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Objective: To investigate and analyze the influencing factors of simple early breast development in girls, to discover the dangers and triggers of PT conversion to ICPP, and the time point of transformation in order to detect and prevent the occurrence of transformation in advance and reduce the incidence of idiopathic central precocious puberty. Ensure children's physical and mental health and normal growth and development., Methods: A total of 50 children with PT admitted to our hospital from April 2019 to December 2020 were included in the study group, and 50 children with physical examination during the same period were selected as the control group. All children were tested for vitamin D, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, leptin, IGF-I., and IGFBp-3 at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after the diagnosis of PT., Results: Vitamin D levels decreased in the child, indicating that vitamin D deficiency was closely related to the age of breast development in ICPP girls and may be related to serum P-FSH, P-LH and E2 levels. Increased levels of IGFBp-3 indicate that these indicators are involved in the onset of ICPP. Children have a higher BMI, watch idol dramas or play mobile games longer, often eat snacks containing preservatives, have a fishy diet, are more irritable and sensitive, and dry stools are also risk factors affecting the early development of simple breasts in girls., Conclusion: The influencing factors leading to simple, early breast development in girls include vitamin D, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, leptin, IGF-I., IGFBp-3, and should be combined with the progression of breast Tanner staging (complete regression, recurrent, and persistent), height growth rate, bone age, Uterine and ovarian B ultrasound, sex hormones, etc., warn of the conversion of PT to ICPP, and ensure children's physical and mental health and normal growth and development.

Objective: To explore the changes of serum-related indexes at different time points, so as to identify the critical time of converting from simple premature thelarche (PT) to idiopathic central precocious puberty (ICPP)., Methods: This is a retrospective study. The subjects of the study were 50 girls with PT who were admitted to the Children's Hospital of Hebei Province from January 2019 to September 2020. The enrolled 50 children were divided into the conversion group(n=12) and the non-conversion group(n=38) according to whether PT was converted into ICPP during follow-up. Furthermore, the levels of serum-related indexes and uterine and ovarian volumes were compared after the diagnosis of PT., Results: The IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels of children in the conversion group began to change significantly from six months after the diagnosis, with statistically significant differences when compared with the levels of children at the initial diagnosis, three months and those of the non-conversion group at the same time points ( p< 0.05). The levels of vitamin-D, DHEA and leptin began to change significantly at nine months after the diagnosis ( p< 0.05). Besides, uterine and ovarian volumes in the conversion group began to increase significantly six months after the diagnosis, with statistically significant differences when compared with those in the non-conversion group ( p< 0.05)., Conclusion: Findings in our study suggest that regular monitoring of vitamin-D, IGF-1, IGFBP-3, DHEA and leptin levels, and uterine and ovarian volumes can predict the conversion from PT to ICPP at an early stage., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: None., (Copyright: © Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences.)

This research work has developed and optimized a sensitive analytical method for separation and quantification of heterocyclic amines (HCAs) mainly including PhIP, Harman, Norharman, IQ, MeIQ, AαC, MeAαC and Trp-P-2 by optimizing UPLC-TQ-XS using electrospray ionization source (ESI+) on ACQUITY UPLC® BEH C18 column in <7 min, from braised beef sample matrix. Meanwhile, modified HCAs extraction by modifying QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, efficient, rugged and safe) technique and revisited with solid phase extraction (SPE) for HCAs purification, instead using traditional QuEChERS salts. Moreover, optimized pH conditions of HCA extracts before purification, for better extraction recoveries. Furthermore, this method was validated in terms of method validation parameters. Lastly, simulation of real braised beef model provided the minimum formation of HCAs by optimizing cooking parameters and precursors in a cooking system. Therefore, this method could be applied simultaneously on braised beef matrix either marketed or home cooked for HCAs analysis., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The global health has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic persistently, of which Omicron is currently the predominant variant. However, the impact of vaccination on Omicron remained uncertain., Objective: This study sought to explore the effect of vaccination on patients infected with Omicron., Methods: A retrospective observational cohort was conducted in the largest Fangcang shelter hospital in Shanghai from April 1 to May 30, 2022. The demographics, length of hospital stay, clinical symptoms, the comorbidities and vaccination status were recorded. Clinical outcomes of the vaccinated and non-vaccinated groups were compared and analyzed., Results: Of the 3,119 patients who fulfilled the eligibility criteria and were enrolled in the study, 2,226 (71.4%) patients had received nCoV-19 vaccine while 893 (28.6%) patients had not received it before admission. Patients in the vaccinated group had significantly shorter length of hospital stay than those in the unvaccinated group (15.48 ± 2.708 vs. 15.85 ± 3.102, p < 0.001). More asymptomatic patients were observed in the vaccinated group than the non-vaccinated (70.4 vs. 64.5%, p < 0.001). Further subgroup analysis demonstrated that the older the age, the more significant the difference was ( p < 0.005)., Conclusions: Vaccination was associated with a significant reduction in the severity of Omicron infection compared with no vaccination. Vaccination appears to make Omicron-infected people with milder symptoms than unvaccinated people. This suggests the potential effectiveness of current vaccines against Omicron., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Yu, Fengzhao, Hongmei, Zeyuan, Yu, Yuhang, Rufei, Qingzhu, Xiaorong, Xia, Caiping, Zhi and Chunmei.)

Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate the compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue among Chinese frontline nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, China and to explore the related factors., Background: Frontline nurses undertake a huge nursing workload with a risk of infection, causing great pressure on them and making them face a risk of compassion fatigue during the pandemic., Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted from 9 March to 15 March 2020. A total of 1582 nurses caring for critical patients with COVID-19 participated. Compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue (comprising burnout and secondary traumatic stress) were assessed with the Professional Quality of Life Scale, and resilience was measured with the Chinese 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale., Results: Moderate levels of compassion satisfaction (36.99 ± 6.71), burnout (24.14 ± 5.33) and secondary traumatic stress (24.53 ± 5.24) were experienced by frontline nurses. Resilience and perceived work pressure were the main predictors., Conclusions: Frontline nurses demonstrated a moderate level of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue., Implications for Nursing Management: The compassion fatigue of frontline nurses should be considered. Strategies aiming to reduce stress and enhance resilience, such as training about psychological adjustment, developing professional skills and creating a supportive workplace environment, are several options. The trial is not registered. This study is a cross-sectional study, and according to China's clinical trial registration standards, such studies are not required to be registered. So the trial is not registered. However, oral consent was obtained from the ethics committee of the hospital before this study was conducted., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

N -Aryl phenothiazines and phenoxazines are of significant importance in various disciplines throughout academia and industry. The conventional synthetic strategy for the construction of these structures centers on the transition-metal-catalyzed cross-coupling of aryl halides with phenothiazines or phenoxazines. Here we present an organocatalytic approach to access N -naphthyl phenothiazine and phenoxazine scaffolds through a straightforward C-H amination of arenes as enabled by an azo group. This reaction features operational simplicity, adequate substrate generality and excellent functional group compatibility. Notably, the efficiency of the catalyst could be perfectly preserved after 5 catalytic cycles.

