Search

Intraosseous schwannomas are rare benign tumors that most often occur at the mandible or sacrum. We present an unusual case of a bilobed schwannoma of the distal humerus with both intraosseous and extraosseous components. The extraosseous component was non-enhancing on initial MRI and enhanced on a subsequent MRI obtained after biopsy. We hypothesize that this change was attributable to decreased intra-tumoral pressure secondary to biopsy-related disruption of the tumor capsule.

Xu Yin,1 Xiang Zhong,2 Jun Li,1 Ma Le,1 Shiting Shan,1 Chunfu Zhu1 1Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Changzhou No.2 People’s Hospital Affiliated with Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, 213000, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu, 226000, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Chunfu Zhu, Email zcfmlm@njmu.edu.cnObjective: To explore the value of modified RANSON score in predicting mortality from severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).Methods: In this retrospective study, 461 SAP patients hospitalized from January 2016 to January 2020 were enrolled. AP (acute pancreatitis) patients from our hospital were employed as the training set. In addition, AP patients from the affiliated hospital of Nantong University were set as the validation set. The clinical characteristics of patients were compared between the two sets. The independent risk factors for SAP were determined through logistic regression. Moreover, the risk factors were derived for various prediction models by logistic regression. Multiple methods were adopted to assess the predictive ability of various models.Results: A total of 338 patients were assigned into the training set, while 123 patients were assigned into the validation set. The patients in the training and validation sets showed the consistent distribution trends (P> 0.05). In the training set, significant differences between patients in the non-survival and survival groups were BMI, PCT, platelets (PLT), direct bilirubin (DBil) and RANSON scores (P< 0.05). In further multivariate analysis, BMI, PCT and RANSON score were found as the independent risk factors for the mortality of SAP (OR=1.12, 1.25, 1.28, 95% CI:1.06– 1.19, 1.08– 1.44, 1.12– 1.47, P< 0.05). In the training set and validation set, ROC curve analysis showed that AUC of BMI+RANSON score was 0.778 and 0.789, respectively. In the calibration curve, the fitting degree of RANSON score+BMI and ideal assessment model was 0.975 and 0.854, respectively. The decision curve suggested that the net benefit per patient increased with the lengthening of the RANSON score+ BMI model curve. As revealed by the results of NRI and IDI indicators, RANSON score+BMI was optimized based on RANSON score (P< 0.05).Conclusion: BMI+RANSON was confirmed as a modified model effective in predicting the mortality from SAP.Keywords: SAP, BMI, RANSON score, mortality, model

Intraosseous schwannomas are rare benign tumors that most often occur at the mandible or sacrum. We present an unusual case of a bilobed schwannoma of the distal humerus with both intraosseous and extraosseous components. The extraosseous component was non-enhancing on initial MRI and enhanced on a subsequent MRI obtained after biopsy. We hypothesize that this change was attributable to decreased intra-tumoral pressure secondary to biopsy-related disruption of the tumor capsule.

Zhigang Meng,1,2 Shoujin Shan,1 Ruilian Zhang3 1School of Marxism, Hohai University, Nanjing, 211100, People’s Republic of China; 2North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power, Henan, Zhengzhou, 450046, People’s Republic of China; 3Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, AustraliaCorrespondence: Ruilian ZhangSustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, 4072, AustraliaTel +61481120982Email ruilian.zhang@uq.edu.auAbstract: Public health crises are challenging for governments and health systems. Vaccines are a key solution to viruses, and immunization has always played a critical role during public health crises in the past century. In the context of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), we explore China’s vaccination strategies and challenges. Accordingly, we identify the causes of the high vaccination rate in China, including technical and nontechnical factors. Considering the impact of China’s high vaccination rate on the global pandemic, we argue that it has strengthened China’s opportunities and capabilities to participate in global development, enhanced the equity of vaccines and given the world community more choices.Keywords: public health crisis, vaccines, equity, COVID-19

Fully permeable pavements capture stormwater and infiltrate it into the ground and/or hold it until discharging it into stormwater conveyance. In either case, they offer benefits in terms of reducing or eliminating the need for stormwater conveyance infrastructure, capturing pollutants, and potentially reducing air temperatures around them. This technical memorandum reviews recent advances in structural design, materials, and hydraulic design that have filled many of the gaps in permeable pavement technology. The memo then presents the results of a recent survey in California, with some additional out-of-state responders, regarding awareness of permeable pavements and obstacles to their implementation. Finally, the memo presents recommendations for filling remaining knowledge gaps and overcoming obstacles to implementation.

