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Nanodrug delivery system has a great application in the treatment of solid tumors by virtue of EPR effect, though its success in clinics is still limited by its poor extravasation, small intratumoral accumulation, and weak tumor penetration. The shape of nanoparticles (NPs) greatly affects their circulation time, flow behavior, intratumoral amassing, cell internalization as well as tumor tissue penetration. Generally, short nanorods and 100-200 nm spherical nanocarriers possess nice circulation behaviors, nanorods and nanofibers with a large aspect ratio (AR) cumulate well at tumor sites, and tiny nanospheres/disks (50 nm) and short nanorods with a low AR achieve a favorable tumor tissue penetration. The AR and surface evenness of NPs also tune their cell contact, cell ingestion, and drug accumulation at tumor sites. Therefore, adopting stimulus-responsive shape-switching (namely, shape-shifting nanoarchitectonics) can not only ensure a good circulation and extravasation for NPs, but also and more importantly, promote their amassing, retention, and penetration in tumor tissues to maximize therapeutic efficacy. Here we review the recently developed shape-switching nanoarchitectonics of antitumoral NPs based on stimulus-responsiveness, demonstrate how successful they are in tumor shrinking and elimination, and provide new ideas for the optimization of anticancer nanotherapeutics.

There are remarkable genetic differences between animal major histocompatibility complex (MHC) systems and the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system. HLA transgenic humanized mouse model systems offer a much better method to study the HLA-A-related principal mechanisms for vaccine development and HLA-A-restricted responses against infection in human.A recombinant gene encoding the chimeric HLA-A30 monochain was constructed. This HHD molecule contains the following: α1-α2 domains of HLA-A30, α3 and cytoplasmic domains of H-2DWe describe a novel human β2m-HLA-A30 (α1α2)-H-2DWe established a promising preclinical research animal model of HLA-A30 Tg humanized mouse, which could accelerate the identification of novel HLA-A30-restricted epitopes and vaccine development, and support the study of HLA-A-restricted responses against infection in humans.

To summarize the awareness levels of breast cancer (BC) worldwide and investigate factors associated with BC awareness to determine differences in awareness between China and other countries.This systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines and included 92 articles up to July, 2021. We calculated percentages for BC awareness levels and conducted subgroup analysis and cumulative meta-analysis.A total 84% (95% confidence interval [95%CI]: 78-90%) of women knew about BC; however, only 51% (95%CI: 37-66%) and 40% (95%CI: 24-56%) of women were aware of BC symptoms and BC risk factors, respectively. The most commonly known BC symptom was breast lump (71%, 95%CI: 62-80%), and BC family history was the most well-known BC risk factor (61%, 95%CI: 54-69%). Subgroup analysis showed lower awareness levels among Chinese and Asian women than women from other countries. Cumulative meta-analysis showed no obvious progress in BC awareness levels over time. We investigated 15 awareness-related factors, the most frequent of which were education level (61.8%), occupation (29.4%), and age (26.5%).BC awareness levels remain low. Improving BC awareness is critical, especially in developing countries.Effective education programs are urgently needed to improve women's BC awareness.

Pediatric oral and maxillofacial surgeons have faced severe challenges in ward management due to their high risk of exposure during the COVID-19 epidemic. The aim of this study was to analyze and summarize the treatment methods and infection prevention and control measures applied in emergency cases in the Department of Pediatric Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, during the COVID-19 epidemic.In this retrospective study, information was collected from 256 pediatric emergency patients who were treated from January 23, 2020 to August 9, 2021. The patients' data were statistically analyzed according to age, gender, disease and pathogenesis, operation time, and the main treatment applied in pediatric oral and maxillofacial emergency cases during the COVID-19 epidemic.During the epidemic period, 256 pediatric emergency patients were successfully treated. Among them, there were 170 boys and 86 girls. In all, 182 patients were diagnosed with oral or facial lacerations; 43 had jaw fractures; 26 had maxillofacial infections; and five had dento-alveolar fractures. A total of 246 patients underwent surgery under negative pressure with level 3 protection standards. No doctors or patients infected with COVID-19 were found throughout the stury period.Pediatric oral and maxillofacial emergency in-patients mainly experienced maxillofacial trauma during the COVID-19 epidemic, followed by infection. Effective diagnosis and treatment, and avoidance of COVID-19 infection can be achieved by strictly following epidemic prevention and treatment procedures.

