One-pot Synthesis of PdCuAg and CeO2 Nanowires Hybrid with Abundant Heterojunction Interface for Ethylene Glycol Electrooxidation.

Introducing CeO2 into Pd-based nanocatalysts for electrocatalytic reactions is a good way to solve the intermediate toxicity problem and improve the catalytic performance. Here we reported a simple strategy to synthesize the PdCuAg and CeO2 nanowires hybrid via a one-pot synthesis process under strong nanoconfined effect of specific surfactant as templates. Owing to the structural (ultrathin nanowires, abundant heterojunction/interfaces between metal and metal oxide) and compositional (Pd, Cu, Ag, CeO2) advantages, the hybrid showed significantly enhanced catalytic activity (6.06 A mgPd -1) and stability, accelerated reaction rate, and reduced activation energy toward electrocatalytic ethylene glycol oxidation reaction.

3D Fractal Dimension Analysis: Prognostic Value of Right Ventricular Trabecular Complexity in Participants with Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy.

BACKGROUND: Arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM) is characterized by progressive myocardial fibro-fatty infiltration accompanied by trabecular disarray. Traditionally, two-dimensional (2D) instead of 3D fractal dimension (FD) analysis has been used to evaluate trabecular disarray. However, the prognostic value of trabecular disorder assessed by 3D FD measurement remains unclear. PURPOSE: To investigate the prognostic value of right ventricular trabecular complexity in ACM patients using 3D FD analysis based on cardiac MR cine images. STUDY TYPE: Retrospective. POPULATION: 85 ACM patients (mean age: 45 ± 17 years, 52 male). FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 3.0T/cine imaging, T2-short tau inversion recovery (T2-STIR), and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE). ASSESSMENT: Using cine images, RV (right ventricular) volumetric and functional parameters were obtained. RV trabecular complexity was measured with 3D fractal analysis by box-counting method to calculate 3D-FD. Cox and logistic regression models were established to evaluate the prognostic value of 3D-FD for major adverse cardiac events (MACE). STATISTICAL TESTS: Cox regression and logistic regression to explore the prognostic value of 3D-FD. C-index, time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and area under the ROC curve (AUC) to evaluate the incremental value of 3D-FD. Intraclass correlation coefficient for interobserver variability. P < 0.05 indicated statistical significance. RESULTS: 26 MACE were recorded during the 60 month follow-up (interquartile range: 48-67 months). RV 3D-FD significantly differed between ACM patients with MACE (2.67, interquartile range: 2.51 ~ 2.81) and without (2.52, interquartile range: 2.40 ~ 2.67) and was a significant independent risk factor for MACE (hazard ratio, 1.02; 95% confidence interval: 1.01, 1.04). In addition, prognostic model fitness was significantly improved after adding 3D-FD to RV global longitudinal strain, LV involvement, and 5-year risk score separately. DATA CONCLUSION: The myocardial trabecular complexity assessed through 3D FD analysis was found associated with MACE and provided incremental prognostic value beyond conventional ACM risk factors. EVIDENCE LEVEL: 4 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 1.

Prognostic value of right ventricular trabecular complexity in patients with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy.

OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to investigate the incremental prognostic value of the right ventricular fractal dimension (FD), a novel marker of myocardial trabecular complexity by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in patients with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM). METHODS: Consecutive patients with ACM undergoing CMR were followed up for major cardiac events, including sudden cardiac death, aborted cardiac arrest, and appropriate implantable cardioverter defibrillator intervention. Prognosis prediction was compared by Cox regression analysis. We established a multivariable model supplemented with RV FD and evaluated its discrimination by Harrell's C-statistic. We compared the category-free, continuous net reclassification improvement (cNRI) and integrated discrimination index (IDI) before and after the addition of FD. RESULTS: A total of 105 patients were prospectively included from three centers and followed up for a median of 60 (48, 66) months; experienced 36 major cardiac events were recorded. Trabecular FD displayed a strong unadjusted association with major cardiac events (p < 0.05). In the multivariable Cox regression analysis, RV maximal apical FD maintained an independent association with major cardiac events (hazard ratio, 1.31 (1.11-1.55), p < 0.002). The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness of fit test displayed good fit (X2 = 0.68, p = 0.99). Diagnostic performance was significantly improved after the addition of RV maximal apical FD to the multivariable baseline model, and the continuous net reclassification improvement increased 21% (p = 0.001), and the integrated discrimination index improved 16% (p = 0.045). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with ACM, CMR-assessed myocardial trabecular complexity was independently correlated with adverse cardiovascular events and provided incremental prognostic value. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: The application of FD values for assessing RV myocardial trabeculae may become an accessible and promising parameter in monitoring and early diagnosis of risk factors for adverse cardiovascular events in patients with ACM. KEY POINTS: • Ventricular trabecular morphology, a novel quantitative marker by CMR, has been explored for the first time to determine the severity of ACM. • Patients with higher maximal apical fractal dimension of RV displayed significantly higher cumulative incidence of major cardiac events. • RV maximal apical FD was independently associated with major cardiac events and provided incremental prognostic value in patients with ACM.

