Tunable polarization control with self-assembled arrays of anisotropic plasmonic coaxial nanocavities.

Polarization control with nanostructures having a tunable design and allowing inexpensive large-scale fabrication is important for many nanophotonic applications. For this purpose, we developed and experimentally demonstrated nanostructured plasmonic surfaces based on hexagonal arrays of anisotropic coaxial nanocavities, which can be fabricated by a low-cost self-assembled nanosphere lithography method. Their high polarization sensitivity is achieved by engineering anisotropy of the coaxial nanocavities, while the optical response is enhanced by the excitation of surface plasmon resonances. Particularly, varying the geometrical parameters of the coaxial nanocavities, namely the height and tilt angle of their central core nanoellipsoids, the plasmonic resonance wavelengths as well as the polarization-selective behavior can be individually tuned in the entire visible and near-infrared spectral regions, which makes such nanostructures good candidates for the implementation of polarization-controlled optical switches and polarization-tunable filters. Moreover, the developed nanostructures demonstrate sensitivity up to 1335 nm/RIU in refractive index sensing.

Immune-Enhancing Treatment among Acute Necrotizing Pancreatitis Patients with Metabolic Abnormalities: A Post Hoc Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background/Aims: : Metabolic syndrome is common in patients with acute pancreatitis and its components have been reported to be associated with infectious complications. In this post hoc analysis, we aimed to evaluate whether metabolic abnormalities impact the effect of immune-enhancing thymosin alpha-1 (Tα1) therapy in acute necrotizing pancreatitis (ANP) patients. Methods: : All data were obtained from the database for a multicenter randomized clinical trial that evaluated the efficacy of Tα1 in ANP patients. Patients who discontinued the Tα1 treatment prematurely were excluded. The primary outcome was 90-day infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) after randomization. Three post hoc subgroups were defined based on the presence of hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, or both at the time of randomization. In each subgroup, the correlation between Tα1 and 90-day IPN was assessed using the Cox proportional-hazards regression model. Multivariable propensity-score methods were used to control potential bias. Results: : Overall, 502 participants were included in this post hoc analysis (248 received Tα1 treatment and 254 received matching placebo treatment). Among them, 271 (54.0%) had hyperglycemia, 371 (73.9%) had hypertriglyceridemia and 229 (45.6%) had both. Tα1 therapy was associated with reduced incidence of IPN among patients with hyperglycemia (18.8% vs 29.7%: hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% confidence interval, 0.37 to 0.97; p=0.03), but not in the other subgroups. Additional multivariate regression models using three propensity-score methods yielded similar results. Conclusions: : Among ANP patients with hyperglycemia, immune-enhancing Tα1 treatment was associated with a reduced risk of IPN (ClinicalTrials.gov, Registry number: NCT02473406).

A 3D Biocompatible Plasmonic Tweezer for Single Cell Manipulation.

Plasmonic tweezers are an emerging research topic because of their low input power and wide operating range from homogeneous particles to complex biological objects. But it is still challenging for plasmonic tweezers to trap or manipulate objects of tens of microns, especially in biological science. This study introduces a new 3D biocompatible plasmonic tweezer for single living cell manipulation in solution. The key design is a tapered tip whose three-layer surface structure consists of nanoprobe, gold nanofilm, and thermosensitive hydrogel, thiolated poly(N-isopropylacrylamide). Incident light excites the surface plasmon polaritons on gold film and generates heat to induce thermally driven phase transition of the thermosensitive hydrogel, which enables reversible binding between functionalized surface and cell membrane and avoids both thermal and mechanical stresses in the meanwhile. The 3D biocompatible plasmonic tweezer realizes selective capture, 3D pathway free transport, and position-controlled release of target cells, and it displays excellent biocompatibility, low energy consumption, and high operational flexibility.

Effective switching of an all-solid-state mode-locked laser by a graphene modulator.

Although sophisticated novel saturable absorber materials are available for the development of ultrafast lasers, innovative approaches and devices play an increasingly important role in continuously adjusting mode-locked lasers with electrical gating. In this study, electrically switched operational regimes of an Nd:YVO4 all-solid-state mode-locked laser with a high modulation ratio (from 900 ns to 15 ps) are demonstrated for the first time. The laser can automatically switch multiple operation regimes with the assistance of electrical signals using techniques such as Q-switching, Q-switched mode-locking (QML), and continuous-wave mode-locking (CWML). The device is operated at an ultralow electrical modulation power (0.1 nW) to generate sub 15 ps pulses with a high average output power (as much as 800 mW) from a mode-locked laser operating at 1064 nm. The results verify the reversible switching of the operational regimes from QML to CWML and provide a basis for exploring their applications in electro-optical devices.

