Efficacy and safety of stem cells in the treatment of ischemic stroke: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Stem cell therapy on ischemic stroke has long been studied using animal experiments. The efficacy and safety of this treatment in ischemic stroke patients remain uncertain. METHODS: We searched for all clinical randomized controlled trials published before October 2023, on PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library using predetermined search terms, and performed a meta-analysis of the efficacy of stem cell therapy in ischemic stroke patients. RESULTS: 13 studies that included 592 ischemic stroke patients were reviewed. The mRS (MD -0.32, 95% CI -0.64 to 0.00, I2 = 63%, P = .05), NIHSS (MD -1.63, 95% CI -2.69 to -0.57, I2 = 58%, P = .003), and BI (MD 14.22, 95% CI 3.95-24.48, I2 = 43%, P = .007) showed effective stem cell therapy. The mortality (OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.23-0.79, I2 = 0%, P = .007) showed improved prognosis and reduce mortality with stem cell therapy. CONCLUSION: Stem cell therapy reduces mortality and improves the neurological prognosis of ischemic stroke patients. However, due to the different types of stem cells used and the limited data in the reported studies, the safety of clinical applications of stem cells in patients with ischemic stroke must be carefully evaluated. Future randomized controlled trials with large sample sizes from controlled cell sources are warranted to validate this finding.

Migration-inducing gene-7 promotes glioma cell proliferation and invasiveness via activating the MAPK signaling pathway.

Glioma is a highly aggressive primary malignant tumor. Migration-inducing gene-7 (Mig-7) is closely related to tumor invasion and metastasis. However, the detailed molecular mechanism of Mig-7-mediated promotion of glioma cell invasion requires further investigation. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanism by which Mig-7 promotes invasion and growth of glioma tumor cells. After collecting 65 glioma tissues and 16 non-tumor tissues, the expression difference of Mig-7 between tumor tissues and non-tumor tissues was analyzed. The molecular mechanism of Mig-7 in tumor cells was investigated by knockdown or overexpression of Mig-7 in U87MG cells. Specifically, the expression levels of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway-related molecules were detected in cells that knocked down Mig-7. MTT, Transwell, and three-dimensional cell culture assays were used to detect the survival, migration, invasion, and tube formation of U87MG cells that overexpressed Mig-7 were treated with the MAPK signaling pathway inhibitors (SP600125, SCH772984, and SB202190). The effect of Mig-7 on the tumorigenic ability of U87MG cells was investigated by subcutaneous tumorigenic experiment in nude mice. The corresponding results indicated that Mig-7 expression was significantly higher in glioma tissues and cell lines compared to that in non-neoplastic brain tissues and normal glial cell lines. In U87MG cells, downregulation or overexpression of Mig-7 inhibited or promoted the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, LAMC2, EphA2, and VE-cadherin, and phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2, JNK, and p38. Mig-7 overexpression promoted migration, invasion, cell viability, and tube formation, which were reversed by the MAPK signaling pathway inhibitors. Mig-7 overexpression promoted subcutaneous tumor growth in mice and upregulated the phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2, JNK, and p38 and the expression of Ki-67. These effects of Mig-7 overexpression were reversed by MAPK pathway inhibitors. Overall, these results suggest that Mig-7 may be a novel biomarker and potential therapeutic target for glioma, with the MAPK pathway playing a key role in the corresponding Mig-7 mechanism of action.

Fever burden within 24 h after hematoma evacuation predicts early neurological deterioration in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage: a retrospective analysis.

