Dual elastography to discriminate adjacent stages of fibrosis and inflammation in chronic hepatitis B: A prospective multicenter study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of dual elastography (dual-elasto) in continuous differentiation of liver fibrosis and inflammation in a large prospective cohort of patients with chronic HBV. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Adults with positive HBsAg for at least 6 months were recruited from 12 medical centers. Participants underwent dual-elasto evaluations. Biopsy was performed 3 days after dual-elasto examination. Four logistic regression models were trained and strung together into series models. Decision trees based on the series models were performed to achieve continuous differentiation of liver fibrosis and inflammation. The influence of inflammation on the fibrosis stage was also evaluated. A total of 560 patients were included in the training set and 240 in the validation set. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the series model were 0.82, 0.86, 0.93, and 0.96 to predict ≥F1, ≥F2, ≥F3, and F4 in the validation set, which were significantly higher than those of serum markers and shear wave elastography (all p < 0.05), except for the ≥ F1 levels ( p = 0.09). The AUCs of the series model were 0.93, 0.86, 0.95, and 0.84 to predict inflammation stages ≥G1, ≥G2, ≥G3, and G4, respectively. Decision trees realized 5 continuous classifications of fibrosis and inflammation. Inflammation could enhance the mild fibrosis stage classification while showing limited influences on severe fibrosis or cirrhosis diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS: Dual-elasto demonstrated high performance in the continuous discrimination of fibrosis and inflammation in patients with HBV and could be used to diagnose mild fibrosis without the influence of inflammation.

Clinical features and diagnostic approaches for abdominal tuberculosis: five-year experience from a non-tuberculosis-designated hospital in China.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: abdominal tuberculosis (TB) is a common form of extrapulmonary TB but it is still a diagnostic dilemma in clinical practice. This study aimed to highlight the clinical features and diagnostic approaches for abdominal TB. METHODS: seventy cases of diagnosed abdominal TB were retrospectively collected between August 1st, 2015 and June 30th, 2020. They were classified as peritoneal TB, lymph node TB, gastrointestinal TB, visceral TB or mixed TB. RESULTS: eighteen patients were diagnosed with peritoneal TB, nine with lymph node TB, five with gastrointestinal TB, two with visceral TB and 36 with mixed TB. More than 65 % of the patients had tuberculosis of other sites except the abdomen. The median diagnosis time was 60 days. Ascites (58.6 %), abdominal distension (48.6 %), weight loss (44.3 %) and fever (42.9 %) were the most common symptoms. The overall microbiological and histological detection rates were 70.0 % and 38.6 %, respectively. The non-ascite samples yielded a higher microbiological confirmation rate (63.6 %) than the total samples (40.8 %). Diagnosis was confirmed histologically in 18 patients (69.2 %). Forty-five cases (64.3 %) were clinically diagnosed. Invasive procedures such as surgery (6/7), percutaneous biopsy (7/7) and endoscopy in lymph node TB (4/5) had high confirmation rates. CONCLUSIONS: the diagnosis of abdominal TB should be reached by a combination of clinical, laboratory, radiological, microbiological and pathological findings.

Hand grip strength as a predictor of recovery from low back pain in the pregnant women-a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: Low back pain (LBP) is a common musculoskeletal problem during pregnancy with an estimated prevalence ranging from 30% to 78%. The symptoms usually disappear gradually after delivery, but some women may have persistent problems even later in their lives. The definite mechanism behind LBP during pregnancy remains unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether hand grip strength (HGS), which is a straightforward and reliable indicator of overall muscle strength, is associated with unrecovered LBP after delivery. METHODS: 257 pregnant women who registered at obstetrics units in two tertiary hospitals from January 2016 to June 2017 and meanwhile suffered the LBP during pregnancy were included. They were grouped based on whether they recovered from LBP after delivery (recovery was defined as a pain rating of ≤3). The variables such as age, HGS, and education level were recorded and examined for the risk analysis of unrecovered LBP. Also, the Pearson correlation between HGS levels and pain intensities was investigated. RESULTS: LBP without recovery at two years after delivery was reported among 22.7% of the subjects. Women with increasing age, low HGS (<25 kg), LBP in a previous pregnancy, back pain, sick leave, and a large amount of physical demand (all p < 0.05), were more likely to report LBP without recovery. Besides, there was a significant correlation between HGS values and the intensities of LBP (r = -0.525; p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Low HGS has the highest OR value (adjusted OR = 9.12, P < 0.001) among these factors. The present findings may be used to design and encourage a specific stabilization exercise regime to build well stability of the lumbar spinal column and thus alleviating the LBP.

