Effects of grating stimulation on vision in individuals with amblyopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of Cambridge Stimulator with grating element stimulation on visual acuity (VA), grating acuity (GA), and contrast sensitivity (CS) in patients with amblyopia. METHODS: Three electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library) were searched for studies published from January 1970 to November 2022. The searched studies were reviewed and extracted independently by two authors. The included studies were evaluated by the Cochrane risk of bias. A meta-analysis calculating Hedges' g effect-size metric with 95% confidence intervals using random-effects DerSimonian-Laird model was employed. Heterogeneity was estimated using I2 statistics. Outcomes of interest included VA, GA, and CS. RESULTS: A total of 1221 studies were identified. Twenty-four studies including 900 subjects met the inclusion criteria. The outcome measure of all visual indexes (VA: Hedges' g of - 0.43, 95% CI = - 0.81 to - 0.05, I2 = 86%, p = 0.02; GA: Hedges' g of 3.79, 95% CI = 1.05 to 6.54, I2 = 98%, p = 0.01; CS: Hedges' g of 0.64, 95% CI = 0.19 to 1.09, I2 = 41%, p = 0.00) significantly favored in the grating group. CONCLUSIONS: Grating stimulation may be a positive help for visual functions in patients with amblyopia. The effects of grating stimulation on VA and CS appear to be opposite. This study is registered with www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/ (CRD42022366259).

Model for Predicting Central Nervous System Relapse in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma and Discussion of Prophylaxis Measures.

OBJECTIVE: Relapse of the central nervous system (CNS) is a rare but fatal complication in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). The purpose of this study is to learn how to identify high-risk patients and take effective preventive measures. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 1,290 adult patients with DLBCL at Peking University Cancer Hospital and Shanxi Bethune Hospital between 2010 and 2020. RESULTS: There were 55 patients with CNS relapse who had a median follow-up of 5 years. The risk of CNS relapse was 1.58% in the low-risk group, 5.66% in the moderate-risk group, and 11.67% in the high-risk group based on CNS International Prognostic Index (CNS-IPI). We found that CNS-IPI and testicular involvement were risk factors for CNS relapse, with OR 1.913 (95% CI: 1.036∼3.531; P = 0.038) versus. OR 3.526 (95% CI: 1.335∼9.313; P = 0.011), respectively. Intrathecal MTX and/or cytarabine prophylaxis was used in 166 patients (13.94%), intravenous (IV) high-dose methotrexate (HD-MTX) prophylaxis in 8 patients (0.67%), and intrathecal plus intravenous prophylaxis in 15 patients (1.26%). There was no significant difference in CNS relapse risk between IT, HD-MTX, and no prophylaxis recipients (12.7% vs. 0% vs. 23.6%, respectively, P = 0.170). The risk of CNS relapse was similar whether or not patients accepted prophylaxis (5-year risk 4.1% vs. 2.2%, P = 0.140). CONCLUSIONS: Central nervous system (CNS) relapse is associated with high risk CNS-IPI and testicular involvement. Therefore, it is necessary to pursue novel prophylactic strategies for CNS relapse.

Fatty Acid Binding Protein 5 (FABP5) Promotes Aggressiveness of Gastric Cancer Through Modulation of Tumor Immunity.

PURPOSE: Gastric cancer (GC) is the second most lethal cancer globally and is associated with poor prognosis. Fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs) can regulate biological properties of carcinoma cells. FABP5 is overexpressed in many types of cancers; however, the role and mechanisms of action of FABP5 in GC remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the clinical and biological functions of FABP5 in GC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We assessed FABP5 expression using immunohistochemical analysis in 79 patients with GC and evaluated its biological functions following in vitro and in vivo ectopic expression. FABP5 targets relevant to GC progression were determined using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). RESULTS: Elevated FABP5 expression was closely associated with poor outcomes, and ectopic expression of FABP5 promoted proliferation, invasion, migration, and carcinogenicity of GC cells, thus suggesting its potential tumor-promoting role in GC. Additionally, RNA-seq analysis indicated that FABP5 activates immune-related pathways, including cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathways, interleukin-17 signaling, and tumor necrosis factor signaling, suggesting an important rationale for the possible development of therapies that combine FABP5-targeted drugs with immunotherapeutics. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the biological mechanisms and clinical implications of FABP5 in GC and suggest its potential as an adverse prognostic factor and/or therapeutic target.

