[In vitro evaluation of positioning accuracy of trephine bur at different depths by dynamic navigation].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of trephine bur drilling at different depths guided by dynamic navigation system in 3D printing in vitro model. METHODS: A model at the depth of 5 mm, 10 mm, and 15 mm from the outer surface of which hemispherical cavities was reserved and the 3D printing technology was used to make the standardized model with Veroclear resin. The cone beam CT (CBCT) was taken and the data were imported into the dynamic navigation software (DCARER, China) to establish navigation path programming. Under the guidance of dynamic navigation, a trephine bur with a diameter of 4.5 mm was used to complete the access operation. At each depth, 10 approaches were completed. The postoperative model CBCT was taken. The approach trajectory under navigation was reconstructed and compared with the designed path. The two-dimensional distance deviation, depth deviation, three-dimensional distance deviation, and angle deviation between the actually prepared path and the designed path were calculated. RESULTS: At the depth of 5 mm, the two-dimensional distance deviation between the end position of the prepared path and the designed path was (0.37±0.06) mm, the depth deviation was (0.06±0.05) mm, the three-dimensional distance deviation was (0.38±0.07) mm, and the angle deviation was 2.46°±0.54°; At the depth of 10 mm, the four deviations between the end position of prepared path and the designed path were (0.44±0.05) mm, (0.16±0.06) mm, (0.47±0.05) mm, and 2.45°±1.21°, respectively; At the depth of 15 mm, the four deviations were (0.52±0.14) mm, (0.16±0.07) mm, (0.55±0.15) mm, and 3.25°±1.22°, respectively. With the increase of entry depth, the three-dimensional and depth accuracy of dynamic navigation system decreased (P < 0.01), and the positioning angle deviation had no relation with the entry depth (P>0.01). CONCLUSION: Dynamic navigation technology can achieve high positioning accuracy in the depth range of 15 mm, but its deviation increases with the increase of entry depth.

[Preoperative treatment of uterine fibroids with low-dose mifepristone: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study].

Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of oral mifepristone (10 mg/day) versus placebo in the preoperative treatment of uterine fibroids. Methods: This study was a multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo, parallel controlled trial. A total of 132 patients with uterine fibroids were randomly divided into study group and control group, with 66 cases in each group. The patients in the study group orally took 1 tablet/day of mifepristone (dose of 10 mg/tablet), the patients in the control group orally took 1 tablet/day of placebo, and both groups were treated for 3 months. The primary efficacy evaluation indicators were the change rate of maximum fibroid volume; the secondary efficacy evaluation indicators included amenorrhea rate, improvement of subjective symptoms and anemia; the safety evaluation indicators included the analysis of adverse events and changes in laboratory biochemical indicators. Results: At the end of treatment, the maximum leiomyoma volume was reduced by 25.97% (95%CI: -34.79%--15.95%) in the study group and reduced by 1.51% (95%CI: -13.03%-11.54%) in the control group. The change rate of the maximum leiomyoma volume before and after treatment in the study group was significantly greater than that in the control group, and the difference in the change rate of the maximum leiomyoma volume between the two groups was -24.84% (95%CI: -36.56%--10.94%), which was much higher than the 10% superiority threshold goal set by this study within the 95%CI interval. At the end of treatment, the complete amenorrhea rate [84% (52/62)], dysmenorrhea elimination rate [98% (61/62)], and menstrual blood loss disappearance rate [87% (54/62)] in the study group were significantly higher than those in the control group (all P<0.05). At the end of treatment, the mean hemoglobin [(131±13) g/L], red blood cell count [(4.5±0.4)×1012/L] and hematocrit (0.39±0.03) in the study group were significantly increased compared with the baseline, and the differences had statistical significance (all P<0.05); after treatment, the differences in the above three indicators between the two groups had statistical significance (all P<0.01). The serum estradiol level in the study group was significantly lower than that in the control group at the end of treatment, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.01). There were no significant differences in follicle-stimulating hormone and cortisol levels before and after treatment between the two groups (P>0.05). The overall incidences of any adverse event were not significantly different between the two groups (all P>0.05). Abdominal pain was the most common adverse event in the study group [9% (6/65)], but the incidence was not significantly increased compared with the control group [3% (2/64); P>0.05]. Conclusion: Compared with placebo, oral mifepristone 10 mg/day is significantly superior to placebo in reducing the size of uterine fibroids and improving anemia, without significant adverse reactions, and could be used as a drug treatment for patients with of uterine fibroids before surgery.