Different types of low back pain in relation to pre- and post-natal maternal depressive symptoms.

BACKGROUND: Low back pain (LBP) is a common musculoskeletal problem during pregnancy, with an estimated prevalence ranging from 30-78% (Mota MJ et al. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil 28(2):351-7,2015 and Abebe E et al. J Med Sc Tech 3(3). 37-44,2014). Women reporting LBP are at increased risk of developing perinatal depression. Pregnancy-related LBP is highly heterogeneous and can be divided into lumbar pain (LP), posterior pelvic pain (PPP), and combined pain (CP). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between LBP and perinatal depressive symptoms. METHODS: This was a retrospective case-control study conducted from January 2016 to April 2019. A total of 484 pregnant women were enrolled in this study: a case group of 242 pregnant women who were diagnosed with LBP and an age-matched control group of 242 pregnant women without LBP. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), LBP characteristics, and questionnaires about pregnancy that included demographic, parity, work, comorbidity, and previous pregnancy data were completed and compared between the case group and the control group. RESULTS: A total of 68 of 242 (28.1%) women experienced PPP, 142 (58.7%) had lumbar pain(LP), and 32 (13.2%) had combined pain. Furthermore, 26.5% of women with prenatal depression in the LP subgroup remained depressed 6 months postnatally, while the percentages for women in the PPP subgroup and CP subgroup were just 10.6% and 15.6%, respectively. The percentage of women who recovered anytime between delivery and six months postnatally in the PPP subgroup was significantly higher than that in the LP subgroup (31.7% vs. 14.7%, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: There is a difference in the prevalence of prenatal, postnatal, and perinatal depressive symptoms among pregnant women with different types of LBP. It is necessary to screen prenatal and postnatal depression separately and differentiate the types of LBP during pregnancy. Attention to these factors may help to outline better management strategies to improve maternal health.

[Application research of entropy weight-based grey systematic theory in quality evaluation of Angelicae Sinensis Radix slices].

In order to discuss the "entropy weight method" for weighting various indicators in the comprehensive evaluation of Angelicae Sinensis Radix slices(ASR), the quality of ASR was comprehensively evaluated by entropy weight-based gray systematic theory and cluster analysis. In this study, the contents of ferulic acid, volatile oil, polysaccharide, alcohol extract, water extract, moisture, total ash and acid-insoluble ash in 44 batches of ASR from different sources were determined. The entropy weight method was used for objective weighting. With relative correlation(r_i) as a measure, a multi-index comprehensive evaluation model was constructed for the quality of ASR. The results showed that the relative correlation value of 44 batches of ASR ranged from 0.301 9 to 0.662 9. There were certain differences in the quality of ASR from different sources. The ASR S1-S8, traceable and standardized in processing techno-logy, showed a high relative correlation degree and high quality ranking, indicating that the implementation of systemic management of the production chain of Chinese herbal pieces was beneficial to the quality control of ASR. The quality evaluation results of 44 batches of ASR were consistent with those of traditional geo-authentic habitats for ASR and the mainstream varieties of ASR on market, and basically consistent with the results of cluster analysis. This study suggests that the gray systematic theory based on the entropy weighting method can be used for the quality evaluation of ASR. The objective weighting of the entropy weight method improves the reliability of the gray correlation method and the scientificity of ASR quality evaluation.

[Advances in study of macrophages in chemotherapy resistance of cancer].

As extremely important inflammatory cells in the tumor microenvironment, tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) can secrete a variety of chemokines and cytokines, which play an important role in the occurrence of tumor growth and metastasis. Recent years, increasing studies have shown that macrophages are associated with tumor chemotherapy sensitivity. The chemical substances produced by macrophages affect the efficacy of chemotherapeutic agents. In addition, some chemotherapeutic agents have an effect on the recruitment and bioactivity of macrophages in the tumor issue, which influences the anti-tumor efficacy of chemotherapy drugs. In this review, we summarize the roles of macrophages in the chemotherapy resistance, including the regulatory mechanism and the strategy of targeting macrophages.

