Transient pulmonary and gastric bleeding after iopamidol administration in a patient with marginal zone lymphoma: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Iopamidol is a non-ionic, water-soluble iodine contrast agent that is considered safe for intravenous or intra-arterial administration and is widely used both in the general population and in patients undergoing oncological treatment. While adverse reactions to iopamidol have been documented, to date, no pulmonary and gastric hemorrhages induced by iopamidol have been reported in oncology patients. We report the first case of this complication. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 60-year-old woman with marginal zone lymphoma who was receiving antineoplastic therapy. As part of the investigation for the condition, she underwent chest enhancement CT with iopamidol. Shortly thereafter(within five minutes), she experienced hemoptysis and hematemesis. She was intubated and admitted to the intensive care unit. Pre- and post-contrast images demonstrated the course of the hemorrhage. Flexible bronchoscopy and gastroscopy on the following day showed no active bleeding, and the patient recovered completely after antiallergy treatment. We speculate that contrast-induced hypersensitivity was the most likely cause of the transient pulmonary and gastric bleeding. CONCLUSION: Although rare, the complications of iopamidol, which may cause allergic reactions in the lungs and stomach, should be considered.

Clinical observation of ultraviolet therapy combined with autologous platelet-rich plasma in the treatment of chronic refractory wounds.

Refractory wounds present complex and serious clinical dilemmas in plastic and reconstructive surgeries. Currently, there are no standard guidelines for the treatment of refractory wounds. To observe the clinical effects of ultraviolet (UV) therapy combined with autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) on chronic refractory wounds. Between January 2021 and December 2022, 60 inpatients with chronic refractory wounds were enrolled. Twenty patients were assigned to each of control groups 1 and 2 and treatment group according to whether they received PRP or UV treatment. All the patients underwent thorough debridement. Control group 2 received UV radiation. The treatment group underwent UV radiation combined with PRP gel covering the wound. Control group 1 underwent routine dressing changes after surgery, followed by skin grafting or skin key transfer if needed. One month later, we observed the wound healing in the two groups. After 2-4 PRP gel treatments, the wounds of patients in the treatment group healed. The healing time was 25.25 ± 4.93 days, and the dressings were changed 4.15 ± 3.30 times, both of which were better outcomes than in both control groups. In the treatment group, epidermal growth factor (EGF), insulin-like growth factor (IGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PGF), and transforming growth factor ß (TGF-ß) were slightly higher, and the concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was significantly higher than in the control group (p < 0.05). PRP combined with UV therapy significantly increased the concentration of wound growth factors, accelerated wound healing, shortened treatment time, reduced treatment costs, and alleviated pain in patients.

Keratin 6A (KRT6A) promotes radioresistance, invasion, and metastasis in lung cancer via p53 signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: It is reported that the incidence rate and mortality of lung cancer are very high. Therefore, early diagnosis and identification of specific biomarkers are crucial for the clinical treatment of lung cancer. This study aims to comprehensively investigate the prognostic significance of KRT6A in human lung cancer. METHODS: The GEO2R online tool was utilized to analyze the differential expression of mRNA between lung carcinoma tissues and radioresistant tissues in the GSE73095 and GSE197236 datasets. DAVID database was used to perform GO and KEGG enrichment analyses on target genes. The Kaplan-Meier plotter tool was used to analyze the impact of key messenger ribonucleic acid on the survival status of lung cancer. In addition, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to investigate the impact of key genes on the phenotype of lung cancer cells. After the knockout, we conducted cell migration and CCK-8 experiments to detect their effects on cell proliferation and invasion. RESULTS: 40 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were chosen from GSE73095 and 118 DEGs were chosen from GSE197236. Kaplan-Meier map analysis showed that the overall cancer survival rate of the high-expression KRT6A group was higher than that of the low-expression group (P < 0.05). Besides, cell experiments have shown that when the KRT6A gene is downregulated, the proliferation and invasion ability of lung cancer cells is weakened. CONCLUSIONS: Our research concluded that KRT6A may take part in the radioresistance and progression of lung cancer and can be a potential biomarker for lung cancer patients.