Suqing Sun, Peng Wang, Lijie Ren, Hongli Wang, Yanli Zhan, Shimin Shan Department of Anesthesia, Tianjin Fifth Central Hospital, Tianjin, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Shimin Shan Department of Anesthesia, Tianjin Fifth Central Hospital, 41 Zhejiang Road, Binhai New Area, Tianjin, 300000, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +86 22-6566666Email shanshimin72@126.comPurpose: To explore the effect of SEV on colon cancer cells through circ-PI4KA.Methods: The RNA level of circular RNA_0062389, microRNA-331-3p and LIM and SH3 protein 1 was determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Protein expression was detected by Western blot. Cell proliferation was investigated by 3-(4,5)-dimethylthiahiazo (-z-y1)-3,5-di-phenytetrazoliumromide, cell colony formation and 5-ethynyl-29-deoxyuridine assays. Cell apoptosis was demonstrated using Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide double staining assay. Cell migration and invasion were detected by transwell assay. The target relationship between miR-331-3p and circ-PI4KA or LASP1 was predicted by starBase v2.0 online database, and identified by a dual-luciferase reporter assay. The effects between SEV treatment and circ-PI4KA knockdown on tumor formation were presented by in vivo tumor formation assay.Results: Circ-PI4KA and LASP1 expressions were dramatically upregulated, while miR-331-3p was downregulated in colon cancer tissues and cells, respectively. SEV exposure significantly decreased the expression of circ-PI4KA and LASP1, but increased miR-331-3p expression. SEV inhibited cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and induced cell apoptosis by regulating circ-PI4KA. Furthermore, circ-PI4KA interacted with miR-331-3p, and miR-331-3p interacted with LASP1. SEV inhibited tumor growth by controlling circ-PI4KA in vivo.Conclusion: Circ-PI4KA attenuated SEV-treated colon cancer cell malignancy by upregulating LASP1 through binding to miR-331-3p, which provided a new mechanism for studying surgery-mediated therapy of colon cancer.Keywords: colon cancer, SEV, circ-PI4KA, miR-331-3p, LASP1

Ting-Ting Chen,* Feng Xiao,* Nan Li, Shan Shan, Meng Qi, Zi-Ying Wang, Sheng-Nan Zhang, Wei Wei, Wu-Yi Sun Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Collaborative Innovation Center of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Hefei, Anhui Province, 230032, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Wu-Yi Sun; Wei WeiInstitute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Collaborative Innovation Center of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui Province, 230032, People’s Republic of ChinaTel/Fax +86 551 65161209Email sunwuyi51@aliyun.com; wwei@ahmu.edu.cnAbstract: Fibrosis is the final stage of the development of chronic inflammation. It is characterized by excessive deposition of the extracellular matrix, leading to tissue structure damage and organ dysfunction, which is a serious threat to human health and life. However, the molecular mechanism of fibrosis is still unclear. Inflammasome is a molecular complex of proteins that has been becoming a key innate sensor for host immunity and is involved in pyroptosis, pathogen infection, metabolic syndrome, cellular stress, and tumor metastasis. Inflammasome signaling and downstream cytokine responses mediated by the inflammasome have been found to play an important role in fibrosis. The inflammasome regulates the secretion of IL-1β and IL-18, which are both critical for the process of fibrosis. Recently, researches on the function of inflammasome have attracted extensive attention, and data derived from these researches have increased our understanding of the effects and regulation of inflammasome during fibrosis. In this review, we emphasize the growing evidence for both indirect and direct effects of inflammasomes in triggering fibrosis as well as potential novel targets for antifibrotic therapies.Keywords: inflammasome, fibrosis, NLRP3, AIM2, caspase-1

Innovative techniques can help overcome the limitations of the human body. Operating on very small structures requires adequate vision of the surgical field and precise movements of sophisticated instruments. Both the human eye and hand are limited when performing microsurgery. Conventional microsurgery uses operation microscopes to enhance the visualization of very small structures. Evolving technology of high-definition 3D cameras provides the opportunity to replace conventional operation microscopes, thereby improving ergonomics for surgeons. This leaves the human hand as a limiting factor in microsurgery. A dedicated robot for microsurgery has been developed to overcome this limitation and enhance the precision and stability of the surgeons’ hands. We present the first-in-human case in reconstructive microsurgery where both technologies are integrated using a dedicated microsurgical robot in combination with a 4K 3D exoscope.

