Dieckol, a natural polyphenolic drug, inhibits the proliferation and migration of colon cancer cells by inhibiting PI3K, AKT, and mTOR phosphorylation.

This study investigated that dieckol (DKL), a natural drug, inhibits colon cancer cell proliferation and migration by inhibiting phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (AKT), and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) phosphorylation in HCT-116 cells. The cells were treated with DKL in various concentrations (32 and 50 µM) for 24 h and then analyzed for various experiments. MTT (tetrazolium bromide) and crystal violet assay investigated DKL-mediated cytotoxicity. Dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate staining was used to assess the reactive oxygen species (ROS) measurement, and apoptotic changes were studied by dual acridine orange and ethidium bromide staining. Protein expression of cell survival, cell cycle, proliferation, and apoptosis protein was evaluated by western blot analysis. Results indicated that DKL produces significant cytotoxicity in HCT-116, and the half-maximal inhibitory concentration was found to be 32 µM for 24-h incubation. Moreover, effective production of ROS and enhanced apoptotic signs were observed upon DKL treatment in HCT-116. DKL induces the expression of phosphorylated PI3K, AKT, and mToR-associated enhanced expression of cyclin-D1, proliferating cell nuclear antigen, cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)-4, CDK-6, and Bcl-2 in HCT-116. In addition, proapoptotic proteins such as Bax, caspase-9, and caspase-3 were significantly enhanced by DKL treatment in HCT-116. Hence, DKL has been considered a chemotherapeutic drug by impeding the expression of PI3K-, AKT-, and mTOR-mediated inhibition of proliferation and cell cycle-regulating proteins.

Spatial Responses of Ecosystem Service Trade-offs and Synergies to Impact Factors in Liaoning Province.

Global ecosystem services (ESs) are experiencing a significant decline, necessitating the development of robust environmental governance policies. To address the lack of integrated planning with heavy industry as the research object and a lack of knowledge of ES trade-offs and synergies in China's ecological and environmental governance. In this study, the spatial and temporal variations of four ESs (water yield (WY), soil conservation (SC), carbon storage (CS), and habitat quality (HQ)) were determined in the study area of Liaoning Province. Explore the mechanisms that shape ecosystem service trade-offs and synergies and the factors that influence them. Spearman's correlation and difference analyses were proposed to determine the spatial and temporal distributions of trade-offs and synergistic relationships among ESs. In addition, we constructed a multiscale geo-weighted regression (MGWR) model to investigate driver spatial heterogeneity affecting trade-offs and synergies. The results revealed that (1) In the study area, ESs were on the rise in Liaoning Province. (2) Temporally, ESs were overwhelmingly dominated by synergies; at the spatial scale, ESs were dominated by trade-offs of varying degrees, with the area of synergy between WY and SC being the highest. (3) ESs demonstrated spatial heterogeneity in intensity and were more impacted by natural factors such as vegetation cover, elevation, and precipitation than by characteristics related to human activity. This study helps improve understanding of the interactions and dependencies among ESs and can provide a reference for ecological governance and improvements in Liaoning Province.

Effect of Yiqihuoxue Formula for the treatment of ischemic stroke: A retrospective study.

This retrospective study assessed the feasible effect of Yiqihuoxue Formula (YQHXF) for the treatment of patients with ischemic stroke (IS).A total of 66 patients with IS were included in this retrospective study. All patients received routine treatment, and were divided into two groups: a treatment group (n = 33) and a control group (n = 33). In addition to the routine treatment, all patients in the treatment group also underwent YQHXF treatment. All patients in both groups were treated for a total of 8 weeks. The outcomes were assessed by National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), modified Rankin scale (mRS), Barthel index scale (BIS), stroke-specific quality of life (SS-QOL) scale, and adverse events. All outcomes were measured before and after the treatment.After treatment, patients in the treatment group showed better improvements in NIHSS scale (P = .01), mRS (P < .01), BIS (P = .04), and SS-QOL scale (P = .04), than patients in the control group. No treatment-associated adverse events were recorded in this study.The results of this study indicated that YQHXF may benefit for patients with IS.

[Studying the influence of age and short or long segments of pedicle screw instrumentation to the clinical efficacy of early single thoracolumbar fracture].

