Relative quantitation of chiral thiol compounds labeled based on isotope novel mass spectrometry probes: Monitoring of the dynamic changes of chiral thiol compounds in human urine during normal, exercise, and rest recovery states.

Monitoring changes in the content of chiral thiol compounds in the human body is crucial for the early diagnosis of oxidative stress-related diseases and the exploration of their pathogenesis. To address this, we synthesized a novel isotope mass spectrometry (MS) probe, denoted as (R)-(5-(3-isothiocyanato (13C) pyrrolidin-1-yl)-5-oxopentyl) triphenylphosphonium (N13CS-OTPP), with triphenylphosphine as its parent structure. In this study, we established a new ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLCHRMS) relative quantitative method to monitor chiral thiol compounds in human urine under varying oxidative stress conditions. This method relies on the ratio of 12C/13C isotope-labeled peak areas. To assess the chiral separation efficiency of N13CS-OTPP, we employed three types of thiol compounds (D/L-GSH, D/L-Cys, and D/L-Hcy) and observed separation degrees (Rs) ranging from 1.82 to 1.89. We further validated the accuracy and feasibility of our relative quantitative methods using D/L-Cys-as a model compound. N12C/13CS-OTPP-Cys-exhibited excellent linearity (R2 = 0.9993-0.9994) across different molar ratios (D/L-Cys = 10:1, 4:1, 2:1, 1:1, 1:2, 1:4, 1:10) and achieved a low limit of detection (LOD) of 2.5 fmol. Additionally, we monitored the dynamic changes in urine D/L-Cys-and D/L-Hcy ratios in 12 healthy volunteers (six males and six females) under various oxidative stress states. We generated fitting curves and investigated the trends in chiral thiol compounds in vivo. This study introduces a novel method for the relative quantitative monitoring of chiral thiol compounds in different oxidative stress states within the human body. It also presents a new strategy for understanding the pathogenesis of related diseases resulting from the abnormal metabolism of thiol compounds.

Shinjulactone A Blocks Vascular Inflammation and the Endothelial-Mesenchymal Transition.

Objective: The endothelial inflammatory response plays an important role in atherogenesis by inducing nuclear factor (NF)κB-dependent cell adhesion molecule expression and monocyte recruitment. Here, we screened for natural ligands and investigated the ability of shinjulactone A to inhibit interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß)-induced endothelial inflammatory signaling. Methods: The natural compound library included 880 single compounds isolated from medicinal plants by the Korean Medicinal Material Bank. Primary endothelial cells were pretreated with single compounds before stimulation with IL-1ß to induce endothelial inflammation. Endothelial inflammation was measured by assaying NFκB activation and monocyte adhesion. The endothelial-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) was evaluated using cell type-specific marker protein expression and morphology. Results: Shinjulactone A was identified as an efficient blocker of IL-1ß -induced NFκB activation, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration of approximately 1 µM, and monocyte recruitment in endothelial cells. However, it did not affect lipopolysaccharide-induced NFκB activation in macrophages. Compared to Bay 11-782, a well-known NFκB inhibitor that shows considerable cytotoxicity during long-term treatment, shinjulactone A did not affect endothelial cell viability. Furthermore, it also significantly inhibited the EndMT, which is known to promote atherosclerosis and plaque instability. Conclusion: We suggest that shinjulactone A may be an effective and safe drug candidate for atherosclerosis because it targets and inhibits both endothelial inflammation and the EndMT, without impairing NFκB-dependent innate immunity in macrophages.

Effects of multi-scale landscape pattern changes on seasonal water quality: a case study of the Tumen River Basin in China.

