Research on the signaling pathway and the related mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine intervention in chronic gastritis of the "inflammation-cancer transformation".

Objective: The aim of this study is to uncover the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatments for chronic gastritis and their potential targets and pathways involved in the "inflammation-cancer" conversion in four stages. These findings can provide further support for future research into TCM and its active components. Materials and methods: The literature search encompassed PubMed, Web of Science, Google Scholar, CNKI, WanFang, and VIP, employing keywords such as "chronic gastritis", "gastric cancer", "traditional Chinese medicine", "medicinal herb", "Chinese herb", and "natural plant". Results: Herbal remedies may regulate the signaling pathways linked to the advancement of chronic gastritis. Under the multi-target and multi-pathway independent or combined reaction, the inflammatory microenvironment may be enhanced, leading to repair of damaged gastric mucosal cells, buffering the progress of mucosal atrophic degeneration via the decrease of inflammatory factor expression, inhibition of oxidative stress-induced damage, facilitation of microvascular neovascularization in the gastric mucosa and regulation of the processes of gastric mucosal cell differentiation and proliferation. Simultaneously, the decreased expression of inflammatory factors may impact the expression of associated oncogenes and regulate the malignant proliferation of cells, thereby achieving the treatment and prevention objectives of gastric cancer through the reduction of cell metastasis and apoptosis. Conclusion: Chinese medicine formulations and individual drugs can be utilised at various stages of the "inflammation-cancer" progression of chronic gastritis to prevent and treat gastric cancer in a multi-level, multi-targeted, and multi-directional fashion. This can provide guidance for the accurate application of medicines during different stages of "inflammation-cancer" transformation. New insights into the mechanism of inflammation-cancer transformation and the development of novel drugs for chronic gastritis can be gained through an extensive investigation of TCM treatment in this condition.

Analysis of drug resistance in pulmonary tuberculosis patients with positive sputum tuberculosis culture in Northeast China.

Objective: The objective of this study is to determine the drug resistance status of pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Jilin Province. Methods: A retrospective survey was conducted on 395 sputum culture TB-positive patients admitted to the tuberculosis hospital in Jilin Province in 2019. Sputum samples were cultured in acidic Roche medium. Drug sensitivity testing was conducted using the proportional method. Sensitivity was reported if the percentage of drug resistance was less than 1%, and resistance was reported if the percentage was ≥1%. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 22.0. Results: 395 tuberculosis patients with positive sputum tuberculosis culture were included in the study, with 102 being initially treated and 293 being retreated. The study population consisted of 283 males and 112 females. Sex, age, nationality, occupation, marital status, diabetes comorbidity, initial treatment, normal health status, BCG vaccine vaccination, smoking, and alcohol consumption were considered as factors that may affect the rate of multidrug resistance. And only the history of treatment (initial treatment) was associated with multidrug resistance (p = 0.032). This indicates that retreatment is the most significant risk factor for the occurrence of multidrug resistance in tuberculosis. The multidrug resistance rate in retreated patients is 3.764 times higher than that in initially treated patients. Conclusion: The prevalence of multidrug-resistant is higher in retreated patients compared to initially treated patients in the study population. Multidrug resistance is only associated with the treatment history (initial retreatment) and not with other factors.

Clinical application of liquid biopsy based on circulating tumor DNA in non-small cell lung cancer.

Lung cancer is a widely occurring and deadly malignancy, with high prevalence rates in China and across the globe. Specifically, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) represents about 85% of all lung cancer cases. The 5-year disease-free survival rate after surgery for stage IB-IIIB NSCLC patients (disease-free survival, DFS) has notably declined from 73% to 13%. Early detection of abnormal cancer molecules and subsequent personalized treatment plans are the most effective ways to address this problem. Liquid biopsy, surprisingly, enables safe, accurate, non-invasive, and dynamic tracking of disease progression. Among the various modalities, circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is the most commonly used liquid biopsy modality. ctDNA serves as a credible "liquid biopsy" diagnostic tool that, to a certain extent, overcomes tumor heterogeneity and harbors genetic mutations in malignancies, thereby providing early information on tumor genetic alterations. Despite considerable academic interest in the clinical significance of ctDNA, consensus on its utility remains lacking. In this review, we assess the role of ctDNA testing in the diagnosis and management of NSCLC as a reference for clinical intervention in this disease. Lastly, we examine future directions to optimize ctDNA for personalized therapy.