Background: Early neurological deterioration after hematoma evacuation is closely associated with a poor prognosis in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage. However, the relationship between body temperature after hematoma evacuation and early neurological deterioration remains unclear. Therefore, this study aims to explore the possible relationship between body temperature and early neurological deterioration in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage after hematoma evacuation. Methods: We retrospectively collected data from patients with cerebral hemorrhage at our institute between January 2017 and April 2022. The Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and χ2 Test and Fisher's exact test were used to analyze the clinical baseline data. A univariate logistic regression model was used to evaluate the association between the body temperature indices and early neurological deterioration. The predictive power was assessed using the area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve. The secondary outcome was a poor functional outcome. Results: Among 2,726 patients with intracerebral hemorrhage, 308 who underwent hematoma evacuation were included in the present analysis. A total of 82 patients (22.6%) developed early neurological deterioration. Univariate analysis showed that sex (p = 0.041); body temperature at 6 h (p = 0.005), 12 h (p = 0.01), and 24 h (p = 0.008) after surgery; duration of fever (p = 0.008); and fever burden (p < 0.001) were associated with early neurological deterioration. Multivariate logistic regression showed that fever burden was independently associated with early neurological deterioration (OR = 1.055 per °C × hour, 95%CI 1.008-1.103, p = 0.020). ROC showed that fever burden (AUC = 0.590; 95%CI: 0.514-0.666) could predict the occurrence of early neurological deterioration. Conclusion: Fever burden is associated with early neurological deterioration in intracerebral hemorrhage patients undergoing hematoma evacuation. Our findings add to previous evidence on the relationship between the fever burden and the occurrence of early neurological deterioration in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage. Future studies with larger sample sizes are required to confirm these findings.

The efficacy of aprepitant for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is one of the common adverse reactions after surgery. Recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating antiemetic drugs suggest that aprepitant has the strongest antiemetic effect of any single drug. This meta-analysis aimed to explore the efficacy of aprepitant for preventing PONV based on the existing literature. METHODS: To identify RCTs investigating the use of aprepitant for PONV prevention, we searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases for articles published prior to March 20, 2022. Seventeen RCTs were identified, with 3299 patients, meeting the inclusion criteria. PONV incidence, complete response, 80 mg aprepitant combined with dexamethasone and ondansetron, vomiting, nausea, and analgesic dose-response were the main outcomes measured. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, PONV incidence was significantly reduced among those receiving aprepitant (odds ratio [OR]: 0.34; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.26, 0.44; P < .0001), with a more complete response (OR: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.14, 1.59; P = .0004). Supplementation of 80 mg aprepitant in combination with dexamethasone and ondansetron substantially improved the effects of PONV (OR: 0.36; 95% CI: 0.16, 0.82; P = .01). Further, administration of 80 mg aprepitant was better at preventing vomiting than nausea (OR: 8.6; 95% CI: 3.84, 19. 29; P < .00001). No statistically significant difference between the dose-response of analgesics was identified (mean difference: -1.09; 95% CI: -6.48, 4.30; P = .69). The risk of bias was assessed independently by paired evaluators. CONCLUSION: Aprepitant effectively reduces the incidence of PONV; however, the effects of postoperative analgesia require further exploration.

Minimally invasive puncture with twist intraosseous drill needle combined with hematoma drainage in the treatment of acute epidural hematoma in pediatric patients: A technical note.

OBJECTIVE: The current neurosurgical intervention for treatment of acute epidural hematoma (AEDH) usually involves a craniotomy. Despite its effectiveness, open surgical decompression has several limitations. The twist intraosseous drill needle (TIDN) is considered a feasible alternative in adult patients with AEDH. AEDH treatment with TIDN in pediatric patients has not yet been described. The study aimed to report the efficacy and safety of minimally invasive puncture with a TIDN combined with hematoma drainage for the treatment of AEDH in pediatric patients. METHODS: We retrospectively collected medical records of children with AEDH who underwent TIDN surgery at our institution from January 2017 to May 2021, and analyzed their clinical and imaging results. A detailed step-by-step surgical guide was provided. RESULTS: Three pediatric patients with AEDH received TIDN treatment (including two males and one female; average age 7.66 years, range from 5 to 11 years). There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications in any case; 1 day after the operation, the AEDH was cleared in one of the three patients, and a slight hematoma remained in two patients. The remaining hematoma was evacuated after injecting urokinase into the hematoma cavity during indwelling drainage. CONCLUSION: For pediatric patients with AEDH in a stable condition with a clear consciousness, TIDN puncture combined with hematoma drainage is safe, effective, and less invasive, and may present a viable surgical alternative option.

