Identification of Regulatory RNA-Binding Proteins Associated with Immune Infiltration in Laryngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

We analyzed bulk RNA sequencing and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data to identify alternative splicing (AS) events and regulatory RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) associated with immune infiltration in human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). Whole-transcriptome sequencing data of 20 human laryngeal cancer and paracancerous tissues were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus public database, using newly published splicing-site usage variation analysis software to obtain highly conserved regulated AS (RAS) events, and scientific reverse convolution algorithm analysis was used to identify significantly different immune cells and perform a correlation analysis between the two. The software package edgeR was used to identify differentially expressed RBPs and the immune infiltration-related LSCC-RAS they may regulate. Finally, we present the expression profiles and survival curves of 117 human laryngeal cancer samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset for the identified RBPs and LSCC-RAS. We also downloaded the gene set enrichment 150321 scRNA-seq data for two human LSCC tissue samples. The RBP expression pattern and the expression of prophase RBP genes were analyzed in different LSCC cell populations. RNA-binding motif protein 47 (RBM47) and filamin A, as well as the RBP-RAS events that were screened in both the fibulin 2 and fibronectin 1 genes, were all significantly associated with the prognosis, and the RBM47 gene was upregulated in myeloid cells. Because the prognosis was significantly associated with two RBP regulators and two LSCC-RAS events, they may be critical regulators of immune cell survival during laryngeal cancer progression, and RBM47 may regulate macrophage-associated AS and affect immunity.

[Research progress on the relationship between anemia and neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis]. / è´«è¡€ä¸Žæ–°ç”Ÿå„¿åæ­»æ€§å°è‚ ç»“è‚ ç‚Žå‘ç— å ³ç³»çš„ç ”ç©¶è¿›å±•.

Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common inflammatory intestinal disease in preterm infants, with a high incidence and mortality rate. The etiology and mechanisms of NEC are not yet fully understood, and multiple factors contribute to its occurrence and development. Recent studies have found that anemia is a risk factor for NEC in neonates, but the specific pathogenic mechanism remains unclear. This article reviews recent research on the relationship between anemia and NEC, providing a reference for further understanding the impact of anemia on intestinal injury and its association with NEC.

circ0005027 Acting as a ceRNA Affects the Malignant Biological Behavior of Hypopharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Modulating miR-548c-3p/CDH1 Axis.

Hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HSCC) is a malignant tumor of head and neck. It was verified that circ0005027 was downregulated in HSCC tissues. Here, we aimed to investigate the function and specific regulatory mechanism of circ0005027 in HSCC. Ten pairs tissues of HSCC and adjacent para-cancer were collected. Reverse-transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) measured circ0005027, miR-548c-3p, and Cadherin 1 (CDH1) mRNA expression. CCK-8 analyzed cell proliferation viability. Flow cytometry assay detected cell cycle and apoptosis rate. Clonal formation assay measured the clonal ability. Transwell detected cell invasion ability. Western blot was performed to detect CDH1, LAST1, p-LAST1, MST1, p-MST1, YAP1, p-YAP1, TAZ and p-TAZ protein level. Dual-luciferase, RIP and RNA pull-down assay identified the target relationship among circ0005027, miR-548c-3p and CDH1. circ0005027 was decreased in tissues and FaDu cells of HSCC. Overexpression of circ0005027 inhibited cell viability, G1-S transition, clonal formation, and invasion and increased cell apoptosis. circ0005027 acted as a ceRNA and decreased circ0005027 enhanced the malignant process of FaDu cells through sponging miR-548c-3p and inhibiting CDH1 expression. Overexpression of CDH1 activated YAP1/TAZ pathway and inhibited the growth of HSCC in vitro. circ0005027 might act as a potential biomarker for the progression and prognosis prediction in HSCC by regulating miR-548c-3p/CDH1/ YAP1/TAZ signaling pathway.

[Clinical features of severe meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) and early predicting factors for severe MAS in neonates with meconium-stained amniotic fluid]. / èƒŽç²ªæ±¡æŸ“ç¾Šæ°´æ–°ç”Ÿå„¿å‘ç”Ÿé‡åº¦èƒŽç²ªå¸å ¥ç»¼åˆå¾çš„ä¸´åºŠç‰¹å¾åŠé¢„è­¦å› ç´ åˆ†æž.