Landscape patterns affect river water quality by influencing hydrological processes. However, with changes in spatial scale and season, landscape factors may have different effects on water pollution. Therefore, quantitative analysis of the scale effect of each landscape index was carried out to determine the mutation point of river water quality and its index relationship, which is of great significance to landscape planning and water quality protection. Based on the water quality monitoring data of 19 sampling points in the Tumen River Basin, we used redundant methods to quantify the spatial scale effects and seasonal dependencies of various landscape indicators on river water quality, then determined the mutation point of the water quality along the landscape-scale gradient. The results showed that different types of landscape indicators have different effects on river water quality, and the spatial-scale effect of landscape composition affects a river's water quality, while landscape configuration indicators had the highest sensitivity. The landscape characteristics of river straps better explained the overall water quality, a phenomenon that is more obvious in the wet season than the dry season. We identified a key landscape indicator of urban area proportion (Urban%) and a contagion index (CONTAG) as the river strap scale. An Urban% < 30% and a CONTAG > 70% suggest effective landscape planning parameters that effectively protect water quality. The results indicated that, to protect water quality, landscape regulation should follow scale-adaptability measures and consider landscape thresholds, which cause abrupt changes in water quality.

Evaluation of nuclear PGAM2 value in hepatocellular carcinoma prognosis.

Phosphoglycerate mutase (PGAM) is a critical enzyme in glycolysis. PGAM2 is abundant in several types of tissues and malignant tumours. However, there is limited information regarding their clinicopathological significance in dysplastic nodules and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aims to investigate the prognostic value of PGAM2 as a new biomarker for HCC. The PGAM2 expression level was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in liver cirrhosis (n = 10), low-grade dysplastic nodules (n = 15), high-grade dysplastic nodules (n = 15) and HCCs (n = 20) and 178 pairs of HCC and adjacent peritumoral liver tissues. We selected X-tile software for counting cut-point based on the outcomes for prognosis analysis, and used Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression analysis can assess the prognosis of clinicopathologic parameters. Nuclear PGAM2 was significantly overexpressed in peritumoral liver tissues compared with HCC tissues (P = 0.0010). Kaplan-Meier analyses of 178 HCC samples revealed that nuclear PGAM2's high expression level, but not cytoplasmic PGAM2, was significantly related to good overall survival rate (OS). In addition, univariate and multivariate Cox analyses indicated nuclear PGAM2 expression could be regarded as valuable predictors for OS in HCC. PGAM2 was highly expressed in HCC tissues than liver cirrhosis tissues, and nuclear PGAM2's high expression might demonstrate HCC patients have poor postoperative results. Thus, nuclear PGAM2 can be regarded as valuable predictors for OS in HCC patients after surgery.

Diffuse nutrient export dynamics from accumulated litterfall in forested watersheds with remote sensing data coupled model.

Nutrients exported from forest litterfall significantly contribute to the global cycling of elements and the water quality in watersheds. Simulating the watershed discharge load is challenging because of the combined effects of the decomposing litterfall and topographic heterogeneity. We quantified the contribution of diffuse nutrient export from forest litterfall in a low temperature watershed using artificial rainfall experiments and watershed territorial modeling with remote sensing data, and therefore, the critical spatial factors and corresponding nutrient export dynamics were identified. Rainfall intensity and terrain slope were found to be the key factors for nutrient export under different litterfall decomposition conditions. Based on the moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer data and field observations, the temporal patterns of litterfall biomass of two types of dominant forests (broad-leaved and mixed) were interpreted. The spatial patterns of total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) exports from watershed litterfall were simulated by coupling the observed discharge parameters under artificial rainfall conditions and watershed surface flow modeling with the hydrological characteristics of the forested areas. The average watershed TOC, TN, and TP loads exported from the litterfall were approximately 58.22, 7.89, and 0.37 kg ha-1 a-1, respectively. The exported loads of TOC, TN, and TP varied with the forest types, and the loads from the litterfall of deciduous broad-leaved forest were found to be ∼50-70% of loads from the litterfall of mixed forest. A comparison with similar studies worldwide also indicated that low temperature decreased the litterfall decomposition rate and diffuse nutrient export. This study indicated that litterfall nutrients were a key contributor to watershed water pollution, and their spatial discharge trend varied intensively with the terrestrial conditions. The modified simulation methods were found to accurately assess the cycling of nutrients from the forest litterfall on a watershed scale.

Cerebral pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma mimicking inflammatory granuloma: Two case reports.

