Search

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of parecoxib on postoperative cognitive dysfunction, and serum levels of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and S100β protein (S100β) in elderly patients undergoing surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The retrospective cohort study method was used to collect the clinical data of 94 elderly patients who underwent elective orthopedic and general anesthesia surgery in our hospital from September 2020 to February 2022. 94 patients were divided into the control group (47 cases) and the study group (47 cases), according to different intervention methods. In the study group, 40 mg of parecoxib was injected intravenously into patients 30 min before the induction of anesthesia, and the patients in the control group were given the same dose of normal saline intravenously before the operation. The basic clinical data of the patients were collected. The levels of the indexes before operation and 6 hours after operation were compared between the two groups, including the Montreal Cognitive Scale (MoCA) score, inflammatory factor indicators [tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-10 (IL-10), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), monocyte chemokine-1 (MCP-1), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)], serum cortisol (CORT), beta-amyloid (β-AP), adiponectin (ADP), NSE, and S100β. RESULTS: No significant differences in the preoperative MoCA score, TNF-α, IL-6, CRP, IL-10, IL-1β, MCP-1, iNOS, CORT, β-AP, ADP, NSE, and S100β levels were observed between the two groups (p>0.05). The postoperative MoCA score in the study group was significantly higher than that in the control group (p<0.05). The postoperative levels of TNF-α, IL-6, CRP and IL-1β in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group (p<0.05), and the postoperative levels of IL-10, MCP-1 and iNOS in the study group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Parecoxib can notably inhibit the levels of postoperative inflammatory cytokines, improve neurological dysfunction, and reduce the occurrence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction in patients. The contents of serum NSE and S100β have potential value in the diagnosis of postoperative cognitive dysfunction in elderly patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: In response to the sudden COVID-19 epidemic outbreak, China's Ministry of Education proposed "continuing teaching and learning regardless of suspending classes" to provide "available courses and teachers" for students. Web-based teaching has become the main teaching method of medical colleges and universities during the COVID-19 epidemic period. Before the outbreak, the concept and technology of web-based teaching had been partially implemented. The epidemic situation has promoted the implementation of large-scale web-based teaching and the multidimensional development of education in China. Furthermore, there are higher requirements for information teaching. Teachers and students cannot adapt to the web-based teaching mode. The lack of interaction is a problem in the web-based teaching. To adapt to the rapid development of information technology, medical colleges and universities must consider the COVID-19 epidemic as an opportunity to quickly update educational concepts, train teachers' Internet thinking, innovate the web-based teaching mode, and make full use of the network platform to provide better teaching and services. Moreover, medical colleges and universities should eliminate the weaknesses of web-based teaching and improve the quality and connotation of teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the biological function of circular RNA ABCB10 (circ-ABCB10) in regulating the progression of glioma and to study the possible underlying mechanisms. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The expression levels of circ-ABCB10, miR-620 and FABP5 mRNA in glioma tissues, normal surrounding tissues and glioma cell lines were measured by Real-time PCR (RT-PCR). Circ-ABCB10 was silenced by siRNA in glioma cell lines (U87, T98G). The proliferation, migration and invasion of glioma cells were measured by MTT, wound healing and transwell assays, respectively. The relationship between circ-ABCB10, miR-620 and FABP5 was tested by Dual-Luciferase assay. The expression of proteins was measured by Western blot. The cell cycle distribution and apoptosis were measured by flow cytometry. RESULTS: The expression levels of circ-ABCB10 and FABP5 in glioma tissues and cells were significantly higher than those in their normal counterparts. Moreover, the expression of miR-620 was lower in glioma tissues. Silencing of circ-ABCB10 in glioma cells significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of glioma cells. Moreover, downregulation of circ-ABCB10 induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in glioma cells. Furthermore, inhibition of miR-620 showed the opposite effects to silencing circ-ABCB10 on glioma cells. Dual-Luciferase reporter assays demonstrated that circ-ABCB10 could bind to miR-620 and that FABP5 was a direct target of miR-620. Western blot results showed that circ-ABCB10 could stabilize the expression of FABP5, while miR-620 decreased the expression of FABP5. Furthermore, overexpression of FABP5 abrogated the silencing effects of circ-ABCB10 in glioma cells. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that circ-ABCB10 affects glioma progression by regulating the miR-620/FABP5 axis, and circ-ABCB10 might be used as a potential target for the treatment of glioma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Mounting evidence suggests that the long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) function in multiple cancers. Dysregulation of lncRNA in non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) pathway 1 (LINP1) has been reported in breast cancer. However, its clinical significance in breast cancer remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic relevance of LINP1 in breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Expression of LINP1 in tumor and their matched non-tumor tissues was determined by quantitative Real Time- PCR (qRT-PCR) in breast cancer patients. The relevance of LINP1 expression to the clinicopathological factors was assessed. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to evaluate the overall survival and disease-free survival of breast cancer patients with the expression level of LINP1. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was performed at both univariate and multivariate levels. RESULTS: The results showed that LINP1 appeared to have higher expression in breast cancer tissues than in adjacent non-tumor tissues (p < 0.01). Increased expression of LINP1 was correlated with advanced TNM stage (p = 0.002), more lymph node metastasis (p = 0.000), and poorer pathological differentiation (p = 0.004). Furthermore, clinical assay indicated that patients with high LINP1 expression had a shorter overall survival and disease-free survival compared with the low LINP1 expression group. Finally, Cox regression analysis showed that LINP1 expression was an independent prognosis- predicting factor for breast cancer patients. CONCLUSIONS: LncRNA-LINP1 may be involved in the progression of the breast cancer and be a novel indicator of poor prognosis in patients with breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible anti-cancer properties of cinnamon extract on two human tumor cell lines, HeLa cells and HL-60 cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two human tumor cell lines, HeLa cells and HL-60 cells, were exposed to increased concentrations of an extract prepared from cinnamon. The cell proliferation and cell cycle distribution were evaluated using MTT assay and flow cytometry, respectively. The possible action mechanism was also investigated by Western blot. RESULTS: The results showed that cinnamon extract strongly inhibited tumor cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner and exhibited dramatic increases in the percentage of cells in G2/M in parallel with exposure to increasing concentration of cinnamon extract. The Western blot results showed that cinnamon extract reduced the cyclin A, cyclin B1, ERK2, and p-ERK proteins expression. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggested that cinnamon extract inhibit the tumor cell survival by both down-regulated their target cell cycle regulation molecules and mitosis regulation molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Liver failure (LF) is a clinically complex disorder that characterizes with hepatic dysfunction. This study aimed at observing the therapeutic effects of peritoneal dialysis on liver function in LF patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study involves 62 patients diagnosed as LF hospitalized from February 2005 to December 2016. The 62 LF patients were randomly divided into 3 groups, including artificial liver applying plasma exchange group (PE, n = 28), peritoneal dialysis group (PD, n = 22), and conservative treatment group (CT, n=12). Laboratory indexes, including serum total bilirubin (TBiL), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), albumin (ALB), blood ammonia (AMMO), international normalized ratio (INR), and creatinine (Cr) were evaluated. Inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and procalcitonin (PCT) were examined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. RESULTS: Peritoneal dialysis significantly improves clinical outcomes, including decreased mortality, increased survival rate and total effective rate, compared to conservative treatment (p < 0.05). Peritoneal dialysis reduced hospitalization expenses compared to PE method and conservative treatment (p < 0.05). Peritoneal dialysis significantly removed toxic substances (including TBiL, AMMO, Cr) compared to conservative treatment (p < 0.05). The post-treatment level of Cr in peritoneal dialysis group was significantly lower compared to post-treatment level of Cr in PE group (p < 0.05). Peritoneal dialysis significantly improved liver function compared to conservative treatment (p < 0.05). Peritoneal dialysis prevented bleeding tendency compared to conservative treatment (p < 0.05). Peritoneal dialysis alleviated inflammatory response compared to conservative treatment (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Peritoneal dialysis effectively removed toxic substances and improved liver functions of liver failure patients and with a lower therapeutic cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) can cause chronic renal insufficiency and significantly reduce the life quality of patients with diabetes mellitus, and may eventually lead to death. The study investigated the expression of endoplasmic reticulum stress-related factors, which have important roles in the progress of DN and to explore effects of resveratrol on DN and the possible mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Specific pathogen free (SPF) grade healthy male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were divided into different groups for