[Retracted] Upregulation of microRNA­181b inhibits CCL18­induced breast cancer cell metastasis and invasion via the NF­κB signaling pathway.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.3892/ol.2016.5230.].

Association of drug resistance of Mycoplasma pneumoniae with DNA load and genotypes in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the association of drug resistance of Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) with DNA load and genotypes in children with MP pneumonia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 230 children who were hospitalized and diagnosed with MP pneumonia between January 2012 and December 2016 were enrolled. Throat swabs were collected from the 230 children, and a rapid drug sensitivity assay was used to determine the sensitivity of clinical isolates of MP to nine commonly used antibacterial agents. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure MP-DNA load in throat swabs. PCR sequencing was used to determine the genotype of 2063 locus of the MP 23S rRNA V domain.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Of the 230 children, 86 (37.4%) had genotype A in 2063 locus, 134 (58.3%) had genotype G, 8 (3.5%) had genotype C, and 2 (0.9%) had genotype T. Mutant strains (genotype G+C+T) had a significantly higher MP-DNA load than wild-type strains (genotype A) (P<0.05). The strains resistant to erythromycin, azithromycin, clarithromycin, and clindamycin had a significantly higher MP-DNA load than non-resistant strains (P<0.05). MP had a high drug resistance rate to macrolide antibiotics. More than 60% of the cases with resistance to macrolides were found to have A2063G mutations. MP was rarely resistant to quinolones (less than 2%).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Mutations in 2063 locus of the MP 23S rRNA V domain may result in the resistance of MP to macrolides and the change in DNA load and can be used as a basis for selecting drugs for MP.</p>

Effects of drug combination on optic disc parameters and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness of high intraocular pressure type POAG patients / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

·AIM:To study the effects of timolol and latanoprost on optic disc parameters and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness of high intraocular pressure type POAG patients, and to provide guidance for clinical research.·METHODS: Totally 240 patients ( 336 eyes ) with high intraocular pressure type POAG in our hospital from November 2013 to November 2015 were randomly divided into control group and observation group, and each with a total of 120 cases (170 and 166 eyes, respectively). The patients in control group only received latanoprost treatment, while the observation group was treated with timolol and latanoprost treatment. After 3mo of treatment, we observed the therapeutic effects, and measured the optic disc parameters and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness. The incidence of adverse reactions was observed in the following 1a.·RESULTS: The patients of observation group and the control group after treatment showed the improvement rates of 97. 6% and 80. 6%, respectively, and the observation group was significantly better than the control group, the two groups showed statistically significant (P<0. 05). The eye rim area, rim volume, rim volume and diameter of two groups after treatment were higher than before ( P < 0. 05 ) , while those of the observation group was significantly higher than control group ( P<0. 05 ) . Two groups of patients with vertical cup to disc diameter decreased obviously ( P<0. 05 ) , the observation group was significantly lower than the control group, the difference was statistically significant ( P<0. 05 ) . Between the two groups of patients, during the period, incidences of dry eyes, corneal and conjunctival hyperemia, infiltration blurred vision and other complications had no significant difference ( P>0. 05), and the 1a follow-up of patients showed no other adverse reactions.·CONCLUSION: The use of timolol and latanoprost therapy for high intraocular pressure type POAG patients showed that the patients improve obviously, the visual acuity has more improved and the parameters of optic disc and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness are also improved.

Clinical observation of Conbercept intravitreal injection combined with retinal laser photocoagulation therapy on macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