Graves' disease (GD) is one of the most common autoimmune conditions, but the mechanisms underlying the associated induction of autoimmunity are not known. We explored the role of peripheral lymphocyte subpopulations in disease pathogenesis.In total, 32 patients and 40 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were recruited in this study. Peripheral levels of T, B, NK, CD4The absolute numbers of circulating Th17 cells (0.45 ± 1.16, p 0.05) between GD patients and healthy controls were not significantly different. However, the percentage of Th17 cells was significantly increased (0.25 ± 0.11, p 0.05). The absolute numbers and percentages of circulating Tregs in GD patients were significantly decreased compared with those in healthy participants (11.61 ± 2.75, p 0.05). There was a significant difference in Treg absolute numbers between the untreated and drug-treated groups. Furthermore, we found that the Treg percentage in untreated patients (mean=4.78) was not significantly different from that in the drug-treated group (mean=4.81). In addition, circulating Treg absolute numbers in GD patients with exophthalmos were significantly lower than those in GD patients without exophthalmos (9.96 ± 4.16, p 0.05). A similar trend was observed in GD patients with weight loss (11.97 ± 3.28, p 0.05).GD pathogenesis was associated with a lower Treg population and an increased Th17/Treg ratio (T helper cell 17/ regulatory T cells). Th17 cells in this study were not related to the disease. Furthermore, anti-thyroid drug therapy improved immune-mediated system disorders. Finally, we found lower absolute numbers of circulating Tregs in GD patients with certain positive signs, such as exophthalmos and/or weight loss. Thus, immune changes are correlated with partial clinical manifestations.

Nil by mouth is considered the standard of care during the first days following esophagectomy. However, with the routine implementation of enhanced recovery after surgery, early oral intake is more likely to be the preferred mode of nutrition following esophagectomy. The present study aims to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of early oral intake following esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.Comprehensive literature searches were conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library. Weighted mean differences (WMD) and odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated as the effect sizes for continuous and dichotomous variables, respectively.Fourteen studies with a total of 1947 patients were included. Length of hospital stay (WMD = - 3.94, CI: - 4.98 to - 2.90; P 0.001), the time to first flatus (WMD = - 1.13, CI: - 1.25 to - 1.01; P 0.001) and defecation (WMD = - 1.26, CI: - 1.82 to - 0.71; P 0.001) favored the early oral intake group. There was no statistically significant difference in mortality (OR = 1.23, CI: 0.45 to 3.36; P = 0.69). Early oral intake also did not increase the risk of pneumonia and overall postoperative complications.Current evidence indicates early oral intake following esophagectomy seems to be safe and effective. It may be the preferred mode of nutrition following esophagectomy. However, more high-quality studies are still needed to further validate this conclusion.

Background Early mobilization is incorporated into many enhanced recovery pathways. Inadequate analgesia or excessive opioids may restrict postoperative mobilization. The authors tested the hypotheses that in adults recovering from abdominal surgery, postoperative pain and opioid consumption are inversely related to postoperative mobilization, and that postoperative mobilization is associated with fewer potentially related complications. Methods The authors conducted a subanalysis of two trials that enrolled adults recovering from abdominal surgery. Posture and movement were continuously monitored for 48 postoperative hours using noninvasive untethered monitors. Mobilization was defined as the fraction of monitored time spent sitting or standing. Results A total of 673 patients spent a median [interquartile range] of 7% [3 to 13%] of monitored time sitting or standing. Mobilization time was 1.9 [1.0 to 3.6] h/day for patients with average pain scores 3 or lower, but only 1.2 [0.5 to 2.6] h/day in those with average scores 6 or greater. Each unit increase in average pain score was associated with a decrease in mobilization time of 0.12 (97.5% CI, 0.02 to 0.24; P = 0.009) h/day. In contrast, there was no association between postoperative opioid consumption and mobilization time. The incidence of the composite of postoperative complications was 6.0% (10 of 168) in the lower mobilization quartile, 4.2% (7 of 168) in the second quartile, and 0% among 337 patients in the highest two quartiles (P = 0.009). Conclusions Patients recovering from abdominal surgery spent only 7% of their time mobilized, which is considerably less than recommended. Lower pain scores are associated with increased mobility, independently of opioid consumption. Complications were more common in patients who mobilized poorly. Editor’s Perspective What We Already Know about This Topic What This Article Tells Us That Is New

OBJECTIVE We sought to investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of a novel endoscopic closure technique in repairing gastric wall defects after endoscopic full-thickness resection (EFTR) of gastric submucosal tumors (SMTs) originating from the muscularis propria layer. METHODS From December 2016 to December 2019, patients with gastric submucosal tumors were enrolled and clinicopathological data were collected. All SMTs were resected by EFTR and gastric wall defects were closed using a novel endoscopic closure technique. The feasibility, efficacy, and safety were evaluated. RESULTS A total of 21 patients with gastric SMTs were included in this study. Among the included SMTs, 15 tumors were located in the fundus of the stomach, and 6 were located in the upper body of the stomach. The average size of the lesions was 2.3 cm (range: 1.9-2.5 cm). All patients underwent EFTR and the gastric wall defect was closed by endoscopic closure. The average endoscopic closure time was 9 min (range: 7-15 min) and the average hospitalization stay length was five days (range: 4-6 days). One patient developed abdominal pain on the first day after the procedure and their body temperature increased; he received treatments such as anti-infection, antacid, and gastrointestinal decompression and was cured and discharged after 4 days. No instance of delayed bleeding, postoperative gastrointestinal fistula, or abdominal infection occurred. No case was transferred to surgery. The postoperative pathology profile included 18 stromal tumors and 3 leiomyomas. During the follow-up period (6-24 months), no case of residual or recurrence was recorded. CONCLUSION The described endoscopic loop ligation technique is feasible, effective, and safe for repairing gastric wall defects after EFTR for gastric submucosal tumors originating from the muscularis propria layer.