Plasma mtDNA copy numbers are associated with GSTK1 expression and inflammation in type 2 diabetes.

AIMS: Mitochondrial dysfunction is involved in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. Glutathione S-transferase kappa 1 (GSTK1) is critical to maintain mitochondrial function and homeostasis. We aimed to investigate whether a potential link exists between mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy numbers and inflammation, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) and GSTK1 expression in type 2 diabetes. METHODS: We assessed mtDNA copy numbers in plasma and GSTK1 expression in white blood cells in 123 people with type 2 diabetes and in 121 healthy controls using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). An automatic chemistry or immunoassay analyser was used to determine serum glucose, lipids and inflammatory markers. Multiple linear regression and multivariable logistic regression models were used to evaluate associations and risks. RESULTS: Compared with healthy controls, individuals with diabetes showed higher mtDNA copy numbers (t = -3.938, P < 0.001) and lower GSTK1 expression (Z = -2.985, P = 0.002). mtDNA copy number was associated with type 2 diabetes risk [odds ratio (OR) = 1.80, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.25-2.58, P = 0.001] after controlling for confounding factors. In individuals with diabetes, mtDNA copy number was negatively associated with GSTK1 expression (ß = -0.235, P = 0.036) and positively associated with serum high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) (ß = 0.839, P < 0.001), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) (ß = 0.549, P < 0.001), interleukin-6 (IL-6) (ß = 0.589, P = 0.006) and NEFA (ß = 0.001, P = 0.020). In the diabetic group, individuals with an abnormal increase in NEFA, hsCRP, TNF-α and IL-6 showed significantly elevated mtDNA copy numbers (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: mtDNA copy numbers in plasma might have an important role in the progression of diabetic chronic inflammation via inhibition of GSTK1 and could be a potential biomarker for type 2 diabetes.

[A randomized controlled study of peramivir, oseltamivir and placebo in patients with mild influenza].

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of peramivir trihydrate in patients with influenza. Methods: This was a randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo and positive control, multicenter clinical trial, comparing peramivir trihydrate with oseltamivir and placebo. The inclusive criteria were 15-70 years old, onset within 48 h, positive rapid influenza antigen test, and febrile (>38℃) accompanied with at least two associated symptoms. The severe cases complicated with chronic pulmonary and cardiac diseases, malignancies, organ transplantation, hemodialysis, uncontrolled diabetes, immunocompromised status, pregnancy and coexistence of bacterium infections were excluded. All patients were randomized 2∶2∶1 to receive peramivir, oseltamivir and placebo respectively. The primary endpoint was the disease duration, the secondary endpoints included time to normal axillary temperature and normal living activities, viral response, and adverse effects. Results: Following informed consent, 133 patients were included in this study. Four patients were exclude due to missing medical records, not fitting inclusion or exclusion criteria and poor compliance. A total of 129 patients were finally analyzed, including 49 cases, 54 cases and 26 cases in peramivir group, oseltamivir group and placebo group. The median disease duration were 96 (76, 120) hours, 105 (90,124) hours, and 124 (104, 172) hours in three groups respectively (P>0.05) . The time to normal axillary temperature, normal living activities and viral response were not significantly different in three groups (P>0.05) . Conclusion: The value of antiviral therapy in patients with mild influenza needs to be further determined.

[Study of surgery combined with 125I brachytherapy for adenoid cystic carcinoma of oral and maxillofacial region].

OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively analyze the results of treatment outcome by surgery combined with 125I brachytherapy and correlative factors of adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). METHODS: In the study, 75 patients with primary ACC of oral and maxillofacial region were treated by surgery combined with 125I seeds brachytherapy. Radical resection or subtotal resection was applied for the tumor. The brachytherapy treatment planning system was used to create implant plans with the prescribed dose of 60 Gy to 120 Gy. The 125I seeds were implanted intraoperatively or postoperatively. The regular follow-up was required. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to assess the tumor control rate and the patients' survival rates. Meanwhile, the Cox regression analysis was used to find out the prognostic factors. RESULTS: Local control rates at the end of 3 and 5 years were as follows: T1-T2, 92.2% and 82.0%; T3-T4, 82.6% and 82.6%; and overall, 90.0% and 78.8%. The disease-free survival rates were 74.9% and 54.3%, respectively. The overall survival rates for all the patients were 86.0% and 79.6%, respectively at the end of 3 and 5 years and were 91.3% and 91.3% for T1-T2 patients vs. 73.9% and 59.7% for T3-T4 patients. Distant metastasis-free survival rates at the end of 3 and 5 years were 84.4% and 76.7%, respectively. The distant metastasis-free survival rates at the end of 3 and 5 years were 83.4% and 79.6% with T1-T2 lesion compared with 86.0% and 67.8% with T3-T4 lesion. According to the COX univariate analysis and multivariate analysis, the risk of local recurrence would be raised by the age. Tumor stage and tumor site were the prognostic factors of the overall survival rates. CONCLUSION: 125I brachytherapy conducted as an adjuvant therapy postoperatively of ACC of oral and maxillofacial region can acquire satisfactory localregional control, distant metastasis-free survival, disease-free survival and overall survival. Tumors are prone to recur on the older patients. Patients having advanced tumor stage or tumor located in the nasal cavity or sinuses will suffer lower survival rates.

Dynamics of methanogenesis, ruminal fermentation, and alfalfa degradation during adaptation to monensin supplementation in goats.

This study aimed to examine the temporal (hourly within a day and daily over the long term) effects of monensin on CH4 emissions, ruminal fermentation, and in situ alfalfa degradation in dairy goats during dietary monensin supplementation by controlling the confounding effects of feed intake and ambient temperature. Six ruminally cannulated dairy goats were used, and they were housed in environmental chambers and fed a restricted amount of ration throughout the experiment. The experiment included a baseline period of 20 d followed by a treatment period of 55 d with 32 mg of monensin/d. During the whole experiment, CH4 production was measured every 5 d, whereas fermentation characteristics and in situ alfalfa degradation were analyzed every 10 d. The CH4-depressing effect of monensin was time dependent on the duration of treatment, highly effective at d 5 but thereafter decreased gradually until d 55 even though CH4-suppressing effect still remained significant. The decreasing effects of monensin on ruminal acetate proportion and acetate to propionate ratio also faded over days of treatment, and the acetate proportion returned up to the pre-supplementation level on d 50. Monensin supplementation elevated ruminal propionate proportion and decreased the effective ruminal degradability of alfalfa NDF, but both measurements tended to recover over time. The postprandial increase rate of hourly CH4 emissions was reduced, whereas that of propionate proportion was enhanced by monensin supplementation. However, the postprandial responses to monensin in CH4 emission rates, ruminal VFA profiles, and in situ degradation kinetics declined with both hours after feeding and days of treatment. Our results suggest that the CH4-suppressing effect of monensin supplementation in goats was attributed to reductions in both ruminal feed degradation and acetate to propionate ratio, but those reductions faded with time, hours after feeding, and days of treatment.

Effects of dietary leucine and phenylalanine on pancreas development, enzyme activity, and relative gene expression in milk-fed Holstein dairy calves.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with leucine and phenylalanine on pancreas development, enzyme activity, and related gene expression in male Holstein calves. Twenty male Holstein calves [1 d of age, 38 ± 3 kg of body weight (BW)] were randomly assigned to 1 of the following 4 treatment groups with 5 calves in each group: control, leucine supplementation (1.435 g/L of milk), phenylalanine supplementation (0.725 g/L of milk), and leucine and phenylalanine (1.435 + 0.725 g/L of milk). The diets were made isonitrogenous with the inclusion of alanine in each respective treatment. The feeding trial lasted for 8 wk, including 1 wk for adaption and 7 wk for the feeding experiment. Leucine tended to increase the concentration of total pancreatic protein (mg/kg of BW). Phenylalanine increased the concentrations of plasma insulin, cholecystokinin, and pancreatic DNA (mg/g) and the expression of trypsin gene but decreased the pancreatic protein:DNA ratio and tended to decrease the pancreas weight (g/kg of BW). No differences were observed in total pancreatic DNA (mg/pancreas and mg/kg of BW), pancreatic protein (mg/pancreas), or activities of α-amylase, trypsin, and lipase. The relative expression levels of the genes encoding α-amylase and lipase did not differ among the 4 groups. The supplementation of both leucine and phenylalanine showed an interaction on the pancreas weight (g and g/kg of BW) and a tendency of an interaction on the pancreatic protein concentration (mg/g of pancreas and mg/kg of BW) and the plasma glucose concentration. Leucine tended to increase the size of the pancreatic cells, whereas phenylalanine tended to increase the number of pancreatic cells. However, neither AA affected the activities of the pancreatic enzymes of the calves. These results indicate that leucine and phenylalanine supplementation in milk-fed Holstein calves differentially affect pancreatic growth and development.