[Combination of lapatinib with chlorogenic acid inhibits breast cancer metastasis by suppressing macrophage M2 polarization].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of the combination of lapatinib with chlorogenic acid on metastasis of breast cancer in mouse model. METHODS: The classical macrophage M2 polarization model induced by interlukin13in vitro was adopted in the study. Flow cytometric analysis was performed to detect the expression of M2 marker CD206. The transcription of M2-associated genes was measured by RT-PCR. HE staining was used to analyze the metastatic nodes of breast cancer in lungs of MMTV-PyVT mice. Immunostaining analysis was used to detect the expression of related proteins in breast cancer. RESULTS: The combination of lapatinib and chlorogenic acid inhibited the expression of CD206 induced by IL-13[(42.17%±2.59%) vs (61.15%±7.58%), P<0.05]. The combination more markedly suppressed expression of M2-associated gene Ym1 than lapatinib alone[(0.9±0.1) vs (1.8±0.0), P<0.05]. The combination of lapatinib and chlorogenic acid significantly reduced metastatic nodes in lung[P<0.05], and also significantly decreased the percentage of CD206(+) cells in breast cancer compared to controls[(6.08%±2.60%) vs(29.04%±5.86%), P<0.05]. CONCLUSION: The combination of lapatinib and chlorogenic acid can effectively inhibit macrophage M2 polarization and metastasis of breast cancer.

[Statins enhance anti-tumor effect of suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid on human non-small cell lung carcinoma cells].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the anti-tumor effect of the combination of suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid(SAHA) with statins(lovastatin or simvastatin) on non-small cell lung carcinoma(NSCLC) cells. METHODS: Human NSCLC A549 cells were treated with SAHA in combination of lovastatin or simvastatin. The cell growth was analyzed by SRB method, and the apoptosis of A549 cells was assessed by flow cytometer. The expression of cleaved poly-ADP-ribose polymerase(cleaved-PARP) and p21 protein was analyzed by Western-blotting when A549 cells were challenged with 2.5µmol/L SAHA and 5µmol/L lovastatin. RESULTS: Lovastatin and simvastatin synergized SAHA in the inhibition of A549 cells. SAHA induced apoptosis was also enhanced by lovastatin. Treatment with 2.5µmol/L SAHA significantly up-regulated the expression of p21 protein in 48 h, while the protein expression was reduced in combined treatment with 5µmol/L lovastatin. CONCLUSION: Statins can synergize the anti-tumor effect of SAHA in human NSCLC cells through a p21-dependent way.

Two-stage extraction by partial grinding of impacted mandibular third molar in close proximity to the inferior alveolar nerve.

BACKGROUND: Extraction of impacted third molars often leads to severe complications caused by damage to the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN). AIM: To proposes a method for the partial grinding of an impacted mandibular third molar (IMM3) near the IAN to prevent IAN injury during IMM3 extraction. METHODS: Between January 1996 and March 2022, 25 patients with IMM3 roots near the IAN were enrolled. The first stage of the operation consisted of grinding a major part of the IMM3 crown with a high-speed turbine dental drill to achieve sufficient space between the mandibular second molar and IMM3. After 6 months, when the root tips were observed to be away from the IAN on X-ray examination, the remaining part of the IMM3 was completely removed. RESULTS: All IMM3s were extracted easily without symptoms of IAN injury after extraction. CONCLUSION: Partial IMM3 grinding may be a good alternative treatment option to avoid IAN injury in high-risk cases.

Analysis of transcriptional factors and regulation networks in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients with lymph node metastasis.

