CircRNA LOC729852 promotes bladder cancer progression by regulating macrophage polarization and recruitment via the miR-769-5p/IL-10 axis.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) function as tumour promoters or suppressors in bladder cancer (BLCA) by regulating genes involved in macrophage recruitment and polarization. However, the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the biological role of circLOC729852 in BLCA. CircLOC729852 was upregulated in BLCA tissues and correlated with increased proliferation, migration and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) of BCLA cells. MiR-769-5p was identified as a target for circLOC729852, which can upregulate IL-10 expression by directly binding to and suppressing miR-769-5p. Furthermore, our results indicated that the circLOC729852/miR-769-5p/IL-10 axis modulates autophagy signalling in BLCA cells and promotes the recruitment and M2 polarization of TAMs by activating the JAK2/STAT3 signalling pathway. In addition, circLOC729852 also promoted the growth of BLCA xenografts and M2 macrophage infiltration in vivo. Thus, circLOC729852 functions as an oncogene in BLCA by inducing secretion of IL-10 by the M2 TAMs, which then facilitates tumour cell growth and migration. Taken together, circLOC729852 is a potential diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target for BLCA.

Meta-analysis of clinical efficacy of thoracoscopy and robotic surgery in the treatment of mediastinal tumors.

OBJECTIVE: Comparing the clinical efficacy of thoracoscopy and robotic surgery in the treatment of mediastinal tumors using meta-analysis. METHODS: Computer retrieval of PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases for literature comparing the clinical effects of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) and robot-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) in treating mediastinal tumors, with the retrieval time limit from the establishment of the database to September 2023. Two evaluators independently screened the literature, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4. RESULTS: A total of 19 articles were included, with a total of 3517 patients. The results of the Meta-analysis showed that the RATS group had less intraoperative bleeding [MD = - 5.20, 95%CI (- 9.28, - 1.12), P = 0.01], lower rate of conversion to thoracotomy [OR = 0.41, 95%CI (0.23, 0.72), P = 0.002], lower rate of total postoperative complications [OR = 0.57, 95%CI (0.34, 0.95), P = 0.03], shorter postoperative drainage time [MD = - 0.72, 95%CI (- 1.13, - 0.32), P = 0.0004], and shorter postoperative hospital stay [MD = - 0.90, 95%CI (- 1.16, - 0.65), P < 0.001], in comparison with the VATS group. There was an insignificant difference between the two groups in terms of tumor size [MD = - 0.02, 95%CI (- 0.33, 0.30), P = 0.91] and operation time [MD = 0.17, 95%CI (- 7.61, 7.94), P = 0.97]. However, in regards to hospitalization costs [MD = 2634.75, 95%CI (991.62, 4277.88), P = 0.002], the RATS group was more expensive than the VATS group. CONCLUSION: Robot-assisted mediastinal tumor resection surgery has more advantages in terms of intraoperative bleeding, conversion to thoracotomy rate, total postoperative complication rate, postoperative drainage time, and postoperative hospital stay, in comparison with thoracoscopic-assisted mediastinal tumor resection surgery. There is an insignificant difference in tumor size and operation time between the two surgeries. However, robot-assisted mediastinal tumor resection surgery increases hospitalization costs.

Physicochemical and Colon Cancer Cell Inhibitory Properties of Theabrownins Prepared by Weak Alkali Oxidation of Tea Polyphenols.

