The impact of various antiplatelet strategies on the incidence of gouty arthritis in hospitalized patients with acute cerebral infarction.

OBJECTIVES: 1.To explore the incidence of concurrent gouty arthritis (GA) during hospitalization in patients with different subtypes of acute stroke. 2.To investigate disparities in acute cerebral infarction patients with coexisting GA undergoing various antiplatelet strategies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from acute stroke patients admitted to the Affiliated Panyu Central Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, from January 2019 to December 2021, underwent screening. The incidence of GA in acute stroke patients of various subtypes were analyzed. Subsequently, we divided cerebral infarction cases into three cohorts based on distinct antiplatelet therapies: the aspirin group, the dual antiplatelet therapy group (DAPT，aspirin plus clopidogrel), and the clopidogrel group. Investigate disparities in acute cerebral infarction patients with coexisting GA undergoing various antiplatelet strategies. RESULTS: A total of 12,381 patients with acute stroke were screened in this study. The incidence of GA in various subtypes of acute stroke was as follows: cerebral infarction (3.56 %, n = 9890), TIA (1.81 %, n = 443), cerebral hemorrhag (0.64 %, n = 1713), and SAH (0.30 %, n = 335). The incidence of GA in patients with ischemic stroke is higher than that of hemorrhagic stroke (χ2 = 49.258, p<0.001). No significant differences were observed in the incidence of GA among three different antiplatelet therapy groups. But there was marginal statistical difference in the incidence of GA between the aspirin group and the DAPT group (P = 0.051), as well as between the clopidogrel group and the DAPT group (P = 0.059). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of GA in patients with ischemic stroke is higher than that of hemorrhagic stroke. No significant differences were observed in the incidence of GA in acute cerebral infarction across various antiplatelet Strategies. The marginal statistical difference in the incidence of GA between the single antiplatelet group and the DAPT group requires further investigation.

Thermally Enhanced Relay Electrocatalysis of Nitrate-to-Ammonia Reduction over Single-Atom-Alloy Oxides.

The electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (NO3RR) holds promise for converting nitrogenous pollutants to valuable ammonia products. However, conventional electrocatalysis faces challenges in effectively driving the complex eight-electron and nine-proton transfer process of the NO3RR while also competing with the hydrogen evolution reaction. In this study, we present the thermally enhanced electrocatalysis of nitrate-to-ammonia conversion over nickel-modified copper oxide single-atom alloy oxide nanowires. The catalyst demonstrates improved ammonia production performance with a Faradaic efficiency of approximately 80% and a yield rate of 9.7 mg h-1 cm-2 at +0.1 V versus a reversible hydrogen electrode at elevated cell temperatures. In addition, this thermally enhanced electrocatalysis system displays impressive stability, interference resistance, and favorable energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions for the simulated industrial wastewater treatment. Complementary in situ analyses confirm that the significantly superior relay of active hydrogen species formed at Ni sites facilitates the thermal-field-coupled electrocatalysis of Cu surface-adsorbed *NOx hydrogenation. Theoretical calculations further support the thermodynamic and kinetic feasibility of the relay catalysis mechanism for the NO3RR over the Ni1Cu model catalyst. This study introduces a conceptual thermal-electrochemistry approach for the synergistic regulation of complex catalytic processes, highlighting the potential of multifield-coupled catalysis to advance sustainable-energy-powered chemical synthesis technologies.

A Survey of Universal Quantum von Neumann Architecture.

The existence of universal quantum computers has been theoretically well established. However, building up a real quantum computer system not only relies on the theory of universality, but also needs methods to satisfy requirements on other features, such as programmability, modularity, scalability, etc. To this end, here we study the recently proposed model of quantum von Neumann architecture by putting it in a practical and broader setting, namely, the hierarchical design of a computer system. We analyze the structures of quantum CPU and quantum control units and draw their connections with computational advantages. We also point out that a recent demonstration of our model would require less than 20 qubits.

