Influence of perioperative probiotics supplement on short-term clinical outcomes in gastric cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with radical gastrectomy: a prospective study / 中华消化外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the influence of perioperative probiotics supplement on short-term clinical outcomes in gastric cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with radical gastrectomy.Methods:The prospective randomized controlled study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 80 patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with radical gastrectomy in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from July 2020 to September 2021 were selected. Based on random number table, patients were allocated into two groups. Patients undergoing perioperative probiotics supplement were allocated into the experiment group, and patients undergoing perioperative conventional treatment were allocated into the control group, respectively. Observation indicators: (1) grouping situations of the enrolled patients; (2) intraoperative situations; (3) follow-up and postoperative situations; (4) inflammation related hematological indexes. Follow-up was conducted using telephone interview and outpatient examina-tion to detect postoperative complications and startup of adjuvant chemotherapy up to October 31,2021. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and comparison between groups was conducted using the independent sample t test. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M(range), and comparison between groups was conducted using the Mann-Whitney U test. Count data were described as absolute numbers, and comparison between groups was performed using the chi-square test or Fisher exact probability. Comparison of ordinal data was analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Repeated measurement data were analyzed by the repeated ANOVA or generalized estimating equation. Results:(1) Grouping situations of the enrolled patients. A total of 80 patients were selected for eligibility. There were 51 males and 29 females, aged 64(42-80)years. Of the 80 patients, there were 40 patients in the experiment group and 40 patients in the control group, respectively. (2) Intraoperative situations. All patients in the experiment group and the control group underwent radical gastrectomy successfully. Cases with yield pathologic TNM (ypTNM) stage 0, stage Ⅰ, stage Ⅱ, stage Ⅲ after neoadjuvant chemotherapy, cases undergoing laparoscopic radical gastrectomy or Da Vinci robotic radical gastrectomy, the operation time, the volume of intraoperative blood loss, cases undergoing digestive tract recons-truction as Billroth Ⅱ anastomosis or Roux-en-Y anastomosis were 2, 7, 15, 13, 19, 21,205(180-240)minutes, 50(30-60)mL, 6, 34 in the experiment group, versus 4, 6, 12, 16, 23, 17, 218(190-251)minutes, 50(43-60)mL, 11, 29 in the control group, showing no significant difference in the above indicators between the two groups ( U=683.00, χ2=0.80, U=668.00, 681.00, χ2=1.87, P>0.05). (3) Follow-up and postoperative situations. All the 80 patients were followed up for 1 month after surgery. Cases with postoperative infectious complications were 6 in the experiment group, versus 15 in the control group, showing a significant difference between the two groups ( χ2=5.23, P<0.05). The application of antimicrobial