Described herein is an imidazole ring formation strategy for the synthesis of axially chiral N-arylbenzimidazoles by means of chiral phosphoric acid catalysis. Two sets of conditions were developed to transform two classes of 2-naphthylamine derivatives into structurally diverse N-arylbenzimidazole atropisomers with excellent chemo- and regioselectivity as well as high levels of enantiocontrol. It is worth reflecting on the unique roles played by the nitroso group in this domino reaction. It functions as a linchpin by first offering an electrophilic site (N) for the initial C-N bond formation while the resulting amine performs the nucleophilic addition to form the second C-N bond. Additionally, it could facilitate the final oxidative aromatization as an oxidant. The atropisomeric products could be conveniently elaborated to a series of axially chiral derivatives, enabling the exploitation of N-arylbenzimidazoles for their potential utilities in asymmetric catalysis., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Mastitis is an inflammation of mammary gland, which directly affects the milk production performance and causes huge economic losses in the dairy industry. During mastitis, the blood-milk barrier (BMB) loses its integrity and aggravates the severity of mastitis. Exogenous DNase I has been exerted protective effects in different model of tissue injury. Here, we designed a study to investigate the effects of DNase I on inflammation and BMB in a mice model of Staphylococcus aureus-induced mastitis. In the model, we found that DNase I treatment significantly alleviated the inflammatory response through decrease of inflammatory cells in mammary alveoli, MPO activity and cytokines in mammary gland. Furthermore, immunofluorescent staining and western blotting demonstrated that exogenous DNase I obviously reduced BMB permeability and changed the expression of tight junction proteins to support the re-establishment of the barrier integrity. Mechanismly, DNase I treatment inhibited NF-κB and enhanced AKT signaling pathways. Therefore, our results indicate that DNase I may be an effective treatment for attenuating mastitis., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Abstract: Informal caregivers' abilities to provide care for people living with HIV plays an essential role in improving health outcomes. Little is known about caregivers in the Yi population. A cross-sectional study was conducted, and 216 participants completed the Chinese version of the Caregiver Task Inventory (CTI-C). The total mean CTI-C score was 17.46 (SD = 7.70), which showed a low level of caring ability. Regression analysis indicated that caregiving willingness and caring time were significantly positively associated with CTI-C scores. Knowledge regarding HIV was negatively associated with CTI-C scores. There is an urgent need to increase the level of HIV-related knowledge in the rural regions of Liangshan Prefecture. Education contributes to improved knowledge. Therefore, educational campaigns should be implemented to improve this situation. The local government should plan policies to improve educational levels and develop targeted knowledge-improving programs based on cultural background., (Copyright © 2020 Association of Nurses in AIDS Care.)

To elucidate whether Bronze Age population dispersals from the Eurasian Steppe to South Asia contributed to the gene pool of Indo-Iranian-speaking groups, we analyzed 19,568 mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences from northern Pakistani and surrounding populations, including 213 newly generated mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) from Iranian and Dardic groups, both speakers from the ancient Indo-Iranian branch in northern Pakistan. Our results showed that 23% of mtDNA lineages with west Eurasian origin arose in situ in northern Pakistan since ~5000 years ago (kya), a time depth very close to the documented Indo-European dispersals into South Asia during the Bronze Age. Together with ancient mitogenomes from western Eurasia since the Neolithic, we identified five haplogroups (~8.4% of maternal gene pool) with roots in the Steppe region and subbranches arising (age ~5-2 kya old) in northern Pakistan as genetic legacies of Indo-Iranian speakers. Some of these haplogroups, such as W3a1b that have been found in the ancient samples from the late Bronze Age to the Iron Age period individuals of Swat Valley northern Pakistan, even have sub-lineages (age ~4 kya old) in the southern subcontinent, consistent with the southward spread of Indo-Iranian languages. By showing that substantial genetic components of Indo-Iranian speakers in northern Pakistan can be traced to Bronze Age in the Steppe region, our study suggests a demographic link with the spread of Indo-Iranian languages, and further highlights the corridor role of northern Pakistan in the southward dispersal of Indo-Iranian-speaking groups.