To explore clinical efficacy of external placement of micro-locking plate combined with small incision reduction in treating proximal phalanx comminuted fractures.From January 2018 to December 2019, 17 patients with proximal phalanx comminuted fractures were treated with micro-locking plate combined with small incision open reduction, including 13 males and 4 females, aged from 16 to 64 years old with an average of (37.2±20.1) years old. Two patients were accompanied by soft tissue extrusion and opening injuries, which were treated with fixed treatment after the first-stage emergency debridement. Curative effect was evaluated according to total active flexion scale (TAFS) of American Hand Surgery Association at 6 months after operation;and fracture healing, nailing, local soft tissue healing, complications were observed.All patients were followed up from 6 to 12 months with an avaerge of(9.3±3.6) months. Two patients occurred delayed union, 1 occurred local skin necrosis and was treated with the second-stage skin grafting to repair wound surface. No external screw breakage or infection was reported, skin soft tissue healed favorably and reached bony union, the union time from 12 to 24 weeks with an average of (15.7±2.1) weeks. According to TAFS standard, 9 patients got excellent result, 5 good and 3 poor at 6 months after operation.External micro-locking plate combined with small incision reduction in treating proximal phalanx comminuted fracture, which has advantages of good condition of skin and soft tissue, simple operation, early functional exercise, good range of motion of interphalanx joint, and function score of recovery period is high.

The basilar artery has the most perioperative complications in stenting compared to the other intracranial arteries. We aim to study whether the procedural safety in stenting for basilar stenosis has improved. This study was a single-arm, non-randomized trial that included historically controlled patients for comparison. Between January 2012 and March 2019, 147 consecutive patients with symptomatic basilar stenoses receiving elective stenting treatment were included in current basilar artery stenting (BAS) group. The prospectively collected and registered 120 patients by the same interventional team from September 2001 to November 2011 were set as historical BAS group for control. A total of 267 individuals were included in this study, with a mean age of 59.5 ± 8.1 years. The proportion of patients with lesion length15 mm was 26.5% (39/147) in the current BAS group versus 4.2% (5/120) in the historical BAS group. We found significant differences between these 2 groups in Mori A (17.7% vs 42.5%) and Mori C patients (42.9% vs 13.3%). The proportion of patients receiving preoperative high-resolution magnetic resonance (HRMRI) evaluation was 83.0% (122/147) in the current BAS group versus 20.8% (25/120) in the historical group (P .05). Balloon-expendable stent (BES) (n = 1), Wingspan (n = 34), and Enterprise (n = 112) stents were placed in the current BAS group. In contrast, only balloon-expendable stent (BES) (n = 48) and Wingspan (n = 72) were deployed in the historical BAS group. The incidence of the safety endpoint (SE) was 4.1% (involving 6 patients) in the current BAS group versus 11.7% (involving 14 patients) in the historical BAS group (P .05). In multivariate analysis, no risk factor was associated with the occurrence of the safety endpoint (SE). When BAS cases operated by the surgical team accumulated to 120 to 150, the incidence of complications decreased significantly. This is the largest sample size study to discuss the safety of BAS. The significantly decreased incidence of complications indicates that the improving technical measures and the accumulation of operation experience are necessary.

With the rapid development of modern biomedical technology industry, background and knowledge of a single discipline will not be adequate to meet the needs of research and development of cutting-edge technology. The cultivation of innovative research talents with interdisciplinary background at the undergraduate level poses great challenges for higher education institutions. National-level research institutes, including state key laboratories and national clinical research centers, for example, have an enormous supply of technological human resources and resources for research and teaching, which is of critical importance for the training of innovative talents at the undergraduate level. Herein, taking as an example the West China Innovation Class of State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, a special undergraduate program founded by the State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Sichuan University in 2016, we reported on the explorations and practices of a new model for cultivating innovative research talents at the undergraduate level. The new model features the leadership of a national-level research institute and an interdisciplinary approach.