New understandings of the genetic regulatory relationship between non-coding RNAs and m6A modification.

One of the most frequent epigenetic modifications of RNA in eukaryotes is N6 methyladenosine (m6A), which is mostly present in messenger RNAs. Through the influence of several RNA processing stages, m6A modification is a crucial approach for controlling gene expression, especially in cancer progression. It is universally acknowledged that numerous non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), such as microRNAs, circular RNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and piRNAs, are also significantly affected by m6A modification, and the complex genetic regulatory relationship between m6A and ncRNAs plays a pivotal role in the development of cancer. The connection between m6A modifications and ncRNAs offers an opportunity to explore the oncogene potential regulatory mechanisms and suggests that m6A modifications and ncRNAs could be vital biomarkers for multiple cancers. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms of interaction between m6A methylation and ncRNAs in cancer, and we also summarize diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for clinical cancer detection. Furthermore, our article includes some methodologies for identifying m6A sites when assessing biomarker potential.

MicroRNA-27a Suppresses the Toxic Action of Mepivacaine on Breast Cancer Cells via Inositol-Requiring Enzyme 1-TNF Receptor-Associated Factor 2.

Objective: To investigate the toxic effects of microRNA-27a on breast cancer cells through inositol-acquiring enzyme 1-TNF receptor-associated factor 2 inhibition by mepivacaine. Methods: The elevation of miR-27a in MCF-7 of BCC lines was measured, and groups were set up as control, mepivacaine, and elevated groups. Cells from each group were examined for inflammatory progression. Results: Elevated miR-27a in MCF-7 cells was able to distinctly augment the cell advancement (P < 0.01) and decline cell progression (P < 0.01). Meanwhile, miR-27a reduced the content of intracellular inflammatory factors IL-1ß (P < 0.01) and IL-6 (P < 0.01), elevated the content of IL-10 (P < 0.01), suppressed levels of cleaved-caspase-3 and p-signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3) (P < 0.01), and increased Bcl-2/Bax (P < 0.01). Conclusion: Elevated miR-27a in MCF-7 of BCC lineage was effective in reducing the toxic effects of mepivacaine on cells and enhancing cell progression. This mechanism is thought to be related to the activation of the IRE1-TRAF2 signaling pathway in BCC. The findings may provide a theoretical basis for targeted treatment of BC in clinical practice.

Bone marrow stromal cell-derived exosomes improve oxidative stress and pyroptosis in doxorubicin-induced myocardial injury in vitro by regulating the transcription of GSDMD through the PI3K-AKT-Foxo1 pathway.

OBJECTIVES: Doxorubicin (DOX) can contribute to severe myocardial injury, and bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC)-exosomes (Exos) improves acute myocardial infarction. Hence, this research investigated whether BMSC-Exos alleviated DOX-induced myocardial injury. METHODS: BMSC-derived Exos were isolated and identified, and the optimal concentration of DOX was confirmed. H9C2 cells were treated with DOX and BMSC-Exos or in combination with the protein kinase B (AKT) inhibitor. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and JC-1 were detected to assess oxidative stress (OS) and mitochondrial membrane damage, respectively. In addition, the expression of pyroptosis-related molecules was measured. The expression of phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)-AKT pathway-related proteins and the phosphorylation and acetylation of forkhead box O1 (Foxo1) in the cell nucleus and cytoplasm were tested. Last, interactions between Foxo1 and gasdermin D (GSDMD) were assessed. RESULTS: BMSC-Exo treatment increased viability and mitochondrial membrane potential and reduced lactic dehydrogenase release and ROS levels in DOX-treated H9C2 cells. Furthermore, the addition of BMSC-Exos suppressed DOX-induced activation and upregulation of NLRP3 and apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing A CARD (ASC) and in vitro cleavage of caspase-1, GSDMD, interleukin (IL)-1ß, and IL-18 proteins. Additionally, BMSC-Exo treatment enhanced the expression of phosphorylated (p)-PI3K, p-AKT, and p-mTOR in DOX-treated H9C2 cells and the levels of phosphorylated Foxo1 in the cytoplasm of DOX-treated H9C2 cells. Foxo1 was enriched in the promoter region of GSDMD. Moreover, the AKT inhibitor API-2 annulled the effects of BMSC-Exos on OS, pyroptosis, and Foxo1 phosphorylation in DOX-treated H9C2 cells. CONCLUSIONS: BMSC-Exos phosphorylated Foxo1 and inactivated Foxo1 transcription via the PI3K-AKT pathway to diminish GSDMD expression, thus restraining DOX-induced pyroptosis and OS of myocardial cells.