The present study was to identify and quantitate differentially expressed proteins in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) tissues with or without lymph node metastasis and to explore transcriptional factors and regulation networks associated with the process. Tissue specimens were taken from 20 patients with LSCC, including 10 cases of LSCC without metastasis LSCC (N0) and 10 cases of LSCC with metastasis LSCC (Nx). Among the 643 unique proteins identified by using iTRAQ labeling and quantitative proteomic technology, 389 proteins showed an abundance change in LSCC (Nx) as compared to LSCC (N0). Cytoskeleton remodeling, cell adhesion, and immune response activation were found to be the main processes in LSCC metastasis. The construction of transcription regulation networks identified key transcription regulators for lymph node metastasis of LSCC, including Sp1, c-myc, and p53, which may affect LSCC metastasis through the epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Furthermore, our results suggest that ubiquitination may be a critical factor in the networks. The present study provides insights into transcriptional factors and regulation networks involved in LSCC metastasis, which may lead to new strategies for treatment of LSCC metastasis.

Lack of response in severe pneumocystis pneumonia to combined caspofungin and clindamycin treatment: a case report.

Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP) is among the most common opportunistic infections in patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Although trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) is the first line therapy for that condition given its efficacy, approximately one third of patients experienced dose-limiting toxicity. For cases of severe to moderate PCP, if TMP-SMX treatment fails or is contraindicated, primaquine combined with clindamycin or intravenous pentamidine is recommended as second line therapy. However, both primaquine and pentamidine are associated with severe adverse reactions and often unavailable at hospitals in China.As a result, other treatment options have been explored. Caspofungin, an echinocandin, has broad antifungal activity against a wide range of fungi including Candida and Aspergillus species. Cases of PCP patients treated with caspofungin have been reported, although conflicting conclusions have been arrived at. In addition, the use of caspofungin and clindamycin as the first line therapy for severe PCP in AIDS patients has not been reported yet. This article described an AIDS case with severe PCP, treated with the combination of caspofungin and clindamycin.

[Correlation of EphA2 protein expression with clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the expression of EphA2 protein in tissue specimens and cell lines of laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC), and to further study the correlation of EphA2 protein expression with clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis in LSCC. METHODS: Western blot was applied to assess the EphA2 protein expression in LSCC cell line Hep-2 cells and the head and neck immortalized epithelial cell line NP-69 cells. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on paraffin sections of 88 cases of LSCC specimens and 16 cases of adjcent normal tissue samples to investigate the EphA2 protein expression, and to futher elucidate its correlation with clinicopathological characteristics. RESULTS: Compared with the NP-69 cells, EphA2 expression in LSCC cell line Hep-2 cells was upregulated. The positive rates of EphA2 expression in LSCC and adjcent normal tissues samples were 80.7% and 43.8%, respectively, with a significant difference between the two groups (P < 0.001). EphA2 overexpresion was closely correlated with clinical stage (I + II/III + IV, P = 0.005), metastasis (P = 0.025) and recurrence (P = 0.021) in LSCC. Furthermore, patients with EphA2 overexpression had poorer tumor-free survival and 5-year overall survival compared with that in patients with low EphA2 expression (33.3% vs. 63.2%, P = 0.003; 46.7% vs. 81.6%, P = 0.002). EphA2 expression combined with clinical stage provided a better predictive value in prognosis. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that EphA2 expression is an independent prognostic factor for patients with LSCC (P = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrate that EphA2 protein expression is significantly increased in LSCC tissues and cell lines, and EphA2 protein overexpression is associated with tumor recurrence, metastasis and poorer prognosis in LSCC patients. These results suggest that EphA2 may play a critical role in the initiation and progression of LSCC, implicating EphA2 as a valuable marker for the prediction of recurrence, metastasis and prognosis in LSCC.

Approaches for enhancing the stability and formation of sulforaphane.

The isothiocyanate sulforaphane (SF) is one of the most potent naturally occurring Phase 2 enzymes inducers derived from brassica vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, etc. Ingestion of broccoli releases SF via hydrolysis of glucoraphanin (GRP) by plant myrosinase and/or intestinal microbiota. However, both SF and plant myrosinase are thermal-labile, and the epithiospecifier protein (ESP) directs the hydrolysis of GRP toward formation of sulforaphane nitrile instead of SF. In addition, bacterial myrosinase has low hydrolyzing efficiency. In this review, we discuss strategies that could be employed to improve the stability of SF, increase SF formation during thermal and non-thermal processing of broccoli, and enhance the myrosinase-like activity of the gut microbiota. Furthermore, new cooking methods or blanching technologies should be developed to maintain myrosinase activity, and novel thermostable myrosinase and/or microbes with high SF producing abilities should also be developed.