RATIONALE: Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma (PXA) is a rare low-grade glial neoplasm of the central nervous system, which is difficult to distinguish from other neoplastic and non-neoplastic entities. Herein, we report 2 cases of PXA that had been misdiagnosed as an inflammatory granuloma. PATIENT CONCERNS: The first case was a 22-year-old man who originally presented with a generalized seizure 7 years previously. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a lesion in the right parietal lobe, leading to a diagnosis of inflammatory granuloma. The second case was a 43-year-old man who presented with repeated generalized seizures. MRI revealed a nodular lesion in the left temporal lobe. The magnetic resonance spectrum showed elevated Cho and NAA peaks and a decreased Cr peak. An inflammatory granuloma was suspected. DIAGNOSIS: After surgical treatment, histopathological examination revealed PXA. INTERVENTIONS: In the first case, after 10 months of anti-inflammatory treatment, the lesion was significantly reduced in size. During the following 7 years, the patient experienced generalized seizures 3 to 4 times annually. To control intractable epilepsy, the lesion was resected. In the second case, conservative treatment provided no benefit, and then the lesion was resected. OUTCOMES: In the first case, during a follow-up period of 14 months, the patient was seizure-free with no tumor recurrence. In the second case, after a 6 months of follow-up, the patient remained seizure-free with no tumor recurrence. LESSONS: The preoperative differential diagnosis of PXA is challenging due to the nonspecific symptoms and imaging manifestations. Considering the potential risk of malignant transformation of PXA, early surgery should be highlighted, and gross total resection is associated with a favorable prognosis.

Propofol facilitates climbing fiber-Purkinje cell synaptic transmission via NMDA receptor in vitro in mice.

Propofol is generally used for the induction and maintenance of anesthesia in clinical procedures via activation of γ -aminobutyric acid A (GABAA) receptors. When administered at the clinical dose, propofol use is associated with movement disorders, including dystonia and ataxia, suggesting that propofol administration impacts the function of cerebellar neuronal circuitry. In this study, we investigated the effect of propofol on climbing fiber (CF)-Purkinje cell (PC) synaptic transmission in mouse cerebellar slices in the absence of GABAergic inhibition using a whole-cell recording technique and pharmacological methods. Our results showed that bath application of propofol enhanced CF-PC synaptic transmission, which was demonstrated by an increased amplitude and area under the curve (AUC) of the excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) accompanied by a decrease in the paired-pulse ratio (PPR). The propofol-induced increase in the amplitude of P1 was concentration-dependent with a half effective concentration (EC50) of 20.9 µM. The propofol-induced increases in the amplitude and AUC of CF-PC EPSCs were abolished by an N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor blocker. Furthermore, the application of NMDA enhanced CF-PC EPSCs and overwhelmed the effect of propofol on CF-PC EPSCs. Moreover, intracellular blockade of NMDA receptors attenuated the propofol-induced enhancement of CF-PC synaptic transmission but strengthened the propofol-induced change in the PPR. These results indicate that propofol enhances CF-PC synaptic transmission by activation of NMDA receptors in the mouse cerebellar cortex, suggesting that propofol administration might be involved in propofol-induced dysfunction of the cerebellum via NMDA receptors.

The clinical significance of lipopolysaccharide binding protein in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP) has been reported to be associated with prognosis in colorectal carcinoma and renal cell carcinoma; however, the clinical significance of LBP in human primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is inconclusive. We aimed to investigate the clinical significance and prognostic value of LBP in human primary HCC. In the present study, 346 patients with HCC who underwent curative resection were retrospectively analyzed. LBP protein expression was evaluated using western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. LBP scores collected from immunohistochemical analysis were obtained by multiplying staining intensity and the percentage of positive cells. An outcome-based best cutoff-point was calculated by X-tile software. Moreover, Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regressions were used for prognosis evaluation. LBP was frequently overexpressed in HCC compared with that in peritumor tissues (five pairs by western blot analysis, P=0.0533; 77 pairs by immunohistochemistry, P=0.0171), and LBP expression was positively associated with tumor-node-metastasis stage and tumor differentiation. Patients who had high LBP expression had decreased overall survival and time to recurrence compared with patients with low LBP expression. Furthermore, patients who were both serum α-fetoprotein positive and had high LBP expression had poor prognoses. Univariate and multivariate Cox analyses indicated that this combination was an independent prognostic factor [overall survival: Hazard ratio (HR), 1.458; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.158-1.837; P=0.001; time to recurrence: HR,1.382; 95% Cl, 1.124-1.700; P=0.002]. In conclusion, LBP is highly expressed in HCC, and high LBP expression combined with serum α-fetoprotein may predict poor outcomes in patients with HCC following curative resection.