Comprehensive analysis of lncRNA-mRNA co-expression networks in HPV-driven cervical cancer reveals the pivotal function of LINC00511-PGK1 in tumorigenesis.

BACKGROUND: Mounting evidence suggests that noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) were involved in various human cancers. However, the role of these lncRNAs in HPV-driven cervical cancer (CC) has not been extensively studied. Considering that HR-HPV infections contribute to cervical carcinogenesis by regulating the expression of lncRNAs, miRNAs and mRNAs, we aim to systematically analyze lncRNAs and mRNAs expression profile to identify novel lncRNAs-mRNAs co-expression networks and explore their potential impact on tumorigenesis in HPV-driven CC. METHODS: LncRNA/mRNA microarray technology was utilized to identify the differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) and mRNAs (DEmRNAs) in HPV-16 and HPV-18 cervical carcinogenesis compared to normal cervical tissues. Venn diagram and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) were used to identify the hub DElncRNAs/DEmRNAs that were both significantly correlated with HPV-16 and HPV-18 CC patients. LncRNA-mRNA correlation analysis and functional enrichment pathway analysis were performed on these key DElncRNAs/DEmRNAs in HPV-16 and HPV-18 CC patients to explore their mutual mechanism in HPV-driven CC. A lncRNA-mRNA co-expression score (CES) model was established and validated by using the Cox regression method. Afterward, the clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed between CES-high and CES-low groups. In vitro, functional experiments were performed to evaluate the role of LINC00511 and PGK1 in cell proliferation, migration and invasion in CC cells. To understand whether LINC00511 play as an oncogenic role partially via modulating the expression of PGK1, rescue assays were used. RESULTS: We identified 81 lncRNAs and 211 mRNAs that were commonly differentially expressed in HPV-16 and HPV-18 CC tissues compared to normal tissues. The results of lncRNA-mRNA correlation analysis and functional enrichment pathway analysis showed that the LINC00511-PGK1 co-expression network may make an important contribution to HPV-mediated tumorigenesis and be closely associated with metabolism-related mechanisms. Combined with clinical survival data, the prognostic lncRNA-mRNA co-expression score (CES) model based on LINC00511 and PGK1 could precisely predict patients' overall survival (OS). CES-high patients had a worse prognosis than CES-low patients and the enriched pathways and potential targets of applicable drugs were explored in CES-high patients. In vitro experiments confirmed the oncogenic functions of LINC00511 and PGK1 in the progression of CC, and revealed that LINC00511 functions in an oncogenic role in CC cells partially via modulating the expression of PGK1. CONCLUSIONS: Together, these data identify co-expression modules that provide valuable information to understand the pathogenesis of HPV-mediated tumorigenesis, which highlights the pivotal function of the LINC00511-PGK1 co-expression network in cervical carcinogenesis. Furthermore, our CES model has a reliable predicting ability that could stratify CC patients into low- and high-risk groups of poor survival. This study provides a bioinformatics method to screen prognostic biomarkers which leads to lncRNA-mRNA co-expression network identification and construction for patients' survival prediction and potential drug applications in other cancers.

Efficacy of luteolin on the human gastric cancer cell line MKN45 and underlying mechanism.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the antitumour efficacy of luteolin on gastric cancer (GC) and study the mechanism underpinning the action. METHODS: Effects of luteolin on cell growth inhibition, apoptosis, and cell cycle arrest in MKN45 cells were investigated using the cell counting kit-8 assay. Changes in the mitochondrial membrane potential after luteolin treatment were assessed using 5,5',6,6'-tetra-chloro-1,1',3,3'-tetraethylbenzimidazolcarbocyanineiodi-de (JC-1) staining. To investigate whether apoptotic effect by luteolin is related to the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/v-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene (PI3K/Akt) pathway, cells were additionally treated with LY294002, a PI3K/Akt pathway inhibitor. Moreover, the expressions of apoptosis-related proteins, namely B-cell lymphoma 2(Bcl-2), Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax), Akt, p-Akt, caspase-3, and cytochrome C, were detected after luteolin treatment. RESULTS: The study revealed that in MKN45 cells, luteolin could inhibit the cell proliferation in a time- and dose-dependent manner; block the cell cycle in the S-phase; induce apoptosis; reduce the mitochondrial membrane potential; increase the expression of Bax, caspase-3, and cytochrome C; and decrease the expression of Bcl-2 and p-Akt. Luteolin might be involved in the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway, indicating that this pathway could be a therapeutic target for GC treatment. CONCLUSION: Luteolin could inhibit the proliferation of GC cells and block the cell cycle in the S-phase. The mechanism of inducing apoptosis in these cells was related to the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway.