OBJECTIVES: To study the clinical features of severe meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) and early predicting factors for the development of severe MAS in neonates with meconium-stained amniotic fluid (MSAF). METHODS: A total of 295 neonates who were hospitalized due to Ⅲ° MSAF from January 2018 to December 2019 were enrolled as subjects. The neonates were classified to a non-MAS group (n=199), a mild/moderate MAS group (n=77), and a severe MAS group (n=19). A retrospective analysis was performed for general clinical data, blood gas parameters, infection indicators, and perinatal clinical data of the mother. The respiratory support regimens after birth were compared among the three groups. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to investigate predicting factors for the development of severe MAS in neonates with MSAF. RESULTS: Among the 295 neonates with MSAF, 32.5% (96/295) experienced MAS, among whom 20% (19/96) had severe MAS. Compared with the mild/moderate MAS group and the non-MAS group, the severe MAS group had a significantly lower 5-minute Apgar score (P<0.05) and a significantly higher blood lactate level in the umbilical artery (P<0.05). Compared with the non-MAS group, the severe MAS group had a significantly higher level of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in peripheral blood at 1 hour after birth (P<0.017). In the severe MAS group, 79% (15/19) of the neonates were born inactive, among whom 13 underwent meconium suctioning, and 100% of the neonates started to receive mechanical ventilation within 24 hours. Peripheral blood IL-6 >39.02 pg/mL and white blood cell count (WBC) >30.345×109/L at 1 hour after birth were early predicting indicators for severe MAS in neonates with MSAF (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Meconium suctioning cannot completely prevent the onset of severe MAS in neonates with MSAF. The neonates with severe MAS may develop severe respiratory distress and require mechanical ventilation early after birth. Close monitoring of blood lactate in the umbilical artery and peripheral blood IL-6 and WBC at 1 hour after birth may help with early prediction of the development and severity of MAS.

[Impact of mild hypothermia therapy on hemodynamics during the induction stage in neonates with moderate to severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy].

OBJECTIVE: To study the changes in hemodynamics during the induction stage of systemic mild hypothermia therapy in neonates with moderate to severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). METHODS: A total of 21 neonates with HIE who underwent systemic mild hypothermia therapy in the Department of Neonatology, Dongguan Children's Hospital Affiliated to Guangdong Medical University, from July 2017 to April 2020 were enrolled. The rectal temperature of the neonates was lowered to 34℃ after 1-2 hours of induction and maintained at this level for 72 hours using a hypothermia blanket. The impedance method was used for noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring, and the changes in heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO), cardiac index (CI), and total peripheral resistance (TPR) from the start of hypothermia induction to the achievement of target rectal temperature (34℃). Blood lactic acid (LAC) and resistance index (RI) of the middle cerebral artery were recorded simultaneously. RESULTS: The 21 neonates with HIE had a mean gestational age of (39.6±1.1) weeks, a mean birth weight of (3 439±517) g, and a mean 5-minute Apgar score of 6.8±2.0. From the start of hypothermia induction to the achievement of target rectal temperature (34℃), there were significant reductions in HR, CO, and CI (P < 0.05), while there was no significant change in SV and MAP (P > 0.05). There was a significant increase in TPR (P < 0.05) and a significant reduction in LAC (P < 0.05), while there was no significant change in RI (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The systemic mild hypothermia therapy may have a significant impact on hemodynamics in neonates with moderate to severe HIE, and continuous hemodynamic monitoring is required during the treatment.

Clinical features and prognosis of severe meconium aspiration syndrome with acute respiratory distress syndrome. / é‡åº¦èƒŽç²ªå¸å ¥ç»¼åˆå¾å¹¶å‘æ€¥æ€§å‘¼å¸çª˜è¿«ç»¼åˆå¾ä¸´åºŠç‰¹å¾åŠè½¬å½’åˆ†æž.