Development and feasibility of a virtual reality-based exergaming program to enhance cardiopulmonary fitness in children with developmental coordination disorder.

Introduction: Developmental coordination disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by motor skill deficits. Such deficits often limit children's participation in physical activities, further affecting their overall health, including through reduced cardiopulmonary fitness. Because virtual reality (VR) devices offer interactive games and activities that require various movements and coordination, they can serve as motivating and enjoyable means for children to perform physical exercise. In this study, we developed a VR-based exergaming system and tested its ability to enhance the cardiopulmonary fitness of children with DCD. Materials and methods: A total of 13 children with DCD and 10 young adults were recruited in phase I to examine the test-retest reliability and concurrent validity of our system (including a custom-made heart rate monitor) with a commercial heart rate device. In phase II, we included an additional 13 children with DCD to test the feasibility of the system. We tested the outcomes using the enjoyment rating scale, intrinsic motivation inventory (IMI), and 20-m shuttle run test (20mSRT). Results: In phase I, test-retest reliability was good to excellent in the static task and moderate to good in the dynamic task. Concurrent validity was excellent in both tasks. In phase II, more than half of the children (18 out of 26) assigned the maximum rating for their enjoyment of the game; they also had high average scores on the IMI. Furthermore, after the 8-week training using the VR program, the average running distance of the 26 children in the 20mSRT had increased significantly from 129.23 m to 176.92 m (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our VR-based exergaming program can serve as an alternative intervention for enhancing cardiopulmonary fitness in children with DCD.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Effects of Neurofeedback Training of Theta Activity on Working Memory and Episodic Memory in Healthy Population.

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of neurofeedback training (NFT) of theta activity on working memory (WM) and episodic memory (EM) in healthy participants via a systematic review and meta-analysis. A total of 337 articles obtained from electronic databases were assessed; however, only 11 articles met the criteria for meta-analysis after manually screening and eliminating unnecessary studies. A meta-analysis calculating the Hedges' g effect size metric with 95% confidence intervals using random effects models was employed. Heterogeneity was estimated using I2 statistics. Theta NFT is effective in improving memory outcomes, including WM with a Hedges' g of 0.56 [0.10; 1.02] (I2 = 62.9% and p = 0.02), and EM with a Hedges' g of 0.62 [0.13; 1.10] (I2 = 42.04% and p = 0.01). Overall, the results suggest that theta NFT seems to be useful as nonpharmacological/adjunct training to improve WM and EM in healthy participants.

[Risk Factors Analysis of Thromboembolism in Patients with Lymphoma Chemotherapy].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the risk factors affecting thromboembolism in lymphoma patients with chemotherapy. METHODS: Three hundred and four consecutive lymphoma patients treated by chemotherapy between January 2012 and July 2019 were enrolled and retrospectively analyzed, consisting of 111 patients with thromboembolism and 193 without thromboembolism. Univariate analysis was used to compare the clinical characteristics and related laboratory examination between the patients, while multivariate Logistic regression analysis were used to identify the risk factors affecting thromboembolism in lymphoma patients with chemotherapy. RESULTS: Univariate analysis showed that the female, BMI <18.5 or >24, ≥60 years old, with abnormal platelets before chemotherapy, prolonged single hospitalization days and patients at Ann Arbor stage III and IV could increase the incidence of thromboembolism in lymphoma patients treated by chemotherapy. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that abnormal platelet count before chemotherapy, patients at Ann Arbor stage III and IV, and female were all the independent risk factors affecting thromboembolism in lymphoma patients thromboembolism after chemotherapy (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: For lymphoma chemotherapy patients, female, abnormal platelet count before chemotherapy and Ann Arbor stages III and IV show a significantly higher risk for thromboembolism. Thus, preventive anticoagulation therapy is recommended.

[Effect of special oral care mode on periodontal health in adolescent orthodontic patients].

