A proteomic study on gastric impairment in rats caused by microcystin-LR.

Microcystins (MCs) are the most common cyanobacterial toxins. Epidemiological investigation showed that exposure to MCs can cause gastro-intestinal symptoms, gastroenteritis and gastric cancer. MCs can also accumulate in and cause histopathological damage to stomach. However, the exact mechanisms by which MCs cause gastric injury were unclear. In this study, Wistar rats were administrated 50, 75 or 100 µg microcystin-LR (MC-LR)/kg, body mass (bm) via tail vein, and histopathology, response of anti-oxidant system and the proteome of gastric tissues at 24 h after exposure were studied. Bleeding of fore-stomach and gastric corpus, inflammation and necrosis in gastric corpus and exfoliation of mucosal epithelial cells in gastric antrum were observed following acute MC-LR exposure. Compared with controls, activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) were significantly greater in gastric tissues of exposed rats, while activities of catalase (CAT) were less in rats administrated 50 µg MC-LR/kg, bm, and concentrations of glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were greater in rats administrated 75 or 100 µg MC-LR/kg, bm. These results indicated that MC-LR could disrupt the anti-oxidant system and cause oxidative stress. The proteomic results revealed that MC-LR could affect expressions of proteins related to cytoskeleton, immune system, gastric functions, and some signaling pathways, including platelet activation, complement and coagulation cascades, and ferroptosis. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that transcriptions of genes for ferroptosis and gastric function were altered, which confirmed results of proteomics. Overall, this study illustrated that MC-LR could induce gastric dysfunction, and ferroptosis might be involved in MC-LR-induced gastric injury. This study provided novel insights into mechanisms of digestive diseases induced by MCs.

Multidimensional analysis to elucidate the possible mechanism of bone metastasis in breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BC) patients tend to suffer from distant metastasis, especially bone metastasis. METHODS: All the analysis based on open-accessed data was performed in R software, dependent on multiple algorithms and packages. The RNA levels of specific genes were detected using quantitative Real-time PCR as a method of detecting the RNA levels. To assess the ability of BC cells to proliferate, we utilized the CCK8 test, colony formation, and the 5-Ethynyl-20-deoxyuridine assay. BC cells were evaluated for invasion and migration by using Transwell assays and wound healing assays. RESULTS: In our study, we identified the molecules involved in BC bone metastasis based on the data from multiple BC cohorts. Then, we comprehensively investigated the effect pattern and underlying biological role of these molecules. We found that in the identified molecules, the EMP1, ACKR3, ITGA10, MMP13, COL11A1, and THY1 were significantly correlated with patient prognosis and mainly expressed in CAFs. Therefore, we explored the CAFs in the BC microenvironment. Results showed that CAFs could activate multiple carcinogenic pathways and most of these pathways play an important role in cancer metastasis. Meanwhile, we noticed the interaction between CAFs and malignant, endothelial, and M2 macrophage cells. Moreover, we found that CAFs could induce the remodeling of the BC microenvironment and promote the malignant behavior of BC cells. Then, we identified MMP13 for further analysis. It was found that MMP13 can enhance the malignant phenotype of BC cells. Meanwhile, biological enrichment and immune infiltration analysis were conducted to present the effect pattern of MMP13 in BC. CONCLUSIONS: Our result can improve the understanding of researchers on the underlying mechanisms of BC bone metastasis.

Association of circulating levels of soluble PD-1, PD-1 gene polymorphisms with HBV infection and HBV infection-associated hepatocellular carcinoma / 中华预防医学杂志