Biofilm-induced corrosion inhibition of Q235 carbon steel by anaerobic Bacillus cereus inoculum in simulated cooling water.

In this study, the corrosion behavior of Q235 carbon steel (CS) under a Bacillus cereus (B. cereus) inoculum in simulated cooling water was evaluated. The weight loss study proved B. cereus inoculum possessed anticorrosion efficiencies of 92.84% and 73.88% for 3-day and 14-day rotation tests, respectively. The electrochemical measurements indicated that the added B. cereus inoculum increased the charge transfer resistance and reduced corrosion current density. B. cereus cells with strong biofilm-forming capacity were able to adhere onto the Q235 CS surface to form compact biofilms and cause biomineralization. Surface characterization analysis demonstrated that the presence of the B. cereus inoculum reduced the amount of Fe2O3 and simultaneously increased the amount of CaCO3 in corrosion products. The corrosion inhibition mechanisms of the B. cereus inoculum involve forming biofilm, generating a biomineralized layer, and consuming dissolved oxygen. Thus, B. cereus inoculum provides a biological strategy for industrial cooling water anticorrosion application.

[Cross-sectional analysis of libido status and risk factors in male patients with chronic headache].

OBJECTIVE: Exploring the libido status of male chronic headache patients and analyzing its relationship with headache symptoms, sleep, anxiety, and depression, providing reference for the comprehensive treatment of male chronic headache. METHODS: 179 patients with chronic headache who visited the Third Affiliated Hospital of Qiqihar Medical College from January 2022 to February 2023 were selected. The male Self Rated Libido Scale , Visual Analog Scale for Pain, Migraine Disability Assessment Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale-7, and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 were used to evaluate the libido status, headache severity, disability level, sleep quality, anxiety, and depression of the research subjects, respectively. RESULTS: Among 179 male chronic headache patients, 97 were chronic migraine (CM) patients and 82 were chronic tension type (CTT) patients, and 47 were screened for low libido. The influencing factors of libido in male chronic headache patients include age, smoking, frequency of exercise, course of disease, severity of pain, frequency of headache, disability score, sleep quality, anxiety and depression (all P<0.05). Compared with male CTT patients, male CM patients have higher pain severity, headache frequency, disability score, and anxiety score, while lower libido score (all P<0.05). The results of multivariate analysis showed that age, frequency of exercise, course of disease, severity of pain, frequency of headache, degree of disability, sleep quality, anxiety, and depression were the influencing factors for the decline of libido in male chronic headache patients. CONCLUSION: It is common for male chronic headache patients to experience decreased libido, with male chronic migraine (CM) patients exhibiting more severe reductions. Advanced age, decreased physical activity, longer disease duration, severe pain intensity, frequent headaches, higher disability levels, poor sleep, anxiety, and depression are risk factors for decreased libido in male chronic headache patients.

Systematic review of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos: A significant food and traditional Chinese medicine.

Lonicerae Japonicae Flos has been used as a tea and medicine for more than 1,500 years. It has the functions of clearing heat, detoxification, and is often used to treat carbuncle, furuncle, throat arthralgia, erysipelas, heat-toxic blood dysentery, febrile fever. This paper summarizes the botany, ethnopharmacology, chemical composition and pharmacological action of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos from 1986 to 2022, and looks forward to the future research direction of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos. At present, the components isolated from Lonicerae Japonicae Flos include essential oils, organic acids, flavonoids, iridoids, saponins and other compounds. It has the effects of anti-inflammation, anti-virus, anti-bacteria, anti-oxidation, anti-tumor, protect liver and galltesticles, hypotensive, hypolipidemic, anti-thrombosis, anti-allergy, immune regulation and so on. It is often used in clinical treatment of diarrhea, hematochezia, febrile disease, exogenous wind-heat, and cold, swelling and toxin of carbuncle, sore throat and so on. The comprehensive evaluation of the quality of Lonicerae Japonicae Flos and the understanding of multi-target network pharmacology also need to be studied. As a kind of health food with high value, LJF is worthy of further promotion and development.