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of special oral care mode on periodontal health of adolescent orthodontic patients. METHODS: From January 2019 to January 2020, one hundred adolescent orthodontic patients who received treatment in our hospital were randomly divided into experimental group and control group according to the principle of completely random number table, with 50 cases in each group. Patients in the control group were given routine oral care, while those in the experimental group were given special oral care; three months later, the periodontal health status of the two groups were compared using SPSS 21.0 software package. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in PLI and GI between the two groups before treatment (P＞0.05). After treatment, PLI and GI in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P＜0.01). There was no significance difference in SBI and EDI before treatment between the two groups(P＞0.05). After treatment, SBI and EDI in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P＜0.01). There was no significant difference in the scores of periodontal health knowledge before treatment between the two groups(P＞0.05). After treatment, the scores of the two groups were significantly increased(P＜0.01), and the scores of the experimental group were significantly higher than those of the control group (P＜0.01). The patients' satisfaction in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group (90.00% vs 72.00%, P=0.022). CONCLUSIONS: Special oral care mode can significantly improve periodontal health status of adolescent orthodontic patients.

Effects of ankle continuous passive motion on soleus hypertonia in individuals with cerebral palsy: A case series.

BACKGROUND: Continuous passive motion device (CPM) provides repetitive movement over extended periods of time for those who have low functional ability. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effects of a four-week program of continuous passive motion of the ankle joint on the changes in soleus hypertonia in individuals with cerebral palsy who suffered from life-long hypertonia. METHODS: A single group, repeated-measures study was conducted. Eight individuals (7 males and 1 female with a mean age of 21.8 ± 8.5 years) with spastic cerebral palsy underwent bilateral ankle CPM for 1 h a day, 5 days a week, for 4 weeks. The outcome measures included the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) score, passive range of motion (PROM) of the ankle, the ratio of maximum H reflex to maximum soleus M-response (H/M ratio), and post-activation depression (PAD). All outcomes were measured before and after the intervention. A paired t-test was used to examine treatment effects pre-versus post-intervention. RESULTS: Paired t-tests showed that the CPM program significantly decreased the MAS score (p = 0.006), decreased the maximum H/M ratio (p=0.001), improved PAD (p = 0.003, p = 0.040, and p = 0.032 at 0.2 Hz, 1 Hz, and 2 Hz, respectively), and increased the passive ankle range of motion (p = 0.049). CONCLUSION: Ankle CPM not only reduced soleus hypertonia but also improved the PROM in individuals with cerebral palsy. The results of this study show ankle CPM to be an effective intervention for individuals with cerebral palsy.

Risk Factors Analysis of Thromboembolism in Patients with Lymphoma Chemotherapy / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the risk factors affecting thromboembolism in lymphoma patients with chemotherapy.@*METHODS@#Three hundred and four consecutive lymphoma patients treated by chemotherapy between January 2012 and July 2019 were enrolled and retrospectively analyzed, consisting of 111 patients with thromboembolism and 193 without thromboembolism. Univariate analysis was used to compare the clinical characteristics and related laboratory examination between the patients, while multivariate Logistic regression analysis were used to identify the risk factors affecting thromboembolism in lymphoma patients with chemotherapy.@*RESULTS@#Univariate analysis showed that the female, BMI <18.5 or >24, ≥60 years old, with abnormal platelets before chemotherapy, prolonged single hospitalization days and patients at Ann Arbor stage III and IV could increase the incidence of thromboembolism in lymphoma patients treated by chemotherapy. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that abnormal platelet count before chemotherapy, patients at Ann Arbor stage III and IV, and female were all the independent risk factors affecting thromboembolism in lymphoma patients thromboembolism after chemotherapy (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#For lymphoma chemotherapy patients, female, abnormal platelet count before chemotherapy and Ann Arbor stages III and IV show a significantly higher risk for thromboembolism. Thus, preventive anticoagulation therapy is recommended.

Risk Factors of Thromboembolism in Lymphoma Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy and its Clinical Significance.