agent, time to postoperative first flatus, time to postoperative first defecation, time to tolerance of solid food, duration of postoperative hospital stay, time to postopera-tive startup of adjuvant chemotherapy were 3(3-6)doses, 53(49-66)hours, 72(62-82)hours, (72±18)hours, 6.0(5.5-7.0)days, 26.0(25.0-28.0)days in the experiment group, versus 6(3-10)doses, 66(60-88)hours, 94(82-112)hours, (107±23)hours, 7.0(6.4-8.3)days, 30.0(28.0-33.0)days in the control group, showing significant differences in the above indicators between the two groups ( U=471.50, 432.00, 343.50, t=-7.62, U=411.50, 319.50, P<0.05). (4) Inflam-mation related hematological indexes. ① The white blood cell counts before surgery and at postoperative day 1, 3, 5 were (5.6±1.4)×10 9/L, (9.9±3.2)×10 9/L, (7.7±2.6)×10 9/L, (6.8±1.8)×10 9/L in the experiment group, versus (6.1±1.9)×10 9/L, (12.3±2.9)×10 9/L, (9.7±3.6)×10 9/L, (7.8±2.7)×10 9/L in the control group, meeting the mauchly′s test of sphericity ( χ2=4.17, P>0.05). Results of intrasubject effect test showed that there were significant differences in the time effect, intervention effect and interaction effect of white blood cell counts between the two groups ( F=106.61, 10.45, 4.56, P<0.05). ② The neutrophilic granulocyte percentages before surgery and at postoperative day 1, 3, 5 were 55%±10%, 76%±11%, 73%±9%, 69%±9% in the experiment group, versus 56%±9%, 84%±5%, 79%±8%, 74%±9% in the control group, not meeting the mauchly′s test of sphericity ( χ2=16.63, P<0.05). Results of multi-variate test showed that there were significant differences in the time effect, intervention effect and interaction effect of neutrophilic granulocyte percentages between the two groups ( F=92.42, 11.46, 5.55, P<0.05). ③ The levels of C-reactive protein before surgery and at postoperative day 1, 3, 5 were 1.35(1.15-1.97)mg/L, 14.94(8.24-21.22)mg/L, 33.39(13.02-66.02)mg/L, 18.36(8.27-60.43)mg/L in the experiment group, versus 1.62(0.97-2.27)mg/L, 24.03(10.42-36.52)mg/L, 81.66(31.20-116.76)mg/L, 46.84(28.30-80.26)mg/L in the control group, not meeting the normal distribution. Results of generalized estimation equation test showed that there were significant differences in the time effect, intervention effect and interaction effect of levels of C-reactive protein between the two groups ( Waldχ2=145.74, 9.48, 9.90, P<0.05). ④ The levels of procalcitonin before surgery and at postoperative day 1, 3, 5 were 0.02(0.02-0.04)μg/L, 0.08(0.06-0.12)μg/L, 0.12(0.07-0.21)μg/L, 0.09(0.06-0.15)μg/L in the experiment group, versus 0.02(0.02-0.04)μg/L, 0.14(0.07-0.71)μg/L, 0.35(0.14-0.71)μg/L, 0.24(0.10-0.48)μg/L in the control group, not meeting the normal distribution. Results of generalized estimation equation test showed that there were signifi-cant differences in the time effect, intervention effect and interaction effect of levels of procalcitonin between the two groups ( Waldχ2=62.88, 14.71, 18.33, P<0.05). Conclusion:Perioperative supple-ment of probiotics can reduce the incidence of postoperative infectious com-plications and the application of antimicrobial agent, promote recovery of gastrointestinal function, reduce the level of inflammation related indexes, shorten the duration of postoperative hospital stay and the time to postoperative startup of chemotherapy in patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy combined with radical gastrectomy.