Efficacy of Laparoscopic Totally Extraperitoneal Repair for Inguinal Hernia.

Objective: To assess the treatment efficacy of laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal repair for inguinal hernia. Methods: Between November 2018 and May 2020, 130 patients with inguinal hernias diagnosed and treated in our hospital were randomly recruited and assigned to receive either tension-free hernia repair (control group) or laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal repair (study group) at the random method. All patients received routine care including external traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) application. Outcome measures included surgical indices, numeric rating scale (NRS) scores, infections, and postoperative complications. Results: Laparoscopic surgery is associated with a shorter operation duration, time-lapse before postoperative off-bed activity, and hospital stay, as well as less intraoperative hemorrhage volume compared to tension-free hernia repair in the control group. Patients in the study group had considerably lower NRS ratings after therapy than those in the control group. (P < 0.05). After treatment, the levels of blood cell count (WBC), C-reactive protein (CRP), and procalcitonin (PCT) in the study group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). In the control group, there were 0 cases of hematoma, 3 cases of subcutaneous effusion, 4 cases of urinary retention, 5 cases of scrotal effusion, and 1 case of bladder injury. In the study group, there were 0 cases of hematoma, 1 case of subcutaneous fluid, 1 case of urinary retention, 0 cases of scrotal fluid, and 0 cases of bladder injury. Laparoscopic surgery resulted in a lower incidence of postoperative complications versus traditional surgery (P <0.05). Conclusion: Laparoscopic totally extraperitoneal repair for inguinal hernia improves the intraoperative indices, mitigates postoperative pain, and reduces the risks of infections and complications, with the advantages of short operation duration, less hemorrhage volume, and shorter hospital stay. It shows great potential for clinical promotion.

Application of stem cells and exosomes in the treatment of intracerebral hemorrhage: an update.

Non-traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage is a highly destructive intracranial disease with high mortality and morbidity rates. The main risk factors for cerebral hemorrhage include hypertension, amyloidosis, vasculitis, drug abuse, coagulation dysfunction, and genetic factors. Clinically, surviving patients with intracerebral hemorrhage exhibit different degrees of neurological deficits after discharge. In recent years, with the development of regenerative medicine, an increasing number of researchers have begun to pay attention to stem cell and exosome therapy as a new method for the treatment of intracerebral hemorrhage, owing to their intrinsic potential in neuroprotection and neurorestoration. Many animal studies have shown that stem cells can directly or indirectly participate in the treatment of intracerebral hemorrhage through regeneration, differentiation, or secretion. However, considering the uncertainty of its safety and efficacy, clinical studies are still lacking. This article reviews the treatment of intracerebral hemorrhage using stem cells and exosomes from both preclinical and clinical studies and summarizes the possible mechanisms of stem cell therapy. This review aims to provide a reference for future research and new strategies for clinical treatment.

Modelling of carbon nanotube film based temperature sensor: thermal emission and gas discharge.

The carbon nanotube (CNT) film based ionized temperature sensor is sensitive to gas temperature, and shows good sensitivity compared with other temperature sensors. But it is still unclear about the effect of CNT film on thermal emission and gas discharge at different temperatures. In this article, we established a gas discharge model of the CNT film temperature sensor. Field assisted thermal emission is simulated at the tip of CNTs by analysing the field enhancement effect and effective work function. Ionization collision, excitation, recombination collision, Penning ionization and quenching of argon are considered in order to obtain the interaction of various particles at different temperature. The current density-temperature characteristic of the temperature sensor was obtained at 24-80 V. The increase of the working voltage is helpful to improve the output current and sensitivity of the temperature sensor. Response time of the sensor will not change in the temperature range of 293-373 K. However, the change of temperature will affect the current density, secondary electron emission and reaction rate. In addition, the sensor has different temperature sensitivity in argon and helium. The above simulation results are helpful to understand the role of CNT film and temperature sensitivity of the ionized sensor. It can also be used to study and improve the sensitivity of this type of sensor.