Analysis of the influencing factors in the long-term survival of esophageal cancer.

Background: To analyze the prognosis and diagnostic value of relevant hematological indexes on the survival status of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after radical surgery. Methods: This study included 206 patients with esophageal cancer who underwent surgical R0 resection. The data, including the basic information, preoperative blood routine, albumin, fibrinogen, surgery-related information, postoperative pathology, and overall survival, of the patients were compared. Results: The survival and death groups showed a significant difference in overall survival (OS), the degree of differentiation, depth of infiltration, pathological stage, vascular infiltration, nerve infiltration, fibrinogen, white blood cell, neutrophils, platelet, and platelet hematocrit (P<0.05). Tumor located in the middle thorax, larger lesion length, deeper invasion, later pathological stage, vascular infiltration, nerve infiltration, lymph node metastasis, cardiovascular disease, and higher smoking grade were risk factors for poor prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) (P<0.05). Cardiovascular disease, lower differentiation, tumor located in the middle thorax, and nerve infiltration were independent risk factors for the reduction of survival time of patients with ESCC (P<0.05). Conclusions: History of cardiovascular disease, tumor located in the middle chest, poorly differentiated esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, visible nerve cancer invasion, hematocrit (HCT), mean erythrocyte hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and hemoglobin (HB) are independent risk factors for the long-term survival of patients with ESCC.

Security analysis of sports competition under the influence of covid-19 / Análise de segurança da competição esportiva sob a influência da covid-19 / Análisis de seguridad de la competición deportiva bajo la influencia del covid-19

ABSTRACT Introduction The continuous growth of COVID-19 has harmed sports competitions. Although the existing method of non-opening to spectators is very effective for preventing and controlling COVID-19, it will also seriously blow the sports economy's development. Objective Explore the safety of sports competition under the influence of COVID-19 to realize sports practice in a safe and regulated condition. Methods Firstly, the current public's willingness to participate in the competition was analyzed by questionnaire survey. Then, using the literature search method, this paper discusses the safety needs of sports competitions under the normalization of the prevention and control of COVID-19 in the research area at the present stage. Results By completely controlling the crowd shift rule and skillfully controlling the crowd pace, the transmission risk in the competition process can be effectively reduced. Conclusion The relevant departments and stadium managers should fully analyze the current epidemic prevention and control needs and strengthen spectator safety management in the study area in combination with regional characteristics and the actual spectator situation. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment outcomes.

RESUMO Introdução O crescimento contínuo da COVID-19 tem tido um impacto negativo sobre as competições esportivas. Embora o método existente de não-abertura aos espectadores seja muito eficaz para a prevenção e controle da COVID-19, ele também trará um sério golpe ao desenvolvimento da economia esportiva. Objetivo Explorar a segurança da competição esportiva sob a influência da COVID-19, de forma a realizar a prática esportiva em uma condição segura e regulamentada. Métodos Primeiramente, a disposição do público atual para participar da competição foi analisada por meio de pesquisa por questionário. Em seguida, utilizando o método de pesquisa bibliográfica, este trabalho discute as necessidades de segurança das competições esportivas sob a normalização da prevenção e controle da COVID-19 na área de pesquisa na presente fase. Resultados Controlando completamente a regra do deslocamento da multidão e controlando habilmente o ritmo da multidão, o risco de transmissão no processo de competição pode ser efetivamente reduzido. Conclusão Os departamentos e gerentes de estádios pertinentes devem analisar plenamente as necessidades atuais de prevenção e controle de epidemias e fortalecer a gestão da segurança dos espectadores na área de estudo em combinação com as características regionais e a situação real dos espectadores. Nível de evidência II; Estudos terapêuticos - investigação dos resultados do tratamento.

