Curative Effect of Bracketless and Invisible Orthodontic Treatment for Periodontitis and the Influence on Gingival Crevicular Fluid and Serum IL-6, MMP-8 and TNF-α Levels.

Objective: To observe the therapeutic effects of bracketless and invisible orthodontic treatment on periodontitis, as well as on gingival crevicular fluid and serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8) and tumors. The impact of necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels fills the current knowledge gap regarding the impact of different orthodontic treatment modalities on biomarker levels in periodontitis patients. Methods: 100 patients with malocclusion secondary to periodontitis were selected as subjects.They were divided into a control group (n=50) and a study group (n=50) according to the random number method. The control group was treated with a straight wire appliances, and the study group was given bracketless and invisible orthodontic treatment. Clinical effects, Periodontal indicators [plaque index (PLI), gingival crevicular bleeding index (SBI), gingival index (GI), periodontal pocket probe depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL)], gingival crevicular fluid and serum IL-6, MMP-8 and TNF-α levels and the incidence of adverse reactions were compared between the two groups. The uniqueness of this method is that it compares the impact of traditional straight-wire orthodontic treatment and invisible orthodontic treatment without brackets on biomarker levels and clinical effects in patients with periodontitis. In order to understand the role of orthodontic treatment methods in Provides useful information for use in periodontitis treatment. Results: The main findings of this study highlight the significant impact of bracketless clear braces in improving periodontal indicators and cytokine levels. Patients treated with bracketless clear braces demonstrate better clinical outcomes in periodontitis treatment compared with traditional straight-wire orthodontic treatment. The response rate of the study group was higher than that of the control group (94.00% vs. 72.00%) (P < .05). After 2 years of treatment, PLT, SBI, GI, PD and CAL were decreased in both groups and the observation group was significantly lower than the control group (P < .05). After 6 months of treatment, the levels of IL-6, MMP-8 and TNF-α in gingival crevicular fluid and serum were decreased in both groups, and the observation group was significantly lower than the control group (P < .05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups (P > .05). Conclusion: The treatment of periodontitis without brackets has a significant effect, which can improve the periodontal condition and reduce the levels of IL-6, MMP-8 and TNF-α in gingival crevicular fluid and serum. Bracketless invisible braces have shown potential clinical significance in improving periodontal indicators and cytokine levels in patients with periodontitis, providing support for providing more comfortable and effective orthodontic treatment options, which may help promote patients' Oral health. These findings suggest the positive role of bracketless invisible braces in comprehensive periodontal treatment, which is expected to influence the practice of orthodontics and periodontal treatment and improve patient treatment experience and effects.

Electroacupuncture improves cognitive dysfunction in rats with Alzheimer's disease by regulating microglial cells. / ç”µé’ˆé€šè¿‡è°ƒæŽ§å°èƒ¶è´¨ç»†èƒžæ”¹å–„é˜¿å°”èŒ¨æµ·é»˜ç— å¤§é¼ è®¤çŸ¥åŠŸèƒ½éšœç¢çš„æœºåˆ¶ç ”ç©¶.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on microglia (MG), Janus kinase-2 (JAK2) and signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3) in hippocampal CA1 region of Alzheimer's di-sease (AD) rats, so as to explore its mechanisms in the treatment of AD. METHODS: Thirty-six male SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation, model and EA groups, with 12 rats in each group. The AD rat model was established by intraperitoneal injection of D-galactose combined with intrahippocampal injection of aggregated Aß25-35. The rats in the EA group were given EA (2 Hz/20 Hz, 2 mA) at "Baihui"(GV20) and"Shenting"(GV24) for 30 min, once daily, 6 days a week for 4 weeks. Morris water maze test was used to detect the learning and memory ability and spatial exploration ability of rats. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of hippocampus. The ultrastructure of hippocampal neurons was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The positive expression of MG marker io-nized calcium adaptor protein (Iba-1) in hippocampus was observed by immunofluorescence staining. The expression levels of serum inflammatory factor interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-ß1) were detected by ELISA. The mRNA expression levels of JAK2, STAT3, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and arginase-1 (Arg-1) in hippocampal CA1 region were detected by real-time quantitative PCR. The protein and phosphorylation levels of JAK2 and STAT3 in hippocampal CA1 region were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the sham operation group, the escape latency of the model group was significantly prolonged (P<0.01), and the number of crossing the original platform was significantly reduced (P<0.01), the positive expression of Iba-1 in CA1 region, the content of serum IFN-γ, the relative mRNA expressions of JAK2, STAT3 and iNOS, and the protein and phosphorylation levels of JAK2 and STAT3 were significantly increased (P<0.01), while the content of serum TGF-ß1 and the relative expression of Arg-1 mRNA were significantly decreased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the escape latency of rats in the EA group was significantly shortened (P<0.01), the number of crossing the original platform was significantly increased (P<0.01), the positive expression of Iba1, the content of serum IFN-γ, the mRNA expressions of JAK2, STAT3 and iNOS, and the protein and phosphorylation levels of JAK2 and STAT3 were significantly decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01), while the content of serum TGF-ß1 and the expression of Arg-1 mRNA were significantly increased (P<0.01). Moreover, pathological and ultrastructural observation showed a reduction in the number of hippocampal neurons, changement of nuclear morphology, dilation of intercellular space, and decreased number of mitochondria in the model group；these situations were relatively milder in the EA group. CONCLUSIONS: EA can improve the learning and memory function of AD rats, which may be associated with its functions in decreasing MG activities, and inhibiting the JAK2 / STAT3 signaling pathway in the hippocampus.