Theranostic nanoparticles ZIF-8@ICG for pH/NIR-responsive drug-release and NIR-guided chemo-phototherapy against non-small-cell lung cancer.

This study leverages nanotechnology by encapsulating indocyanine green (ICG) and paclitaxel (Tax) using zeolitic imidazolate frameworks-8 (ZIF-8) as a scaffold. This study aims to investigate the chemo-photothermal therapeutic potential of ZIF-8@ICG@Tax nanoparticles (NPs) in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). An "all-in-one" theranostic ZIF-8@ICG@Tax NPs was conducted by self-assembly based on electrostatic interaction. First, the photothermal effect, stability, pH responsiveness, drug release, and blood compatibility of ZIF-8@ICG@Tax were evaluated through in vitro testing. Furthermore, the hepatic and renal toxicity of ZIF-8@ICG@Tax were assessed through in vivo testing. Additionally, the anticancer effects of these nanoparticles were investigated both in vitro and in vivo. Uniform and stable chemo-photothermal ZIF-8@ICG@Tax NPs had been successfully synthesized and had outstanding drug releasing capacities. Moreover, ZIF-8@ICG@Tax NPs showed remarkable responsiveness dependent both on pH in the tumor microenvironment and NIR irradiation, allowing for targeted drug delivery and controlled drug release. NIR irradiation can enhance the tumor cell response to ZIF-8@ICG@Tax uptake, thereby promoting the anti-tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. ZIF-8@ICG@Tax and NIR irradiation have demonstrated remarkable synergistic anti-tumor growth properties compared to their individual components. This novel theranostic chemo-photothermal NPs hold great potential as a viable treatment option for NSCLC.

Combining Highly Dispersed Amorphous MoS3 with Pt Nanodendrites as Robust Electrocatalysts for Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

Surface modification of electrocatalysts to obtain new or improved electrocatalytic performance is currently the main strategy for designing advanced nanocatalysts. In this work, highly dispersed amorphous molybdenum trisulfide-anchored Platinum nanodendrites (denoted as Pt-a-MoS3  NDs) are developed as efficient hydrogen evolution electrocatalysts. The formation mechanism of spontaneous in situ polymerization MoS4 2- into a-MoS3 on Pt surface is discussed in detail. It is verified that the highly dispersed a-MoS3 enhances the electrocatalytic activity of Pt catalysts under both acidic and alkaline conditions. The potentials at the current density of 10 mA cm-2 (η10 ) in 0.5 m sulfuric acid (H2 SO4 ) and 1 m potassium hydroxide (KOH) electrolyte are -11.5 and -16.3 mV, respectively, which is significantly lower than that of commercial Pt/C (-20.2 mV and -30.7 mV). This study demonstrates that such high activity benefits from the interface between highly dispersed a-MoS3 and Pt sites, which act as the preferred adsorption sites for the efficient conversion of hydrion (H+ ) to hydrogen (H2 ). Additionally, the anchoring of highly dispersed clusters to Pt substrate greatly enhances the corresponding electrocatalytic stability.

Insights into glucosinolate accumulation and metabolic pathways in Isatis indigotica Fort.