RESUMEN Introducción El continuo crecimiento del COVID-19 ha tenido un impacto negativo en las competiciones deportivas. Aunque el método actual de no abrir para los espectadores es muy eficaz para la prevención y el control del COVID-19, también supondrá un duro golpe para el desarrollo de la economía deportiva. Objetivo Explorar la seguridad de la competición deportiva bajo la influencia del COVID-19, para llevar a cabo la práctica deportiva en condiciones seguras y reguladas. Métodos En primer lugar, se analizó la disposición del público actual a participar en el concurso mediante una encuesta por cuestionario. A continuación, utilizando el método de búsqueda bibliográfica, este trabajo analiza las necesidades de seguridad de las competiciones deportivas en el marco de la normalización de la prevención y el control del COVID-19 en el ámbito de la investigación en la etapa actual. Resultados Si se controla completamente la regla de desplazamiento de la multitud y se controla hábilmente el ritmo de la multitud, se puede reducir eficazmente el riesgo de transmisión en el proceso de competición. Conclusión Los departamentos competentes y los gestores de los estadios deben analizar a fondo las necesidades actuales de prevención y control de epidemias y reforzar la gestión de la seguridad de los espectadores en la zona de estudio en combinación con las características regionales y la situación real de los espectadores. Nivel de evidencia II; Estudios terapéuticos - investigación de los resultados del tratamiento.

Association of Increased Remnant Cholesterol and the Risk of Coronary Artery Disease: A Retrospective Study.

Background and Aims: Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is the primary target of lipid-lowering therapy in coronary artery disease (CAD). But some patients with the normal levels of LDL-C still suffer from CAD progression and malignant outcomes (e.g., major adverse cardiovascular events [MACEs]), and the mechanism is unclear. The previous prospective studies demonstrated that the remnant cholesterol (RC) and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) were capable to predict the risk of CAD. This study evaluated the association between RC and non-HDL-C with the risk of CAD. Methods: In our study, 12,563 patients were enrolled. We categorized patients into four concordance/discordance groups according to the median of RC, LDL-C, and non-HDL-C. Then, we performed a propensity score matching (PSM) strategy. The unadjusted and adjusted multivariate logistic regression models were used to evaluate the relationship between the lipid concentrations. Results: In this study, 8,658 (68.9%) patients were male with a median age of 61 (54 and 67) years. The multivariate logistic regression showed the odds ratio (OR) of RC was 1.952 (CI = 1.276-2.988, p = 0.002). The OR of the low RC/high LDL-C group was 0.626 (CI = 0.504-0.778, p < 0.001) and the OR of the low RC/high non-HDL-C group was 0.574 (CI = 0.462-0.714, p < 0.001). The p-values for interaction between the RC and hypertension, diabetes were both < 0.001. Conclusion: Our study showed a significant association between the RC and CAD. The level of RC was more capable to reflect the risk of CAD than LDL-C and non-HDL-C. There was an interaction relationship between RC and age, gender, hypertension, diabetes, in CAD. But we did not find whether there was a relationship between the non-HDL-C and CAD.

Oxypaeoniflorin Prevents Acute Lung Injury Induced by Lipopolysaccharide through the PTEN/AKT Pathway in a Sirt1-Dependent Manner.

Acute lung injury (ALI) is featured by pulmonary edema, alveolar barrier injury, inflammatory response, and oxidative stress. The activation of Sirt1 could relieve lipopolysaccharide- (LPS-) induced murine ALI by maintaining pulmonary epithelial barrier function. Oxypaeoniflorin (Oxy) serves as a major component of Paeonia lactiflora Pall., exerting cardioprotection by activating Sirt1. However, the role of Oxy in ALI induced by LPS remains unclear. The aim of the present study is to illustrate the modulatory effects and molecular mechanisms by which Oxy operates in ALI induced by LPS. The intraperitoneal injection of LPS was performed to establish the murine ALI model while LPS-treated alveolar epithelial cells were used to mimic the in vitro ALI model. Levels of lung injury, oxidative stress, and inflammatory response were detected to observe the potential effects of Oxy on ALI. Oxy treatment mitigated lung edema, inflammatory response, and oxidative stress in mouse response to LPS, apart from improving 7-day survival. Meanwhile, Oxy also increased the expression and activity of Sirt1. Intriguingly, Sirt1 deficiency or inhibition counteracted the protective effects of Oxy treatment in LPS-treated mice or LPS-treated alveolar epithelial cells by regulating the PTEN/AKT signaling pathway. These results demonstrated that Oxy could combat ALI in vivo and in vitro through inhibiting inflammatory response and oxidative stress in a Sirt1-dependent manner. Oxy owns the potential to be a promising candidate against ALI.

Review of the Biological Activity of Maslinic Acid.

