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Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), which is a malignant primary brain tumor, is the cancer that spreads most aggressively into the adjacent brain tissue. Patients with metastatic GBM have a poor chance of survival. In this study, we examined the anti-GBM mobility effect of small protein, called GMI, which is cloned and purified from Ganoderma microsporum. Proteomic profiles showed that GMI-mediated proteins were involved in cell motility and cell growth functions. Specifically, we demonstrated that GMI significantly suppressed cell migration and invasion of GBM cells. GMI combined with temozolomide (TMZ), which is a traditional chemotherapeutic agent for GBM treatment, synergistically inhibited motility in GBM cells. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that GMI induced proteasome-dependent degradation of Slug, which is a critical transcription factor, is frequently linked to metastasis and drug resistance in GBM. Knockdown of Slug reduced cell viability and colony formation of GBM cells but enhanced TMZ-suppressed cell migration and viability. The results of this study show that targeting Slug degradation is involved in GMI-suppressed mobility of GBM cells. Moreover, GMI may be a potential supplementary agent for the suppression of GBM.

Scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) is one of the scanning probe techniques that has attracted considerable attention because of its ability to interrogate surface morphology or electrochemical reactivity. However, the quality of SECM images generally depends on the sizes of the electrodes and many uncontrollable factors. Furthermore, manipulating fragile glass ultramicroelectrodes and blurred images sometimes frustrate researchers. To overcome the challenges of modern SECM, we developed novel soft gold probes and then established the AI-assisted methodology for image fusion. A novel gold microelectrode probe with high softness was developed to scan fragile samples. The distribution of EGFR (protein biomarker) in oral cancer was investigated. Then, we fused the optical microscopic images and SECM images to enhance the image quality using Matlab software. However, by changing the parameters for image fusion, thousands of fused images were generated, which is annoying for researchers. Thus, a deep learning model was built to select the best-fused images according to the contrast and clarity of the fused images. Therefore, the quality of the SECM images was improved by using a novel soft probe followed by combining the image fusion technique. In the future, a new scanning probe with AI-assisted fused SECM image processing may be interpreted more preciously and contribute to the early detection of cancers.

Study Design: Case Series and Technical Note, Objective: UBS has been extensively used in open surgery. However, the use of UBS during UBESS has not been reported in the literature. The aim of this study was to describe a new spinal surgical technique using an ultrasonic bone scalpel (UBS) during unilateral biportal endoscopic spine surgery (UBESS) and to report the preliminary results of this technique. Methods: We enrolled patients diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis who underwent single-level UBESS. All patients were followed up for more than 12 months. A unilateral laminotomy was performed after bilateral decompression under endoscopy. We used the UBS system after direct visualization of the target for a bone cut. We evaluated the demographic characteristics, diagnosis, operative time, and estimated blood loss of the patients. Clinical outcomes included the visual analog scale (VAS), the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), the modified MacNab criteria, and postoperative complications. Results: A total of twenty patients (five males and fifteen females) were enrolled in this study. The mean follow-up period was 13.2 months (range 12–17 months). The VAS score, ODI, and modified MacNab criteria classification improved after the surgery. A minimal mean blood loss of 22.1 mL was noted during the operation. Only one patient experienced neuropraxia, which resolved within 2 weeks. There was no durotomy, iatrogenic pars fracture, or infection. Conclusions: In conclusion, our study represents the first report of the use of UBS during UBESS. Our findings demonstrate that this technique is safe and efficient, with improved clinical outcomes and minimal complications. These preliminary results warrant further investigation through larger clinical studies with longer follow-up periods to confirm the effectiveness of this technique in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis.