Prognostic MRI features to predict postresection survivals for very early to intermediate stage hepatocellular carcinoma.

OBJECTIVES: Contrast-enhanced MRI can provide individualized prognostic information for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We aimed to investigate the value of MRI features to predict early (≤ 2 years)/late (> 2 years) recurrence-free survival (E-RFS and L-RFS, respectively) and overall survival (OS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Consecutive adult patients at a tertiary academic center who received curative-intent liver resection for very early to intermediate stage HCC and underwent preoperative contrast-enhanced MRI were retrospectively enrolled from March 2011 to April 2021. Three masked radiologists independently assessed 54 MRI features. Uni- and multivariable Cox regression analyses were conducted to investigate the associations of imaging features with E-RFS, L-RFS, and OS. RESULTS: This study included 600 patients (median age, 53 years; 526 men). During a median follow-up of 55.3 months, 51% of patients experienced recurrence (early recurrence: 66%; late recurrence: 34%), and 17% died. Tumor size, multiple tumors, rim arterial phase hyperenhancement, iron sparing in solid mass, tumor growth pattern, and gastroesophageal varices were associated with E-RFS and OS (largest p = .02). Nonperipheral washout (p = .006), markedly low apparent diffusion coefficient value (p = .02), intratumoral arteries (p = .01), and width of the main portal vein (p = .03) were associated with E-RFS but not with L-RFS or OS, while the VICT2 trait was specifically associated with OS (p = .02). Multiple tumors (p = .048) and radiologically-evident cirrhosis (p < .001) were the only predictors for L-RFS. CONCLUSION: Twelve visually-assessed MRI features predicted postoperative E-RFS (≤ 2 years), L-RFS (> 2 years), and OS for very early to intermediate-stage HCCs. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: The prognostic MRI features may help inform personalized surgical planning, neoadjuvant/adjuvant therapies, and postoperative surveillance, thus may be included in future prognostic models. KEY POINTS: • Tumor size, multiple tumors, rim arterial phase hyperenhancement, iron sparing, tumor growth pattern, and gastroesophageal varices predicted both recurrence-free survival within 2 years and overall survival. • Nonperipheral washout, markedly low apparent diffusion coefficient value, intratumoral arteries, and width of the main portal vein specifically predicted recurrence-free survival within 2 years, while the VICT2 trait specifically predicted overall survival. • Multiple tumors and radiologically-evident cirrhosis were the only predictors for recurrence-free survival beyond 2 years.

Acupuncture modulates the functional connectivity among the subcortical nucleus and fronto-parietal network in adolescents with internet addiction.