Since the discovery of (2α,3ß)-2,3-dihydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid, also known as maslinic acid, many studies have examined its biological activity, which has been shown to promote health and resist various diseases. This article focuses on previous research on maslinic acid and mainly reviews its reported effects on cardiovascular diseases, neuroprotection, diabetes, cancer, inflammation, and pathogens. Maslinic acid exerts positive effects on both cell and animal models of disease. Although its mechanism of action has not yet been completely elucidated, maslinic acid is feasible as a nutritional additive and has the potential to be developed as a drug.

Reducible Fraction Dominates the Mobility of Vanadium in Soil Around an Iron Smelter.

Soil samples were collected to determine the pollution status, spatial distribution and mobility of Vanadium (V) in soil around an iron smelter in Panzhihua. The results showed that the topsoils and deep soils were unpolluted to moderately polluted and the subsurface soils was unpolluted with V. V concentrations in the topsoils decreased with the increase of the altitudes and the distances to the smelter. There was a great potential mobility of V in soil and the reductive dissolution of reducible V in the topsoils was responsible for the high concentration of V in the deep soils. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the reducible V when evaluating the mobility of V in soil.

Cavity Formation is a Prognostic Indicator for Pathologic Stage I Invasive Lung Adenocarcinoma of ≥3 cm in Size.

BACKGROUND We investigated the correlation between cavity formation, prognosis, and tumor stage for pathologic stage I invasive lung adenocarcinomas (IADCs) ≤3 cm in size. MATERIAL AND METHODS 2106 candidates with pathologic stage I IADC were identified from Shanghai Chest Hospital between 2009 and 2014. There were 227 patients who were diagnosed as having cavity formation and another 1879 patients who were not (the non-cavitary lung cancer group). Kaplan-Meier analysis curves were conducted to compare the overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) between these 2 groups. Cox proportional hazards regression was performed to discover the independent risk factors of OS and RFS. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was done to determine the cutoff value of cavity size for predicting prognosis. Furthermore, subgroup analysis was stratified by the size of tumor and the 8th classification of T category. RESULTS Compared with non-cavitary lung cancer group, patients with cavity formation were found to have a higher prevalence of male patients (P=0.015), older age patients (P=0.039), larger size tumors (P=0.004), and worse cancer relapse (P<0.001). Survival analysis found that patients with cavitary IADC had significantly shorter RFS than those with non-cavitary IADC (P=0.001). Further, subgroup analysis confirmed a significantly worse RFS in cavitary IADC group both in stage T1a (P=0.002) and T1b (P<0.001), but not for stage T1c (P=0.962) and T2a (P=0.364). Moreover, cavity formation was still less of a significant predictor of RFS in multivariable analysis (hazard ratio [HR] 1.810, 95% confidence level [CI] 1.229-2.665, P=0.003). The ROC curve showed that the best cutoff value of maximum diameter of the cavity for judging RFS was 5 mm (sensitivity: 0.500; specificity: 0.783). At the same time, multiple cavities were more likely to lead to recurrence (sensitivity: 0.605; specificity: 0.439). CONCLUSIONS Cavitary adenocarcinoma was a worse prognostic indicator compared with non-cavitary adenocarcinoma, especially for cavity >5 mm and multiple cavities. Thus, for stage T1a and T1b, cavitary and non-cavitary IADC should be considered separately.

Metabolic syndrome affects narrow-band UVB phototherapy response in patients with psoriasis.

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease. Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a combination of central obesity, dyslipidemia, glucose intolerance, and elevated blood pressure. Many epidemiological surveys have revealed the association of psoriasis with MS. Narrowband ultraviolet radiation b (NB-UVB) is an effective and widely used treatment for psoriasis. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the presence of MS in patient with psoriasis affects NB-UVB treatment and whether this syndrome correlates with systemic inflammation.From June 2016 to December 2016, 243 adults with a diagnosis of psoriasis vulgaris eligible to treatment with NB-UVB were admitted to the phototherapy unit of Dermatology department, Chinese PLA General Hospital. Fifty-five included patients were grouped based on the presence of MS. They accepted the treatment of NB-UVB and the following data were collected: serum levels of IL-17 (interleukin), TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor) and IL-6, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores before and after 10 sections of NB-UVB treatment.Significant PASI improvement was observed in psoriatic patients without MS after 10 sections of phototherapy, while patients with MS showed a less improvement (P < .001). There was statistically significant difference in percentage of patients achieving 50% reduction in PASI scores between the 2 groups (P < .05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed MS was an independent factor that affecting the treatment of NB-UVB (P < .05). Psoriatic patients with MS showed a much less reduction of IL-17 and IL-6 before and after 10 sections of NB-UVB treatment respectively than patients without MS (P < .05).Psoriatic patients with MS have poorer improvement in comparison those without MS using NB-UVB treatment. MS was an independent factor that affecting the treatment of NB-UVB. In addition, psoriatic patients with MS showed a much less reduction of systemic biomarkers (interleukin-IL-17, TNF-α, IL-6) than patients without MS. Namely, they may need a longer course of treatment to achieve improved skin lesions.