Diagnostic Significance of 18F-FDG PET/CT Imaging Coupled with Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Entire Body for Bone Metastases.

Objective: To see if 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography (18F-FDG PET/CT) imaging paired with MR diffusion imaging can help doctors diagnose bone metastases. Methods: From September 2020 to December 2021, a total of 30 individuals with probable bone metastases were recruited for the trial. With an average interval of four days, MAGNETIC resonance whole-body diffusion imaging (MR whole-body diffusion imaging) was performed on each of the 30 patients who had 18F-FDG PET/CT. The SUVmax values of the group with bone metastases were compared to those of the group without bone metastases. In this study, 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging, MR whole-body diffusion imaging, and their combination were examined. The researchers compared the results when 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging, whole-body MRI diffusion scans, and their combination indicated abnormal bone lesions. By comparing the diagnostic efficacy of 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging, MR whole-body diffusion imaging, and their combination, as well as accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity, the three techniques for diagnosing bone metastases will be evaluated for diagnostic usefulness. Results: the SUV max values of patients with bone metastases were significantly different from those of patients without bone metastases, as determined by 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging (P < 0.05). Using 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging, MR whole-body diffusion imaging, and their combined detection of aberrant bone lesions in various areas, we found statistically significant differences. Conclusion: The use of 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging in conjunction with MR whole-body diffusion imaging in the diagnosis of bone metastases can be very helpful.

Bioinformatics Analysis of Prognosis-Related Genes and Expression of CXCL8 in Colorectal Cancer.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC), one of the main causes of death, remains a leading cause of mortality in gastrointestinal cancer and tends to affect the younger generation. However, the pathological process of colorectal cancer is unclear. Exploring potential pathogenesis and therapeutic targets of CRC is significant as its high prevalence and high mortality. Nowadays, the rapid development of bioinformatics provides us an opportunity to explore potential molecular markers of CRC. Materials and Methods: First, three CRC gene chips with paracancerous controls were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Second, after combining and batch correcting the three chips using the R language and Perl language, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were selected to investigate how they affect the CRC occurrence and development by GO and KEGG enrichment analysis. Third, based on the STRING website and the Cytoscape software, the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed and the core genes were screened out. Finally, through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC), the expression and function of the core gene CXCL8 in CRC were explored. Results: GSE10950, GSE44076, and GSE75970, including 126 intestinal cancer samples and 126 paracancer samples, were screened as the datasets. 192 DEGs were screened, including 43 upregulated genes and 149 downregulated genes. Through the DEGs screened out, GO enrichment analysis, KEGG enrichment analysis, and the construction of PPI interaction network were carried out. Finally, according to the nodes and edges in the PPI network, the DEGs were sorted and the core genes were selected. Through basic experiments, the first ranked CXCL8 was further studied, and the results suggest that the expression of CXCL8 is related to the proliferation, migration, invasion, and even distant metastasis of CRC. Conclusion: The present study showed that DEGs of CRC are associated with multiple tumor-related biological processes and signaling pathways. The core gene CXCL8 has the potential to be a new therapeutic target for CRC.