This study investigated the risk factors of thromboembolism (TE) in lymphoma patients undergoing chemotherapy and its clinical significance. A total of 304 lymphoma patients who received chemotherapy from January 2012 to July 2019 were retrospectively analyzed, including 111 patients with and 193 patients without TE. The clinical characteristics and related laboratory test results were compared between the 2 groups using univariate analysis, while the risk factors for TE in lymphoma patients undergoing chemotherapy were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Univariate analysis revealed an increase in the risk of TE among lymphoma patients with chemotherapy in the following categories: female patients, patients with body mass index <18.5 or > 24, patients aged ≥60 years, those with platelet abnormality before chemotherapy, single hospital-stay patients, and Ann Arbor stage III/IV patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that for platelet count abnormality before chemotherapy, Ann Arbor stage III/IV and female patients represented independent risk factors for TE among lymphoma patients after chemotherapy (P < .05). For lymphoma patients treated with chemotherapy, the risk of TE occurring in women, patients with platelet abnormalities before chemotherapy, and patients at Ann Arbor stage III/IV was significantly higher compared with other patients. For these patients, we recommend prophylactic anticoagulant therapy.

[Clinical Value of Serum Amyloid A and Misfolded Transthyretin for Relapsed/Refractory Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Patients].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical value of serum amyloid A (SAA1/2) and misfolded transthyretin (TTR) for relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (R/R DLBCL) patients. METHODS: 30 R/R DLBCL patients were enrolled as observation group, 20 remission/stabilization DLBCL and 10 chronic lymphadenitis patients were enrolled as control group. SELDI technique, Tris-Tricine sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electro-phoresis, the shotgun-LTQ-MS method, and bioinformatics technique were used to detected and analyzed SAA and TTR in R/R DLBCL patients. SPSS 21.0 software was used to analyze the relationship between the high expression of SAA, misfolded TTR in serum and the clinicopathological features, survival time of R/R DLBCL. patients Chi-square test was used to analyze clinical count data, Kaplan-Meier curve was used for survival analysis, and Log-Rank test was used to compare single-factor survival differences. RESULTS: The high expression of SAA and TTR (SAA+TTR+) was significantly associated with extranodal lesion, high level of LDH, and NCCN-IPI scores, and also correlated with non-GCB type. TTR+ was correlated with C-MYC in pathological tissue, while SAA+ was also associated with B-symptoms. The survival time of patients in SAA+, TTR+, and SAA+TTR+ group were shorter than that in control group. CONCLUSION: Both SAA and misfolded TTR are poor prognosis factors of R/R DLBCL patients.

Efficacy of active compounds of Chanqin granules on airway neurogenic inflammation induced by PM2.5 in vivo.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of active compounds of Chanqin (CQ) granules on PM2.5-induced airway neurogenic inflammation in vivo, and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of action. METHODS: The Traditional Chinese Medicine systems pharmacology (TCMSP) database was searched, and the results were combined with oral bioavailability and drug analysis to identify the compounds in CQ granules. The pharmacophore modeling approach was used to predict the compound targets, and the diseases corresponding to the targets were obtained by searching the therapeutic target database (TTD), pharmacogenomics knowledgebase (PharmGKB) and DrugBank databases. Cytoscape software was used to construct the network pharmacological charts for Component-Target and Target-Disease interactions of the CQ granules. Then, the mechanisms of action and effectiveness of CQ granules for the treatment of PM2.5-induced airway neurogenic inflammation were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 195 compounds and 171 targets were obtained from the analyses. A total of 569 corresponding diseases were identified for these targets. Component-target and target-disease networks were constructed. The possible mechanisms and effective components in CQ granules for treating airway neurogenic inflammation were analyzed. Quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin, beta-sitosterol and sitosterol, which are typically found in the formulation, have extensive pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiviral actions and neuroprotective properties. Among these targets, androgen receptor, estrogen receptor, prostaglandin G/H synthase 2, and inducible nitric oxide synthase play important pathological roles, including the induction of neurogenic inflammation. CQ granules may have therapeutic effectiveness for numerous diseases in addition to respiratory diseases, including neoplasms, digestive system diseases, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory tract diseases and nervous system diseases. In vivo, CQ granules are effective in treating pulmonary inflammation and downregulate neuropeptides in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid after PM2.5 exposure. CQ granules significantly decreased the levels of neurokinin A, neurokinin B and calcitonin gene-related peptide in the lung and dorsal root ganglia. CQ also significantly suppressed the upregulation of p-extracellular regulated protein kinase 1/2 and p-methyl ethyl ketone 1/2 induced by PM2.5 exposure. CONCLUSION: CQ granules have potential for the treatment of neurogenic inflammation induced by PM2.5 in vivo, and the mechanism might involve downregulation of neuropeptides in the BALF, lung and dorsal root ganglia.

