SCAN: Spatiotemporal Cloud Atlas for Neural cells.

The nervous system is one of the most complicated and enigmatic systems within the animal kingdom. Recently, the emergence and development of spatial transcriptomics (ST) and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technologies have provided an unprecedented ability to systematically decipher the cellular heterogeneity and spatial locations of the nervous system from multiple unbiased aspects. However, efficiently integrating, presenting and analyzing massive multiomic data remains a huge challenge. Here, we manually collected and comprehensively analyzed high-quality scRNA-seq and ST data from the nervous system, covering 10 679 684 cells. In addition, multi-omic datasets from more than 900 species were included for extensive data mining from an evolutionary perspective. Furthermore, over 100 neurological diseases (e.g. Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Down syndrome) were systematically analyzed for high-throughput screening of putative biomarkers. Differential expression patterns across developmental time points, cell types and ST spots were discerned and subsequently subjected to extensive interpretation. To provide researchers with efficient data exploration, we created a new database with interactive interfaces and integrated functions called the Spatiotemporal Cloud Atlas for Neural cells (SCAN), freely accessible at http://47.98.139.124:8799 or http://scanatlas.net. SCAN will benefit the neuroscience research community to better exploit the spatiotemporal atlas of the neural system and promote the development of diagnostic strategies for various neurological disorders.

Global incidence and characteristics of spinal cord injury since 2000-2021: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This study employs systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the incidence and characteristics of spinal cord injury (SCI) between 2000 and 2021, aiming to provide the most recent and comprehensive data support for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care of SCI. METHODS: Systematic searches were conducted on epidemiological studies of SCI published between January 1, 2000, and March 29, 2024. Meta-analysis, subgroup analysis, meta-regression, publication bias detection, and literature quality assessment were extensively utilized. RESULTS: The pooled results from 229 studies indicated that the overall incidence rate of SCI was 23.77 (95% CI, 21.50-26.15) per million people, with traumatic spinal cord injuries (TSCI) at a rate of 26.48 (95% CI, 24.15-28.93) per million people, and non-traumatic spinal cord injuries (NTSCI) at a rate of 17.93 (95% CI, 13.30-23.26) per million people. The incidence of TSCI exhibited a marked age-related increase and was significantly higher in community settings compared to hospital and database sources. Males experienced TSCI at a rate 3.2 times higher than females. Between 2000 and 2021, the incidence of TSCI remained consistently high, between 20 and 45 per million people, whereas NTSCI incidence has seen a steady rise since 2007, stabilizing at a high rate of 25-35 per million people. Additionally, the incidence of TSCI in developing countries was notably higher than that in developed countries. There were significant differences in the causes of injury, severity, injury segments, gender, and age distribution among the TSCI and NTSCI populations, but the proportion of male patients was much higher than that of female patients. Moreover, study quality, country type, and SCI type contributed to the heterogeneity in the meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence rates of different types of SCI remain high, and the demographic distribution of SCI patients is changing, indicating a serious disease burden on healthcare systems and affected populations. These findings underscore the necessity of adopting targeted preventive, therapeutic, and rehabilitative measures based on the incidence and characteristics of SCI.

Factors Influencing Plasma Concentrations of Valproic Acid in Pediatric Patients With Epilepsy and the Clinical Significance of CYP2C9 Genotypes in Personalized Valproic Acid Therapy.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the factors affecting plasma valproic acid (VPA) concentration in pediatric patients with epilepsy and the clinical significance of CYP2C9 gene polymorphisms in personalized dosing using therapeutic drug monitoring and pharmacogenetic testing. METHODS: The medical records of children with epilepsy who underwent therapeutic drug monitoring at our institution between July 2022 and July 2023 and met the inclusion criteria were reviewed. Statistical analysis was performed to determine whether age, sex, blood ammonia, liver function, kidney function, and other characteristics affected the concentration-to-dose ratio of VPA (CDRV) in these patients. To investigate the effect of CYP2C9 polymorphisms on CDRV, DNA samples were collected from patients and the CYP2C9 genotypes were identified using real-time quantitative PCR. RESULTS: The mean age of 208 pediatric patients with epilepsy was 5.50 ± 3.50 years. Among these patients, 182 had the CYP2C9 *1/*1 genotype, with a mean CDRV (mcg.kg/mL.mg) of 2.64 ± 1.46, 24 had the CYP2C9 *1/*3 genotype, with a mean CDRV of 3.28 ± 1.74, and 2 had the CYP2C9 *3/*3 genotype, with a mean CDRV of 6.46 ± 3.33. There were statistical differences among these 3 genotypes ( P < 0.05). The CDRV in these patients were significantly influenced by age, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, globulin, albumin/globulin ratio, prealbumin, creatinine, and CYP2C9 polymorphisms. In addition, multivariate linear regression analysis identified total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, and CYP2C9 polymorphisms as independent risk factors for high CDRV. CONCLUSIONS: Liver problems and mutations in the CYP2C9 gene increase VPA levels. This underscores the importance of considering these factors when prescribing VPA to children with epilepsy, thereby enhancing the safety and efficacy of the therapy.

