[Two cases of dichlorvos poisoning complicated with gastric perforation].

Severe acute dichlorvos poisoning is characterized by rapid onset, swift disease progression and serious complications. It frequently involves multiple organ failure (central, respiratory and circulatory systems), severe acidosis, and rare occurrences of gastric perforation. When secondary gastric perforation occurs, treatment becomes difficult and the prognosis of patients is poor. Thus, early and sufficient gastrointestinal decontamination is crucial. This article presented two cases of gastric perforation secondary to dichlorvos poisoning and discussed the causes of gastric perforation, as well is clinical diagnostic and treatment methods.

[The influence of interaction between polygenic risk score and intestinal fungal microbiota on the risk of schizophrenia].

Objective: To investigate the effect of interaction between polygenic risk score (PRS) and intestinal fungal microbiota on the risk of Schizophrenia (SCH). Methods: A case-control study was carried out. Drug-naïve, first-episode SCH patients were selected from the Psychiatric Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University between October 2017 and October 2019. Meanwhile, healthy controls (HCs) were recruited from local communities through online advertisement or physical examination center. Intestinal fungal microbiota was characterized by the 18S rRNA sequencing platform. The association of fungal microbial dysbiosis (F_MD) index, α-diversity indices and PRS with SCH was detected by logistic regression analysis. Results: A total of 137 SCH patients (62 males and 75 females) and 76 HCs (31 males and 45 females) were included in the study. The age of SCH patients and HCs was (22.5±7.5) years and (22.8±2.3) years, respectively. The results of logistic regression analysis revealed that PRS (OR=1.111, 95%CI: 1.036-1.178, P=0.002) and the increase of F_MD index (OR=1.200, 95%CI: 1.124-1.281, P<0.001) were risk factors for developing SCH. The increase of fungal α-diversity Shannon (OR=0.813, 95%CI: 0.755-0.874, P<0.001) index, Simpson index (OR=0.218, 95%CI: 0.091-0.523, P<0.001) and abundance of key Aspergillus (OR=0.928, 95%CI: 0.864-0.996, P=0.040) decreased the risk of SCH. Aspergillus abundance was positively correlated with cognitive domains including working memory (r=0.280, P=0.001), verbal learning (r=0.253, P=0.003), reasoning and problem solving (r=0.191, P=0.028). Conclusion: The increase of PRS may increase the risk of SCH. The increase of fungal α-diversity indices and Aspergillus abundance may decrease the risk of SCH. The interaction between PRS and intestinal fungi (Shannon index, Simpson index and Aspergillus) is a related factor for the risk of SCH.

[Establishment of diagnostic model for schizophrenia based on neurotrophic factor and other biomarkers].

Objective: To construct a diagnostic model of schizophrenia (SCZ) based on biomarkers such as serum neurotrophic factor. Methods: Patients of schizophrenia (SCZ group) and healthy controls (HC group) who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2017 to December 2019 were prospectively selected. In the SCZ group, the mental symptoms were assessed by the positive and negative symptom scale (PANSS), cognitive function was assessed by the MATRICS consensus cognitive battery (MCCB), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glial cell derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), fasting glucose (FGB) and fasting insulin (FINS) levels were detected, and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated. The same methods were used to evaluate cognitive function, measure BDNF, GDNF, FGB and FINS levels, and calculate HOMA-IR in HC group. The indexes with statistically significant differences between the two groups were selected to be included in the model. The diagnostic model was constructed by machine learning and verified by cross-validation method, the receiver operating curve (ROC) was plotted, and the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Results: (1) A total of 142 patients (70 males and 72 females) with schizophrenia were finally included, and aged (25±4) years. Meanwhile, 140 healthy controls (72 males and 68 females) were also enrolled, and aged (26±4) years. In SCZ group, scores in all areas of cognitive function were lower than those in HC group (all P<0.001), the levels of serum BDNF and GDNF [(6.7±1.8) ng/ml and (405±93) pg/ml] were also lower than those in HC group [(12.3±3.2) ng/ml and (574±139) pg/ml] (both P<0.001), but the levels of FINS and HOMA-IR [(8.4±0.8) µU/ml and 1.7±0.3] were higher than those in HC group [(6.7±0.9) µU/ml and 1.4±0.3] (both P<0.001). (2) Correlation analysis showed that the level of serum BDNF had a negative correlation with negative symptom scores and total scores (r=-0.31, P<0.001; r=-0.17, P=0.040), but had a positive correlation with attention/alertness (CPT-IP) T scores, working memory (WSM-Ⅲ) T scores and visual learning (BVMT) T scores in SCZ group (r=0.39, 0.37 and 0.29, all P<0.001). The level of serum GDNF also had a positive correlation with CPT-IP T scores, WSM-Ⅲ T scores and BVMT T scores (r=0.32, P<0.001; r=0.23, P=0.007; r=0.40, P<0.001). The values of HOMA-IR had a positive correlation with social cognition (MSCEIT) T scores in SCZ group (r=0.18, P=0.033). (3) AUC of the early diagnosis model constructed by combining BDNF, GDNF and HOMA-IR was 0.890 (95%CI: 0.832-0.940), the accuracy was 0.89, the sensitivity and specificity was 0.94 and 0.82, respectively. Conclusion: The final diagnostic model based on biomarkers of serum neurotrophic factor has good diagnostic efficiency for SCZ, but large-scale independent sample verification is still needed.