Existing studies on the biological activity of theabrownins are not based on their free state but on the complexes of theabrownins, polysaccharides, proteins, and flavonoids. In this study, theabrownins (TBs-C) were prepared by weak alkali oxidation of tea polyphenols. The ultraviolet-visible scanning spectrum of TBs-C showed two characteristic absorption peaks at 203 and 270 nm. The zeta potential of the TBs-C aqueous solution was negative, and the values varied from - 6.26 to -19.55 mV with a solution pH of 3-9. Storage conditions of pH 5.0-7.0 and around 25 °C were beneficial for the physical and chemical stability of the TBS-C solution. Cells were treated with series concentrations and examined by MTT, HE staining, PI immunofluorescence staining, flow cytometry, and real-time PCR to investigate the antiproliferative effect of TBs-C on human colon cancer HT-29 cells. The results showed that TBs-C, particularly at 500 µg/mL, inhibited cell growth. TBs-C induced HT-29 cell apoptosis, as confirmed by morphological changes, nucleus propidium iodide staining, and distributions of the cell cycle. The apoptotic mechanism may be due to the intracellular redox imbalance induced by TBs-C.

Prevalence and associated risk factors of Helicobacter pylori infection in the Wuwei cohort of north-western China.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection and risk factors and to serotype the strains in Wuwei, located in north-western China, which has a high incidence of gastric cancer. METHODS: Helicobacter pylori infection was analysed in 21 291 adults by 14 C-urea breath test, and H. pylori antibody were detected in 9183 serum samples by latex immunoturbidimetric method. The correlation of H. pylori infection with demographic-economic, lifestyle factors and medical history among the participants was determined by questionnaire. The antibodies against H. pylori urease, VacA and CagA in serum were determined by dot immunobinding assay. RESULTS: The infection rate of H. pylori was 53.0%, and 90.1% of strains were type I strains. The H. pylori infection rate was higher among farmers (OR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.19-1.50) and individuals who had a junior high school or higher education level (OR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.06-1.15), and was lower in older individuals (OR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.83-0.90), individuals with high income (OR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.90-0.95), individuals with a habit of eating quickly (OR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.87-0.99) and individuals who consumed more fruit and vegetables (OR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.85-0.95). Individuals with history of cholecystitis/cholecystolithiasis, hypertension and asthma were negatively correlated with H. pylori infection (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of H. pylori infection is high in Wuwei. The major prevalent strain is type I strain. Age, education, occupation, household income, consumption of fruit and vegetables, and habit of eating quickly are independent risk factors for H. pylori infection, which is also associated with individuals with a history of extragastric diseases.

OBJECTIFS: Evaluer la prévalence de l'infection à Helicobacter pylori et les facteurs de risque et déterminer le sérotype des souches à Wuwei, situé dans le nord-ouest de la Chine, où l'incidence du cancer gastrique est élevée. MÉTHODES: L'infection à H. pylori a été analysée chez 21.291 adultes par un test respiratoire à l'urée au 14 C, et des anticorps à H. pylori ont été détectés dans 9.183 échantillons de sérum par une méthode immuno-turbidimétrique au latex. La corrélation entre l'infection à H. pylori et les facteurs démographiques et économiques, le mode de vie et les antécédents médicaux des participants a été déterminée par un questionnaire. Les anticorps contre l'uréase de H. pylori, VacA et CagA dans le sérum ont été déterminés par un test dot par d'immuno-liaison. RÉSULTATS: Le taux d'infection à H. pylori était 53,0% et 90,1% des souches étaient du type I. Le taux d'infection à H. pylori est plus élevé chez les agriculteurs (OR = 1,34 ; IC95%: 1,19 à 1,50) et les personnes qui avaient un niveau d'instruction du premier cycle secondaire ou supérieur (OR = 1,10 ; IC95%: 01,06 à 01,15) et était plus faible chez les personnes âgées (OR = 0,86 ; IC95%: 0,83-0,90), les personnes à revenu élevé (OR = 0,93 ; IC95%: 0,90-0,95), les personnes ayant l'habitude de manger rapidement (OR = 0,93 ; IC9 %: 0,87-0,99) et les individus qui consommaient plus de fruits et de légumes (OR = 0,90 ; IC95%: 0,85-0,95). Les personnes ayant des antécédents de cholécystite/cholécystolithiase, d'hypertension et d'asthme avaient une corrélation négative avec l'infection à H. pylori (p <0,05 ). CONCLUSION: La prévalence de l'infection à H. pylori est élevée à Wuwei. La principale souche répandue est du type I. L'âge, l'éducation, la profession, le revenu du ménage, la consommation de fruits et de légumes et l'habitude de manger rapidement sont des facteurs de risque indépendants d'infection à H. pylori, qui est également associée à des personnes ayant des antécédents de maladies extra-gastriques.