[The comparison of preemptive analgesic efficacy between short-acting ketamine and long-acting parecoxib].

Objective: To compare the analgesic efficacy between preoperative single-dose ketamine, a short-acting medicine and parecoxib, a long-acting medicine for reducing analgesic consumption in the first 24 h after-operation. Methods: Eighty-one patients from Beijing Chaoyang Hospital undergoing laparoscopic uterus surgery between April and December 2015 were randomly divided into three groups: control group (group C), ketamine group (group K) and parecoxib sodium group (group P). All patients were anesthetized with general anesthesia and received sufentanil-based patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA). After induction and 10 min before incision, patients in group K, P and C were injected with intravenous 0.5 mg/kg ketamine, 40 mg parecoxib and 2 ml normal saline, respectively. The primary outcome was sufentanil consumption within 1 h and 24 h after surgery. Other outcomes included the visual analog scale (VAS) pain score at 0, 15, 30, 45min and 1, 2, 4, 8, 24 h after surgery, PCIA effective trigger times, and adverse reactions. Results: The postoperative sufentanil consumptions within 1 h in group K and P were(4.420±1.836)µg and (2.878±1.984)µg, respectively, and consumptions within 24 h were(28.200±3.712)µg and (25.511±4.037)µg, respectively, which were significantly less than that in group C with (6.144±2.346)µg within 1 h and (31.505±7.042)µg within 24 h (F=15.360, 8.406, all P<0.05). Patients in group P needed less sufentanil than group K in 1 h after surgery (P<0.05), however, the difference was not statistically significant in 24 h(P>0.05). The PCIA trigger times were 2(3.75) in group C, 0(1.50) in group K, and 0(1.00) in group P. Group K and P had less PCIA trigger times compared to group C (all P<0.05). Compared to group C, group K and P had lower VAS scores at 0, 15, 30 min after surgery and group P had lower VAS scores at 1, 15, 30, 45 min, 2 h after surgery, respectively (all P<0.05). There were no differences between groups in the incidence of any adverse effects(all P>0.05). Conclusion: A single injection of short-acting ketamine before laparoscopic uterus surgery, has the same efficacy as long-acting parecoxib for opioid-sparing effect in the first 24 h after-operation. However, parecoxib has better analgesic effect in the early postoperative period.

[Effects of Lactobacillus paracasei N1115 combined with fructooligosaccharides on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease induced by high-fat diet in mice].

Objective: To investigate the effects of Lactobacillus paracasei N1115 combined with fructooligosaccharides (FOS) on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in mice and its possible mechanism. Methods: A total of 50 male C57 mice were randomly and equally divided into five experimental groups. Group 1 received a normal diet (ND). Other four groups received a high-fat diet (HFD) to establish NAFLD models. In addition to HFD, group 3 received Lactobacillus paracasei N1115 (2.2×10(9) CFU/mL), group 4 received FOS (4 g/kg per day), and group 5 received Lactobacillus paracasei N1115 (2.2×10(9) CFU/mL) and FOS (4 g/kg per day). All groups received continuous intervention for 16 weeks. The following indices were measured for all groups after intervention: general condition, the levels of fasting blood glucose, insulin, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and the levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, and interferon (IFN)-γ in the serum and liver. The mRNA levels of Toll-like receptor (TLR)4, nuclear factor (NF)-κb, insulin receptor (InsR), and insulin receptor substrate (IRS)-1 were measured by real-time RT-PCR. The data were subjected to one-way analysis of variance and comparison between groups was made by Bonferroni method. Results: Compared with group 2, groups 3, 4, and 5 had significantly lower body weight, Lee's index, liver index, and the levels of blood glucose and insulin resistance (P < 0.05). The serum level of LPS in group 2 was significantly higher than that in the other experimental groups (group 1: 8.80 ± 0.85 U/L, group 3: 12.31 ± 1.01 U/L, group 4: 12.27 ± 0.98 U/L, and group 5: 10.17 ± 0.79 U/L vs group 2: 15.45 ± 1.14 U/L, F = 55.117, P < 0.001). The levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, and IFN-γ in the serum and liver in group 2 were also significantly higher than those in the other groups (P < 0.05). Group 2 had significantly higher mRNA levels of TLR4 and NF-κb in the liver than the other groups (F = 82.933, P < 0.001; F = 149.033, P < 0.001); however, it had significantly lower mRNA levels of InsR and IRS-1 in the liver than the other groups (F = 33.347, P < 0.001; F = 70.225, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Lactobacillus paracasei N1115 combined with FOS can reduce the level of LPS in the blood circulation, inhibit activation of the LPS/TLR4 signaling pathway, and reduce the release of inflammatory factor and the body's insulin resistance, so it can relieve NAFLD.

