Prognostic value of systemic immune-inflammation index/albumin ratio for immunotherapy-treated patients receiving opioids.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the effect of the systemic immune-inflammation index/albumin ratio (SII/ALB) on the prognosis of immunotherapy-treated patients receiving opioids. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted of 185 immunotherapy-treated patients who received opioids at Xuzhou Central Hospital from 01/09/2021 to 01/09/2023. The results of related clinical data were collected during the week before the cancer patients received immunotherapy. The SII/ALB cut-off value was determined, and the relationship between the SII/ALB and clinical pathological parameters was analyzed using the chi-square test. The effect of the SII/ALB on progression-free survival (PFS) was examined using Kaplan-Meier curves and the Cox proportional hazard model. RESULT: The SII/ALB cut-off value was 20.86, and patients were divided into low (SII/ALB ≤ 20.86) and high (SII/ALB > 20.86) SII/ALB groups. Adverse reactions (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.108; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.061-0.192, P < 0.001) and the SII/ALB (HR = 0.093; 95% CI: 0.057-0.151, P < 0.001) were independent prognostic factors for PFS. Compared with the high SII/ALB group, the low SII/ALB group had longer PFS after opioid treatment (12.2 vs. 5.2 months, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The SII/ALB is a potentially important prognostic parameter in immunotherapy-treated patients receiving opioids.

Petersen's hernia after gastric cancer surgery: Unravelling clinical characteristics and optimal management approaches.

INTRODUCTION: Petersen's hernia is a rare and serious complication that can occur after radical gastrectomy and digestive tract reconstruction for gastric cancer. This article summarises the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of Petersen's hernia after surgery for gastric cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 11 male patients who were diagnosed with Petersen's hernia and underwent surgical treatment at our hospital from January 2020 to December 2022. Their clinical manifestations, perioperative conditions and follow-up after treatment were collected. RESULTS: The median age was 58.5 years (range: 45-73), and the median time since gastrectomy was 24 months (range: 4-125). Open distal gastrectomy (45.5%) and open total gastrectomy (27.3%) were the most common procedures. Roux-en-Y (81.8%) was the predominant anastomosis method. All patients underwent emergency surgery within a median time of 30 h (range: 4-45). Intestine necrosis occurred in 36.4% of cases, with a perioperative death rate of 27.3%. CONCLUSION: Petersen's hernia after gastric cancer surgery can quickly lead to necrotising intestinal obstruction and poor prognosis. Enhanced abdominal computed tomography should be performed as soon as possible, and early exploratory laparotomy should be done to avoid intestinal necrosis. Routine closure of the mesenteric defect after gastric cancer resection can prevent the occurrence of Petersen's hernia. This article highlights the need for increased awareness and preventive measures to minimise the occurrence of Petersen's hernia in gastric cancer patients. It emphasises the importance of early detection and appropriate management strategies for improved patient outcomes.

Compound Dahuang Baiji Spray Improves Acute Radiodermatitis by Down-Regulating the Expression of ALOX5.

Acute radiodermatitis is a type of skin injury caused by tumor radiotherapy. Compound Dahuang Baiji spray (CDBS) is a traditional Chinese medicine spray made from Dahuang and Baiji decoction. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects and mechanisms of CDBS on radiation dermatitis. We analyzed the main components of CDBS using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Through network pharmacology prediction, the target of Dahuang and Baiji was identified as arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase (ALOX5), associated with inflammation. Therefore, we constructed radiodermatitis rat models and treated them with CDBS for 14 d. Skin samples were collected from the rats' injured skin tissues, and pathological changes, oxidative stress indicators, inflammatory cytokines, and ALOX5 expression were detected using techniques such as HE staining, blood parameters analysis, ELISA, Real-time qPCR, and Western blot. The characteristic appearances of radiodermatitis were observed in different rat groups which indicated that the skin injury score in the model group was at grade II and was at grade I in the CDBS group. In addition, the HE results showed that CDBS reduced the necrosis of collagen fibers and inflammatory cell infiltration in the dermis of the radiodermatitis rats. Moreover, compared to the model group, CDBS significantly decreased leukocytes, lymphocytes, and neutrophils in the blood, as well as levels of IL-2, LTB4, 5-LO, NO, and ALOX5 expression in rat blood. Our findings suggest the therapeutic effect of CDBS on radiodermatitis by downregulating ALOX5 to inhibit inflammation, potentially serving as a radiodermatitis therapy.

