Search

Keloid resection followed by adjuvant radiotherapy is the most efficacious treatment for keloids. However, for earlobe keloids, an optimal protocol for the total dose and fractions of adjuvant radiation has not yet been established. We retrospectively analyzed the efficacy and safety of immediate three-fraction electron radiotherapy after operation for resistant earlobe keloids. From 2011 to 2017, three-fraction electron radiotherapy with single dose of 5 Gy was given postoperatively to 23 patients with 30 keloids in our hospital. The first fraction of adjuvant radiotherapy was administered within 2 h of surgery, and the other two sessions were completed within the next day or two. Five (16.7%) primary keloids and 25 (83.3%) recurrent keloids were examined in this study. The primary endpoint was the local control rate, which was 86.7% after a median follow-up of 26 months (14–93 months). Secondary endpoints were acute and late procedure-related complications, and no severe complications were observed after combination therapy. Our results suggest that three-fraction electron radiotherapy after excision within 2 days of surgery is a safe and effective protocol for the prevention of earlobe keloid recurrence that can also improve patient compliance and comfort.

Comprehensive analyses of multi-omics data may provide insights into interactions between different biological layers concerning distinct clinical features. We integrated data on the gut microbiota, blood parameters and urine metabolites of treatment-naive individuals presenting a wide range of metabolic disease phenotypes to delineate clinically meaningful associations. Trans-omics correlation networks revealed that candidate gut microbial biomarkers and urine metabolite feature were covaried with distinct clinical phenotypes. Integration of the gut microbiome, the urine metabolome and the phenome revealed that variations in one of these three systems correlated with changes in the other two. In a specific note about clinical parameters of liver function, we identified Eubacteriumeligens, Faecalibacteriumprausnitzii and Ruminococcuslactaris to be associated with a healthy liver function, whereas Clostridium bolteae, Tyzzerellanexills, Ruminococcusgnavus, Blautiahansenii, and Atopobiumparvulum were associated with blood biomarkers for liver diseases. Variations in these microbiota features paralleled changes in specific urine metabolites. Network modeling yielded two core clusters including one large gut microbe-urine metabolite close-knit cluster and one triangular cluster composed of a gut microbe-blood-urine network, demonstrating close inter-system crosstalk especially between the gut microbiome and the urine metabolome. Distinct clinical phenotypes are manifested in both the gut microbiome and the urine metabolome, and inter-domain connectivity takes the form of high-dimensional networks. Such networks may further our understanding of complex biological systems, and may provide a basis for identifying biomarkers for diseases. Deciphering the complexity of human physiology and disease requires a holistic and trans-omics approach integrating multi-layer data sets, including the gut microbiome and profiles of biological fluids. By studying the gut microbiome on carotid atherosclerosis, we identified microbial features associated with clinical parameters, and we observed that groups of urine metabolites correlated with groups of clinical parameters. Combining the three data sets, we revealed correlations of entities across the three systems, suggesting that physiological changes are reflected in each of the omics. Our findings provided insights into the interactive network between the gut microbiome, blood clinical parameters and the urine metabolome concerning physiological variations, and showed the promise of trans-omics study for biomarker discovery.

To investigate the therapeutic effect of scalp acupuncture and rehabilitation training on balance dysfunction in children with spasmodic hemiplegia so as to provide the reference to the optimization of treatment scheme.A total of 60 children with spastic hemiplegia were divided into a routine group and a scalp acupuncture group, 30 cases in each one according to random number table. In the routine group, the rehabilitation training was provided, including exercise training, balance training, spasmotherapy apparatus, electromyography biofeedback apparatus and orthoses. In the scalp acupuncture group, on the base of the treatment as the routine group, scalp acupuncture was supplemented at motor area, foot motor sensory area, equilibrium area and parietal temporal anterior oblique line. Separately, before the treatment, after 3 months treatment and after 6 months treatment, the dimension D and E of the gross motor function measure-88 (GMFM-88) and Berg balance scale (BBS) were adopted to evaluate balance related motor functions and equilibrium function. The differences in the above 3 indicators at different time stages were compared in children between the two groups.Compared with the score before the treatment, BBS score was obviously increased after 3 and 6 months treatment in the patients of the two groups respectively (On the base of routine rehabilitation training, scalp acupuncture can improve balance function of children with spastic hemiplegia better.

To investigate the effect of Baixiao moxibustion at meridian sinew nodal points combined with routine rehabilitation on upper limb motor function in children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy.A total of 50 children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy were divided into control group and treatment group using a random number table, with 25 children in each group. The children in the control group were given routine rehabilitation training of the ipsilateral upper and lower limbs, and those in the treatment group were given Baixiao moxibustion at the meridian sinew nodal points of the ipsilateral upper limb in addition to the treatment in the control group, once a day and five times a week. Each course of treatment was 4 consecutive weeks, and both groups were treated for 3 courses. Before treatment and at weeks 4 and 12 of treatment, modified Ashworth score was used to evaluate muscle tension of the ipsilateral upper limb, and 88-item version of the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-88) and Carroll upper extremities functional test (UEFT) were used to assess the motor function of the ipsilateral upper limb.At weeks 4 and 12 of treatment, both groups had a significant reduction in modified Ashworth score (Baixiao moxibustion at meridian sinew nodal points can significantly improve the muscle tension and motor function of the ipsilateral upper limb in children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy, and the improvement becomes more apparent as the treatment lasts longer.