Clipping versus coiling in the treatment of oculomotor nerve palsy induced by unruptured posterior communicating artery aneurysms: A meta-analysis of cohort studies.

BACKGROUND: Although the superiority of clipping compared to coiling on the oculomotor nerve palsy (ONP) recovery for ruptured posterior communicating artery aneurysms (PcomAAs) has been widely accepted, which treatment modality is better in the treatment of ONP induced by unruptured PcomAAs still remains unclear. METHODS: A meta-analysis of studies that compared clipping with coiling was performed after a literature search. Perioperative data and clinical outcome were extracted. Analysis on the effect of the two treatment modalities was then performed. RESULTS: Nine eligible studies with a total of 136 patients met the inclusion criteria. There was a significant difference in the total efficiency (any degree of improvement) on ONP favoring clipping [RR= 1.21, 95%CI (1.01, 1.44), p = 0.04], the effect was most notable for complete recovery of ONP after having suffered preoperative partial palsy [RR= 0.72, 95%CI (0.55, 0.95), p = 0.02]. There was neither a significant difference regarding the complete recovery of ONP [RR= 1.11, 95%CI (0.77, 1.61), p = 0.58] nor the frequency of complications [RR= 0.07, 95%CI (0.00, 1.10), p = 0.06]. Also when subdividing there was no significant difference in complete recovery of ONP in patients who had initially suffered a complete ONP [RR= 0.79, 95%CI (0.38, 1.64), p = 0.53] and partial ONP [RR= 1.16, 95%CI (0.65, 2.08), p = 0.61] between clipping and coiling. CONCLUSIONS: A superiority of clipping over coiling for the improvement of ONP secondary to unruptured PcomAAs was found. Patients with partial ONP were more likely to attain a complete resolution of ONP, as compared to complete ONP.

Diagnostic and Predictive Value of Immune-Related Genes in Crohn's Disease.

Abnormal immune cell infiltration is associated with the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease (CD). This study aimed to determine the diagnostic and predictive value of immune-related genes in CD. Seven Gene Expression Omnibus datasets that analyzed the gene expression in CD tissues were downloaded. Single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) was used to estimate the infiltration of the immune cells in CD tissues. Immune-related genes were screened by overlapping the immune-related genes with differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was used to identify key immune-related DEGs. Diagnostic value of CD and predictive value of anti-TNFα therapy were analyzed. Immunohistochemical (IHC) assay was used to verify gene expression in CD tissues. There were significant differences among CD tissues, paired CD tissues, and normal intestinal tissues regarding the infiltration of immune cells. AQP9, CD27, and HVCN1 were identified as the key genes of the three sub-clusters in the PPI network. AQP9, CD27, and HVCN1 had mild to moderate diagnostic value in CD, and the diagnostic value of AQP9 was better than that of CD27 and HVCN1. AQP9 expression was decreased in CD after patients underwent anti-TNFα therapy, but no obvious changes were observed in non-responders. AQP9 had a moderate predictive value in patients who had undergone treatment. IHC assay confirmed that the expression of AQP9, CD27, and HVCN1 in CD tissues was higher than that in normal intestinal tissues, and AQP9, CD27 was correlated with the activity of CD. Immune-related genes, AQP9, CD27, and HVCN1 may act as auxiliary diagnostic indicators for CD, and AQP9 could serve as a promising predictive indicator in patients who underwent anti-TNF therapy.