The Relevance of Regenerating Gene 1a Polymorphisms to Radiation Sensitivity and Survival of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Receiving Radiotherapy in a Southern Chinese Population.

OBJECTIVE: Gene polymorphism is closely related to tumor development, therapeutic response and prognosis. The relationship between regenerating gene 1A (Reg1A) polymorphism and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is unclear. This retrospective study aimed to analyze the association between Reg1a polymorphisms and metastasis, radiation sensitivity and survivals in patients with NPC. METHODS: A total of 308 patients who had received radiotherapy at the Affiliated Xinhua Hospital, Hainan Medical College, between January 2010 and December 2018 with NPC, were enrolled for assessment of Reg1a polymorphisms through direct DNA sequencing. RESULTS: In the polymorphism of gene REG1A, patients with rs10165462 20CC genotype had later T stages (OR = 4.051, 95% CI: 1.775-9.244, P = 0.001), whereas carriers with rs12072 2922CC genotype had earlier T stages (OR = 1.891, 95% CI: 1.018-3.514, P = 0.044) after adjustments for age and gender, respectively. Among rs10165462 20 C/T polymorphism, 20TT wild-type was associated with better radiation response (P = 0.0019), and multivariate analysis showed that it was the only genotype of polymorphism that was significantly associated with better radiation response (OR = 0.265, 95% CI: 0.096-0.727, P = 0.01). Patients with the 20TT wild-type had a better five-year overall survival (60.9%) rate and five-year progression-free survival (60.8%) than those with the 20CC genotype (41.8% and 39.4%, P = 0.01 and P = 0.004, respectively). Patients with variant alleles (CC + CT) had significantly poorer OS (45.2%) and PFS (41.8%) compared with wild-type (TT) carriers (60.9% and 60.8%; P = 0.037 and P = 0.015, respectively). As for rs12072, patients with variant alleles (TT + TC) had significantly adverse OS and PFS compared with wild-type (CC) carriers (62.5% vs 44.8% and 62.5% vs 42.9%; P = 0.024 and P = 0.027, respectively). Cox regression showed that rs10165462 20CT was the only prognostic factor for OS (HR = 1.642, 95% CI 1.038-2.598, P = 0.034) and PFS (HR = 1.705, 95% CI 1.080-2.692, P = 0.022). CONCLUSION: Reg1a polymorphisms may be a predictor of radiation response, local invasion, OS and PFS in patients with NPC who undergo radiotherapy treatment.

Ectopic Expression of the Allium cepa 1-SST Gene in Cotton Improves Drought Tolerance and Yield Under Drought Stress in the Field.

In some plants, sucrose: sucrose 1-fructosyltransferase (1-SST) is the first irreversible key enzyme in fructan biosynthesis. Studies have shown that fructan accumulation enhances abiotic stress tolerance of plants. To investigate the role of 1-SST in drought stress responses, a total of 37 cotton plants expressing a 1-SST gene from Allium cepa were developed by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Under drought stress in the field, compared with wild-type, ectopic expression of Ac1-SST in cotton resulted in significantly higher soluble sugars (especially 1-kestose), proline and relative water contents, as well as decreased malondialdehyde content, which contributed to maintaining intracellular osmoregulation and reducing membrane damage. In addition, ectopic expression of Ac1-SST in cotton significantly improved the photosynthesis rate, performance of PSII (including Pn, Fv/Fm, WUE, ΦPSII, and PItotal) and plant growth under drought stress. Furthermore, compared with the wild-type, under the droughted field, the yield loss per square meter of transgenic cotton was reduced by an average of 20.9% over two consecutive years. Our results indicate that the Ac1-SST gene can be used to improve drought tolerance and yield of cotton varieties, and might also be a promising drought-resistant gene for improving other crop varieties.