OBJECTIVES: To study the clinical features and prognosis of neonates with severe meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 60 neonates with severe MAS who were admitted from January 2017 to December 2019. According to the presence or absence of ARDS, they were divided into two groups: ARDS (n=45) and non-ARDS (n=15). Clinical features and prognosis were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Among the 60 neonates with severe MAS, 45 (75%) developed ARDS. Arterial blood gas analysis showed that the ARDS group had a significantly higher median oxygenation index within 1 hour after birth than the non-ARDS group (4.7 vs 2.1, P<0.05), while there was no significant difference between the two groups in white blood cell count, C-reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) on admission and the peak values of procalcitonin, CRP, and IL-6 during hospitalization (P>0.05). The ARDS group had a significantly higher incidence rate of shock than the non-ARDS group (84% vs 47%, P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups in the incidence rates of persistent pulmonary hypertension, pneumothorax, pulmonary hemorrhage, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, intracranial hemorrhage, and disseminated intravascular coagulation (P>0.05). The ARDS group required a longer median duration of mechanical ventilation than the non-ARDS group (53 hours vs 3 hours, P<0.05). In the ARDS group, 43 neonates (96%) were cured and 2 neonates (4%) died. In the non-ARDS group, all 15 neonates (100%) were cured. CONCLUSIONS: Neonates with severe MAS and ARDS tend to develop respiratory distress earlier, require a longer duration of mechanical ventilation, and have a higher incidence rate of shock. During the management of children with severe MAS, it is recommended to closely monitor oxygenation index, give timely diagnosis and treatment of ARDS, evaluate tissue perfusion, and actively prevent and treat shock. Citation.

Use of Neonatal Lung Ultrasound for the Early Detection of Pneumothorax.

OBJECTIVE: Pneumothorax (PTX) can be diagnosed using lung ultrasonography (LUS) in adult patients, but there are only a few reports of LUS in PTX diagnosis in neonates. The aim of the study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy for PTX. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective review study performed in our neonatal intensive care unit (level III) between June 2015 and June 2018. All eligible patients underwent an LUS scan before undergoing a chest X-ray (CXR), which was considered the reference standard. When a diagnosis of PTX was inconsistent between LUS and CXR, a chest computed tomography (CT) scan or chest drain was considered the gold standard. RESULTS: Among 86 infants included in the study, 30 (34.9%) were diagnosed with PTX. In these 30 infants, 35 PTXs were detected by bedside LUS (five bilateral PTXs). Moreover, 11 infants with 14 PTXs were diagnosed only by LUS and were missed by CXR. Out of these 11 infants, 7 underwent a CT scan, whereas the remaining 4 underwent thoracentesis that confirmed PTX diagnosis. CONCLUSION: In neonates with PTX, LUS was more sensitive and specific for the early detection of PTX compared with CXR.

A targeted gene capture next-generation sequencing panel for genetic screening of newborns.

OBJECTIVE: The application of next-generation sequencing (NGS) will greatly promote the screening and diagnosis of genetic diseases. This study aimed to implement and validate a targeted NGS panel for genetic screening of over fifty types of genetic disorders in newborns. METHODS: A targeted gene panel consisting of 104 known genes related to genetic diseases with a target size of 347.8 kb was designed. Genes were selected through reference to databases including HGMD, OMIM, GeneReviews®, and Genetic Home Reference, and the latest peer-reviewed publications associated with the genetics of hereditary diseases. RESULTS: The average coverage for all targeted exons was 596X, and the mean targeted region coverage of 1X, 10X, 20X and 50X reads for each sample were 99.8%, 99.2%, 98.8%, and 95.3%, respectively. The panel showed 100% consistency in detecting 8 pathogenic insertion/deletion (indels) variants ranging from 1 to 16 bp in size and 20 pathogenic single-nucleotide variations (SNVs) across 32 samples previously confirmed by Sanger sequencing. CONCLUSIONS: A dried blood spot (DBS)-based targeted NGS panel for efficient genetic screening of a wide variety of genetic diseases in newborns was developed and evaluated. Furthermore, our panel will contribute to providing accurate diagnosis for genetic disorders and will be helpful for gene therapy for specific diseases.