Prevalence and risk factors of Helicobacter pylori infection in Wuwei, a high-risk area for gastric cancer in northwest China: An all-ages population-based cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of Helicobacter pylori infection across all age groups in Wuwei City, a high-risk area for gastric cancer in Northwest China. METHODS: We conducted this study from 2016 to 2017 in an urban and a rural community in Wuwei City. Stool antigen tests targeted individuals aged 0 to 3 years old, and 13 C-urea breath tests targeted individuals aged above 3 years. We selected participants based on hierarchical cluster sampling. We assessed the association between variables and H. pylori infection based on logistic regression models. RESULTS: Ultimately, the results of 2,163 participants (age: 0 to 77 years old) were included (1,238 minors and 925 adults) in the analysis. The overall prevalence of H. pylori infection was 35.6%. It increased with age, reaching the peak in the 30 to 39 age group, and then began to decline. In multivariate analysis, age was positively associated with prevalence of H. pylori infection, and factors negatively associated with the prevalence were drinking running water, the frequency of yoghurt consumption, and an annual household income of Renminbi (¥) 30,000-100,000 or 100,000 above. In the subgroup analyses, however, the same variables associated differently in different age groups. Additionally, we interestingly noticed that boarding, eating at school cafeterias over six times per week, and frequently drinking untreated water were independent predictors of H. pylori infection in junior and senior high school students. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of H. pylori infection is moderate and closely associated with the socioeconomic conditions of Wuwei City, as well as the sanitary situations and dietary habits of the participants in the city. Boarding, eating at school, and drinking untreated water are the main factors explaining the rising infection rate in junior-senior high school students.

Ferroptosis Is Crucial for Cisplatin Induced Sertoli Cell Injury via N6-Methyladenosine Dependent Manner.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the effect of the N6-methyladenosine (m6A) dependent ferroptosis on cisplatininduced Sertoli cell injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cisplatin exposure mouse model was established by intraperitoneal injection of cisplatin in our study. TM4 cell lines was used for in vitro study. Ferroptosis was detected according to metabolomic analysis and a series of assays, including malondialdehyde, glutathione, and glutathione disulfide concentration detection, 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate and BODIPY 581/591 C11 probe detection, and transmission electron microscope imaging. Key ferroptosis-related genes were identified via transcriptomic analysis, western blot and immunohistochemistry. The m6A modification was demonstrated via m6A RNA immunoprecipitation and luciferase reporter assays. Immune cell infiltration was detected by mass cytometry, and verified by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence. RESULTS: Ferroptosis, but not other types of programmed cell death, is a significant phenomenon in cisplatin-induced testis damage and Sertoli cell loss. Ferroptosis induced by cisplatin in Sertoli cell/TM4 cell is GPX4 independent but is regulated by SLC7A11 and ALOX12. Both SLC7A11 and ALOX12 are regulated via m6A dependent manner by METTL3. Furthermore, overexpressed ALOX12-12HETE pathway may result in macrophage polarization and inflammatory response in cisplatin exposure testis. CONCLUSIONS: Cisplatin-induced Sertoli cell injury via ferroptosis and promoted ferroptosis in an m6A dependent manner. m6A modification of both SLC7A11 and ALOX12 mRNA could result in ferroptosis in our in vitro model. Further, overexpressed ALOX12 can cause more production of 12-HETE, which may be responsible for testis inflammation caused by cisplatin.

Leveraging diverse cell-death related signature predicts the prognosis and immunotherapy response in renal clear cell carcinoma.