BACKGROUND: Glucosinolates (GSLs) play important roles in defending against exogenous damage and regulating physiological activities in plants. However, GSL accumulation patterns and molecular regulation mechanisms are largely unknown in Isatis indigotica Fort. RESULTS: Ten GSLs were identified in I. indigotica, and the dominant GSLs were epiprogoitrin (EPI) and indole-3-methyl GSL (I3M), followed by progoitrin (PRO) and gluconapin (GNA). The total GSL content was highest (over 20 µmol/g) in reproductive organs, lowest (less than 1.0 µmol/g) in mature organs, and medium in fresh leaves (2.6 µmol/g) and stems (1.5 µmol/g). In the seed germination process, the total GSL content decreased from 27.2 µmol/g (of seeds) to 2.7 µmol/g (on the 120th day) and then increased to 4.0 µmol/g (180th day). However, the content of indole GSL increased rapidly in the first week after germination and fluctuated between 1.13 µmol/g (28th day) and 2.82 µmol/g (150th day). Under the different elicitor treatments, the total GSL content increased significantly, ranging from 2.9-fold (mechanical damage, 3 h) to 10.7-fold (MeJA, 6 h). Moreover, 132 genes were involved in GSL metabolic pathways. Among them, no homologs of AtCYP79F2 and AtMAM3 were identified, leading to a distinctive GSL profile in I. indigotica. Furthermore, most genes involved in the GSL metabolic pathway were derived from tandem duplication, followed by dispersed duplication and segmental duplication. Purifying selection was observed, although some genes underwent relaxed selection. In addition, three tandem-arrayed GSL-OH genes showed different expression patterns, suggesting possible subfunctionalization during evolution. CONCLUSIONS: Ten different GSLs with their accumulation patterns and 132 genes involved in the GSL metabolic pathway were explored, which laid a foundation for the study of GSL metabolism and regulatory mechanisms in I. indigotica.

Ligand Induced Double-Chair Conformation Ln12 Nanoclusters Showing Multifunctional Magnetic and Proton Conductive Properties.

Many methods have been utilized to adjust the size of superatomic metal nanoclusters, while tuning the geometric conformations of specific nanoclusters is rare. Here, we demonstrate that conformation variation can be realized by slightly modifying the ligand under maintaining the nuclei number of metal atoms. A series of novel "double-chair" conformation Ln12 (Ln = Sm (1), Eu (2), Gd (3), Tb (4), and Dy (5)) clusters were generated by replacing 3-formylsalicylic acid with 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid in the Ln12 nanocluster. Intriguingly, Dy12 displays slow magnetic relaxation at low temperatures, while Gd12 shows a large magnetocaloric effect (MCE) of 35.63 J kg-1 K-1 at 2 K for ΔH = 7 T. Additionally, the introduction of numerous coordination water molecules in these clusters enables Dy12 and Gd12 with high proton conductivity, namely, 2.13 × 10-4 and 3.62 × 10-4 S cm-1 under 358 K and 95% RH humidity conditions.

Diagnostic value of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration with rapid on-site evaluation performed by endoscopists in solid pancreatic lesions: A prospective, randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is the most established diagnostic method for pancreatic tissue. Rapid on-site evaluation by a trained endoscopist (self-ROSE) can improve the diagnostic accuracy. This research is aimed to analyze the application value of self-ROSE for EUS-FNA in solid pancreatic lesions. METHODS: A total of 194 consecutive patients with solid pancreatic lesions in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to EUS-FNA with or without self-ROSE in this single-center randomized controlled trial. Before initiating self-ROSE, the endoscopist underwent training for pancreatic cytologic sample adequacy assessment and cytopathological diagnosis of EUS-FNA in pathology department for 1 month. Some parts of the slides of EUS-FNA were air dried, stained on-site with BASO Liu's reagent, and on-site evaluated in self-ROSE group. Between the two groups, the diagnostic performance of EUS-FNA was analyzed, including sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and accuracy, with a comparison of the number of needle passes and the complication rates. RESULTS: The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 94.8%, 94.4%, 100%, 100%, and 58.3% in the self-ROSE group, respectively, and 70.1%, 65.1%, 100%, 100%, and 32.6% in the non-self-ROSE group. The diagnostic accuracy (P < 0.001) and sensitivity (P < 0.001) were both significantly increased during EUS-FNA in the self-ROSE group compared to the non-self-ROSE group. The rate of cytologic sample adequacy was 100% in self-ROSE group and 80.4% in non-self-ROSE group. The number of passes were 3.38 ± 1.00 in self-ROSE group and 3.22 ± 0.89 in non-self-ROSE group (P = 0.228). No complications were found in both. There was acceptable consistency between endoscopist and pathologist in the cytopathological diagnosis (kappa = 0.666, P < 0.05) and in the sample adequacy rate (kappa = 1.000, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated that self-ROSE is valuable for EUS-FNA in the diagnosis of solid pancreatic lesions and is an important choice to routinely increase the accuracy of EUS-FNA in centers without ROSE assessment.