Polysaccharide from Laminaria japonica (LJPS) exhibits multiple biological functions. However, we found that crude LJPS doesn't show good anti-lung cancer activity in this study. We therefore used tangential flow filtration (TFF) system to optimize the anticancer activity of LJPS. We divided the crude LJPS into two fractions by TFF system with a 10 kDa filter and denoted as retentate (10K-R) and filtration (10K-F). The chemical assay revealed that the main molecular mass of 10K-R and 10K-F is about 985 and 3 kDa, respectively. The main components of 10K-R include fucose (19.3 %), and glucose (59.5 %); while glucose (88.6 %) is a major component of 10K-F. Biological functions showed that 10K-R but not 10K-F inhibited the viability and mobility of cancer cells. 10K-R downregulated expressions of transforming growth factor β receptor and Slug, and inhibited intracellular signaling molecules, including FAK, AKT, ERK1/2, and Smad2. This study is the first concept to purify the polysaccharide by TFF system and showed the potential mechanism of 10K-R inhibited cancer cells.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a major cause of increases in the mortality rate due to cancer that usually develops in patients with liver fibrosis and impaired hepatic immunity. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) may directly or indirectly crosstalk with various hepatic cells and subsequently modulate extracellular remodeling, cell invasion, macrophage conversion, and cancer deterioration. In this regard, the tumor microenvironment created by activated HSC plays a critical role in mediating pathogenesis and immune escape during HCC progression. Herein, intermediately differentiated human liver cancer cell line (J5) cells were co-cultured with HSC-conditioned medium (HSC-CM); changes in cell phenotype and cytokine profiles were analyzed to assess the impact of HSCs on the development of hepatoma. The stage of liver fibrosis correlated significantly with tumor grade, and the administration of conditioned medium secreted by activated HSC (aHSC-CM) could induce the expression of N-cadherin, cell migration, and invasive potential, as well as the activity of matrix metalloproteinases in J5 cells, implying that aHSC-CM could trigger the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Next, the HSC-CM was further investigated and network analysis indicated that specific cytokines and soluble proteins, such as activin A, released from activated HSCs could remarkably affect the tumor-associated immune microenvironment involved in macrophage polarization, which would, in turn, diminish a host’s immune surveillance and drive hepatoma cells into a more malignant phenotype. Together, our findings provide a novel insight into the integral roles of HSCs to enhance hepatocarcinogenesis through their immune-modulatory properties and suggest that HSC may serve as a potent target for the treatment of advanced HCC.

Promising results have been shown in previous studies from direct pars interarticularis repair. These include Scott wiring, Buck repair, pedicle screw repair, and Morscher techniques. In addition, several minimally invasive techniques have been reported to show high union rates, low rates of implant failure and wound complications, shorter length of stay, a lower postoperative pain score with faster recovery, and minimal blood loss.To compare the evidence on techniques for direct pars interarticularis repair.Systematic review and meta-analysis.Review article.We conducted a comprehensive search of databases to identify studies assessing outcomes of direct pars interarticularis defect repair. Two authors independently screened electronic search results, performed study selection, and extracted data for meta-analysis. Sensitivity and subgroup analyses were performed to assess risk of bias.Forty studies were included in the final analysis. Union rate was higher in the pedicle screw repair group (effect size [ES] 95%; 95% CI, 86% to 100%), followed by the Buck repair group (ES 93%; 95% CI, 86% to 98%), Scott wiring (ES 85%; 95% CI, 63% to 99%), and Morscher method group (ES 63%; 95% CI, 2% to 100%). Positive functional outcome was higher for the Morscher method (ES 91%; 95% CI, 86% to 96%), followed by the Buck repair group (ES 85%; 95% CI, 68% to 97%), pedicle screw repair (ES 84%; 95% CI, 59% to 99%) and Scott repair group (ES 80%; 95% CI, 60% to 95%). Complication rates were highest among the Scott repair group (ES 12%; 95% CI, 4% to 22%) and Morscher method group (ES 12%; 95% CI, 0% to 34%).Heterogeneity of the included studies were noted. However, we performed sensitivity analyses from the available data to address this issue.Our results indicate that pedicle screw repair and Buck repair may be associated with a higher union rate and lower complication rates compared to the Scott repair and Morscher method. Ultimately, the choice of technique should be based on the surgeon's preference and experience.

