BDNF levels in adipose tissue and hypothalamus were reduced in mice with MSG-induced obesity.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in hypothalamic and adipose tissue in mice with monosodium glutamate (MSG)-induced obesity. METHODS: The effects of hypothalamic lesions, specifically arcuate nucleus (ARC) lesions, induced by MSG injection were studied in male ICR mice at the neonatal stage. The following parameters were compared: body weight, body length, Lee's index, food intake, body temperature, fat weight, and levels of total cholesterol (CHOL), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and blood glucose (GLU). The BDNF expression levels in hypothalamic and adipose tissue were measured using western blotting. Results Compared with the control group, the model group body had significantly higher weight, Lee's index, food intake, fat weight, CHOL, TG, LDL, HDL, and GLU levels. BDNF expression levels in hypothalamic and adipose tissue were markedly down-regulated in the model group. DISCUSSION: BDNF may be closely associated with MSG-induced hypothalamic obesity.

miR-490-3p modulates cell growth and epithelial to mesenchymal transition of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by targeting endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi intermediate compartment protein 3 (ERGIC3).

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are considered to be regulators of various biological processes in cancers, including the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), which is a key factor in cancer metastasis. In this study, we aimed to clarify the potential roles of miR-490-3p in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells. Using real-time quantitative RT-PCR, we discovered that miR-490-3p was up-regulated in HCC tissues and cells compared with the adjacent non-tumor tissues and normal cells. We also found that overexpression of miR-490-3p led to an increase in cell proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities and that it contributed to EMT. The inhibition of miR-490-3p had the opposite effect on the cells. We identified ERGIC3 (endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi intermediate compartment protein 3) as a direct target gene for miR-490-3p. Unlike most miRNA-mRNA interactions, miR-490-3p increased ERGIC3 mRNA and protein levels as well as the intensity of expression of the EGFP reporter gene controlled by the 3'-UTR of ERGIC3 mRNA. The up-regulation by miR-490-3p also required the participation of Ago2. The inhibition of miR-490-3p reduced the expression of ERGIC3. Overexpression of ERGIC3 led to the same effect on HCC cells as miR-490-3p overexpression, including EMT. Importantly, silencing ERGIC3 reversed the cellular responses mediated by miR-490-3p overexpression. In conclusion, our study indicated for the first time that miR-490-3p functioned like an oncogenic miRNA in HCC cells and that the inhibition of miR-490-3p might provide an potential treatment approach for HCC patients.

Coca-Cola consumption vs fragmentation in the management of patients with phytobezoars: A prospective randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Gastric phytobezoars (GPBs) are very common in northern China. Combined therapy involving carbonated beverage consumption and endoscopic lithotripsy has been shown to be effective and safe. Existing studies on this subject are often case reports highlighting the successful dissolution of phytobezoars through Coca-Cola consumption. Consequently, large-scale prospective investigations in this domain remain scarce. Therefore, we conducted a randomized controlled trial to examine the effects of Coca-Cola consumption on GPBs. AIM: To evaluate the impact of Coca-Cola on GPBs, including the dissolution rate, medical expenses, ulcer rate, and operation time. METHODS: A total of 160 consecutive patients diagnosed with GPBs were allocated into two groups (a control group and an intervention group) through computer-generated randomization. Patients in the intervention group received a Coca-Cola-based regimen (Coca-Cola 2000-4000 mL per day for 7 d), while those in the control group underwent emergency fragmentation. RESULTS: Complete dissolution of GPBs was achieved in 100% of the patients in the intervention group. The disparity in expenses between the control group and intervention group (t = 25.791, P = 0.000) was statistically significant, and the difference in gastric ulcer occurrence between the control group and intervention group (χ2 = 6.181, P = 0.013) was also statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Timely ingestion of Coca-Cola yields significant benefits, including a complete dissolution rate of 100%, a low incidence of gastric ulcers, no need for fragmentation and reduced expenses.