Excessive bowel volume loss during anus-preserving surgery for rectal cancer affects the bowel function after operation: A prospective observational cohort study (Bas-1611).

Background: Bowel volume loss during anus-preserving surgery (APS) may result in low anterior resection syndrome (LARS). We conducted this prospective observational cohort study to measure the incidence of LARS after surgery and evaluate the relationship between bowel volume loss and bowel function. Methods: Patients with R0 resectable rectal cancer who consented to several bowel function surveys through telephone interviews after the operation were included. Enrolled patients underwent standard APS for rectal cancer, and three length indexes, viz. length of excised bowel, length of the distal margin and length of the proximal margin (LPM) of fresh bowel specimens, were measured in vitro. Results: The three measured variables of the specimens showed a positively skewed distribution. Patient interviews revealed a trend of gradual improvement in bowel function. Univariate analyses revealed that longer LPM was associated with a significantly negative impact on bowel function at all time points. In multivariate analysis, LPM was found to be a significant risk factorstatistically significant, but its impact was not as strong as that of radiotherapy and low-middle tumour. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the lymph node detection rate between <10-cm and ≥10-cm LPM groups. Conclusion: In APS for rectal cancer, bowel volume loss is an important factor causing postoperative bowel dysfunction. Controlling LPM to <10 cm may help improve postoperative bowel function.

N-linoleyltyrosine resisted the growth of non-small cell lung cancer cells via the regulation of CB1 and CB2 involvement of PI3K and ERK pathways.

Background: N-linoleyltyrosine (NITyr), one of the anandamide analogs, exerts activity via the endocannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2), which showed anti-tumor effects in various tumors. Therefore, we speculated that NITyr might show anti-non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) effects via the CB1 or CB2 receptor. The purpose of the investigation was to reveal the anti-tumor ability of NITyr on A549 cells and its mechanisms. Methods: The viability of A549 cells was measured by MTT assay, and the cell cycle and apoptosis were both examined by flow cytometry; in addition, cell migration was tested by wound healing assay. Apoptosis-related markers were measured by immunofluorescence. The downstream signaling pathways (PI3K, ERK, and JNK) of CB1 or CB2 were examined through Western blotting. The expressions of CB1 and CB2 were detected by immunofluorescence. Finally, the AutoDock software was used to validate the binding affinity between the targets, such as CB1 and CB2, with NITyr. Results: We found that NITyr inhibited cell viability, hindered the cell cycle, resulted in apoptosis, and inhibited migration. The CB1 inhibitor, AM251, and the CB2 inhibitor, AM630, weakened the aforementioned phenomenon. The immunofluorescence assay suggested that NITyr upregulated the expression of CB1 and CB2. Western blot analysis indicated that NITyr upregulated the expression of p-ERK, downregulated the expression of p-PI3K, and did not affect p-JNK expression. In conclusion, NITyr showed a role in inhibiting NSCLC through the activation of CB1 and CB2 receptors involved in PI3K and ERK pathways.

Pulsed Nitrate-to-Ammonia Electroreduction Facilitated by Tandem Catalysis of Nitrite Intermediates.

Electroreduction of nitrate to ammonia offers a promising pathway for nutrient recycling and recovery from wastewater with energy and environmental sustainability. There have been considerable efforts on the regulation of reaction pathways to facilitate nitrate-to-ammonia conversion over the competing hydrogen evolution reaction but only with limited success. Here, we report a Cu single-atom gel (Cu SAG) electrocatalyst that produces NH3 from both nitrate and nitrite under neutral conditions. Given the unique mechanism of NO2- activation on Cu SAGs with spatial confinement and strengthened kinetics, a pulse electrolysis strategy is presented to cascade the accumulation and conversion of NO2- intermediates during NO3- reduction with the prohibited competition from the hydrogen evolution reaction, thus substantially enhancing the Faradaic efficiency and the yield rate for ammonia production compared with constant potential electrolysis. This work underlines the cooperative approach of the pulse electrolysis and SAGs with three-dimensional (3D) framework structures for highly efficient nitrate-to-ammonia conversion enabled by tandem catalysis of unfavorable intermediates.