Immune enhancement in patients with predicted severe acute necrotising pancreatitis: a multicentre double-blind randomised controlled trial.

PURPOSE: Infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is a highly morbid complication of acute necrotising pancreatitis (ANP). Since there is evidence of early-onset immunosuppression in acute pancreatitis, immune enhancement may be a therapeutic option. This trial aimed to evaluate whether early immune-enhancing Thymosin alpha 1 (Tα1) treatment reduces the incidence of IPN in patients with predicted severe ANP. METHODS: We conducted a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial involving ANP patients with an Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score ≥ 8 and a computed tomography (CT) severity score ≥ 5 admitted within 7 days of the advent of symptoms. Enrolled patients were assigned to receive a subcutaneous injection of Tα1 1.6 mg every 12 h for the first 7 days and 1.6 mg once a day for the subsequent 7 days or matching placebos (normal saline). The primary outcome was the development of IPN during the index admission. RESULTS: A total of 508 patients were randomised, of whom 254 were assigned to receive Tα1 and 254 placebo. The vast majority of the participants required admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) (479/508, 94.3%). During the index admission, 40/254(15.7%) patients in the Tα1 group developed IPN compared with 46/254 patients (18.1%) in the placebo group (difference -2.4% [95% CI - 7.4 to 5.1%]; p = 0.48). The results were similar across four predefined subgroups. There was no difference in other major complications, including new-onset organ failure (10.6% vs. 15%), bleeding (6.3% vs. 3.5%), and gastrointestinal fistula (2% vs. 2.4%). CONCLUSION: The immune-enhancing Tα1 treatment of patients with predicted severe ANP did not reduce the incidence of IPN during the index admission.

Dual-mode independent detection of pressure and refractive index by miniature grating-coupled surface plasmon sensor.

Multiple parameters need to be monitored to analyze the kinetics of biological progresses. Surface plasmon polariton resonance sensors offer a non-invasive approach to continuously detect the local change of refractive index of molecules with high sensitivity. However, the fabrication of miniaturized, compact, and low-cost sensors is still challenging. In this paper, we propose and demonstrate a grating-coupled SPR sensor platform featuring dual mode operation for simultaneous sensing of pressure and refractive index, which can be fabricated using a highly-efficient low-cost method, allowing large-scale production. Both sensing functionalities are realized by optical means via monitoring the spectral positions of a surface plasmon polariton mode (for refractive index sensing) and Fabry-Perot or metal-insulator-metal modes (for pressure sensing), which are supported by the structure. Simultaneous measurement of refractive index with the sensitivity of 494 nm/RIU and pressure was demonstrated experimentally. The proposed platform is promising for biomonitoring that requires both high refractive index sensitivity and local pressure detection.

Dynamic control of the mode-locked fiber laser using a GO/PS modulator.

This Letter proposes a novel, to the best of our knowledge, transistor-like optical fiber modulator composed of graphene oxide (GO) and polystyrene (PS) microspheres. Unlike previously proposed schemes based on waveguides or cavity enhancement, the proposed method can directly enhance the photoelectric interaction with the PS microspheres to form a light local field. The designed modulator exhibits a distinct optical transmission change (62.8%), with a power consumption of <10 nW. Such low power consumption enables electrically controllable fiber lasers to be switched in various operational regimes, including continuous wave (CW), Q switched mode-locked (QML), and mode-locked (ML). With this all-fiber modulator, the pulse width of the mode-locked signal can be compressed to 12.9 ps, and the corresponding repetition rate is 21.4 MHz.

Relative humidity sensor based on a silver nano-grating made from DVD discs.

A relative humidity sensor based on a silver nano-grating was proposed. By stripping and cleaning commercially available CD and DVD discs, polycarbonate plates with different grating periods are obtained. These plates as templates are coated with a layer of sputtered silver film to form silver nano-gratings, which exhibit refractive index sensing sensitivities of 517 nm/RIU and 742.9 nm/RIU, respectively. The finite-difference time-domain simulation results conform the excited surface plasmon polariton modes and localized surface plasmon modes on the nano-grating. By spin coating a layer of humidity-sensitive porous silica with optimized thickness, the silver nano-grating shows a relative humidity detection sensitivity of 0.23 nm/%RH.