Zhenxin Anshen formula ameliorates atopic der-matitis-like skin dysfunction in mice and regulation of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 and transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 in Neural pathways.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of Zhenxin Anshen formula (, ZXAS) on atopic dermatitis (AD) by transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) signalling pathway in mice and . METHODS: AD-like lesions were induced by 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB) to the shaved dorsal skin of BALB/c mice. BALB/c mice were divided into five groups: normal control, model control, cetirizine, low-, medium-, and high-dose of ZXAS. After ZXAS in-tervention, the skin lesions and blood samples were collected for hematoxylin and eosin-stained and measuring the concentrations of inflammatory cytokines. Immun-oglobulin E (IgE), interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-13, and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) were de-tected by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The spinal cords were collected for measuring the expression of gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR), TRPV1, and TRPA1 by using immunohistochemistry, western blotting, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analyses. In addition, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, flow cytometry, ELISA, and Western blotting were conducted for analysis of primary dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons . RESULTS: ZXAS treatment improved DNCB-induced AD-like lesions through reducing dermatitis score, number of scratching and epidermal thickness, accompanied by the de-creased IgE and Th2 inflammatory cytokines. ZXAS also supressed the mRNA and protein expression of GRPR, TRPV1, and TRPA1 in the spinal cord. The medicated sera of ZXAS decreased capsaicin-induced Ca influx and downregulated the expression of TRPV1, TRPA1, and phospholipase C in DRG neurons. CONCLUSIONS: The therapeutic effect of ZXAS on AD may be related to the regulation of TRPV1 and TRPA1 and inhibition of Ca2+ signals in neurons.

The 'double­track sign': A novel CT finding suggestive of the diagnosis of T1a gastric cancer.

Effective identification of T1a stage cancer is crucial for planning endoscopic resection for early gastric cancers. The present study aimed to determine the diagnostic value of the double-track sign in patients with T1a gastric cancer using computed tomography (CT) imaging. A total of 152 patients diagnosed with pathologically proven T1a gastric cancer at The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University (Zhengzhou, China) between July 2011 and August 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. The control group consisted of 2,926 patients with gastritis. Clinical data, including patient characteristics and preoperative CT imaging findings with gastric morphological features, were reviewed and analyzed. Out of 51 patients with T1a gastric cancer finally included, 31 (60.8%) exhibited local double-track enhancement changes of the stomach, referred to as the 'double-track sign', on CT images. In addition, four patients (7.8%) had well-enhanced mucosal thickening of the gastric wall. Of the 2,926 control subjects, none had any double-track sign and six patients (0.2%) had local gastric wall thickening with abnormally strengthened enhancement. In conclusion, a double-track sign on CT images is beneficial in the diagnostic differentiation of T1a gastric cancer.

Preoperative prediction of vessel invasion in locally advanced gastric cancer based on computed tomography radiomics and machine learning.

Vessel invasion (VI) is an important factor affecting the prognosis of gastric cancer (GC), and the accurate determination of preoperative VI for locally advanced GC is of great clinical significance. Traditional methods for the evaluation of VI require postoperative pathological examination. Noninvasive preoperative evaluation of VI is therefore crucial to determine the best treatment strategy. To determine the value of preoperative prediction of gastric VI based on portal venous phase computed tomography (CT) radiomic features and machine-learning models, a retrospective analysis of 296 patients with locally advanced GC confirmed through pathological examination was performed. They were divided into two groups, VI+ (n=213) and VI- (n=83), based on pathological results. Using pyradiomics to extract two-dimensional radiomic features of the portal venous stage of locally advanced GC, data were divided into training (n=207) and validation sets (n=89), with a ratio of 7:3, and three feature selection methods were cascaded and merged. Finally, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was used for feature screening to obtain the optimal feature subset. Four current representative machine-learning algorithms were used to construct the prediction model, the receiver operating characteristic curve was constructed to evaluate the predictive performance of the model, and the area under the curve (AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were calculated. The differentiation degree, and the Lauren's and CA199 classifications were independent risk factors for locally advanced GC VI. Pyradiomics extracted 864 quantitative features of portal vein images of locally advanced GC. After filtering out low variance features using R, 236 features remained. Next, 18 features were screened using the LASSO algorithm. Extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), logistic regression, Gaussian naive Bayes, and support vector machine models were constructed based on the 18 best features screened out of the portal venous CT images of advanced GC and three independent risk factors of GC VI in clinical features predicted the training set AUC values of 0.914, 0.897, 0.880, and 0.814, respectively. The predicted validation set AUC values were 0.870, 0.877, 0.859, and 0.773, respectively. The DeLong test results indicated no statistically significant difference in AUC values between the XGBoost and logistic regression models in the training and validation sets. The four machine-learning models showed high predictive performance. The logistic regression model had the highest AUC value in the validation set (0.877), and the accuracy and F1 score were 77 and 87.6%, respectively. CT radiomic features and machine-learning models based on the portal venous phase can be used as a noninvasive imaging method for the preoperative prediction of VI in locally advanced GC. The logistic regression model exhibited the highest diagnostic performance.