Background: Modulation of programmed cell death in tumor cells alters the tumor microenvironment and the influx of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, and the combination of its inducers and immune checkpoint inhibitors plays a synergistic role in enhancing antitumor effects. Methods: We downloaded the data of clear cell renal cell carcinoma samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas and used a machine learning approach to build a new programmed cell death index (PCDI) through 13 programmed cell death-related genes. Based on PCDI, clinical features, tumor immune microenvironment, chemotherapy response and immunotherapy response were systematically analyzed. Results: PCDI consists of eight programmed cell death-related genes (TBX3, BID, TCIRG1, IDUA, KDR, PYCARD, IFNG and LRRK2). PCDI is a reliable predictor of survival in clear cell renal cell carcinoma patients and has been validated in multiple external datasets. We found that the high PCDI group showed higher levels of immune cell infiltration and better response to immunotherapy compared to the low PCDI group, and PCDI can also be used for prognostic prediction in a variety of cancers other than clear cell renal cell carcinoma. In vitro experiments demonstrated that knockdown of IDUA inhibited the proliferation and migration of clear cell renal cell carcinoma. Conclusions: The PCDI identified in this study provides valuable insights into the clinical management of clear cell renal cell carcinoma by accurately evaluating the prognosis of patients with clear cell renal carcinoma and identifying the patient population that would benefit from immunotherapy.

White matter changes in Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer's disease (AD). It is characterized by a progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and the formation of Lewy bodies (LBs). Although PD is primarily considered a gray matter (GM) disease, alterations in white matter (WM) have gained increasing attention in PD research recently. Here we review evidence collected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques which indicate WM abnormalities in PD, and discuss the correlations between WM changes and specific PD symptoms. Then we summarize transcriptome and genome studies showing the changes of oligodendrocyte (OLs)/myelin in PD. We conclude that WM abnormalities caused by the changes of myelin/OLs might be important for PD pathology, which could be potential targets for PD treatment.

The risk and prognostic factors for G1 pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: A retrospective analysis of the SEER database.

Background: Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) are rare neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) for which little is known about their clinical features, treatment options, and survival prognosis. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the risk factors affecting the overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) in patients with grade 1 pNETs (G1 pNETs) and to provide a new theoretical basis for clinical diagnosis and treatment. Methods: A retrospective analysis of individuals with G1 pNETs registered in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, End Results (SEER) database was performed. Risk factors affecting OS and CSS were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier analysis, Cox proportional hazards model, and Fine-Gray competing-risk model. Results: A total of 751 patients were included, most of whom were white (77.2%) women (53.9%) under the age of 60 years (54.9%), of whom 66 died of pNETs (8.78%) and 34 died of other causes (4.52%). Patients who were older than 60 years at diagnosis (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.866, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.242-2.805) had worse OS. And stage in the regional extent (HR = 1.777, 95% CI: 1.006-3.137) or distance extent (HR = 4.540, 95% CI: 2.439-8.453) had worse OS. Patients who delayed treatment after diagnosis had shorter CSS (delayed treatment < 1 month: HR = 1.933, 95% CI: 0.863-4.333; delayed treatment ≥ 1 month: HR = 2.208; 95% CI:1.047-4.654). Patients with lymph node metastasis (HR = 1.989, 95% CI: 1.137-3.479) or distant metastasis (HR = 5.625, 95% CI: 1.892-16.726) had worse CSS. Acceptance of surgery can significantly improve the patient's OS and CSS. OS (partial pancreatectomy [PP]: HR = 0.350, 95% CI: 0.182-0.672; pancreatectomy and duodenectomy [PD]: HR = 0.426, 95% CI: 0.222-0.815; total pancreatectomy [TP]: HR = 0.495, 95% CI: 0.193-1.267). CSS(PP: HR = 0.148, 95% CI: 0.0054-0.401; PD: HR = 0.332, 95% CI: 0.150-0.730; TP: HR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.254-1.872). Conclusion: Age and stage were identified as independent risk factors for OS. Delayed treatment, N stage and M stage were independent risk factors for CSS. Only surgery was identified as independent protective factors for OS and CSS.