[Analysis of implant placement accuracy using freehand in 68 consecutive patients with 97 implants].

PURPOSE: To analyze the accuracy of implant position in simple cases by freehand. METHODS: Ninety-seven implants of 68 patients from 3 surgeons were selected.After operation,the deviations of implant position at shoulder apex and angle were measured using cone-beam CT(CBCT).The mean of three parameters were calculated with SPSS 22.0 software package, and the differences were analyzed between three surgeons,three operation areas,free-end missing and non free-end missing. RESULTS: The deviations of 97 implants were (0.76±0.57)mm，(1.41±0.90)mm，(4.76±3.68)° at shoulder, apex and angle.The deviation of shoulder apex and angle between three surgeons was significantly different(P<0.05). The deviations between left and right group were not significantly different (P>0.05); the deviations between anterior group and left group were significantly different(P<0.05); the deviations between anterior group and right group were not significantly different(P>0.05). The deviation of shoulder between free-end missing area and non free-end missing area was significantly different(P<0.05),other parameters between the two groups were not significantly different(P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The deviation of implant placement between surgical guide and mental guide were similar in simple cases. The experience of surgeon was important during freehand implant placement. The deviations were lower when missing tooth is in anterior area than in posterior area, whereas the same at shoulder in non free-end missing area than in free-end missing area.

Clinical Value of Serum Amyloid A and Misfolded Transthyretin for Relapsed/Refractory Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma Patients / 中国实验血液学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the clinical value of serum amyloid A (SAA1/2) and misfolded transthyretin (TTR) for relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (R/R DLBCL) patients.@*METHODS@#30 R/R DLBCL patients were enrolled as observation group, 20 remission/stabilization DLBCL and 10 chronic lymphadenitis patients were enrolled as control group. SELDI technique, Tris-Tricine sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electro-phoresis, the shotgun-LTQ-MS method, and bioinformatics technique were used to detected and analyzed SAA and TTR in R/R DLBCL patients. SPSS 21.0 software was used to analyze the relationship between the high expression of SAA, misfolded TTR in serum and the clinicopathological features, survival time of R/R DLBCL. patients Chi-square test was used to analyze clinical count data, Kaplan-Meier curve was used for survival analysis, and Log-Rank test was used to compare single-factor survival differences.@*RESULTS@#The high expression of SAA and TTR (SAA@*CONCLUSION@#Both SAA and misfolded TTR are poor prognosis factors of R/R DLBCL patients.

[Evaluation of the effect of quality control circle activities on improving the nursing quality of patients with periodontitis].

PURPOSE: To study the effect of quality control circle activity on improving nursing quality of patients with periodontitis. METHODS: One hundred and twenty patients with periodontitis admitted to our hospital from January 2016 to December 2017 were selected and divided into experimental group and control group according to the principle of random control, with 60 patients in each group. Patients in both groups received supragingival scaling, subgingival scaling and related symptomatic treatment, patients in the experimental group conducted nursing under the guidance of quality control circle, while patients in the control group received routine nursing. Satisfaction degree, therapeutic effect and gingival index, probe depth, gingival sulcus bleeding index, plaque index and periodontal attachment levels were recorded and compared between the two groups using SPSS 19.0 software package. RESULTS: After quality control circle to guide nursing, the patients' satisfaction (P=0.003) and the total effective rate of treatment was significantly higher than the control group(P=0.002), the incidence of oral health problems in the experimental group was significantly lower than the control group(P=0.037), PD, GI, SBI, PLI and AL levels in the experimental group were significantly lower than the control group(P=0.000). In addition to the tangible achievements，intangible results, such as quality control circles harmonious degree of nursing, sense of responsibility, communication, and problem solving ability, cohesion and quality control methods are improved distinctly in the experimental group. CONCLUSIONS: Quality control circle activity can improve nursing quality of patients with periodontitis.