Athletes' reaction capacity in the performance during a volleyball competition / Capacidade de reação dos atletas no desempenho durante a competição de vôlei / Capacidad de reacción de los deportistas en el rendimiento durante competición de voleibol

ABSTRACT Introduction: Volleyball is a technical and team game where individual physical conditioning of the athletes has a fundamental role in the competition. The maintenance of this physical conditioning includes the optimization of physical function and the gain of body resistance. The ability to respond in front of a defensive game in the game of volleyball is one of the main keys to determining their defensive skills and overall defensive level. Objective: Investigate the reflexes of volleyball players during an athletic competition match. Methods: This was done by analyzing the avoidance rate and reaction time of 14 volunteers, volleyball players. The experimental method quantitatively measured the individuals' defense ability and reaction time. Finally, the statistical correlation test was used to obtain the correlation between the two results. Results: The practice time with games had a more significant impact on the performance of volleyball players. The players' cut-off point is limited to the lowest level. Their peaks have little effect on the defense rate of volleyball. Ball height shows that the index has a very good relationship with defensive ability. Conclusion: Reaction time in volleyball can be used to judge the level of player defense and select the most appropriate players for each moment of competition. Level of evidence II; Therapeutic studies - investigation of treatment outcomes.

RESUMO Introdução: O vôlei é um jogo técnico e de equipe onde condicionamento físico individual dos atletas tem um papel fundamental na competição. A manutenção desse condicionamento físico inclui a otimização da função física e o ganho da resistência corporal. A capacidade de resposta em frente a uma partida defensiva no jogo de vôlei é uma das principais chaves para determinar suas habilidades defensivas e o nível defensivo geral. Objetivo: Investigar os reflexos dos jogadores de vôlei durante uma partida de competição atlética. Métodos: Para isso, analisa-se a taxa de prevenção e o tempo de reação de 14 voluntários, jogadores de vôlei. Utilizou-se o método experimental para medir quantitativamente a capacidade de defesa dos indivíduos e o tempo de reação. Por fim, utilizou-se o teste de correlação estatística para obter a correlação entre os dois resultados. Resultados: O tempo de prática com jogos teve um impacto mais significativo no desempenho dos jogadores de vôlei. O ponto de corte dos jogadores é limitado ao nível mais baixo. Seus picos têm pouco efeito na taxa de defesa do vôlei. A altura da bola demonstra que o índice tem uma ótima relação com a capacidade defensiva. Conclusão: O tempo de reação no vôlei pode ser usado para julgar o nível de defesa dos jogadores e selecionar os profissionais mais adequados para cada momento da competição. Nível de evidência II; Estudos terapêuticos - investigação dos resultados do tratamento.

RESUMEN Introducción: El voleibol es un juego técnico y de equipo en el que el acondicionamiento físico individual de los deportistas tiene un papel fundamental en la competición. El mantenimiento de este acondicionamiento físico incluye la optimización de la función física y la ganancia de la resistencia corporal. La capacidad de respuesta ante un juego defensivo en el juego del voleibol es una de las principales claves para determinar sus habilidades defensivas y su nivel defensivo general. Objetivo: Investigar los reflejos de los jugadores de voleibol durante un partido de competición. Métodos: Para ello, se analiza la tasa de evasión y el tiempo de reacción de 14 voluntarios, jugadores de voleibol. Se utilizó el método experimental para medir cuantitativamente la capacidad de defensa y el tiempo de reacción de los individuos. Por último, se utilizó la prueba de correlación estadística para obtener la correlación entre los dos resultados. Resultados: El tiempo de práctica con juegos tuvo un impacto más significativo en el rendimiento de los jugadores de voleibol. El punto de corte de los jugadores se limita al nivel más bajo. Sus picos tienen poco efecto en el ritmo de la defensa del voleibol. La altura del balón muestra que el índice tiene una muy buena relación con la capacidad defensiva. Conclusión: El tiempo de reacción en el voleibol puede utilizarse para juzgar el nivel de defensa de los jugadores y seleccionar a los profesionales más adecuados para cada momento de la competición. Nivel de evidencia II; Estudios terapéuticos - investigación de los resultados del tratamiento.