It is well-established that lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) is the first identified histone demethylase. Based on its demethylase enzymatic activity, LSD1 plays a pivotal role in vast range of cellular processes and cancers, but the understanding of its effects on inflammation is relatively limited. Using in vivo models of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation and in vitro assays in mouse mammary epithelial cells, we identified the novel regulatory roles and underlying mechanisms of LSD1 on LPS-induced mastitis. Mammary gland and cells were collected for the following experiments after treatment. Histological changes were determined by H&E. Western blot analysis was used to detect the protein expression. ELISA and real-time PCR were used to evaluate protein and mRNA expression of inflammatory genes. Our results showed that LPS treatment resulted in a significant increase in LSD1 protein expression. GSK-LSD1 is a selective inhibitor of LSD1 enzyme activity. Treatment of mice with GSK-LSD1 inhibited LSD1 activity, reduced inflammatory cells recruitment to tissues and attenuated LPS-induced damage in mammary gland. Mechanistic investigations suggested that LSD1 inhibition led to the increase of histone H3K4me2 and H3K9me2. Furthermore, GSK-LSD1 inhibition of LSD1 further inhibited nuclear factor κ-B (NF-κB) signaling cascades, and subsequently inhibited the production of cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β) in mammary gland. Taken together, our data reveal LSD1 as a potential regulator of inflammation and improve our understanding of epigenetic control on inflammation., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Insect cytochrome P450 s (P450 s) are associated with the metabolic detoxification of toxic xenobiotics and their constitutive upregulation is often associated with resistance to natural and synthetic toxicants. The P450 s CYP321A16 and CYP332A1 are constitutively overexpressed in an insecticide-resistant strain of beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua. However, the function and upstream regulation of these two P450 s remain unknown. Here, we investigated the function of CYP321A16 and CYP332A1 in resistance to the organophosphate insecticide, chlorpyrifos and their regulation by the transcription factors CncC and Maf. Transgenic strains of Drosophila melanogaster expressing CYP321A16 or CYP332A1 showed higher levels of tolerance to chlorpyrifos than the control flies with the same genetic background. Furthermore, recombinant CYP321A16 and CYP332A1 proteins metabolized chlorpyrifos. Analysis of the putative promoter sequences of the genes coding for CYP321A16 and CYP332A1 revealed conserved CncC/Maf binding sites. Transfection of luciferase reporter plasmids containing the promoter of CYP450 gene together with CncC and Maf expression plasmids significantly enhanced the activity of the reporter. Promoter truncation identified a site in the promoter of CYP321A16 that is critical for the CncC/Maf binding. These data demonstrate that resistance to chlorpyrifos in S. exigua is conferred by the combined action of CYP321A16 and CYP332A1 and uncovered their regulation by the transcription factors CncC and Maf., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have declared that no conflict of interests exist., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of Xinmailong Injection in the treatment of coronary heart disease complicated with heart failure. Seven databases,namely CNKI, VIP,WanFang,SinoMed,PubMed,EMbase,Cochrane Library, were retrieved by computer for collecting the randomized controlled trials about Xinmailong Injection in the treatment of coronary heart disease complicated with heart failure. The literatures were screened out, data was extracted, and the methodological quality evaluation was conducted by 2 researchers independently according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. RevMan 5.3 software was used for Meta-analysis and corresponding description analysis. A total of 19 studies involving 1 922 patients were included, including 967 cases in the trial group and 955 cases in the control group. All the clinical studies showed a low quality. Meta-analysis results showed that Xinmailong Injection combined with conventional treatment could better reduce the BNP level(SMD=-3.34, 95%CI[-4.06,-2.63]) in patients of coronary heart disease complicated with heart failure or NT-proBNP level, improve the cardiac function(RR=1.23,95%CI[1.18,1.29]) and LVEF(MD=6.85,95%CI[4.93,8.76]),increase 6 MWT(MD=24.34, 95%CI[16.05, 32.64]) and VEGF(MD=26.39,95%CI[24.30,28.49]),and decreased LVEDD(MD=-4.06, 95%CI[-6.33,-1.80]). And subgroup analysis suggested that the course of treatment may be related to the increase of LVEF. This study found that Xinmailong Injection for coronary heart disease complicated with heart failure can further alleviate clinical symptoms and relevant indicators, with no serious adverse reaction. However, it still needs the support of well-designed multicenter, double-blind and high-quality clinical trials.

Pd-catalyzed asymmetric Suzuki-Miyaura couplings of 3-methyl-2-bromophenylamides, 3-methyl-2-bromo-1-nitrobenzene and 1-naphthaleneboronic acids have been successfully developed and the corresponding axially chiral biaryl compounds were obtained in very high yields (up to 99%) with good enantioselectivities (up to 88% ee) under mild conditions. The chiral-bridged biphenyl monophosphine ligands developed by our group exhibit significant superiority to the naphthyl counterpart MOP in both reactivity and enantioselectivity control. The large steric hindrance from π-conjugated ortho -substituents of the bromobenzene substrates and the Pd···O interaction between carbonyl and palladium seem essential to achieve high enantioselectivity., (Copyright © 2020, Li et al.; licensee Beilstein-Institut.)

The first copper-catalyzed atroposelective Michael-type addition between azonaphthalenes and arylboronic acids for the construction of biaryl atropisomers was established using a novel BINOL-derived phosphoramidite as a chiral ligand. A broad range of atropisomeric biaryls were obtained with good efficiency, and the practicality of this approach was verified by versatile transformations toward axially chiral ligands, catalysts, and other functional atropisomers. This set of catalytic systems successfully inhibited the routine 1,2-addition and promoted the formation of an aryl-aryl chiral axis. Meanwhile, this strategy bypassed the use of an oxidant as well as the harsh conditions normally necessary for transition-metal-mediated arene C-H coupling with arylboronic acids as an arylation counterpart, offering a straightforward alternative to access optically active biaryls.

N-arylcarbazole structures are important because of their prevalence in natural products and functional OLED materials. C-H amination of arenes has been widely recognized as the most efficient approach to access these structures. Conventional strategies involving transition-metal catalysts suffer from confined substrate generality and the requirement of exogenous oxidants. Organocatalytic enantioselective C-N chiral axis construction remains elusive. Presented here is the first organocatalytic strategy for the synthesis of novel axially chiral N-arylcarbazole frameworks by the assembly of azonaphthalenes and carbazoles. This reaction accommodates broad substrate scope and gives atropisomeric N-arylcarbazoles in good yields with excellent enantiocontrol. This approach not only offers an alternative to metal-catalyzed C-N cross-coupling, but also brings about opportunities for the exploitation of structurally diverse N-aryl atropisomers and OLED materials., (© 2020 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) represents a major public health issue due to its high incidence and mortality. As different histological subtypes of COAD are related to various survival outcomes and different therapies, finding specific targets and treatments for different subtypes is one of the major demands of individual disease therapy. Interestingly, as these different subtypes show distinct metabolic profiles, it may be possible to find specific targets related to histological typing by targeting COAD metabolism. In this study, the differential expression patterns of metabolism-related genes between COAD ( n  = 289) and adjacent normal tissue ( n  = 41) were analyzed by one-way ANOVA. We then used weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to further identify metabolism-related gene connections. To determine the critical genes related to COAD metabolism, we obtained 2,114 significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 12 modules. Among them, we found the hub module to be significantly associated with histological typing, including non-mucin-producing colon adenocarcinoma and mucin-producing colon adenocarcinoma. Combining survival analysis, we identified glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase 1 (GDE1) as the most significant gene associated with histological typing and prognosis. This gene displayed significantly lower expression in COAD compared with normal tissues and was significantly correlated with the prognosis of non-mucin-producing colon adenocarcinoma ( p  = 0.0017). Taken together, our study showed that GDE1 exhibits considerable potential as a novel therapeutic target for non-mucin-producing colon adenocarcinoma., Competing Interests: The authors declare there are no competing interests., (©2020 Shen et al.)