The Efficacy and Safety of Minocycline-Containing Quadruple Therapies Against Helicobacter pylori Infection: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Minocycline, a derivative of tetracycline, has anti-Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) properties and can be used to treat H. pylori infection. However, only a few randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have investigated the efficacy of minocycline-containing quadruple therapy (MCQT) in treating H. pylori infection. This study aimed to determine the efficacy and safety of MCQT and investigate the factors influencing both aspects. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study. Patients diagnosed with H. pylori infection between January 1, 2022, and July 31, 2023 at. The primary outcome was the eradication rate of H. pylori, and the secondary outcome was the number and type of adverse events. Results: A total of 828 patients were included in this study. The overall H. pylori eradication rate among the included patients at 95% confidence interval (CI) (Range 0.864 to 0.907) was 88.53%. The H. pylori eradication rate for patients who received MCQT regimen as the primary therapy was 92.28% (95% CI: 0.901-0.945), significantly higher than that of patients who received MCQT as rescue therapy (80.81%; 95% CI: 0.761-0.855, P=0.003). Adverse events, including dizziness, abdominal distension, diarrhea, nausea, abdominal discomfort, constipation, headache, rash, sleep disorder, palpitation, backache, and anorexia, occurred in 185 (22.34%) patients, with dizziness being the most common (75/828, 9.06%). Compliance with MCQT therapy was an independent factor influencing H. pylori eradication in patients receiving MCQT as a primary therapy. Compliance and presence or absence of H. pylori infection symptoms at the time of screening were independent factors influencing H. Pylori eradication in patients receiving MCQT as rescue therapy. Factors that influenced the occurrence of adverse events included reasons for H. pylori infection screening, residence, treatment compliance, and the use of acid-suppressant regimens. Conclusion: MCQT regimens were effective in H. pylori infection eradication, and the treatment resulted only in fewer adverse events when used as primary or rescue therapies for H. pylori infection treatment. Future prospective studies with larger sample sizes and more comprehensive data are needed to validate our findings.

Silencing endothelin-3 expression attenuates the malignant behaviors of human melanoma cells by regulating SPARC levels.

Endothelin-3 (ET-3) is aberrantly expressed in both metastatic melanoma tissues and cultured melanoma cells. Our previous work showed that ET-3 could promote survival of metastatic melanoma cells via its altered expression. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms responsible for these gene-induced phenotypes in melanoma cells. An ET-3 gene sequence-specific shRNA vector pLVTHM-ET3-RNAi was constructed and transfected into human malignant melanoma cells A375 and MMRU, and the resultant molecular events and cellular changes were examined. As compared with the empty-vector group, cell proliferation was slowed down, and the growth inhibition rates were 38.9% in A375 cells and 38.4% in MMRU cells after transfection. In addition, cell invasion capability was also inhibited, with a reduction of 62.2% in A375 cells and 54.3% in MMRU cells. The percentage of apoptotic cells was found to increase. Meanwhile, in both cell lines, secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC) levels were down-regulated together with inhibition of its upstream signaling molecule, NF-κB. Thus, the current results suggested that down-regulated expression of ET3 attenuates the malignant behaviors of human melanoma cells partially by decreasing the expression of SPARC and NF-κB.

Molecular cloning and functional characterization of a novel apple MdCIPK6L gene reveals its involvement in multiple abiotic stress tolerance in transgenic plants.

CBL-interacting protein kinases (CIPKs) are involved in many aspects of plant responses to abiotic stresses. However, their functions are poorly understood in fruit trees. In this study, a salt-induced MdCIPK6L gene was isolated from apple. Its expression was positively induced by abiotic stresses, stress-related hormones and exogenous Ca(2+). MdCIPK6L was not homologous to AtSOS2, however, its ectopic expression functionally complemented Arabidopsis sos2 mutant. Furthermore, yeast two-hybrid assay showed that MdCIPK6L protein interacted with AtSOS3, indicating that it functions in salt tolerance partially like AtSOS2 through SOS pathway. As a result, the overexpression of both MdCIPK6L and MdCIPK6LT175D remarkably enhanced the tolerance to salt, osmotic/drought and chilling stresses, but did not affect root growth, in transgenic Arabidopsis and apple. Also, T-to-D mutation to MdCIPK6L at Thr175 did not affect its function. These differences between MdCIPK6L and other CIPKs, especially CIPK6s, indicate that MdCIPK6L encodes a novel CIPK in apple. Finally, MdCIPK6L overexpression also conferred tolerance to salt, drought and chilling stresses in transgenic tomatoes. Therefore, MdCIPK6L functions in stress tolerance crossing the species barriers, and is supposed to be a potential candidate gene to improve stress tolerance by genetic manipulation in apple and other crops.

