Whole transcriptome sequencing identifies a competitive endogenous RNA network that regulates the immunity of bladder cancer.

Several types of non-coding RNAs such as circRNAs, lncRNAs, and miRNAs have been identified to regulate mRNAs through the mechanism known as the competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network. To explore the role of the ceRNA regulatory network in the immune microenvironment of bladder cancer, whole-transcriptome sequencing of bladder tumor and its peritumoral tissues from 38 bladder cancer patients, with a total of 63 samples, was performed to screen differentially expressed circ-, lnc-, mi-, and mRNAs to construct a circ/lnc-mi-mRNA regulatory network with pruning algorithms. We excavated a key immune-related gene BDNF to build the final ceRNA network as hsa-miR-107 sponged by hsa-circ-000211, AC108488.1, and LINC00163. Finally, a meta-analysis of 7 public datasets demonstrated that low expression of BDNF and high expression of hsa-miR-107 were associated with longer survival. Our study identified a ceRNA regulatory network as a potentially new prognostic marker and molecular therapeutic target of bladder cancer.

ZnO-decorated SiC@C hybrids with strong electromagnetic absorption.

A novel strategy is provided to improve the absorption of SiC nanomaterials through surface carbonization of SiC nanowires and hydrolysis. SiC@C-ZnO composites were synthesized with different dosages of ZnNO3·6H2O. Composition, microstructure, and electromagnetic properties of the composites were characterized and analyzed. Results from TEM and XRD show that crystalline ZnO particles adhere to the surface of amorphous carbon, and the ZnO content increases as a function of a dosage of ZnNO3·6H2O. The as-prepared SiC@C-ZnO hybrids exhibit effective electromagnetic absorption, which is related to a synergy effect of different dielectric loss processes. The minimum reflection loss reached -65.4 dB at 11 GHz at a sample thickness of 3.1 mm, while the effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) reached 7 GHz at a sample thickness of 2.56 mm. Furthermore, the EAB of the samples can also cover the whole X band and Ku band at small sample thicknesses (2.09-3.47 mm). The excellent properties of the materials suggest great prospect as electromagnetic absorbers.

FOXK1 regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition and radiation sensitivity in nasopharyngeal carcinoma via the JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the most common head and neck tumor in China. Forkhead box (FOX) proteins have 19 subfamilies, which can maintain cell metabolism, regulate cell cycle and cell growth, etc. FOXK1 is a member of the FOX family, and studies have found that FOXK1 is closely related to tumors. OBJECTIVE: This experiment aims to study the effects of FOXK1 interference on proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and radiosensitivity, by regulating the Janus kinas/signal translator and activator of the transfer 3 (JAK/STAT3) pathway. METHODS: The expression of FOXK1 was detected via immunohistochemistry using clinical nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues and adjacent tissues. The relationship between FOXK1 expression and tumor stage was subsequently evaluated. The colony formation rate was calculated through the colony formation experiment. Cell apoptosis and cell cycle distribution were detected using flow cytometry, while cell invasion was detected using the Transwell method. The number of cells in the nucleus of each group after 30 min, 4 h, and 24 h of radiotherapy with the 2 Gy dose was counted using immunofluorescence under γ-H2AX focal points of a laser confocal microscope. RESULTS: FOXK1 is clearly expressed in the patients' cancer tissues. The expression of FOXK1 was significantly correlated with the patient's sex. FOXK1 interference or Peficitinib can upregulate the apoptosis rate of 5-8 F and CNE-2 cells; increase the G2 phase of cells; and inhibit the invasion, migration, and EMT of cells. At the same time, FOXK1 interference can downregulate the protein expression of p-JAK1, p-JAK2, and p-STAT3 in cells. Interference from FOXK1 or Peficitinib alone can reduce the rate of cell colony formation under different radiation doses, and enhance the green fluorescence intensity of γ-H2AX in the nucleus after 4 and 24 h of the 2 Gy dose of radiotherapy. These results are optimal when FOXK1 interference and Peficitinib are used together. CONCLUSION: FOXK1 interference in NPC cells can regulate EMT through the JAK/STAT3 signal pathway, enhance the radiosensitivity of cells, and thus inhibit tumor cell progression.

Controllable Fabrication of SiC@C-Fe3O4 Hybrids and Their Excellent Electromagnetic Absorption Properties.