The emerging roles of piezo1 channels in animal models of multiple sclerosis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory, demyelinating, and neurodegenerative disease in the central nervous system (CNS). Its pathogenesis is quite complex: Accumulated evidence suggests that biochemical signals as well as mechanical stimuli play important roles in MS. In both patients and animal models of MS, brain viscoelasticity is reduced during disease progression. Piezo mechanosensitive channels are recently discovered, and their three-dimensional structure has been solved. Both the membrane dome mechanism and the membrane footprint hypothesis have been proposed to explain their mechanosensitivity. While membrane-mediated forces alone appear to be sufficient to induce Piezo gating, tethers attached to the membrane or to the channel itself also seem to play a role. Current research indicates that Piezo1 channels play a key role in multiple aspects of MS pathogenesis. Activation of Piezo1 channels in axon negatively regulates CNS myelination. in addition, the inhibition of Piezo1 in CD4+ T cells and/or T regulatory cells (Treg) attenuates experimental autoimmune encephalitis (EAE) symptoms. Although more work has to be done to clarify the roles of Piezo1 channels in MS, they might be a promising future drug target for MS treatment.

Characterization of Theabrownins Prepared From Tea Polyphenols by Enzymatic and Chemical Oxidation and Their Inhibitory Effect on Colon Cancer Cells.

Theabrownins (TBs) are prepared from dark tea and contain a large number of complex heterogeneous components, such as carbohydrates, proteins, and flavonoids, which are difficult to remove. In addition, some toxic and harmful extraction solvents are used to purify TBs. These obstacles hinder the utilization and industrialization of TBs. In this study, tea polyphenols were used as substrates and polyphenol oxidase and sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) were used successively to prepare theabrownins (TBs-E). The UV-visible characteristic absorption peaks of the TBs-E were located at 203 and 270 nm and Fourier-transform IR analysis showed that they were polymerized phenolic substances containing the hydroxy and carboxyl groups. The TBs-E aqueous solution was negatively charged and the absolute values of the zeta potential increased with increasing pH. A storage experiment showed that TBs-E were more stable at pH 7.0 and in low-temperature environments around 25°C. HT-29 human colon cancer cells were used to evaluate the biological activity of TBs-E through 3-(4,5)-dimethylthiahiazo (-z-y1)-3,5-di- phenytetrazoliumromide (MTT), H&E staining, propidium iodide immunofluorescent staining, flow cytometry, and real-time PCR assays. The TBs-E significantly inhibited cell growth and caused late apoptosis, particularly at the dose of 500 µg/ml. The TBs-E markedly reduced the expression of antioxidant enzyme genes and increased the generation of reactive oxygen species to break the redox balance, which may have led to cell damage and death. These results will promote research and industrialization of TBs.

The Association of Trefoil Factors with Gastric Cancer and Premalignant Lesions: A Cross-Sectional Population-Based Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: A lack of research on the association of trefoil factors (TFF) with gastric cancer and premalignant lesions (PML) in the general population is an important obstacle to the application of TFFs for gastric cancer screening. We aimed to analyze the association of TFFs with gastric cancer and PMLs in a general population. METHODS: We evaluated 3,986 adults residing in Wuwei, China. We collected baseline characteristics and gastric cancer risk factors, including TFFs, endoscopic diagnosis, and pathologic information. Three logistic regression models were generated to analyze the association between TFFs and gastric cancer, as well as PMLs. Adjusted odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated to determine the strength of association. RESULTS: Compared with pepsinogen (PG) and anti-Helicobacter pylori immunoglobulin G antibody (Hp-IgG), TFFs had significant association with gastric cancer and PMLs after adjusting for biomarkers and risk factors (P < 0.05). The ORs (95% CI) for TFF1 (1.67; 1.27-2.20), TFF2 (2.66; 2.01-3.51), and TFF3 (1.32; 1.00-1.74) were larger than the ORs for PGI (0.79; 0.61-1.03), PGI/II (1.00; 0.76-1.31), and Hp-IgG (0.99; 0.73-1.35) in the gastric cancer group. In the intestinal metaplasia (IM) group, not only the TFF3 serum level was the highest, but also the OR (1.92; 1.64-2.25) was the highest. CONCLUSIONS: TFFs were associated with risk of gastric cancer and PMLs. IMPACT: Serum TFFs can improve the screening of high-risk populations for gastric cancer.