[Effect of different antibiotic use strategies on infection in neonates with premature rupture of membranes and high-risk factors for neonatal infection].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of different antibiotic use strategies on infection in neonates with premature rupture of membranes and the high-risk factors for neonatal infection. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 223 neonates with premature rupture of membranes. According to the antibiotic use strategies, they were classified into two groups: study group (n=95) and control group (n=128). The neonates in the study group were given antibiotics based on risk assessment and infection screening, and those in the control group were given antibiotics based on risk assessment alone after admission. General status and prognosis were compared between the two groups. According to the presence or absence of infection, the neonates were classified into two groups: infection group (n=32) and non-infection group (n=191). The clinical data were compared between the two groups. A logistic regression model was used to investigate the high-risk factors for infection in neonates with premature rupture of membranes. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the study group had a significantly longer time of premature rupture of membranes, a significantly higher rate of cesarean section, and a significantly lower antibiotic use rate at admission and a significantly lower total antibiotic use rate (P<0.05). The study group also had a significantly higher incidence rate of infection and a significantly lower incidence rate of sepsis (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the incidence rates of other complications between the two groups (P>0.05). Compared with the non-infection group, the infection group had a significantly lower gestational age, a significantly longer time of premature rupture of membranes, a significantly higher rate of cesarean section, and significantly higher levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and procalcitonin on admission and during reexamination (P<0.05), with fever as the most common symptom. The logistic regression analysis showed that preterm birth and cesarean section were high-risk factors for infection in neonates with premature rupture of membranes (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Strict adherence to the indications for antibiotic use in neonates with premature rupture of membranes does not increase the incidence rate of complications. Neonates with premature rupture of membranes, especially preterm infants and infants delivered by cesarean section, should be closely observed for the change in disease conditions, and infection indices including CRP should be reexamined in case of fever and antibiotics should be used to prevent serious infection.

A novel compound heterozygous mutation in VARS2 in a newborn with mitochondrial cardiomyopathy: a case report of a Chinese family.

BACKGROUND: Genetic defects in the mitochondrial aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase are important causes of mitochondrial disorders. VARS2 is one of the genes encoding aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. Recently, an increasing number of pathogenic variants of VARS2 have been reported. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the novel compound heterozygous pathogenic VARS2 mutations c.643 C > T (p. His215Tyr) and c.1354 A > G (p. Met452Val) in a female infant who presented with poor sucking at birth, poor activity, hyporeflexia, hypertonia, persistent pulmonary hypertension of newborn (PPHN), metabolic acidosis, severe lactic acidosis, expansion and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. These heterozygous mutations were carried individually by the proband's parents and elder sister; the two mutations segregated in the family and were the cause of the disease in the proband.The c.643 C > T (p. His215Tyr) mutation was not described in the ExaC, GNomAD and 1000 Genomes Project databases, and the frequency of c.1354 A > G (p. Met452Val) was < 0.001 in these gene databases.The two mutated amino acids were located in a highly conserved region of the VARS2 protein that is important for its interaction with the cognate tRNA. The two missense mutations were predicted by online tools to be damaging and deleterious. CONCLUSIONS: Our report expands the spectrum of known pathogenicVARS2 variants associated with mitochondrial disorders in humans.VARS2 deficiency may cause a severe neonatal presentation with structural cardiac abnormalities.

The correlation between growth hormone receptor (GHR) polymorphism and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome among the Han and Hani population in China.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a common health problem that is associated with abnormality in craniofacial morphology. The growth hormone receptor (GHR) belongs to the cytokine receptor superfamily and mediates the majority of growth hormone signaling, which, among other functions, determines mandibular growth and development. The aim of this study was to determine if correlations exist between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the GHR gene and OSAS in the Han or Hani ethnic groups in China. A total of 274 Han subjects (106 with OSAS and 168 without OSAS) and a total of 270 Hani subjects (64 with OSAS and 206 without OSAS) were enrolled in our study. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood obtained from all subjects. Genotyping was undertaken for eight SNPs in the GHR gene (rs3756416, rs7727047, rs2910875, rs12153009, rs2972781, rs12518414, rs4410646, and rs6451620) using PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing. The genotype frequency of rs12518414 was associated with OSAS in both the Han and Hani groups, and the A allele frequency was remarkably lower in Hani OSAS patients compared with Hani controls (16.7 vs 29.9%). In addition, the G allele frequency of the rs3756416 SNP was significantly lower in OSAS patients compared with normal controls in the Hani ethnic group (12.5 vs 24.6%). In a comparison between ethnic groups, genotype frequencies of four SNPs (rs2972781, rs6451620, rs12518414, and rs7727047) differed between Han and Hani OSAS patients, with the A allele frequency of the rs12518414 and G allele frequency of the rs7727047 were significantly higher in the Han OSAS patients. In conclusion, significant associations were detected between some SNPs in the GHR gene and OSAS occurrence while others appeared to be ethnicity-dependent.