Objective: To investigate the association of circulating sPD-1 level and PD-1 gene polymorphisms with HBV infection and HBV infection-associated hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods: A case-control study was conducted. A total of 237 chronic HBV infection cases and 138 HBV infection-associated hepatocellular carcinoma in the Department of Infectious Diseases of the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from 2018 to 2021 were selected as the case group. About 250 individuals who visited a hospital physical examination center for routine physical examination during the same period were selected as the control group. Plasma sPD-1 levels were measured by using an ELISA kit and genotyping was performed by using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique. The association of sPD-1 levels and PD-1 polymorphisms with HBV infection as well as HBV infection-associated hepatocellular carcinoma was analyzed by using logistic regression models after adjusting for age, sex, alcohol consumption, smoking, ALT and AST levels. The sPD-1 level and PD-1 polymorphisms were independent variables, and HBV infection was the dependent variable. Results: The age of 237 chronic HBV infections, 138 HBV infection-related liver cancer case subjects and 250 control subjects in the study was (49.1±10.8), (51.9±12.7) and (50.7±11.9) years, respectively. Multivariate logistic regression model analysis showed that with a 1 pg/ml increase in sPD-1 level, the OR (95%CI) values for the risk of incident HBV infection cases and HBV hepatocellular carcinoma cases were 1.92 (1.68-2.19) and 2.02 (1.69-2.40). For rs2227981, compared with the CC genotype, the TT genotype had a lower risk of HBV infection and liver cancer associated with HBV infection, with OR (95%CI) values of 0.45 (0.22-0.91) and 0.35 (0.14-0.91). For rs2227982, compared with the CC genotype, the CT and TT genotypes also had a lower risk of HBV infection [OR (95%CI) values of 0.72 (0.53-0.97) and 0.57 (0.35-0.93)] and HBV infection-related liver cancer [OR (95%CI) values of 0.64 (0.45-0.92) and 0.52 (0.29-0.93)]. Conclusions: Plasma sPD-1 levels and PD-1 gene polymorphisms are associated with HBV infection and HBV infection-associated hepatocellular carcinoma.

The AO trauma CPP bone infection registry: Epidemiology and outcomes of Staphylococcus aureus bone infection.

Bone infection represents a serious complication of orthopedic surgery and Staphylococcus aureus is the most common pathogen. To improve the understanding of host-pathogen interaction, we developed a biospecimen registry (AO Trauma CPP Bone Infection Registry) to collect clinical data, bacterial isolates, and serum from patients with S. aureus bone infection. A prospective multinational registry with a 12-month follow-up was created to include adult patients (18 years or older) with culture-confirmed S. aureus infection in long bones after fracture fixation or arthroplasty. Baseline patient attributes and details on infections and treatments were recorded. Blood and serum samples were obtained at baseline, 6, and 12 months. Patient-reported outcomes were collected at 1, 6, and 12 months. Clinical outcomes were recorded. Two hundred and ninety-two patients with fracture-related infection (n = 157, 53.8%), prosthetic joint infection (n = 86, 29.5%), and osteomyelitis (n = 49, 16.8%) were enrolled. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus was detected in 82 patients (28.4%), with the highest proportion found among patients from North American sites (n = 39, 48.8%) and the lowest from Central European sites (n = 18, 12.2%). Patient outcomes improved at 6 and 12 months in comparison to baseline. The SF-36 physical component summary mean (95% confidence interval) score, however, did not reach 50 at 12 months. The cure rate at the end of the study period was 62.1%. Although patients improved with treatment, less than two-thirds were cured in 1 year. At 12-month follow-up, patient-reported outcome scores were worse for patients with methicillin-resistant S. aureus infections.

Study on the iron accumulation-induced bone loss and hematopoietic autophagy dysfunction / 中华内分泌代谢杂志

Objective:Iron accumulation is related to the occurrence of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Meanwhile, autophagy abnormality of bone marrow hematopoietic cells is observed in hip osteoporotic fracture. This study is performed to investigate correlation between iron accumulation induced bone loss and hematopoietic autophagy dysfunction to explore the new risk factor of osteoporosis.Methods:Male iron accumulation mice model was established by intraperitoneally injecting ferric ammonium citrate. Serum ferritin and osteogenic indicator P1NP were tested by ELISA. Bone mineral density was measured by micro-CT. Femur and tibia bone marrows were collected for hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells proportion and cell apoptosis analysis. Autolysosome formation was measured by image flow cytometry. We used conditional mouse model Atg7 flox/flox; Vav-Cre(Atg7 -/-) in which Atg7 had been genetically deleted in the hematopoietic system. Bone marrow hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells were collected for RNA sequence. micro-CT scan was conducted for Atg7 -/- femur. Results:Ferritin level of iron accumulation mice was significantly higher than control group( P<0.05). Iron accumulation inhibited P1NP and induced decreased bone mineral density( P<0.05). Iron accumulation bone marrow displayed enhanced hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells proportion( P<0.05), with more cell apoptosis( P<0.05). Hematopoietic autophagy was deteriorated in iron accumulation bone marrow. Transcriptomic profiling showed up-regulation of iron activity in Atg7 -/- mice, with increased iron homeostasis and iron membrane transporter genes, including Lcn2, Tfr2, Slc40a1(Fpn1), Steap3, and Cpox. micro-CT revealed severe bone loss and decreased bone mineral density in Atg7 -/- mice( P<0.05). Conclusion:Iron accumulation induced bone loss is related to inhibition of hematopoietic cells. Hematopoietic autophagy dysfunction is associated with bone loss.