Effects of music therapy on major depressive disorder: A study of prefrontal hemodynamic functions using fNIRS.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a recurrent, chronic mental illness. While music therapy has been established as an effective treatment for MDD patients, the effects of this therapy on brain function remain unclear. This research employed near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to explore the effects of music therapy on brain activity in mild or moderate MDD patients and to illustrate the potential mechanism of music therapy. Methods: Fifteen MDD patients and fifteen healthy controls (HC) underwent neuropsychological evaluations and NIRS measurements. All participants were treated with continuous music therapy for 10 days. Subsequently, all individuals were evaluated with neuropsychological assessments and NIRS measurements again. Results: The verbal fluency task (VFT) performances of the participants yielded significantly higher scores after music therapy in terms of vegetables, four-footed animals and fruit blocks. After the music treatment, the NIRS data showed that the mean active oxy-Hb values of channels 21, 23, 19, and 41 were significantly increased in both the MDD and HC groups. The MDD group showed significant activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) after music therapy. The results indicate that music therapy could improve the brain function of MDD patients.

Correlation between immunofluorescence deposition and corticosteroid effect in childhood focal segmental glomerulosclerosis manifesting with nephrotic syndrome / 上海交通大学学报（医学版）

Objective · To explore the correlation between immunofluorescence (IMF) deposition and corticosteroid effect in childhood focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) manifesting with nephrotic syndrome (NS). Methods · Renal IMF deposition and clinical data of the children clinically diagnosed with NS and pathologically diagnosed with FSGS in the Department of Pediatric Nephrology in Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University from January 1990 to December 2015 were reviewed and analyzed retrospectively. Results · The renal pathological types classified by IMF of 47 patients diagnosed with FSGS manifesting with NS showed that 2 cases (4.26%) were IgA type, 12 cases (14.89%) were IgM type, 4 cases (8.51%) were complement (C) type, 1 case (2.13%) was IgG+A+M type, 5 cases (10.64%) were IgG+A+M+C type, 1 case (2.13%) was IgA+C type, 12 cases (25.53%) were IgM+C type, and there was no immune complexes present in 15 cases (31.91%). The IMF deposition showed 9 cases with IgA+, 25 cases with IgM+, 8 cases with IgG+, 23 cases with C3+, 3 cases with C4+, 6 cases with C1q+, 5 cases with FN+, 12 cases with all negative. After 4 weeks of treatment with oral prednisone at full dose, complete remission was presented in 34 cases (72.34%), partial remission was presented in 7 cases (14.89%), and no remission was presented in 6 cases (12.77%). There was no statistically difference in the corticosteroid effect among the different types of IMF (H=1.792, P=0.408). The corticosteroid effect had statistical differences between C1q+ and C1q- patients (χ2=7.22, P=0.027), while it had no significant differences in other conditions. Conclusion · In childhood FSGS manifesting with NS, C1q+ patients have relatively poor reaction to the corticosteroid therapy compared to C1q- ones.

Correlation between immunofluorescence deposition and corticosteroid effect in childhood focal segmental glomerulosclerosis manifesting with nephrotic syndrome / 上海交通大学学报（医学版）

Objective · To explore the correlation between immunofluorescence (IMF) deposition and corticosteroid effect in childhood focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) manifesting with nephrotic syndrome (NS). Methods · Renal IMF deposition and clinical data of the children clinically diagnosed with NS and pathologically diagnosed with FSGS in the Department of Pediatric Nephrology in Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University from January 1990 to December 2015 were reviewed and analyzed retrospectively. Results · The renal pathological types classified by IMF of 47 patients diagnosed with FSGS manifesting with NS showed that 2 cases (4.26%) were IgA type, 12 cases (14.89%) were IgM type, 4 cases (8.51%) were complement (C) type, 1 case (2.13%) was IgG+A+M type, 5 cases (10.64%) were IgG+A+M+C type, 1 case (2.13%) was IgA+C type, 12 cases (25.53%) were IgM+C type, and there was no immune complexes present in 15 cases (31.91%). The IMF deposition showed 9 cases with IgA+, 25 cases with IgM+, 8 cases with IgG+, 23 cases with C3+, 3 cases with C4+, 6 cases with C1q+, 5 cases with FN+, 12 cases with all negative. After 4 weeks of treatment with oral prednisone at full dose, complete remission was presented in 34 cases (72.34%), partial remission was presented in 7 cases (14.89%), and no remission was presented in 6 cases (12.77%). There was no statistically difference in the corticosteroid effect among the different types of IMF (H=1.792, P=0.408). The corticosteroid effect had statistical differences between C1q+ and C1q- patients (χ2=7.22, P=0.027), while it had no significant differences in other conditions. Conclusion · In childhood FSGS manifesting with NS, C1q+ patients have relatively poor reaction to the corticosteroid therapy compared to C1q- ones.