BACKGROUND: Internet addiction (IA), recognized as a behavioral addiction, is emerging as a global public health problem. Acupuncture has been demonstrated to be effective in alleviating IA; however, the mechanism is not yet clear. To fill this knowledge gap, our study aimed to investigate the modulatory effects of acupuncture on the functional interactions among the addiction-related networks in adolescents with IA. METHODS: Thirty individuals with IA and thirty age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects (HCs) were recruited. Subjects with IA were given a 40-day acupuncture treatment, and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were collected before and after acupuncture sessions. HCs received no treatment and underwent one fMRI scan after enrollment. The intergroup differences in functional connectivity (FC) among the subcortical nucleus (SN) and fronto-parietal network (FPN) were compared between HCs and subjects with IA at baseline. Then, the intragroup FC differences between the pre- and post-treatment were analyzed in the IA group. A multiple linear regression model was further employed to fit the FC changes to symptom relief in the IA group. RESULTS: In comparison to HCs, subjects with IA exhibited significantly heightened FC within and between the SN and FPN at baseline. After 40 days of acupuncture treatment, the FC within the FPN and between the SN and FPN were significantly decreased in individuals with IA. Symptom improvement in subjects with IA was well fitted by the decrease in FC between the left midbrain and ventral prefrontal cortex and between the left thalamus and ventral anterior prefrontal cortex. CONCLUSION: These findings confirmed the modulatory effects of acupuncture on the aberrant functional interactions among the SN and FPN, which may partly reflect the neurophysiological mechanism of acupuncture for IA.

Huang-Pu-Tong-Qiao Formula Ameliorates the Hippocampus Apoptosis in Diabetic Cognitive Dysfunction Mice by Activating CREB/BDNF/TrkB Signaling Pathway.

BACKGROUND: Huang-Pu-Tong-Qiao formula (HPTQ), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula used to improve cognitive impairment. However, the underlying neuroprotective mechanism of HPTQ treated for diabetic cognitive dysfunction (DCD) remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the neuroprotective mechanism of HPTQ in DCD mice based on molecular docking. METHODS: To investigate the neuroprotective effect of HPTQ in DCD, the Morris water maze (MWM), novel object recognition (NOR) test was used to detect the learning and memory changes of mice; hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to investigate the damage of hippocampal neurons; the western blot (WB) was used to examine the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) of hippocampus. To investigate the neuroprotective mechanism of HPTQ in DCD, molecular docking was used to predict the possible target proteins of different active components in HPTQ and then the WB was used to verify the expression of key target proteins in the hippocampus of mice. RESULTS: HPTQ improved the learning and memory ability, hippocampal neuron damage, and the level of BDNF in the hippocampus of the DCD model treated with HFD/STZ for 12 weeks. Besides, the results of molecular docking showed that the main chemical components of HPTQ could be well combined with the targets of Bcl-2-associated X (Bax) and B-cell lymphoma2 (Bcl-2) and caspase-3. The levels of Bax/Bcl-2 protein ratio and caspase-3 increased in the DCD model while the HPTQ inhibited it. In addition, HPTQ restored DCD-induced decline of p-CREB, BDNF, TrkB, and p-Akt in the hippocampus. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicated that HPTQ ameliorates the hippocampus apoptosis in diabetic cognitive dysfunction mice by activating CREB/BDNF/TrkB signaling pathway.

A Prospective Study of Vitamin D Supplement in Thyroidectomy Patients Based on Relative Decline of Parathyroid Hormone.