[Abnormal changes of static and dynamic functional connectivity of dopaminergic midbrain in patients with first-episode schizophrenia and their correlations with clinical symptoms].

Objective: To investigate the abnormal changes of static functional connectivity (sFC) and dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) in the dopaminergic midbrain (ventral dorsal tegmental area and bilateral substantia nigra compacta, VTA/SNc) in patients with first-episode schizophrenia(SCH), and their correlation with the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS). Methods: The data of 198 first-episode untreated schizophrenia patients and 199 healthy controls (HC) matched by age, sex and years of education who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2019 to May 2022 were prospectively collected. All subjects underwent high resolution structural MRI and resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scanning. The dopaminergic midbrain (VTA/SNc) was defined as three regions of interest (ROI). The sFC and dFC analyses with VTA/SNc as seeds were performed to produce a whole-brain diagram initially, which subsequently were compared between schizophrenia group and HC group. Finally, the correlation analysis of sFC and dFC values with the PANSS scores were performed, including the positive scale score, negative scale score, general psychopathology scale score, total score and symptom scores. Results: There were 86 males and 112 females in SCH group, and aged (23±9) years. Meanwhile, there were 95 males and 104 females in HC group, and aged (22±5) years. In the SCH group, the positive (P), the negative (N) and the general psychopathology (G) scale scores and the total score (T) of the PANSS scale was 20±7, 21±7, 41±11 and 82±22, respectively. Compared with the HC group, the VTA showed decreased sFC with four clusters including cerebellar vermis 7/9, left putamen, right thalamus and left middle cingulate gyrus in the schizophrenia group (peak center, t=-4.35, -4.81, -4.35 and -4.65; voxel P<0.005; cluster P<0.05), the right SNc showed decreased sFC with four clusters including left cerebellar hemisphere 4/5/8, right putamen, right medial orbitofrontal gyrus and the left putamen in the schizophrenia group (peak center, t=-4.91, -5.15, -4.77 and -5.21; voxel P<0.005; cluster P<0.05), and the left SNc showed decreased sFC with four clusters including the left putamen, right putamen, right medial orbitofrontal gyrus and left middle cingulate gyrus in the schizophrenia group (peak center, t=-5.82, -4.83 and -4.65; voxel P<0.005; cluster P<0.05). Compared with the HC group, the VTA showed decreased dFC with the right inferior parietal gyrus, right angular gyrus and right superior parietal gyrus in schizophrenia group (t=-4.17). In the schizophrenia group, the sFC value of cluster 2 (left putamen) with VTA as seed and cluster 4 (left putamen) with right SNc as seed were positively correlated with the positive scale scores in PANSS (r=0.141, 0.169, both P<0.05). The sFC and dFC values of significant regions were also correlated with hallucination, delusion, suspicion, hostility, communication disorder, passivity/indifference, lack of communication, stereotyped thinking, depression, non-cooperation, lack of judgment and insight, impulse control disorder, active social avoidance (all P<0.05). Conclusion: The static and dynamic functional connectivity (stability) of VTA/SNc to cerebellum, thalamus, striatum, prefrontal lobe and cingulate gyrus in first-episode schizophrenia patients were decreased, which were closely related to the positive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

[A cohort study on the correlation between alanine aminotransferase trajectories and new-onset metabolic fatty liver disease].