Clinical significance and potential pathogenesis of VCAN in adult non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: The pathogenesis of adult non-cystic fibrosis (CF) bronchiectasis is complex, and the relevant molecular mechanism remains ambiguous. Versican (VCAN) is a key factor in inflammation through interactions with adhesion molecules. This study constructs a stable panoramic map of mRNA, reveals the possible pathogenesis of bronchiectasis, and provides new ideas and methods for bronchiectasis. METHODS: Peripheral blood and tissue gene expression data from patients with bronchiectasis and normal control were selected by bioinformatics analysis. The expression of VCAN in peripheral blood and bronchial tissues of bronchiectasis were obtained by transcriptome sequencing. The protein expression levels of VCAN in serums were verified by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mRNA expression levels of VCAN in co-culture of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and bronchial epithelial cells were verified by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). In addition, the biological function of VCAN was detected by the transwell assay. RESULTS: The expression of VCAN was upregulated in the bronchiectasis group by sequencing analysis (P < 0.001). The expression of VCAN in the bronchial epithelial cell line BEAS-2B was increased in P. aeruginosa (P.a), which was co-cultured with BEAS-2B cells (P < 0.05). The concentration of VCAN protein in the serum of patients with bronchiectasis was higher than that in the normal control group (P < 0.05). Transwell experiments showed that exogenous VCAN protein induced the migration of neutrophils (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that VCAN may be involved in the development of bronchiectasis by increasing the migration of neutrophils and play an important role in bronchial pathogenesis.

Results of the phase IIa study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of rezivertinib (BPI-7711) for the first-line treatment of locally advanced or metastatic/recurrent NSCLC patients with EGFR mutation from a phase I/IIa study.

BACKGROUND: Rezivertinib (BPI-7711) is a novel third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). This phase IIa study was part of a phase I/IIa study (NCT03386955), aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of rezivertinib as the first-line treatment for patients with locally advanced or metastatic/recurrent EGFR mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: Patients received the first-line treatment of 180 mg rezivertinib orally once daily until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity, or withdrawal of consent. The primary endpoint was the objective response rate (ORR) assessed by blinded independent central review (BICR). Secondary endpoints included disease control rate (DCR), duration of response (DoR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety. RESULTS: From Jun 12, 2019, to Oct 17, 2019, 43 patients were enrolled. At the data cutoff date on Dec 23, 2021, the ORR by BICR was 83.7% (95% CI: 69.3-93.2%). The median DoR was 19.3 (95% CI: 15.8-25.0) months. The median PFS by BICR was 20.7 (95% CI: 13.8-24.8) months and 22.0 (95% CI: 16.8-26.3) months by investigators. Data on OS was immature. Totally, 40 (93.0%) patients had at least one treatment-related adverse event while 4 (9.3%) of them were grade ≥ 3. CONCLUSIONS: Rezivertinib (BPI-7711) showed promising efficacy and a favorable safety profile for the treatment among the locally advanced or metastatic/recurrent NSCLC patients with EGFR mutation in the first-line setting. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03386955.

Efficacy and safety of iruplinalkib (WX-0593) in ALK-positive crizotinib-resistant advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients: a single-arm, multicenter phase II study (INTELLECT).

BACKGROUND: Iruplinalkib (WX-0593) is an anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)/c-ros oncogene 1 (ROS1) tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Here we reported the single-arm, phase II study (INTELLECT) results of the efficacy and safety of iruplinalkib for ALK-positive crizotinib-resistant advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. METHODS: ALK-positive crizotinib-resistant advanced NSCLC patients aged ≥18 years, with Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0-2 were eligible. Patients received iruplinalkib 180 mg orally once daily for a 21-day cycle with a 7-day lead-in phase at 60 mg orally once daily. The primary endpoint was the independent review committee (IRC)-assessed objective response rate (ORR). RESULTS: From August 7, 2019, to October 30, 2020, 146 patients were included. As of the data cut-off date on November 30, 2021, the median follow-up time was 18.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 16.8-18.8). IRC-assessed ORR and disease control rate (DCR) were 69.9% (95% CI 61.7-77.2%) and 96.6% (95% CI 92.2-98.9%), respectively. Investigator-assessed ORR and DCR were 63.0% (95% CI 54.6-70.8%) and 94.5% (95% CI 89.5-97.6%), respectively. Investigator-assessed median duration of response and progression-free survival (the same as median time to progression) were 13.2 months (95% CI 10.4-17.7) and 14.5 months (95% CI 11.7-20.0), respectively. Corresponding IRC-assessed results were 14.4 months (95% CI 13.1-not evaluable [NE]), 19.8 months (95% CI 14.5-NE), and NE (95% CI 14.5-NE), respectively. Investigator-assessed intracranial ORRs were 46% (41/90, 95% CI 35-56%) in patients with central nervous system metastases and 64% (27/42, 95% CI 48-78%) in patients with measurable intracranial lesions. Overall survival data were immature. Treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) occurred in 136/146 (93.2%) patients. The most common TRAEs were aspartate aminotransferase increased (63 [43.2%]), alanine aminotransferase increased (54 [37.0%]), and blood creatine phosphokinase increased (51 [34.9%]). Dose interruption, reduction, and discontinuation due to TRAEs occurred in 21 (14.4%), 16 (11.0%), and four (2.7%) patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, iruplinalkib (WX-0593) demonstrated favorable efficacy and manageable safety profiles in patients with ALK-positive crizotinib-resistant advanced NSCLC. Iruplinalkib could be a new treatment option for this patient population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Center for Drug Evaluation of National Medical Products Administration of China: CTR20190789, registered on April 28, 2019; ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04641754, registered on November 24, 2020.