The removal of Rhodamine B by H2O2 or ClO2 combined with hydrodynamic cavitation.

Rhodamine B (RhB), widely used as an industrial dye, is a toxic organic that is hazardous to human health and can cause water pollution. In this study, the removal rate of RhB was investigated by the following methods: hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) operated individually, and HC combined with oxidants H2O2 or ClO2. The effect of different operating parameters including pressure (2-6 bar) and initial pH (2-8) on the extent of degradation was investigated using an orifice plate as the cavitation device to achieve maximum removal of RhB. Under the parameters of HC, the effect of different loadings was investigated: H2O2 (n(RhB):n(H2O2) was varied from 1:17.60 to 1:211.28) and ClO2 (n(RhB):n(ClO2) was varied from 1:8.87 to 1:177.53). A combination of cavitation and H2O2 or ClO2 resulted in degradations of 80.6% and 95.3%. The results indicated that the combination of HC and oxidants was better than the individual HC process for the degradation of RhB. When combining HC with H2O2 or ClO2, the synergistic coefficients of 62.54 and 74.79 were obtained. The combination of HC and ClO2 was proven to be more effective for the removal of RhB compared to HC alone and the hybrid process of HC and H2O2.

Correlation between three-dimensional medial longitudinal arch joint complex mobility and medial arch angle in stage II posterior tibial tendon dysfunction.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate correlation between three-dimensional medial longitudinal arch joint complex mobility and medial arch angle in stage II posterior tibial tendon dysfunction flatfoot under loading. METHODS: CT scans of 15 healthy feet and 15 feet with stage II posterior tibial tendon dysfunction flatfoot were taken both in non- and simulated weight-bearing condition. The CT images of the hindfoot and medial longitudinal arch bones were reconstructed into three-dimensional models with Mimics and Geomagic reverse engineering software. The three-dimensional complex mobility of each joint in the medial longitudinal arch and their correlation with the medial arch angle change were calculated. RESULTS: From non- to simulated weight-bearing condition, the medial arch angle change and the medial longitudinal arch joints mobility were significant larger in stage II posterior tibial tendon dysfunction flatfoot (p<0.05). The eversion of the talocalcaneal joint, the proximal translation of the calcaneus relative to the talus, the dorsiflexion of the talonavicular joint, the dorsiflexion and abduction of the medial cuneonavicular joint, and the lateral translation of the medial cuneiform relative to the navicular, and the dorsiflexion of the first tarsometatarsal joint were all significantly correlated to the medial arch angle change in stage II posterior tibial tendon dysfunction flatfoot (all r>0.5, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There is increased mobility in the medial longitudinal arch joints in stage II posterior tibial tendon dysfunction flatfoot and the medial arch angle change under loading causes displacement not only at hindfoot joints but also involve midfoot and forefoot joint.

Mechanisms of Etomidate-Mediated Decrease of Spontaneous Spike Activity of Mouse Cerebellar Purkinje Cells in vivo.