Delivery of a survivin promoter-driven antisense survivin-expressing plasmid DNA as a cancer therapeutic: a proof-of-concept study.

Survivin is a member of the inhibitor-of-apoptosis proteins family. It is overexpressed in many different cancer types but not in the differentiated normal tissue. In addition, overexpression of survivin promotes cancer cell survival and induces chemotherapeutic drug resistance, making it an attractive target for new anticancer interventions. Despite survivin being a promising molecular target for anticancer treatment, it is widely accepted that survivin is only a "semi-druggable" target. Therefore, it is important to develop a new strategy to target survivin for anticancer treatment. In this study, we constructed a novel survivin promoter-driven full-length antisense survivin (pSur/AS-Sur) expression plasmid DNA. Promoter activity assay revealed that the activity of the survivin promoter of pSur/AS-Sur correlated with the endogenous expression of survivin at the transcriptional level in the transfected A549, MDA-MB-231, and PANC-1 cancer cells. Western blot analysis showed that liposomal delivery of pSur/AS-Sur successfully downregulated the expression of survivin in A549, MBA-MB-231, and PANC-1 cells in vitro. In addition, delivery of pSur/AS-Sur induced autophagy, caspase-dependent apoptosis, and caspase-independent apoptosis as indicated by the increased LC3B-II conversion, autophagosome formation, caspase-9/-3 and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 cleavage, and apoptosis-inducing factor nuclear translocation in A549, MBA-MB-231, and PANC-1 cells. Importantly, liposomal delivery of pSur/AS-Sur was also capable of decreasing the proliferation of the survivin/MDR1 coexpressing multidrug-resistant KB-TAX50 cancer cells and the estrogen receptor-positive tamoxifen-resistant MCF7-TamC3 cancer cells in vitro. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that delivery of a survivin promoter-driven antisense survivin-expressing plasmid DNA is a promising way to target survivin and to treat survivin-expressing cancers in the future.

Immune and anti-oxidant functions of ethanol extracts of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi in mice bearing U14 cervical cancers.

BACKGROUND: The objective was to study the effect of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi ethanol extracts (SBGE) on immune and anti-oxidant function in U14 tumor-bearing mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: U14 tumor-bearing mice were randomly divided into eight groups: a control group, a cyclophosphamide (CTX) group, three dose groups of SBGEI (high, medium, low), and three dose groups of SBGEII (high, medium, low). After two weeks, the thymus and spleen weight indices of mice bearing U14 cervical cancer were calculated. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) was used to determine the levels of serum IL-2, TNF-α, IL-8, and PCNA. MDA activity and SOD activity in plasma were measured with detection kits. RESULTS: In the SBGE groups, thymus weight and spleen weight indices of U14 tumor-bearing mice were significantly higher than in the control group or CTX group (p<0.05). Compared to control group, the levels of serum IL-2 and TNF-α in U14 tumor-bearing mice increased significantly, whereas the contents of serum IL-8 and PCNA decreased (p<0.05). The activity of SOD increased with the growing dose of SBGE, while the activity of MDA decreased significantly in the higher- dose groups of SBGE. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggested that SBGE, especially at high dose, 1000 mg/kg, showed significant immune and anti-oxidant effects in U14 tumor-bearing mice, which might be the mechanisms of SBGE inhibition of tumor growth.