Prognostic Significance of the Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index in Patients With Cholangiocarcinoma: A Meta-Analysis.

Background: The systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) is a significant prognostic factor for neoplastic diseases. However, the prognostic value of SII in patients with cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) remains unclear. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the prognostic value of preoperative SII in patients with CCA. Method: We systematically searched for relevant studies in PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, Web of Science, PROSPERO, and Cochrane Library databases up to March 22, 2022. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to estimate the association between SII and survival outcomes, including overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival. Results: Five studies with 1402 patients were included in this meta-analysis to determine the prognostic value of preoperative SII. The results showed that a higher SII was associated with poor OS in patients with CCA who underwent invasive surgery (HR=1.916; 95% CI, 1.566-2.343; Z=6.329; P<0.001). The results were reliable in the subgroup analysis according to country, age, sample size, SII cutoff values, and treatment methods. Conclusions: A high preoperative SII appears to be an effective and practical method for monitoring survival in patients with CCA. Systematic Review Registration: International Platform of Registered Systematic. Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (INPLASY), identifier INPLASY202240015.

Application of Intraoperative Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in the Resection of Brain Tumors.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the value of routine intraoperative ultrasound (IU) and intraoperative contrast-enhanced ultrasound (ICEUS) in the surgical treatment of brain tumors, and to explore the utilization of ICEUS for the removal of the remnants surrounding the resection cavity. METHODS: In total, 51 patients who underwent operations from 2012 to 2018 due to different tumors in the brain were included in this study. The clinical data were evaluated retrospectively. IU was performed in all patients, among which 28 patients underwent ICEUS. The effects of IU and ICEUS on tumor resection and recurrence were evaluated. Semiquantitative analysis was performed to compare ICEUS parameters of the brain tumor with those of the surrounding tissue. RESULTS: In total, 36 male and 15 female patients were included in this study. The average age was 43 years (range: 14-68 years). The follow-up period was from 7 to 74 months (mean follow-up 32 months). IU was used in all patients, and no lesion was missed. Among them, 28 patients underwent ICEUS. The rate of total removal of the ICEUS group (23/28, 82%) was significantly higher than that of the IU group (11/23, 48%) (P<0.05). The recurrence rate of ICEUS and IU was 18% (5/23), and 22% (5/28), respectively, and the difference did not reach statistical significance (P>0.05). The semiquantitative analysis showed that the intensity and the transit time of microbubbles reaching the lesions were significantly different from the intensity and the transit time of microbubbles reaching the surrounding tissue (P<0.05) and reflected indirectly the volume and the speed of blood perfusion in the lesions was higher than those in the surrounding tissue. CONCLUSION: ICEUS is a useful tool in localizing and outlining brain lesions, especially for the resection of the hypervascular lesions in the brain. ICEUS could be more beneficial for identifying the remnants and improving the rate of total removal of these lesions than routine intraoperative ultrasound.

Pathogen Analysis of Superficial Mucocutaneous Mycosis in a Tertiary A-level Hospital from 2007 to 2018.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to analyze the fungal species of pathogens isolated from patients with superficial mucocutaneous mycosis from May 2007 to December 2018. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was carried out to determine the pathogenic fungi isolated from patients with superficial fungal infections in the Medical Mycology Clinical Laboratory, Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Union Hospital, from May 2007 to December 2018. RESULTS: A total of 7639 strains were obtained, belonging to 21 genera and 36 species. They mainly consisted of Candida (3707/7639, 48.53%) and dermatophytes (3594/7639, 47.05%). The specimens were skin scales, nail shavings, secretions on the nail grooves, broken or diseased hair and dandruff, secretions or pseudomembrane of the external genitalia, and the oral mucosa. A total of 7300 patients were enrolled in this study, including 3301 males and 3999 females aged 2 months to 92 years old with a median age of 46.04 years old except for 633 patients whose ages were unknown. Two strains of different species were isolated from each of 339 patients at different body sites. The most frequent species were Trichophyton rubrum complex (2906/7639, 38.04%), Candida albicans (2619/7639, 34.28%), and unclassified Candida spp. Dermatophytes were mostly isolated from glabrous skin (2138/3594, 59.49%), with T. rubrum complex being the predominant species. Candida strains were most commonly isolated from mucosal sites (1979/3707, 53.39%), and C. albicans was the most prevalent causative agent. CONCLUSION: The main distribution of pathogenic fungal species isolated from patients with superficial mycosis from 2007 to 2018 in Wuhan, Hubei province and the surrounding areas was that Candida slightly outnumbered dermatophytes. Among all of the isolated strains, T. rubrum complex was the most abundant.