Etomidate is an imidazole, nonbarbiturate hypnotic agent that is increasingly used in procedural sedation. However, the effects of etomidate on the spontaneous activity of cerebellar Purkinje cells (PCs) in living mouse have not been fully understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of etomidate on the spontaneous simple spike (SS) activity of PCs in urethane-anesthetized mice by cell-attached recording and pharmacological methods. Cerebellar surface application of etomidate (50 µmol\L) reduced the SS firing rate in a concentration-dependent manner (IC50: 43.4 µmol\L). Application of either a γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor antagonist, SR95531 (20 µmol\L) or a glycine receptor antagonist strychnine (10 µmol\L) significantly attenuated but not abolished the etomidate-induced decrease in PC SS firing rate. However, co-application of SR95531 (20 µmol\L) and strychnine (10 µmol\L) abolished the etomidate-induced decrease in PC SS firing rate. Moreover, intraperitoneal injection of etomidate (3 mg/kg body weight) also induced a significant depression in PC SS firing rate, which was blocked by the co-application of SR95531 and strychnine on the cerebellar surface. These results indicate that both GABAA and glycine receptors are involved in the etomidate-induced decrease in PC SS firing rate in vivo in mice.

Sizable Scaffold-Free Tissue-Engineered Articular Cartilage Construct for Cartilage Defect Repair.

This study introduces an implantable scaffold-free cartilage tissue construct (SF) that is composed of chondrocytes and their self-produced extracellular matrix (ECM). Chondrocytes were grown in vitro for up to 5 weeks and subjected to various assays at different time points (1, 7, 21, and 35 days). For in vivo implantation, full-thickness defects (n = 5) were manually created on the trochlear groove of the both knees of rabbits (16-week old) and 3 week-cultured SF construct was implanted as an allograft for a month. The left knee defects were implanted with 1, 7, and 21 days in vitro cultured scaffold-free engineered cartilages. (group 2, 3, and 4, respectively). The maturity of the engineered cartilages was evaluated by histological, chemical and mechanical assays. The repair of damaged cartilages was also evaluated by gross images and histological observations at 4, 8, and 12 weeks postsurgery. Although defect of groups 1, 2, and 3 were repaired with fibrocartilage tissues, group 4 (21 days) showed hyaline cartilage in the histological observation. In particular, mature matrix and columnar organization of chondrocytes and highly expressed type II collagen were observed only in 21 days in vitro cultured SF cartilage (group 4) at 12 weeks. As a conclusion, cartilage repair with maturation was recapitulated when implanted the 21 day in vitro cultured scaffold-free engineered cartilage. When implanting tissue-engineered cartilage, the maturity of the cartilage tissue along with the cultivation period can affect the cartilage repair.

Propofol Inhibits Cerebellar Parallel Fiber-Purkinje Cell Synaptic Transmission via Activation of Presynaptic GABAB Receptors in vitro in Mice.

Propofol is a widely used intravenous sedative-hypnotic agent, which causes rapid and reliable loss of consciousness via activation of γ -aminobutyric acid A (GABAA) receptors. We previously found that propofol inhibited cerebellar Purkinje cells (PC) activity via both GABAA and glycine receptors in vivo in mice. We here examined the effect of propofol on the cerebellar parallel fiber (PF)-PC synaptic transmission in mouse cerebellar slices by whole-cell recording technique and pharmacological methods. We found that following blockade of GABAA and glycine receptors activity, propofol reversely decreased the amplitude of PF-PC excitatory postsynaptic currents (PF-PC EPSCs), and significantly increased paired-pulse ratio (PPR). The propofol-induced decrease in amplitude of PF-PC EPSCs was concentration-dependent. The half-inhibitory concentration (IC50) of propofol for inhibiting PF-PC EPSCs was 4.7 µM. Notably, the propofol-induced changes in amplitude and PPR of PF-PC EPSCs were abolished by GABAB receptor antagonist, saclofen (10 µM), but not blocked by N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA) receptor antagonist, D-APV (50 µM). Application of the GABAB receptor agonist baclofen induced a decrease in amplitude and an increase in PPR of PF-PC EPSCs, as well masked the propofol-induced changes in PF-PC EPSCs. Moreover, the propofol-induced changes in amplitude and PPR of PF-PC EPSCs were abolished by a specific protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor, KT5720. These results indicate that application of propofol facilitates presynaptic GABAB receptors, resulting in a depression of PF-PC synaptic transmission via PKA signaling pathway in mouse cerebellar cortex. The results suggest that the interaction with GABAB receptors may contribute to the general anesthetic action of propofol.