In this work, a batch of novel ternary hybrids (SiC@C-Fe3O4), characterized by SiC nanowires core, carbon shell, and adhered Fe3O4 nanoparticles were controllably synthesized via surface carbonization of SiCnw followed by hydrothermal reaction. Carbon, which was derived from SiC with nanometer thickness, possesses an amorphous structure, while Fe3O4 nanoparticles are in a crystalline state. Simultaneously, the inducement of Fe3O4 nanoparticles can provide significant magnetic loss, which is well-tuned by changing the molar content of iron precursors (FeCl3·6H2O and FeCl2·4H2O). SiC@C-Fe3O4 hybrids show great electromagnetic absorption performance owing to the synergy effect of dielectric and magnetic losses. The minimum refection loss can reach to -63.71 dB at 11.20 GHz with a thickness of 3.10 mm, while the broad effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) can reach to 7.48 GHz in range of 10.52-18.00 GHz with a thickness of 2.63 mm. Moreover, the EAB can also cover the whole X band and Ku band. The outstanding performance of the obtained material implys that it is a promising candidate as an electromagnetic absorber.

Primary malignant melanoma of the male urethra: a case report.

We present a rare case of a 69-year-old male patient with serendipitous urethral melanoma. He complained of dysuria and recurrent urinary retention and was initially diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Accidentally, a dark-brown pigmented macula was found in the distal urethra at the end of transurethral prostatectomy when we exited the resectoscope, transurethral resection of the nidus and sent to pathological examination showed the characteristics of melanoma. No other lesions were found on further examination and the patient preferred a close follow-up cystoscopy rather than an immediate urethrectomy. Unsurprisingly, he relapsed in the urethra with the local disease three months later and we treated him with partial urethrectomy, followed by watchful waiting for 11 months. However, the patient was readmitted for hematuria, and 18F-FDG PET-CT showed a large number of pelvic and bone metastatic lesions. Therefore, eight cycles of single-agent dacarbazine chemotherapy were administered, and the disease was demonstrated prolonged stabilization. Follow-up was conducted every 3 months, during which time palliative transurethral resection of the melanoma in the bladder was performed to control urinary tract infections. Although the prognosis of the disease is extremely poor, this patient has gained more than 50 months of overall survival and is alive to date.

Initial Experience and Analysis of Outcomes Using the Visualized Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy Technique for the Treatment of Lumbar Disc Herniation.

AIM: To introduce a visual surgical concept using a retrospective comparison of the outcomes between visualized percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (V-PELD) and conventional PELD techniques. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data from 61 patients in the conventional PELD group and 55 in the V-PELD group. Data included the duration of the operation, number of intraoperative radiation exposure events, and follow-up information for 24 months. The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and visual analog scale (VAS) scores were collected. RESULTS: The mean (± SD) operating time for the V-PELD group was 57.82 ± 11.25 min, and the mean duration of radiation exposure was 0.74 ± 0.32 min. The mean operating time for the conventional group was 63.16 ± 14.49 min (p < 0.05), and the mean duration of radiation exposure was 2.81 ± 1.12 min (p < 0.001). All patients in both groups demonstrated significant improvement in the ODI and VAS scores after surgery (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: V-PELD is a minimally invasive surgical technique that involves less radiation exposure and is more efficient for treating lumbar disc herniation.

A novel retractor for reducing operation time and radiation exposure in percutaneous pedicle screw placement.

AIM: Design a novel hand-held retractor to reduce operation time and radiation exposure in percutaneous pedicle screw placement. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 126 patients with single segment thoracolumbar vertebral fracture were surgically treated with percutaneous pedicle screws through our novel hand-held retractor technique（group A） or conventional fluoroscopic method(group B), the operation time and fluoroscopy shot times were compared, and the accuracy of screw placement were assessed. RESULTS: There was no serious complications occurring during our study, such as infection, blood vessel injury, spinal cord or nerve root injury. We did not find any statistically difference between the two groups in corrected rate of regional Cobb's angle or vertebral body height percentage(P 0.05), however, the mean operation time was found to be 75.9±2.37min in the novel hand-held retractor method group and 94.2±2.19min in the conventional method group. The difference was statistically significant (p﹤0.001). Fluoroscopy shot times averaged 9.01±0.41 in the novel hand-held retractor group versus 16.8±0.56 in the conventional group (P 0.001), the novel hand-held retractor group had apparent advantages over the conventional method in postoperative improvement on visual analog scale (VAS) scores and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) at 2days, 3month after operation and last follow-up (P 0.05). There was no statistical difference between group A and B in the radiographic results and screw position violation grade. CONCLUSION: The novel hand-held method retractors have several advantages, including shorter operation time, less fluoroscopy shot times, and better postoperative improvement on visual analog scale (VAS) scores and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). It provides a new alternative method for effective management of thoracolumbar fractures.

Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy and microsurgical laminotomy : A prospective, randomized controlled trial of patients with lumbar disc herniation and lateral recess stenosis.