[The epidemiology of bloodstream infections in Fuxing Hospital in 2012 in Beijing].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the etiology, clinical features and outcome of hospitalized patients with bloodstream infections (BSIs) in a tertiary hospital. METHODS: Positive blood cultures were obtained from the microbiological laboratory in Fuxing Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012. BSIS events were identified and the epidemiology data were collected. RESULTS: A total of 149 patients and 154 BSIs events were confirmed by pathogenic and clinical evidence. The in-patients' BSIs rate was 0.8% in our hospital in 2012. According to the disease entities of the first BSIs onset, 15 patients (10.1%) were from surgical departments, 83 patients (55.7%) from the medical departments, and 51 patients (34.2%) from ICU. Thirty-three patients (22.1%) were diagnosed as septic shock. Sixty-eight patients died during hospital stay. The in-hospital mortality rate was 45.6%. Among the 154 BSIs events, 125 (81.2%) were nosocomial and 29 (18.8%) were community-acquired. A total of 188 strains were isolated from all BSIs, including 106 strains of (56.4%) gram-negative bacilli, 67 (35.6%) strains of gram-positive bacteria, and 15 (8.0%) strains of fungi. One hundred and fifty-nine strains of bacteria (84.6%)were isolated from 125 events of hospital-acquired BSIs. Twenty-six strains of bacteria were from catheter related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs). In gram-negative BSIs, there were more enterobacteriaceae in community-acquired BSIs. More non-fermentative bacteria were found in hospital-acquired BSIs than in community-acquired ones. The distribution of gram-negative bacilli was quite different between surgical departments, non-surgical departments and ICU (P=0.049). CONCLUSIONS: Pathogens of BSIs are quite different according to disease entities and where the patients are from. Local epidemiology of BSIs and distribution of related pathogens are helpful to physicians searching the optimal empirical antibiotics and improving the outcome.

Relationships between leucine and the pancreatic exocrine function for improving starch digestibility in ruminants.

Four Holstein heifers (215 ± 7 kg; means ± SD), fitted with one pancreatic pouch, duodenal re-entrant cannulas, and duodenal infusion catheters, were used in this experiment. In phase 1, the 24-h profile of pancreatic fluid was determined. Pancreatic fluid flow peaked 1h after feeding, but peaks of similar magnitude also occurred before the morning feed, necessitating 24-h collection of pancreatic fluid to estimate daily excretion. In phase 2, the effects of duodenal infusions of 0, 10, 20, or 30 g of leucine on pancreatic fluid flow were determined in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. The leucine was infused for 12h in 2,500 mL of the infusate, and samples of pancreatic fluid and jugular blood were collected in 1-h intervals from the beginning of the infusion for 36 h. The results showed that the secretion rate of pancreatic fluid (mL/h) was significantly higher in 10-g leucine group than the other groups (mL/h). Protein concentration (mg/mL) in pancreatic fluid was elevated proportional to the amount of leucine infused. Leucine infusions increased both the concentration (U/mL) and secretion rate (U/h) of α-amylase. Infusion of 10 g of leucine also increased the secretion rates (U/h) of trypsin, chymotrypsin, and lipase, but did not change their concentrations. No significant effects of leucine infusions on plasma glucose and insulin concentrations were found. The results indicate that leucine could act as a nutrient signal to stimulate α-amylase production and pancreatic exocrine function in dairy heifers.