Aberrant NSG1 Expression Promotes Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell EMT by the Activation of ERK Signaling Pathway.

BACKGROUND: Neuron-specific gene family member 1 (NSG1) is a 21 kDa endosomal protein that is specifically expressed in neurons. AIMS: This study was to explore the expression of NSG1 and possible mechanism in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma (ESCC). METHODS: The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database was consulted to analyze the expression of NSG1 in ESCC. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining was used to evaluate NSG1 expression in ESCC cancerous tissues and matched paracancerous tissues. The CCK-8 assay, wound-healing assay, and transwell assay were used to detect the cell viability, migration, and invasion of ESCC cells. Western blot was used to assay epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins and ERK signaling pathway protein expression. RESULTS: The results showed that the expression of NSG1 in ESCC cancerous tissues was higher than noncancerous tissues. Compared with negative control (NC) group, cell viability, migration. and invasion significantly increased, the expression of p-ERK in ERK signaling pathway was significantly upregulated, the expressions of mesenchymal marker Vimentin and EMT-related transcription factors including snail and slug were significantly upregulated, and the expression of epithelial marker E-cadherin was significantly downregulated in KYSE-150 cells with NSG1 overexpression. However, these effects were reversed by the ERK signaling pathway inhibitor U0126. On the other hand, TE-1 cells with NSG1 knockdown had the changes contrary to that in KYSE-150 cells with NSG1 overexpression. CONCLUSION: NSG1 plays a potential carcinogenic role on the occurrence and progression of ESCC, and aberrant NSG1 expression might promote ESCC cell EMT by the activation of ERK signaling pathway.

Effect of spinal-pelvic sagittal balance on the clinical outcomes after lumbar fusion surgery.

BACKGROUND: Spinal-pelvic sagittal balance is important for maintaining energy-efficient posture in normal and diseased states.Few reports to date have evaluated the effect of spinal-pelvic sagittal balance on clinical outcomes after lumbar interbody fusion in patients with lumbar degenerative diseases (LDD). METHODS: A total of 303 patients treated with posterior lumbar interbody fusion surgery for lumbar degenerative disease from January 2012 to December 2019 were enrolled in this retrospective study according to the inclusion criteria. Preoperative and postoperative spinal-pelvic sagittal parameters including pelvic incidence (PI), pelvic tilt (PT), sacral slope (SS) and lumbar lordosis (LL) of the patients were evaluated and compared. 163 patients whose postoperative PI-LL ≤ 10° were divided into the spinal-pelvic match group (Group M), while 140 patients were divided into the spinal-pelvic mismatch group (Group MM). Preoperative and postoperative Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for back pain of both groups were compared. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the two groups in demographic and surgical data, except for blood loss in surgery. LL, PI, PT and SS of the patients at final follow-up were all statistically different from the preoperative values in the two groups(P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in LL, PI, PT and SS between the two groups before surgery. At the final follow-up, LL, PI and PT differed significantly between the two groups(P < 0.05). Compared with the preoperative results, ODI and VAS of low back in both groups decreased significantly at the final follow-up (P < 0.05). Significant differences in VAS and ODI were found between the two groups at the final follow-up (P < 0.05). The improvement rates of VAS and ODI of Group M are both significantly higher than Group MM. Regression analysis showed that age and spinal-pelvic match had significant effects on the improvement of patients' low back pain at the final follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: lumbar interbody fusion can significantly improve the prognosis of patients with LDD. In terms of outcomes with an average follow-up time of more than 2 years, the spinal-pelvic match has a positive effect on patients' quality of life and the release of low back pain.