Prospective Evaluation of Pain and Anxiety Levels Between Wide-Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet and General Anesthesia With Tourniquet in Excision of Wrist Ganglions.

Purpose: Excision of wrist ganglions is a common procedure in hand surgery. Our objective was to determine whether the type of anesthesia (general anesthesia [GA] vs wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet [WALANT] technique) would affect patient satisfaction regarding intraoperative pain control, postoperative pain management, and anxiety. Methods: This was a prospective study with patients divided into either the WALANT or GA cohort. The waiting time for surgery, Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale, blood pressure, and heart rate were measured. Postsurgical questionnaires with the visual analog scale were completed. The surgeon's feedback on the ease of ganglion stalk visibility and usage of diathermy as a measure of a bloodless field was recorded. Patients reported the amount of analgesia consumed and overall satisfaction with the operation via the Surgical Satisfaction-8 questionnaire. Results: A total of 42 patients underwent wrist ganglion excision in 2 orthopedic centers over a period of 2 years, with 21 undergoing GA and 22 undergoing WALANT. The GA group was more anxious about anesthetic use with a higher demand for information about GA (P = .04). The duration of surgery was significantly shorter in the WALANT group and with a lower diathermy usage (P < .001). There was no difference in terms of surgical difficulty and stalk visualization. The visual analog scale pain score was significantly lower in the WALANT group than in the GA group immediately after surgery (P = .04) and on discharge (P = .004). While at home for 2 weeks, the WALANT group (mean = 2.91 tablets) consumed significantly fewer analgesic tablets than the GA group (mean = 6.25 tablets). However, both groups were satisfied with their experience. Conclusions: Wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet technique in the excision of ganglions provides another option of anesthesia with painless experiences, and no pain rebound after surgery. Patients were less anxious about WALANT than GA. Excision can be performed without diathermy usage with similar visualization of the stalk. Type of study/level of evidence: Therapeutic II.

Intravenous fentanyl vs. topical lignocaine for ProSeal™ laryngeal mask airway insertion with propofol induction.

Insertion of the laryngeal mask airway (LMA) without muscle relaxant requires adequate obtundation of airway reflexes, which may otherwise lead to incorrect or failed LMA placement. This study compared topical lignocaine spray vs. intravenous (IV) fentanyl, during propofol induction for insertion of the ProSeal™ LMA (PLMA). This was a prospective, randomized, double blind study, in ASA I or II patients, for elective or emergency surgery. Seventy patients (n = 70) who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to receive IV fentanyl 2 mcg/kg or topical lignocaine spray 40 mg, prior to anesthesia induction with IV propofol (2-2.5 mg/kg). ProSeal™ LMA insertion condition was regarded optimal in the absence of adverse responses (gag, cough, laryngospasm and body movements), and successful LMA placement at the first attempt. Hemodynamic parameters were recorded and patients were assessed for sore throat and hoarseness post operatively. Seventy patients were analyzed. The number of patients with optimal PLMA insertion conditions were comparable between the groups (60% vs. 57%, P = 0.808). All hemodynamic parameters were comparable between groups with the exception of heart rate. Sympathetic obtundation of heart rate was greater with IV fentanyl than topical lignocaine (P < 0.05). The proportion of patients with postoperative sore throat significantly increased with the number of insertion attempts (P < 0.05). Topical lignocaine spray to the pharynx is as effective, and may be an alternative to IV fentanyl, during propofol induction for PLMA insertion. Success rate and optimal insertion condition at the first attempt, propofol requirement, blood pressure, adverse events and airway complications were comparable. Heart rate obtundation was less with topical lignocaine spray but remained within clinically acceptable values.