Latent structure of social fears and social anxiety disorders.

BACKGROUND: Despite its high prevalence and associated levels of impairment, the latent structure of social anxiety disorder (SAD) is not well understood, with published studies reporting inconsistent results. Furthermore, it is unknown whether the latent structure of social fears in individuals with and without SAD is the same. METHOD: Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis followed by multiple indicators multiple causes (MIMIC) analysis were conducted on 13 commonly feared social situations assessed in a nationally representative sample including individuals with SAD and those with social fears but who did not meet DSM-IV criteria for SAD. RESULTS: An EFA conducted in the full sample, including individuals with no social fears (88% of the sample), yielded only one factor. When the sample was restricted to those with at least one social fear, the EFA yielded three factors, in both the subsample with at least one social fear but no SAD and the subsample with SAD. The three factors represented feared situations related to public performance, close scrutiny and social interaction. The MIMIC analyses further indicated that the three-factor structure was able to explain differences in prevalence of social fears across a broad range of sociodemographic covariates. CONCLUSIONS: Among individuals with at least one social fear and those with DSM-IV SAD the latent structure of social fears appears to be best described by three factors, although this may partially depend on how the sample is specified. These results may help reconcile the findings of different numbers of factors identified in previous studies.

Bibliometric analysis of transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion in lumbar spine surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to conduct a bibliometric analysis to examine the current condition, areas of interest, and rising trends of transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion in lumbar spine surgery (TLIF), as well as its importance in associated research domains. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An extensive collection of academic papers on the use of TLIF was obtained from the Web of Science between January 1, 2000, and November 5, 2023. Then, using a variety of tools like HisCite, VOSviewer, CiteSpace, and the bibliometrix package, a bibliometric study was carried out. This study included the collection of information on country, institution, author, journal, and keywords. RESULTS: A comprehensive analysis was undertaken on a total of 1,907 publications obtained from 181 journals, encompassing the contributions of 7,232 authors affiliated with 1,775 institutes spanning 57 countries/regions. Notably, the USA exhibited the highest number of publications, with 763 (40.03%) articles on TLIF. The most productive institution was Rush University, with 96 (5.03%) publications. The author with the highest publication output was Singh, Kern with 75 (3.93%) publications. World Neurosurgery demonstrated the highest level of productivity, having published a total of 211 (11.06%) articles. The most frequently used keywords were "TLIF", "spondylolisthesis" and "complication". Meanwhile, "workflow", "technical note" and "hidden blood loss" have been identified as the research frontiers for the forthcoming years. CONCLUSIONS: This paper provides a thorough evaluation of current research trends and advancements in TLIF. It includes relevant research findings and emphasizes collaborative efforts among authors, institutions, and countries.

125I brachytherapy alone for recurrent or locally advanced adenoid cystic carcinoma of the oral and maxillofacial region.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This retrospective study was to evaluate the local control and survival of (125)I brachytherapy for recurrent and/or locally advanced adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the oral and maxillofacial region. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 38 patients with recurrent and/or locally advanced ACC of the oral and maxillofacial region received (125)I brachytherapy alone from 2001-2010. Twenty-nine were recurrent cases following previous surgery and radiation therapy. The other 9 cases involved primary tumors. Overall, 12 tumors were located in the major salivary glands, 12 in the minor salivary glands, and 14 in the paranasal region, the nasal cavity or the skull base. The prescribed dose was 100-160 Gy. RESULTS: Patients were followed for 12-122 months (median 51 months). The 2-, 5-, and 10-year local tumor control rates were 86.3, 59, and 31.5 %, respectively. The 2-, 5-, and 10-year overall survival rates were 92.1, 65 and 34.1 %, respectively. Tumors > 6 cm had significantly lower local control and survival rates. No severe complications were observed during follow-up. CONCLUSION: (125)I brachytherapy is a feasible and effective modality for the treatment of locally advanced unresectable or recurrent ACC.