Photothermal treatment with EGFRmAb-AuNPs induces apoptosis in hypopharyngeal carcinoma cells via PI3K/AKT/mTOR and DNA damage response pathways.

Hypopharyngeal carcinoma (HC) is one of the most malignant tumors in the upper aerodigestive tract. Currently, there are no effective treatments for HC. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are a promising tool that can be used for plasmonic photothermal therapy (PPTT), which refers to the use of electromagnetic radiation, most often in near infrared (NIR) region, for the treatment of various medical conditions including cancer. AuNPs have been proved to be a promising tool for NIR spectroscopy-mediated photothermal therapies. In this study, we chemically conjugated AuNPs with a monoclonal antibody (mAb) targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a cell-surface receptor that is overexpressed in many cancers. We then assessed the effect of NIR photothermal treatment with the EGFRmAb-AuNPs in FaDu HC cells. Our data showed that nanoparticle conjugation with the EGFRmAb improved the specific targeting towards FaDu cells and reduced cytotoxicity towards normal (293 T) cells which do not overexpress the EGFR. A significant amount of our EGFRmAb-conjugated AuNPs could enter the nucleus. Moreover, the expression levels of double strand DNA break repair proteins, including p-ATR, p-CHK1, and p-CHK2 were increased following AuNPs treatment, indicating the presence of DNA damage. These findings suggest that the AuNPs can potentially disrupt genome integrity and induce apoptosis. In addition, EGFRmAb-AuNPs+NIR could induce FaDu cell apoptosis, accompanied by the inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway and stimulation of DNA damage response. Based on these data, PPTT using the EGFRmAb-AuNPs could be a new promising treatment for HC.

Antimicrobial resistance in bacterial pathogens among hospitalized children with community acquired lower respiratory tract infections in Dongguan, China (2011-2016).

BACKGROUND: Bacterial pathogens are a major cause of childhood community acquired lower respiratory tract infections (CA-LRTIs), and few data described the impact of antimicrobial resistance on children with CA-LRTIs. This study aims to investigate the antimicrobial resistance in common bacterial agents among hospitalized children with CA-LRTIs between 2011 and 2016 in Dongguan, China. METHODS: Sputum samples were collected from hospitalized children (0-5 years old) with CA-LRTIs in Dongguan Children's Hospital. Bacterial pathogens were detected using traditional culture methods, and disc diffusion tests were used to determine antibiotic resistance. RESULTS: Among the 2360 samples analyzed, 342 (14.5%) were positive for bacterial infection. The most prevalent pathogen was MSSA (2.3%), followed by MRSA (1.5%), E. coli (1.7%), E. coli ESBLs (1.2%), K. pneumonia ESBLs (1.5%), K. pneumonia (1.4%) and S. pneumonia (1.3%). Of the hospitalized patients with bacteria causing of CA-LRTIs, 90.1% were less than 1-year-old. MSSA and MRSA were more commonly isolated in infants less than 3 months. E. coli, K. pneumonia and K. pneumonia ESBLs were more common bacteria causing CA-LRTIs in infants less than 1 month. Resistance levels to penicillins, fluoroquinolones, macrolides, cephalosporins, carbapenems and vancomycin varied in different bacteria. CONCLUSIONS: S. aureus, E coli and K. pneumonia were the common bacterial isolates recovered from chidren with CA-LTRIs during 2011-2015. Age group of under 1 year old was at a high risk of bacterial infections. Many isolates showed antibiotic resistance level was associated with antibiotic usage in clinic. Increasing surveillance of antibiotic resistance is urgently needed and develops better strategies to cure the antibiotic abuse in China.