Purpose To investigate how necroptosis (ie, programmed necrosis) is involved in killing of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after ablative hypofractionated radiation therapy (HFRT). Methods and Materials Deoxyribonucleic acid damage, DNA repair, and the death form of NSCLC cells were assessed after radiation therapy. The overexpression and silencing of receptor-interacting protein kinases 3 (RIP3, a key protein involved activation of necroptosis)-stable NSCLC cell lines were successfully constructed. The form of cell death, the number and area of colonies, and the regulatory proteins of necroptosis were characterized after radiation therapy in vitro. Finally, NSCLC xenografts and patient specimens were used to examine involvement of necroptosis after ablative HFRT in vivo. Results Radiation therapy induced expected DNA damage and repair of NSCLC cell lines, but ablative HFRT at ≥10 Gy per fraction preferentially stimulated necroptosis in NSCLC cells and xenografts with high RIP3 expression, as characterized by induction and activation of RIP3 and mixed-lineage kinase domain-like protein and release of immune-activating chemokine high-mobility group box 1. In contrast, RNA interference of RIP3 attenuated ablative HFRT-induced necroptosis and activation of its regulatory proteins. Among central early-stage NSCLC patients receiving stereotactic body radiation therapy, high expression of RIP3 was associated with improved local control and progression-free survival (all P Conclusions Ablative HFRT at ≥10 Gy per fraction enhances killing of NSCLC with high RIP3 expression via preferential stimulation of necroptosis. RIP3 may serve as a useful biomarker to predict favorable response to stereotactic body radiation therapy.

T-2 toxin is one of the most toxic trichothecenes and harmful to human health and animal husbandry. The mechanism underlying its growth suppression remains unclear, especially for mitochondrial damage in human gastric epithelial cells. In the present study, we investigated cell death caused by T-2 toxin in a human gastric epithelial cell line (GES-1) and the possible mechanism of T-2-induced cytotoxicity. T-2 strongly reduced the viability of GES-1 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner within a small range of concentrations. However, when the concentrations of T-2 were >40 nM, there was no concentration dependence, only time dependence. Moreover, T-2 induced apoptosis, with the activation of caspase-3 in GES-1 and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) decrease and cytochrome c release. T-2 also resulted in the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and DNA damage with a positive signal of p-H2A.X in GES-1 cells. While T-2 caused a MMP decrease, DNA damage and cell death were not blocked by pretreatment with 3 mM glutathione (GSH), a typical scavenger of ROS. The induction of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) regulators voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC1) and cyclophilin D (CypD) were also observed in T-2-treated cells. Interestingly, cyclosporine A (CsA), a CypD inhibitor, significantly reversed the drop in MMP and the DNA damage, as well as ROS accumulation caused by T-2. Additionally, GES-1 cell death could also be protected to some extent by 4, 4'-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2, 2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS), an inhibitor of VDAC1, especially the combination of CsA and DIDS, and 3 mM GSH could further enhance the effect of CsA + DIDS on cell viability. In conclusion, our present findings indicate that the T-2 induced MMP decrease, DNA damage and cell death, as well as ROS accumulation in GES-1 cells, starts with T-2 directly perturbing the mitochondria triggering ROS generation by acting on CypD and VDAC1. This study presents a new viewpoint for evaluating the toxicity of T-2 toxin.

Calycosin is widely used as a natural active compound for its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammation activity. Recently, several studies have shown that calycosin can inhibit growth and induce apoptosis in human cancer cell lines; however, the mechanisms are not completely clarified yet. In this study, we investigated the effects of calycosin on human ovarian carcinoma SKOV3 cells, as well as the mechanisms. SKOV3 cells were treated with calycosin at a series of concentrations for different times. In vitro, the MTT assay showed that calycosin had obvious anti-proliferation effects on SKOV3 cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Cell morphological changes which expressed by Hoechst 33258 staining were compared with apoptotic changes detected by fluorescence microscope. Compared with control group, the group treated with calycosin showed a significant increase in apoptosis rate. Expression of apoptosis related Bax/Bcl-2 and caspases proteins were detected by Western blotting. The results demonstrated that calycosin up-regulated the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and cleaved caspase-3, cleaved caspase-9 expression in a dose-dependent manner. In summary, calycosin might exert anti-growth and induce-apoptosis activity against ovarian cancer SKOV3 cells through activating caspases and Bcl-2 family proteins, therefore presenting as a promising therapeutic agent for the treatment of ovarian cancer.