All-inside arthroscopic repair of anterior talofibular ligament for chronic lateral ankle instability / 中华创伤骨科杂志

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of all-inside arthroscopic repair of anterior talofibular ligament(ATFL) for chronic lateral ankle instability(CLAI).Methods From October 2016 to September 2017,19 patients with CLAI were treated with all-inside arthroscopic repair of ATFL at Department of Orthopaedic Surgery,Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital and Department of Foot and Ankle Surgery,Guangzhou Orthopaedic Hospital.They were 12 men and 7 women,aged from 18 to 35 years(mean,27.3 years).Their defective ATFLs had no effective tension.After the fibular foot-print zone of ATFL was refreshed,an absorbable anchor was inserted accurately and its suture was threaded into the remnant of ATFL using the all-inside arthroscopic technique.The remnant of ATFL was fixated by the suture using Lasso-Loop method and anatomically repaired into the foot-print zone to restore the ligamentous tension.The American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgery Society(AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score,Karlsson ankle function score,Tegner activity score and visual analogue scale(VAS) were used to assess funtion of ankle before and after operation.Results All the 19 patients were followed up for a mean time of 15.6 months(from 12 to 22 months).Their ankle symptoms were all relieved after operation;their ankles recovered fine range of motion;their anterior drawer tests and varus stress tests were negative.Their preoperative AOFAS scores(64.6±11.4),Karlsson ankle function scores(63.5±11.4),Tegner activity scores(3.2±0.7) and VAS(5.8±1.7) were significantly improved at the final follow-up(92.3±3.2,91.2±4.4,5.7±0.6 and 1.4±1.0,respectively)(P<0.05).complications such as incision and articular infections,superficial peroneal nerve injury,sural nerve injury and iatrogenic fracture were not demonstrated in the cohort.By the final follow-up,no patient had been found who needed a secondary revision.Conclusions The all-inside arthroscopic repair of ATFL can be used effectively and safely for CLAI,because it leads to accurate anchor insertion,anatomic repair,limited invasion,and reliable restoration of ligamentous tension.To avoid complications,surgeons should familiarize themselves with arthroscopic procedures.

Efficacy evaluation of arthroscopic Brostr(o)m-Gould procedure for chronic lateral ankle instability / 中华创伤杂志

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of arthroscopic Brostr(o)m-Gould procedure for chronic lateral ankle instability (CLAI).Methods A retrospective case series study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 36 CLAI patients admitted to Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital,Second Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University,Institute of Orthopedics of Soochow University,and Guangzhou Orthopedic Hospital from August 2016 to July 2017.There were 21 males (21 ankles) and 15 females (15 ankles),aged 18-42 years [(26.5 ± 8.6)years].The duration from injury to operation ranged from 6 to 30 months [(10.8-± 1.6) months].All patients received arthroscopic Brostr(o)m-Gould procedure (anterior talofibular ligament repair,capsular constriction,subextensor ligament reinforcement).The operation time and arthroscopic intra-articular lesions and treatment were recorded,and the wound healing and complications were recorded.The visual analogue score (VAS),front drawer test and varus stress test results,American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Surgery Society (AOFAS) ankle-hind foot score and Karlsson-Peterson ankle function score were compared before operation,6 weeks after operation and at the last follow-up.Results All 36 patients were followed up for 18-29 months [(20.5 ±6.3) months].The operation time ranged from 45 to 115 minutes [(67.2 ± 18.6) minutes].During the operation,synovitis hyperplasia of ankle joint was found in 35 patients,scar tissue around ligament in 32,talus cartilage injury in 10,osteophyte in 19 and free body in 5,all of which were treated accordingly.All incisions were healed in the first stage after operation,without joint infection,superficial sural nerve injury or thread stimulation.The ankle varus was slightly limited in two patients after operation and improved after functional rehabilitation.No revision operation was needed at the last follow-up.Front drawer test and inverted stress test results were negative (-).The VAS score was (5.9 ± 1.6) points before operation,(1.9 ± 1.0) points at 6 weeks after operation,and (1.6 ± 0.3) points at the last follow-up,with significant difference compared with that before operation (P ＜ 0.01).The AOFAS ankle-hind foot score was (67.4 ± 7.4) points before operation,(89.2 ±4 6.8) points at 6 weeks after operation,and (91.7 ±5.3)points at the last follow-up,with significant difference compared with that before operation (P ＜ 0.01).Karlsson-Peterson ankle function score was (65.3 ± 9.6)points before operation,(88.6 ± 5.3) points at 6 weeks after operation,and (90.6 ± 3.8) points at the last follow-up,with significant difference compared with that before operation (P ＜ 0.0 1).Conclusion For CLAI,the arthroscopic Brostr(o)m-Gould procedure can treat the intra-articular lesions and reliably restore the stability of the lateral ankle.At the same time,quick motion recovery can be achieved,with satisfactory shortterm curative effect.