Background: In postthyroidectomy patients, hypocalcemia is the most common complication to prolong hospital stay and decrease patients' satisfaction. Based on current evidence, it is recommended to supply vitamin D to patients with high risk of developing hypocalcemia. However, how to stratify the risk of patients remains challenging. Aim: We conducted a prospective study to evaluate the effect of vitamin D supplement (calcitriol) on high-risk hypocalcemia patients based on relative decline of parathyroid hormone (RDP). Method: RDP was calculated by the difference between preoperative and postoperative first-day PTH divided by preoperative PTH and presented as percentage. Patients who underwent total thyroidectomy in addition to bilateral central compartment dissection were enrolled prospectively and were divided into two cohorts: Cohort I: patients with RDP ≤70% and Cohort II: patients with RDP >70%. Patients in Cohort I were then randomly assigned to Group A or B, and patients in Cohort II were randomly assigned to Group C or D. All groups received oral calcium, and patients in Groups B and D also received calcitriol. All patients were followed for one year. In the study, standard procedure dictates that only oral calcium is given to patients whose RDP ≤70% and that oral calcium and calcitriol are given to patients whose RDP >70%. Therefore, Cohort I Group A and Cohort II Group D are controls in this study. Results: The incidence of clinical hypocalcemia in Groups A and D (the controls) was 11.0% (10/91), and 17.6% (16/91) required additional intravenous calcium. Of note, no patients developed permanent hypocalcemia. Furthermore, calcitriol supplement did not have significant impact on clinical outcomes between Group A and B in Cohort I. By contrast, calcitriol supplement distinctly improved clinical outcome by comparing Groups C and D (Cohort II), as marked by clinical hypocalcemia, need of requiring intravenous calcium, and long-termed decreased levels of PTH. Conclusion: Supplying calcitriol based on RDP cutoff of 70% may be a wise practice in thyroidectomy patients, and RDP 70% may be a useful predictor to stratify high-risk patients.

How Alpha Rhythm Spatiotemporally Acts Upon the Thalamus-Default Mode Circuit in Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsy.

GOAL: Idiopathic generalized epilepsy (IGE) represents generalized spike-wave discharges (GSWD) and distributed changes in thalamocortical circuit. The purpose of this study is to investigate how the ongoing alpha oscillation acts upon the local temporal dynamics and spatial hyperconnectivity in epilepsy. METHODS: We evaluated the spatiotemporal regulation of alpha oscillations in epileptic state based on simultaneous EEG-fMRI recordings in 45 IGE patients. The alpha-BOLD temporal consistency, as well as the effect of alpha power windows on dynamic functional connectivity strength (dFCS) was analyzed. Then, stable synchronization networks during GSWD were constructed, and the spatial covariation with alpha-based network integration was investigated. RESULTS: Increased temporal covariation was demonstrated between alpha power and BOLD fluctuations in thalamus and distributed cortical regions in IGE. High alpha power had inhibition effect on dFCS in healthy controls, while in epilepsy, high alpha windows arose along with the enhancement of dFCS in thalamus, caudate and some default mode network (DMN) regions. Moreover, synchronization networks in GSWD-before, GSWD-onset and GSWD-after stages were constructed, and the connectivity strength in prominent hub nodes (precuneus, thalamus) was associated with the spatially disturbed alpha-based network integration. CONCLUSION: The results indicated spatiotemporal regulation of alpha in epilepsy by means of the increased power and decreased coherence communication. It provided links between alpha rhythm and the altered temporal dynamics, as well as the hyperconnectivity in thalamus-default mode circuit. SIGNIFICANCE: The combination between neural oscillations and epileptic representations may be of clinical importance in terms of seizure prediction and non-invasive interventions.

Rhythmic Network Modulation to Thalamocortical Couplings in Epilepsy.

Thalamus interacts with cortical areas, generating oscillations characterized by their rhythm and levels of synchrony. However, little is known of what function the rhythmic dynamic may serve in thalamocortical couplings. This work introduced a general approach to investigate the modulatory contribution of rhythmic scalp network to the thalamo-frontal couplings in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) and frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE). Here, time-varying rhythmic network was constructed using the adapted directed transfer function between EEG electrodes, and then was applied as a modulator in fMRI-based thalamocortical functional couplings. Furthermore, the relationship between corticocortical connectivity and rhythm-dependent thalamocortical coupling was examined. The results revealed thalamocortical couplings modulated by EEG scalp network have frequency-dependent characteristics. Increased thalamus- sensorimotor network (SMN) and thalamus-default mode network (DMN) couplings in JME were strongly modulated by alpha band. These thalamus-SMN couplings demonstrated enhanced association with SMN-related corticocortical connectivity. In addition, altered theta-dependent and beta-dependent thalamus-frontoparietal network (FPN) couplings were found in FLE. The reduced theta-dependent thalamus-FPN couplings were associated with the decreased FPN-related corticocortical connectivity. This study proposed interactive links between the rhythmic modulation and thalamocortical coupling. The crucial role of SMN and FPN in subcortical-cortical circuit may have implications for intervention in generalized and focal epilepsy.