Cardamonin attenuates cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury by activating the HIF-1α/VEGFA pathway.

Cardamonin is a chalcone with neuroprotective activity. The aim of our study was to explore the functions and mechanism of action of cardamonin in ischemic stroke. Oxygen-glucose deprivation and reperfusion (OGD/R)-induced human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) and middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mouse model were utilized to mimic ischemic stroke. Cell viability was analyzed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide. Permeability was investigated via fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran assay. Apoptosis was detected by TdT-Mediated dUTP Nick End Labeling staining. Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) protein levels were measured using Western blotting. Brain injury was evaluated by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining, neurological score and brain water content. The 37 overlapping targets of ischemic stroke and cardamonin were predicted to be associated with the HIF-1/VEGFA signaling. Cardamonin alleviated OGD/R-induced viability reduction and increase of permeability and apoptosis in HBMECs. Cardamonin increased OGD/R-induced activation of the HIF-1α/VEGFA pathway. Inhibition of the HIF-1α/VEGFA signaling using inhibitor relieved the effect of cardamonin on cell viability, permeability and apoptosis in HBMECs under OGD/R. Cardamonin mitigated brain injury and promoted activation of the HIF-1α/VEGFA signaling in MCAO-treated mice. Overall, cardamonin protected against OGD/R-induced HBMEC damage and MACO-induced brain injury through activating the HIF-1α/VEGFA pathway.

Self-Interpenetrated Water-Stable Microporous Metal-Organic Framework toward Storage and Purification of Light Hydrocarbons.

Storage and purification of light hydrocarbons are very meaningful for their high-purity requirements and safety utilization in the fields of industry and clean energy. It is a simple and effective way to achieve this goal utilizing the physical adsorption properties of stable porous metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). In this work, a stable self-interpenetrated three-dimensional MOF with a new 3,4-connected topology, {[Zn2(tpda)2(4,4'-bpy)]·4DMF}n (NKM-101; H2tpda = 4,4'-[4-(4H-1,2,4-triazol-4-yl)phenyl]dibenzoic acid, 4,4'-bpy = 4,4'-bipyridine, and DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide), has been successfully constructed based on a triazole-carboxyl ligand. The dense functional active sites existing on the inner walls of one-dimensional channels of NKM-101 are beneficial to enhancement of the binding affinities between the framework and specific molecules (CO2, C2-C4). Therefore, the selective adsorption and separation performance of the material on CO2/CH4 and C2-C4/CH4 are effectively improved. In addition, NKM-101 also exhibits excellent water stability, making it possible to be a practical material for the storage and purification of light hydrocarbons.

Structural Transformation and Spatial Defect Formation of a Co(II) MOF Triggered by Varied Metal-Center Coordination Configuration.