Sintilimab Plus Chemotherapy for Unresectable Gastric or Gastroesophageal Junction Cancer: The ORIENT-16 Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers are diagnosed in more than 1 million people worldwide annually, and few effective treatments are available. Sintilimab, a recombinant human IgG4 monoclonal antibody that binds to programmed cell death 1 (PD-1), in combination with chemotherapy, has demonstrated promising efficacy. Objective: To compare overall survival of patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancers who were treated with sintilimab with chemotherapy vs placebo with chemotherapy. Also compared were a subset of patients with a PD ligand 1 (PD-L1) combined positive score (CPS) of 5 or more (range, 1-100). Design, Setting, and Participants: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 clinical trial conducted at 62 hospitals in China that enrolled 650 patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma between January 3, 2019, and August 5, 2020. Final follow-up occurred on June 20, 2021. Interventions: Patients were randomized 1:1 to either sintilimab (n = 327) or placebo (n = 323) combined with capecitabine and oxaliplatin (the XELOX regimen) every 3 weeks for a maximum of 6 cycles. Maintenance therapy with sintilimab or placebo plus capecitabine continued for up to 2 years. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was overall survival time from randomization. Results: Of the 650 patients (mean age, 59 years; 483 [74.3%] men), 327 were randomized to sintilimab plus chemotherapy and 323 to placebo plus chemotherapy. Among the randomized patients, 397 (61.1%) had tumors with a PD-L1 CPS of 5 or more; 563 (86.6%) discontinued study treatment and 388 (59.7%) died; 1 patient (<0.1%) was lost to follow-up. Among all randomized patients, sintilimab improved overall survival compared with placebo (median, 15.2 vs 12.3 months; stratified hazard ratio [HR], 0.77 [95% CI, 0.63-0.94]; P = .009). Among patients with a CPS of 5 or more, sintilimab improved overall survival compared with placebo (median, 18.4 vs 12.9 months; HR, 0.66 [95% CI, 0.50-0.86]; P = .002). The most common grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events were decreased platelet count (sintilimab, 24.7% vs placebo, 21.3%), decreased neutrophil count (sintilimab, 20.1% vs placebo, 18.8%), and anemia (sintilimab, 12.5% vs placebo, 8.8%). Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic gastric and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma treated with first-line chemotherapy, sintilimab significantly improved overall survival for all patients and for patients with a CPS of 5 or more compared with placebo. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03745170.

Comparison of efficacy and safety of ripertamab (SCT400) versus rituximab (Mabthera® ) in combination with CHOP in patients with previously untreated CD20-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma: A randomized, single-blind, phase III clinical trial.

This study compared the efficacy, safety and immunogenicity of ripertamab (SCT400) and rituximab (Mabthera® ) combined with CHOP as the first-line treatment for Chinese patients with CD20-positive diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). This is a randomized, patient-blind, multicenter, active-control, non-inferiority study with parallel design. Patients were randomly (2:1) to receive ripertamab combined with CHOP (S-CHOP) or rituximab (Mabthera® ) combined with CHOP (R-CHOP) for up to 6 cycles. The primary endpoint was the Independent Review Committee (IRC) assessed objective response rate (ORR) in full analysis set (FAS) and the per protocol set (PPS). A total of 364 patients (243 in the S-CHOP and 121 in the R-CHOP groups) were enrolled in this study. In FAS, IRC-assessed ORRs were 93.8% (95% confidence interval (CI) 90.0%, 96.5%) and 94.2% (95% CI: 88.4%, 97.6%) in the S-CHOP and R-CHOP groups (p = 0.9633), respectively. The ORR difference between the two groups -0.4% (95% CI: -5.5%, 4.8%) met the pre-specified non-inferiority margin of -12%. There were no significant differences between the S-CHOP and R-CHOP groups in 1-year progression-free survival rates (81.1% vs. 83.2%, p = 0.8283), 1 year event-free survival rates (56.2% vs. 58.1%, p = 0.8005), and 3-year overall survival rates (81.0% vs. 82.8%, p = 0.7183). The results in PPS were consistent with those in FAS. The rates of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) and ≥ grade 3 TEAEs were 97.9% and 99.2%, 85.2% and 86.0% in the S-CHOP and R-CHOP groups, respectively in safety set. The percentage of anti-drug antibodies positive patients in the S-CHOP group was numerically lower than the R-CHOP group (10.9% vs. 16.0%). This study demonstrated that S-CHOP was not inferior to R-CHOP in the first-line treatment of Chinese patients with CD20-positive DLBCL in efficacy, safety and immunogenecity. S-CHOP could be an alternative first-line standard treatment regimen for this patient population.

A urine extracellular vesicle circRNA classifier for detection of high-grade prostate cancer in patients with prostate-specific antigen 2-10 ng/mL at initial biopsy.