different treatments. The diabetic rat model was established by intraperitoneal injection of low-dose streptozotocin (STZ) (40 mg/kg). The normal rats and diabetes model rats were divided into four groups including normal control group (N), normal control + resveratrol (N+R), model group (M), and model + resveratrol group (M+R) for different treatments. The changes of renal histology were observed by immunohistochemistry. Glucose oxidase/peroxidase method was used to measure FPG, UP 24 h content was measured by bicinchoninic acid (BCA) assay, BUN, Scr and Cys C content were measured by automatic biochemical analyzer. The expressions of 78 kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78), protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK), and activating transcription factor 4 (ATF4) and C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP) were analyzed by Western blot. RESULTS: Resveratrol treatment significantly reduced the fasting blood glucose level, urinary protein level and renal pathological damage. The phosphorylation of PERK in the kidney of rats with diabetes was up-regulated, while resveratrol treatment reduced this change. The expression of p-PERK, GRP78, ATF4, and CHOP was significantly increased in rats with diabetes, while resveratrol treatment can reduce the increased level of those endoplasmic reticulum stress related factors. CONCLUSIONS: Resveratrol has a good therapeutic effect on DN in rats without side effect. The mechanism may be related to the regulation of endoplasmic reticulum stress response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The assorted circumstances characterized by malfunctioning in cognition, communication or motor skills lead to abnormal development of the central nervous system (CNS) in young infants. These conditions are collectively termed as neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) and are usually diagnosed during childhood or infancy. NDDs occur as frequent as 1-3% in the general population and their diagnostic yield is approximately 15-25% with existing available techniques. So, the majority of affected patients are still undiagnosed due to genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity despite the discovery of 450 genes associated with NDDs. Chromosomal rearrangements are known contributors to NDDs, which have been routinely detected by G-banding karyotyping and fluorescence in situ hybridization at extremely low resolution. The present review was focused on the recent perspectives in the diagnosis and management of these neuropathological states in young patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Depression is one of the most debilitating worldwide mental illnesses, which is included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The main risk factors for the development of depression are female gender, early life stress family history of mood disorders, former anxiety disorders, substance abuse and life events. The present review article is focused on the various causative factors like childhood early life stress, cortisol or cortisol awakening response. The review would update readers with regards to the current view of factors responsible for pediatric depression, which in turn helps to plan better therapeutic approaches in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To analyzed the clinical features of children with HFMD and viral encephalitis and to summarize some treatments. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 59 children with HFMD were included in this study. All children underwent complete blood count, blood biochemical test cerebrospinal fluid examination, chest X-ray and brain MRI. RESULTS: One child died 24 hours after admission due to central respiratory failure with myocardial damage. After the treatment, 58 children had normal temperature, resolved rash, normal complete blood count, biochemical blood tests and cerebrospinal fluid test, respiratory and circulatory symptoms and signs, as well as neurological symptoms, disappeared. The hospitalization time was 12-21 days. After follow-up for 1-3 months, all children were recovered, and without any severe sequelae. CONCLUSIONS: HFMD and the complicated viral encephalitis usually occurred in the children < 3 years old. The clinical manifestations were not typical. Monitoring of the child's clinical symptoms, signs and relevant examinations was required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Myocardium ischemia reperfusion is easy to induce myocardial injury. Fas/FasL is an important signaling pathway mediating cell apoptosis. This study aims to analyze the cell apoptosis and Fas/FasL expression in myocardial cell ischemia reperfusion rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Coronary artery ligation method was used to establish myocardial ischemia reperfusion model. Rats were grouped according to different ischemia and reperfusion time: Group A, myocardial ischemia for 30 min and reperfusion for 24 h; Group B, myocardial ischemia for 30 min and reperfusion for 48 h; Group C, myocardial ischemia for 1 h and reperfusion for 24 h. Myocardial injury indicators were tested. Myocardial cell apoptosis was detected by transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Fas and FasL mRNA and protein expressions were evaluated by Real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and Western blot. RESULTS: Creatine kinase (CK), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), and malondialdehyde (MDA) significantly elevated, while superoxide dismutase (SOD) obviously declined in the