Ubiquitin ligase c-Cbl is involved in tamoxifen-induced apoptosis of MCF-7 cells by downregulating the survival signals.

BACKGROUND: Tamoxifen (TAM) is a nonsteroidal antiestrogen that has been widely used in the treatment of breast cancer through its anti-estrogen activity. Recent studies show that TAM is cytotoxic to both estrogen receptor (ER)-positive and ER-negative cells via the induction of apoptosis. However, the molecular mechanisms of this effect are not well understood. In the present study, we investigated the roles of c-Src, ERK, AKT and c-Cbl ubiquitin ligases during TAM-induced apoptosis of MCF-7 cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS: MCF-7 cell proliferation and apoptosis were measured by 3-(4,5-dimethyl thiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, and flow cytometry, respectively. c-Cbl expression, and the activity of c-Src, ERK, AKT were assayed by Western blotting. Overexpression of the wild and the dominant-negative type of c-Cbl (70Z/Cbl) were achieved by transient transfection of plasmids encoding c-Cbl and 70Z/Cbl, respectively, and were confirmed by Western blotting. Statistical analysis was performed using the t-test, and a p-value <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. RESULTS: A high concentration of TAM (25 µM) induced a time-dependent apoptosis of MCF-7 cells. ERK1/2 and AKT were activated during TAM-induced apoptosis. The ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059, the PI3K/Akt inhibitor LY294002, and the c-Src inhibitor PP2 all enhanced TAM action. Moreover, the ubiquitin ligase c-Cbl was up-regulated during this process. Over-expression of c-Cbl significantly enhanced the apoptosis-inducing effects of TAM, while 70Z/Cbl suppressed the apoptosis-inducing effects of TAM. Further investigation revealed that, overexpression of c-Cbl significantly downregulated the c-Src protein levels and TAM-induced AKT activity. But 70Z/Cbl significantly upregulated TAM-induced ERK and AKT activity. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that c-Src, ERK, and AKT played a protective role during TAM-induced apoptosis, and that c-Cbl sensitized MCF-7 cells to TAM by modulating the expression of c-Src, and TAM-induced ERK and AKT activity.

[Association between the serum TSH concentration and thyroid cancer incidence].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between serum TSH concentration and thyroid cancer incidence. METHODS: Three hundred and thirty patients with thyroid tumors who underwent surgical treatment were included in this study (99 cases of malignancy and 231 cases of benign tumors). The data of their serum TSH level, gender, age, tumor type, and number of tumors detected by ultrasonic inspection were retrospectively analyzed, and their association with thyroid cancer incidence was explored. RESULTS: The proportion of thyroid cancer in the groups of younger than twenty years and older than seventy years were 63.0% and 58.3%, respectively, significantly higher than that in the group of age between 60 and 69 years (23.3%, P < 0.05). The incidence of thyroid cancer of the 81 male patients was 43.2%, significantly higher than that in the 249 female patients (25.7%, P = 0.003). The incidence of thyroid cancer in the 112 patients with single nodule was 42.0%, significantly higher than that in the 218 patients with multiple nodules (23.9%, P < 0.001). In the groups with TSH level lower than 0.28 mIU/L and higher than 4.20 mIU/L, the incidence of thyroid cancer were 54.6% and 50.0%, respectively, significantly higher than that in the group with TSH level between 0.28 and 1.44 mIU/L (16.1%, P < 0.05). The proportion of patients with thyroid cancer was also increased with the increasing serum TSH level in the normal range (P < 0.001). High serum TSH level (OR = 1.465, P = 0.014), male (OR = 1.964, P = 0.016) and a single thyroid nodule (OR = 2.090, P = 0.006) are independent risk factors of thyroid cancer. CONCLUSION: The high serum TSH level, male, single thyroid nodule are factors leading to a high incidence of thyroid cancer.