With the discovery of the lung microbiota, its study in both pulmonary health and disease has become a vibrant area of emerging research interest. Thus far, most studies have described the lung microbiota composition in lung disease quite well, and some of these studies indicated alterations in lung microbial communities related to the onset and development of lung disease and vice versa. However, the underlying mechanisms, particularly the cellular and molecular links, are still largely unknown. In this review, we highlight the current progress in the complex cellular and molecular mechanisms by which the lung microbiome interacts with immune homeostasis and pulmonary disease pathogenesis to advance our understanding of the elaborate function of the lung microbiota in lung disease. We hope that this work can attract more attention to this still-young yet very promising field to facilitate the identification of new therapeutic targets and provide more innovative therapies. Additional accurate standard-based methodologies and technological breakthroughs are critical to propel the field forward to ultimately achieve the goal of maintaining respiratory health.

Postoperative nutritional therapy is of paramount importance for patients undergoing esophagectomy. The jejunostomy and nasoenteral tube are the popular routes for nutritional therapy. However, which one is the preferred route is unclear. This study aims to analyze the differences in safety and efficacy of the two routes for nutritional therapy.PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE (till September 17, 2020) were searched. The primary outcome was postoperative pneumonia. Secondary outcomes were the length of hospital stays (LOS), bowel obstruction, catheter dislocation, anastomotic leakage, overall postoperative complications, and postoperative albumin. Weighted mean differences (WMD) and odds ratios (OR) were calculated for statistical analysis.Ten studies involving a total of 1,531 patients in the jejunostomy group and 1,375 patients in the nasoenteral tube group were included. Compared with patients in the nasoenteral tube group, those in the jejunostomy group had a lower incidence of postoperative pneumonia (OR = 0.68, P0.001), shorter LOS (WMD = -0.85, P0.001), and lower risk of catheter dislocation (OR = 0.15, P = 0.001). There were no significant differences in the incidence of anastomotic leakage (OR = 0.84, P = 0.43), overall postoperative complications (OR = 0.87, P = 0.59), and postoperative albumin (WMD = -0.40, P = 0.24). However, patients in the jejunostomy group had a higher risk of bowel obstruction (OR = 8.42, P = 0.002).Jejunostomy for enteral nutrition showed superior outcomes in terms of postoperative pneumonia, LOS, and catheter dislocation. Jejunostomy may be the preferred enteral nutritional route following esophagectomy.

To explore clinical effect of Kirschner wire combined with PEEK anchor with thread to fix fibula bone block in WagstaffeⅡfracture.From January 2018 to December 2020, 29 patients with WagstaffeⅡfracture of ankle joint were treated with Kirschner wire fixation of avulsed fibular bone block, PEEK with thread anchor repair and reinforcement, and plaster external fixation, including 18 males and 11 females, aged from 27 to 69 years old with an average of (46.3±10.2) years old. All of them were unilateral operations, and the time from injury to operation ranged from 3 to 5 days with an average of(4.05±0.63) days. Clinical efficacy was evaluated by using American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot functional scoring system and visual analogue scaleat scoring system before and after operation at 6 months.All patients were followed up from 6 to 12 months with an average of (9.7±2.1) months. Two patients occurred pain of ankle joint during walking, which was relieved after strengthening rehabilitation exercise and anti-nflammatory and analgesic drug treatment. AOFAS score was incrased from(62.16±19.73) preoperativyly to(91.35±6.37) at 6 months after operation (Kirschner wire combined with PEEK anchor with thread to fix fibula bone block in WagstaffeⅡfracture strengthen repair of inferior tibiofibular syndesmosis ligament and anterior talofibular ligament, and effectively relieved ankle joint pain, obtain good function recovery, the avulsion fracture block was fixed securely, and receive good clinical effect.

BolA has been characterized as an important transcriptional regulator, which is induced in the stationary phase of growth and affects different pathways directly associated with bacterial virulence. Here, we unraveled the role of BolA in several phenotypes associated with the process of cell morphology, siderophore production, biofilm formation, cell adhesion, tissue colonization, and liver abscess.

Background Sjögren’s syndrome (SjS) associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SjS-SLE) was considered a standalone but often-overlooked entity. Purpose To assess altered spontaneous brain activity in SjS-SLE and SjS using amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF). Material and Methods Sixteen patients with SjS-SLE, 17 patients with SjS, and 17 matched controls underwent neuropsychological tests and subsequent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) examinations. The ALFF value was calculated based on blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) fMRI. Statistical parametric mapping was utilized to analyze between-group differences and multiple comparison was corrected with Analysis of Functional NeuroImages 3dClustSim. Then, the ALFFs of brain regions with significant differences among the three groups were correlated to corresponding clinical and neuropsychological variables by Pearson correlation. Results ALFF differences in the bilateral precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), right parahippocampal gyrus/caudate/insula, and left insula were found among the three groups. Both SjS-SLE and SjS displayed decreased ALFF in the right parahippocampal gyrus, right insula, and left insula than HC. Moreover, SjS-SLE showed wider decreased ALFF in the bilateral precuneus and right caudate, while the SjS group exhibited increased ALFF in the bilateral PCC. Additionally, patients with SjS-SLE exhibited lower ALFF values in the bilateral PCC and precuneus than SjS. Moreover, ALFF values in the right parahippocampal gyrus and PCC were negatively correlated to fatigue score and disease duration, respectively, in SjS-SLE. Conclusion SjS-SLE and SjS exhibited common and different alteration of cerebral functional segregation revealed by AlFF analysis. This result appeared to indicate that SjS-SLE might be different from SjS with a neuroimaging standpoint.

