The efficacy and safety of venetoclax combined with demethylating agents in elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and adverse effects of venetoclax in combination with hypomethylating agents in elderly with acute myeloid leukemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comprehensive literature search identified related studies from PubMed, Medline, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane Library. Overall complete remission (CR) and overall response rate (ORR) were applied to evaluate the efficacy of venetoclax in combination with hypomethylating agents in elderly with acute myeloid leukemia, and incidence of grade 3-4 adverse events were used to evaluate the safety. RESULTS: 10 studies, including a total of 930 patients, were identified in our study and analyzed using the random-effects model. Meta-analysis showed the pooled overall CR rate of 70% (95% CI: 63-77%), the pooled ORR rate of 53% (95% CI: 39-67%), and the median overall survival ranged from 7.7 to 16.9 months. A total of 6 studies reported related adverse events, mainly including thrombocytopenia, febrile neutropenia, neutropenia, leukopenia, anemia, and pneumonia. The pooled incidence of overall adverse events was 30% (95% CI: 22-38%), and all adverse events were tolerable and resolved with treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of venetoclax and demethylating drugs has a good therapeutic effect on elderly patients with acute myeloid leukemia, but it also induces some adverse events. Although this therapy has a small impact on the quality of life, further attention is still needed to reduce the occurrence of such adverse events.

Circular RNA circHIPK3 as a novel circRNA regulator of autophagy and endothelial cell dysfunction in atherosclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to explore the role and mechanism of circHIPK3 in atherosclerosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: AS model was constructed in vivo and in vitro for high fat-fed and ox-LDL treatment. RT-PCR was used to assess the level of circHIPK3. The autophagy level of HUVECs was detected by Western blot, transmission electron microscopy, and LC3II fluorescence intensity. HUVECs lipid accumulation was assessed by oil red staining. Luciferase assay was performed to verify the relationship of circRNA and miRNA, miRNA, and target gene. RESULTS: The expression of circHIPK3 was downregulated in HFD mice, and ox-LDL treated HUVECs. The level of autophagy was decreased in AS, which was reversed by overexpression of circHIPK3. Meanwhile, forced expression of circHIPK3 would reduce the accumulation of lipid in HUVECs. CONCLUSIONS: CircHIPK3 could inhibit lipid content in ox-LD-treated HUVECs via activating autophagy. This progression mechanism may target the miR-190b/ATG7 signal pathway, which indicates a suitable role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.

Modulating cAMP responsive element binding protein 1 attenuates functional and behavioural deficits in rat model of neuropathic pain.

OBJECTIVE: Chronic neuropathic pain (NP) has become a worldwide public health problem. This study was aimed to establish graded NP model to investigate the effect of CREB1 on nerve repair and NP after peripheral nerve injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Based on NP model, we measured the 50% paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) of rat hind paws and sciatic functional index (SFI). Luxol fast blue staining was performed to measure the ratio of distal myelin sheath to proximal (DPR). The c-Fos, GFAP, CX3CR1 and IBA-1 expressions in spinal cord were measured by Western blot. The expression levels of CREB1 and ATF-3 in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) were both measured. Intrathecal injection was performed by using recombinant CREB, or anti-CREB antibody for NP model, respectively. The above indexes were detected. RESULTS: In NP model, the 50% PWTs and DPR were gradually reduced and SFI was increased. The c-Fos, GFAP, CX3CR1 and IBA-1 expressions were increased compared to control group. The CREB1 and ATF-3 expressions in DRG showed gradually increase. With the injection of recombinant CREB, the similar changes were found in rats compared with NP model. While after anti-CREB1 antibody injection, all effects of CREB1 were impaired. Likewise, anti-CREB1 antibody treatment increased 50% PWT and DPR, decreased SFI, decreased expressions of c-Fos, GFAP, CX3CR1 and IBA-1. Besides, ATF-3 expression was inhibited by CREB1 suppression. CONCLUSIONS: CREB1 involved in the regulation of NP and nerve repair process, suggesting that CREB1 has potential as a new target for the treatment of chronic NP.

[The publication of the Medicine News and its influence on the spread of modern-western medicines in China and its role in western medicine communication].