Long noncoding RNA H19 regulates EZH2 expression by interacting with miR-630 and promotes cell invasion in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) H19 has been recently shown to participate in the progression of cancer, including metastasis. However, the biological role of H19 and the underlying mechanisms mediating its functions in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) remain unclear. Herein, we found that H19 was overexpressed in NPC tissues and poorly differentiated cell lines. Knockdown of H19 significantly inhibited the invasive ability of NPC cells. Moreover, H19 affected the expression of enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), which has also been observed to be up-regulated in NPC and to promote cell invasion. Rather than direct interaction, H19 regulated EZH2 expression by suppressing the activity of miR-630, which is a repressor of EZH2 and interacts with H19 in a sequence-specific manner. Furthermore, H19 inhibited E-cadherin expression and promoted cell invasion of NPC cells via the miR-630/EZH2 pathway. Our data suggest an important role for H19 in NPC metastasis and suggest the feasibility of therapy for NPC involving modulation of the novel regulatory network.

[Study on Multi-Bands Recognition for Varieties of Mutton by Using Hyperspectral Technologies].

This paper focused on the research on identifying and classifying for mutton varieties of Tan-han hybrid sheep,Yanchi Tan-sheep and small-tailed sheep in Ningxia by using visible/ near-infrared (400~1 000 nm). Near infrared (900~1 700 nm) hyperspectral technologies, baseline and SG convolution smoothing spectra pretreatment methods were applied respectively according to the characteristics of different spectrum bands; the characteristic wavelengths were extracted by using successive projection algorithm (SPA);then combined with linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and radial basis kernel function of support vector machine (RBFSVM) model were applied to identify the different mutton varieties under characteristic wavelengths and full-wave bands. Results showed that there were good effects for mutton varieties identification in different hyperspectral bands, among which Baseline-Fullwave-RBFSVM and the same models under 12 characteristic wavelengths obtained accuracy of 100% and 98.75% in 400~1 000 nm respectively, and Baseline-Fullwave-RBFSVM and the same models under 7 characteristic wavelengths obtained accuracy of 96.25% and 87.80% in 900~1 700 nm respectively.The identification accuracy of RBFSVM nonlinear classification was higher than the LDA linear discriminant result, meanwhile the identification accuracy in 400~1 000 nm bands was better than in 1 000~1 700 nm bands, which explained that the differences of color and texture were more significant than the component contents among the 3 varieties mutton. Combined hyperspectral technologies with RBFSVM models can obtain a better recognition effect of mutton varieties.

Exosomal communication in glioma - a review.

Cancer research has revealed the existence of cancer stem cells (CSCs). However, the influence of the surrounding stromal cells present in the microenvironment on CSCs is still poorly understood. The latest studies on gliomas suggested that the microenvironment of human gliomas contains both glioma stem cells (GSCs) and glioma associated (GA)-mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs; (GA-MSCs). Also, studies have suggested that nano- sized vesicles, termed exosomes, have been recently observed to contribute towards intercellular communication within the tumor niche. The present review article will highlight the current view of exosomal communication in gliomas.

[Study on the Photo-thermal Effect of Gold Nanorods Irradiated with Near Infrared Region Laser in Different Conditions].

This article explores the possible influencing factor and regular pattern of temperature rise induced by photo-thermal effect of gold nanorods when irradiated with near infrared region (NIR) laser. We used transmission electron microscope and UV-Vis-NIR spectrometer to characterize gold nanorods, then used 808 nm NIR laser with different power to irradiate the gold nanorods in different conditions and measured the temperature of the above solution. The higher the concentration of gold nanorods, the faster the temperature rose and the bigger its amplitude was. When the concentration of gold nanorods was fixed, the relation between power of laser and amplitude of temperature rise was linear. Temperature rise was also related to the shape of container. It could be concluded that amplitude of temperature rise of gold nanorods reaction system was related with concentration of the particles, irradiated power and shape of the container, so that we could control the temperature easily by regulating the irradiated power size of NIR laser in the experiments.

Increased MTHFD2 expression is associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer.