3D-printed cellular tips for tuning fork atomic force microscopy in shear mode.

Conventional atomic force microscopy (AFM) tips have remained largely unchanged in nanomachining processes, constituent materials, and microstructural constructions for decades, which limits the measurement performance based on force-sensing feedbacks. In order to save the scanning images from distortions due to excessive mechanical interactions in the intermittent shear-mode contact between scanning tips and sample, we propose the application of controlled microstructural architectured material to construct AFM tips by exploiting material-related energy-absorbing behavior in response to the tip-sample impact, leading to visual promotions of imaging quality. Evidenced by numerical analysis of compressive responses and practical scanning tests on various samples, the essential scanning functionality and the unique contribution of the cellular buffer layer to imaging optimization are strongly proved. This approach opens new avenues towards the specific applications of cellular solids in the energy-absorption field and sheds light on novel AFM studies based on 3D-printed tips possessing exotic properties.

The influence of coronavirus disease 2019 on emergency department visits in Nanjing, China: A multicentre cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Influenza has been linked to the crowding in emergency departments (ED) across the world. The impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on China EDs has been quite different from those during past influenza outbreaks. Our objective was to determine if COVID-19 changed ED visit disease severity during the pandemic. METHODS: This was a retrospective cross sectional study conducted in Nanjing, China. We captured ED visit data from 28 hospitals. We then compared visit numbers from October 2019 to February 2020 for a month-to-month analysis and every February from 2017 to 2020 for a year-to-year analysis. Inter-group chi-square test and time series trend tests were performed to compare visit numbers. The primary outcome was the proportion of severe disease visits in the EDs. RESULTS: Through February 29 th 2020, there were 93 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 patients in Nanjing, of which 40 cases (43.01%) were first seen in the ED. The total number of ED visits in Nanjing in February 2020, were dramatically decreased (n = 99,949) in compared to January 2020 (n = 313,125) and February 2019 (n = 262,503). Except for poisoning, the severe diseases in EDs all decreased in absolute number, but increased in proportion both in year-to-year and month-to-month analyses. This increase in proportional ED disease severity was greater in higher-level referral hospitals when compared year by year. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 outbreak has been associated with decreases in ED visits in Nanjing, China, but increases in the proportion of severe ED visits.

Efficacy of Active Charcoal and Mannitol in Patients with Haff Disease Caused by the Consumption of Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii): A Retrospective Cohort Study.

This study evaluates the clinical efficacy of activated charcoal combined with mannitol (ACM) for the treatment of Haff disease. This is a retrospective cohort study conducted at the Emergency Department of Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine. Consecutive patients who were hospitalized during a two-year time frame (from June 2016 to August 2017) and diagnosed with Haff disease were reviewed. Clinical symptoms, laboratory findings, pain/anxiety scores, and treatment-related adverse events were collected. Sixty-eight Haff disease patients after boiled crayfish consumption were enrolled in this study. Besides standard treatments for Haff disease, 22 patients had an oral administration of activated charcoal and mannitol within 12 hours of hospital admission (ACM group), while the other 46 patients did not receive such treatment (non-ACM group). Baseline characteristics including clinical symptoms, serum enzyme levels, and pain/anxiety scores were comparable between the two groups. Activated charcoal and mannitol treatment led to lower CK-MB and AST levels from 12 hours to 60 hours, lower ALT and LDH levels from 12 hours to 72 hours, and lower CK levels from 24 hours to 72 hours after hospitalization. Patients in the ACM group had significantly shortened duration of hospital stays (7.5 [6.0-8.0] days vs 8.0 [6.8-10.0] days, p = 0.032) and lower anxiety scores 24 hours after hospital admission (40.7 ± 4.9 vs 44.1 ± 6.3, p = 0.032) than in the non-ACM group. No patient experienced treatment-related adverse events. The overall prognosis of both groups is good. Among patients with Haff disease caused by boiled crayfish, activated charcoal combined with mannitol treatment resulted in shorter hospital stays, lower serum CK, CK-MB, AST, ALT, and LDH levels, and lower anxiety scores.

Thymosin alpha 1 in the prevention of infected pancreatic necrosis following acute necrotising pancreatitis (TRACE trial): protocol of a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trial.