Analysis of the Causes and Experience in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Intravertebral Mobile Nerve Sheath Tumors-Case Report and Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND: We sought to analyze the clinical data and imaging features from a rare case presenting an intravertebral mobile nerve sheath tumor of the lumbar spine, review the relevant literature, discuss the imaging features and possible causes of the tumor, and propose preventive measures and solutions. CASE DESCRIPTION: The clinical data and imaging data of a patient with a lumbar spinal canal mobile nerve sheath tumor were retrospectively analyzed in conjunction with the relevant literature. The first preoperative lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed the tumor located at level L1-2. Further lumbar spine MRI, which was performed 5 days later, showed the tumor was at level L3-4, with a range of motion of 8 cm. End spinal resection of the tumor was performed under general anesthesia, and a tumor, which was cystic solid, was found to be located at level L3-4. The tumor originated from a distinctly twisted and elongated posterior root of the spinal cord, with complete fusion of the tumor-bearing nerve. Both the tumor and tumor-carrying nerve were removed. Postoperative pathologic examination confirmed that the tumor was a nerve sheath tumor. Lumbar MRI on postoperative day 10 showed complete resection of the tumor in the L3-4 spinal canal. The patient was discharged with normal urination and defecation, normal sensation in both lower extremities, grade 5 muscle strength, normal muscle tone, and normal reflexes in both knee and Achilles tendons. CONCLUSIONS: Intravertebral mobile nerve sheath tumors are rare, and the marked distortion and elongation of the carrier nerve seen on MRI are important imaging features of this disease. The possible causes of tumor movement include tumor texture, location, positional changes, and altered cerebrospinal fluid dynamics. Acute changes in intraabdominal pressure caused by forceful defecation may be a high-risk factor for tumor migration. Multiple preoperative MRIs to localize the tumor are particularly important.

Silencing of Mig-7 expression inhibits in-vitro invasiveness and vasculogenic mimicry of human glioma U87 Cells.

Gliomas are the most common malignant primary brain tumors with poor prognosis. The migration-inducing gene-7 (Mig-7) protein is a cysteine-rich protein. Vasculogenic mimicry can replace endothelium-dependent blood vessels and supply blood to tumors, thus promoting tumor invasion and metastasis. They have also been shown to play critical roles in the development and progression of various cancers. We attempted to explore the role of Mig-7 and vasculogenic mimicry in glioma progression. We demonstrated that Mig-7 and vasculogenic mimicry were not expressed in normal tissues. In glioma, Mig-7 expression was positively associated with vasculogenic mimicry formation, the expression of both increased with increasing glioma pathological grade. In-vitro, Mig-7 silencing may inhibit the in-vitro invasiveness and formation of vasculogenic mimicry in human glioma U87 cells by inhibiting the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT/ matrix metalloproteinases 2 and matrix metalloproteinases 9 signaling pathway. The present study thus indicates a potential role for Mig-7 as a target in the treatment of glioma.

The Evaluation of Colorectal Cancer Risk in Serum by anti-DESMIN-conjugated CdTe/CdS Quantum Dots.

BACKGROUND: DESMIN is a novel prognostic predictor and therapeutic target for colorectal cancer (CRC). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and electrochemiluminescence (ELC) assays are large-scale and highcost projects; therefore, it is necessary to develop a new, fast, and simple yet highly sensitive and specific method to detect DESMIN in serum. Semiconducting quantum dots (QDs) possess high fluorescence quantum yield, stability against photobleaching, and size-controlled luminescence properties, thus being utilized in photoelectrochemical tumor marker detection, especially in ameliorating the diagnostic value in complex biological ambient ionization. However, CdTe/CdS quantum dots (QDs) have not been applied in detecting DESMIN in serum. METHODS: DESMIN in serum has been established using anti-DESMIN-conjugated CdTe/CdS quantum dots (QDs) and measurements. The assay sensitivity was determined by measurement of quenched fluorescence intensity of DESMIN at 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, or 5.0 ng/mL in PBS or 0.25%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0%, or 5% human serum diluted in PBS. The assay was optimized under different pH (7.00 - 7.40) for different reaction durations (10 - 60 minutes). The specificity of anti-DESMIN-QDs was determined by testing the interference of DESMIN activity with CEA, IgG, or AFP, each at 1 ng/mL. RESULTS: Under the optimized incubation time (30 minutes) at room temperature and optimal pH 7.1 - 7.2, a correlation between the decreased fluorescence intensity of anti-DESMIN-conjugated CdTe/CdS QDs and the concentration of DESMIN in the range from 0.05 to 100 ng/mL, was established. The sensitivity for the detection of DESMIN in the range from 0.05 to 100 ng/mL, with a detection limit of 0.02 ng/mL. The assay presented a high specificity because the anti-DESMIN-conjugated CdTe/CdS QDs only reacted with ABR1B10 in the sera in the presence of CEA, IgG or AFP. CONCLUSIONS: The immunofluorescence assay to detect DESMIN in serum using anti-DEMSIN-conjugated CdTe/ CdS QDs was fast and simple yet presented high sensitivity and specificity. Our method provides a promising tool for early prediction of CRC risk.