Functional and anatomical hemispheric asymmetries abound in the neural language system, yet the relationship between them remains elusive. One attractive proposal is that structural interhemispheric differences reflect or even drive functional language laterality. However, studies on structure-function couplings either find that left and right language dominant individuals display similar leftward structural asymmetry or yield inconsistent results. The current study aimed to replicate and extend prior work by comparing structural asymmetries between neurologically healthy left-handers with right hemispheric language dominance (N = 24) and typically lateralized left-handed controls (N = 39). Based on structural MRI data, anatomical measures of six 'language-related' perisylvian structures were derived, including the surface area of five gray matter regions with known language functions and the FDC (combined fiber density and fiber-bundle cross-sectional area) of the arcuate fasciculus. Only the surface area of the pars triangularis and the anterior insula differed significantly between participant groups, being on average leftward asymmetric in those with typical dominance, but right lateralized in volunteers with atypical language specialization. However, these findings did not survive multiple testing correction and the asymmetry of these structures demonstrated much inter-individual variability in either subgroup. By integrating our findings with those reported previously we conclude that while some perisylvian anatomical asymmetries may differ subtly between typical and atypical speech dominants at the group level, they serve as poor participant-specific predictors of hemispheric language specialization.

HMGA1 protein is an architectural transcription factor that has been implicated in the progression of multiple malignant tumors. However, the role of HMGA1 in the growth and metastasis of gastric cancer (GC) has not yet been elucidated. Here, we show that HMGA1 is overexpressed in GC cells and the high expression of HMGA1 was correlated with worse survival in GC patients using a bioinformatics assay. Functionally, HMGA1 affected the EdU incorporation, colony formation, migration and invasion of GC cells by exogenously increasing or decreasing the expression of HMGA1. Mechanistically, HMGA1 directly bound to the SUZ12 and CCDC43 promoter and transactivated its expression in GC cells. Inhibition of SUZ12 and CCDC43 attenuated the proliferation, migration and invasiveness of HMGA1-overexpressing GC cells in vitro. Moreover, both HMGA1 and SUZ12/CCDC43 were highly expressed in cancer cells but not in normal gastric tissues, and their expressions were positively correlated. Finally, a tail vein metastatic assay showed that HMGA1 promoted SUZ12/CCDC43-mediated GC cell metastasis in vivo. Our findings suggest that HMGA1 promotes GC growth and metastasis by transactivating SUZ12 and CCDC43 expression, highlighting HMGA1 as a potential prognostic biomarker in the treatment of GC.

Background Karst-adapted plant, Lysionotus pauciflours accumulates special secondary metabolites with a wide range of pharmacological effects for surviving in drought and high salty areas, while researchers focused more on their environmental adaptations and evolutions. Nevadensin (5,7-dihydroxy-6,8,4'-trimethoxyflavone), the main active component in L. pauciflours, has unique bioactivity of such as anti-inflammatory, anti-tubercular, and anti-tumor or cancer. Complex decoration of nevadensin, such as hydroxylation and glycosylation of the flavone skeleton determines its diversity and biological activities. The lack of omics data limits the exploration of accumulation mode and biosynthetic pathway. Herein, we integrated transcriptomics, metabolomics, and microbial recombinant protein system to reveal hydroxylation and glycosylation involving nevadensin biosynthesis in L. pauciflours. Results Up to 275 flavonoids were found to exist in L. pauciflorus by UPLC-MS/MS based on widely targeted metabolome analysis. The special flavone nevadensin (5,7-dihydroxy-6,8,4'-trimethoxyflavone) is enriched in different tissues, as are its related glycosides. The flavonoid biosynthesis pathway was drawn based on differential transcripts analysis, including 9 PAL, 5 C4H, 8 4CL, 6 CHS, 3 CHI, 1 FNSII, and over 20 OMTs. Total 310 LpCYP450s were classified into 9 clans, 36 families, and 35 subfamilies, with 56% being A-type CYP450s by phylogenetic evolutionary analysis. According to the phylogenetic tree with AtUGTs, 187 LpUGTs clustered into 14 evolutionary groups (A-N), with 74% being E, A, D, G, and K groups. Two LpCYP82D members and LpUGT95 were functionally identified in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli, respectively. CYP82D-8 and CYP82D-1 specially hydroxylate the 6- or 8-position of A ring in vivo and in vitro, dislike the function of F6H or F8H discovered in basil which functioned depending on A-ring substituted methoxy. These results refreshed the starting mode that apigenin can be firstly hydroxylated on A ring in nevadensin biosynthesis. Furthermore, LpUGT95 clustered into the 7-OGT family was verified to catalyze 7-O glucosylation of nevadensin accompanied with weak nevadensin 5-O glucosylation function, firstly revealed glycosylation modification of flavones with completely substituted A-ring. Conclusions Metabolomic and full-length transcriptomic association analysis unveiled the accumulation mode and biosynthetic pathway of the secondary metabolites in the karst-adapted plant L. pauciflorus. Moreover, functional identification of two LpCYP82D members and one LpUGT in microbe reconstructed the pathway of nevadensin biosynthesis.