Objective: To explore the correlation between alanine aminotransferase (ALT) trajectories and new-onset metabolic fatty liver disease (MAFLD) to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and treatment of MAFLD. Methods: The study cohort was composed of 3 553 subjects who met the inclusion criteria in the cohort study of the Henan physical examination population. According to the ALT levels of the subjects' physical examination from 2017-2019, three different ALT trajectory groups were determined by R LCTMtools, namely low-stable group, medium-stable group, and high-stable group. The incidence of MAFLD during physical examination in 2020 was followed up, the cumulative incidence rate in each group was calculated by product-limit method, and Cox proportional hazards regression model analyzed the correlation between different ALT trajectories and new-onset MAFLD. Results: The incidence rate of MAFLD parallelly increased with the increase of ALT locus, which was 6.93%, 15.42%, and 19.05%, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001). After adjusting for multiple confounding factors, such as gender, waist circumference, blood pressure, BMI, fasting blood sugar, and blood lipid by Cox proportional hazards regression model, the risks of MAFLD in ALT medium-stable and the high-stable group were still 1.422 times (95%CI:1.115-1.813) and 1.483 times (95%CI:1.040-2.114) of low-stable ALT group (P<0.05). Conclusions: The risk of MAFLD parallelly increases with the increase of ALT level in the normal long-term range. it is necessary to carry out the intervention for MAFLD with long-term average high value to avoid the progress of MAFLD disease to achieve the early prevention on MAFLD.

[Effect of the correlation between gut microbiota and folic acid in first-episode schizophrenia].

Objective: To explore the effects of gut microbiota and the serum level of folicacid on psychiatric symptoms in first-episode, drug-free schizophrenic (SCZ) patients. Methods: A total of 100 first-episode, drug-free SCZ patients (SCZ group) from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University and 90 demographically matched healthy individuals (healthy control group) were enrolled. The serum level of folic acid was measured by the electrochemical luminescence method.Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was used to assess the psychiatric symptoms and Matrics Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) was used to evaluate cognitive function. Bacterial DNA was extracted from the fecal samples for high-through put sequencing of the 16S rRNA.The effects of gut microbiota and folic acid on the psychiatric symptoms and cognitive function in SCZ patients were explored. Results: A total of 41 males and 59 females, with an age of (22.6±8.2) years were included in the patient group, and 32 males and 58 females with an age of (23.0±3.0) years were included in the healthy control group. The fasting folic acid level inserum of the SCZ group was lower than that of healthy control group [6.92(4.98, 8.49) µg/L vs 8.93(7.13, 13.37) µg/L,P<0.001]. The relative abundance of genus Bifidobacterium[0.005(0.003, 0.013) vs 0.014(0.004, 0.031)] and genus Bacteroides[0.015(0.001, 0.091) vs 0.083(0.029, 0.193)]was lower in the SCZ group than that of the healthy control group (both P<0.001). In comparison with the healthy control group, scores of cognitive function in the seven domains were significantly lower in the SCZ group (all P<0.05). In the patient group, the serum level of folic acid was negatively related to the negative symptom score(r=-0.378, P<0.001), but had a positive correlation with the score of speed of processing (r=0.310, P=0.011).In the SCZ group, the relative abundance of the genus Bifidobacterium was positively correlated with the serum level of folic acid (r=0.374,P<0.001) and the score of speed of processing(r=0.330,P=0.003) respectively, but was negatively correlated with the general psychopathology score (r=-0.326, P=0.001). The results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that the interaction term between folic acid and genus Bifidobacteriumin in SCZ patients were correlated with the general psychopathology score, with a regression coefficient of -29.240 (F=8.655, P=0.007). There was no statistical correlation between the aforementioned interaction term and cognitive function (both P>0.05). Conclusion: In first-episode, drug-free SCZ patients, there were decreases in the serum folic acid level and the relative abundance of genus Bifidobacterium, which were related to the psychiatric symptoms, suggesting that these two substances can be used as potential objective indicators for evaluating psychiatric symptoms.