The Modulation of Reward and Habit Systems by Acupuncture in Adolescents with Internet Addiction.

Purpose: Acupuncture is an effective therapy for Internet addiction (IA). However, the underlying mechanisms of acupuncture in relieving compulsive Internet use remain unknown. Neuroimaging studies have demonstrated the role of the ventral striatum (VS) in the progress of IA; hence, the aim of this study was to explore the effects of acupuncture on the resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) and relevant network of VS in IA. Methods: Twenty-seven IA individuals and 30 demographically matched healthy control subjects (HCs) were recruited in this study. We acquired the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data in IA subjects before and after 40 days of acupuncture treatment. Seed-to-voxel and ROI-to-ROI analyses were applied to detect the rsFC alterations of the VS and related network in IA subjects and to investigate the modulation effect of acupuncture on the rsFC. Results: Compared with HCs, IA subjects exhibited enhanced rsFC of the right ventral rostral putamen (VRP) with the left orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), premotor cortex (PMC), cerebellum, and right ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). In the network including these five ROIs, IA also showed increased ROI-to-ROI rsFC. Using a paired t-test in IA subjects before and after 40 days of acupuncture, the increased ROI-to-ROI rsFC was decreased (normalized to HC) with acupuncture, including the rsFC of the right VRP with the left OFC, PMC, and cerebellum, and the rsFC of the left cerebellum with the left OFC, PMC, and right vmPFC. Furthermore, the change in rsFC strength between the right VRP and left cerebellum in IA individuals was found positively correlated with the Internet craving alleviation after acupuncture. Conclusions: These findings verified the modulation effect of acupuncture on functional connectivity of reward and habit systems related to the VS in IA individuals, which might partly represent the underlying mechanisms of acupuncture on IA.

Selenium-doped hydroxyapatite biopapers with an anti-bone tumor effect by inducing apoptosis.

One-dimensional hydroxyapatite (HA) particularly mimics the structure of mineralized collagen fibrils and displays superior mechanical properties such as toughness. Herein, we report Se-doped HA/chitosan (Se-HA/CS) biopapers constructed with self-assembled Se-doped HA nanowires and chitosan. The Se-HA/CS biopapers with high flexibility and manufacturability can not only be further processed into arbitrary shapes by folding or using scissors but also display high performances in in vitro/vivo anti-bone tumor studies. The Se-HA/CS biopapers are more inclined to inhibit the growth of tumor cells (HCS 2/8 and SJSA cells) than that of normal human bone marrow stromal cells (hBMSCs). The potential mechanisms of this meaningful anti-tumor effect were investigated, such as reactive oxygen species accumulation and the activation of apoptosis and the underlying signal pathway involved (including caspase family, Bcl-2 family and JNK/STAT3). The results demonstrate that Se-HA/CS biopapers may inhibit the growth of HCS 2/8 and SJSA cells by synchronously inducing JNK activation and STAT3 inhibition and consequently promote the apoptosis of these cells. Furthermore, the in vivo anti-tumor studies confirm that the Se-HA/CS biopapers obviously suppress the growth of patient-derived xenograft tumor models.

BOLD-fMRI activity informed by network variation of scalp EEG in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.

Epilepsy is marked by hypersynchronous bursts of neuronal activity, and seizures can propagate variably to any and all areas, leading to brain network dynamic organization. However, the relationship between the network characteristics of scalp EEG and blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) responses in epilepsy patients is still not well known. In this study, simultaneous EEG and fMRI data were acquired in 18 juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) patients. Then, the adapted directed transfer function (ADTF) values between EEG electrodes were calculated to define the time-varying network. The variation of network information flow within sliding windows was used as a temporal regressor in fMRI analysis to predict the BOLD response. To investigate the EEG-dependent functional coupling among the responding regions, modulatory interactions were analyzed for network variation of scalp EEG and BOLD time courses. The results showed that BOLD activations associated with high network variation were mainly located in the thalamus, cerebellum, precuneus, inferior temporal lobe and sensorimotor-related areas, including the middle cingulate cortex (MCC), supplemental motor area (SMA), and paracentral lobule. BOLD deactivations associated with medium network variation were found in the frontal, parietal, and occipital areas. In addition, modulatory interaction analysis demonstrated predominantly directional negative modulation effects among the thalamus, cerebellum, frontal and sensorimotor-related areas. This study described a novel method to link BOLD response with simultaneous functional network organization of scalp EEG. These findings suggested the validity of predicting epileptic activity using functional connectivity variation between electrodes. The functional coupling among the thalamus, frontal regions, cerebellum and sensorimotor-related regions may be characteristically involved in epilepsy generation and propagation, which provides new insight into the pathophysiological mechanisms and intervene targets for JME.