Medicine News, first published in 1880, was the earliest western medicine journal founded in China, playing an important role in the history of Chinese modern journals and the history of western medicine communication. Today, no original copies of this journal survive in China. Quotations, citations and comments of some newspapers and periodicals on it at the time, reveal that the publication aim of this journal was to disseminate knowledge of western medicine to the Chinese people, that its editorial policy was "showing western medicine is superior to traditional Chinese medicine" , and that its communication of western medicine knowledge was also based on this policy. Medicine News reported on an international medical academic conference held in London for the first time, and it is worth mentioning that thousands of people attended the meeting. Medicine News is known to have promoted western medicine communication in China to an advanced and more up-to-date level. At the same time, its editorial policy and strategy had a great influence on the editing and publication of western medicine journals in the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China.

Bidirectional associations between alcohol consumption and health-related quality of life amongst young and middle-aged women.

BACKGROUND: Evidence from cross-sectional studies has suggested a positive association between moderate alcohol consumption and health-related quality of life but prospective data remain scarce. OBJECTIVES: To examine the bidirectional relationships between alcohol consumption and health-related quality of life using a longitudinal study design. METHODS: A total of 92 448 participants of the Nurses' Health Study II reported their alcohol consumption (in 1991, 1995, 1999 and 2003) and health-related quality of life (in 1993, 1997 and 2001). Using generalized estimating equations, we modelled the physical and mental component summary (PCS and MCS) scores as a function of alcohol consumption 2 years earlier (n = 88 363) and vice versa (n = 84 621). RESULTS: Greater alcohol consumption was associated with better PCS scores 2 years later in a dose-response manner up to ~1 serving daily [mean difference (ß) = 0.67 ± 0.06 PCS units, for moderate versus infrequent drinkers]. After adjustment for previous PCS, a similar but attenuated pattern was observed (ß = 0.33 ± 0.07). Moderate alcohol consumption was not related to MCS, whereas moderate-to-heavy alcohol consumption was associated with lower MCS scores (ß = -0.34 ± 0.15). Higher PCS scores were associated with greater alcohol consumption 2 years later, also after adjustment for previous alcohol consumption (ß = 0.53 ± 0.05 g day(-1) ). MCS was not associated with alcohol consumption 2 years later. CONCLUSION: Amongst young and middle-aged women, moderate alcohol intake was associated with a small improvement in physical health-related quality of life 2 years later and vice versa. Moderate alcohol consumption was not associated with mental health-related quality of life in either direction.

Expression of p16, nm23-H1, E-cadherin, and CD44 gene products and their significance in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: The present study was aimed to determine whether p16/MTS1, nm23-H1, E-cadherin, and CD44 proteins were expressed in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and whether those expressions were pathologically significant in the progress of NPC. METHOD: We examined non-cancerous nasopharyngeal mucosa (20 cases) and NPC (80 cases) using immunohistochemistry with six different types of monoclonal antibodies against p16, nm23-H1, E-cadherin, CD44H, CD44v3, and CD44v6 proteins. RESULTS: The results showed that 1) the rates of positive p16 protein expression and of preserved E-cadherin protein expression in NPC were significantly lower than those in non-cancerous tissue (P <.01); 2) no significant difference in the rate of positive expression of nm23-H1, CD44H, CD44v3, and CD44v6 proteins were observed between non-cancerous nasopharyngeal mucosa and NPC; 3) no significant difference in the expression of those proteins were found by respective correlation analyses of sex, stage, and size of primary tumor in NPC; and 4) no significant difference in the rates of positive expression of CD44H, CD44v3, and CD44v6 proteins were observed in NPC between with and without lymph node metastasis, indicating that those gene products did not correlate with lymph node metastasis in NPC. However, there were inverse correlations between the expression of p16, nm23-H1, or E-cadherin protein and lymph node metastasis (P <.05), indicating that the expression of p16, nm23-H1, and E-cadherin gene were related to the carcinogenesis and tumor progression of NPC. CONCLUSION: Detecting the expressions of those gene products may provide clinically valuable information for therapeutic strategy and for predicting the prognosis of patients with NPC.

Bilateral traumatic chylothorax: a complication of fracture-dislocation of the T-spine.

Traumatic chylothorax is a rare complication of fracture-dislocation of the thoracic spine. Not treated adequately, it will be associated with high mortality and morbidity. A review of the English literature shows that bilateral traumatic chylothorax is rarely discussed. A case is presented of fracture-dislocation of the third thoracic vertebra combined with bilateral traumatic chylothorax following a motor vehicle accident. The mechanism of injury is described. The management strategies are, initially, conservative treatment including chest tube drainage, NPO with total parenteral nutrition (TPN), followed by medium-chain triglyceride diet. Without improvement, surgical measures such as mediastinal ligation of the thoracic duct should be considered.