Medicinal plant stem cells are separated from the meristem and vascular cambium of medicinal plants, which can produce active components for preventing and treating diseases and improving body physical functions under certain conditions. Medicinal plant stem cells come from a broad category of medicinal plants, including ethnic medicinal plants, folk medicinal plants, original plants of health products, vegetables, fruits, and other potential medicinal plants. At present, the techniques for the isolation, identification, preservation and culture of medicinal plant stem cells have become increasingly mature, and the mechanism of stem cell differentiation, growth and regulation of secondary metabolites has been studied in depth. Medicinal plant stem cells have a broad application prospect in medicine, health food, food and medical beauty products. As a strategic resource, the construction of thequot;Global Medicinal Plant Stem Cell Bankquot; was first proposed to preserve various kinds of medicinal plant resources in the world, and it will go global relying on the internationalization strategy of traditional Chinese medicine. The bank should follow safety, environmental protection, advanced and practical design principles. The main construction contents include the original plant bank, stem cell bank, component resource bank, gene bank, database and resource sharing system, with genetic and data resources incorporated into the scope of protection and utilization. The bank will establish a new strategy for medicinal plant resources protection and regeneration, and provide a new resource for natural products drug discovery and a technology sharing platform for various medicinal plant stem cells. As a resource treasury, a source of innovative technologies and a center of cooperation, it will become the core driving force of the global medicinal plant stem cell industry.

Differentiated thyroid cancer is the most frequently diagnosed endocrine tumor. While differentiated thyroid cancers often respond to initial treatment, little is known about the differences in circulating immune cells amongst patients who respond differently. A prospective study of 39 patients with differentiated thyroid cancer was conducted. Serum thyroglobulin levels and thyroid and immunological functions were tested before and after radioactive iodine treatment (RAIT). Efficacy assessments were performed 6 to 12 months after radioactive iodine treatment. Most patients showed an excellent response to radioactive iodine treatment. Before radioactive iodine treatment, the excellent response group had considerably fewer circulating CD4

The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has increased with the increasing rate of obesity. However, national data on the prevalence and secular trends of GDM during the past decade in the United States are lacking. This study included 37,357 women aged more than 18 years and who had ever been pregnant from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). We examined GDM prevalence in 2006, 2016, and 2017, with age-standardized to the US population in 2000. We found that the prevalence of GDM per 100 people increased from 4.6 (95% CI, 4.1–5.1) in 2006 to 8.2 (95% CI, 7.5–8.9) in 2016 (test for difference; P 2), physically inactive, and with family income below the poverty threshold than women in other BMI ranges, with more physical activity, and with higher incomes. The prevalence of GDM per 100 people in 2017 was 8.4 (7.6–9.2), and there was no significant change in the overall and subgroup prevalence compared with 2016. Collectively, in the United States, the prevalence of GDM continuously increased, nearly doubled, from 2006 to 2016, and then leveled off in 2017. The increase appeared more marked among the minority populations and subpopulations with overweight people, insufficient activity, and family incomes below the poverty threshold.

The liver is a vital metabolic and detoxifying organ and suffers diverse endogenous or exogenous damage. Hepatocyte mitochondria experience various structural and functional defects from liver injury, bearing oxidative stress, metabolic dysregulation, and the disturbance of mitochondrial quality control (MQC) mechanisms. Mitochondrial malfunction initiates the mitochondria-mediated apoptotic pathways and the release of damage signals, aggravating liver damage and disease progression via inflammation and reparative fibrogenesis. Removal of mitochondrial impairment or the improvement of MQC mechanisms restore mitochondrial homeostasis and benefit liver health. This review discusses the association of mitochondrial disorders with hepatic pathophysiological processes and the resultant potential of mitochondrion-targeting therapeutics for hepatic disorders. The recent advances in the MQC mechanisms and the mitochondrial-derived damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) in the pathology and treatment of liver disease are particularly focussed.