[Correlation among serum levels of Irisin, insulin resistance and abdominal obesityin patients with first-episode schizophrenia].

Objective: To explore the possible role of Irisin in antipsychotic drug-induced insulin resistance and abdominal obesity in patients with schizophrenia and to provide a theoretical basis for the prevention of antipsychotic drug-induced obesity. Methods: Fifty-five patients with first-episode schizophrenia, from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, between January 2016 and December 2017, were admitted as well as fifty healthy controls during the same period. Serum Irisin levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Fasting blood glucose (FBG), fasting insulin (INS), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TCHO), highdensity lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL) were detected. Results: The average Irisin level ((233±228) mmol/L) was higher than that in the normal control group ((124±89) mmol/L) (P<0.05).Repeated measurement analysis of variance showed that the average levels of the height, waist, FBG, INS, TCHO, TG, HDL, LDL, BMI, HOMA-IR and Irisin at the end of the 12(th) and 24(th) week's treatment were higher than baseline (P<0.05). After correlation analysis, the level of Irisinat baseline was positively correlated with HOMA-IR (r=0.383, P<0.05). At the 12(th) week, the level of Irisin was positively correlated with waist circumference, and HOMA-IR (r=0.360, r=0.475, all P<0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that at the 12(th) week's treatment, compared with the baseline period, changes of Irisin was positively correlated with waist circumference and HOMA-IR, respectively (ß=0.453, ß=0.420, both P<0.05). Conclusion: Irisin may be involved in the process of metabolic regulation and bean early predictor of antipsychotic drug-induced insulin resistance and abdominal obesity.

[Effects of oxidative stress on cognitive impairment in first episode schizophrenia].

Objective: To observe the relationship between serum oxidative stress as well as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and cognitive function in first-episode drug-free schizophrenics, and to explore the possible effect of oxidative stress in cognitive impairment of first-episode schizophrenia. Methods: A total of 125 first-episode drug-free schizophrenics (schizophrenia group) from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University and 80 healthy individuals (control group) were enrolled. The serum concentration of oxidized glutathione (GSSG) was measured by the Microenzyme method the serum concentration of nitric oxide (NO) was measured by one-step method, the BDNF level was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and Matrics Consensus Cognitive Battery(MCCB) was used to evaluate the cognitive function. Results: (1)The serum level of BDNF in schizophrenia group (2 763±1 728 pg/ml) was significantly lower than that in control group (4 165±1 299 pg/ml)(P<0.001). And the serum levels of GSSG and NO in schizophrenia group ((36±9), (81±65) µmol/L) were significantly higher than that in control group ((27±11), (24±16) µmol/L) (P<0.001). In comparison with the control group scores were significantly lower in the seven domains of cognitive function in the schizophrenia group (all P<0.001). (2)After controlling the confounding factors like age, gender, cultural differences and course of disease by partial correlation analysis, the correlation analysis showed that: serum level of BDNF in schizophrenia group had positive correlation with Information processing rate T points, attentional facilitating T points, working memory T points and Reasoning and problem solving T points (r=0.417, 0.206, 0.247, 0.318, all P<0.05). In schizophrenia group the serum level of GSSG had a negative correlation with information processing rate T points and reasoning and problem solving T points (r=-0.321, -0.231, all P<0.05). The serum level of NO was negatively related to Information processing rate T points working memory T points Verbal learning T points(r=-0.201, -0.193, -0.237, all P<0.05). Conclusions: Oxidative stress may be involved in the cognitive impairment of schizophrenia Oxidation products are risk factors for cognitive impairment of schizophrenia and BDNF is a protective factor of cognitive function.

[Correlation of serum level of homocysteine and insulin resistance with cognitive dysfunction in first-episode schizophrenics].