Early ultrasound diagnosis of conjoined twins at eight weeks of pregnancy: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Conjoined twins are a rare occurrence, and the majority of these malformations are detected during second trimester screening. CASE SUMMARY: Herein we report a case of conjoined twins, which was diagnosed by ultrasound at 8 wk gestation and was normal at 7 wk gestation. The two fetuses shared one heart and were diagnosed as thoracopagus twins. This is the first report of conjoined twins diagnosed at 8 wk gestation. The pregnancy was terminated electively at 9 wk gestation. Because some congenital malformations can be diagnosed earlier, a prenatal ultrasound examination at an early gestational stage cannot be dismissed. CONCLUSION: This case demonstrates that a 7-8 wk gestation might be the earliest period when conjoined twins can be diagnosed by ultrasound.

[Effect of bisphenol A on semen quality of exposed workers: a pilot study].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the semen quality of the workers exposed to the xenoestrogen bisphenol A (BPA) was explored. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 20 BPA exposed and 16 control workers with similar age, physical activities was performed. Tests included quantifying BPA in blood samples and investigating the quantity and quality of semen. Semen parameters were determined with the method recommended by WHO. RESULTS: 94.4% exposed workers were found BPA in blood, and the median was 101.94 microg/L. However, only 18.8% control subjects were found BPA in blood, and the median level was 0 microg/L. The sperm density of exposed workers [(68.65 +/- 44.00) x 10(6)/ml] was significantly lower than that of control [(118.56 +/- 98.36) x 10(6)/ml]. Relationship analysis showed the positive relationships (r = 0.44, P < 0.01) between the sperm with quick forward progression and BPA level in blood, negative relationships between the percentage of normal sperm and BPA level in blood (r = -0.62, P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: BPA could affect the sperm density, and may influence the semen quality. More research should be performed on the effect and the mechanism of BPA on man.

Inhibition effect of Guizhi-Fuling-decoction on the invasion of human cervical cancer.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Guizhi-Fuling-decoction (GZFLD), a traditional Chinese medical formulation, exerts an anti-tumor effect, but the mechanisms of its action on invasive tumor inhibition have not been documented. The aims of this study were to identify the inhibitory effect of GZFLD on the invasive of cervical cancer and to elucidate the extensional mechanisms of its action. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The invasive ability of HeLa cells was tested with Transwell chamber. The expressions and activities of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) were measured by zymography/reverse zymography, RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Establish tumor-bearing mice model to assess the ability of GZFLD to inhibit tumor growth and angiopoiesis in vivo. RESULTS: We have found that GZFLD suppressed the invasive ability of HeLa cells, inhibited MMPs expressions and activities, increased TIMPs expressions and activities, and furthermore restored the MMPs-TIMPs balance in HeLa cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Meanwhile in vivo, GZFLD had significantly inhibited tumor growth and angiopoiesis. CONCLUSION: In general, our results showed that GZFLD had inhibited the invasion of cervical cancer both in vitro and vivo. The inhibitory effects may be associated with restoring the MMPs-TIMPs balance, and then suppressing the degradation of extracellular matrix.

Research progress of YKL-40 protein in ocular diseases / 中国医师杂志

YKL-40 protein, also called chitinase 3 like 1 (CHI3L1), is a highly conserved secreted glycoprotein in racial evolution, belonging to the " 18-glycosyl hydrolase" family. A large number of studies have shown that YKL-40 is involved in the pathological process of many diseases. There is little research information about YKL-40 in ocular diseases yet. This article mainly summarizes the research progress of YKL-40 in ocular diseases in the domestic and foreign literatures to provide reference for further clinical research.

Progress in the Study of Spindle Assembly Checkpoint in Lung Cancer / 中国肺癌杂志

Spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC) is a protective mechanism for cells to undergo accurate mitosis. SAC prevented chromosome segregation when kinetochores were not, or incorrectly attached to microtubules in the anaphase of mitosis, thus avoiding aneuploid chromosomes in daughter cells. Aneuploidy and altered expression of SAC component proteins are common in different cancers, including lung cancer. Therefore, SAC is a potential new target for lung cancer therapy. Five small molecule inhibitors of monopolar spindle 1 (MPS1), an upstream component protein of SAC, have entered clinical trials. This article introduces the biological functions of SAC, summarizes the abnormal expression of SAC component proteins in various cancers and the research progress of MPS1 inhibitors, and expects to provide a reference for the future development of lung cancer therapeutic strategies targeting SAC components.
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