INTRODUCTION: Infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) and its related septic complications are the major causes of death in patients with acute necrotising pancreatitis (ANP). Therefore, the prevention of IPN is of great clinical value, and immunomodulatory therapy with thymosin alpha 1 may be beneficial. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that the administration of thymosin alpha 1 during the acute phase of ANP will result in a reduced incidence of IPN. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a randomised, multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. 520 eligible patients with ANP will be randomised in a 1:1 ratio to receive either the thymosin alpha 1 or the placebo using the same mode of administration. The primary endpoint is the incidence of IPN during the index admission. Most of the secondary endpoints will be registered within the index admission including in-hospital mortality, the incidence of new-onset organ failure and new-onset persistent organ failure (respiration, cardiovascular and renal), receipt of new organ support therapy, requirement for drainage or necrosectomy, bleeding requiring intervention, human leucocyte antigens-DR(HLA-DR) on day 0, day 7, day 14, and so on and adverse events. Considering the possibility of readmission, an additional follow-up will be arranged 90 days after enrolment, and IPN and death at day 90 will also be served as secondary outcomes. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study was approved by the ethics committee of Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University (Number 2015NZKY-004-02). The thymosin alpha 1 in the prevention of infected pancreatic necrosis following acute necrotising pancreatitis(TRACE) trial was designed to test the effect of a new therapy focusing on the immune system in preventing secondary infection following ANP. The results of this trial will be disseminated in peer-reviewed journals and at scientific conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ClinicalTrials.gov Registry (NCT02473406).

Highly-selective detection of EGFR mutation gene in lung cancer based on surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy and asymmetric PCR.

The evaluation of EGFR mutation genes in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in blood sample is key for patients with lung cancer. Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has potential for trace detection of DNA or RNA. The detection rate offered by current methods can not meet clinical demand. By combining asymmetric polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and SERS, a highly-selective detection for EGFR mutation genes in lung cancer was developed. Sea-urchin like Au nanoclusters (AuNCs) were synthesized via Ag seed-mediated growth. AuNCs with a diameter of 120 nm were covered with 79 nanopricks (20 nm). Then, EGFR mutation specific molecular beacons (MBs) labeled with Cy3 were coated on the surface of AuNCs. The loading amount of MBs was calculated as 5720 ± 740 on one AuNCs. These AuNCs probes had good efficiency (equilibrium time: 20 minutes) with high sensitivity (detection limit: 5.8 nM), high specificity (capable of single-base mismatch recognition) and good stability against nucleases. Following this, asymmetric PCR was performed to obtain large numbers of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA, E746-A750del). The ssDNA was incubated with the AuNCs probes and tested quantitatively based on the SERS signals of the AuNCs probes. This combined asymmetric PCR-SERS method had a very high detection threshold (4.24 fM). The asymmetric PCR-SERS method was shown to have an overall sensitivity of 75% and specificity of 100% in a further 15 clinical blood samples. This method is proved to be promising for non-invasive and sensitive detection of EGFR mutations in ctDNA.

TBOPP enhances the anticancer effect of cisplatin by inhibiting DOCK1 in renal cell carcinoma.

The treatment of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with chemotherapy remains a challenge; therefore, improving the knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying RCC chemoresistance and developing novel therapeutic strategies is important. Dedicator of cytokinesis 1 (DOCK1), the first member of the DOCK family to be discovered, displays various roles during tumorigenesis; however, its role during RCC progression is not completely understood. Therefore, the present study aimed to clarify the function of DOCK1 and 1­[2­(3'­(trifluoromethyl)­(1,1'­biphenyl)­4­yl)­2­oxoethyl]­5­pyrrolidinylsulfonyl­2 (1H)­pyridone (TBOPP), a DOCK1­sensitive inhibitor, during RCC development and chemoresistance. The results of CCK­8 and EdU assay indicated that TBOPP decreased RCC cell viability and proliferation compared with the control group, and sensitized RCC cells to cisplatin. Moreover, RCC cells with high DOCK1 expression levels displayed increased resistance to cisplatin, whereas DOCK1 knockdown enhanced the lethal effects of cisplatin on RCC cells. Furthermore, the results determined by western blotting, CCK­8 and cell apoptosis assay indicated that TBOPP effectively reduced DOCK1 expression levels compared with the control group, and the TBOPP­mediated cisplatin sensitizing effect was mediated by DOCK1 inhibition. The present study suggests that DOCK1 plays a vital role in RCC cell chemoresistance to cisplatin; therefore, TBOPP may serve as a novel therapeutic agent for RCC chemoresistance.