Effects of ethyl chloride spray on early recovery after total knee arthroplasty: A prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Ethyl chloride spray as a common cooling modality has been widely used in acute sports injuries and joint injection procedures. Several clinical studies reported that use of ethyl chloride has positive effects on swelling, pain reduction and recovery from sports injuries. The main aim of present study was to analyze whether postoperative use of ethyl chloride spray benefits results after primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: Between April 1, 2014 and October 21, 2015, 306 subjects undergoing primary TKA used ethyl chloride spray for improving recovery from the damage from surgery. After exclusion of 31 subjects due to adverse events including periprosthetic joint infection (PJI), deep venous thrombosis (DVT), acute myocardial infarction, finally 275 subjects' data regarding pain score, knee range of motion (ROM), knee girth, time of being able to reach 90° knee flexion and analgesic consumption were analyzed. RESULTS: Significant differences in pain score, knee ROM at each time point and knee girth at on 21st and 28th postoperatively were detected without increased incidence of adverse events. Besides, time of being able to reach 90° knee flexion and analgesic consumption in the treatment group were significantly decreased in comparison to the control group. CONCLUSION: Use of ethyl chloride spray can help patients recovery from the damage from TKA safely.

A meta-analysis of piperacillin/tazobactam versus cefepime treatment in cancer patients with febrile neutropenia / Uma meta análise de piperacilina/tazobactam versus tratamento com cefepima em pacientes oncológicos com neutropenia febril

Febrile neutropenia (FN) causes a major threat to cancer patients after chemotherapy. Broadspectrum antibiotic treatment is a well-established practice for febrile neutropenia. Piperacillin/Tazobactam (P/T) is the frequently used antibiotic in most of FN cases, whereas the use of cefepime remains unclear regarding its potential risk. However, little systematic analysis has been conducted about comparison between these two drugs. Thus, we undertook this meta-analysis to compare these two monotherapies for febrile neutropenia. Through searching Pubmed, Google scholar, Medline databases, EMBASE, OvidSP, ScienceDirect, Web of science, and China Journal Net (CJN) databases, we used the keywords "(Piperacillin/Tazobactam AND cefepime) AND (febrile neutropenia) AND (cancer or tumor)". Only studies with randomized controlled trials were included in the meta-analysis. We screened out a total number of seven clinical trials. This meta-analysis supported that P/T treatment was superior to cefepime treatment based on the average OR comparison, without statistical significance (OR = 1.27, 95% confidence interval = 0.98 to 1.64, p = 0.07). We further divided the seven studies into two subgroups based on age and treatment time. The young group (age <= 19) showed no significant difference (OR = 1.10, p = 0.65). While the old group (age > 19) showed that P/T treatment was better than cefepime with statistical difference (OR = 1.44, p = 0.05). The short-term group (time <= 3 ds) showed P/T treatment was better than cefepime with statistical difference (OR = 1.40, p = 0.05). While in the long-term group (time > 5 ds), there was no significant difference between P/T and cefepime therapy (OR = 1.06, p = 0.79) Asymmetry in Funnel plots indicated no publication bias (CHI2 = 1.47, I2=0%, and p-value = 0.96) in this meta-analysis. It would be a good clinical trial to use P/T treatment to cure FN in cancer patients compared with cefepime treatment, especially in adult patients or patients with a short-term treatment period. This meta-analysis is practically important during antibiotic treatment in FN management.