Objective: To explore the relationship of serum level of homocysteine (Hcy) and insulin resistance with cognitive function in first-episode drug-free schizophrenics. Methods: A total of 80 first-episode drug-free schizophrenics (schizophrenia group) from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University and 70 healthy individuals (control group) were enrolled.The serum concentration of Hcy was measured by the enzymatic cycling assay, the concentration of serum fast blood-glucose(FPG) by glucose oxidase method and fast insulin (FINS) by electrical chemiluminescence immunoassay.Then insulin resistance index was calculated in the form of HOMA-IR.Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was used to evaluate the mental symptoms and Matrics Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) was used to evaluate the cognitive function. Results: (1) The serum level of Hcy in schizophrenia group [(24±6) µmoL/L]was significantly higher than that in control group[(16±4) µmoL/L] (P<0.001). And the serum level of FINS in schizophrenia group [(8.0±2.1) mU/L] was significantly higher than that in control group[(6.0±1.3) mU/L] (P<0.001). The HOMA-IR of schizophrenia group (1.6±0.5) was higher than that of control group (1.3±0.4) (P<0.001). The serum level of Hcy in schizophrenia group had positive correlations with serum FINS level, HOMA-IR and negative symptoms (r=0.365, 0.354 and 0.233, all P<0.05). In comparison with the control group , scores were significantly lower in the seven domains of cognitive function in the schizophrenia group (all P<0.05). (2) In schizophrenia group, the serum level of Hcy had a negative correlation with Information processing rate P points, Attentional facilitating P points , and Verbal learning P points (r=-0.231, -0.339, -0.255, all P<0.05); the serum level of FINS was negatively related to Attentional facilitating P points, Working memory P pointsand Visual memory P points (r=-0.317, -0.309, -0.318, all P<0.05); HOMA-IR had a negative correlation with Attentional facilitating P points, Working memory P points, and Visual memory P points (r=-0.286, -0.224, -0.266, all P<0.05). After the influencing factors were adjusted by multiple regression, the associations of serum Hcy level with Information processing rate P points, Attentional facilitating P points and Verbal learning P points were still evident, and HOMA-IR was still related with Attentional facilitating P points and Visual memory P points (all P<0.05). Conclusion: The increase of serum Hcy and insulin resistance in first-episode schizophrenics, both have some relevance with cognitive dysfunction.

Synergistic and simultaneous biosorption of phenanthrene and iodine from aqueous solutions by soil indigenous bacterial biomass as a low-cost biosorbent.

The removal of phenanthrene and iodine from aqueous solutions in single and binary systems by inactivated soil indigenous bacterial biomass (SIBB), as well as affecting factors, were evaluated. Sorption kinetic and isotherm studies were carried out to investigate the synergistic effects of phenanthrene and iodine. Optimal parameters for the biosorption process included a solution pH of 6.0 and biosorbent dosage of 0.75 g L-1. The ionic strength significantly decreased the biosorption of both phenanthrene and iodine in single conditions, while no obvious influences were found in the binary conditions. A pseudo-second-order model was well fitted to the kinetic biosorption data for both phenanthrene and iodine. The results showed that the presence of co-solute accelerated the biosorption processes and the pseudo-second-order biosorption rates (k 2) for phenanthrene and iodine increased from 0.005441 to 0.009825 g mg-1 min-1 and from 0.000114 to 0.000223 g mg-1 min-1, respectively. The SIBB showed strong affinity with both phenanthrene and iodine, with a partition coefficient K d (Linear model) of 6892.4 L kg-1 for phenanthrene and affinity parameter K L (Langmuir model) of 232 500 L kg-1 for iodine. The presence of co-solute illustrated a synergistic effect on the biosorption of phenanthrene and iodine due to intermolecular forces between phenanthrene and iodine, enhancing the K d of 34.7% for phenanthrene and K L of 107.0% for iodine, respectively. The results suggested that SIBB was an effective material for the simultaneous biosorption of phenanthrene and iodine from aqueous solutions.

[Correlation between the clinical symptoms and the activation pattern of brain neurons in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder].