Using Tokuda's improved linear combination operator method and variational technique, the expression of the polaron effective mass in a parabolic quantum well is derived. Due to the spin-orbit interaction, the effective mass ratio of polaron splits into two branches. The dependence of the effective mass ratio on the vibration frequency, the spin-orbit coupling parameter, and the velocity is discussed by numerical calculation in the presence and absence of phonon. The effective mass ratio of polaron is an increasing function of vibration frequency. The absolute value of the spin splitting effective mass ratio increases with the increase in the spin-orbit coupling parameter and decreases with the increase in velocity. Due to the heavy hole characteristic of spin-orbit interaction, the spin splitting effective mass ratio is negative. The effective mass ratio is larger in the presence of a phonon than in the absence of a phonon, and the effective mass ratio splitting distance is independent of the phonon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nan Li,* Jing-Jing Wu,* Ting-Ting Chen, Xiu-Qin Li, Jia-Jia Du, Shan Shan, Wei Wei, Wu-Yi Sun Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Collaborative Innovation Center of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Hefei 230032, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Wu-Yi Sun; Wei WeiInstitute of Clinical Pharmacology, Anhui Medical University, Key Laboratory of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui Collaborative Innovation Center of Anti-Inflammatory and Immune Medicine, Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui Province, People’s Republic of ChinaTel/Fax +86 551 65161206Email sunwuyi51@aliyun.com; wwei@ahmu.edu.cnBackground: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive form of human liver cancer and the fifth most common malignancy worldwide. Novel effective treatment strategies for HCC are urgently in clinical because of its poor response to conventional therapies. G protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs), including GRK2 and GRK3, are known that involves in various essential cellular processes and regulates numerous signaling pathways. However, the role of GRK2/3 in invasion and metastasis of HCC still remains unclear.Materials and Methods: Immunohistochemistry, Western blot, laser confocal microscopy and qRT-PCR were used to detect the expression of GRK2/3 and EP2 in liver tissues of HCC patients and DEN-induced HCC mice. Wound healing and transwell assay were applied to measure the migration and invasion of HCC cells after transfected with GRK2 siRNA. The downstream pathway of Akt and ERK was verified by Western blot.Results: The expression of GRK2 was significantly decreased, while GRK3 was not significantly changed in HCC tissues compared with noncancerous tissues of HCC patients. Moreover, GRK2 expression was reduced during liver tumorigenesis in diethylnitrosamine-induced liver tumor model. In addition, our in vitro study showed that GRK2 expression was gradually decreased with increasing HCC cell line metastatic potential, and GRK2 knockdown significantly promoted the migration and invasion of HCC cells. Furthermore, low GRK2 expression was associated with increased expression of EP2 receptor translocation to HCC cell membrane, and the activation of Akt pathway.Conclusion: These data suggest that GRK2 inhibits HCC metastasis and invasion may be through regulating EP2 receptor translocation, and this effect appears to be mediated by Akt pathway.Keywords: GRK2, hepatocellular carcinoma, invasion, migration

Bei Zhu,1,2 Weixian Chen,2 Yue Fu,2 Xiaohan Cui,1 Lei Jin,2 Jiadeng Chao,2 Xiao Yun,1,2 Peng Gao,2,3 Shiting Shan,1,2 Jun Li,2,3 Xu Yin,1,2 Chunfu Zhu,2 Xihu Qin2 1Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Changzhou No.2 People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou 213000, People’s Republic of China; 3Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116023, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Chunfu Zhu; Xihu Qin Email zcfmlm@163.com; zcfmlm@njmu.edu.cnAim: This study aimed to explore the regulative mechanisms of miR-27a-3p in chemo-resistance of breast cancer cells.Materials and Methods: qRT-PCR was employed to determine miR-27a-3p expression in two breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MCF-7/adriamycin-resistant cell line (MCF-7/ADR). The two cell lines were treated with miR-27a-3p mimics or inhibitors or corresponding negative control (NC), respectively. The changes were investigated by qRT-PCR, CCK-8 assay, Western blot (WB), colony formation assay, and flow cytometry assay. Moreover, luciferase reporter assay was analyzed to verify the downstream target gene of miR-27a-3p. Further investigation in the correlation between miR-27a-3p and BTG2 was launched by WB, flow cytometry assay, and CCK-8 assay. The expression of Akt and p-Akt was detected by WB.Key Findings: Significantly higher miR-27a-3p expression was confirmed in MCF-7/ADR as compared with sensitive cell line MCF-7 (P< 0.05). The down-regulation of miR-27a-3p in MCF-7/ADR enhanced the sensitivity of cancer cells to adriamycin treatment, decreased multidrug resistance gene 1/P-glycoprotein (MDR1/P-gp) expression, enhanced the apoptosis-related proteins expression, increased adriamycin-induced apoptosis, and inhibited cell proliferation as compared to NC groups (P< 0.05). The up-regulation of miR-27a-3p in MCF-7 showed the opposite results. BTG2 is identified as a direct target of miR-27a-3p and its down-regulation reversed ADR-resistance. BTG2 treatment exhibited inhibitory effect on PI3K/Akt pathway in MCF-7/ADR cells.Significance: miR-27a-3p might be associated with resistance of breast cancer cells to adriamycin treatments, modulating cell proliferation and apoptosis by targeting BTG2 and promoting the PI3K/Akt pathway in breast cancer cells. miR-27a-3p/BTG2 axis might be a potential therapeutic target for clinical BC resistance.Keywords: miR-27a-3p, chemoresistance, breast cancer, adriamycin, BTG2

Reconstructive microsurgery is limited by the precision that human hands can achieve. Here, the authors demonstrate in a randomized clinical pilot trial the feasibility of robot-assisted supermicrosurgery using a dedicated microsurgical robot for the completion of lymphatico-venous anastomosis in the treatment of breast cancer-related lymphedema