The Prevalence of Cigarette Smoking Among Rural-to-Urban Migrants in China: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The increasing rural-to-urban migrant population in China may be linked to the susceptibility to tobacco use. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of smoking among rural-to-urban migrants in China. METHODS: Major English and Chinese databases were searched for original studies on smoking prevalence among rural-to-urban migrants in China. A validated quality assessment tool was used to evaluate these studies. Subsequently, data were extracted to calculate the overall pooled estimate of prevalence using random effect model, and then stratified by gender, definition, location, and occupation. Meta-regression analysis was used to identify the source of heterogeneity among variables. RESULTS: We identified 17 eligible studies involving 32,694 migrants. The overall pooled prevalence estimate of smoking among rural-to-urban migrants was 27.25% (95% CI: 23.34, 31.34), with significant heterogeneity (I(2) = 98.2, p < .01). In stratified analysis, specific pooled prevalence estimates were 46.71% for male (95% CI: 40.51, 52.97) and 5.34% for female (95% CI: 2.90, 8.45); 26.71% (95% CI: 17.00, 37.71), and 24.96% (95% CI: 18.65, 31.86) in current and daily smoking group, respectively; 21.89% (95% CI: 15.80, 28.66) and 30.59% (95% CI: 20.04, 42.28) for migrants in North and South China, respectively; 48.34% (95% CI: 24.63, 72.46) in construction industry, 31.77% (95% CI: 15.54, 50.67) in manufacturing industry and 18.69% (95% CI: 11.37, 27.32) in service industry, respectively. Meta-regression analysis revealed that gender and occupation differences contributed to high heterogeneity. CONCLUSION: Cigarette smoking is still prevalent among rural-to-urban migrants, which may be influenced by gender and occupations. Policies should be designed and conducted to control smoking prevalence among these populations.

Detection of AKR1B10 in Peripheral Blood by Anti-AKR1B10-Conjugated CdTe/CdS Quantum Dots.

BACKGROUND: Aldo-ketoreductase family 1 member B10 (AKR1B10) is a novel prognostic predictor and therapeutic target for colorectal cancer (CRC), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and electrochemiluminescence (ELC) assays are sample-consuming and high-cost methods. Therefore, it is very necessary to develop a new, simple, and fast yet highly sensitive and specific method for the detection of AKR1B10 in serum. Semiconducting quantum dots (QDs) possess a high fluorescence quantum yield, stability against photobleaching, and size-controlled luminescence properties; thus, they are suitable for photoelectrochemical tumor marker detection, especially in complex biological samples. However, CdTe/CdS QDs have not been applied for the detection of AKR1B10 in serum. METHODS: AKR1B10 in peripheral blood has been established using anti-AKR1B10-conjugated CdTe/CdS QDs and measurements. The assay sensitivity was determined by measuring the quenched fluorescence intensity of AKR1B10 at 0.5, 1, 2, 5, or 10 ng/mL in phosphate-buffered solution (PBS) or 0.25%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0%, or 5% human serum diluted in PBS. The assay was optimized under different pH values (7.00 - 7.40) for different reaction durations (10 - 60 minutes). The specificity of anti-AKR1B10-QDs was determined by testing the inhibition of AKR1B10 activity with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), immunoglobulin G (IgG), or alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), each at 1 ng/mL. RESULTS: Under the optimized incubation time (30 minutes) at room temperature and optimal pH (7.1 - 7.2), a correlation between the decreased fluorescence intensity of anti-AKR1B10-conjugated CdTe/CdS QDs and the concentration of AKR1B10 in the range from 0.05 to 100 ng/mL was established. The assay was sensitive for the detection of AKR1B10 in the range from 0.05 to 100 ng/mL, and the detection limit was 0.02 ng/mL. The assay presented a high specificity because the anti-AKR1B10-conjugated CdTe/CdS QDs only reacted with AKR1B10 in the sera in the presence of CEA, IgG, or AFP. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the immunofluorescence assay to detect AKR1B10 in serum using anti-AKR1B10-conjugated CdTe/CdS QDs was simple and fast yet presented high sensitivity and specificity. Our findings provide a promising tool for the early prediction of CRC.