Circulating microRNAs (cmiRNAs) as novel potential biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Incidence and mortality associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is rising throughout the world. Accurate, noninvasive biomarkers for the early detection of HCC are urgently needed to reduce worldwide morbidity and mortality related to HCC. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), 17- to 25-nucleotide noncoding RNAs that are frequently dysregulated in HCC, have shown great promise as tissue-based markers for HCC diagnosis and prognosis. Moreover, they are stably expressed in serum and urine, and these circulating microRNAs (cmiRNAs) are emerging as novel noninvasive biomarkers for the early detection and prognosis of HCC. This article summarizes the latest findings on the role of circulating miRNAs as potential minimally invasive diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for HCC.

Calcitonin promotes mouse pre-implantation development: involvement of calcium mobilization and P38 mitogen-activated protein kinase activation.

The study was designed to examine the effects of calcitonin (CT) on the development of murine pre-implantation embryos and possible molecular mechanisms involved in the process. In the present study, the 2-cell embryos were treated with different concentration of CT in vitro for the indicated time and the results demonstrated that CT promoted the development of the pre-implantation embryos in a dosage-dependent manner by increasing the intracellular Ca(2+) level. Furthermore, the present study showed that CT significantly increased the expression of phospho-P38MAPK (Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase) of the pre-implantation embryos by Western blots and pre-treatment of specific P38MAPK inhibitor significantly reduced the promotion effects of CT on the embryonic development in vitro culture. Moreover, the results of intrauterine horn injection showed that the average number of embryos implanted in CT-antibody or specific P38 MAPK inhibitor-treated uterus was significantly lower than that of the corresponding control, respectively. And the observation of tissue specimen suggested that some embryos were degenerated in CT-antibody or specific P38 MAPK inhibitor-treated uterus, and adipose vacuoles were present in the decidual cells. In conclusion, CT promoted the development of pre-implantation embryos and the intracellular Ca(2+) -dependent P38MAPK signal molecule was involved in the process.

Genetic diversity of Saccharum spontaneum from geographical regions of China assessed by simple sequence repeats.

Saccharum spontaneum is the most variable wild relative of sugarcane with potential for use in sugarcane improvement programs. In order to help preserve and exploit this species, 152 accessions from eight major geographical regions in China, including Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou, Fujian, and Jiangxi provinces, were investigated by analyzing 20 simple sequence repeats (SSRs), including 11 genomic SSRs (gSSRs) and nine SSRs developed from expressed sequence tags (EST-SSRs). A total of 454 alleles were generated by the 20 SSRs, with 295 and 159 alleles detected by gSSRs and EST-SSRs respectively. The Mantel test showed significant correlation between genetic matrixes among the studied accessions revealed by gSSRs versus EST-SSRs, although the average polymorphism of EST-SSRs (17.7) was much lower than that of gSSRs (26.8). Among the eight provinces, collections from Guizhou were the most diverse and those from Guangdong were the most distinct. Clustering analysis and principal component analysis accordantly classified the accessions into four groups, which were "Southwest group", "Hainan group", "Guangdong group", and "Guangxi group", based on the geographical origin of the major accessions in each group, demonstrating that geographical factors play an important role in the pattern of genetic structure of Chinese S. spontaneum. As two (Guizhou and Yunnan) of the three provinces with highest genetic diversity are located in southwest China, we concluded that southwest China is the region with the highest genetic diversity of S. spontaneum.

Use of free flaps with supermicrosurgery for oncological reconstruction of the maxillofacial region.

Supermicrosurgery involves the dissection and anastomosis of vessels<0.8 mm in diameter with minimal donor site morbidity. This study evaluated the feasibility and outcomes of free flaps using supermicrosurgery to repair oncological defects in the maxillofacial region. Forty-two patients were treated with supermicrosurgery to repair oncological defects in the maxillofacial region between December 2015 and February 2021. The supermicrosurgery technique was used for different types of free flap, including 24 superficial circumflex iliac artery perforator flaps, seven anterolateral thigh flaps, three peroneal artery perforator flaps, five medial femoral condyle osteo-adipofascial flaps, and three profunda artery perforator flaps. An artery-to-artery approach was used in 38 patients; venous grafts for anastomosis were used in four patients to resolve an arterial discrepancy. Forty-one flaps (97.6%) survived. Thirty-six patients (85.7%) healed without any complications; three flaps required revision surgery including one lost, one demonstrated wound dehiscence, and two demonstrated wound infection. Supermicrosurgery is a useful complement to conventional microsurgery in head and neck reconstruction.