Biological functions of zinc finger protein ZBTB2: Recent advance / 第二军医大学学报

Zinc finger protein ZBTB20 is a novel member of the ZBTB zinc finger protein family and shares closest homology with BCL-6 and PLZF. Recent studies on genetically modified mice and patient cohort have revealed that ZBTB20 plays indispensable roles in multiple organs and systems, including the nervous system, liver, pancreatic islets, and immune system. ZBTB20 is an essential regulatory factor in a variety of physiological processes, such as ontogenesis, pain sensation, learning and memory, as well as glucose and lipid metabolism. Meanwhile, recent researches have also showed a close relationship between the abnormality or dysfunction of ZBTB20 and pathophysiological procedures of diseases, such as maldevelopment, mental retardation, tumors and metabolic disorders. As a key repressor governing AFP gene transcription, ZBTB20 exerts a great influence on the gene inactivation of liver AFP after birth and is closely related to the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinogenesis. In humans, the deletion of ZBTB20 is detected in diverse tumors and its point mutation leads to Primrose syndrome. This review summarizes the current knowledge concerning the biological functions of ZBTB20.

Study on mechanism of inducing apoptosis in human hepatoma SMMC-7721 cells by DMC, a chalcone from buds of Cleistocalyx operculatus / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the in-vitro inducing apoptosis mechanism of human hepatoma SMMC-7721 cells by 2',4'-di- hydroxy-6'-methoxy-3',5'-dimethylchalcone (DMC), a chalcone compound from Cleistocalyx operculatus.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Quantitative DNA fragmentation assay was carried out to detect the effect of DMC of different concentrations on SMMC-7721 cells, according to the method of Sellins and Cohen with some modifications. Telomerase activities of the cells were determined by PCR-ELISA methods. The expression quantity of c-myc and hTERT mRNA were determined by semi-quantitative RT-PCR The effect of DMC on expression levels of cmyc and hTERT protein were measured by western blot.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The percentage of DNA fragmentation increased with notable concen- tration dependence, after treatment with DMC for 48 h. Compared with that of control group, the telomerase activity of the cells de- creased by (66.2 ± 2.1)% after 48 h treatment with 20 μmol x L(-1) DMC, the mRNA expression of c-myc and hTERT decreased by (67.3 ± 2.1)% and (64.4 ± 2.3)%, respectively, and the protein expression of c-myc and hTERT decreased by (69.6 ± 1.9)% and (71.3 ± 2.4)%, respectively.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>DMC can induce SMMC-7721 cell apoptosis and the apoptosis mechanism may be related to the decreased mRNA and protein expression of c-myc and hTERT.</p>

Structure Modeling and Evolutionary Trace Analysis of Superoxide Dismutase from Extremophile Thermoplasma Acidophilum / 现代生物医学进展

To investigate the superoxide dismutase in extremthermoacidal environment,a reliable three-dimensional molecular structure of the protein encoded by the sod gene from Thermoplasma acidophilum was built.Evolutionary trace analysis of this protein detected 11 trace residues.Among them,the residues of Ash39,Gly105 and Glu162 were randomly scattered throughout the mapped structure;the other residues were all distinctly clusteredin a subgroup near Fe atom binding site.From these results,this gene encoded a Fe-depending superoxide dismutase based on the modeled structure;moreover,the detected trace residues around Fe atom might be directly responsible for Febinding and catalytic function.

Structure Modeling and Evolutionary Trace Analysis of Superoxide Dismutase from Extremophile Thermoplasma Acidophilum / 现代生物医学进展

To investigate the superoxide dismutase in extremthermoacidal environment,a reliable three-dimensional molecular structure of the protein encoded by the sod gene from Thermoplasma acidophilum was built.Evolutionary trace analysis of this protein detected 11 trace residues.Among them,the residues of Ash39,Gly105 and Glu162 were randomly scattered throughout the mapped structure;the other residues were all distinctly clusteredin a subgroup near Fe atom binding site.From these results,this gene encoded a Fe-depending superoxide dismutase based on the modeled structure;moreover,the detected trace residues around Fe atom might be directly responsible for Febinding and catalytic function.

Pharmacokinetics study on yinhuang compound microenema in rabbits / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine the parameters of pharmacokinetics in rabbits, and to provide a scientific basis for clinical application of Yinhuang compound microenema.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>HPLC was used to determine the concentrations of chlorogenic acid and baicalin in the plasma samples of rabbits, then analyze these data by the pharmacokinetics program 3P97 to determine the parameters of pharmacokinetics and the compartmental model of both ingredients in Yinhuang compound microenema.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Baicalin showed two compartment model in rabbits and the main parameters of pharmacokinetics were as follows: t(1/2)alpha of 0.311 h, t(1/2)beta of 1.640 h, AUC of 1.531 x 10(-2) g x h x L(-1), tmax of 0.287 h, Vd of 2.182 L. Chlorogenic acid showed two compartment model in rabbits and the main parameters of pharmacokinetics were as follows: t(1/2)alpha of 0.324 h, t(1/2)beta of 1.206 h, AUC of 2.135 x 10(-2) g x h x L(-1), tmax of 0.317 h,Vd of 2.251 L.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The main components in Yinhuang compound microenema baicalin and chlorogenic acid are absorbed quickly and absolutely after rectal administration, which have good characters of pharmacokinetics.</p>