Determinants of tobacco smoking among rural-to-urban migrant workers: a cross-sectional survey in Shanghai.

BACKGROUND: Although there are several studies to investigate the smoking behaviors among rural-to-urban Chinese migrants, no study has focused individually on this population in Shanghai. This study was performed to estimate the prevalence and identify the determinants of tobacco smoking among rural-to-urban migrants in Shanghai. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, multi-stage quota sampling was used to select 5,856 rural-to-urban migrants aged 18 years or older from seven districts in Shanghai between July and October 2012. A structured questionnaire was administered to assess smoking knowledge, attitude, behavior and demographic characteristics. Mental health was assessed by the self-reported SCL-90. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to determine the risk factors of smoking behavior. RESULTS: A total of 5,380 of the 5,856 migrants enrolled completed the questionnaire, among whom 45.0% of male and 2.0% of female participants reported current smoking. Multivariate analysis revealed current smoking in female migrants to be significantly associated with working at construction (OR, 8.08; 95% CI, 1.80-36.28), hotels/restaurants (OR, 5.06; 95% CI, 1.68-15.27), entertainment sector (OR, 6.79; 95% CI, 2.51-18.42), with monthly income > 3500 yuan (OR, 2.69; 95% CI, 1.21-5.98), number of migratory cities of 2 (OR, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.23-4.65), and SCL-90 total score > 160 (OR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.03-3.98), while the male migrants working at construction (OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.04-1.62), entertainment sector (OR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.36-2.56), being divorced/widowed (OR, 2.20; 95% CI, 1.02-4.74), with duration of migration of 4 or more than 4 years (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.06-1.91), number of migratory cities of 3 or more than 3 (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.13-1.80), and SCL-90 total score > 160 (OR,1.39; 95% CI, 1.07-1.79) showed an excess smoking prevalence. CONCLUSION: Migration lifestyle and mental status were associated with current smoking behaviors. The identifications of risk factors for current smoking may help to target health promotion interventions.

Does workplace social capital associate with hazardous drinking among Chinese rural-urban migrant workers?

BACKGROUND: The present study sought to investigate the associations between workplace social capital and hazardous drinking (HD) among Chinese rural-urban migrant workers (RUMW). METHODS: A cross sectional study with a multi-stage stratified sampling procedure was conducted in Shanghai during July 2012 to January 2013. In total, 5,318 RUMWs from 77 workplaces were involved. Work-place social capital was assessed using a validated and psychometrically tested eight-item measure. The Chinese version of Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) was used to assess hazardous drinking. Control variables included gender, age, marital status, education level, salary, and current smoking. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was conducted to test whether individual- and workplace-level social capital was associated with hazardous drinking. RESULTS: Overall, the prevalence of HD was 10.6%. After controlling for individual-level socio-demographic and lifestyle variables, compared to workers in the highest quartile of individual-level social capital, the odds of HD for workers in the three bottom quartiles were 1.13(95%CI: 1.04-1.23), 1.17(95%CI: 1.05-1.56) and 1.26(95%CI: 1.13-1.72), respectively. However, contrary to hypothesis, there was no relationship between workplace-level social capital and hazardous drinking. CONCLUSIONS: Higher individual-level social capital may protect against HD among Chinese RUMWs. Interventions to build individual social capital among RUMWs in China may help reduce HD among this population.