HOXA6 gene plays a role of the oncogene in various cancers. Nonetheless, its effect on gastric cancer (GC) occurrence and development is still unclear. We analysed whether HOXA6 interacts with the PBX2 protein using the STRING database. The molecular mechanism by which HOXA6 synergizes with PBX2 in GC metastasis is not fully understood. Here, we found that the expression of HOXA6 was increased in GC tissues and cell lines. The upregulation of HOXA6 was closely associated with differentiation, lymph node metastasis, AJCC stage, TNM stage, and poor survival outcome in GC patients based on tissue microarray (TMA) data. Moreover, the overexpression of HOXA6 promoted, whereas siRNA-mediated repression of HOXA6 inhibited, the cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of GC cells. Furthermore, HOXA6 could physically interact with and stabilize PBX2. In addition, HOXA6 and PBX2 expression was positively correlated in GC cells and tissue. HOXA6 and PBX2 suppression in GC cells also led to decreased migration and invasion potential in vitro. In vivo, HOXA6 was shown to cooperate with PBX2 to enhance cell metastasis via orthotopic implantation. These data indicate that HOXA6 promotes cell proliferation, migration, and invasion and that the HOXA6-PBX2 axis may be a useful biomarker for disease progression in GC.

Tamoxifen (TAM) resistance has indicated a significant challenge during endocrine therapy for hormone-sensitive breast cancer. Thus, it is significant to elucidate the molecular events endowing TAM resistance to endocrine therapy. In this study, we found that epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was an important event to confer TAM resistance, and attenuating EMT by elevating connexin (Cx) 43 expression could reverse TAM resistance. Specifically, Cx43 overexpression improved TAM sensitivity, while Cx43 depletion facilitated TAM insensitivity by modulating EMT in T47D TAM-resistant and -sensitive cells, and transplanted xenografts. Importantly, we found a novel reciprocal regulation between Cx43 and c-Src/PI3K/Akt pathway contributing to EMT and TAM resistance in breast cancer. Moreover, we identified that Cx43 deficiency was significantly correlated with poor relapse-free survival in patients undergoing TAM treatment. Therefore, Cx43 represents a prognostic marker and an attractive target for breast cancer treatments. Therapeutic strategies designed to increase or maintain Cx43 function may be beneficial to overcome TAM resistance.

Parkinson protein 7 (PARK7)/DJ-1 (DJ-1) is a redox sensitive molecular and stabilizer of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2). Nrf-2 regulates the downstream antioxidant defense system and exerts a significant function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Vitamin D receptor (VDR) is the nuclear receptor that regulates the downstream target genes. This study aimed to analyze the associations among pulmonary function, DJ-1, VDR and Nrf-2 in COPD patients. Serum was collected from 180 COPD patients and control subjects. Thirty-five lung tissues were obtained. DJ-1 was measured using ELISA and western blotting. Nrf-2 and VDR were detected by immunohistochemistry. Serum and pulmonary DJ-1 levels were lower in COPD patients than those in control subjects. Pulmonary VDR-positive nuclei were reduced in COPD patients. Nrf-2-positive nuclei were reduced in lung tissues of COPD patients. On the contrary, Nrf-2-related downstream target proteins were elevated in COPD patients. Further correlation analysis indicated that forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) was positively associated with pulmonary DJ-1, VDR and Nrf-2 in patients with COPD. In addition, there were positive correlations among DJ-1, VDR and Nrf-2 in lung tissues of COPD patients. In conclusion, DJ-1, VDR and Nrf-2 were decreased in COPD patients compared with control subjects. The reduction of DJ-1 and VDR associating with Nrf-2 downregulation may be involved in the process of COPD.

Background: Renal flare of lupus nephritis (LN) is strongly associated with poor kidney outcomes, and predicting renal flare and stratifying its risk are important for clinical decision-making and individualized management to reduce LN flare. Methods: We randomly divided 1,694 patients with biopsy-proven LN, who had achieved remission after treatment, into a derivation cohort (n = 1,186) and an internal validation cohort (n = 508), at a ratio of 7:3. The risk of renal flare 5 years after remission was predicted using an eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) method model, developed from 59 variables, including demographic, clinical, immunological, pathological, and therapeutic characteristics. A simplified risk score prediction model (SRSPM) was developed from important variables selected by XGBoost model using stepwise Cox regression for practical convenience. Results: The 5-year relapse rates were 39.5% and 38.2% in the derivation and internal validation cohorts, respectively. Both the XGBoost model and the SRSPM had good predictive performance, with a C-index of 0.819 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.774–0.857) and 0.746 (95% CI: 0.697–0.795), respectively, in the validation cohort. The SRSPM comprised 6 variables, including partial remission and endocapillary hypercellularity at baseline, age, serum Alb, anti-dsDNA, and serum complement C3 at the point of remission. Using Kaplan-Meier analysis, the SRSPM identified significant risk stratification for renal flares (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Renal flare of LN can be readily predicted using the XGBoost model and the SRSPM, and the SRSPM can also stratify flare risk. Both models are useful for clinical decision-making and individualized management in LN.