[Effect of yifei huoxue granule on the proliferation and the TGF-beta activity of rat pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells induced by platelet-derived growth factor BB].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of Yifei Huoxue Granule (YFHXG) on the proliferation and the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) activity of rat pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) induced by platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB). METHODS: Using tissue block adhering wall method, the primary rat PASMCs were cultured. PASMCs at the log phase growth were randomly divided into the control group, the PDGF-BB group, the PDGF-BB + high YFHXG group (at the final concentration of 7.5 mg/mL), the PDGF-BB + middle YFHXG group (at the final concentration of 1.5 mg/mL), and the PDGF-BB + low YFHXG group (at the final concentration of 0.3 mg/mL), respectively. MTT assay were employed to determine the cell proliferation rate of each group. Flow cytometric analyses were used to detect the cell cycle constituent ratio and the proliferation index (PI). In addition, TGF-beta protein's expression was determined by immunocytochemical assay (SP method). RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the proliferation of PASMCs in the PDGF-BB group was obviously active (P<0.01). But when compared with the PDGF-BB group, along with the increased concentration of YFHXG, the growth of PASMCs was obviously inhibited, the cell ratio of G0/G1, phase obviously increased, the cell ratio of S + G2/M phase significantly decreased, and PI significantly decreased. Besides, the expression of TGF-beta protein decreased in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05, P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: PDGF-BB could directly stimulate the proliferation of PASMCs. YFHXG had a significant inhibition on the proliferation of rat PASMCs induced by PDGF-BB and could regulate the expression of TGF-beta.

[High-resolution Estimation of Spatio-temporal Variation in PM2.5 Concentrations in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region].

This study developed a two-stage statistical model (linear mixed effect (LME) model+geographical weight regression (GWR) model) to determine the spatio-temporal variation of PM2.5 concentrations in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region with full-coverage, high resolution, and high accuracy. The model employs multi-angle implementation of atmospheric correction aerosol optical depth (MAIAC AOD) data, with a 1 km spatial resolution, as the main predictor and meteorological data/land-use data as the auxiliary predictors. To determine the characteristics of heavy PM2.5 pollution in the BTH region, unique predictors such as AOD2 were also introduced into the two-stage model. The two-stage model was used to estimate the daily PM2.5 concentrations with a 1 km resolution. After being cross-validated against ground observations, the R2 of PM2.5 was found to be 0.94, with a slope value of 0.95 and RMSPE value of 13.14 µg·m-3. Compared to previous studies such as LME, the two-stage model has much higher accuracy, suitable for estimating PM2.5 concentrations. The PM2.5 concentration in the BTH region ranged from 0 to 89.89 µg·m-3 in 2017, with a mean value of 44.96 µg·m-3. The spatio-temporal variability of PM2.5 over the BTH region was significant, exhibiting high values over the southwestern plain, moderate values over the northeastern plain, and low values over the mountainous plateau. In terms of seasonal variation, PM2.5 concentrations were high in winter, low in summer, and moderate in spring and autumn. The estimated PM2.5 concentrations, with high spatio-temporal resolution, are useful for exposure assessments in epidemiological studies and identifying the spatio-temporal variation of pollution sources at a fine spatial scale. The results show that the locations of vital pollution sources over the severely polluted south-central Hebei piedmont plain may have changed since the implementation of the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan. This study could provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of air pollution in the BHT region.

Atezolizumab Monotherapy or Plus Chemotherapy in First-Line Treatment for Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Patients: A Meta-Analysis.

Background: Atezolizumab plus chemotherapy has been recommended as a first-line treatment option for patients with advanced non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) irrespective of programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression. Currently, little is known about the efficacy and treatment-related adverse effects (TRAEs) of subtracting chemotherapy from the combination for patients with high PD-L1 expression. Thus, we performed an indirect comparison between atezolizumab plus chemotherapy and atezolizumab alone. Methods: A total of five eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified from PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central controlled trial registries, using keywords including atezolizumab, PD-1, PD-L1, NSCLC, and RCT. The clinical outcomes of objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), OS, and TRAEs were extracted and evaluated. Using indirect analysis, the efficacy and TRAEs were compared between arm A (atezolizumab plus chemotherapy) and arm C (atezolizumab), linked by arm B (chemotherapy). Results: Direct comparison revealed that both atezolizumab plus chemotherapy (HR 0.65, P = 0.003) and atezolizumab alone (HR 0.59, P = 0.010) significantly improved OS compared with chemotherapy. More importantly, the indirect comparison showed that atezolizumab plus chemotherapy was not superior to atezolizumab regarding OS (RR 1.10, P =0.695) and ORR (RR 1.11, P = 0.645). However, patients who received atezolizumab combined with chemotherapy experienced more ≥ grade 3 TRAEs (RR 4.23, P<0.001) and TRAEs leading to drug discontinuation (RR 3.60, P<0.001) than those treated with atezolizumab monotherapy. Conclusions: Atezolizumab monotherapy might be a better treatment option for patients with advanced NSCLC and high PD-L1 expression than atezolizumab plus chemotherapy.