OBJECTIVE: To study the influence of different age and short or long segments of pedicle screw fixation to the clinical efficacy of early single thoracolumbar fracture. METHODS: From June 2005 to June 2008, 27 patients of early single thoracolumbar fracture were treated using short or long segments pedicle screw instrumentation, fracture vertebral (AO classification: type A1 or A2) was between T11 or L2. All patients were divided into A or B group according to age. A group: 12 cases mean age (32.6+/-10.7) years old (range, 16-55 years old). B group: 15 cases mean age (66.8+/-9.2) years old (range, 56-78 years old). All patients were treated with bony autograft by transpedicular of fracture vertebral and internal fixation by pedicle instrumentation. Pedicle screws were inserted in the pedicles of above and lower adjacent vertebral body of fracture vertebral, and others were inserted in the pedicles of above and lower two vertebral bodies of injured vertebral. Recorded operation time, blood loss and occurrence of complications. All patients took X radiograph plane examination (anterior-posterior position and lateral position) before operation and during 1 week of post operation and more than 1 year of follow up. Measured percentage of anterior compression vertebral high and kyphosis angle of the fracture vertebral by the same one group doctors. RESULTS: Mean follow up time was (29.6+/-9.1) months (range, 10 - 34 months). The patients using short segments pedicle screw fixation in A and B group, mean operation time were (102+/-16) min and (118+/-24) min (P=0.072), mean volume of loss blood were (315+/-87) ml and (331+/-87) ml (P=0.064) respectively. The patients using long segments pedicle screw fixation in A and B group, Mean operation time were (138+/-22) min and (159+/-31) min (P=0.052), Mean volume of loss blood were (446+/-102) ml and (482+/-148) ml (P=0.055) respectively. There was no statistic different significantly between A and B group. The patients using short segments fixation, preoperative, during one week of post operation, one year of follow up, in A group the percentage of anterior compression vertebral high were 41.3+/-14.0, 5.4+/-1.0, 13.6+/-1.1, and 38.5+/-11.2, 8.3+/-2.1, 21.4+/-5.2 in B group. The patients using long segments fixation, at some time of preoperative, during one week of post operation and one year of follow up the percentage of anterior compression vertebral high were 40.8+/-11.5, 4.6+/-1.2, 8.3+/-1.0 in group A, and 44.3+/-10.2, 9.7+/-2.1, 11.2+/-3.0 in group B. In group A and B the kyphosis angle of fracture segment was 17.5 degrees+/-1.0 degrees and 16.3 degrees+/-3.1 degrees before operation, 4.2 degrees+/-1.0 degrees and 6.0 degrees+/-1.1 degrees in one week of postoperation and 11.5 degrees+/-1.0 degrees, 13.4 degrees+/-3.0 degrees in one year later postoperation. All the compression vertebral high was recovered and kyphosis was corrected significantly during one week and one year after operation (P<0.05), but there was some loss of kyphosis correction rate in follow up. CONCLUSION: There is better clinical efficacy of short segments pedicle instrumentation for treating early thoracolumbar fracture in the young group, but long segments fixation of pedicle instrumentation is more suitable for the older group.

Risk factors and the surgery affection of respiratory complication and its mortality after acute traumatic cervical spinal cord injury.

The aim of this study is to estimate the risk factors of both respiratory complication (RC) and mortality after acute traumatic cervical spinal cord injury (TCSCI). Between July 2005 and July 2015, in 181 patients (142 males and 39 females; mean age 41.0 years) with acute TCSCI, we compared the difference and odds ratio in RC group (n = 73) with that of non-RC group (n = 108), and also death group (n = 15) and survival group (n = 166). We collected injury-related information after half a year of injury, which is as follows: the causes of injury, time of surgery, ICU (intensive care unit) days, ventilator days, ASIA (American Spinal Injury Association) classification, neurological injury, CIPS (Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score), and BMI (body mass index). Besides these, we gathered the general information such as age, gender, smoking history, and use of steroids. The study compared perioperative parameters; surgery-related and instrumentation- and graft-related complication rates; clinical parameters; patient satisfaction; and radiologic parameters. Variations like gender (odds ratio [OR] = 1.269, 95% confidence interval [CI] [0.609-2.646]), smoking history (OR = 2.902, 95% CI [1.564-5.385]), AIS grade (grade A) (OR = 6.439, 95% CI [3.334-12.434]), neurological level (C1-C4) (OR = 2.714, 95% CI [1.458-5.066]), and steroid use (OR = 2.983, 95% CI [1.276-6.969]) have a facilitated effect on RC. When we estimated surgery-related affection, only the time of surgery and anterior approach compared with posterior has significant difference in RC (P < .05). Between death and survival group, the aspect of age, non-surgical, CPIS, AIS grade, and BMI have statistically significant difference. Survival analysis reveals significant difference in aforementioned groups. In patients suffering from acute TCSCI, those who are old, have long smoking history, complete spinal cord injury, C1-C4, high CPIS, and fat have high incidence of RC and mortality.