A Neutropenia Febril (NF) apresenta-se como uma grande ameaça aos pacientes oncológicos após a quimioterapia. O tratamento antibiótico de amplo espectro é uma prática bem estabelecida para a neutropenia febril. Piperacilina/tazobactam (P/T) é o antibiótico frequentemente na maioria dos casos de NF, enquanto que o uso de cefepima permanece pouco claro em relação ao seu potencial risco. No entanto, pouca análise sistemática foi feita sobre a comparação entre esses dois fármacos. Assim, nós realizamos esta meta-análise para comparar estas duas monoterapias para a neutropenia febril. Através da pesquisa na Pubmed, Google Scholar, nas bases de dados da Medline, EMBASE, OvidSP, ScienceDirect, Web of science e nas bases de dados do China Journal Net (CJN), nós usamos as palavras-chave "(Piperacillin/Tazobactam AND cefepime) AND (febrile neutropenia) AND (cancer or tumor)". Apenas estudos com ensaios clínicos randomizados foram incluídos na meta-análise. Nós selecionamos um número total de sete ensaios clínicos. Esta meta-análise suportou que o tratamento com P/T foi superior ao tratamento com cefepima baseado na média da comparação OU (average OR comparision, em inglês), sem significância estatística (OR = 1.27, 95% confidence interval = 0.98 to 1.64, p = 0.07). Posteriormente, nós dividimos os sete estudos em dois subgrupos baseados na idade e no tempo de tratamento. O grupo jovem (idade <= 19) não mostrou uma diferença significativa (OR = 1.10, p = 0.65). Enquanto que o grupo mais velho (idade > 19) mostrou que o tratamento com P/T foi melhor do que o com cefepima com diferença estatística (OR = 1.44, p = 0.05). O grupo de curto prazo (tempo <= 3 ds*) mostrou que o tratamento com P/T foi melhor do que o com cefepima com diferença estatística (OR = 1.40, p = 0.05). Enquanto isso, no grupo de longo termo (tempo > 5 ds) não houve diferença significativa entre as terapias com P/T e Cefepima (OR = 1.06, p = 0.79). A assimetria nos gráficos de funil (funnel plots, em inglês) não indicaram viés de publicação (CHI2 = 1.47, I2=0%, and pvalue = 0.96) nesta meta-análise. Seria um bom ensaio clínico utilizar o tratamento P/T para curar NF em pacientes oncológicos comparados com o tratamento com cefepima, especialmente em pacientes adultos ou pacientes submetidos a um tratamento de curto prazo. Esta meta-análise é importante na prática durante o tratamento com antibióticos na administração de NF.

Characterization and comparative analyses of transcriptomes for in vivo and in vitro produced peri-implantation conceptuses and endometria from sheep.

An increasing number of reports indicate that in vitro fertilization (IVF) is highly associated with long­term side effects on embryonic and postnatal development, and can sometimes result in embryonic implant failure. While high­throughput gene expression analysis has been used to explore the mechanisms underlying IVF-induced side effects on embryonic development, little is known about the effects of IVF on conceptus-endometrial interactions during the peri-implantation period. Using sheep as a model, we performed a comparative transcriptome analysis between in vivo (IVO; in vivo fertilized followed by further development in the uterus) and in vitro produced (IVP; IVF with further culture in the incubator) conceptuses, and the caruncular and intercaruncular areas of the ovine endometrium. We identified several genes that were differentially expressed between the IVO and IVP groups on day 17, when adhesion between the trophoblast and the uterine luminal epithelium begins in sheep. By performing Gene Ontology enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, we found that, in the conceptus, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were associated mainly with functions relating to cell binding and the cell cycle. In the endometrial caruncular area, DEGs were involved in cell adhesion/migration and apoptosis, and in the intercaruncular area, they were significantly enriched in pathways of signal transduction and transport. Thus, these DEGs are potential candidates for further exploring the mechanism underlying IVF/IVP-induced embryonic implant failure that occurs due to a loss of interaction between the conceptus and endometrium during the peri-implantation period.