Advantages of Restoring miR-205-3p Expression for Better Prognosis of Gastric Cancer via Prevention of Epithelial-mesenchymal Transition.

PURPOSE: miR-205 is a tumor suppressor and plays an important role in tumor invasiveness. However, the role of miR-205 in human gastric cancer (GC) epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanism of miR-205 in the regulation of EMT in GC invasion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to detect the expression of miR-205 in GC. Further, the correlation between the pathological parameters and prognosis of GC was statistically analyzed. A transwell model was used to evaluate the effect of miR-205-3p on the invasion and migration of GC cells. qPCR, western blotting, and luciferase assay were performed to analyze the relationship and target effects between miR-205-3p and the expression of zinc finger electron box binding homologous box 1 (ZEB1) and 2 (ZEB2). RESULTS: We found that the levels of miR-205-3p were significantly lower (P<0.05) in GC tissues than in matched normal tissues. Additionally, the expression of miR-205-3p was related to the tumor invasion depth, lymph node metastasis, lymph node invasion, and tumor, node, metastasis stage. Patients with lower miR-205-3p expression levels in the tumors had a poorer prognosis. The in vitro assays indicated that miR-205-3p could affect the invasion ability and EMT of GC cells by targeting the expression of both ZEB1 and ZEB2. CONCLUSIONS: miR-205-3p promotes GC progression and affects the prognosis of patients by targeting both ZEB1 and ZEB2 to directly influence EMT.

Near-UV luminescence tomography with an aperture-free meta super oscillatory lens for single molecule detection.

Medical physics offers super oscillatory lenses (SOL) to attain subwavelength focusing for efficient image resolution in the detection of a single molecule. In this paper, we propose a negative-indexed permeability-controlled meta SOL, which restores the light concentration via exciting surface plasmon resonance and enhances luminescence at our region of interest, i.e., fluid sample (${S_L}$SL). The meta SOL is aperture-free in comparison with other techniques (zero-mode waveguides and nano antennas) and hence avoids the constraints, which are posed by nano apertures, to insert a small volume of $ S_L $SL into these nano apertures for detection purposes. The meta SOL is a unique combination of gold split rings mounted on silicon dioxide (${{\rm SiO}_2}$SiO2) substrate and operational in the near-ultraviolet (UV) region. We utilized the phenomena of negative index of refraction, and our simulated trails exploit the magnetic (${\mu _r}$µr) response of the meta SOL by analyzing its transmission spectra in the frequency range from 3.53 to 3.57 Peta Hz. We observe the methodical response of the meta SOL with its ample potential to surpass the resolution at a working wavelength of $\lambda ={84.173}\;{\rm nm}$λ=84.173nm, which enhances luminescence by restoring the evanescent UV magnetic field (${B_{\rm UV}}$BUV) at ${S_L}$SL. This technique will offer a new and easy approach to uplift the efficiency of super oscillatory lenses in the near-UV regime to benefit single molecule detection techniques and thus the novelty.

[Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation for early enteral nutrition tolerance in patients with sepsis of gastrointestinal dysfunction: a multi-center randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the therapeutic effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) combined with conventional western medicine and western medicine alone on early enteral nutrition tolerance in patients with sepsis. METHODS: Forty-nine patients with sepsis were randomly divided into an observation group (24 cases) and a control group (25 cases). The control group was treated with conventional western medicine, including limited fluid resuscitation, anti-infection and maintenance of hemodynamics, and enteral nutrition was provided when the hemodynamics became stable and the dosage of vasoactive drugs was reduced. The observation group, on the basis of the treatment of the control group, was treated with TEAS at Tianshu (ST 25), Shangjuxu (ST 37), Jiexi (ST 41), Diji (SP 8), Zusanli (ST 36), Zhongwan (CV 12) and Daheng (SP 15) when the enteral nutrition was provided (dilatational wave, 2 Hz/10 Hz, twice a day, 30 min each time), and the TEAS stopped when enteral nutrition was normal. The antral motility index (MI) was evaluated by ultrasonography on the first, third and fifth day into treatment in the two groups, and the duration from providing enteral nutrition to normal enteral nutrition was recorded. The acute gastrointestinal injury (AGI) classification, admission time of intensive care unit (ICU) and hospitalization time were compared. RESULTS: The antral MI on the third and fifth day into treatment in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). The duration from providing enteral nutrition to normal enteral nutrition was (5.08±0.65) days in the observation group, which was shorter than (5.56±0.65) days in the control group (P<0.05). The improvement of AGI classification after treatment in the observation group was significantly superior to the control group (P<0.05). The hospitalization time in the observation group was shorter than that in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: TEAS combined with conventional western medicine treatment could significantly promote gastrointestinal peristalsis, improve the early intestinal nutrition tolerance in patients with sepsis, so as to shorten the time of reaching the standard of enteral nutrition and hospitalization time, which is better than conventional western medicine treatment alone.