Low expression of B-Cell-Associated protein 31 is associated with unfavorable prognosis in human colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. B cell-associated protein 31 (BAP31) was shown to participate in the apoptosis, and to be an immunotherapy target and a, prognostic factor for cancer, but its role in CRC has not been elucidated. In this study, we examined the expression of BAP31 in CRC to evaluate its prognostic values. We investigated the BAP31 expression level in 142 tissues (108 CRC and 17 paired human adjacent normal mucosa, and 17 liver metastatic CRC tissues) from 108 patients, using tissue microarray-based immunohistochemistry. We further investigated the association between BAP31 expression and overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) in 77 CRC patients using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were applied to evaluate the potential prognostic value of BAP31 in CRC patients. BAP31 expression level was significantly increased in CRC tissues (p = 0.0014) and liver metastatic CRC tissues (p < 0.0001) compared with corresponding adjacent normal mucosa. BAP31 expression was also significantly increased in liver metastatic CRC tissues compared with corresponding primary CRC tissues (p = 0.0116). Kaplan-Meier analyses showed that CRC patients with low BAP31 expression had significantly lower survival rate (p = 0.001) and lower disease-free survival rate (P = 0.009). Furthermore, multivariate Cox analysis showed that BAP31 was an independent prognostic factor for OS (hazard ratio = 0.410, 95% confidence interval = 0.195-0.862, p = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that BAP31 is a potential prognostic marker for CRC patients after surgery.

Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair With Graft Augmentation of 3-Dimensional Biological Collagen for Moderate to Large Tears: A Randomized Controlled Study.

BACKGROUND: Due to the highly organized tissue and avascular nature of the rotator cuff, rotator cuff tears have limited ability to heal after the tendon is reinserted directly on the greater tubercle of the humerus. Consequently, retears are among the most common complications after rotator cuff repair. Augmentation of rotator cuff repairs with patches has been an active area of research in recent years to reduce retear rate. HYPOTHESIS: Graft augmentation with 3D collagen could prevent retears of the repaired tendon and improve tendon-bone healing in moderate to large rotator cuff tears. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized controlled study; Level of evidence, 2. METHODS: A prospective, randomized controlled study was performed in a consecutive series of 112 patients age 50 to 85 years who underwent rotator cuff repair with the suture-bridge technique (58 patients, control group) or the suture-bridge technique augmented with 3-dimensional (3D) collagen (54 patients, study group). All patients were followed for 28.2 months (range, 24-36 months). Visual analog scale score for pain, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) shoulder score, and Constant score were determined. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed pre- and postoperatively (at a minimum of 24 months) to evaluate the integrity of the rotator cuff and the retear rate of the repaired tendon. Three patients in each group had biopsies at nearly 24 months after surgery with histological assessment and transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: A total of 104 patients completed the final follow-up. At the 12-month follow-up, the UCLA shoulder score was 28.1 ± 1.9 in the study group, which was significantly better than that in the control group (26.9 ± 2.1, P = .002). The Constant score was also significantly better in the study group (87.1 ± 3.2) than in the control group (84.9 ± 4.2, P = .003). However, at the final follow-up, no significant differences were found in the UCLA shoulder scores (29.4 ± 1.9 in the control group and 30.0 ± 1.6 in the study group, P = .052) or Constant scores (89.9 ± 3.2 in the control group and 90.8 ± 3.5 in the study group, P = .18). In terms of structural integrity, more patients in the study group had a favorable type I retear grade (18/51) than in the control group (10/53) ( P = .06). The postoperative retear rate was 34.0% in the control group and 13.7% in the study group, thus indicating a significantly lower retear rate in the study group ( P = .02). Biopsy specimens of the tendon-bone interface in 6 patients revealed more bone formation and more aligned fibers with larger diameters in the study group than in the control group. No intraoperative or postoperative complications were noted in either group. CONCLUSION: 3D collagen augmentation could provide effective treatment of moderate to large rotator cuff tears, providing substantial functional improvement, and could reduce the retear rate. This technique could also promote new tendon-bone formation, thus exerting a prominent effect on tendon-bone healing.