Multiparametric transrectal ultrasound for the diagnosis of peripheral zone prostate cancer and clinically significant prostate cancer: novel scoring systems.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of multiparametric transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) and to design diagnostic scoring systems based on four modes of TRUS to predict peripheral zone prostate cancer (PCa) and clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa). METHODS: A development cohort involved 124 nodules from 116 patients, and a validation cohort involved 72 nodules from 67 patients. Predictors for PCa and csPCa were extracted to construct PCa and csPCa models based on regression analysis of the development cohort. An external validation was performed to assess the performance of models using area under the curve (AUC). Then, PCa and csPCa diagnostic scoring systems were established to predict PCa and csPCa. The diagnostic accuracy was compared between PCa and csPCa scores and PI-RADS V2, using receiver operating characteristics (ROC) and decision curve analysis (DCA). RESULTS: Regression models were established as follows: PCa = - 8.284 + 4.674 × Margin + 1.707 × Adler grade + 3.072 × Enhancement patterns + 2.544 × SR; csPCa = - 7.201 + 2.680 × Margin + 2.583 × Enhancement patterns + 2.194 × SR. The PCa score ranged from 0 to 6 points, and the csPCa score ranged from 0 to 3 points. A PCa score of 5 or higher and a csPCa score of 3 had the greatest diagnostic performance. In the validation cohort, the AUC for the PCa score and PI-RADS V2 in diagnosing PCa were 0.879 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.790-0.967) and 0.873 (95%CI 0.778-0.969). For the diagnosis of csPCa, the AUC for the csPCa score and PI-RADS V2 were 0.806 (95%CI 0.700-0.912) and 0.829 (95%CI 0.727-0.931). CONCLUSIONS: The multiparametric TRUS diagnostic scoring systems permitted better identifications of peripheral zone PCa and csPCa, and their performances were comparable to that of PI-RADS V2.

miRNA-214-5p inhibits prostate cancer cell proliferation by targeting SOX4.

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer is the most common malignant tumor in men. Due to the lack of theoretical research on its pathogenic mechanism, the current cure rate is still low. miRNAs play an important role in the pathogenesis of various cancers. miRNA-214-5p plays an important role in the development of a variety of cancers. This study aims to explore the expression level of miR-214-5p in prostate cancer and make a preliminary study of its molecular mechanism in the development of prostate cancer to provide effective new strategies for the treatment of prostate cancer. METHODS: The target genes of miRNA-214-5p were predicted with bioinformatics technology, and the target relationship between miRNA-214-5p and its target genes was verified with dual luciferase reporter assay. RT-qPCR and Western blot were used to detect the expression levels of miRNA-214-5p and target genes in 50 clinical samples and two common prostate continuous cell lines, respectively. The targeting relationship between miRNA-214-5p and its target genes was verified with clinical data. miRNA-214-5p and miRNA-214-5p inhibitor was over-expressed in DU-145 cell lines to verify the effect of miRNA-214-5p on prostate cancer cell proliferation and SOX4 gene expression. And the mechanism of miRNA-214-5p inhibiting the proliferation of prostate cancer cells were analyzed by detecting the expression difference of downstream factors of SOX4 pathway. Bioinformatics analysis showed that miRNA-214-5p combined with SOX4 3'UTR region, and dual luciferase reporter assay further verified the reliability of the predicted results. The low expression of miRNA-214-5p was observed in prostate cancer tissues and cells, while high expression of SOX4 was observed in prostate cancer tissues and cells. RESULTS: Overexpression of miRNA-214-5p to prostate cancer cells significantly inhibited the proliferation of cancer cells, and the expression of SOX4 was inhibited in the transfected cell line. After transfection of miRNA-214-5p inhibitor into prostate cancer cells, the cell proliferation rate further increased. Meanwhile, overexpression of miRNA-214-5p effectively inhibited the expression of SOX4 downstream factors, including c-Myc, eIF4E, and CDK4. However, the specific knockdown of SOX4 through SOX4 shRNA significantly reduced the proliferation of prostate cancer cell lines. CONCLUSIONS: miRNA-214-5 can inhibit the proliferation of prostate cancer cells by specifically targeting S0X4 and inhibiting the expression of growth factors downstream of this pathway.

Hepatorenal syndrome in acute-on-chronic liver failure with acute kidney injury: more questions requiring discussion.