Efficacy of Human-Recombinant Epidermal Growth Factor Combined with Povidone-Iodine for Pressure Ulcers and Its Influence on Inflammatory Cytokines.

Purpose: To determine the clinical efficacy of recombinant human epidermal growth factor (rh-EGF) combined with povidone-iodine (PVI) on patients with pressure ulcers (PUs). Methods: One hundred and five PU patients treated between January 2018 and January 2021 were enrolled and retrospectively analyzed. Of them, 50 patients who received conventional treatment were assigned to the control group (Con group), while 55 patients treated with rh-EGF combined with PVI were assigned to the observation group (Obs group). The two groups were compared in clinical efficacy, PU alleviation (total area reduction rate, total depth reduction rate, and total volume reduction rate), healing time, pain degree (Visual Analog Scale [VAS] score), inflammatory indexes (interleukin-8 [IL-8], tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α], and hypersensitive C reactive protein [hs-CRP]), and hydroxyproline content in the wound. Results: The Obs group yielded a higher total effective rate than the Con group (P < 0.05). The Obs group also experienced statistically shorter healing time and milder pain, with better PU alleviation and lower levels of inflammation indexes compared with the Con group (all P < 0.05). In addition, a higher hydroxyproline content in the wound was found in the Obs group. Conclusions: All in all, rh-EGF combined with PVI has a definite curative effect on patients with PUs. It can promote PU alleviation and hydroxyproline secretion in the wound and inhibit pain and inflammatory reactions, which is worthy of clinical promotion.

Meningioma in mature cystic teratoma of the ovary: clinical and computed tomography findings.

BACKGROUND: Mature cystic teratoma (MCT) with meningioma of the ovary is a very rare benign tumor. There is only 3 reports of this disease until June 2019. The aim of the present study was to describe a ovarian mature cystic teratoma containing meningioma and nests of neuroblasts in a 15-year-old girl. METHODS: The method used in the present study consists of description of the clinical history, image lab features, and pathological result. RESULTS: The patient complained of a 2-month history of irregular vaginal bleeding. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) showed a large oval cystic-solid mass with septations and fat density shadow, in abdomen pelvic cavity. The cystic part was the main component in the mass. The tumoral solid parts and its internal division could be seen intensified from slight to moderate on contrast-enhanced CT images compared with those on precontrast images, and the solid parts showed heterogeneous enhancement. Neighbouring intestinal tract and the uterus displaced by compression. The pathological examination confirmed the diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical feature of ovarian mature cystic teratoma with meningioma includes a lack of specificity. Only meticulous recording of the gross features, histopathological examination including immunohistochemistry and supportive clinical and radiological findings to arrive at a correct diagnosis in case of unconventional tumours. If necessary, preoperative puncture can be performed.

A high-mobility group box 1 that binds to DNA, enhances pro-inflammatory activity, and acts as an anti-infection molecule in black rockfish, Sebastes schlegelii.

High-mobility group box (HMGB) 1 is a chromosomal protein that plays critical roles in DNA transcription, replication and repair. In addition, HMGB1 functions as a pro-inflammatory molecule in many vertebrates and invertebrates. In teleosts, very limited studies of HMGB1 have been reported. In this study, we identified a HMGB1 homologue (SsHMGB1) from black rockfish (Sebastes schlegelii) and analyzed its structure, expression and biological function. The open reading frame of SsHMGB1 is 621 bp, with a 5'-untranslated region (UTR) of 62 bp and a 3'-UTR of 645 bp. SsHMGB1 contains two typical HMG boxes and an acidic C-terminal tail. The deduced amino acid sequence of SsHMGB1 shares the highest overall identity (89.4%) with the HMGB1 of Anoplopoma fimbria. The expression of SsHMGB1 occurred in multiple tissues and was highest in the brain. Moreover, the mRNA level of SsHMGB1 in head kidney (HK) macrophages could be induced by Listonella anguillarum in a time-dependent manner. Recombinant SsHMGB1 purified from Escherichia coli (i) bound DNA fragments in a dose-dependent manner; and (ii) induced the expression of cytokines in HK macrophages, including a significant increase in TNF-α activity and enhanced mRNA level of TNF13B and IL-1 ß, which are known to be involved in antibacterial defense; moreover, (iii) significantly improved the macrophage bactericidal activity together with reduced pathogen dissemination and replication of bacteria in fish kidney. These results indicated that SsHMGB1 is a novel HMGB1 that possesses apparent immunoregulatory properties and is likely to be involved in fighting bacterial infection.