In spite of the attractive potential application of the dynamic behavior and defect of metal-organic framework (MOF), the achievement of these features is a challenging goal in the MOF research field. Herein, we report a Co(II) MOF, namely, [Co3(L)2(4-PTZ)2(H2O)2]n·solvent (H2L = 5-(isonicotinamido)isophthalic acid, 4-PTZ = 5-(4-pyridyl)-1H-tetrazole), that features dynamic structural transformation behaviors. By varying the coordination configuration of metal center through the removal of coordinated water molecules, the porous compound could undergo structural transformation to give a new crystalline phase with larger pore dimension. Moreover, the new phase features a mesoporous structure originating from the spatial defect that formed with the transformation process, which indicates that the modulation of dynamic behavior of the MOF could be a potential method for the engineering of a spatial defect. In addition, the gas sorption investigation results reveal that the new phase has enhanced selectivity for CO2/N2, CO2/CH4, and C2H2/C2H4 systems compared with that of the pristine phase, suggesting the potential of spatial defect engineering for the tuning of MOF gas sorption properties.

Genome-Wide Identification and Analysis on YUCCA Gene Family in Isatis indigotica Fort. and IiYUCCA6-1 Functional Exploration.

Auxin is one of the most critical hormones in plants. YUCCA (Tryptophan aminotransferase of Arabidopsis (TAA)/YUCCA) enzymes catalyze the key rate-limiting step of the tryptophan-dependent auxin biosynthesis pathway, from IPA (Indole-3-pyruvateacid) to IAA (Indole-3-acetic acid). Here, 13 YUCCA family genes were identified from Isatis indigotica, which were divided into four categories, distributing randomly on chromosomes (2n = 14). The typical and conservative motifs, including the flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)-binding motif and flavin-containing monooxygenases (FMO)-identifying sequence, existed in the gene structures. IiYUCCA genes were expressed differently in different organs (roots, stems, leaves, buds, flowers, and siliques) and developmental periods (7, 21, 60, and 150 days after germination). Taking IiYUCCA6-1 as an example, the YUCCA genes functions were discussed. The results showed that IiYUCCA6-1 was sensitive to PEG (polyethylene glycol), cold, wounding, and NaCl treatments. The over-expressed tobacco plants exhibited high auxin performances, and some early auxin response genes (NbIAA8, NbIAA16, NbGH3.1, and NbGH3.6) were upregulated with increased IAA content. In the dark, the contents of total chlorophyll and hydrogen peroxide in the transgenic lines were significantly lower than in the control group, with NbSAG12 downregulated and some delayed leaf senescence characteristics, which delayed the senescence process to a certain extent. The findings provide comprehensive insight into the phylogenetic relationships, chromosomal distributions, and expression patterns and functions of the YUCCA gene family in I. indigotica.

The SG13S114 polymorphism of the ALOX5AP gene is associated with ischemic stroke in Europeans: a meta-analysis of 8062 subjects.

The association between ALOX5AP SG13S114 polymorphism and ischemic stroke (IS) susceptibility has extensively been investigated, especially in white populations; however, the results were inconclusive. Here, we perform a meta-analysis to clarify the effect of SG13S114 variant on the IS risk in Europeans. The Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, and Medline were searched up to August 1st, 2016. Data were extracted and the odd ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by a fixed-effects or random-effects model. In total, 8 case control studies involved 8062 subjects were finally included in this meta-analysis. We observed a significantly decreased IS risk in persons carrying an A allele at the SG13S114 polymorphism compared with those with a T allele (A vs T, OR = 0.856, 95% CI = 0.797-0.919, p < 0.001). In addition, the results of sensitivity and cumulative meta-analysis indicated the robustness of our results. In addition, the publication bias was not detected using the funnel plot and Egger's tests. In summary, the present meta-analysis suggested that the A allele at the ALOX5AP SG13S114 polymorphism is a protective factor for the IS in the Europeans. In addition, further studies with large sample size are needed to validate the association, as well as in other ethnic groups.

Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Expressing the Neurogenin-2 Promote Functional Recovery After Spinal Cord Injury in Rat.