Effect of liraglutide therapy on serum fetuin A in patients with type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to compare the effectiveness of liraglutide vs. pioglitazone on hepatic fat content and serum fetuin A levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. METHODS: This was a single-center, open-label, prospective, and randomized trial using a parallel design and lasting 24 weeks. Sixty patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease were randomly assigned to the liraglutide and pioglitazone groups on a 1:1 basis using a computer-generated sequence. Fetuin-A levels were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Hepatic fat content was measured using proton 1H-MRS on a 1.5T whole-body MRI scanner. All analyses were performed with SPSS version 13.0. RESULTS: In the liraglutide group, fetuin-A levels decreased after 24 weeks (666.1±109.4 vs. 443.7±90.5µg/mL, P<0.05). In the pioglitazone group, fetuin-A levels also decreased after 24 weeks (659.3±111.8 vs. 538.1± 101.0µg/mL, P<0.05) but not to the level of the liraglutide group. The liraglutide treatment resulted in a decrease in 1H-MRS (24.1±3.0 vs. 20.1±3.8, P<0.05). After 24 weeks, ΔFetuin-A was positively correlated with Δweight (r=0.756, P=0.035), ΔBMI (r=0.653, P=0.006), Δwaist circumference (r=0.767, P=0.010), and Δ1H-MRS (r=0.732, P=0.004) in the liraglutide group. CONCLUSIONS: Liraglutide treatment resulted in a decrease in hepatic fat content and fetuin-A compared with pioglitazone treatment in patients with T2DM and NAFLD. Fetuin-A is positively correlated with weight and hepatic fat content. The reduction in the hepatic fat content may be attributed to weight loss rather than reduction of glucose.

Biological and clinical significance of flap endonuclease­1 in triple­negative breast cancer: Support of metastasis and a poor prognosis.

Flap endonuclease­1 (FEN1), a structure­specific nuclease participating in DNA replication and repair processes, has been confirmed to promote the proliferation and drug resistance of tumor cells. However, the biological functions of FEN1 in cancer cell migration and invasion have not been defined. In the present study, using online database analysis and immunohistochemistry of the specimens, it was found that FEN1 expression was associated with a highly invasive triple­negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtype in both breast cancer samples from the Oncomine database and from patients recruited into the study. Furthermore, FEN1 was an important biomarker of lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis in patients with TNBC. FEN1 promoted migration of TNBC cell lines and FEN1 knockdown reduced the number of spontaneous lung metastasis in vivo. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis of FEN1­related transcripts in 198 patients with TNBC demonstrated that the polo­like kinase family may be the downstream target of FEN1. PLK4 was further identified as a critical target of FEN1 mediating TNBC cell migration, by regulating actin cytoskeleton rearrangement. The results of the present study validate FEN1 as a therapeutic target in patients with TNBC and revealed a new role for FEN1 in regulating TNBC invasion and metastasis.

Formation of DNA toroids inside confined droplets adsorbed on mica surfaces.

We report observations of in vitro DNA compaction into toroids in the absence of any condensing agent. The DNA toroid formation is induced by geometry confinement from microdroplets on mica surfaces. With AFM imaging we show that the confined DNA molecules may take the form of random coils or semiordered folded loops with large microdroplets, while they readily take the form of compact and ordered toroids when the microdroplet sizes are small enough. To better understand these phenomena, we carried out coarse-grained Brownian dynamics simulation, obtaining results that were in good agreement with the experimental observations. The simulation reveals that the toroid formation is sensitive to not only the microdroplet size, but also the DNA stiffness.