Comparing insertion characteristics on nasogastric tube placement by using GlideScopeTM visualization vs. MacIntosh laryngoscope assistance in anaesthetized and intubated patients / Comparação das características de inserção de sonda nasogástrica, usando visibilização pelo laringoscópio GlideScope® vs. guiada pelo laringoscópio MacIntosh em pacientes anestesiados e intubados

Abstract Background and objective: This was a prospective, randomized clinical study to compare the success rate of nasogastric tube insertion by using GlideScopeTM visualization versus direct MacIntosh laryngoscope assistance in anesthetized and intubated patients. Methods: Ninety-six ASA I or II patients, aged 18-70 years were recruited and randomized into two groups using either technique. The time taken from insertion of the nasogastric tube from the nostril until the calculated length of tube had been inserted was recorded. The success rate of nasogastric tube insertion was evaluated in terms of successful insertion in the first attempt. Complications associated with the insertion techniques were recorded. Results: The results showed success rates of 74.5% in the GlideScopeTM Group as compared to 58.3% in the MacIntosh Group (p = 0.10). For the failed attempts, the nasogastric tube was successfully inserted in all cases using rescue techniques. The duration taken in the first attempt for both techniques was not statistically significant; Group A was 17.2 ± 9.3 s as compared to Group B, with a duration of 18.9 ± 13.0 s (p = 0.57). A total of 33 patients developed complications during insertion of the nasogastric tube, 39.4% in Group A and 60.6% in Group B (p = 0.15). The most common complications, which occurred, were coiling, followed by bleeding and kinking. Conclusion: This study showed that using the GlideScopeTM to facilitate nasogastric tube insertion was comparable to the use of the MacIntosh laryngoscope in terms of successful rate of insertion and complications.

Resumo Justificativa e objetivo: Este foi um estudo clínico prospectivo e randômico para comparar a taxa de sucesso da inserção de sonda nasogástrica (NG) com as técnicas de visibilização guiada pelo laringoscópio GlideScope® versus guiada pelo laringoscópio MacIntosh em pacientes anestesiados e intubados. Métodos: Foram recrutados 96, ASA I ou II, entre 18-70 anos, e divididos randomicamente em dois grupos, com uma ou outra técnica. Foi calculado o tempo transcorrido desde a inserção da sonda NG, da narina até a inserção do comprimento calculado da sonda. A taxa de sucesso de inserção da sonda NG foi avaliada quanto à inserção bem-sucedida na primeira tentativa. As complicações associadas às técnicas de inserção foram registradas. Resultados: Os resultados mostraram taxas de sucesso de 74,5% para o grupo GlideScope® em comparação com 58,3% para o grupo MacIntosh (p = 0,10). Para as tentativas que falharam, a sonda NG foi inserida com sucesso em todos os casos, com as técnicas de resgate. A duração da primeira tentativa para ambas as técnicas não foi estatisticamente significativa: 17,2 ± 9,3 segundos no Grupo A e 18,9 ± 13,0 segundos no Grupo B (p = 0,57). No total, 33 pacientes desenvolveram complicações durante a inserção da sonda NG: 39,4% no Grupo A e 60,6% no Grupo B (p = 0,15). As complicações mais comuns ocorridas foram enrolamento, seguido de sangramento e dobradura. Conclusão: Este estudo mostrou que o uso do GlideScope® para facilitar a inserção de sonda nasogástrica foi comparável ao uso do laringoscópio MacIntosh quanto à taxa de sucesso de inserção e às complicações.

Comparing insertion characteristics on nasogastric tube placement by using GlideScope™ visualization vs. MacIntosh laryngoscope assistance in anaesthetized and intubated patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: This was a prospective, randomized clinical study to compare the success rate of nasogastric tube insertion by using GlideScope™ visualization versus direct MacIntosh laryngoscope assistance in anesthetized and intubated patients. METHODS: Ninety-six ASA I or II patients, aged 18-70 years were recruited and randomized into two groups using either technique. The time taken from insertion of the nasogastric tube from the nostril until the calculated length of tube had been inserted was recorded. The success rate of nasogastric tube insertion was evaluated in terms of successful insertion in the first attempt. Complications associated with the insertion techniques were recorded. RESULTS: The results showed success rates of 74.5% in the GlideScope™ Group as compared to 58.3% in the MacIntosh Group (p=0.10). For the failed attempts, the nasogastric tube was successfully inserted in all cases using rescue techniques. The duration taken in the first attempt for both techniques was not statistically significant; Group A was 17.2±9.3s as compared to Group B, with a duration of 18.9±13.0s (p=0.57). A total of 33 patients developed complications during insertion of the nasogastric tube, 39.4% in Group A and 60.6% in Group B (p=0.15). The most common complications, which occurred, were coiling, followed by bleeding and kinking. CONCLUSION: This study showed that using the GlideScope™ to facilitate nasogastric tube insertion was comparable to the use of the MacIntosh laryngoscope in terms of successful rate of insertion and complications.