In cirrhosis with ascites, hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is a specific prerenal dysfunction unresponsive to fluid volume expansion. Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) comprises a group of clinical syndromes with multiple organ failure and early high mortality. There are differences in the characterization of ACLF between the Eastern and Western medical communities. Patients with ACLF and acute kidney injury (AKI) have more structural injuries, contributing to confusion in diagnosing HRS-AKI. In this review, we discuss progress in the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of HRS-AKI, especially in patients with ACLF. Controversy regarding HRS-AKI in ACLF and acute liver failure, hepatic carcinoma, shock, sepsis, and chronic kidney disease is also discussed. Research on the treatment of HRS-AKI with ACLF needs to be more actively pursued to improve disease prognosis.

Clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa) detection with various prostate sampling schemes based on different csPCa definitions.

BACKGROUND: Combining targeted biopsy (TB) with systematic biopsy (SB) is currently recommended as the first-line biopsy method by the European Association of Urology (EAU) guidelines in patients diagnosed with prostate cancer (PCa) with an abnormal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The combined SB and TB indeed detected an additional number of patients with clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa); however, it did so at the expense of a concomitant increase in biopsy cores. Our study aimed to evaluate if ipsilateral SB (ipsi-SB) + TB or contralateral SB (contra-SB) + TB could achieve almost equal csPCa detection rates as SB + TB using fewer cores based on a different csPCa definition. METHODS: Patients with at least one positive prostate lesion were prospectively diagnosed by MRI. The combination of TB and SB was conducted in all patients. We compared the csPCa detection rates of the following four hypothetical biopsy sampling schemes with those of SB + TB: SB, TB, ipsi-SB + TB, and contra-SB + TB. RESULTS: The study enrolled 279 men. The median core of SB, TB, ipsi-SB + TB, and contra-SB + TB was 10, 2, 7 and 7, respectively (P < 0.001). ipsi-SB + TB detected significantly more patients with csPCa than contra-SB + TB based on the EAU guidelines (P = 0.042). They were almost equal on the basis of the Epstein criteria (P = 1.000). Compared with SB + TB, each remaining method detected significantly fewer patients with csPCa regardless of the definition (P < 0.001) except ipsi-SB + TB on the grounds of D1 (P = 0.066). Ten additional subjects were identified with a higher Gleason score (GS) on contra-SB + TB, and only one was considered as significantly upgraded (GS = 6 on ipsi-SB + TB to a GS of 8 on contra-SB + TB). CONCLUSIONS: Ipsi-SB + TB could acquire an almost equivalent csPCa detection value to SB + TB using significantly fewer cores when csPCa was defined according to the EAU guidelines. Given that there was only one significantly upgrading patient on contra-SB, our results suggested that contra-SB could be avoided.

Identification of a Rare EGFR T790I Mutation in Lung Adenocarcinoma Sensitive to Osimertinib.

Estimated glomerular filtration rate (EGFR)-sensitive mutations are extremely important for targeted treatment strategies in lung cancer. Osimertinib can effectively inhibit the activity of EGFR-sensitive mutations, including the T790M mutation. However, the efficiency of osimertinib for rare mutation types of T790 is unclear. Here, we report the case of a Chinese patient with lung adenocarcinoma (LADC) harboring a T790I mutation who achieved significant benefits from osimertinib treatment.

Transcriptome Differences in Pig Tracheal Epithelial Cells in Response to Pasteurella Multocida Infection.

Pasteurella multocida generally colonizes mammalian/bird respiratory tracts and mainly causes respiratory disorders in both humans and animals. To date, the effects of P. multocida infection on the respiratory epithelial barriers and molecules in host respiratory epithelial cells in their response to P. multocida infection are still not well-known. In this study, we used newborn pig tracheal epithelial (NPTr) cells as an in vitro model to investigate the effect of P. multocida infection on host respiratory epithelial barriers. By detecting the transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) values of NPTr cells and the expression of several known molecules associated with cell adherens and junctions, we found that P. multocida infection disrupted the barrier functions of NPTr cells. By performing RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq), we determined 30 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including the vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) encoding gene VEGFA, which participated in biological processes (GO:0034330, GO:0045216, and GO:0098609) closely related to epithelial adhesion and barrier functions. These 30 DEGs participated in 22 significant signaling pathways with a p-value < 0.05, including the transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta signaling pathway (KEGG ID: ssc04350), hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) signaling pathway (KEGG ID: ssc04066), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance (KEGG ID: ssc01521), tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway (KEGG ID: ssc04668), and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway (KEGG ID: ssc04010), which are reported to have roles in contributing to the production of inflammatory factors as well as the regulation of epithelial adhesion and barrier function in other tissues and organisms. The results presented in this study may help improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of P. multocida.