The aim of this study was to identify a urine extracellular vesicle circular RNA (circRNA) classifier that could detect high-grade prostate cancer (PCa) of Grade Group (GG) 2 or greater. For this purpose, we used RNA sequencing to identify candidate circRNAs from urinary extracellular vesicles from 11 patients with high-grade PCa and 11 case-matched patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Using ddPCR in a training cohort (n = 263), we built a urine extracellular vesicle circRNA classifier (Ccirc, containing circPDLIM5, circSCAF8, circPLXDC2, circSCAMP1, and circCCNT2), which was evaluated in two independent cohorts (n = 497, n = 505). Ccirc showed higher accuracy than two standard of care risk calculators (RCs) (PCPT-RC 2.0 and ERSPC-RC) in both the training cohort and the validation cohorts. In all three cohorts, this novel urine extracellular vesicle circRNA classifier plus RCs was statistically more predictive than RCs alone for predicting ≥ GG2 PCa. This assay, which does not require precollection digital rectal examination nor special handling, is repeatable, noninvasive, and can be easily implemented as part of the basic clinical workflow.

Repeated subarachnoid administrations of allogeneic human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells for spinal cord injury: a phase 1/2 pilot study.

BACKGROUND AIMS: Stem cell transplantation is a potential treatment for intractable spinal cord injury (SCI), and allogeneic human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) are a promising candidate because of the advantages of immune privilege, paracrine effect, immunomodulatory function, convenient collection procedure and little ethical concern, and there is an urgent need to develop a safe and effective protocol regarding their clinical application. METHODS: A prospective, single-center, single-arm study in which subjects received four subarachnoid transplantations of hUC-MSCs (1 × 106 cells/kg) monthly and were seen in follow-up four times (1, 3, 6 and 12 months after final administration) was conducted. At each scheduled time point, safety and efficacy indicators were collected and analyzed accordingly. Adverse events (AEs) were used as a safety indicator. American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) and SCI Functional Rating Scale of the International Association of Neurorestoratology (IANR-SCIFRS) total scores at the fourth follow-up were determined as primary efficacy outcomes, whereas these two indicators at the remaining time points as well as scores of pinprick, light touch, motor and sphincter, muscle spasticity and spasm, autonomic system, bladder and bowel functions, residual urine volume (RUV) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were secondary efficacy outcomes. Subgroup analysis of primary efficacy indicators was also performed. RESULTS: Safety and efficacy assessments were performed on 102 and 41 subjects, respectively. Mild AEs involving fever (14.1%), headache (4.2%), transient increase in muscle tension (1.6%) and dizziness (1.3%) were observed following hUC-MSC transplantation and resolved thoroughly after conservative treatments. There was no serious AE. ASIA and IANR-SCIFRS total scores revealed statistical increases when compared with the baselines at different time points during the study, mainly reflected in the improvement of pinprick, light touch, motor and sphincter scores. Moreover, subjects showed a continuous and remarkable decrease in muscle spasticity. Regarding muscle spasm, autonomic system, bladder and bowel functions, RUV and MRI, data/imaging at final follow-up showed significant improvements compared with those at first collection. Subgroup analysis found that hUC-MSC transplantation improved neurological functions regardless of injury characteristics, including level, severity and chronicity. CONCLUSIONS: The authors' present protocol demonstrates that intrathecal administration of' allogeneic hUC-MSCs at a dose of 106 cells/kg once a month for 4 months is safe and effective and leads to significant improvement in neurological dysfunction and recovery of quality of life.

Casein kinase 1 epsilon facilitates cartilage destruction in osteoarthritis through JNK pathway.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a high-morbidity skeletal disease worldwide and the exact mechanisms underlying OA pathogenesis are not fully understood. Casein kinase 1 epsilon (CK1ε) is a serine/threonine protein kinase, but its relationship with OA is still unknown. We demonstrated that CK1ε was upregulated in articular cartilage of human patients with OA and mice with experimentally induced OA. Activity of CK1ε, demonstrated by analysis of phosphorylated substrates, was significantly elevated in interleukin (IL)-1ß-induced OA-mimicking chondrocytes. CK1ε inhibitor or CK1ε short hairpin RNA (shRNA) partially blocked matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression by primary chondrocytes induced by IL-1ß, and also inhibited cartilage destruction in knee joints of experimental OA model mice. Conversely, overexpression of CK1ε promoted chondrocyte catabolism. Previous studies indicated that CK1ε was involved in canonical Wnt/ß-catenin signaling and noncanonical Wnt/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway. Interestingly, the activity of JNK but not ß-catenin decreased after CK1ε knockdown in IL-1ß-treated chondrocytes in vitro, and JNK inhibition reduced MMP expression in chondrocytes overexpressing CK1ε, which illustrated that CK1ε-mediated OA was based on JNK pathway. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that CK1ε promotes OA development, and inhibition of CK1ε could be a potential strategy for OA treatment in the future.