OBJECTIVE Unilateral complete cleft lip and palate (UCCLP) is associated with apparent nasal deformities before the cheilorrhaphy. The aim of this study was to determine whether preoperative correction techniques are effective in the treatment of nasal deformities in infant with unilateral UCCLP used by the systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS We searched Medline, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, PubMed, and Chinese BioMedical Literature Database (CBM) until January 31, 2019, to identify studies that compared the effectiveness of preoperative correction techniques in the treatment of nasal deformities in infant with UCCLP. Two authors individually extracted the data and performed the quality assessments. The height of nasal columella, the width of the affected side nasal ala and the inclination of the nasal columella were evaluated. RESULTS Seven articles were incorporated into the systematic review, and 5 (274 participants) in the meta-analysis according to the inclusion criteria. The preoperative correction could increase the height of nasal columella in children with UCCLP [SMD: 2.64 mm; 95% confidence intervals (CI); (1.35 mm, 3.94 mm); P

Background:. Although breast-conserving surgery is one of the standard treatments for breast cancer, few studies have assessed its recent implementation in China. We aimed to clarify the current real-world status of breast-conserving surgery in China. Methods:. This cross-sectional survey relied on data collected by the Chinese Society of Breast Surgery (CSBrS) to examine patients who underwent this surgery between January 2018 and December 2018. The survey was conducted using a uniform electronic questionnaire to collect information, including clinical and pathological data on these patients. Results:. Overall, 4459 breast-conserving surgeries were performed in 34 member units of CSBrS, accounting for 14.6% of all breast cancer surgeries performed in these units during the study period. In patients who underwent breast-conserving surgery with information on tumor size available, more than half (61.2%) of the tumors were smaller than 2 cm in diameter, and only 87 (3.2%) tumors were larger than 4 cm in diameter. Among patients who underwent breast-conserving surgeries, 457 (10.2%) patients received neoadjuvant therapy before the surgery. Among patients with a reported margin width, 34 (2.0%) patients had a margin of ≤2 mm, and 1530 (88.2%) of them had a margin of >5 mm. Conclusions:. This study demonstrated the rates of breast-conserving surgery in member units of the CSBrS, and introduced the characteristics and surgical margins of patients who underwent this surgery. This information helps describe the real-world status of breast-conserving surgery in China. Trial registration. chictr.org.cn, ChiCTR1900026841; http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=42783

Emerging research has suggested the anticancer potential of tanshinone IIA, the bioactive ingredient isolated from the traditional Chinese herb Salvia miltiorrhiza. However, the molecular mechanism of sodium tanshinone IIA sulfonate (STS) antilung cancer effect is not very clear. In this study, our purpose is to investigate the roles of STS and elongation factor-2 kinase (eEF-2K) in regulating the proliferation, migration, and invasion of A549 cells and explore the implicated pathways. We found that STS suppressed A549 cell survival and proliferation in a time- and xdose-dependent manner. Knockdown of eEF-2K and treatment with STS synergistically exerted antiproliferative, -migratory, and -invasive effects on A549 cells. These effects were caused by attenuation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway via inhibition of tissue transglutaminase (TG2). In summary, the inhibition of eEF-2K synergizes with STS treatment, exerting anticancer effects on lung adenocarcinoma cells through the TG2/ERK signaling pathway, which provides a potential therapeutic target for treating lung adenocarcinoma.

To explore the effect of hypoxia on the chemosensitivity of B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia （B-ALL） cells to Vincristine (VCR) and the mechanisms.B-ALL cells SUP-B15, Nalm-6 and RS4;11 were selected as the research objects. The cells were divided into the control group and the hypoxia mimic group (CoClCoClUnder hypoxic conditions, HIF-1α may mediate VCR resistance in B-ALL cells by downregulating the pro-apoptotic protein BAX.低氧诱导因子-1α对B-ALL细胞长春新碱敏感性的影响及机制研究.研究低氧条件下急性B淋巴细胞白血病（B-ALL）细胞对长春新碱（VCR）敏感性的影响及可能的作用机制.以B-ALL细胞SUP-B15、Nalm-6及RS4;11为研究对象，将细胞分为对照和低氧模拟组（CoClCoCl低氧条件下HIF-1α可能通过下调促凋亡蛋白BAX表达导致B-ALL细胞对VCR耐药.