AIM:To study the efficacy of conbercept intravitreal injection combined with retinal laser photocoagulation therapy and simple laser photocoagulation therapy on macular edema (ME) secondary to retinal vein occlusion (RVO).METHODS:Forty-eight patients (53 eyes) with macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion diagnosed by clinical examination from October 2014 to March 2015 were retrospectively analyzed.Among them,28 patients (31 eyes) were treated with conbercept intravitreal injection combined with retinal laser photocoagulation,which was defined as Group A.And simple laser group contained 20 patients (22 eyes),which was defined as Group B.The clinical data including the patients' best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness (CMT) before treatment and 1wk and 3mo after treatment were observed.RESULTS:Followed up for 3mo,the average BCVA values of A and B were 0.44±0.25,0.56±0.24,respectively and the average CMT were 330.50 ± 121.71,354.67 ± 102.79μm at first week of treatment.There was no significant difference in BCVA and CMT of Group A compared with Group B.There was statistically significant in BCVA and CMT of Group A and Group B compared with before treatment (P＜0.05).The average BCVA values of A and B were 0.24±0.18,0.39±0.20,respectively and the average CMT were 252.62 ± 83.01,332.67 ± 102.33μ m at third month of treatment.There were statistically significant differences between the two groups and compared with before treatment (P＜0.05),and Group A was superior to Group B.CONCLUSION:Conbercept intravitreal injection combined with retinal laser photocoagulation therapy and simple laser photocoagulation treatment of macular edema secondary to retinal vein occlusion are both effective that macular edema is significantly reduced,and vision is stable and improved.But for serious cases,conbercept intravitreal injection can reduce retinal edema at first,then combine with retinal laser photocoagulation which has obvious therapeutic effect and it is better than simple laser photocoagulation treatment.

Upregulation of microRNA-181b inhibits CCL18-induced breast cancer cell metastasis and invasion via the NF-κB signaling pathway.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of upregulating microRNA (miR)-181b expression in tumor-associated macrophages regarding breast cancer cell metastasis and to identify the target gene. Ectopic miR-181b was transfected into MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines with or without chemokine ligand 18 (CCL18) stimulation. Cell proliferation, migration/invasion and apoptosis rate were investigated. The binding effects of miR-181b to the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of the nuclear factor (NF)-κB gene were detected with the dual luciferase reporter system. Immunofluorescent staining of the NF-κB key component P65 was performed. The messenger (m) RNA and protein expression of NF-κB induced by CCL18 with or without miR-181b stimulation was evaluated with reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis. When compared with the CCL18-stimulated group, miR-181b mimic-transfected cells exhibited significantly inhibited proliferation and migration, with an increased cell apoptosis percentage in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the luciferase activity was reduced for cells with NF-κB 3'-UTR wild-type that were co-transfected with miR-181b mimics. Immunofluorescent staining of NF-κB demonstrably weakened the P65 signal in stimulated miR-181b mimic cells when compared with parental and CCL18-treated cells. The increased expression level of NF-κB induced by CCL18 in MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 cells was suppressed by miR-181b mimics. Overexpression of miR-181b suppressed cell survival rate and migration. This overexpression may achieve this goal by regulating the NF-κB pathway in breast cancer cells. Our study demonstrated a potential therapeutic application of miR-181b in the treatment of breast cancer.

Application of Mycoplasma pneumoniae antibody and load index in the diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia in children / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the role of Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) load and antibody measurements in the diagnosis of MP pneumonia.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 115 children with MP pneumonia and 400 healthy children were enrolled. The MP load and total antibody level were measured at different stages, and the MP load index (MPLI) was calculated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The cut-off value of MPLI for MP infection was 6.12. MPLI and total antibody titer increased during the course of the disease, while MP-DNA decreased rapidly. Within the same time of blood collection, the group with a higher MP load had a significantly higher total antibody titer than the group with a lower MP load (P<0.05). Within 2 weeks of the course of the disease, the negative antibody group had a significantly higher MPLI than the positive antibody group (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>MPLI provides a standardized quantitative value of MP-DNA and plays an important role in the early diagnosis of MP infection.</p>

Cytoplasm estrogen receptor ß5 as an improved prognostic factor in thymoma and thymic carcinoma progression.

A number of previous studies have reported that sex steroid hormones, including estrogens, are involved in the regulation of the thymic function. The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression of estrogen receptor ß5 (ERß5) in thymic tumors and the correlation between ERß5 expression and thymoma biological characteristics. The expression levels of ERß5 in thymic epithelial tumors was evaluated in 103 patents using immunohistochemical staining and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction. In addition, an indirect immunofluorescence assay was performed to evaluate the ERß5 expression levels in the TC1889 and T1682 cell lines. The survival outcome was estimated using Kaplan-Meier plots. The results indicated that ERß5 expression was mainly located in the thymic tumor cell cytoplasm (87.37%; 90/103 cases) and overexpression was observed in thymic tumors compared with normal thymic tissues (P=0.001). Using the Kruskal-Wallis test, a statistically significant association was observed between cytoplasmic ERß5 (cERß5) expression and thymic tumor subtypes (P=0.024) and stages (P=0.003 and R=-0.376). The Kaplan-Meier plots revealed that cERß5 expression was significantly associated with improved overall and progression-free survival (P=0.008 and P=0.004, respectively). The present study suggested that overexpression of cERß5 may indicate an improved prognosis and may be involved in the underlying mechanism through which estrogen inhibits thymoma and thymic carcinoma development.