Background: Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is an aggressive and invasive tumor with poor prognosis. Identifying prognostic biomarkers of PAAD will provide crucial information for developing treatment plans. Methods: In this analysis, a gene-expression dataset, containing RNA-sequencing data recalculated into transcripts per million, was obtained from the UCSC Xena platform. Three thousand nine hundred and seventy six differentially expressed genes were obtained with analysis of variance. Using these data a co-expression network was constructed using weighted gene co-expression network analysis, from which we obtained eight modules. Results: The blue module included 497 genes and demonstrated significant negative correlation with overall survival. Furthermore, pathway analyses demonstrated the involvement of many of these genes in the tight junction pathway, which plays a critical role in PAAD. In addition, we identified six genes in common (i.e., ANXA2 [annexin A2], EPHA2 [erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular class A2], ITGB4 [integrin beta 4], KRT19 [keratin type I cytoskeletal 19], LGALS3 [galectin-3], and S100A14 [S100 calcium binding protein A14]) between the protein-protein interaction and gene co-expression networks that may have critical functions in PAAD. These hub genes were not only highly expressed at the RNA level but also exhibited high expression in the immunohistological data in the Human Protein Atlas Database. Conclusion: Thus, this research clarified the framework of co-expressed gene modules in PAAD and highlighted potential prognostic biomarkers for the clinical diagnosis of PAAD.

Background: Long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs) are part of genes, which are not translated into proteins and play a vital role in plant growth and development. Nevertheless, the presence of LncRNAs and how they functions in Ligon-lintless-1 mutant during the early cessation of cotton fiber development are still not well understood. In order to investigate the function of LncRNAs in cotton fiber development, it is necessary and important to identify LncRNAs and their potential roles in fiber cell development., Results: In this work, we identified 18,333 LncRNAs, with the proportion of long intergenic noncoding RNAs (LincRNAs) (91.5%) and anti-sense LncRNAs (8.5%), all transcribed from Ligon-lintless-1 (Li1) and wild-type (WT). Expression differences were detected between Ligon-lintless-1 and wild-type at 0 and 8 DPA (day post anthesis). Pathway analysis and Gene Ontology based on differentially expressed LncRNAs on target genes, indicated fatty acid biosynthesis and fatty acid elongation being integral to lack of fiber in mutant cotton. The result of RNA-seq and RT-qPCR clearly singles out two potential LncRNAs, LNC&#95;001237 and LNC&#95;017085, to be highly down-regulated in the mutant cotton. The two LncRNAs were found to be destabilized or repressed by ghr-miR2950. Both RNA-seq analysis and RT-qPCR results in Ligon-lintless-1 mutant and wild-type may provide strong evidence of LNC&#95;001237, LNC&#95;017085 and ghr-miR2950 being integral molecular elements participating in various pathways of cotton fiber development., Conclusion: The results of this study provide fundamental evidence for the better understanding of LncRNAs regulatory role in the molecular pathways governing cotton fiber development. Further research on designing and transforming LncRNAs will help not only in the understanding of their functions but will also in the improvement of fiber quality.

Background: Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare and aggressive malignant cancer in the adrenal cortex with poor prognosis. Though previous research has attempted to elucidate the progression of ACC, its molecular mechanism remains poorly understood., Methods: Gene transcripts per million (TPM) data were downloaded from the UCSC Xena database, which included ACC (The Cancer Genome Atlas, n = 77) and normal samples (Genotype Tissue Expression, n = 128). We used weighted gene co-expression network analysis to identify gene connections. Overall survival (OS) was determined using the univariate Cox model. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed by the search tool for the retrieval of interacting genes., Results: To determine the critical genes involved in ACC progression, we obtained 2,953 significantly differentially expressed genes and nine modules. Among them, the blue module demonstrated significant correlation with the "Stage" of ACC. Enrichment analysis revealed that genes in the blue module were mainly enriched in cell division, cell cycle, and DNA replication. Combined with the PPI and co-expression networks, we identified four hub genes (i.e., TOP2A , TTK , CHEK1 , and CENPA ) that were highly expressed in ACC and negatively correlated with OS. Thus, these identified genes may play important roles in the progression of ACC and serve as potential biomarkers for future diagnosis., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

A series of chiral heterocyclic biaryls with a pyridyl moiety were prepared in moderate to good yields with up to 92% ee via asymmetric Suzuki-Miyaura coupling. The chiral-bridged biphenyl monophosphine ligand L1 was found to be much more effective in the reaction enantioselection than its counterpart binaphthyl monophosphine ligands.

Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to determine the expression and significance of tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) and CXCR4 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)., Methods: Immunohistochemical staining was used to analyze the expression of CD68 (TAM surface marker) and CXCR4 in 68 cases of NSCLC and 17 cases of normal lung tissue., Results and Conclusion: The positive rate of CD68 was 66.2% (45/68) and CXCR4 was 61.8% (42/68) in the lung cancer tissues, while the rates in normal tissues were statistically significantly lower at 27.3% (3/17) and 11.8% (2/17), respectively. The tissue expressions of CD68 and CXCR4 in NSCLC tissues were significantly correlated with a higher TNM staging and lymph node metastasis (p<0.05); and the expression of CD68 was positively correlated with the expression of CXCR4 (r=0.461, p=0.000). The TAMs infiltration and the expression of CXCR4 were closely correlated with the cellular carcinogenesis and development of NSCLC and their combined detection could provide a potential target for clinical diagnosis and adjuvant therapy for patient with NSCLC.

We aimed to explore the prevalence of and risk factors for depressive symptoms (DS) among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) receiving antiretroviral treatment (ART) in Wuhan, Hubei, China. A cross-sectional study evaluating adult PLWHA receiving ART in nine designated clinical hospitals was conducted from October to December 2015. The validated Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to assess DS in eligible participants. Socio-demographical, epidemiological and clinical data were directly extracted from the case reporting database of the China HIV/AIDS Information Network. Multinomial regression analysis was used to explore the risk factors for DS. 394 participants were finally included in all analyses. 40.3% were found to have DS with 13.7% having mild DS and 26.6% having moderate to severe DS. The results of multinomial regression analysis suggested that being married or living with a partner, recent experience of ART-related side effects, and/or history of HCV infection were positively associated with mild DS, while increasing age was positively associated with moderate to severe DS.