[Case-control study on intrasacrospinal muscular approach and posterior midline approach for the treatment of far lateral lumbar disc herniation].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical outcomes of intrasacrospinal muscular approach and posterior midline approach in treating far lateral lumbar disc herniation. METHODS: The clinical data of 32 patients with far lateral lumbar disc herniation underwent transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion from January 2004 to January 2011 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into intrasacrospinal muscular approach group (11 males and 6 females ) and posterior midline approach group (10 males and 5 females). All patients were followed up from 12 to 18 months with an average of 15.3 months. Operative time, blood loss, postoperative draining volume were recorded and pre-and post-operative visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were compared between two groups. RESULTS: Operative time, blood loss, postoperative draining volume in intrasacrospinal muscular approach group was less than that of posterior midline approach group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in VAS at final follow-up between two groups (P > 0.05); and the mean ODI in intrasacrospinal muscular approach group was less than that of posterior midline approach group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: For the treatment of far lateral lumbar disc herniation, intrasacrospinal muscular approach has less injury for paraspinal muscle and more satisfactory clinical outcome and is better method than posterior midline approach.

Percutaneous resolution of lumbar facet joint cysts as an alternative treatment to surgery: a meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: A comprehensive review of the literature in order to analyze data about the success rate of percutaneous resolution of the lumbar facet joint cysts as a conservative management strategy. METHODS: A systematic search for relevant articles published during 1980 to May 2014 was performed in several electronic databases by using the specific MeSH terms and keywords. Most relevant data was captured and pooled for the meta-analysis to achieve overall effect size of treatment along with 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: 29 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Follow-up duration as mean ± sd (range) was 16±10.2 (5 days to 5.7 years). Overall the satisfactory results (after short- or long-term follow-up) were achieved in 55.8 [49.5, 62.08] % (pooled mean and 95% CI) of the 544 patients subjected to percutaneous lumbar facet joint cyst resolution procedures. 38.67 [33.3, 43.95] % of this population underwent surgery subsequently to achieve durable relief. There existed no linear relationship between the increasing average duration of follow-up period of individual studies and percent satisfaction from the percutaneous resolutions procedure. CONCLUSION: Results shows that the percutaneous cyst resolution procedures have potential to be an alternative to surgical interventions but identification of suitable subjects requires further research.

[Preliminary curative effect of interspinous blocking injection guiding by X-ray for the diagnosis and treatment of lumbar Baastrup's disease].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the preliminary curative effect of interspinous injections for the diagnosis and treatment of back pain caused by lumbar kissing spine (Baastrup's disease) under fluoroscopically guiding. METHODS: From November 2011 to March 2013,17 patients with back pain caused by Baastrup's disease were treated with fluoroscopically-guided interspinous injections, including 7 males and 10 females with an average age of 49.6 years old ranging from 40 to 71 years old; the duration of the disease ranged from 2 to 5 years with a mean of 3.7 years. The visual analogue scale (VAS) and the lumbar segments range of motion (ROM) was analyzed at pre-operation, 2 days, 3 months and final followed-up after operation, the effects were evaluated with modified Macnab standard. RESULTS: All patients were follow-up from 6 to 10 months with an average of 7.6 months. The pre-operative VAS was 6.41 +/- 0.94, the postoperative VAS at different time points improved significantly comparing with pre-operation,and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in VAS at different time points after operation (P > 0.05). The ROM of operated segment and adjacent segment was (4.88 +/- 0.86) degrees and (6.82 +/- 0.73) degrees respectively at pre-operation. The postoperative operated segment ROM at different time points improved significantly comparing with pre-operation, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Compared with pre-operation, there was no significant difference in adjacent segment ROM at different time points after operation (P > 0.05). According to modified Macnab, the result was excellent in 6 cases, good in 7 cases, fair in 3 cases and poor in 1 case. CONCLUSION: Fluoroscopically-guided interspinous injections is an effective method for the diagnosis and treatment of Baastrup's disease. The method has advantages of simple operation, minimal invasion and safety, satisfactory short-term and medium-term therapeutic effect; it can also effectively lessen the pain of lumbar and back.