We investigated the effects of 2 weeks of detraining on cardiopulmonary function and muscular fitness in 15 endurance-trained male athletes (age: 19-26 years; height: 176.1 ± 7.5 cm; body mass: 68.3 ± 7.6 kg). VO

This study aims to determine whether outcomes following vertebroplasty with high viscosity cement are superior to low viscosity cement and non-inferior to kyphoplasty in the setting of vertebral compression fractures. We searched for randomized controlled trials and cohort studies assessing cement leakage rate in adult patients with VCFs who underwent vertebroplasty with high (HVCV) or low viscosity cement (LVCV) augmentation, or kyphoplasty (KP) in PubMed, Embase, Ovid, The Cochrane Library, and Web of Science from inception up to December 2019. Two authors extracted data and appraised risk of bias. We performed pairwise meta-analyses in R to compare differences between three treatments and network meta-analysis using frequentist random-effects models for indirect comparison. We used P-score to rate the overall certainty of evidence. The primary outcome was cement leakage rate. Five RCTs and eight cohort studies with 840 patients and a total of 1280 vertebral bodies were included in the systematic review and network meta-analysis. Compared to LVCV, the relative risk for cement leakage following HVCV and KP was 0.42 (95% CI 0.28–0.61) and 0.83 (95% CI 0.40–1.68), respectively. Our pooled results suggested that HVCV (P-score = 0.99) was better than KP (P-score = 0.36) in cement leakage rate. The present network meta-analysis demonstrated that HVCV may be associated with lower risk of cement leakage among patients with VCFs as compared to other augmentation techniques. Future prospective studies will validate the findings of this analysis and further elucidate the risk of symptomatic cement leakage.

Background Although the majority of available evidence suggests that vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty (KP) can relieve pain associated with vertebral compression fractures (VCFs) and improve function, evidence of clinical and radiographic outcome in highly viscous cement vertebroplasty (HVC) or KP for the treatment of VCFs is limited. The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical effects between HVC and KP in the treatment of single-level osteoporotic VCFs including radiographic and clinical outcomes. Methods From January 2017 to October 2018, 96 patients with single-level osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture who had undergone either KP or HVC surgery at our hospital were reviewed retrospectively, with at least 1 year follow-up. All patients were divided into the HVC group (n = 50) or the KP group (n = 46). Clinical data including clinical and radiologic evaluation results were performed pre- and postoperatively. Results The operation time of the HVC group (32.24 ± 10.08 minutes) was less than that of the KP group (40.76 ± 9.49 minutes), with significant differences. Compared with preoperative data, the visual analog scale scores, Oswestry disability index scores, vertebral body height, and local kyphotic angle were improved after surgery. There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in local kyphotic angle, vertebral body height, leakage rate of bone cement, and incidence of adjacent-level vertebra fracture. Conclusions Restoring the vertebral height and local kyphotic angle corrections of HVC are similar with those of KP. Additionally, KP is not superior in the leakage rate of bone cement and incidence of adjacent-level vertebra fracture compared to HVC.

Gefitinib is a first tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) designed with an EGFR tyrosine kinase for lung cancer targeted therapy. However, some lung cancer patients with wild-type EGFR (wtEGFR) or acquired secondary EGFR mutation showed lower response rate of gefitinib. In this study, we examined the efficacy of fucoidan on altering gefitinib-sensitivity on TKI-resistant lung cancer A549 and H1975 cells. We found that the simultaneous administration of fucoidan and gefitinib synergistically inhibited lung cancer cell viability via activating apoptotic response. Moreover, we found that fucoidan effectively downregulated expressions of mesenchymal-like molecules. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that fucoidan altered the gefitinib-inhibitory rate may result from induction of proteasome-dependent Slug degradation. Abolishment of TGFβ signaling enhanced gefitinib-inhibited cell viability and reduced N-cadherin, Twist and Slug levels. Moreover, knockdown of Slug contributed the increasing the gefitinib-sensitivity of H1975 cells. Our study is the first to find that fucoidan alters the gefitinib-sensitive of TKI-resistant cells by reduction of TGFβ receptor-mediated expressions of mesenchymal-like molecules and induction of Slug degradation. Together, our current results indicate that combination of fucoidan and gefitinib may be a potential and effective therapeutic strategy in gefitinib non-sensitive lung cancer.