Objective: To explore the correlation between clinical symptoms of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and the activation pattern of brain neurons at resting. Methods: A total of 26 patients diagnosed with fist-episode OCD were selected and underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning at resting state. The fMRI data were processed by statistical parametric mapping (SPM8), Data Processing Assistant for Resting-State fMRI Analysis Toolkit (DPARSFA), and Resting State fMRI Data Analysis Toolkit (REST) software. With age as concomitant variable, Pearson Correlation Analysis was adopted to study the correlation between clinical symptoms (obsessive thoughts and compulsive behavior) of patients and their regional homogeneity ( ReHo) values of whole brain. Results: The positive correlation between obsessive thoughts score of patients with OCD and ReHo value lied in insular_L, insular_R, cerebellum_L, cerebellum_R, calcarine_L, cuneus_L. The negative correlation between obsessive thoughts score of patients with OCD and ReHo value lied in thalamus_L, precuneus_L, caudate_L, cingulum_R, frontal_R. The positive correlation between compulsive behavior score of patients with OCD and ReHo value lied in temporal_L, frontal_inf_orb_l, frontal_inf_orb_R, frontal_mid_L, precentral_R. The negative correlation between compulsive behavior score of patients with OCD and ReHo value lied in cingulum-L, cingulum-R, caudate_L. Conclusion: Different obsessive-compulsive symptoms has different image foundation, and the dysfunction of cingulate has a major impact on the incidence of both obsessive thoughts and compulsive behavior of OCD patients.

High expression of KIF14 is associated with poor prognosis in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Kinesin family member 14 (KIF14) is a mitotic kinesin and plays an important role in tumor progression. KIF14 overexpression has been observed in multiple cancers and has been correlated with a poor prognosis. However, its protein expression and prognostic significance in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) remain unclear. In this research, we aimed to explore the relationship of KIF14 expression with clinicopathological parameters and prognosis in EOC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we measured KIF14 expression in 170 EOC carcinoma tissue samples with immunohistochemistry and correlated these data with clinicopathological characteristics. RESULTS: The expression of KIF14 in EOC tissues was significantly higher than that in normal tissues. Furthermore, KIF14 expression was significantly associated with metastasis (p = 0.047), histological type (p = 0.001), Ki67 expression (p = 0.004) and residual tumor (p = 0.038). Also, Kaplan-Meir survival curves showed that a high level of KIF14 expression was a predictor for worse PFS (p = 0.013) and OS (p = 0.009) in patients with EOC. CONCLUSIONS: KIF14 expression may be associated with poor prognosis, suggesting that it has potential value as an effective prognostic predictor in EOC patients.

[Cognitive effectiveness of risperidone and olanzapine in first-episode schizophrenia].

Objective: To study the impairments of cognitive function in first-episode schizophrenia and the potential effectiveness of risperidone and olanzapine monotherapy on first-episode schizophrenia. Methods: A total of 57 first-episode schizophrenia and 30 healthy controls were assessed at baseline, and patients were assessed again after 8-week antipsychotics therapy. Results: The positive and negative symptom scale (PANSS) reductive ratio between the two groups was similar. At baseline, the performance of schizophrenia patients was significant poor than healthy controls in the four domains of cognitive function (P<0.05); after 8-week's antipsychotics therapy, the performance of Trail Making Test (t=3.862, P<0.05) and Verbal Learning (t=-3.073, P<0.05) got significant improvements in patients with risperidone, while in group of patients with olanzapine, the performance of Trail Making Test (t=3.587, P<0.05) and working memory domain (t=-2.891, P<0.05) got significant improvements. Spearman correlation analyses suggested that dosage of risperidone was negatively correlated with the score-reducing rate of the performance of Trail Making Test of patients (r=-0.391, P=0.048). Conclusions: The effects of the two psychotroptic drugs on clinical symptoms and cognitive functions are almost equal. Comprehensive cognitive impairment is found in first-episode schizophrenia, and risperidone and olanzapine could partially improve the performance of cognitive function as well as clinical symptoms. The higher the dosage of risperidone is, the less improvement the patients has in the speed of process domain.

Haemarthrosis model in mice: BSS - Bleeding Severity Score assessment system.