Impact of aphid alarm pheromone release on virus transmission efficiency: When pest control strategy could induce higher virus dispersion.

Aphids cause serious damages to crops not only by tacking sap but also by transmitting numerous viruses. To develop biological control, the aphid alarm pheromone, namely E-ß-farnesene (EßF), has been demonstrated to be efficient to repel aphids and as attract beneficials, making it a potential tool to control aphid pests. Considering aphids also as virus vectors, changes of their behavior could also interfere with the virus acquisition and transmission process. Here, a combination of two aphid species and two potato virus models were selected to test the influence of EßF release on aphid and virus dispersion under laboratory conditions. EßF release was found to significantly decrease the population of Myzus persicae and Macrosiphum euphorbiae around the infochemical releaser but simultaneously also increasing the dispersal of Potato Virus Y (PVY). At the opposite, no significant difference for Potato Leaf Roll Virus (PLRV) transmission efficiency was observed with similar aphid alarm pheromone releases for none of the aphid species. These results provide some support to carefully consider infochemical releasers not only for push-pull strategy and pest control but also to include viral disease in a the plant protection to aphids as they are also efficient virus vectors. Impact of aphid kinds and transmission mechanisms will be discussed according to the large variation found between persistent and non persistent potato viruses and interactions with aphids and related infochemicals.

Development of ammonia sensors by using conductive polymer/hydroxyapatite composite materials.

In order to improve the gas sensing properties, hydroxyapatite (HAp)-based composites were prepared by mixing with different contents of conductive polymers: polypyrrole (PPy) and polyaniline (PAni). The compositions, microstructures and phase constitutions of polymer/HAp composites were characterized, and the sensing properties were studied using a chemical gas sensing (CGS-8) system. The results showed that, compared to pure HAp, the sensitivities of the composites to ammonia were improved significantly. 5%PPy/HAp and 20%PAni/HAp composites exhibited the best sensitivities to ammonia, and the sensitivities at 500ppm were 86.72% and 86.18%, respectively. Besides, the sensitivity of 5%PPy/HAp at 1000ppm was up to 90.7%. Compared to pure PPy and PAni, the response and the recovery time of 5%PPy/HAp and 20%PAni/HAp at 200ppm were shortened several times, and they were 24s/245s and 15s/54s, respectively. In addition, the composites showed a very high selectivity to ammonia. The mechanism for the enhancement of the sensitivity to ammonia was also discussed. The polymer/HAp composites are very promising in applications of ammonia sensors.

PINK1 and its familial Parkinson's disease-associated mutation regulate brain vascular endothelial inflammation.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a debilitating disorder that affects movement. Inflammation-mediated endothelial dysfunction has been found to be involved in neurodegenerative diseases, including PD. More than 40 PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1) mutations have been found in PD patients. The effects of PINK1 in vascular inflammation are as yet unknown. In this study, our findings revealed that PINK1 can be increased by the inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α in primary human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs). We found that wild-type PINK1 prevents expression of the adhesion molecule vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), thus inhibiting the attachment of monocytes to brain endothelial cells. However, PINK1G309D, the loss-of-function mutation associated with early-onset familial PD, promotes expression of VCAM-1 and exacerbates attachment of monocytes to brain endothelial cells. Mechanism studies revealed that overexpression of wild-type PINK1 inhibits the VCAM-1 promoter by inhibiting the transcriptional activity of interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1). However, PINK1G309D promotes the VCAM-1 promoter by increasing the transcriptional activity of IRF-1.