N-linoleyltyrosine protects neurons against Aß1-40-induced cell toxicity via autophagy involving the CB2/AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 pathway.

Beta-amyloid protein (Aß) is one of the most important pathogenic factors of Alzheimer's disease (AD). N-linoleyltyrosine (NITyr) was synthesized in our laboratory and exerted neuroprotective effects in APP/PS1 transgenic mice in previous reports. In this study, the neuroprotective effects and mechanisms of NITyr were evaluated in Aß1-40-treated primary cortical neurons for the first time in vitro. NITyr treatment attenuated cytotoxicity induced by Aß1-40, and the best effect of NITyr was observed at 1 µmol/L. NITyr treatment increased the BDNF protein expression and the ratio of p-CREB/CREB, but weakened the Caspase-3 protein expression. Meanwhile, NITyr enhanced the expressions of autophagy-related proteins (LC3-II, Beclin-1, ATG5 and ATG13). The autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3MA) reversed the effects of NITyr on cell viability and the protein expressions of neuron-related proteins, including BDNF, p-CREB and Caspase-3. The CB2 receptor antagonist AM630 weakened the neuroprotective effects of NITyr and the autophagy-related protein expression (LC3-II, Beclin-1, ATG5 and ATG13). Moreover, NITyr significantly increased the expressions of p-AMPK, p-mTOR and p-ULK1, but not p-p38. AM630 ablated the above phenomenon. Therefore, NITyr protected the neurons against Aß1-40-induced cytotoxicity by inducing autophagy, which involved the CB2/AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 pathway.

Acoustofluidic dynamic interfacial tensiometry.

The interfacial tension (IFT) of fluids plays an essential role in industrial, biomedical, and synthetic chemistry applications; however, measuring IFT at ultralow volumes is challenging. Here, we report a novel method for sessile drop tensiometry using surface acoustic waves (SAWs). The IFT of the fluids was determined by acquiring the silhouette of an axisymmetric sessile drop and applying iterative fitting using Taylor's deformation equation. Owing to physiochemical differences, upon interacting with acoustic waves, each microfluid has a different streaming velocity. This streaming velocity dictates any subsequent changes in droplet shape (i.e., height and width). We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed SAW-based tensiometry technique using blood plasma to screen for high leptin levels. The proposed device can measure the IFT of microscale liquid volumes (up to 1 µL) with an error margin of only ±5% (at 25 °C), which deviates from previous reported results. As such, this method provides pathologists with a solution for the pre-diagnosis of various blood-related diseases.

N-linoleyltyrosine exerts neuroprotective effects in APP/PS1 transgenic mice via cannabinoid receptor-mediated autophagy.

Anandamide (AEA) analogs show fair effects in counteracting the deterioration of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our previous studies demonstrated that AEA analog-N-linoleyltyrosine (NITyr) exerted significant activities. In our current research, the role and mechanisms of NITyr were assessed in APP/PS1 mice mimicking the AD model. NITyr improved motor coordination in the rotarod test (RRT) and ameliorated spatial memory in the Morris water maze (MWM) but did not increase spontaneous locomotor activity in the open field test (OFT). In addition, NITyr protected neurons against ß-amyloid (Aß) injury via hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and Nissl staining. Moreover, the related biochemical indexes showed that NITyr reduced the levels of Aß40 and Aß42 in the hippocampus but did not affect the expression of p-APP and ß-secretase 1 (BACE1). Furthermore, the autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3 MA) attenuated the effect of NITyr on animal behaviors and neurons. Meanwhile, NITyr upregulated the expression levels of LC3-II and Beclin-1, which were weakened by AM630 (an antagonist of CB2 receptor and a weak partial agonist of CB1 receptors). AM630 also weakened the role of NITyr in animal behaviors. Thus, NITyr improved behavioral impairment and neural loss by inducing autophagy mainly mediated by the CB2 receptor, and weakly mediated by the CB1 receptor.