Long noncoding RNA LINC00261 induces chemosensitization to 5-fluorouracil by mediating methylation-dependent repression of DPYD in human esophageal cancer.

Approximately 85% of a single administered dose of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) will be degraded by dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DYPD). Studies have highlighted a link between the complete or partial loss of DYPD function and clinical responses to 5-FU; however, the underlying molecular basis of DPD deficiency remains poorly understood. Hence, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the prevailing hypothesis which suggests that overexpression of LINC00261 possesses the ability to modulate the methylation-dependent repression of DPYD, ultimately resulting in an elevation of the sensitivity of human esophageal cancer cells to 5-FU. LINC00261 levels were initially quantified, followed by analysis of DYPD methylation within the cancerous tissues collected from 75 patients diagnosed with esophageal cancer undergoing 5-FU-based adjuvant chemotherapy. In an attempt to determine the levels of LINC00261 related to the esophageal cancer cell resistance to 5-FU and to identify the interaction between the levels of LINC00261 and methylation of the DYPD promoter, esophageal cancer cells TE-1 and -5 were prepared, in which LINC00261 and the 5-FU-resistant TE-1 and -5 cells were overexpressed. The levels of LINC00261 were reduced among the cancerous tissues obtained from patients exhibiting resistance to 5-FU. Overexpression of LINC00261 was determined to dramatically inhibit proliferation and resistance to apoptosis among 5-FU-resistant TE-1 and -5 cells, whereas silencing of LINC00261 was determined to enhance proliferation and resistance to apoptosis among the TE-1 and -5 cells. DPYD, a confirmed target of LINC00261, displayed a greater incidence of DNA methylation among patient's sensitive to 5-FU. A key finding revealed that overexpressed LINC00261 could increase the methylation of the DPYD promoter through the recruitment of DNA methyltransferase (DNMT), which, in turn, acts to decrease DPYD activity in 5-FU-resistant TE-1 cells, whereas a reversible change was recorded once the demethylation reagent 5-aza-2'-deoxyctidine was employed to treat the 5-FU-resistant TE-1 cells. Taken together, the results of the study provided evidence emphasizing the distinct antitumor ability of LINC00261 in cases of esophageal cancer, which was manifested by overexpression of LINC00261 detected to increase the sensitivity of human esophageal cancer cells to 5-FU by mediating methylation-dependent repression of DPYD. Our study highlighted the potential of LINC00261 as a novel target capable of improving the chemotherapeutic response and survival of patients with esophageal cancer.-Lin, K., Jiang, H., Zhuang, S.-S., Qin, Y.-S., Qiu, G.-D., She, Y.-Q., Zheng, J.-T., Chen, C., Fang, L., Zhang, S.-Y. Long noncoding RNA LINC00261 induces chemosensitization to 5-fluorouracil by mediating methylation-dependent repression of DPYD in human esophageal cancer.

Clinical features and outcome in patients with osseomuscular type of Wilson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Wilson's disease with osseomuscular type is a rare condition, which often lacks typical hepatic and neurological symptoms and causes misdiagnoses easily. During the past 10 years, eight Chinese patients of osseomuscular type of Wilson's disease were identified in our clinic. METHODS: Clinical information was gathered from medical records and follow-ups. The genetic testing was performed in each patient. Serum ceruloplasmin, Kayser-Fleischer rings, liver function, brain magnetic resonance imaging and abdominal ultrasonography were also evaluated. RESULTS: The median age of onset is 12 years of age. The patients had their initial musculoskeletal conditions with arthralgia or joint deformity, while the hepatic or neurologic signs were minimal. Most patients (6/8) eventually developed clinical neurological symptoms afterwards with a median interval of 36 months. All of them had normal liver function and low serum ceruloplasmin (<0.1 g/L). Most patients (6/8) present with Kayser-Fleischer rings and abnormal hepatic ultrasonography. The arthralgia was resolved with copper chelation therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Wilson's disease with osseomuscular type occurs without typical hepatic or neurological symptoms, which makes the clinical diagnosis challenging. Serum ceruloplasmin, abdominal ultrasonography, ophthalmic examination and genetic testing help to establish the diagnosis. Early diagnosis can initiate an effective treatment and prevent the further damage.