INTRODUCTION: The prophylactic administration of clotting factor concentrate is currently the most effective strategy for the prevention of joint bleeding. As new agents with different mechanisms of action and administration schedules are developed, it will be important to study them in relevant preclinical models. AIM: The aim of this study was the standardization of a mouse haemarthrosis model in a haemophilia mouse and the development and validation of a comprehensive bleeding assessment system, the Bleeding Severity Score (BSS). METHODS AND RESULTS: Four outcome measurements were assessed, two of which, the extra-articular bleeding score and intra-articular bleeding score, were determined to be the most reliable and were summarized into a BSS which was validated using a mouse haemarthrosis variability model. CONCLUSION: Using this model, the haemostatic effect of prospective drugs can be assessed in a clinically relevant joint bleeding model and will significantly increase the value of preclinical studies.

[Correlations between hormone levels and psychiatric symptoms as well as cognitive function in drug-free first-episode schizophrenics].

OBJECTIVE: To explore hormone such as follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing (LH), prolactin (PRL), estradiol (E2), progesterone (PROG) and testosterone (TESTO) levels in first-episode drug-free schizophrenics, and the relationship between clinical symptoms and sex hormones, in order to further study the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. METHODS: Eighty-one first-episode drug-free schizophrenics including thirty-nine male and forty-two female from First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University and seventy healthy subjects (thirty male and forty female) were enrolled.Serum levels of hormone were measured using electrical chemiluminescence immunoassay, and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) was used to evaluate the mental symptoms and Matrics Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) was used to evaluate cognitive function. RESULTS: (1) The serum levels of PRL in male patients group ((24±9) ng/ml) was higher than that of control group ((10±3) ng/ml) (P<0.05), the serum levels of E2, TESTO of male patients group ((29±10) ng/ml), ((3.2±1.7) ng/ml) was lower than that of control group ((35±11) ng/ml), ((4.4±1.6) ng/ml) (P<0.05); The serum levels of PRL, TESTO of female patients group ((29±16) ng/ml), ((0.5±0.4) ng/ml) were dramatically higher than that of control group ((13±5) ng/ml), ((0.3±0.1) ng/ml) (P<0.05), the serum levels of E2 of female patients group ((51±40) ng/ml) was lower than that of control group ((63±66) ng/ml) (P=0.05). (2) The serum levels of PRL, E2, TESTO in male patients group were negatively associated with negative symptoms (r=-0.478,-0.443,-0.576, P<0.05), PRL were negatively related to positive symptoms (r=-0.542, P<0.05); In female patients group, the serum levels of PRL were negatively associated with negative symptoms (r=-0.343, P<0.05), the serum levels of E2 was negatively related to positive symptoms, general psychopathology grade, total PANSS grade (r=-0.351,-0.487,-0.405, P<0.05), TESTO had a positive correlation with positive symptoms (r=0.445, P<0.05). (3) In male patients group, PRL had an negative correlation with working memory P point, reasoning and problem solving P points (r=-0.384,-0.374, P<0.05), the serum levels of E2 was positively related to Information processing rate P points, Visual memory P points, Reasoning and problem solving P points (r=0.379, 0.336, 0.407, P<0.05), TESTO had a positive correlation with Information processing rate P points, Visual memory P points, Reasoning and problem solving P points (r=0.564, 0.513, 0.552, P<0.05). In female patients group, PRL had an negative correlation with working memory P point, Reasoning and problem solving P points and social cognition P points (r=-0.303,-0.358,-0.368, P<0.05), the serum levels of E2 was positively related to working memory, Reasoning and problem solving P points, social cognition P points (r=0.376, 0.453, 0.355, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that first-episode drug-free schizophrenics have hormone secretion abnormal, which suggests that hypothalamus-hypophysis-gonad axis may probably involve in physiopathologic mechanism of first-episode medicine-free schizophrenics.Slightly elevated serum PRL level may be the reaction of stress response in first-episode medicine-free schizophrenics.Endogenous testosterone and estradiol may protect cognitive function against recession, and declining of testosterone and estradiol in blood is the hazards of cognitive dysfunction in first-episode drug-free male schizophrenics. PRL, E2, TESTO may be one of the measurements of the severity of clinical symptoms.