Is surgery a risk factor for contralateral recurrence pneumothorax in adolescent with primary spontaneous pneumothorax?

OBJECTIVES: Controversy exists regarding the justification of primary surgery in primary spontaneous pneumothorax, and surgery is not free from recurrence. We hypothesized that surgery is a risk factor for contralateral recurrence pneumothorax in adolescent. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of 163 adolescent with pneumothorax who were treated conservatively with chest tube (n = 100) or chest tube followed by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (n = 63) from January 2009 through December 2017. RESULTS: Ipsilateral recurrence was significantly more common following conservative treatment than surgical treatment (25.0 vs. 3.2%, P < 0.001), while contralateral recurrence was more common in the surgical group than in the conservative group (15.9 vs. 6.0%, P = 0.039). The rates of second episode pneumothorax did not significantly differ between the two treatment groups (P = 0.092). Univariate analysis identified that patients who were treated conservatively had greater risk of ipsilateral recurrence (P = 0.002), while those who proceeded to surgery had greater risk of contralateral recurrence (P = 0.046). No predictors for second episode pneumothorax were found. CONCLUSION: To avoid over treatment, we recommend that conservative treatment should be the superior option and CT scan should not be a routine examination in adolescent with their first episode of PSP.

Circ-sirt1 inhibits growth and invasion of gastric cancer by sponging miR-132-3p/miR-212-3p and upregulating sirt1 expression.

circRNAs have been considered as a rising factor in cancers. However, the roles and mechanisms of circ-sirt1 in gastric cancer (GC) remain largely unknown. In this study, we found that the expressions of sirt1 and circ-sirt1 are decreased in tissues or serums of GC patients by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). The expressions of miR-132-3p/miR-212-3p showed an opposite tendency in these samples. The co-transfection of miR-132-3p/miR-212-3p mimics counteracted the enhancement of sirt1 expression induced by circ-sirt1. The results of cell colony-formation assay and transwell assays demonstrated that the proliferation, migration, and invasion activities of BGC-823 cells were inhibited by circ-sirt1 overexpression or miR-132-3p/miR-212-3p knockdown, respectively. The xenograft tumor model result indicated that the circ-sirt1 overexpression suppressed the tumor growth of BGC-823 cells. The regulation of miR-132-3p/miR-212-3p between circ-sirt1 and sirt1 was verified in the mice tumor tissues. Thus, circ-sirt1 inhibited tumor growth and invasion probably by sponging miR-132-3p/miR-212-3p and upregulating sirt1 expression in GC. These findings may provide a theoretical basis for the classification of GC and a novel therapeutic target for GC patients.

Exosomal­miR­10a derived from colorectal cancer cells suppresses migration of human lung fibroblasts, and expression of IL­6, IL­8 and IL­1ß.

MicroRNAs (miRs) carried in exosomes serve an important role in the pre­metastatic microenvironment and in intercellular interactions. However, the function of exosomal­miR­10a derived from primary colorectal cancer (CRC) cells on fibroblasts in the lung metastatic microenvironment of patients with CRC remains unclear. Reverse transcription­quantitative PCR was performed using samples from patients with CRC, and demonstrated that the expression levels of miR­10a were significantly lower in serum and cancer tissue samples from patients with CRC compared with in serum from healthy individuals and paired non­cancerous tissues, respectively. In addition, the expression levels of miR­10a were inversely associated with the invasion depth of CRC. Exosomal­miR­10a derived from CRC cells reduced the proliferative and migratory activities of primary normal human lung fibroblasts (NHLFs), and the expression levels of IL­6, IL­8 and IL­1ß in NHLFs. The present study provided insight into the phenotypic alterations of NHLFs induced by exosomal­miR­10a derived from CRC cells, which may aid understanding of the mechanism underlying the process of CRC lung metastasis.