A new benzofuran derivative from Nicotiana tabacum.

A new benzofuran derivative, methyl 3-acetyl-7-hydroxy-6-methoxy-2-methylbenzofuran-4-carboxylate (1), and a known compound pyrrolezanthine (2), were isolated from leaves of Nicotiana tabacum. Compound 1 was elucidated by means of spectroscopic methods, as well as X-ray diffraction. Both compounds 1 and 2 exhibited moderate inhibitory activities on human cancer cell lines.

A tyrosine decarboxylase catalyzes the initial reaction of the salidroside biosynthesis pathway in Rhodiola sachalinensis.

Salidroside, the 8-O-ß-D-glucoside of tyrosol, is the main bioactive component of Rhodiola species and is found mainly in the plant roots. It is well known that glucosylation of tyrosol is the final step in the biosynthesis of salidroside; however, the biosynthetic pathway of tyrosol and its regulation are less well understood. A summary of the results of related studies revealed that the precursor of tyrosol might be tyramine, which is synthesized from tyrosine. In this study, a cDNA clone encoding tyrosine decarboxylase (TyrDC) was isolated from Rhodiola sachalinensis A. Bor using rapid amplification of cDNA ends. The resulting cDNA was designated RsTyrDC. RNA gel-blot analysis revealed that the predominant sites of expression in plants are the roots and high levels of transcripts are also found in callus tissue culture. Functional analysis revealed that tyrosine was best substrate of recombinant RsTyrDC. The over-expression of the sense-RsTyrDC resulted in a marked increase of tyrosol and salidroside content, but the levels of tyrosol and salidroside were 274 and 412%, respectively, lower in the antisense-RsTyrDC transformed lines than those in the controls. The data presented here provide in vitro and in vivo evidence that the RsTyrDC can regulate the tyrosol and salidroside biosynthesis, and the RsTyrDC is most likely to have an important function in the initial reaction of the salidroside biosynthesis pathway in R. sachalinensis.

[Analysis of Wang Shuhe's academic contribution and epistemology].

Wang Shuhe is considered to be Zhang Zhongjing's disciple according to four reasons: A. the acquaintance of Yu Jiaxi and Fan Xingzhun and others. B. the close relation of Wang Shuhe and Wei Xun. C. Zhang Zhongjing's complete works kept by Wang Shuhe and Wang Shuhe's autobiography. D. the record in Maijing and that Wang Shuhe called Zhang Zhongjing master. It was speculated that Wang Shuhe was the minister of imperial medical affairs of the Wu Kingdom from the title of the emperor's reign recorded by Huang Fumi and Jingzhou's attribution. He contributed to Traditional Chinese Medicine in three aspects-preserving and classifying Zhang Zhongjng's complete works; preserving literature on pulse diagnosis, writing Maijing and standardizing methods for pulse-taking; and advancing the concept of syndrome and Bianzheng (transmutation with steaming in infant feverish perspiration), probing the theory of feverish diseases, and people's well-being, demonstrating the spirit of Bianzhenglunzhi.

[Re-cognition to the physiological functions of the prostrate--the "male-uterus" in traditional Chinese medicine].

This article considers that the prostate should be included in "male-uterus", discusses the resemblance between the uterus and the "male-uterus", emphasize that having both the function of strong and catharsis the "male-uterus" should belongs to the Extraordinary Organs. To enrich the theory of "male-uterus", the article also discuss the relations of physiological function of the prostate with Dai channel, Du channel, Ren channel, Liver channel and Kidney channel, the affinities in physiology and pathology with bladder, liver, kidney and other visceras in human being.