experimental group compared with control and blank group (p<0.05). CK, LDH, and MDA gradually upregulated, whereas SOD was reduced in experimental groups following the time extension of ischemia and reperfusion (p<0.05). Apoptosis cell number was markedly higher in the experimental group compared with control and blank group (p<0.05). Apoptosis cell number gradually increased in the experimental groups following ischemia and reperfusion time extension (p<0.05). Fas/FasL mRNA and protein markedly upregulated in the experimental group compared with control and blank group (p<0.05). Fas/FasL mRNA and protein expressions enhanced in experimental groups following the time extension of ischemia and reperfusion (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Fas/FasL induces myocardial cell apoptosis in the process of myocardium ischemia reperfusion in rat model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of Levetiracetam (LEV) add-on therapy for child refractory epilepsy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Levetiracetam add-on therapy was tested on 65 children who suffered refractory epilepsy, and clinical seizures. Electroencephalogram (EGG) changes and adverse reactions were observed in these children respectively in three, six and twelve months after the therapy. RESULTS: The complete control rates observed after 3, 6 and 12 months were respectively: 6.9%, 10.3% and 3.4%, while the response rates were accordingly 44.8%, 58.6% and 39.6%. The ameliorative rate of EGG reached 65.5%, appearing in positive correlation with the clinical efficacy (r = 0.436, p = 0.001). The retention rate after one year was 89%. Adverse reactions were expressed in 3% of the child patients, and the symptoms were dysphoria, mental and behavior disorders. CONCLUSIONS: The levetiracetam add-on therapy for child refractory epilepsy, demonstrates fast and obvious efficacy as well as fewer adverse reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To identify disrupted genes and pathways involved in acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) by systematically tracking the dysregulated modules across normal and AML conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we firstly integrated the protein interaction data and expression profiles to infer and reweight the normal and AML networks using Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC). Next, clustering-based on maximal cliques (CMC) approach and a maximum weight bipartite matching method were implemented to infer the condition-specific modules and capture the disturbed modules, respectively, from two conditional networks. Then, the gene compositions and functional enrichment analysis were performed to identify the dysregulated genes and pathways. Finally, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was implemented to study the expression level of several key genes in AML patients. RESULTS: In two conditional-specific networks, universal changes of gene correlations were revealed, making the differential correlation density among disrupted module pairs. this work, a total of 84 altered modules were identified by comparing modules in normal and AML networks. Functional enrichment analysis showed that genes in altered modules mainly involved in cell cycle, nucleic acids and cancer signaling process, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and changed gene correlations were mainly participated in natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity and acute myeloid leukemia pathway. The key genes, such as MYC, EGFR, MAPK1 and CCNA1, were all significantly differentially expressed in AML patients. CONCLUSIONS: This module approach effectively identifies dysregulated pathways and genes associated with AML. The considerable differences of gene correlations yield to these dysfunctional modules, and the coordinated disruption of these very modules contributes to leukemogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare the clinical effective rates of high-dose immunosuppressive therapy combined with cord blood infusion (IS + CBI) and non-myeloablative peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (NSCT) for severe aplastic anemia (SAA). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-mismatched patients received immunosuppressive therapy combined with IS + CBI, whereas those with HLA matches received NSCT. Clinical effective rates, hematopoietic recovery, and prevalence of complications were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: No significant difference in total effective rate or 2 years long-term survival was observed between the two groups. The total effective treatment in the NSCT, IS + CBI group was 80%, 68.75%, and the 2 years long-term survival rate in two groups was 2 years 76.66%, 68.75%, respectively. The median times of WBC > 1.0×109/L in the NSCT group was faster than that of IS + CBI group (13 vs 19 days) (p = 0.027). The median recovery times of PLT and Hb in the NSCT group was significantly faster than that of IS + CBI group (19 vs 50 days) (p = 0.00), (27 vs 57 days) (p = 0.001). The SAA group and the very SAA (VSAA) group did not show a significant difference in effective rate (76.74% vs 68.42%) (p = 0.490). In the NSCT group, two preparative regimens did not show a significant difference in effect (70.59% vs 92.31%) (p = 0.141). CONCLUSIONS: IS + CBI is applicable to HLA-mismatched patients with SAA. NSCT is the treatment of choice for patients with HLA matching alleles. Both treatment methods are effective on VSAA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]