Diet Quality Scores and Risk of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma in Chinese Adults: A Case-Control Study.

Many studies show that dietary factors may affect the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). We examined the association between overall diet quality and NPC risk in a Chinese population. This case-control study included 600 NPC patients and 600 matched controls between 2009 and 2011 in Guangzhou, China. Habitual dietary intake and various covariates were assessed via face-to-face interviews. Diet quality scores were calculated according to the Healthy Eating Index-2005 (HEI-2005), the alternate Healthy Eating Index (aHEI), the Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I), and the alternate Mediterranean Diet Score (aMed). After adjustment for various lifestyle and dietary factors, greater diet quality scores on the HEI-2005, aHEI, and DQI-I-but not on the aMed-showed a significant association with a lower risk of NPC (p-trends, <0.001-0.001). The odds ratios (95% confidence interval) comparing the extreme quartiles of the three significant scores were 0.47 (0.32-0.68) (HEI-2005), 0.48 (0.33-0.70) (aHEI), and 0.43 (0.30-0.62) (DQI-I). In gender-stratified analyses, the favorable association remained significant in men but not in women. We found that adherence to the predefined dietary patterns represented by the HEI-2005, aHEI, and DQI-I scales predicted a lower risk of NPC in adults from south China, especially in men.

Diversity of sugar acceptor of glycosyltransferase 1 from Bacillus cereus and its application for glucoside synthesis.

Glycosyltransferase 1 from Bacillus cereus (BcGT1) catalyzes the transfer of a glucosyl moiety from uridine diphosphate glucose (UDP-glucose) to various acceptors; it was expressed and characterized. The specificity of acceptors was found to be broad: more than 20 compounds classified into O-, S-, and N-linkage glucosides can be prepared with BcGT1 catalysis. Based on this work, we conclude that the corresponding acceptors of these compounds must possess the following features: (1) the acceptors must contain at least one aromatic or fused-aromatic or heteroaromatic ring; (2) the reactive hydroxyl or sulfhydryl or amino group can attach either on the aromatic ring or on its aliphatic side chain; and (3) the acceptors can be a primary, secondary, or even a tertiary amine. Four representative acceptors-fluorescein methyl ester, 17-ß-estradiol, 7-mercapto-4-methylcoumarin, and 6-benzylaminopurine-were chosen as a candidate acceptor for O-, S-, and N-glucosidation, respectively. These enzymatic products were purified and the structures were confirmed with mass and NMR spectra. As all isolated glucosides are ß-anomers, BcGT1 is confirmed to be an inverting enzyme. This study not only demonstrates the substrate promiscuity of BcGT1 but also showed the great application prospect of this enzyme in bioconversion of valuable bioactive molecules.

Folate, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and methionine intakes and risk for nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Chinese adults: a matched case-control study.