To observe the effect of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation of "Feishu" (BL13) on lung pathological changes, and levels of pulmonary and serum IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha in viral pneumonia mice, so as to explore its mechanisms underlying improvement of viral pneumonia.Fifty Kunming mice were randomly divided into normal control, model, medication, EA and moxibustion groups, with 10 mice in each group. The viral pneumonia model was established by intra-nose drip of influenza A1 virus FM1 (H1N1). Rats of the EA group were treated by EA stimulation of bilateral BL13, those of the moxibustion group treated by ignited moxa-stick, and those of the medication group treated by intraperitoneal injection of Yanhuning injection (10 mg x Kg(-1) x d(-1), solved in 5% glucose solution, 5 mL/time/mouse, once daily for 1 week). Both EA and moxibustion treatments were conducted for 20 min, twice a day for a week. The lung index [lung weight/body weight x 100%] were calculated after the treatment. Pathological changes of the lung were observed under microscope after H.E. staining, and serum and pulmonary IL-10, TNF-alpha levels were detected using solid phase sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Following modeling, the average lung index, serum TNF-alpha, and pulmonary TNF-alpha and IL-10 levels were significantly increased in the model group (P0.05), while after the treatment, the average lung index and serum TNF-alpha and pulmonary IL-10 levels in the EA, moxibustion and medication groups were notably down-regulated (P0.05, P0.01), and serum IL-10 contents of the three treatment groups were obviously up-regulated (P0.01). The effect of the EA group was apparently superior to that of the medication group in down-regulating lung index (P0.05). No significant differences were found among the three treatment groups in the levels of serum TNF-alpha and IL-10, and pulmonary TNF-alpha and IL-10 (P0.05). In addition, results of H. E. stain showed that the treatment of medication, moxibustion and EA might reduce H1N1-induced pulmonary pathological changes.EA stimulation of "Feishu" (BL13) can down-regulate lung index and serum TNF-alpha and up-regulate serum IL-10 level in viral pneumonia mice, which may contribute to its effect in relieving asthma.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress is a newly discovered pathway of apoptosis, following the death receptor signaling and mitochondrial pathways. Moderate stress triggers the unfolded protein response (UPR) to rsstore the cell function. However, if the stress is severe and/or prolonged, the ER also initiates apoptotic signaling that includes CHOP, ASK1/JNK and caspases pathways. Recent studies have found that endoplasmic reticulum stress plays an important role in the development of various cardiovascular diseases. Also, extensive research has shown that it can bring about protective effects on myocardial cells through the intervention of the relevant pathways, which may provide us with new therapeutic targets for heart diseases.

To investigate the surgical techniques and results of open reduction and internal fixation for the treatment of Sanders type III, IV calcaneal fractures.From January 2004 to January 2010, 58 feet of Sanders type III, IV in 51 patients were treated with open reduction and plate fixation through L incision. There were 29 males and 22 females,the age ranged from 17 to 58 years with an average of 29.5 years old. The time between injury and operation ranged from 7 to 14 days (mean, 10 days). All the patients underwent systematic CT scan with coronal and horizontal images and sagittal reconstruction. The classification of the fractures by the Sanders scale showed that there were 26 feet of type III, 32 feet of type IV. The Böhler angle and Gissane angle were compared before and after operation. The clinical results were evaluated with the Maryland foot score: pain (45 scores), function (55 scores: distance walked 10 scores, stability 4, support 4, limp 4, shoes 10, stairs 4, terrain 4, cosmesis 10, motion 5).All 58 feet in 51 patients were followed up,and the duration ranged from 6 to 24 months,with an average of 13 months. The incidence of complications was 13.8% (8/58). Incision superficial necrosis in 2 feet,choronicity pain in 4 feet,subtalar joint arthrositis of advanced stage in 2 feet. According to Maryland foot score, the results were excellent in 23 feet, good in 27, fair in 5, poor in 3.The surgical techniques and results of internal fixation to fractures are related to anatomic features of calcaneus and their injury mechanism. It is an effective method for the treatment of calcaneal fractures with Sanders type III, IV.

To study the clinical results of surgical treatment for Tile C type pelvis fractures with internal fixation by posterior approach.From January 2005 to June 2009, 12 patients with Tile C type pelvis fracture were treated by open reduction through posterior approach. There were 8 males and 4 females, with an average age of 39.5 years ranging from 25 to 58 years. The time from injury to operation was ranged from 7 to 10 days with an average of 9.5 days. All the patients were given X-ray, 3-D CT examinations before operation. The fracture were classified by Tile classification: Type C1 in 5 cases, Type C2 in 2 cases, Type C1 and Type C2 in 4 cases, Type C3 in 1 case. All the posterior rings were fixed by re-establishing steel board without anterior ring fixation after stabilization of body condition. All the patients were treated with skin traction for 3 weeks after operation.All 12 patients were followed up for 6 months to 24 months with an average of 12.6 months. All the incisions healed well, and the fractures got union. No pelvic malunion, low back pain or leg length discrepancy was found. According to Majeed criteria for the evaluation of therapeutic effect, 10 patients were excellent, and 2 were good.In the management of the Tile C type pelvis fractures, a stable pelvis can be reconstructed by fixing posterior ring simply through the posterior approach, so that further sequelae can be reduced.