Primary pancreatic lymphoma (PPL) is an extremely rare form of extranodal malignant lymphoma. The most common histological subtype of PPL is diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). In rare cases, PPL can also present as follicular lymphoma, small lymphocytic lymphoma, and T cell lymphoma either of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma or of Hodgkin's lymphoma. T-cell/histiocyte-rich large B-cell lymphoma (T/HRBCL) is an uncommon morphologic variant of DLBCL with aggressive clinical course, it is predominantly a nodal disease, but extranodal sites such as bone marrow, liver, and spleen can be involved. Pancreatic involvement of T/HRBCL was not presented before. Herein, we report a 48-year-old male who was hospitalized with complaints of jaundice, dark brown urine, pale stools, and nausea. The radiological evaluation revealed a pancreatic head mass and, following operative biopsy, the tumor was diagnosed as T/HRBCL. The patient achieved remission after six cycles of CHOP chemotherapy. Therefore, T/HRBCL can be treated similarly to the stage-matched DLBCL and both of them get equivalent outcomes after chemotherapy., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: Authors have no conflict of interest to disclose.

Objective: To investigate the status of knowledge, attitude and behavior of schistosomiasis control of rural residents in Wanjiang River region after a flood, so as to provide the reference for targeted health education., Methods: The multistage sampling was applied to select the respondents in rural residents in Wanjiang River region, and the self-designed questionnaire was used to investigate the current situation of knowledge, attitude and behavior of schistosomiasis prevention and control of the rural residents., Results: The total awareness rate of knowledge about the prevention and control of schistosomiasis was 47.92%. The age, education, family income, relatives and friends with medical background, and health education significantly influenced the awareness rate ( χ 2 = 12.76, 89.19, 18.19, 50.83 and 92.60 respectively, all P < 0.05). The accuracy rates of attitude and behavior in schistosomiasis control were 62.89% and 52.37% respectively., Conclusions: The awareness rate of knowledge about the prevention and control of schistosomiasis, and the accuracy rates of attitude and behavior in schistosomiasis control of the rural residents in Wanjiang River region are all inefficient, and therefore, the targeted health education should be strengthened to decrease the risk of schistosomiasis transmission.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of nitrous oxide-sedated endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration., Methods: Enrolled patients were divided randomly into an experimental group (inhalation of nitrous oxide) and a control group (inhalation of pure oxygen) and heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, blood pressure, electrocardiogram (ECG) changes, and the occurrence of complications were monitored and recorded. All patients and physicians completed satisfaction questionnaires about the examination and scored the process using a visual analog scale., Results: There was no significant difference in heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, blood pressure, ECG changes, or complication rate between the two groups of patients ( P > 0.05). However, patient and physician satisfaction were both significantly higher in the nitrous oxide compared with the control group ( P < 0.05)., Conclusion: Nitrous oxide-sedation is a safe and effective option for patients undergoing endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Aim: To identify clinicopathological factors predictive of lymph node metastasis (LNM) in intramucosal poorly differentiated early gastric cancer (EGC), and further to expand the possibility of using endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for the treatment of intramucosal poorly differentiated EGC., Methods: Data for 81 surgically treated patients with intramucosal poorly differentiated EGC were collected, and the association between the clinicopathological factors and the presence of LNM was retrospectively analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Several clinicopathologic factors were investigated to identify predictive factors for lymph nodes metastasis, including gender, age, family history of gastric cancer, number of tumors, tumor location, ulceration, tumor size, macroscopic type, lymphatic vessel involvement, and signet-ring-cell component., Results: Tumor size (OR = 7.273, 95%CI: 1.246-29.918, P = 0.042), lymphatic vessel involvement (OR = 42.219, 95%CI: 1.923-97.052, P = 0.018) and signet-ring-cell component (OR = 17.513, 95%CI: 1.647-77.469, P = 0.034) that were significantly associated with LNM by univariate analysis, were found to be significant and independent risk factors for LNM by multivariate analysis. However, gender, age, family history of gastric cancer, number, location, ulceration and macroscopic type of tumor were found not to be associated with LNM. Of these 81 patients diagnosed with intramucosal poorly differentiated EGC, 7 (8.6%) had LNM. The LNM rates were 9.1%, 22.2% and 57.1%, respectively, in cases with one, two and three of the risk factors. There was no LNM in 54 patients without the three risk clinicopathological factors., Conclusion: Tumor size, lymphatic vessel involvement and signet-ring-cell component are independently associated with the presence of LNM in intramucosal poorly differentiated EGC. Thus, these three risk factors may be used as a simple criterion to expand the possibility of using ESD for the treatment of intramucosal poorly differentiated EGC.

Bullous pemphigoid (BP), a common autoimmune skin disease, is associated with IgG autoantibodies against the hemidesmosomal proteins, BP180 and BP230. In addition to IgG, IgE has been shown to play a role in the disease. However, the association between disease activity and IgE specific to the NC16A domain of BP180 in blister fluid remains unclear. Our objective was to evaluate the correlation between BP disease activity and BP180 NC16A-specific IgE sera and blister fluid titers, and to analyze changes during treatment. We evaluated the levels of anti-BP180 IgE autoantibodies in the sera and blister fluids of 37 BP patients using an Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We also observed changes in the levels of these antibodies in 2 BP patients at 4 or 5 different time points (day 0 when the patient first visited our hospital, day 5, day 14, day 39 and day 62 for patient 1; day 0, day 4, day 8 and day 17 for patient 2). We also collected extra serum samples from the 2 patients when the disease was controlled (blister disappeared) (day 85, day 104 and day 146 for patient 1 and day 123, day 158 and day 189 for the other patient). IgE anti-BP180 antibodies were detected in the serum of 72.97 % of the patients. There was no correlation between disease activity scores and BP180 NC16A IgE titers in serum (r = -0.077, p > 0.05) or in blister fluid (r = 0.262, p > 0.05). The levels of the autoantibody in serum were positively correlated with that in blister fluid (r = 0.6651, p < 0.001); however, the levels continued to rise despite effective control of the disease in the initial two to 6 weeks of diagnosis. The level of this autoantibody reached a peak on day 39 for patient 1 and on day 17 for patient 2 although the systemic and topical medication of steroid had controlled the disease process effectively. We conclude that levels of anti-BP180 NC16A IgE are higher in the sera than blister fluids. These levels could generally reflect disease severity throughout the course of the disease, but not in the early stages of medication.