[Effect of early acupoint electrical stimulation on lower limb muscle strength in patients with septic shock].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of early acupoint electrical stimulation on the decline of lower limbs muscle strength in patients with intensive care unit-acquired weakness (ICU-AW) caused by septic shock. METHODS: A total of 58 patients with ICU-AW caused by septic shock were randomly divided into an observation group (28 cases, 1 case dropped off ) and a control group (30 cases, 2 cases dropped off ). Patients in both groups received routine basic treatment. In the observation group, acupoint electric stimulation therapy was added at Huantiao (GB 30), Futu (ST 32), Zusanli (ST 36), Xuanzhong (GB 39) and Taichong (LR 3). Unilateral point with electrodes were applied, the SDZ-Ⅱ electronic instrument (discontinuous wave, frequency in 2 Hz, strength in 5 mA) was connected and changed to the other side after 30 min of unilateral treatment.The treatment was given 2 times daily, continued for 7 d or until the medical research council (MRC) score being 54 points or more. The changes of lower limb muscle strength MRC score, modified Rankin scale (MRS) score, bilateral quadriceps thickness and gastrocnemius pinnate angle of both groups were observed before treatment and on discharge. The time of admission to ICU, time of hospitalization, mortality during hospitalization, and mortality 28 d after discharge were compared between the two groups. The MRS scores of the two groups were followed up 28 d after discharge. RESULTS: The MRC scores of lower limb muscle strength in the two groups on discharge were higher than those before treatment (P<0.05), and the MRS scores on discharge and 28 d after discharge in the two groups were lower than those before treatment (P<0.05). The MRC scores of lower limb muscle strength on discharge in the observation group were higher than thoes in the control group (P<0.05), and the MRS scores on discharge and 28 d after discharge in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). On discharge, bilateral quadriceps thickness and gastrocnemius pinnate angle in the two groups were increased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), and thoese in the observation group was higher than the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference between the two groups in the time of admission to ICU, time of hospitalization, mortality during hospitalization, and mortality 28 d after discharge (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Early acupoint electrical stimulation can improve the lower extremity muscle decline in patients with ICU-AW caused by septic shock.

Effects of miR-489 targeting on SOX4 gene on proliferation and apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most common malignant tumors found all over the globe. Despite advances in surgery and chemotherapy, the five-year survival rate of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma is still low. It is known that the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells is closely related to the occurrence, development and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. The present work investigates the expression of microRNA-489 (miR-489) in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells and its effect on the biological behavior of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells. METHODS: The expression of miR-489 by fluorescence quantitative PCR detection in 30 patients with hepatoblastoma of liver cancer tissues and adjacent tissues was studied. Also, the determination of hepatoblastoma in four cell lines with different metastatic potential (HR8348, HCT116, HT29 and HEPG2) and the expression of miR-489 during miR-489 simulation process was studied. MTT assay, flow cytometry and Western blot analysis were performed to know the cell proliferation to detect the changes in cell cycle, apoptosis of cells, and SOX4 gene expression respectively. RESULTS: RT-PCR results showed that the cells compared with pre-cancerous tissue, the expression level of miR-489 in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues than in adjacent tissue significantly decreased (P<0.05), and with liver cancer cell metastasis increased (P<0.05); analogue transfection constructed miR-489 overexpressing HEPG2 cell line by microRNA. MTT results showed that miR-489 can inhibit the proliferation of HEPG2 cells, the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05); flow cytometry results showed that miR-489 mimics was transfected into HEPG2 cells at 48 hours had no significant effect on cell cycle distribution (P > 0.05); but miR-489 expression could induce apoptosis, compared with the control group, the apoptosis of miR-489 mimics was significantly increased and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In conclusion, miR-489 can significantly inhibit the occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. The mechanism may be down regulated by the expression of SOX4 and inhibit cell proliferation. Further this study showed that the tumor cells SOX4 gene as a regulatory factor target the genes of miR-489 in hepatocellular carcinoma.