[Comparation of Toxic Effect of Silicious Mineral Dusts on Lung Epithelial A549 Cells].

Considering the high contents of minerals and the potential health risk of mineral dusts to human and the environment, this paper was aimed to figure out the toxic effect and mechanism of four common mineral particles (quartz, albite, sericite, and montmorillonite). Cytotoxicity assays for cell viability (MTT assay), membrane integrity (LDH assay), oxidative stress (H2O2 assay) and inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6 assay) were applied. The results showed the influence of these mineral particles on A549 cell viability followed the order of momtmorillonite > cericite≥quartz > albite. There was no obvious relation between cell viability and the content of SiO2, however, good linear correlation with the content of iron, and the cytotoxicity of mineral dusts was strengthened with increasing iron content. Mineral dusts generated H2O2 in cell or cell-free systems. In particular, H2O2 exhibited a linear correlation with the iron content, which meant that iron in the mineral dusts played an important role in the generation of reactive radical. Among those samples, oxidative stress induced by montmorillonite was distinctly stronger, while there was negligible influence induced by quartz and albite. Besides, all the tested samples induced damage to A549 cell membrane, and triggered the release of TNF-α or IL-6, but differed by the kinds of mineral dusts. In conclusion, composition and structure directly affected, but were not the only factors that contributed to the biological activity of mineral dusts, the evaluation of cell viability, membrane damage, free radicals and inflammatory reaction induced by mineral dusts should take the external morphology, surface active groups, solubility, adsorption and ion exchange properties into consideration.

Case control study on clinical effects of arthroscopic treatment for stenosing tenosynovitis of radial styloid process / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the clinical effect of arthroscopic treatment for stenosing tenosynovitis of radial styloid process.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ninety nine patients diagnosed as stenosing tenosynovitis of radial styloid process from August, 2009 to July, 2013 were divided into three groups, including arthroscopic treatment group(32 cases), traditional operation group (34 cases) and local blocking therapy group(33 cases). Ache, tenderness, swollen situations and movement degrees of wrist joints and thumbs were observed before treatment and one week and one month after treatment. Total effective rates were calculated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Pain score of the wrist and thumb in activity state was lower in arthroscopic treatment group and traditional operation group than that in local blocking therapy group one week and one month after treatment(=0.044, 0.039). Local pain score was lower in arthroscopic treatment group and traditional operation group than that in local blocking therapy group one month after treatment(=0.017). The total symptom score was lower in arthroscopic treatment group and traditional operation group than that in local blocking therapy group one week and one month after treatment(=0.007, 0.015). The effective rates one week after treatment in arthroscopic treatment group, traditional operation group and local blocking therapy group were respectively 96.9%, 94.1% and 84.8%, without significant differences(=0.213). The effective rates one month after treatment in these three groups were respectively 93.8%, 97.1% and 72.7%, with significant differences(=0.006).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Compared with traditional operation and local blocking therapy, arthroscopic treatment has certain effects for the treatment of stenosing tenosynovitis of radial styloid process, with less operation trauma and complications, and it is worthy of clinical promotion.</p>

Construction and analysis of the cDNA subtraction library of yeast and mycelial phases of Sporothrix globosa isolated in China: identification of differentially expressed genes.