The Prognostic Significance of Hsp70 in Patients with Colorectal Cancer Patients: A PRISMA-Compliant Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Hsp70 (heat shock protein 70) plays a key role in carcinogenesis and cancer progression. However, the relationship between the Hsp70 expression level and the colorectal cancer patient survival is unknown. This study is aimed at investigating the relationship between Hsp70 and the prognosis of colorectal carcinoma patients. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase were used for systematic computer literature retrieval. Stata SE14.0 software was used for quantitative meta-analysis. Besides, data was extracted from selected articles. Relationships between Hsp70 expression level and prognosis were further studied. The hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were also computed. RESULTS: A total of 11 potentially eligible studies with 2269 patients were identified in 10 tumors from PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase. Hsp70 overexpression was associated with poor overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in colorectal carcinoma patients (HRs, 0.65 (95% CI: 0.52-0.78) and 0.77 (95% CI: 0.23-1.32), respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Hsp70 overexpression can predict poor survival in colorectal cancer patients.

A review: the botany, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology of Cinnamomi cortex.

Cinnamomi Cortex (CC) is the dried bark of Cinnamomum cassia (L.) J. Presl. Modern pharmacological research shows that CC can be used to treat diabetes, breast cancer, leukemia and other diseases. It has been used for more than 2000 years in China, mainly distributed in Guangxi, Guangdong, Yunnan and Fujian. In this paper, the botany, ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics and other aspects of CC are summarized. We hope to provide convenience for the further exploration and development of CC. There are more than 300 components isolated from CC including essential oils, polyphenols, diterpenes and sesquiterpenes, flavonoids, polysaccharides and others. Pharmacological studies show that CC has a wide range of pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antioxidant, antitumor, improving glucose and lipid metabolism, neuroprotection and so on. It shows that CC has great potential to develop into a cheap, low-toxicity and highly-efficient natural therapeutic drug. However, there is still a long way to go for research of CC, although great progress has been made. For instance, clinical practices for CC recorded in traditional medicine books need to be paid more attention. Present achievements are still not enough to clearly explain the mechanism for some diseases. New skeletons and new drugs will be required to be discovered, so that the potential of CC can be brought into full play.

Panacis Quinquefolii Radix: A Review of the Botany, Phytochemistry, Quality Control, Pharmacology, Toxicology and Industrial Applications Research Progress.

On January 2, 2020, The National Health Commission and the State Administration for Market Regulation listed Panacis Quinquefolii Radix (PQR) as a medicinal and food homologous product. PQR is the dry root of Panax quinquefolium L., which has the functions of replenishing qi and nourishing Yin, clearing heat and producing body fluid. It is often used for qi deficiency and Yin deficiency, heat exhaustion, asthma and phlegm, dry mouth and pharynx. PQR is sweet, slightly bitter and cool in nature, and enter the heart, lung and kidney meridian exerts the remedial and hygienical effect. At present, active components such as saponins, flavonoids, fatty acids, polyalkynes, volatile oils and other nutrients such as amino acids, carbohydrates, vitamins and trace elements have been isolated from PQR. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that PQR has the effects of hypoglycemic, antihypertensive, anti fatigue, anti-oxidation, anti-tumor, immunomodulatory, neuroprotective and so on. In addition, PQR is recognized as a health care product to strengthen the body and dispel diseases. It is not only the raw material of Traditional Chinese medicine preparations, but also the treasure of dietary therapy and herbal cuisine. This study not only reviewed the botany, phytochemistry and pharmacology of PQR, but also summarized its quality control, toxicity and industrial applications for the first time. This paper not only summarizes the development status of PQR, but also analyzes the shortcomings of the current research on PQR, and puts forward the corresponding solutions, in order to provide reference for future scholars to study PQR.