Efficiency and therapeutic effect of modified pigtail probe in anastomosing lacerated lacrimal canaliculus.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the necessity of modification to the traditional pigtail probe and evaluate its efficiency and therapeutic effect in searching the nasal cut ends and anastomosing the lacerated lacrimal canaliculus. METHODS: Eighty-seven patients (including 87 eyes) suffering from canalicular laceration were randomized into two groups: 41 patients treated with traditional pigtail probes (Group A) and 46 with modified pigtail probes (Group B). During the reconstruction of the lacerated canaliculi, the traditional pigtail probe and the modified pigtail probe were used respectively to seek for the nasal cut ends of lacerated lacrimal canaliculi. Peripherally inserted central catheter (PICCTM) silicone tube with diameter of 0.95 mm was intubated as a stent for 4-6 months. The surgical outcomes were retrospectively analyzed after stent removal. RESULTS: In Group B, the primary success rate of searching the nasal cut ends of lacerated lacrimal canaliculi was 93.48% (43/46) and the final success rate was 97.83% (45/46). No false passage formed in Group B. Statistical significance was found between Group A and Group B as the primary success rates of searching the nasal cut ends (X(2) equal to 10.522, P less than 0.01) and the false passage forming rates were concerned (X(2)) equal to 4.704, P less than 0.05), whereas no significance was found between the two groups as the final success rates were concerned (X(2) equal to 0.007, P larger than 0.05). The mean time of searching the nasal cut ends of lacerated lacrimal canaliculi in Group B was (5.02+/-0.73) minutes and the mean time of operation was (33.90+/-4.84) minutes, and both were significantly shorter than those of Group A (t(1) equal to 9.779, t(2) equal to 10.700, P less than 0.01). The cure rate of Group B was 95.65%, though higher than that of Group A, no statistical significance was found (Z equal to -0.007, P larger than 0.05). Totally, 2 patients (2.30%) were found to be absent of common canaliculus and underwent bicanalicular nasal intubation in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Pigtail probes are efficient and convenient apparatus for searching the nasal cut ends of the lacerated lacrimal canaliculi in the reconstruction of canalicular laceration. Necessary or proper modifications to the pigtail probes can minimize the risk of iatrogenic damages or complications and enhance the efficiency and therapeutic effect of canalicular repair.

catena-Poly[[diaquazinc(II)]-µ(3)-2,2'-dihydr-oxy-1,1'-binaphthyl-3,3'-di-carboxyl-ato-κO:O':O''].

In the title coordination complex, [Zn(C(22)H(12)O(6))(H(2)O)(2)](n) or [Zn(H(2)nba)(H(2)O)(2)](n) (H(2)nba is 2,2'-dihydr-oxy-1,1'-bi-naph-thyl-3,3'-dicarboxyl-ate), the Zn(II) atom is coordinated by three H(2)nba ligands and two water molecules, resulting in a distorted trigonal-bipyramidal geometry. In the crystal structure, adjacent Zn(II) atoms are linked by two H(2)nba ligands, forming one-dimensional ribbons along the c axis. These ribbons are further assembled into layers parallel to the bc plane via O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds.

Allium vegetables are associated with reduced risk of colorectal cancer: A hospital-based matched case-control study in China.

AIM: The present study aimed to investigate and identify the association between the intake of allium vegetables and colorectal cancer (CRC) in population. METHODS: A hospital-based matched case-control study was conducted between June 2009 and November 2011 in three hospitals. Eight hundred thirty three consecutively recruited cases of CRC were frequency matched to 833 controls by age (within 2.5 years of difference), sex, and residence area (rural/urban). Demographic and dietary information were collected via face-to-face interviews using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by using unconditional logistic regression. RESULTS: A decreased CRC risk was observed for the consumption of total (aORs of high total allium intake compared with low total allium intake = 0.21, 95% CI = 0.14-0.30, P trend <0.001) and several individual allium vegetables including garlic, garlic stalks, leek, onion, and spring onion (P trend <0.05). By further sex-stratified analysis, allium vegetable intake was demonstrated to be inversely associated with the risk of CRC in both men and women. However, the association of garlic intake with cancer risk was not significant among those with distal colon cancer (aOR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.27-1.05, P trend = 0.248). CONCLUSION: In this analysis in a Northeast Chinese population, both men and women that the consumption of allium vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of CRC, regardless of colonic tumor subsite, with the exception of garlic intake in distal colon cancer.