Neurogenin2 (Ngn2) is a proneural gene that directs neuronal differentiation of progenitor cells during development. This study aimed to investigate whether the use of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) over-expressing the Ngn2 transgene (Ngn2-ADSCs) could display the characteristics of neurogenic cells and improve functional recovery in an experimental rat model of SCI. ADSCs from rats were cultured and purified in vitro, followed by genetically modified with the Ngn2 gene. Forty-eight adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to three groups: the control, ADSCs, and Ngn2-ADSCs groups. The hind-limb motor function of all rats was recorded using the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan locomotor rating scale for 8 weeks. Moreover, hematoxylineosin staining and immunohistochemistry were also performed. After neural induction, positive expression rate of NeuN in Ngn2-ADSCs group was upon 90 %. Following transplantation, a great number of ADSCs was found around the center of the injury spinal cord at 1 and 4 weeks, which improved retention of tissue at the lesion site. Ngn2-ADSCs differentiated into neurons, indicated by the expression of neuronal markers, NeuN and Tuj1. Additionally, transplantation of Ngn2-ADSCs upregulated the trophic factors (brain-derived neurotrophic factor and vascular endothelial growth factor), and inhibited the glial scar formation, which was indicated by immunohistochemistry with glial fibrillary acidic protein. Finally, Ngn2-ADSCs-treated animals showed the highest functional recovery among the three groups. These findings suggest that transplantation of Ngn2-overexpressed ADSCs promote the functional recovery from SCI, and improve the local microenvironment of injured cord in a more efficient way than that with ADSCs alone.

The safety and efficacy of levetiracetam versus phenytoin for seizure prophylaxis after traumatic brain injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The standard for early traumatic brain injury (TBI) seizure prophylaxis is phenytoin (PHT). Levetiracetam (LEV) has been proposed as an alternative to PHT. The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of LEV on TBI seizure when compared with PHT. METHODS: A search was carried out based on the databases from Pubmed, Embase and the Cochrane database up to May 2015. The relative risk (RR) and the relevant 95% confidence intervals (CI) were determined. RESULTS: Eight observational studies and one randomized controlled trial involving 2035 cases were included. The results indicated that no significant differences in terms of overall seizure (RR = 0.90; 95% CI = 0.51-1.53; p = 0.68), early seizure (RR = 1.06; 95% CI = 0.37-3.07; p = 0.92) and late seizure (RR = 1.10; 95% CI = 0.43-2.79; p = 0.85) occurrence. However, LEV was associated with a lower adverse drug reaction rate (RR = 0.43; 95% CI = 0.23-0.81; p = 0.01). Moreover, there were no significant differences in terms of mortality, length of ICU or hospital stay between groups. CONCLUSIONS: The meta-analysis suggests that LEV appears to have a similar efficacy to PHT on TBI. A better safety profile of LEV is supported by this analysis.

Down-regulation of miR-489 contributes into NSCLC cell invasion through targeting SUZ12.

microRNAs are small, non-coding RNAs that contribute into various biological processes during cancer progression. However, the potential role of miR-489 in the development of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) is not demonstrated. In present study, miR-489 was down-regulated both in tumor tissues and cells. Inhibition of miR-489 promoted cells invasion by using an invasion assay. Furthermore, miR-489 could regulate SUZ12 as shown by luciferase reporter and Western blot assays. Aberrant miR-489 expression could regulate the molecular changes (E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and Vimentin) of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT). In conclusion, our study revealed that miR-489 may play an essential role in the progression of NSCLC.

MTHFD1 polymorphism as maternal risk for neural tube defects: a meta-analysis.

Recently, the association between methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase 1 (MTHFD1) G1958A polymorphism and neural tube defects (NTD) susceptibility has been widely investigated; however, the results remained inconclusive. Hence, we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the effect of MTHFD1 G1958A polymorphism on NTD. The relative literatures were identified by search of the electronic databases PubMed, MEDLINE, and EMBASE. The extracted data were statistically analyzed, and pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to estimate the association strength using Stata version 11.0 software. Finally, ten studies met our inclusion criteria, including 2,132/4,082 in NTD infants and controls; 1,402/3,136 in mothers with NTD offspring and controls; and 993/2,879 in fathers with NTD offspring and controls. This meta-analysis showed that, compared with the mothers with GG genotype, the women with AA genotype had an increased risk of NTD in their offspring, with OR values and 95 % CI at 1.39 (1.16-1.68), p < 0.001. Interestingly, fathers with AG genotype had a significant decreased risk of NTD offspring (OR = 0.79, 95 % CI = 0.66-0.94, p = 0.009). However, there was no significant association between the MTHFD1 G1958A polymorphism in NTD patients and the risk of NTD. In conclusion, the present meta-analysis provided evidence of the association between maternal MTHFD1 G1958A polymorphism and NTD susceptibility.

[Laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation for centrally located renal tumors].

OBJECTIVE: To study the safety and effectiveness of laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation for centrally located renal tumors. METHODS: From January 2009 to April 2013, thirteen patients who diagnosed as centrally located renal tumors were treated with laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation in the Department of Urology of Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing University Medical School. All of the cases were T1aN0M0 stage, 9 patients were male, 4 were female, the mean age was 56 years (range, 38-73 years). All tumors were unilateral, eight lesions were in the left kidney and five in the right kidney. Intraoperative real-time ultrasound and temperature probes were used to guide the range of radiofrequency ablation. Ice saline was injected through ureteral catheter for cooling the collecting system. The postoperative serum creatinine and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) data were collected,all patients were followed up with enhanced CT or MRI.The pre- and post-operative date were compared by paired t test. RESULTS: All patients underwent laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation successfully. The mean operation time was (113±13) minutes and the mean blood loss was (99±23) ml. The mean pre- and post-operative serum creatinine was (71±11) µmol/L and (74±11) µmol/L, the mean pre- and post-operative GFR was (49±8) ml/min and (45±7) ml/min. There was no significant statistic difference between pre-operation and post-operation (t=-1.371 and 1.986, P>0.05). The mean follow-up was 37 months, range 12-63 months. No evidence of local recurrence or distant metastasis was found. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic radiofrequency ablation for T1aN0M0 centrally located renal tumors could be performed safely with good outcomes. Intraoperative real-time ultrasound and temperature probes are helpful to control the range of radiofrequency ablation. Physical cooling of renal collecting system could reduce the occurrence of postoperative hydronephrosis and leakage of urine.

Contribution of transforming growth factor α polymorphisms to nonsyndromic orofacial clefts: a HuGE review and meta-analysis.

We performed a meta-analysis of the association of transforming growth factor α gene (TGFA) polymorphisms with the risk of cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P) or cleft palate (CP). In total, data from 29 studies were pooled for the following 3 polymorphisms: TGFA/TaqI, TGFA/BamHI, and TGFA/RasI in the TGFA gene. A fixed-effects or random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled odds ratios based on the results from the heterogeneity tests. A significantly increased CL/P or CP risk was observed in persons carrying a C2 allele at the TaqI polymorphism (odds ratio (OR) = 1.70, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.41, 2.05) compared with those with a C1 allele (OR = 1.57, 95% CI: 1.23, 2.01). For the TGFA/BamHI polymorphism, carriers of the minor A1 allele had an estimated relative decrease in CL/P risk (OR = 0.44, 95% CI: 0.30, 0.64). These associations remained significant when only high-quality studies were included. However, no significant association was observed between the TGFA/RasI variant and CL/P risk. In summary, this meta-analysis provided a robust estimate of the positive association of the TGFA/TaqI polymorphism with both CL/P and CP and suggests that persons with an A1 allele may have a markedly decreased risk of CL/P.

[Prognostic significance of CXCR2 expression in pancreatic ductal carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between the expression of CXC chemokine receptor 2 (CXCR2) and the clinicopathologic features with prognosis in pancreatic ductal carcinoma (PDAC) tissues. METHODS: The CXCR2 expression in 161 PDAC tissues were detected with immunohistochemistry using anti-human CXCR2 antibody and tissues microarray. RESULTS: The expression of CXCR2 in PDAC tumor tissues was higher than that in normal pancreatic tissues (χ(2) = 11.437, P = 0.001). The comparison of clinicopathologic characteristics and immunohistochemistry by χ(2) test analysis showed that a high expression of CXCR2 in PDAC was correlated with vascular invasion (χ(2) = 6.489, P = 0.011) and late TNM stage (χ(2) = 6.205, P = 0.013). Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox regression analyses showed that a high expression of CXCR2 (HR: 5.514, P = 0.016) was an independent prognostic factor. CONCLUSION: A high expression of CXCR2 denotes a poor prognosis in PDAC.