A series of novel chiral phosphoramidite ligands based on chiral-bridged biphenyl backbones have been prepared conveniently and characterized. The ligands complexed with [IrCodCl]2 provided the first iridium catalyst system for the asymmetric addition of arylboronic acids to N-protected isatins with high efficiency. When performed in THF/H2O at 80 °C with 2 equiv of the arylboronic acids, the transformations acquired good to excellent results (up to 98% yield and 95% ee).

Objective: To discuss the value of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography ((18)F-PET/CT) scans in the diagnosis and early staging of non-mycosis fungoides/Sézary's syndrome cutaneous malignant lymphomas (non-MF/SS CML)., Materials and Methods: A total of 18 cases with non-MF/SS CML, confirmed by pathology or on clinical grounds, were analyzed in this study. The sensitivity of CT and PET/CT scans in the diagnosis of primary skin lesions, as well as the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of CT and PET/CT scans in the diagnosis of lymph nodes (LNs) and other organs (except skin and LNs) were calculated., Results: The diagnostic sensitivity of CT and PET/CT scans in the diagnosis of primary skin lesions was 82.4% (14/17) and 100% (17/17), respectively. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of CT and PET/CT scans in the diagnosis of LN lesions were 55.6% (5/9), 88.9% (8/9), 72.2% (13/18), 83.3% (5/6), 66.7% (8/12), and 88.9% (8/9), 100% (9/9), 94.4% (17/18), 100% (8/8), 90.0% (9/10), respectively. The diagnostic value of the CT and PET/CT scans in the diagnosis of involvement of other organs, were 40.4% (2/5), 100% (13/13), 83.3 (15/18), 100% (2/2), 81.3% (13/16) and 80.6% (4/5), 100% (13/13), 94.4% (17/18), 100% (3/3), 92.9% (13/14), respectively., Conclusions: (18)F-FDG PET/CT has high value in the diagnosis and early staging of non-MF/SS CMLs., (Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.)

Aim: To determine the existence of a potential relationship between the methylation state of the Vimentin gene and its prognostic value in pancreatic cancer., Methods: Sixty-four primary tumor specimens and normal tissues were collected consecutively from pancreatic cancer patients during surgery at Hangzhou First People's Hospital and Affiliated Hospital of the Logistics University of the Chinese People's Armed Police Force. DNA was extracted from the samples and subsequently quantitative methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the Vimentin methylation status of the samples. All of the patients were followed up to December 2012. χ(2) test, Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox regression statistical models were used., Results: Out of 64 pancreatic cancer tissues, 21 were marked as Vimentin methylation-positive, and 43 were marked as Vimentin methylation-negative. The location of pancreatic carcinoma was related to the Vimentin methylation state. The pathological T staging (P < 0.001), adjuvant chemotherapy (P = 0.003) and the Vimentin methylation state (P = 0.037) were independent prognostic factors., Conclusion: In our study, Vimentin methylation status can predict the prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients. However, additional experiments and clinical trials are needed to accurately validate this observation.

Unlabelled: Abstract Objective: A case series is presented to investigate the efficacy and safety of Erhegao for patients with breast cancer who have radiotherapy-induced moist desquamation., Methods: Eighteen women with breast cancer who received radiotherapy and developed moist desquamation were enrolled. Erhegao cream, a Traditional Chinese Medicine formula consisting of zinc oxide powder, calamine powder, and lithospermum oil, was applied on areas of moist desquamation. Application was repeated once a day until healing. The primary end point for efficacy was the time to healing of the moist desquamation areas. A numerical rating scale was used to measure wound pain relief daily. Incidence of toxicity was also assessed., Results: The average time to healing of the moist desquamation area was 13.56 days. The mean pain scores on the first, third, and seventh days were 5.22, 2.94, and 0.83, respectively. Eight-three percent of patients reported pain relief after the first 3 days, and 94%, after the first week. The mean daily reduction in the pain score was 0.40. None of the patients developed clinical infections or reported any toxicity., Conclusions: This formula is effective and safe, especially for pain relief, and may be an alternative treatment for radiotherapy-induced moist desquamation in patients with breast cancer. Future randomized, controlled studies are needed to better evaluate the efficacy of Erhegao cream.

The inflammatory response is a rapid and complex physiological reaction to infection, which must be carefully modulated to remove pathogens and prevent the consequences of unregulated expression including cancer. MiRNAs are small noncoding RNAs that regulate protein-coding genes via post-transcriptional repression. Emerging evidence suggests that the role of miRNAs in the regulation of immune responses as well as inflammatory networks in various cell and tissue types. Here, we have constructed a mathematical model that integrates miR-21 and miR-146 expression into a signaling pathway to generate an in silico model for the process of inflammation. The results show that the negative feedback provided by miR-21 stimulates the propensity of oscillations in NF-κB and IL-6 activity, while the negative feedback provided by miR-146 dampens the oscillations of NF-κB and IL-6. This process is somewhat sensitive to the inputs of miR-21 and miR-146, suggesting that variations in the relative strength of the two feedbacks may provide for altered response dynamics to the same stimulus. Our findings reveal a novel regulatory module of two miRNA-mediated negative feedback loops that allows for the fine-tuning of the dynamics of key mediators in inflammation., (Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.)

Aim: To investigate the feasibility and safety of Natural orifice trans-umbilical endoscopic cholecystectomy with a water-jet hybrid-knife in a non-survival porcine model., Methods: Pure natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) cholecystectomy was performed on three non-survival pigs, by transumbilical approach, using a water-jet hybrid-knife. Under general anesthesia, the following steps detailed the procedure: (1) incision of the umbilicus followed by the passage of a double-channel flexible endoscope through an overtube into the peritoneal cavity; (2) establishment of pneumoperitoneum; (3) abdominal exploration; (4) endoscopic cholecystectomy: dissection of the gallbladder performed using water jet equipment, ligation of the cystic artery and duct conducted using nylon loops; and (5) necropsy with macroscopic evaluation., Results: Transumbilical endoscopic cholecystectomy was successfully completed in the first and third pig, with minor bleedings. The dissection times were 137 and 42 min, respectively. The total operation times were 167 and 69 min, respectively. And the lengths of resected specimen were 6.5 and 6.1 cm, respectively. Instillation of the fluid into the gallbladder bed produced edematous, distended tissue making separation safe and easy. Reliable ligation using double nylon loops insured the safety of cutting between the loops. There were no intraoperative complications or hemodynamic instability. Uncontrolled introperative bleeding occurred in the second case, leading to the operation failure., Conclusion: Pure NOTES trans-umbilical cholecystectomy with a water-jet hybrid-knife appears to be feasible and safe. Further investigation of this technique with long-term follow-up in animals is needed to confirm the preliminary observation.