Neurotoxicity of prenatal alcohol exposure on medullary pre-Bötzinger complex neurons in neonatal rats.

Prenatal alcohol exposure disrupts the development of normal fetal respiratory function, but whether it perturbs respiratory rhythmical discharge activity is unclear. Furthermore, it is unknown whether the 5-hydroxytryptamine 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) is involved in the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure. In the present study, pregnant female rats received drinking water containing alcohol at concentrations of 0%, 1%, 2%, 4%, 8% or 10% (v/v) throughout the gestation period. Slices of the medulla from 2-day-old neonatal rats were obtained to record respiratory rhythmical discharge activity. 5-HT2AR protein and mRNA levels in the pre-Bötzinger complex of the respiratory center were measured by western blot analysis and quantitative RT-PCR, respectively. Compared with the 0% alcohol group, respiratory rhythmical discharge activity in medullary slices in the 4%, 8% and 10% alcohol groups was decreased, and the reduction was greatest in the 8% alcohol group. Respiratory rhythmical discharge activity in the 10% alcohol group was irregular. Thus, 8% was the most effective alcohol concentration at attenuating respiratory rhythmical discharge activity. These findings suggest that prenatal alcohol exposure attenuates respiratory rhythmical discharge activity in neonatal rats by downregulating 5-HT2AR protein and mRNA levels.

[Effect of prenatal alcohol exposure on rhythmic respiratory discharge activity in medullary slices of neonatal rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on rhythmic respiratory discharge activity (RRDA) in the medullary slices of neonatal rats. METHODS: Ten pregnant female SD rats were exposed to 0, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% alcohol in drinking water from 1 week before till 3 days after delivery. The medullary slices of the neonatal rats containing the medial region of the nucleus retrofacialis (mNRF) with the hypoglossal nerve rootlets were prepared and perfused with modified Kreb's solution to record RRDA from the hypoglossal nerve rootlets using suction electrodes. RESULTS: No significant difference was found in RRDA in 50 min among the neonatal rats with prenatal exposure to 0, 4%, 6%, and 8% alcohol, but the RRDA in 10% alcohol exposure group became irregular. Prenatal exposure to increased alcohol concentrations caused attenuated RRDA attenuated in the neonatal rats, shown by shortened inspiratory time (TI), decreased respiratory frequency (RF), and reduced integral amplitude (IA) as compared with those in the control group. CONCLUSION: Prenatal alcohol exposure inhibits RRDA in medullary slices of neonatal rats, which might be a mechanism by which maternal alcohol exposure causes suppressed offspring respiratory functions.

Association between CHI3L1 SNPs and susceptibility to childhood asthma / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the association between CHI3L1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the susceptibility to childhood asthma.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A total of 316 children diagnosed with asthma between January 2011 and October 2013 and 297 healthy children were selected as asthma group and control group respectively. Peripheral blood samples were collected from all subjects. Chemiluminescence and flow cytometry were applied to measure total IgE level and the percentage of eosinophils. ELISA was used to measure YKL-40 level. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood hemocytes, and the genotype and allele frequencies at CHI3L1 SNPs rs4950928, rs10399805, and rs883125 were determined by MALDI-TOP mass spectrometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The total IgE and YKL-40 levels were significantly higher in the asthma group than in the control group (P<0.05), while the percentage of eosinophils showed no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). The frequency of GG genotype at rs883125 in the asthma group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). For rs4950928, the asthma group had a significantly lower frequency of CC genotype (P<0.05) but a significantly higher frequency of CG genotype (P<0.05) compared with the control group. In the asthma group, the patients with GG and CG genotypes at rs4950928 had significantly increased total IgE and YKL-40 levels compared with those with CC genotype at this locus (P<0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>YKL-40 is a potential molecular biomarker for the primary diagnosis of childhood asthma. CHI3L1 SNPs rs4950928 and rs883125 may be associated with childhood asthma. G allele at rs4950928 may increase the risk of childhood asthma.</p>