Therapeutic potential of anti-IL-1ß IgY in guinea pigs with allergic asthma induced by ovalbumin.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß) plays pivotal roles in the progression of allergic airway inflammation. This study aims to determine whether the blockade of IL-1ß can inhibit airway inflammation in guinea pigs with allergic asthma induced by the inhalation of aerosolized ovalbumin (OVA). METHODS: Healthy guinea pigs treated with saline were used as normal controls (group C). The guinea pigs with allergic asthma induced by the inhalation of aerosolized OVA were randomly divided into three groups: (1) the M group containing negative control animals treated with saline; (2) the Z1 group containing animals treated by the inhalation of atomized 0.1% anti-IL-1ß immunoglobulin yolk (IgY); and (3) the Z2 group containing positive control animals that were treated with budesonide. The inflammatory cells in the peripheral blood (PB) and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were evaluated using methylene blue and eosin staining. Cytokine concentrations were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Pulmonary sections were examined using hematoxylin-eosin staining. RESULTS: Allergic inflammation and damage to the pulmonary tissues were decreased in the Z1 group compared to the M group. Eosinophils and neutrophils in the PB and BALF were significantly decreased in the Z1 group compared to the M group (P<0.05). Treatment with anti-IL-1ß IgY significantly reduced the levels of IL-1ß, IL-4, IL-8, IL-13, TNF-α, TGF-ß1 and IgE in the BALF (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The inhalation of aerosolized anti-IL-1ß IgY inhibits pathological responses in the pulmonary tissues of guinea pigs with allergic asthma. The inhibitory activity may be due to the decrease in the numbers of eosinophils and neutrophils and the reduced levels of inflammatory cytokines and IgE in the PB and BALF.

[Experimental study on protein expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and c-Jun amino-terminal kinase signaling pathways in keloid fibroblasts].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the protein expression of c-Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in normal skin and keloid and to explore their influences on the formation of kloid. METHODS: Keloid tissues and normal skin tissues were collected from 16 keloid resection patients (experimental group) and 10 voluntary plastic surgery patients (control group). In the experimental group, the keloid formation time ranged from 8 months to 10 years; the keloid tissues were collected from the chest in 6 cases, the ear lobe in 4 cases, the perineum in 2 cases, the shoulder in 3 cases, and the abdomen in 1 case; and all keloid tissues were confirmed by pathological examination. In the control group, normal skin tissues were collected from the abdomen in 4 cases, the thighs in 3 cases, the shoulder in 2 cases, and the back in 1 case. Two-step line of Envision immunohistochemical staining was performed to observe the expressions of non-phosphorylated and phosphorylated JNK and ERK; Image Pro Plus 4.5 image analysis system was used to measure the integrated absorbance (IA) and to observe the positive staining strength. RESULTS: The immunohistochemical staining showed that no obvious expressions of phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated ERK, JNK were observed in the fibroblasts of the control group, and the expressions of phosphorylated JNK and ERK proteins were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the expressions of non-phosphorylated JNK and ERK proteins between 2 groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION Activation of ERK and JNK pathways might be involved in formation of keloid.

Impact of accelerator-based boron neutron capture therapy (AB-BNCT) on the treatment of multiple liver tumors and malignant pleural mesothelioma.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To confirm the feasibility of accelerator-based BNCT (AB-BNCT) for treatment of multiple liver tumors and malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), we compared dose distribution and irradiation time between AB-BNCT and reactor-based BNCT (RB-BNCT). MATERIAL AND METHODS: We constructed treatment plans for AB-BNCT and RB-BNCT of four multiple liver tumors and six MPM. The neutron beam data on RB-BNCT were those from the research reactor at Kyoto University Research Reactor Institute (KURRI). The irradiation time and dose-volume histogram data were assessed for each BNCT system. RESULTS: In BNCT for multiple liver tumors, when the 5 Gy-Eq dose was delivered as the mean dose to the healthy liver tissues, the mean dose delivered to the liver tumors by AB-BNCT and RB-BNCT was 68.1 and 65.1 Gy-Eq, respectively. In BNCT for MPM, when the mean lung dose to the normal ipsilateral lung was 5 Gy-Eq, the mean dose delivered to the MPM tumor by AB-BNCT and RB-BNCT was 20.2 and 19.9 Gy-Eq, respectively. Dose distribution analysis revealed that AB-BNCT is superior to RB-BNCT for treatment of deep-seated tumors. CONCLUSIONS: The feasibility of the AB-BNCT system constructed at our institute was confirmed from a clinical viewpoint in BNCT for multiple liver tumors and MPM.