Visit to visit transition in TXNIP gene methylation and the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a nested case-control study.

Our study aimed to investigate the association between the transition of the TXNIP gene methylation level and the risk of incident type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study included 263 incident cases of T2DM and 263 matched non-T2DM participants. According to the methylation levels of five loci (CpG1-5; chr1:145441102-145442001) on the TXNIP gene, the participants were classified into four transition groups: maintained low, low to high, high to low, and maintained high methylation levels. Compared with individuals whose methylation level of CpG2-5 at the TXNIP gene was maintained low, individuals with maintained high methylation levels showed a 61-87% reduction in T2DM risk (66% for CpG2 [OR: 0.34, 95% CI: 0.14, 0.80]; 77% for CpG3 [OR: 0.23, 95% CI: 0.07, 0.78]; 87% for CpG4 [OR: 0.13, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.56]; and 61% for CpG5 [OR: 0.39, 95% CI: 0.16, 0.92]). Maintained high methylation levels of four loci of the TXNIP gene are associated with a reduction of T2DM incident risk in the current study. Our study suggests that preserving hypermethylation levels of the TXNIP gene may hold promise as a potential preventive measure against the onset of T2DM.

Circular RNA: A promising new star for the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignant tumors of the digestive tract. According to the research of circular RNAs in the CRC field, compared with linear RNAs, circular RNAs are a special type of noncoding RNA that are covalently closed circular structures, which have no 5' cap structure and 3' polyA tail and are not affected by RNA exonuclease and actinomycin D. BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS: Notably, circular RNAs have a high degree of stability and potential effect on gene regulation. Meanwhile, circular RNAs are involved in the sponge action of microRNAs and mediate protein translation and direct binding, alternative splicing, and histone modification. RELATIONSHIPS WITH CRC: Studies have shown that circular RNAs are related to the proliferation, invasion, recurrence, metastasis, ferroptosis, apoptosis, and chemotherapy resistance of CRC. CONCLUSIONS: This article provides a brief review based on the source, structural characteristics, mechanisms, biological functions of circular RNAs, and the relationships between CRC.

A novel methylation signature predicts inferior outcome of patients with PDAC.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) will become the second most common cause of death in North America and Europe over the next 10 years owing to the lack of early diagnosis, poor treatment, and poor prognosis. This study evaluated the methylation array data of 184 patients with PDAC in The Cancer Genome Atlas database to explore methylation biomarkers related to patient outcome. Using Univariable Cox regression analysis and Lasso regression analysis method in the training dataset, it was found that the four DNA methylation markers (CCNT1, ITGB3, SDS, and HMOX2) were significantly correlated with the overall survival of patients with PDAC. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that these four DNA methylation markers could significantly distinguish high-risk and low-risk patients. Receiver operating characteristic analysis further confirmed that the four DNA methylation markers had high sensitivity and specificity, which could predict the prognosis of patients. Moreover, there was a difference in the genetic mutations between high-risk and low-risk patients distinguished by the four-DNA methylation model, which can provide information for clinical treatment. Finally, compared with known biomarkers, the model was more accurate in predicting the prognosis of PDAC. This four-DNA methylation model has potential as a new independent prognostic indicator, and could be used for the diagnosis, monitoring, and precision medicine of pancreatic cancer.

Posterolateral dislocation of the knee joints: analysis of 9 cases.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the traumatic pathological characteristics of posterolateral dislocation of knee joints and its treatment. METHODS: Nine cases of posterolateral dislocation of knee joint, 5 cases of fresh injuries (the fresh injury group) and 4 cases of old injuries ( the old injury group) were reviewed and analyzed. In the fresh injury group 4 cases failed in close reduction due to "buttonholing" through the medial joint, among them 3 cases underwent repair of the damaged ligaments. In the old injury group 2 cases underwent ACL and MCL repair only in acute stage, but re-dislocated. Of the rest 2 cases 1 was associated with peroneal nerve injury and the other was not treated in acute stage. One case was associated with comminuted fracture of the tibial condyle and popliteal artery injury. Open reduction was performed in 3 cases. One case was fixed with 2-crossed pin and another was fixed with one pin through the tibial and femoral condyle and second pin with olecranization fixation. Plaster immobilization for 6-8 weeks respectively was required. In the old injury group in 1 case ACL and PCL repair (Augustine method) and posterolateral structure were performed and olecranization fixation and plaster immobilization for 6 weeks was needed. Arthrodesis of the knee was done for the patient with comminuted fracture of the tibial condyle and popliteal artery injury. RESULTS: All the cases were followed up for 1-23 years (average 6 years). Knee stability in 4 cases with repair of the ligaments was improved, although PDT showed (+) with different degrees. The results of the patients treated with ligamentous reconstruction were much better than those of the patients without any repair. CONCLUSIONS: Well understanding of the traumatic pathological characteristics, repair of the damaged ligaments, augmentation of olecranization fixation and postoperative immobilization for 6 weeks are the key points of successful treatment.

[Minimally invasive treatment of intertrochanteric fractures with locking compression plate in the elderly].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of minimally invasive treatment with the locking compression plate (LCP) in the treatment of intertrochanteric fractures in the elderly age. METHODS: Twenty-eight cases of intertrochanteric fracture were retrospective studied from August 2007 to January 2009, included 13 males and 15 females with an average age of 78.6 years ranging from 70 to 102 years. All the 28 patients were treated with minimally invasive operations with locking compression plates. The time from injury to operation was ranged from 3 to 8 days (with an average of 4.5 days). RESULTS: The operation time was from 40 to 90 minutes (with an average of 55 minutes). The average bleeding volume during the operation was 70 ml (from 50 to 150 ml). One patient died during hospital stay. Twenty-five patients were followed up from 6 months to 2 years with an average of 15 months after operation. The fracture healing time was from 10 to 12 weeks (10.4 weeks in average). According to an evaluation standard of HUANG Gong-yi, the results were excellent in 20 cases,good in 4 cases, poor in 1 case. CONCLUSION: Minimally invasive approaches with LCP could treat the elder intertrochanteric fractures with the advantages such as minimal invasive, stable fixation and less blood loss.