Species included in the Sporothrix schenckii complex are temperature-dependent with dimorphic growth and cause sporotrichosis that is characterized by chronic and fatal lymphocutaneous lesions. The putative species included in the Sporothrix complex are S. brasiliensis, S. globosa, S. mexicana, S. pallida, S. schenckii, and S. lurei. S. globosa is the causal agent of sporotrichosis in China, and its pathogenicity appears to be closely related to the dimorphic transition, i.e. from the mycelial to the yeast phase, it adapts to changing environmental conditions. To determine the molecular mechanisms of the switching process that mediates the dimorphic transition of S. globosa, suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) was used to prepare a complementary DNA (cDNA) subtraction library from the yeast and mycelial phases. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to profile the relationship between differently expressed genes and the dimorphic transition. Two genes that were expressed at higher levels by the yeast form were selected, and their differential expression levels were verified using a quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). It is believed that these differently expressed genes are involved in the pathogenesis of S. globosa infection in China.

Global Gene Expression Profile of the Hippocampus in a Rat Model of Vascular Dementia.

Vascular dementia (VD) has been one of the most serious public health problems worldwide. It is well known that cerebral hypoperfusion is the key pathophysiological basis of VD, but it remains unclear how global genes in hippocampus respond to cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. In this study, we aimed to reveal the global gene expression profile in the hippocampus of VD using a rat model. VD was induced by repeated occlusion of common carotid arteries followed by reperfusion. The rats with VD were characterized by deficit of memory and cognitive function and by the histopathological changes in the hippocampus, such as a reduction in the number and the size of neurons accompanied by an increase in intercellular space. Microarray analysis of global genes displayed up-regulation of 7 probesets with genes with fold change more than 1.5 (P < 0.05) and down-regulation of 13 probesets with genes with fold change less than 0.667 (P < 0.05) in the hippocampus. Gene Ontology (GO) and pathway analysis showed that the up-regulated genes are mainly involved in oxygen binding and transport, autoimmune response and inflammation, and that the down-regulated genes are related to glucose metabolism, autoimmune response and inflammation, and other biological process, related to memory and cognitive function. Thus, the abnormally expressed genes are closely related to oxygen transport, glucose metabolism, and autoimmune response. The current findings display global gene expression profile of the hippocampus in a rat model of VD, providing new insights into the molecular pathogenesis of VD.

Yifei Xuanfei Jiangzhuo formula, a Chinese herbal decoction, improves memory impairment through inhibiting apoptosis and enhancing PKA/CREB signal transduction in rats with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion.

Apoptosis and the dysfunction of the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)/protein kinase A (PKA)/cAMP-responsive element binding protein (CREB) signaling pathway have a key role in memory impairment in vascular dementia (VaD), a challenging clinical problem. Yifei Xuanfei Jiangzhuo formula (YXJF), a Chinese herbal decoction, has been used to treat VaD in clinical practice and has produced positive outcomes; however, convincing evidence is currently lacking. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of YXJF on memory impairment in rats with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion and to explore the underlying mechanism. YXJF ameliorated memory impairment in rats with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion, inhibited hippocampal apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner and attenuated increases in the protein expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2)-associated X protein as well as c-Jun and a reduction in Bcl-2 protein expression in the hippocampal tissue of the rats. Furthermore, administration of YXJF significantly increased the protein expression of PKA C-α and CREB, and promoted CREB phosphorylation. The results indicated that YXJF improves memory impairment through inhibiting apoptosis and enhancing PKA/CREB signal transduction in rats with cerebral ischemia/reperfusion.