Many studies have suggested that folate-related one-carbon metabolism-related nutrients may play a role in certain cancer risks, but few studies have assessed their associations with the risk for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). In this study, we investigated the association between four folate-related one-carbon metabolism-related nutrients (folate, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and methionine) and NPC risk in Chinese adults. A total of 600 patients newly diagnosed (within 3 months) with NPC were individually matched with 600 hospital-based controls by age, sex and household type (urban v. rural). Folate, vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and methionine intakes were measured using a validated seventy-eight-item FFQ. A higher dietary folate or vitamin B6 intake was associated with a lower NPC risk after adjusting for potential confounders. The adjusted OR of NPC for quartiles 2-4 (v. 1) were 0·66 (95% CI 0·48, 0·91), 0·52 (95% CI 0·37, 0·74) and 0·34 (95% CI 0·23, 0·50) (P(trend)<0·001) for folate and 0·72 (95% CI 0·52, 1·00), 0·55 (95% CI 0·39, 0·78) and 0·44 (95% CI 0·30, 0·63) (P(trend)<0·001) for vitamin B6. No significant association with NPC risk was observed for dietary vitamin B12 or methionine intake. The risk for NPC with dietary folate intake was more evident in the participants who were not exposed to toxic substances than in those who were exposed (P(interaction)=0·014). This study suggests that dietary folate and vitamin B6 may be protective for NPC in a high-risk population.

PIAS3, an inhibitor of STAT3, has intensively negative association with the survival of gastric cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The present study was conducted to elucidate the prognostic prediction value of the expression of the protein inhibitor of activated signal transducer and activators of transcription 3 (PIAS3) in gastric cancer (GC). METHODS: We detected the expression of PIAS3 in GC tissue, adjacent non-tumor tissue, GC cell lines, and GES-1 cell line. Besides, both clinicopathological data and follow-up records were obtained for patients' survival analyses. RESULTS: We showed that both protein and mRNA expression of PIAS3 in GC tissue were significantly lower than those in adjacent non-tumor tissue, respectively. Besides, the relative mRNA expression value of PIAS3 in each of GC cell lines was also much lower than that in GES-1 cell line. With multivariate survival analyses, PIAS3 protein expression in GC tissues, and status of lymph node metastasis were identified to be the independently prognostic predictors of GC by using the Cox regression with bootstrapping method. CONCLUSIONS: Lower expression of PIAS3 protein, indicating the poor survival of GC, is a potential marker for prediction the prognosis of patients.

Study of liver cirrhosis over ten consecutive years in Southern China.

AIM: To investigate the etiology and complications of liver cirrhosis (LC) in Southern China. METHODS: In this retrospective, cross-sectional study, we identified cases of liver cirrhosis admitted between January 2001 to December 2010 and reviewed the medical records. Patient demographics, etiologies and complications were collected, and etiological changes were illustrated by consecutive years and within two time periods (2001-2005 and 2006-2010). All results were expressed as the mean ± SD or as a percentage. The χ(2) test or Student's t-test was used to analyze the differences in age, gender, and etiological distribution, and one-way analysis of variance was applied to estimate the trends in etiological changes. We analyzed the relationship between the etiologies and complications using unconditioned logistic regression, and the risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the major etiological groups was evaluated as ORs. A P value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Statistical computation was performed using SPSS 17.0 software. RESULTS: In this study, we identified 6719 (83.16%) male patients and 1361 (16.84%) female patients. The average age of all of the patients was 50.5 years at the time of diagnosis. The distribution of etiological agents was as follows: viral hepatitis, 80.62% [hepatitis B virus (HBV) 77.22%, hepatitis C virus (HCV) 2.80%, (HBV + HCV) 0.58%]; alcohol, 5.68%; mixed etiology, 4.95%; cryptogenic, 2.93%; and autoimmune hepatitis, 2.03%; whereas the other included etiologies accounted for less than 4% of the total. Infantile hepatitis syndrome LC patients were the youngest (2.5 years of age), followed by the metabolic LC group (27.2 years of age). Viral hepatitis, alcohol, and mixed etiology were more prevalent in the male group, whereas autoimmune diseases, cryptogenic cirrhosis, and metabolic diseases were more prevalent in the female group. When comparing the etiological distribution in 2001-2005 with that in 2006-2010, the proportion of viral hepatitis decreased from 84.7% to 78.3% (P < 0.001), and the proportion of HBV-induced LC also decreased from 81.9% to 74.6% (P < 0.001). The incidence of mixed etiology, cryptogenic cirrhosis, and autoimmune diseases increased by 3.1% (P < 0.001), 0.5% (P = 0.158), and 1.3% (P < 0.001), respectively. Alcohol-induced LC remained relatively steady over the 10-year period. The ORs of the development of UGIB between HBV and other major etiologies were as follows: HCV, 1.07; alcohol, 1.89; autoimmune, 0.90; mixed etiology, 0.83; and cryptogenic, 1.76. The ORs of the occurrence of HCC between HBV and other major etiologies were as follows: HCV, 0.54; alcohol, 0.16; autoimmune, 0.05; mixed etiology, 0.58; and cryptogenic, 0.60. CONCLUSION: The major etiology of liver cirrhosis in Southern China is viral hepatitis. However, the proportions of viral hepatitis and HBV are gradually decreasing. Alcoholic LC patients exhibit a greater risk of experiencing UGIB, and HBV LC patients may have a greater risk of HCC.