The prognostic value of Niemann-Pick C1-like protein 1 and Niemann-Pick disease type C2 in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) and Niemann-Pick C2 (NPC2) is a critical mediator of cholesterol absorption. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prognostic value of NPC1L1 and NPC2 in human primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The expression level of NPC1L1 and NPC2 were evaluated by Immunohistochemistry, Westen blot and Real-time Quantitative PCR. Protein expression level in tissue was represented by integral optic density (IOD). For prognosis analyses, outcome-based cut-point was calculated by X-tile software. Kaplan-Meier analysis, Cox regression analysis were used evaluate prognostic value of NPC1L1 and NPC2 and NPC1L1/NPC2 combination. Both of NPC1L1 and NPC2 were significantly decreased in HCC tissues than peritumoral liver tissues (61 pairs of tissue for Immunohistochemistry and 10 pairs of tissues for Western blot and Real-time Quantitative PCR), respectively. (n=61: p=0.0005 for NPC1L1 and p=0.0001 for NPC2; n=10: p=0.0002 for NPC1L1 and p=0.0489 for NPC2). Kaplan-Meier analyses in 265 HCC cases were showed that the low expression level of NPC1L1 and NPC2 and NPC1L1/NPC2 combination were significantly correlated with poor overall survival (OS) and shorter time to recurrence (TTR). In addition, univariate and multivariate Cox analyses showed that the expression level of NPC1L1/NPC2 combination in HCC was an independent prognostic factor for OS and TTR. Conclusion: NPC1L1 and NPC2 were lowly expressed in HCC compared with peritumoral liver tissues, and low expression of NPC1L1 and NPC2 in HCC tissues may indicate poor outcome of HCC patients after surgery. NPC1L1/NPC2 combination is an independent prognostic factor for OS and TTR in postoperative HCC patients.

Differences in Dietary Life and Health related Factors According to Obesity in Poor Urban Peruvian Adolescents / 대한지역사회영양학회지

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the differences in dietary life and health related factors, such as drinking behavior, exercise and leisure activities, mental health, and subjective perception for oneself according to obesity in poor urban Peruvian adolescents. METHODS: A total of 1,532 Peruvian adolescents were selected from six schools in poor regions using stratified random sampling. The subjects were classified into two groups based on their BMI: ‘normal weight group (NW group=980)’ or ‘overweight and obese group (OWOB group=293)’. The differences in the general characteristics, dietary life, drinking behavior, physical activity and leisure, mental health and subjective perception of oneself in the two groups were compared. χ2 analysis and independent sample t-test were performed using the SPSS program ver. 24. RESULTS: For the total and male students, the frequency of breakfast and dinner were significantly lower in the OWOB group than in the NW group (all p < 0.001). For total and female students, the percentage of subjects who received nutrition education was significantly higher in the OWOB group than in the NW group (all p < 0.05). For total students, the percentage of subject who exercised more than five days/week was lower in the OWOB group than in the NW group (p < 0.05). For the total and female students, the subjective health status was worse in the OWOB group than in the NW group (all p < 0.05). The subjective body image was significantly different between the OWOB group and NW group in the total, male and female subjects (all p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of meals and exercise, and the subjective perceptions of the health status and body image differed according to obesity in poor urban Peruvian adolescents. Therefore, a school-based intervention program focused on regular meal and exercise, and adequate subjective perceptions for health status and body image need to be developed to prevent adolescent obesity.