Chen, Y-T, Hsieh, Y-Y, Ho, J-Y, Lin, T-Y, and Lin, J-C. Running training combined with blood flow restriction increases cardiopulmonary function and muscle strength in endurance athletes . J Strength Cond Res 36(5): 1228-1237, 2022-We investigated the effects of 8 weeks (3 d/wk) of running training (RT) combined with blood flow restriction (RT-BFR) on cardiopulmonary function and muscle strength in endurance athletes. Twenty endurance-trained male athletes (19-25 years; 177.6 ± 2.4 cm; 69.0 ± 2.2 kg) were pair matched and randomly assigned to RT-BFR and RT groups. The RT-BFR group performed running sessions (50% heart rate reserve; 3-minute × 5 sets; 1-minute rest interval) with pressure cuffs (1.3 × resting systolic blood pressure), whereas the RT group performed the same running sessions without pressure cuffs. V̇o2max, muscle mass, isokinetic muscle strength, and hormones were assessed at pre-, mid- and posttraining. Compared with the RT group, the RT-BFR group exhibited a significantly greater increase in V̇o2max (5.1 vs. -1.1%) and isokinetic knee extensor strength (16.5 vs. -5.9%). In addition, RT-BFR group presented higher leg muscle mass (10.3 vs. 9.7 kg) than that of RT group after 8 weeks of training. Furthermore, testosterone to cortisol (T:C) ratio at 24 hours after training session at pre-, mid-, and posttraining were maintained in the RT-BFR group, whereas significant decreases of T:C ratio at 24 hours after training session were observed in the RT group. These results suggested that RT combined with BFR may be a practical training strategy for promoting cardiopulmonary function and muscle strength in endurance runners.

The symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) such as hyposmia, rhinorrhea, nasal obstruction, and cough are similar to those of chronic allergic rhinitis (AR). Such symptoms can easily lead AR patients to unnecessary anxiety, misdiagnosis, and invasive diagnostic tests in the COVID-19 pandemic. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is an important mediator for chronic AR and plays a crucial role in the inflammation of COVID-19. Houttuynia cordata (HC) has been shown to reduce nasal congestion and swelling by suppressing the activation of IL-6 and is used to fight COVID-19. A novel HC-based Chinese herbal formula, Zheng-Yi-Fang (ZYF), was developed to test effects on nasal symptoms of patients with AR in the COVID-19 pandemic.Participants aged between 20 and 60 years with at least a 2-year history of moderate to severe perennial AR were enrolled. Eligible participants were randomly allocated to either the intervention group (taking ZYF) or the control group (using regular western medicine) for 4 weeks. The Chinese version of the Rhinosinusitis Outcome Measures was used to evaluate impacts on quality of life and nasal symptoms of participants with AR. In addition, the effect of ZYF on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced IL-6 was investigated.Participants with AR taking ZYF improved their symptoms of nasal obstruction, nasal secretion, hyposmia, and postnasal drip in comparison with those of the control group. Meanwhile, ZYF exhibited inhibition of IL-6 secretion in the LPS-induced inflammatory model.ZYF has potential effects to relieve nasal symptoms for AR during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) induces a global serious pandemic and is responsible for over 4 million human deaths. Currently, although various vaccines have been developed, humans can still get SARS-CoV-2 infection after being vaccinated. Therefore, the blocking of SARS-CoV-2 infection may be potential therapeutic strategies. Ganoderma microsporum immunomodulatory protein (GMI), a small fungal protein, is cloned from Ganoderma microsporum. It exhibits anti-cancer and immunomodulatory functions. Currently, it is still unclear whether GMI involves in interfering with viral infection.This study aimed to examine the potential functions and mechanisms of GMI on inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus infection.The effects of GMI were examined in vitro on ACE2 overexpressing HEK293T (HEK293T/ACE2) cells exposed to SARS-CoV-2 Spike lentiviral pseudovirus encoding a green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene. The infection efficacy was determined using fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. The protein level of ACE2 was verified by Western blot. The effects of GMI on cell viability of HEK293T/ACE2 and lung epithelial WI38-2RA cells were determined by MTT assay. Mice received GMI via nebulizer.GMI did not affect the cell viability of HEK293T/ACE2, WI38-2RA and macrophages. Functional studies showed that GMI inhibited GFP expressing SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus from infecting HEK293T/ACE2 cells. GMI slightly interfered the interaction between ACE2 and Spike protein. GMI interacted with S2 domain of Spike protein. Specifically, GMI dramatically reduced ACE2 expression in HEK293T/ACE2 and WI38-2RA cells. Mechanistically, GMI induced ACE2 degradation via activating protein degradation system, including proteasome and lysosome. Abolishing proteasome and lysosome by MG132 and bafilomycin A1, respectively, rescued GMI-reduced ACE2 levels. In addition, GMI triggered dynamin and lipid raft-mediated ACE2 endocytosis. ACE2 levels were downregulated in the lung tissue after the mice inhaling GMI.GMI prevents SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus infection via induction of ACE2 degradation in host cells. Our findings suggest that GMI will be a potential prevention agent to alleviate SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Lung cancer has the highest global mortality rate of any cancer. Although targeted therapeutic drugs are commercially available, the common drug resistance and insensitivity to cisplatin-based chemotherapy, a common clinical treatment for lung cancer, have prompted active research on alternative lung cancer therapies and methods for mitigating cisplatin-related complications. In this study, we investigated the effect of WSG, a glucose-rich, water soluble polysaccharide derived from Ganoderma lucidum, on cisplatin-based treatment for lung cancer. Murine Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC1) cells were injected into C57BL/6 mice subcutaneously and through the tail vein. The combined administration of WSG and cisplatin effectively inhibited tumor growth and the formation of metastatic nodules in the lung tissue of the mice. Moreover, WSG increased the survival rate of mice receiving cisplatin. Co-treatment with WSG and cisplatin induced a synergistic inhibitory effect on the growth of lung cancer cells, enhancing the apoptotic responses mediated by cisplatin. WSG also reduced the cytotoxic effect of cisplatin in both macrophages and normal lung fibroblasts. Our findings suggest that WSG can increase the therapeutic effectiveness of cisplatin. In clinical settings, WSG may be used as an adjuvant or supplementary agent.