Noise monitoring and adverse health effects in residents in different functional areas of Luzhou, China.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the noise pollution situation and the resulting adverse effect on residents' health in Luzhou, China, to provide data for noise pollution prevention policies and interventions. Four different functional areas (commercial, construction, residential, and transportation hub areas) were chosen to monitor noise level for 3 months. The survey was performed by questionnaire on the spot on randomly selected individuals; it collected data on the impact of noise on residents' health (quality of sleep, high blood pressure, subjective feeling of nervous system damage, and attention) as well as the knowledge of noise-induced health damage, the degree of adaptation to noise, and their solutions. The noise levels of residential, commercial, transportation, and construction areas exceeded the national standards (P < .001). Sleep quality, prevalence of hypertension, and attention in transportation hub areas were significantly different from those in the other 3 areas (P < .05); only 24.46% of people knew the health hazards associated with noise; 64.57% of residents have adapted to the current noise environment. Most of them have to close the doors and windows to reduce noise. The noise pollution situation in Luzhou, China, is serious, especially the traffic noise pollution. Residents pay less attention to it and adopt single measures to reduce the noise. We should work toward the prevention and control of traffic noise and improve the residents' awareness to reduce the adverse health effects of noise.

Diagnosis and treatment of mandibular osteomyelitis in localized scleroderma of the craniofacial region / 实用口腔医学杂志

A case of localized scleroderma associated with mandibular osteomyelitis is reported.The formation mechanism of the case is a-nalysised according to clinical characteristics and literature data.

Case-control study on superior labrum from anterior to posterior repair and biceps tenodesis for the treatment of type II SLAP injury / 中国骨伤

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To compare clinical outcomes of superior labrum from anterior to posterior (SLAP) repair and biceps tenodesis in treating type I SLAP injury.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>From March 2009 to March 2012, 38 patients with type II SLAP injury were treated with SLAP repair and biceps tenodesis, and all patients were unilateral SLAP injury. Sixteen patients treated with biceps tenodesis included 8 males and 7 females with an average age of (49.3±3.7) years old (ranged, 45 to 54); 10 cases were on the left side and 6 cases on the right side; 10 cases were caused by falling down, 2 cases were caused by throwing damage and 4 cases were caused by daily life damage; the time from injury to operation were from 3 to 8 weeks. Twenty-two patients treated with SLAP repair included 14 males and 8 females with an average age of (49.0±2.8) years old (ranged, 44 to 56); 13 cases were on the left side and 9 cases were on the right side; 14 cases were caused by falling down, 5 cases were caused by throwing damage and 3 cases were caused by daily life damage; the time from injury to operation were from 3 to 7 weeks. Preoperative, postoperative at 6 months, 1 year and 2 years' UCLA and SST score were compared between two groups.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>There was no significant differences in UCLA and SST score between two groups before operation. At 6 months after operation, UCLA and SST score in biceps tenodesis group was higher than SLAP group, and action,range of anteflexion, strength of anteflexion, degree of satisfaction in biceps tenodesis group was higher than SLAP group. There was no significant meaning in SST and UCLA score between two groups at 1 and 2 years after operation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Short-term efficacy of biceps tenodesis for SLAP injury is better than SLAP repair, but long-term efficacy is fairly.</p>

Is CD133 expression a prognostic biomarker of non-small-cell lung cancer? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The clinical and prognostic significance of CD133 in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains controversial. To clarify a precise determinant of the clinical significance of CD133, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the association of CD133 with prognosis and clinicopathological features of NSCLC patients. METHODS: The electronic and manual searches were performed through the database of Pubmed, Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, and Chinese CNKI (from January 1, 1982 to January 1, 2014) for titles and abstracts by using the following keywords: "CD133", "ac133" or "Prominin-1", and "lung cancer" to identify the studies eligible for our analysis. Meta-analysis was performed by using Review Manager 5.0 and the outcomes included the overall survival and various clinicopathological features. RESULTS: A total of 23 studies were finally included, and our results showed that CD133 level was significantly correlated with the overall survival (OR = 2.25, 95% CI: 1.24-4.07, P = 0.008) of NSCLC patients but not with the disease free survival (OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 0.77-2.30, P = 0.31). With respect to clinicopathological features, CD133 level was positively correlated with lymph node metastasis (OR = 1.99, 95%CI = 1.06-3.74, P = 0.03), but not correlated with the histological classification (OR = 1.00, 95%CI = 0.81-1.23, P = 0.99(ac), OR = 0.87, 95%CI = 0.61-1.24, P = 0.45(sc)), or differentiation (OR = 0.94, 95%CI 0.53-1.68, Z = 0.20, P = 0.84 random-effect) of NSCLC patients. CONCLUSION: High level of CD133 expression trends to correlate with a worse prognosis and a higher rate of lymph node metastasis in NSCLC patients, revealing CD133 as a potential pathological prognostic marker for NSCLC patients.