Differences in Dietary Life and Health related Factors According to Obesity in Poor Urban Peruvian Adolescents / 대한지역사회영양학회지

OBJECTIVES: This study examined the differences in dietary life and health related factors, such as drinking behavior, exercise and leisure activities, mental health, and subjective perception for oneself according to obesity in poor urban Peruvian adolescents. METHODS: A total of 1,532 Peruvian adolescents were selected from six schools in poor regions using stratified random sampling. The subjects were classified into two groups based on their BMI: ‘normal weight group (NW group=980)’ or ‘overweight and obese group (OWOB group=293)’. The differences in the general characteristics, dietary life, drinking behavior, physical activity and leisure, mental health and subjective perception of oneself in the two groups were compared. χ2 analysis and independent sample t-test were performed using the SPSS program ver. 24. RESULTS: For the total and male students, the frequency of breakfast and dinner were significantly lower in the OWOB group than in the NW group (all p < 0.001). For total and female students, the percentage of subjects who received nutrition education was significantly higher in the OWOB group than in the NW group (all p < 0.05). For total students, the percentage of subject who exercised more than five days/week was lower in the OWOB group than in the NW group (p < 0.05). For the total and female students, the subjective health status was worse in the OWOB group than in the NW group (all p < 0.05). The subjective body image was significantly different between the OWOB group and NW group in the total, male and female subjects (all p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of meals and exercise, and the subjective perceptions of the health status and body image differed according to obesity in poor urban Peruvian adolescents. Therefore, a school-based intervention program focused on regular meal and exercise, and adequate subjective perceptions for health status and body image need to be developed to prevent adolescent obesity.

Expression of interleukin-17 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with multiple myeloma / 新乡医学院学报

Objective To investigate the expression of interleukin-17 (IL-17) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of patients with multiple myeloma and analyse it's clinical significance.Methods Thirty patients with multiple myeloma in the Department of Hematopathy,the Third Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University from January 2016 to January 2017 were selected as observation group;and thirty healthy donors whose gender and age machted with patients in the observation group were selected as control group.Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were obtained from subjects in observation group and control group by using the method of density gradient centrifugation.The content of IL-17 in supernatant of PBMC culture solution of subjects in the two groups was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and the expression of IL-17 mRNA in PBMC was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction;the cellular morphology of PBMC of subjects in control group was observed by scanning electron microscope after co-culturing with the serum of patients in observation group.Results The content of IL-17 in supernatant of PBMC culture solution of subjects in the observation group and control group was (30.79 ± 4.96),(10.10 ± 4.15) ng · L-1 respectively;the content of IL-17 in supernatant of PBMC culture solution of subjects in the observation group was significantly higher than that in the control group (t =3.412,P ＜ 0.05).The expression of IL-17 mRNA in PBMC in the observation group and control group was 4.28 ± 1.34 and 2.45 ±0.95 respectively;the expression of IL-17 mRNA in PBMC in the observation was significantly higher than that in the control group (t =2.796,P ＜0.05).After co-culturing of PBMC of subjects in the control group with the serum of patients in the observation group,the morphology of PBMC changed obviously,and membrane desquamate,membrane disintegration,even membranolysis were observed in some cells with the prolongation of co-culture time.Conclusion The over-expression of IL-17 in PBMC of patients with multiple myeloma may play a certain role in the occurrence and development of this disease.

Determinants of Health in Korea: A Comparative Analysis among Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Countries / 보건행정학회지

BACKGROUND: This study aims to utilize Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) data to identify macroscopic determinants of health at national level and to utilize it in health policy development through comparison and analysis with Korea. METHODS: The potential years of life lost (PYLL) were used as dependent variables and 19 indicators were selected as health determinants to be independent variables based on the results of previous studies. Data analysis was done using SAS ver. 9.4 package (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA) and model used in technical statistics concerning PYLL by countries, multi-linearity test between independent variables and OECD economic studies were modified and used. RESULTS: From 1994 to 2012, the average PYLL for OECD countries was 4,262.9 years, the highest in Estonia and the lowest in Iceland. As a result of the analysis using the fixed effect model, the significant variables affecting PYLL were four variables: gross domestic product, nitric oxide, tobacco consumption, and number of doctors. The health determinants that had more influence on the PYLL of Korean people compared to other OECD countries were tobacco consumption, calorie consumption, fat intake and total health expenditure. CONCLUSION: In order to effectively reduce unnecessary deaths, we must continue to strengthen our smoking policy and nutrition policies such as calorie and fat intake. It is necessary to prevent the increase of total health expenditure due to the increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases and to strengthen the public health aspect.