No association of G-protein beta polypeptide 3 polymorphism with irritable bowel syndrome: evidence from a meta-analysis.

AIM: To clarify the associations between G-protein beta polypeptide 3 (GNB3) C825T polymorphism and risk of the irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) by a meta-analysis. METHODS: We searched relevant studies in PubMed, EMBASE, CNKI, Google Scholar, Ovid and Cochrane library prior to October 2013. The strengths of the associations between GNB3 C825T polymorphism and IBS risk were estimated by odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence interval (CIs). RESULTS: We identified seven case-control studies with 1085 IBS cases and 1695 controls for the analysis. We found no significantly associations of GNB3 C825T polymorphism with IBS risk in the overall population (CC vs TT, OR = 1.12, 95%CI: 0.86-1.45; CC + CT vs TT, OR = 1.17, 95%CI: 0.92-1.49; TT + CT vs CC, OR = 0.93, 95%CI: 0.80-1.08; C vs T, OR = 1.08, 95%CI: 0.97-1.21). Subgroup analysis did not reveal significant associations either in Asian population or Caucasian population. The pooled results of four studies fail to show associations of GNB3 C825T polymorphism with subtypes of IBS (constipation-dominant type, diarrhea-dominant type and mixed type). CONCLUSION: The present study suggests no associations of GNB3 C825T polymorphism with IBS risk.

Accelerated healing of diabetic wound using artificial dermis constructed with adipose stem cells and poly (L-glutamic acid)/chitosan scaffold.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic wound is one of the most serious complications of diabetes mellitus. There are no significantly effective therapies for chronic non-healing diabetes ulcer so far. This study aimed to explore the feasibility of healing impaired wound using artificial dermis constructed with human adipose derived stem cells (ASCs) and poly (L-glutamic acid)/chitosan (PLGA/CS) scaffold in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. METHODS: ASCs were isolated from fresh human lipoaspirates and expanded ex vivo for three passages, and then cells were seeded onto PLGA/CS scaffold to form artificial dermis. Expression of VEGF and TGFß1 by ASCs presented in artificial dermis was determined. The artificial dermis was transplanted to treat the 20 mm × 20 mm full-thickness cutaneous wound created on the back of diabetic mice. Wound treated with scaffold alone and without treatment, and wound in normal non-diabetic mice served as control. RESULTS: Cells growing within scaffold showed great proliferation potential, depositing abundant collagen matrix. Meanwhile, expression of VEGF and TGF-ß1 by seeded ASCs maintained at a consistent high level. After treated with ASC based artificial dermis, diabetic wounds exhibited significantly higher healing rate compared with wounds treated with scaffold alone or without treatment. Histological examination also demonstrated an improvement in cutaneous restoration with matrix deposition and organization. Further quantitative analysis showed that there was a significant increase in dermis thickness and collagen content on artificial dermis treated wounds. CONCLUSION: ASC/PLGA artificial dermis can effectively accelerate diabetic wound healing by promoting angiogenic growth factors and dermal collagen synthesis.

High-performance gas sensors with temperature measurement.

There are a number of gas ionization sensors using carbon nanotubes as cathode or anode. Unfortunately, their applications are greatly limited by their multi-valued sensitivity, one output value corresponding to several measured concentration values. Here we describe a triple-electrode structure featuring two electric fields with opposite directions, which enable us to overcome the multi-valued sensitivity problem at 1 atm in a wide range of gas concentrations. We used a carbon nanotube array as the first electrode, and the two electric fields between the upper and the lower interelectrode gaps were designed to extract positive ions generated in the upper gap, hence significantly reduced positive ion bombardment on the nanotube electrode, which allowed us to maintain a high electric field near the nanotube tips, leading to a single-valued sensitivity and a long nanotube life. We have demonstrated detection of various gases and simultaneously monitoring temperature, and a potential for applications.