Habitual consumption of soy products and risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Chinese adults: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Many studies have shown a negative association between the consumption of soy products and the risk of some cancers, but little is known about the effect of soy consumption on nasopharyngeal carcinoma. We assessed the association between the consumption of soy products on nasopharyngeal carcinoma risk in Chinese individuals. METHODS: This case-control study included 600 (448 males and 152 females) incident cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and an equal number of controls, matched according to gender, age (± 3 y) and household type to the nasopharyngeal carcinoma cases. All subjects were recruited from hospitals in Guangzhou, China. A face-to-face interview was conducted with each study individual to collect general information and habitual dietary intake using a 78-item quantitative food-frequency questionnaire. Odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals were estimated using conditional logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: The median intakes of soy foods (in protein) were 0.5/0.5, 1.4/1.7, 2.7/3.3 and 6.1/7.7 (male/female) g/d in the quartiles 1 to 4. Both univariate and multivariate analyses showed no significant association between the consumption of soy proteins or soy isoflavones and the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) between extreme quartiles were 0.97 (0.66-1.45) for soy proteins and 0.97 (0.66-1.42) for total isoflavones. Null associations were also observed between intake of the individual isoflavones daidzein, genistein and glycitein and NPC risk, with adjusted odds ratios for the extreme quartiles ranging between 0.73 and 1.23. CONCLUSION: Habitual consumption of soy products had no significant effect on the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Chinese adults with a relatively low intake.

Ligand-functionalization of BPEI-coated YVO4:Bi3+,Eu3+ nanophosphors for tumor-cell-targeted imaging applications.

In this study, surface-functionalized, branched polyethylenimine (BPEI)-modified YVO4:Bi(3+),Eu(3+) nanocrystals (NCs) were successfully synthesized by a simple, rapid, solvent-free hydrothermal method. The BPEI-coated YVO4:Bi(3+),Eu(3+) NCs with high crystallinity show broad-band excitation in the λ=250 to 400 nm near-ultraviolet (NUV) region and exhibit a sharp-line emission band centered at λ=619 nm under excitation at λ=350 nm. The surface amino groups contributed by the capping agent, BPEI, not only improve the dispersibility and water/buffer stability of the BPEI-coated YVO4:Bi(3+),Eu(3+) NCs, but also provide a capability for specifically targeted biomolecule conjugation. Folic acid (FA) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) were further attached to the BPEI-coated YVO4:Bi(3+),Eu(3+) NCs and exhibited effective positioning of fluorescent NCs toward the targeted folate receptor overexpressed in HeLa cells or EGFR overexpressed in A431 cells with low cytotoxicity. These results demonstrate that the ligand-functionalized, BPEI-coated YVO4:Bi(3+),Eu(3+) NCs show great potential as a new-generation biological luminescent bioprobe for bioimaging applications. Moreover, the unique luminescence properties of BPEI-coated YVO4:Bi(3+),Eu(3+) NCs show potential to combine with a UVA photosensitizing drug to produce both detective and therapeutic effects for human skin cancer therapy.