Risk factors in the development of gastric adenocarcinoma in the general population: A cross-sectional study of the Wuwei Cohort.

Several risk factors have been identified for the development of gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC), where the control group was usually a healthy population. However, it is unclear at what stage known risk factor exert their influence toward the progression to cancer. Based on the Wuwei Cohort, we enrolled 1,739 patients with chronic non-atrophic gastritis (no-CAG), 3,409 patients with chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG), 1,757 patients with intestinal metaplasia (IM), 2,239 patients with low-grade dysplasia (LGD), and 182 patients with high-grade dysplasia (HGD) or GAC to assess the risk factors between each two consecutive stages from no-CAG to GAC/HGD using adjusted logistic regression. We found that different groups of risk factors were associated with different stages. Age, occupation of farmer, low annual family income, Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, drinking, eating hot food, histories of gastritis and peptic ulcer were associated with the development of CAG. Age, illiteracy, H. pylori infection, smoking, eating hot food, eating quickly, and histories of gastritis and gallbladder diseases were associated with the progression to IM from CAG. Male, occupation of farmer and history of peptic ulcer were associated with the development of LGD from IM. Age, male and polyp history appeared to be risk factors associated with the development of GAC/HGD from LGD. In conclusion, it seems that most risk factors function more as a set of switches that initiated the GAC carcinogenesis. H. Pylori eradication and control of other risk factors should be conducted before IM to decrease the incidence of GAC.

Giant retroperitoneal paraganglioma: Challenges of misdiagnosis and high surgical risks, a case report.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: In surgery, misdiagnosis is not uncommon, usually a result of erroneous image interpretations and pathology diagnosis especially involving a tumor or cancer. Misdiagnosis may cause increased morbidity, mortality and surgical risks. CASE PRESENTATION: A 49-year-old man presented for the second time with a right upper abdominal mass of 7 months. Previous CT scan of abdomen and exploratory surgery made the diagnosis of liver cancer. Two other tertiary hospitals drew the similar conclusions. At a cancer hospital the needle biopsy was suspicious for gastrointestinal stromal tumor, Imatinib was recommended but not started due to high cost. During this re-admission, the diagnosis of liver cancer or GIST was challenged. A high risk surgery was done with successive removal of a giant tumor. A final diagnosis of paraganlioma was made and the patient is now tumor free for 6 years. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: There are 4 lessons from this case. First, a paraganlioma may be misdiagnosed. Second, the misdiagnosis may be misled by CT scan and pathology. Third, a misdiagnosis can cause increased morbidity, mortality and surgical risks. Forth, massive intraoperative hemorrhage is a high risk of surgery. CONCLUSION: Careful clinical evaluation combined with pathology diagnosis may reduce the misdiagnosis of some tumor/cancer. Surgical resection may be the only way to reach a diagnosis in patient with paraganlioma. Massive intraoperative hemorrhage is a high risk of surgery in such patients.

A retrospective study of the antibiotic-resistant phenotypes and genotypes of Helicobacter pylori strains in China.