[Microsurgical resection of lumbar intraspinal tumors through paraspinal approach using percutaneous tubular retractor system].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical outcomes and operative techniques of microsurgical resection of lumbar intraspinal tumors through paraspinal approach by percutaneous tubular retractor system. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted to analyze 21 patients with lumbar intraspinal tumors between November 2011 and February 2014, including Schwannoma (n = 19) and meningioma (n = 2) without lumbar instability on preoperative images. The length of tumors was 0.6-2.0 cm. Tracheal intubation anesthesia was performed prior to microsurgery using percutaneous tubular retractor system through paraspinal approach. Operative duration, blood loss volume, postoperative wound pain duration and hospital stay were analyzed. Creatine phosphokinase (CPK-MM) level was recorded at 1 day preoperatively, 1 day, 3 days and 5 days postoperatively. The scores of Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) and visual analog scale (VAS) were analyzed at 1 day preoperatively, 1, 3, 5 days and 6 months postoperatively to evaluate the function status of spinal cord. Computed tomography ( CT) three-dimensional reconstruction of lumbar vertebrae was performed at 1 week postoperatively. Magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI) plain scan and enhanced scan of lumbar vertebrae were conducted preoperatively, 1 week and 6 months postoperatively. RESULTS: Complete removal of tumors was achieved in all patients without the injuries of spinal cord or nerve root. Postoperative scores of JOA and VAS improved versus preoperative ones (P < 0.05). Level of CPK-MM increased 1 day postoperatively and declined to preoperative level at 5 days postoperatively. And th difference was not statistically significant (P < 0.05). Neither residual tumor nor tumor recurrence was detected by MRI plain and enhanced scans. No postoperative spinal instability was identified by CT three-dimensional reconstruction. And no spinal deformity occurred during a follow-up period of 6-28 months. CONCLUSION: Microsurgical resection of lumbar intraspinal tumors using percutaneous tubular retractor system through paraspinal approach minimizes the injuries of paraspinal muscles, facet joint, spinous process and ligaments. This technique offers the advantages of mini-invasiveness, shorter hospital stay, rapid recovery and preserved postoperative spinal stability.

Prognostic significance of diagnosed WT1 level in acute myeloid leukemia: a meta-analysis.

The Wilms' tumor 1 (WT1) expression has been recognized in a substantial number of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. Some studies indicated the association of diagnosed WT1 higher expression (WT1(H)) and poor outcome in the AML patients, while other studies had different opinions. Therefore, we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate the controversial prognostic significance of diagnosed WT1(H) in AML. Eligible studies were identified from several databases including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library (up to September 2014). The primary end point was overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) was chosen as secondary end point. If possible, we would pool estimate effects (hazard ratio [HR] with 95 % confidence interval [CI]) of outcomes in both fixed and random effects models. Eleven studies, covering 1497 AML patients, were included in this meta-analysis. Pooled HRs indicated that diagnosed WT1(H) had a poor impact on the survival of AML patients (HR for OS, 1.37; HR for DFS, 1.38). Furthermore, diagnosed WT1(H) appeared to be an adverse prognostic indicator in adult AML (HR for OS, 1.43; HR for DFS, 1.41) and non-promyelocytic AML (non-M3 AML) (HR for OS, 1.46; HR for DFS, 1.41). Diagnosed WT1(H) had slightly but significantly poor prognostic impact on OS and DFS of patients with AML in total population and some specific subgroups.

Quantitative assessment of hepatic fibrosis by contrast-enhanced ultrasonography.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the contrast-enhanced ultrasonographic features for quantitative assessment of hepatic fibrosis. METHODS: 86 patients with chronic viral hepatitis B were enrolled in this study from March 2007 to August 2009. The patients were classified into 5 groups (S(0)-S(4)) according to fibrosis stage evaluated with ultrasound guided liver biopsy. New contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) features including area under the time-intensity curve (TIC) of portal venous phase/hepatic arterial phase (Qp/Qa) and intensity of portal venous phase/hepatic arterial phase (Ip/Ia) were used to detect the blood supply ratio (portal vein/hepatic artery) in each group. Arrival time of portal vein trunk (Tp) and decreasing rate of TIC (ß) were also analyzed. RESULTS: Qp/Qa and Ip/Ia decreased from S(0) to S(4), while Tp and ß increased. These 4 features were significantly correlated with the degree of fibrosis (P<0.001) and were significantly different among the five groups (P<0.001). Sensitivity and specificity of Ip/Ia were 80% and 86% for groups ≥S(1), 75% and 86% for groups ≥ S(2), 71% and 84% for groups ≥ S(3), and 76% and 80% for group S(4), respectively. Sensitivity and specificity of Qp/Qa were 70% and 88% for groups ≥ S(1), 80% and 76% for groups ≥ S(2), 74% and 70% for groups ≥ S(3), and 81% and 95% for group S(4), respectively. CONCLUSION: Ip/Ia and Qp/Qa could be adopted as reliable, non-invasive features for quantitative assessment of hepatic fibrosis.