BACKGROUND: Sufficient decompression of the nerve root canal is still regarded as the method of choice when operating on patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) with lumbar lateral recess stenosis; however, tissue-sparing procedures are becoming more popular. Endoscopic techniques offer advantages and the benefits of rehabilitation, which have become the standard in many surgical operations when operating on the spine. A significant issue has been the upgrading of instruments to provide enough bone resection under continuous visual control. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We examined patients who had LDH with lateral recess stenosis and compared the results of nerve root canal decompression using percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PELD) with a microsurgical laminotomy (ML) technique. In this study 40 patients with full endoscopic decompression or microsurgery were followed up for 2 years. In addition to general and specific parameters, the following two parameters were also used for the investigation: the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). RESULTS: Except for 1 patient in whom repair was done by fusion and 1 who was lost to follow-up, 38 patients remained in the study over the 2 years. The mean operating time in the PELD group was longer (p < 0.05), but intraoperative and postoperative blood loss was less than in the ML group (p < 0.05). The postoperative results were better than before surgery, and the VAS and ODI parameters indicated a clear improvement in leg pain and daily activities in both groups (p > 0.05). Of the patients three suffered increasing back pain (2 ML, 1 PELD). CONCLUSION: The results indicated that the PELD can provide an effective supplement and serve as an alternative for LDH with lateral recess stenosis compared with the ML technique when the indication criteria are fulfilled. The PELD also has the advantage of being a minimally invasive intervention.

Myrtol improves post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis by regulation of reactive oxygen species, transforming growth factor ß1 and apoptosis in a mouse model.

The present study tested whether myrtol improves post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis (PTKO) by regulating the reactive oxygen species (ROS), transforming growth factor ß1 (TGF-ß1) and apoptosis in a mouse model. PTKO model mice were administered with 150, 300 or 450 mg/kg myrtol for 8 weeks. ELISA analysis was used to measure tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, reactive oxygen species and TGF-ß1 levels. Caspase-3 and Bax protein expressions were analyzed using western blot analysis. In the current study, treatment with myrtol improved the tissue damage and osteoarthritis score, while it also reversed the subchondral bone thickness, subchondral bone density, trabecular bone volume/relative trabecular bone volume ratio and trabecular bone spacing in PTKO mice. The activity of tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin-6, TGF-ß1, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase and ROS were effectively inhibited, and the protein expression of caspase-3 and Bax were clearly suppressed by treatment with myrtol in a mouse model of PTKO. In conclusion, the results demonstrated that myrtol treatment improved PTKO through the suppression of inflammation, oxidative stress, ROS, TGF-ß1 and Bax/caspase-3 in mice, and myrtol may be a potential agent for clinical therapy.

[EFFECTIVENESS EVALUATION OF PERCUTANEOUS MONOAXIAL SCREW COMBINED WITH INJURED VERTEBRAE POLYAXIAL PEDICAL SCREW FIXATION FOR TREATMENT OF THORACOLUMBAR FRACTURES].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effectiveness percutaneous monoaxial screw combined with polyaxial pedical screw for treating thoracolumbar fracture by comparing with simple polyaxial pedicle screw fixation. METHODS: Between January 2012 and June 2014, 56 cases of thoracolumbar fractures were treated by percutaneous pedicle screw fixation, the clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. Of 56 cases, 30 were treated with percutaneous monoaxial screw combined with percutaneous polyaxial pedical screw fixation (group A), 26 patients with only percutaneous polyaxial pedicle screw fixation (group B). There was no significant difference in gender, age, body mass index, injury causes, time from injury to admission, involved segments, fracture type, and preoperative American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) stage, visual analogue scale (VAS), the anterior height of the injured vertebrae, Cobb angle, and sagittal index between 2 groups (P>0.05). The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and complications were recorded and compared between the 2 groups. The VAS score was used to evaluate the improvement of the pain. The sagittal kyphosis Cobb angle, the anterior height of the injured vertebrae, sagittal index, and the average correction (difference between 3 days after oeration and preoperation) and loss degrees (difference between last follow-up and 3 days after operation) were measured on the X-ray films at preoperation, 3 days after operation, and last follow-up. RESULTS: Incision healing at stage I was obtained, no related complications occurred. The operation time and intraoperative blood loss showed no significant difference between 2 groups (P>0.05). The patients were followed up 20-42 months (mean, 32 months) in group A and 21-44 months (mean, 30 months) in group B. VAS score of group A was significantly lower than that of group B at 3 days after operation (t=-2.277, P=0.027), but no significant difference was found at last follow-up (t=-0.289, P=0.774). X-ray examination showed good position of internal fixation, with no broken nails or exit of nail. There were significant differences in the anterior height of the injured vertebrae, Cobb angle, and sagittal index between at preoperation and at 3 days and last follow-up, and between at 3 days and last follow-up in 2 groups (P<0.05). The anterior height of the injured vertebrae, Cobb angle, and sagittal index of group A were significantly better than those of group B at 3 days and last follow-up (P<0.05), and correction degree were significantly higher than those of group B (P<0.05), but loss degree was not significant between 2 groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous monoaxial screw combined with polyaxial pedicle screw fixation is better than simply polyaxial pedicle screw in effects of treating thoracolumbar fracture under the premise of strictly holding indications.