Computed Tomography‒Guided Microwave Ablation Combined with Osteoplasty for the Treatment of Bone Metastases: A Multicenter Clinical Study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of combined microwave ablation (MWA) and osteoplasty as a palliative therapy for painful bone metastases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: As an extension of a previous limited single-center study, a retrospective review was conducted for 147 patients (77 male, 70 female) with painful bone metastases who underwent MWA combined with osteoplasty. In total, 102 (69.4%), 41 (27.9%), and 4 (2.7%) patients had spinal metastases, extraspinal metastases, and both, respectively. Treatment efficacy was determined by comparing visual analog scale (VAS) scores, daily morphine equivalent opioid consumption, and Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores before treatment and during the follow-up period (mean follow-up, 9.8 months; range 3-16). RESULTS: The mean VAS score significantly declined from 6.4 ± 2.3 before treatment to 3.2 ± 2.1, 1.9 ± 1.6, 1.8 ± 1.6, 1.8 ± 1.6, and 1.9 ± 1.6 at 24 hours, 1 week, 4 weeks, 12 weeks, and 24 weeks after treatment, respectively (P < .01). Furthermore, the mean daily morphine equivalent opioid consumption was significantly reduced from 81.5 ± 32.8 mg before treatment to 40.0 ± 20.6, 32.4 ± 10.2, 26.4 ± 10.0, 21.5 ± 8.3, and 19.3 ± 7.4 mg. The mean ODI score also declined after treatment (P < .0001). Major complications occurred in 4 of 147 patients, with 1 pathologic fracture, 1 nerve injury, and 2 mild skin infections. Minor cement leakages were observed at 69 sites (32.8%). CONCLUSIONS: MWA combined with osteoplasty is an effective and safe treatment for painful bone metastases.

Microwave ablation plus chemotherapy versus chemotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer: a multicenter, randomized, controlled, phase III clinical trial.

OBJECTIVES: This prospective trial was performed to verify whether microwave ablation (MWA) in combination with chemotherapy could provide superior survival benefit compared with chemotherapy alone. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From March 1, 2015, to June 20, 2017, treatment-naïve patients with pathologically verified advanced or recurrent non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were randomly assigned to MWA plus chemotherapy group or chemotherapy group. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS), while the secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), time to local progression (TTLP), and objective response rate (ORR). The complications and adverse events were also reported. RESULTS: A total of 293 patients were randomly assigned into the two groups. One hundred forty-eight patients with 117 stage IV tumors were included in the MWA plus chemotherapy group. One hundred forty-five patients with 113 stage IV tumors were included in the chemotherapy group. The median follow-up period was 13.1 months and 12.4 months, respectively. Median PFS was 10.3 months (95% CI 8.0-13.0) in the MWA plus chemotherapy group and 4.9 months (95% CI 4.2-5.7) in the chemotherapy group (HR = 0.44, 95% CI 0.28-0.53; p < 0.0001). Median OS was not reached in the MWA plus chemotherapy group and 12.6 months (95% CI 10.6-14.6) in the chemotherapy group (HR = 0.38, 95% CI 0.27-0.53; p < 0.0001) using Kaplan-Meier analyses with log-rank test. The median TTLP was 24.5 months, and the ORR was 32% in both groups. The adverse event rate was not significantly different in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with advanced NSCLC, longer PFS and OS can be achieved with the treatment of combined MWA and chemotherapy than chemotherapy alone. KEY POINTS: • Patients treated with MWA plus chemotherapy had superior PFS and OS over those treated with chemotherapy alone. • The ORR of patients treated with MWA plus chemotherapy was similar to that of those treated with chemotherapy alone. • Complications associated with MWA were common but tolerable and manageable.

Development of a panel of serum IgG and IgA autoantibodies for early diagnosis of colon cancer.