Helicobacter pylori antibiotic resistance is a serious concern in China, where it severely influences treatment for H. pylori infection. To overcome this, it is essential to apply personalized therapies based on local or individual data on antibiotic-resistant phenotypes or genotypes. We conducted a large-scale multi-center study with a retrospective cross-sectional observational design to investigate the antibiotic-resistant phenotypes and genotypes of H. pylori in China. Strains were isolated from the gastric biopsy samples of H. pylori-infected patients from five different regions in China. The strains were tested for antibiotic-resistant phenotypes and genotypes, and the agreement between the two was assessed. In total, 4242 H. pylori strains were isolated and cultured, with an 84.43% success rate. The primary and secondary antibiotic resistance rates of H. pylori were 37.00% and 76.93% for clarithromycin, 34.21% and 61.58% for levofloxacin, 2.20% and 6.12% for amoxicillin, 1.61% and 3.11% for furazolidone, 1.18% and 3.31% for tetracycline, and 87.87% and 93.48% for metronidazole, respectively. The dual-resistance patterns for metronidazole/clarithromycin, metronidazole/levofloxacin, and clarithromycin/levofloxacin were 43.6%, 38.4%, and 26.1%, respectively. Clarithromycin- and levofloxacin-resistant H. pylori phenotypes and genotypes showed satisfactory agreement. Based on these findings, clarithromycin- and levofloxacin-resistant genotype testing could partially replace traditional antibiotic susceptibility testing in China. Continuous monitoring and personalized treatments based on individual and local H. pylori antibiotic-resistance data remain necessary.

Clinicopathological significance of E-cadherin, VEGF, and MMPs in gastric cancer.

E-cadherin, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are important molecules involved in tumor metastasis. In this study, we examined the expressions of E-cadherin, VEGF, MMP-1, MMP-2, and microvessel density (MVD), as well as microlymphatic vessel density (MLVD) in 200 cases of gastric cancer tissues, and determined the relationship between these parameters and the clinicopathological features and patient survival. Protein expressions, MVD, and MLVD were detected by immunohistochemistry. The correlation between the expression levels of these molecules and the clinicopathological features was analyzed. Patient survival was estimated by Kaplan and Meier analysis. Compared to normal gastric mucosa, expression of E-cadherin was reduced in 78% of gastric cancer tissues and 44.6% of adjacent non-cancerous gastric tissues. VEGF was positive in 81.5% of gastric cancer tissues, 35.7% of adjacent non-cancerous gastric tissues, and 10% of normal gastric mucosa. MMP-1 was positive in 80.5% of gastric cancer tissues, 69.6% of adjacent non-cancerous gastric tissues, and 20% of normal gastric mucosa. Reduced expression of E-cadherin was closely correlated with poor tumor differentiation and a deeper tumor invasion. Increased expressions of VEGF and MMP-1 were closely linked with poor differentiation and Lauren classification. Increased expression of MMP-2 was closely correlated with more lymph node metastasis, a deeper invasion, and a larger tumor size. More MVD was observed in VEGF-positive tissues than in VEGF negative tissues. Therefore, abnormal expressions of E-cadherin, VEGF, MMP-1, and MMP-2 are widely present in gastric cancer tissues. Abnormal expressions of E-cadherin, VEGF, and MMP-2 may represent the early molecular changes in the development of gastric cancer. Positive expression of E-cadherin and negative expression of VEGF and MMP-2 are correlated with a better patient survival.

A live attenuated H1N1 M1 mutant provides broad cross-protection against influenza A viruses, including highly pathogenic A/Vietnam/1203/2004, in mice.

The emergence of novel influenza A H1N1 and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 viruses underscores the urgency of developing efficient vaccines against an imminent pandemic. M(NLS-88R) (H1N1), an A/WSN/33 mutant with modifications in the multibasic motif 101RKLKR105 of the matrix (M1) protein and its adjacent region, was generated by reverse genetics. The M(NLS-88R) mutant had in vitro growth characteristics similar to those of wild-type A/WSN/33 (wt-WSN), but it was attenuated in mice. Vaccination with M(NLS-88R) not only fully protected mice from lethal homologous challenges but also prevented mortality caused by antigenically distinct H3N2 and H5N1 viruses. M(NLS-88R)-induced homologous protection was mainly antibody dependent, but cellular immunity was also beneficial in protecting against sublethal wt-WSN infection. Adoptive transfer studies indicated that both humoral and cellular immune responses were crucial for M(NLS-88R)-induced heterologous protection. Our study suggests an alternative approach to attenuate wt influenza viruses for the development of a pandemic vaccine with broad cross-protection.

