltapsa mutant bound significantly less to all three epithelial cells compared to the parental wild-type strain and the Deltacaf and Deltacaf Deltapsa mutants, indicating that Psa acts as an adhesin for respiratory tract epithelial cells. An antiadhesive effect of F1 was clearly detectable only in the absence of Psa, underlining the dominance of the Psa+ phenotype. Both F1 and Psa inhibited the intracellular uptake of Y. pestis. Thus, F1 inhibits bacterial uptake by inhibiting bacterial adhesion to epithelial cells, whereas Psa seems to block bacterial uptake by interacting with a host receptor that doesn't direct internalization. The Deltacaf Deltapsa double mutant bound and invaded all three epithelial cell types well, revealing the presence of an undefined adhesin(s) and invasin(s).

Characterization of murine grancalcin specifically expressed in leukocytes and its possible role in host defense against bacterial infection.

Such phagocytic leukocytes as macrophages and neutrophils are the key cellular components of innate immunity. The actin cytoskeleton is essential for their recruitment and activation in infected tissues. We have previously identified p65/L-plastin with Ca(2+)-, calmodulin-, and beta-actin-binding domains in macrophages. In order to further investigate the p65/L-plastin-involved cellular functions, we cloned the cDNA for murine grancalcin, a possible binding partner of p65/L-plastin. According to the sequence, grancalcin is a member of the penta-EF-hand protein family. We prepared recombinant (r) grancalcin for functional studies and found that it exhibited Ca(2+)-dependent precipitation. High-titer antibodies against the protein enabled us to detect intracellular grancalcin. A flow cytometric analysis revealed grancalcin to be highly expressed in macrophages and neutrophils. The protein was particularly abundant in those cells recovered from bacteria-infected sites. Immunohistochemical studies clarified that grancalcin was translocated to the actin cytoskeleton in macrophages upon exposure to bacterial lipopolysaccharide. These findings suggest that grancalcin plays a key role in leukocyte-specific functions that are responsible for host defense.

Preparation and characterization of recombinant murine p65/L-plastin expressed in Escherichia coli and high-titer antibodies against the protein.

We previously identified a 65-kDa protein (p65) that was phosphorylated in activated macrophages. It has turned out to be a murine homologue of human L-plastin, which was identified as a novel protein in human cancer cells. p65/L-plastin is characterized by a series of Ca(2+)-, calmodulin-, and actin-binding domains, and is thought to play a crucial role in leukocytes and cancer cells. We have expressed a recombinant (r) p65/L-plastin in Escherichia coli that binds to beta-actin and prepared high-titer antibodies using large amounts of the protein as immunogen. Anti-rp65/L-plastin antibodies recognize native p65/L-plastin as well as rp65/L-plastin and have enabled us to detect the fine structures of intracellular p65/L-plastin, and it was found that its localization was extensively changed by stimulation with bacterial components. We further developed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay system and a flow cytometry method using these reagents, which made it possible to measure antibodies, including autoantibodies, against p65/L-plastin and to evaluate the maturation-dependent expression of the protein in leukocytes.