Purpose: Our pilot study in a small cohort by ELISA showed that the levels and positive rates of serum IgG autoantibodies against p53, HRAS and NSG1, and IgA autoantibody against TIF1γ in early colon cancer (CC) group were significantly higher than that of colon benign lesion (CBL) group / healthy control (HC) group (P <0.01), which suggested that four autoantibodies might be valuable for the diagnosis of patients with CC at early stage. On the basis of pilot study, we intend to comprehensively elucidate the performance of four autoantibodies for the early diagnosis of CC in a large sample cohort, and explore the optimal panel of autoantibodies in the diagnosis of patients with CC at early stage. Methods: Western blot was used to define the ELISA results of serum anti-p53, HRAS, NSG1-IgG and anti-TIF1γ-IgA. The performances of anti-p53, HRAS, NSG1-IgG and anti-TIF1γ-IgA were evaluated by ELISA for the early diagnosis of CC with 601 serum samples of 157 patients with CC at early stage, 144 patients with CC at advanced stage, 130 patients with CBL, and 170 HC, and then the performances of different combinations of four autoantibodies were analyzed for the development of an optimal panel for the early diagnosis of CC. Results: The results of anti-p53, HRAS, NSG1-IgG and anti-TIF1γ-IgA in western blotting were consistent with that in ELISA. The levels and positive rates of anti-p53, HRAS, NSG1-IgG and anti-TIF1γ-IgA in early CC group were significantly higher than that in CBL group/HC group (P <0.01), while had no significant difference from that in advanced CC group (P >0.05), of which anti-TIF1γ-IgA showed the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.716 for the patients with CC at early stage, with 25.5% sensitivity and specificity at 96.7%. Additionally, a panel of anti-p53, HRAS-IgG and anti-TIF1γ-IgA showed the highest AUC among all possible combinations of four autoantibodies, up to 0.737, with 47.1% sensitivity at 92.0% specificity. Conclusions: Serum IgG autoantibodies against p53, HRAS and NSG1, and IgA autoantibody against TIF1γ show the diagnostic value for the patients with CC at early stage, of which anti-TIF1γ-IgA is demonstrated to be a preferable biomarker, and an optimal panel comprised of anti-p53, HRAS-IgG and anti-TIF1γ-IgA might contribute to the further improvement of early diagnosis for CC.

The Combination of IgA and IgG autoantibodies against Transcriptional Intermediary Factor-1γ contributes to the early diagnosis of Lung Cancer.

Objective: The aberrant expression of tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) is responsible for the release of large amounts of autoantibodies in sera, and serum autoantibody detection has been demonstrated to contribute to the early diagnosis of malignancies. Recent studies showed the closely correlation of transcriptional intermediary factor-1γ (TIF1γ) with some malignancies. In our pilot study, we found aberrantly high expression of TIF1γ protein existed in cancer tissues other than matched paracancerous tissues of patients with lung cancer (LC) at early stage by immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. As a result, this study aims to detect the expression of autoantibodies against TIF1γ in sera of patients with LC at early stage by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and investigate its potential value for the early diagnosis of LC. Methods: The expressions of TIF1γ protein in 60 pairs of LC tissues and matched paracancerous tissues were detected by IHC staining. The levels of anti-TIF1γ-IgA, IgG, IgM, and IgE in the sera of 248 patients with LC at early stage, 200 patients with lung benign lesions (LBL), and 218 healthy controls (HC) were detected by ELISA, respectively. Western blot was used to validate the ELISA results of serum autoantibodies against TIF1γ. Results: The positive rate of TIF1γ protein expression in LC tissues was 83.33%, which was significantly higher than 25.00% in paracancerous tissues (P<0.01). The levels and positive rates of serum anti-TIF1γ-IgM and anti-TIF1γ-IgE in early LC group had no significant difference from that in LBL group and HC group (P>0.05), while the levels and positive rates of anti-TIF1γ-IgA and anti-TIF1γ-IgG were significantly higher than that in LBL group and HC group (P<0.01), of which anti-TIF1γ-IgA showed the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.704 for the patients with LC at early stage, with 28.20% sensitivity at 95.93% specificity, and anti-TIF1γ-IgG showed the AUC of 0.622 for the patients with LC at early stage, with 18.54% sensitivity at 94.25% specificity. The results of anti-TIF1γ-IgA and anti-TIF1γ-IgG in western blot were consistent with that in ELISA. Additionally, the combination of anti-TIF1γ-IgA and anti-TIF1γ-IgG improved the AUC to 0.734, with 38.31% sensitivity at 92.34% specificity. Conclusions: There is a strong humoral immune response to autologous TIF1γ existing in patients with early LC. Both serum anti-TIF1γ-IgA and anti-TIF1γ-IgG show the diagnostic value for the patients with LC at early stage, of which anti-TIF1γ-IgA is donstrated to be a preferable biomarker, and the combined detection of anti-TIF1γ-IgA and anti-TIF1γ-IgG might contribute to the further improvement of early diagnosis for LC.