The challenges of urgent radical sigmoid colorectal cancer resection in a COVID-19 patient: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic presents a unique global health challenge further complicating surgical management of COVID-19 positive patients due to a lack of published literature. CASE: Within we discuss a 48-year-old Chinese man, presenting with acute gastrointestinal obstruction due to sigmoid colonic mass. The patient was screened and tested positive for COVID 19 due to his employment in Wuhan, China at the COVID-19 pandemic epicenter. The patient was subsequently taken for open sigmoid colonic resection, however the case presented multiple challenges due to the patient's COVID-19 positive status. DISCUSSION: The challenges of surgical management of COVID-19 positive patients exist are four-fold. First the unknown efficacy of pre-surgical risk stratification in COVID-19 positive patients, second the risk of aerosolized COVID-19 transmission during intubation for surgery, third the risk of fecal COVID-19 transmission to surgical staff during large bowel resection, and fourth the post-operative challenges of caring for COVID-19 positive patients. CONCLUSION: Further research is needed into these topics, as well as the medical management of COVID-19 surgical patients.

[Epidemiological study on status of Helicobacter pylori in children and teenagers in Wuwei city, Gansu province].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection among children aged 3 to 18 years old of Wuwei city, Gansu province. METHODS: The study was based upon a personal questionnaire and a determination of Hp antigen using the Hp stool antigen test (HpSA) method. A total of 938 subjects and 96 families were selected in Wuwei city. Eighty children and teenagers with a definite positive Hp stool antigen test were examined by serum Western blotting method. RESULTS: The prevalence of Hp was 72.3% (678/938) with no age difference. Prevalence of Hp infection was correlated with type of dwelling, occupation of parents, drinking water source, kindergarten attendance, consumption of raw vegetables, a poor oral hygiene and breast feeding etc. According to the multivariate analysis, drinking water source, kindergarten attendance and consumption of raw vegetables were most strongly associated with prevalence of Hp in children and adolescents. The infection rate of parents whose children were infected with Hp was higher than that of those whose children were not infected [82.3% (121/147) vs 47.4% (18/38), chi(2) = 19.736, P < 0.05]. The antibody responses of 57 samples (71.3%) from 80 children were of type I Hp and 23 samples (28.7%) type II. CONCLUSIONS: Hp infective rate is high in Wuwei city. The data support maternal-child and sibling-sibling transmission as the primary transmission routes of Hp. The results of serological analysis confirm that the majority of Wuwei Hp infection is of type I.

Effects of Tea-Polysaccharide Conjugates and Metal Ions on Precipitate Formation by Epigallocatechin Gallate and Caffeine, the Key Components of Green Tea Infusion.

The mechanism of tea-infusion precipitation is not clear. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and caffeine (CAF) are the core components of green tea infusion precipitate. The critical precipitation concentration ( CCPC) of EGCG-CAF mixed aqueous solutions was assayed through a turbidity assay performed at 25 °C and verified by a differential-scanning calorimeter (DSC) for reliability. Different concentrations of the green tea polysaccharide conjugate fraction (gTPC-D), with a molecular weight of 2.32 × 105 Da, and of metal ions (K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, and Al3+) were respectively introduced into the mixed solution to study their effects on CCPC. On the basis of the changed CCPC, the clarification-precipitation phase diagrams of the mixed aqueous solutions were constructed. By calculating the integral area of the clarification phase, it was determined that the four metal ions and gTPC-D could accelerate precipitate formation with a dose-response relationship; among the metal ions, the effect of Al3+ is the strongest, followed by that of Ca2+.