Unlabelled: The present study examined the association between body mass index (BMI) and skinfold thickness (SFT) with blood pressure (BP) in 12-year-old children in Shandong, China. A total of 920 (464 boys and 456 girls) 12-year-old students participated in this study. All subjects were divided into four groups (BMI < 25th, 25th ≤ BMI < 50th, 50th ≤ BMI < 75th, and BMI ≥ 75th) according to the percentile of BMI and into four groups (SFT < 25th, 25th ≤ SFT < 50th, 50th ≤ SFT < 75th, and SFT ≥ 75th) according to the percentile of SFT, respectively. Comparisons of BP among different groups were made by one-way ANOVA. High BP status was defined as systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥ 95th and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥ 95th percentile for age and gender. BMI and SFT were all significantly (P < 0.001) and positively related to SBP and DBP in both boys and girls. The prevalence of high BP in each group is rising with the percentiles of BMI and SFT in both boys and girls., Conclusion: There is a strong positive relationship between BMI, SFT, and BP in 12-year-old children; the present findings emphasize the importance of preventing excess BMI and SFT in order to prevent future-related problems such as hypertension in children and adolescents.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the clinical performance of three-dimensional (3D) fast-recovery fast spin-echo (FRFSE) magnetic resonance dacryocystography (MRD) with topical administration of sterile saline solution for the assessment of the lacrimal drainage system (LDS)., Methods: A total of 13 healthy volunteers underwent both 3D-FRFSE MRD and two-dimensional (2D)-impulse recovery (IR)-single-shot fast spin-echo (SSFSE) MRD after topical administration of sterile saline solution, and 31 patients affected by primary LDS outflow impairment or postsurgical recurrent epiphora underwent 3D-FRFSE MRD and conventional T1- and T2-weighted sequences. All patients underwent lacrimal endoscopy or surgery, which served as a standard of reference for confirming the MRD findings., Results: 3D-FRFSE MRD detected more visualized superior and inferior canaliculi and nasolacrimal duct than 2D-IR-SSFSE MRD. Compared with 2D-IR-SSFSE MRD, 3D-FRFSE MRD showed more visualized segments per LDS, although the difference was not statistically significant. Significant improvements in the inferior canaliculus and nasolacrimal duct visibility grades were achieved using 3D-FRFSE MRD. 3D-FRFSE MRD had 100% sensitivity and 63.6% specificity for detecting LDS obstruction. In 51 out of the 62 LDSs that were assessed, a 90% agreement was noted between the findings of 3D-FRFSE MRD and lacrimal endoscopy in detecting the obstruction level., Conclusion: 3D-FRFSE MRD combined with topical administration of sterile saline solution is a simple and noninvasive method of obtaining detailed morphological and functional information on the LDS. Overall, 3D-FRFSE MRD could be used as a reliable diagnostic method in many patients with epiphora prior to surgery., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Polymorphisms in XPG were considered to contribute to the clinical outcome of patients receiving platinum drug chemotherapy. We investigated the impact of several potential SNPs of XPG on the efficacy of platinum-based chemotherapy in NSCLC patients., Methods: A total of 433 patients were consecutively selected between Nov. 2006 and Dec. 2007, and were followed-up up to Nov. 2011. The genotyping of six SNPs (rs2296147, rs751402, rs873601, rs4150375, rs17655 and rs2094258) were genotyped using the Taqman real-time PCR method with a 7900 HT sequence detector system., Results: Patients carrying CT+TT genotype of rs2296147 had a significantly longer median PFS (17.5 months) and OS (26.8 months) than CC genotype. Hazard ratio (HR) for PFS and OS in patients with CT+TT genotype of rs2296147 was respectively 0.73(0.51-0.97) and 0.66(0.48-0.99) when compare CC genotype, respectively. Similarly, patients with rs2094258 AG+GG genotype had a longer median progression time (18.4 months) and overall survival time (27.3 months) when compared with those with AA genotype, and HRs(95% CI) for PFS and OS were 0.44(0.34-0.78) and 0.51(0.39-0.82), respectively., Conclusions: Our study suggests rs2296147 CT+TT and rs2094258 AG+GG genotypes contribute to the better survival of NSCLC. Our study provides significant information on role of prognostic value of XPG SNPs, and detecting of XPG could be used as predictive markers toward individualizing NSCLC treatment strategies.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of Erzhi Tiangui Granule (ETG) on DNA methyltransferases (DNMT) 1 protein expression in endometrium of infertile women with Kidney-yin Deficiency syndrome., Methods: A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted. Sixty-six (66) infertile patients who had Kidney-yin Deficiency syndrome and who were to undergo in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) were randomly assigned to either a treatment group or a control group according to a random table. Besides gonadotropin (Gn) therapy in both groups, the treatment group received ETG for 3 menstrual cycles before IVF, and the control group received placebo granules. The ETG and the placebo granules were made with similar color and shape, as well as in the same packaging. The scores of the Kidney-yin Deficiency syndrome were assessed. Other outcome measures included the dosage and duration of Gn, the number of retrieved oocytes, the rate of high-quality oocytes, the rate of high-quality embryos, the fertilization rate, and the clinical pregnancy rate. DNMT1 protein expression in the endometrium was measured in the midluteal phase., Results: The difference in the syndrome score change before and after treatment between the two groups was statistically significant (p<0.05). The dosage and duration of Gn were significantly lower in the treatment group than those in the control group (p<0.05). The high-quality oocyte and embryo rates, and clinical pregnancy rate were all higher in the treatment group than those in the control group (p<0.05). The fertilization rate was not significant when compared to the placebo group. No difference was found in the number of retrieved oocytes between the two groups. The DNMT1 protein expression in the endometrium was much more abundant in the treatment group than that in the control group (p<0.05)., Conclusions: For the infertile patients undergoing IVF, the Chinese recipe for tonifying the Kidney as an adjunct treatment could reduce Gn dosage and treatment duration, alleviate clinical symptoms, and improve the clinical pregnancy rate. The increased level of DNMT1 protein expression after treatment may lead to enhanced endometrial receptivity. This finding may explain the improvement in clinical pregnancy rate.