Acupuncturists and their academic contributions in Lingnan area: a review / 中国针灸

The academic thoughts of Lingnan acupuncture and moxibustion have been an essential part of Lingnan medicine. By exploration and arrangement of Lingnan medicine and books, journals and literatures regarding acupuncture and moxibustion, the ancient and modern acupuncturists and their academic contributions in Lingnan area were reviewed. As a result, the number of Lingnan acupuncturists and their works was low before Qing Dynasty, while from the Republic of China era to People's Republic of China, a considerable amount of acupuncturists emerged with quite a lot of works. By exploration and arrangement of Lingnan acupuncturists and their works and academic opinion, the acupuncture-moxibustion school characterized by Lingnan could be formed and developed.

Arthroscopic 360° denervation for knee osteoarthritis: a report of 85 cases / 中华创伤杂志

Objective To compare the curative effect of 360° arthroscopic denervation and routine arthroscopic debridement in treatment of knee osteoarthritis.Methods A total of 85 patients were included in the study after excluding the 5 follow-up dropout among the 90 patients with knee osteoarthritis treated between May 2006 and May 2011.Subsequently,the odd and even quality of the mantissa of admission number was used to determine the groups:Group A,42 patients underwent routine arthroscopic debridement; Group B,43 patients underwent arthroscopic debridement plus 360 degree denervation.Traumatic and degenerative arthritis occurred in 30 and 55 patients respectively.There were 34 male and 51 female patients whose mean age was 63 years (range,52-73 years).Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC),MOS item short from health survey (SF-36),and visual analogue score (VAS) were compared between the two groups before and after operation.Results WOMAC score and SF-36 score of the two groups improved after surgery.At postoperative 6 months,12 months,and 24 months,WOMAC in Group B scored 81.0,78.5,and 82.4 respectively,lower than 86.8,83.8,and 91.7 in Group A (P ＜ 0.05) ; SF-36 in group B scored 47.4,46.3,and 44.4 respectively,higher than 43.9,41.4,and 39.5 in group A (P ＜ 0.05).At postoperative 1 week,VAS of group B was 1.6 points,lower than 2.6 points in group A (P ＜ 0.05).There was no statistical difference between the two groups in postoperative swelling of joint (P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions According to the area involved in knee osteoarthritis and characteristics of innervation of knee joint synovium,arthroscopic 360° denervation provides thorough debridement and removes as many innervation of knee joint synovium.Arthroscopic 360° denervation is superior to the routine arthroscopic debridement in improvement and duration of the symptoms.

Effect of combination therapy with alginate dressing and mouse epidermal growth factor on epidermal stem cells in patients with refractory wounds / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>The aim of this research was to determine the efficacy of combination therapy using an alginate dressing and mouse epidermal growth factor (mEGF) on proliferation and differentiation of epidermal stem cells (ESCs) in patients with refractory wounds.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighteen patients (12 males and 6 females, aged from 18 to 61 years (mean 36.4 years)) with various skin wounds, were treated by dressing changing for one month. The wounds were located in the foot (11), calf (3), thigh (2) and forearm (2). The patients were randomly divided into 3 groups: alginate dressing and mEGF (group A; n = 6), mEGF (group B; n = 6) and control (group C; n = 6). Wound closure indexes were measured at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. Samples were harvested for pathologic examination, at 7 and 14 days following treatment. Cytokeratin 10 (CK10) and cytokeratin 15 (CK15) positive cells were evaluated using the super-sensitivity (SP) immunohistochemical staining technique.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Wound healing was promoted in groups A and B. In group A, the wound closure index was increased significantly (P < 0.05), and in one case the maximum cure area reached 102 cm(2). Pathological examination identified a thicker epidermis, active angiogenesis and enhanced granulation in group A compared with groups B and C. Using the SP immunohistochemical staining technique, we showed that ESCs in group A were bigger in size and larger in number than in groups B and C. Overall, there was a significant difference in ESCs proliferation and differentiation between group A and group B (or C).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Combination therapy using an alginate dressing and mEGF shows increased proliferation and differentiation of ESCs in patients with refractory wounds compared with those treated with mEGF alone.</p>