HOTAIR: a cancer-related long non-coding RNA.

Long non-coding RNA was dismissed as merely transcriptional "noise" in the past decades. Numerous researches have shown that lncRNAs regulated gene expression at the epigenetic level. Moreover, lncRNAs played important roles in proliferation, apoptosis and invasiveness of tumor cells, and participated in metastatic capacity of cancers. Recent studies revealed HOX transcript antisense RNA, a lncRNA with regulatory functions of transcription, could bind PRC2 and LSD1/CoREST/REST complexes and direct to the specific gene sites, resulted in H3K27 methylation and H3K4 demethylation and ultimately gene silencing. Aberrant HOTAIR expression was associated with various sites of cancers such as breast, hepatocellular, gastric, colorectal, pancreatic et al; and affected survival and prognosis of cancer patients. In this review, we introduce an overall view of HOTAIR by describing the known molecular mechanisms and potential functions of HOTAIR and summarizing the latest progresses on the research of HOTAIR in various human cancers.

Phase II study of sorafenib in combination with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil to treat recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of sorafenib combined with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in patients with recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: It was a Simon two-stage designed trial. Chemotherapy-naive patients with recurrent or metastatic disease were enrolled. The regimen was sorafenib 400 mg orally b.i.d., cisplatin 80 mg/m(2) i.v. day 1, and 5-FU 1000 mg/m(2)/day CIV for 4 days, repeated every 21 days. After a maximum of six cycles of chemotherapy, patients received maintenance of sorafenib. RESULTS: In total, 54 patients were enrolled. The objective response rate reached 77.8%, including 1 complete response and 41 partial responses. The median progression-free survival was 7.2 months (95% CI 6.8-8.4 months), and the median overall survival was 11.8 months (95% CI 10.6-18.7 months). Major toxic effects included hand-foot skin reaction, myelosuppression, and gastrointestinal (GI) reaction. The incidence of hemorrhage was 22.2%, and one patient with liver metastases died of GI bleeding. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography was carried out in a subset of patients with liver metastases. CONCLUSION: Combination of sorafenib, cisplatin (80 mg/m(2)) and 5-FU (3000 mg/m(2)) was tolerable and feasible in recurrent or metastatic NPC. Further randomized trials to compare sorafenib plus cisplatin and 5-FU with standard dose of cisplatin plus 5-FU in NPC are warranted.

Comparison of microbial changes in early redeveloping biofilms on natural teeth and dentures.

BACKGROUND: Surfaces and fluids can affect oral bacterial colonization. The aim of this study is to compare redeveloping biofilms on natural teeth and dentures. METHODS: Supragingival plaque samples were taken from 55 dentate individuals and the denture teeth of 62 edentulous individuals before and after professional cleaning. Also, samples from seven "teeth" (samples included dentures) in randomly selected quadrants were collected after 1, 2, 4, and 7 days of no oral hygiene. Samples were analyzed using checkerboard DNA-DNA hybridization. Counts and proportions of 41 bacterial taxa were determined at each time point, and significant differences were determined using the Mann-Whitney U test. Ecological succession was determined using a modified moving window analysis. RESULTS: Mean total DNA probe counts were similar precleaning but were higher in dentate individuals at all post-cleaning visits (P <0.01). Precleaning edentate biofilms had higher counts and proportions of Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus oralis, and Streptococcus mutans, whereas dentate individuals had higher proportions of Tannerella forsythia, Selenomonas noxia, and Neisseria mucosa. By day 2, mean counts of all taxa were higher in natural teeth, and most remained higher at day 7 (P <0.01). Succession was more rapid and complex in dentate individuals. Both groups demonstrated increased proportions of S. mitis and S. oralis by day 1. N. mucosa, Veillonella parvula, and Eikenella corrodens increased in both groups, but later in samples from edentate individuals. CONCLUSIONS: "Mature" natural and denture teeth biofilms have similar total numbers of bacteria but different species proportions. Post-cleaning biofilm redevelopment is more rapid and more complex on natural teeth than on denture teeth.