Aim: To investigate the effect of Gonadotropin-realeasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) on apoptosis and the release of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the in vitro eutopic endometrial cell of adenomyosis., Methods: Biopsy specimens of eutopic endometrium obtained from 32 women with adenomyosis and 20 normal womenwere studied. Cells were cultured with GnRHa for 24 h, 48 h and 72 h in the concentration of 10-7 mol/L and 105 mol/L. Apoptotic ratio was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) and flow cytometry before and after using GnRHa. VEGF concentrations in culture supernatant were detected by commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)., Results: (1)Cells in two groups showed cell shrinkage, floating, nucleus concentration, nuclear fragmentation and typical apoptotic bodies. (2) The apoptotic ratio of cultured AM endometrial cell without GnRHa was lower than that in control group and the apoptotic ratio increased with the prolongation of time in two groups(P<0.01). (3)After GnRHa addition, each group showed higher apoptotic ratio and a trend towards higher apoptotic ratio linked to advanced concentration. Furthermore, apoptotic ratio in study group was significantly higher than that in control group at the same time point and same concentration ( P < 0. 01 ). ( 4 ) The concentrations of VEGF in the eutopic endometrial cells of adenomyosis were significantly higher than those in the normal endometrimn. The concentrations of VEGF in the both groups were downregulated by GnRHa in a dose-dependent manner., Conclusion: (1) The abnormality of apoptotic ratio of AM endometrial cells may be associated with the AM pathogenesis. GnRHa nmy increase the apoptotic ratio of cultured AM endometrial cells by autocrine or paracrine. (2) VEGF may play an impotant role in the pathogenesis of adenomyosim. GnRHa can directly suppress the survival and growth of ectopic endometrial by decreasing the release of VEGF which was related to the adenomyosis angiogenesis.

Bcl-xL is a pro-survival member of the Bcl-2 family that plays indispensable roles in regulating cell survival and apoptosis. It is overexpressed in many malignant tumors including colorectal cancer (CRC). However, it is still unclear if Bcl-xL can be used as an independent molecular marker for predicting the prognosis of CRC patients. In this study, reverse transcription-PCR assay was performed to detect the expression of Bcl-xL mRNA in CRC and corresponding non-tumor colon tissues. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the immunolocalization of Bcl-xL protein in sixty-eight primary CRC tissue samples. The association between Bcl-xL protein expression and clinicopathological factors of CRC patients was analyzed and the survival was assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method and proportional hazards model. The averaged level of Bcl-xL mRNA expression in CRC tissues (0.85±0.13) was significantly higher than that in non-tumor colon tissues (0.08±0.02). Immunohistochemical staining showed that the Bcl-xL protein was mainly located in the cytoplasm of tumor cells. The level of Bcl-xL protein expression was closely correlated with tumor differentiation (P=0.002), lymph node metastasis (P=0.010), venous permeation (P=0.004), and Duke's classification (P=0.021). Furthermore, patients with high Bcl-xL expression showed poorer overall survival than those with low Bcl-xL expression (P=0.016). Univariate and multivariate analysis indicated that the status of Bcl-xL protein expression might be an independent prognostic marker for CRC patients (P=0.032). Taken together, immunohistochemical assessment of status of Bcl-xL protein may offer a valuable approach for predicting survival after curative surgery for colorectal cancer., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Background: Central pulse pressure, pulse pressure index and fractional pulse pressure have been confirmed to be associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, but if the severity of cardiovascular disease, specifically for the coronary artery disease, is evaluated by central systolic pressure and fractional diastolic pressure has been not well studied., Aims: This study was designed to examine if central systolic pressure and fractional diastolic pressure could act as a predicting factor for the severity of coronary artery disease., Patients and Methods: A total of 310 patients were included in this study. 154 patients were diagnosed with coronary artery disease, and 156 with non-coronary artery disease, which was confirmed with diagnostic coronary angiography. The average age and sex in the two groups were same., Results: Age, peripheral and central systolic blood pressure, fractional systolic pressure, and fractional diastolic pressure were significantly higher in the patients with coronary artery disease (P<0.05). The central fractional systolic pressure and fractional diastolic pressure were abnormal in the patients with coronary artery disease. Central fractional systolic pressure and fractional diastolic pressure presented a positive correlation between them and coronary Gensini Score (P<0.05), in the patients with coronary artery disease., Conclusions: The severity of coronary artery disease may be predicted by examination of central fractional systolic pressure and fractional diastolic pressure.

The cerebral neuropathology of Type 2 diabetes (CNDM2) has not been positively defined. This review includes a description of CNDM2 research from before the 'Pubmed Era'. Recent neuroimaging studies have focused on cerebrovascular and white matter pathology. These and prior studies about cerebrovascular histopathology in diabetes are reviewed. Evidence is also described for and against the link between CNDM2 and Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis. To study this matter directly, we evaluated data from University of Kentucky Alzheimer's Disease Center (UK ADC) patients recruited while non-demented and followed longitudinally. Of patients who had come to autopsy (N = 234), 139 met inclusion criteria. These patients provided the basis for comparing the prevalence of pathological and clinical indices between well-characterized cases with (N = 50) or without (N = 89) the premortem diagnosis of diabetes. In diabetics, cerebrovascular pathology was more frequent and Alzheimer-type pathology was less frequent than in non-diabetics. Finally, a series of photomicrographs demonstrates histopathological features (including clinical-radiographical correlation) observed in brains of persons that died after a history of diabetes. These preliminary, correlative, and descriptive studies may help develop new hypotheses about CNDM2. We conclude that more work should be performed on human material in the context of CNDM2.

In this paper, we present a novel method to calculate the scalp potential distribution produced by the inside dipoles of the EEG forward question in detail: imaginary method. Using this method, the eccentric spheres models of the head can be simplified to the homocentric spheres model. The scalp potential distribution of the forward question of EEG of the homocentric spheres model can be solved easily. Using the imaginary method, the influence of the inside eccentric sphere can be replaced by some imaginary dipoles, the imaginary surplus single poles and the fractal single poles as well as fractal dipole. For the question in which the centers of the spheres and the position of the dipole are not in the same line, the analytical solution can be obtained, while the conventional method can only give the analytical solution in the case where all the centers of the spheres and the point of the dipole are in the same line. At last, we validate this method through computer simulation. By comparing the results from the imaginary method, the conventional method and the finite element method FEM (Although FEM can give more precise solution, but it cannot give the analytical solution, which is necessary when solve the reverse question.), the validity of this method is proven.