[Effect of hydrofluoric acid etching time and resin bonding on the flexural strength of lithium disilicate glass ceramic].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effect of hydrofluoric acid(HFA) etching time and resin bonding on the flexural strength of IPS e.max® Press glass ceramic, and evaluate the efficacy of resin cements to seal the cracks of the etched ceramic. METHODS: Two hundred and twenty-five bars (25.0 mm×3.0 mm×2.0 mm) were made from IPS e.max® Press ingots using lost-wax, hot-pressed ceramic fabrication technology and randomly divided into five groups, forty-five each.In each group, the surfaces of ceramic bars were etched by 9.5% HFA gel for 0, 20, 40, 60 and 120 s respectively. Three specimens from each group were selected to observe the microstructure by the field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM). Then each group were randomly subdivided into two subgroups (n = 20).One subgroup were coverd with a thin (approximately 0.1 mm) layer of resin cement (Variolink N), whereas the other subgroup remained unaltered.Half of the specimens were stored in 37°C water bath for 24 h and the other half went through thermocycle 10 000 times before 3-point bending test to determine their flexural strength.Interfaces between resin cement and etched ceramic were examined with FE-SEM. RESULTS: FE-SEM results showed that etching with HFA resulted in preferential dissolution of glass ceramic, and partially supported crystals within the glass matrix were lost with the increasing of etching time.FE-SEM indicated that resin cement sealed the cracks and defects and bonded tightly to etched ceramic surface. The mean flexural strength values of group 0, 20, 40, 60 and 120 s were (384 ± 33), (347 ± 43), (330 ± 53), (327 ± 67) , and (317 ± 41) MPa respectively. The mean flexural strength of each group except group 0 s increased significantly to (420 ± 31), (435 ± 50), (400 ± 39), and (412 ± 58) MPa respectively after the application of resin cement. CONCLUSIONS: Overtime HFA etching could have a wakening effect on IPS e.max® Press glass-ceramic. The application of dual-curing resin cement can compensate the strength loss of the etched glass ceramic.

[Surgical treatment of thoracolumbar single compression fracture by using in situ rod rotation reduction].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and clinical outcome of the treatment of thoracolumbar single compression fracture by using in situ rod rotation reduction and short segment pedicle screw at the fracture level. METHODS: From December 2008 to May 2010,12 cases of traumatic thoracolumbar single compression fracture (T11-L2) were treated, including 9 males and 3 females, with an average age of 35.8 years old (ranging from 24 to 52). There were 2 case with T11 fracture, 2 cases with T12, 6 cases with L1 and 2 cases with L2, without osteoporosis,pathological fractures or neurologic deficits. Radiographic data were collected preoperatively, 5 days postoperatively and at last follow-up (at least 12 months). Cobb's angle, vetebral compression ratio, internal fixation state were observed. RESULTS: All patients were followed up from 12 to 30 months postoperatively,with an average of 19 months. There was no pseudoarticulation and solid bone fusion was achieved in all cases. There were no complications such as loosening or rupturing of internal fixation and so on. Sagittal kyphotic Cobb angle was corrected from preoperative (25.8 +/- 9.4) degrees to postoperative (6.7 +/- 2.3) degrees and (6.9 +/- 2.6) degrees at last follow-up. The percentage of vertebral compression was corrected from preoperative (42.5 +/- 10.4)% to postoperative (7.5 +/- 3.9)% and (8.4 +/- 4.5)% at last follow-up.There was significant difference between the postoperative data and preoperative data (P < 0.05), while the difference was not significant between the postoperative data and the last follow-up (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The thoracolumbar single compression fracture can obtain and maintain a good restoration by using the technic of in situ rod rotation reduction and short segment pedicle screw at the fracture level. The technique should be highly recommended.