Free vitamin D correlate better with bone mineral density and thoracolumbar junction osteoporotic vertebral fractures than serum vitamin D.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D deficiency has long been studied as a risk factor for osteoporosis. However, the association between serum vitamin D status, bone mineral density (BMD) and the incidence of vertebral fractures (OVFs) remain controversial. It is believed that free portion of the circulating vitamin D carries the metabolic activities of vitamin D. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to analyse if free vitamin D correlates with BMD and osteoporotic fragile vertebral fractures in the elderly population. METHODS: A total of 90 consecutive patients, including 81 female and 9 male patients, aged > 48 years, were included in this cross sectional study between March and July of 2018. Total vitamin D (total 25(OH)D), free vitamin D (free 25(OH)D), calcium and phosphorus were measured. BMD was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and osteoporotic vertebral fracture was assessed using plain radiograph. Multiple linear regression was performed to find out the association between total vitamin D, free vitamin D and BMD at various sites. To evaluate the association with osteoporotic vertebral multivariate logistic regression model was used. RESULTS: The mean total vitamin D and free vitamin D were 25.1 ± 10.2 and 6.1 ± 1.7 respectively. Free vitamin D had a linear correlation with total vitamin D (R2 = 0.69). While free vitamin D had a positive correlation with lumbar BMD roles (p < 0.05), total vitamin D didn't have any association with BMD at any site. Of the total patients, 62 patients (68.9%) had thoracolumbar junction OVFs. Free vitamin D level correlated with the prevalence of OVFs as well as lumbar osteoporosis (p < 0.05). However, there was no statistical correlation between serum vitamin D status and the OVFs. CONCLUSIONS: Free vitamin D was significantly related to the occurrence of thoracolumbar junction OVFs and lumbar BMD, which assumed to be a positive predictor for fracture and osteoporosis prevention. However, total serum vitamin D levels did not have any association with BMD at different sites as well as fragile vertebral fracture. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov NCT03605173.

Percutaneous transforaminal full endoscopic decompression for the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis.

BACKGROUND: One advantage of an endoscopic approach to treating lumbar spinal stenosis is preservation of spine stability and the adjacent anatomy, and there is a decrease in adjacent segment disc degeneration. The purpose of this study was to discuss the clinical efficacy of percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic decompression for the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). METHODS: This is a retrospective study. From September 2012 to June 2017, 45 patients who were diagnosed with LSS underwent the treatment of percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic decompression (PTED) and were followed up at 1 week, 3 months and 1 year postoperatively. Low back pain and leg pain were measured by Visual Analogue Scale scoring methods (VAS-back and VAS-leg), while functional outcomes were assessed by using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). All patients had one-level lumbar spinal stenosis. RESULTS: The most common type of stenosis was lateral recess stenosis (n = 22; 48.9%), followed by central stenosis (n = 13; 28.9%) and foraminal stenosis (n = 10: 22.2%). Regarding comparisons of VAS-back, VAS-leg, and ODI scores before and after operation, VAS and ODI scores significantly improved. The average leg VAS score improved from 7.01 ± 0.84 to 2.28 ± 1.43 (P < 0.001). The average ODI improved from 46.18 ± 10.11 to 14.40 ± 9.59 (P < 0.001). We also examined changes in ODI and VAS scores from baseline according to types of spinal stenosis, stenosis grade, spinal instability, and revision surgery in the same segment. The improvement percentage of leg VAS score was significantly less in patients with severe stenosis at both 3 months and 1 year postoperatively. The improvement percentages of ODI and leg VAS scores were significantly less in patients who had spinal instability and patients who had undergone revision surgery. CONCLUSION: The PTED approach seems to give good results for the treatment of LSS. However, this approach may be less effective for LSS patients who have lumbar instability or require revision surgery in the same segment.

Vitamin D Deficiency/Insufficiency Is Associated with Risk of Osteoporotic Thoracolumbar Junction Vertebral Fractures.

BACKGROUND The association between serum vitamin D level and vertebral fracture (VFx) remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to determine whether serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) level is associated with osteoporotic thoracolumbar junction VFx in elderly patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS From Jan 2013 to Dec 2017, this retrospective case-control study included 534 patients with primary osteoporotic thoracolumbar junction VFx (T10-L2) and 569 elderly orthopedic patients with back pain (without osteoporotic VFx) as controls. Serum 25(OH)D levels were measured and the association with osteoporotic VFx was analyzed. Other clinical data, including BMI, comorbidities, and bone mineral density (BMD), were also collected and compared between these 2 groups. RESULTS It was shown that 25(OH)D levels were significantly lower in patients with T10-L2 VFx than in control patients. Among 534 VFx patients, 417 (78.1%) patients showed grade 2-3 fracture. Serum 25(OH)D levels were significantly related to affected vertebral numbers and VFx severities. The VFx risk was 28% lower (OR=0.72, 95% CI 0.62-0.83) per increased SD in serum 25(OH)D. Compared with the 1st quartile (mean 25(OH)D: 29.67±6.18 nmol/L), the VFx risk was significantly lower in the 3rd (mean 25(OH)D: 60.91±5.12nmol/L) and 4th quartiles (mean 25(OH)D: 103.3±44.21nmol/L), but not in the 2nd quartile (mean 25(OH)D: 45.40±3.95 nmol/L). In contrast, the VFx risk was significantly increased in the 1st quartile (OR=1.87, 95% CI 1.42-2.45) compared with the 2nd-4th quartiles. CONCLUSIONS Vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency was associated with risk of osteoporotic thoracolumbar junction vertebral fractures in elderly patients.