The aim of this study was to investigate the expression levels of methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase (NADP + -dependent) 2 (MTHFD2) and the associated clinical implications in breast cancer. MTHFD2 expression was measured by Western blot and immunohistochemistry in 698 tissue sections taken from breast cancer patients. The relationship between MTHFD2 expression, clinicopathological parameters, and the prognosis of breast cancer was subsequently determined. In comparison with para-carcinoma tissue specimens, an enhanced expression of MTHFD2 was observed in breast cancer tissue specimens (P < 0.05). In total, 41.12 % (287/698) of breast cancer tissue specimens had high levels of MTHFD2. After universal and Spearman regression correlation analyses, MTHFD2 expression was found to correlate with tumor size, histological grade, lymph node metastasis, and distant metastases (P = 0.001, 0.002, 0.001, and 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, patients with MTHFD2-expressing tumors had a significantly poorer prognosis than those with no or low MTHFD2 expression. (P = 0.002). Using the Cox regression test, MTHFD2 was identified as an independent prognostic factor (P = 0.001). MTHFD2 was differentially expressed in breast cancer tissue. Therefore, this protein may be an independent prognostic factor and a potential therapeutic target for future breast cancer treatments.

Reproductive factors in relation to risk of brain tumors in women: an updated meta-analysis of 27 independent studies.

Previous studies on the association between reproductive factors and brain tumor risk in women have provided inconclusive findings. Thus, an updated meta-analysis was performed to obtain more precise risk estimates for brain tumor regarding several common reproductive factors. A comprehensive literature search for relevant publications in the PubMed and Embase databases was carried out from their inception up to June 20, 2014. Pooled relative risks (RRs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. There were 27 independent studies with a total of 12,129 cases and 1,433,915 controls included into the present meta-analysis. We found that an elevated risk of brain tumors (RR=1.17, 95% CI 1.06-1.29, P=0.002), particularly glioma (RR=1.33, 95% CI 1.15-1.54, P<0.001), was related to older age at menarche. Interestingly, stratified analysis by type of brain tumors showed that the longer duration of breast feeding was associated with the risk of meningioma negatively but glioma positively (for meningioma: RR=0.76, 95% CI 0.64-0.91, P=0.002; for glioma: RR=1.70, 95% CI 1.14-2.55, P=0.010). No significant association was observed when estimating the roles of other reproductive factors including parity, age at first birth, menopausal status, and age at menopause in brain tumorigenesis. Our study suggests that older age at menarche is a risk factor of brain tumors and glioma in particular. Additionally, more studies are warranted to further elucidate roles and mechanisms of common reproductive factors in the risk of brain tumors.

Surgical treatment of gynecomastia: mastectomy compared to liposuction technique.

BACKGROUND: Gynecomastia is a benign enlargement of the male breast. Yet enlarged breasts cause anxiety, embarrassment, psychosocial discomfort, and fear of breast cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the experience of gynecomastia patients undergoing mastectomy and liposuction surgery. METHODS: Seven hundred thirty-three patients were analyzed for age, chief complaint, position, grade, operation approach, biopsy, and complication between mastectomy group and liposuction group, from 1990 to 2010. RESULTS: Four hundred two patients (436 breasts) were treated with mastectomy and 331 patients (386 breasts) were treated with liposuction techniques. Three hundred thirty (82%) patients complained of breast lump and lump with pain in mastectomy group, and 204 (61%) patients complained of enlargement breast and enlargement with pain in liposuction group (P < 0.05). All excision specimens were performed for routine histological analysis which showed pathologic diagnosis in patients with mastectomy (100%). One hundred fifty-nine (41%) patients with liposuction acquired pathologic diagnosis through fine needle aspiration and/or core biopsy (P < 0.05). The reoperation rates in mastectomy group and liposuction group were 1.4% and 0.5%, respectively. There were no nipple/areola necrosis and scars in liposuction group. CONCLUSIONS: The surgical treatment of gynecomastia required an individual approach, depending on symptoms (lump or enlargement) and requirements of patients. Patients who chose mastectomy were looking for reassurance that their pathologic diagnosis was benign. The increase in the number of liposuction patients was reflected in our study because it was associated with superior esthetic results and few complications.