BackgroundSeveral artificial bone grafts have been developed for bone reconstruction but fail to achieve anticipated osteogenesis due to their insufficient neovascularization capacity. Besides, periosteum plays an essential role in the neovascularization process in bone formation and healing. The aim of this study was to develop a cell-based biomimetic vascularized bone-periosteum construct (VBPC) to provide better neovascularization for osteogenesis and bone regeneration.MethodsTwenty-four male New Zealand white rabbits were divided into four groups according to the experimental materials. We first cultured adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AMSCs) and seeded them evenly in the collagen/chitosan sheet to form an AMSCs-sheet-engineered periosteum. Simultaneously, the AMSCs were seeded onto alginate scaffolds and were cultured to differentiate to endothelial-like cells to form vascularized bone constructs (VBC). The success of endothelial differentiation was confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence staining analysis. The AMSCs-sheet-engineered periosteum was wrapped onto VBC to create biomimetic VBPC, which was then implanted in bilateral L4-5 intertransverse space of rabbit. The acellular alginate-sheet construct, VBC, and non-vascularized AMSCs-alginate-periosteum construct were used as controls. At 12 weeks after implantation, the bone-forming capacities of the constructs were determined by computed tomography, biomechanical testing, histology, and immunohistochemistry staining analyses.ResultsTwelve weeks after implantation, the VBPC group significantly increased new bone formation volume than the control groups. Biomechanical testing demonstrated a higher torque strength in the VBPC group, and suggested that the cell sheet played a critical role for mechanical support. Notably, the hematoxylin and eosin, Masson’s trichrome, and immunohistochemistry stained histologic results revealed that the VBPC group promoted the formation of blood vessels and new bones in the L4-5 intertransverse fusion areas.ConclusionsThe tissue-engineered biomimetic VBPC showed great capability in promoting angiogenesis and osteogenesis in vivo. The VBPC may overcome the deficits of traditional bone grafts. These findings suggest a novel approach to improve the timely formation of blood vessels from bone substitutes and provide an ideal source for bone regeneration.

Introduction: Maintaining a better physical and mental health status is an important issue for older adults in their later life. Thus, the study’s purpose was to evaluate the association between body mass index (BMI) and mental health status in older adults aged 65 years old or above residing in communities of Taipei City, Taiwan. Methods: We carried out secondary data analysis with data from a volunteer-based health examination project for older adults >65 years old residing in Taipei City from 2006 to 2010 with a retrospective study design. BMI, calculated by standardized measuring procedures for height and weight, and mental health status, evaluated by 5-item Brief Symptom Rating Scale (BSRS-5), were collected at their first visits of health examination. A BSRS-5 score ≥6 was considered an inferior mental health status for the outcome. In statistical analysis, univariable and multivariable logistic regressions were adopted to estimate the relative risk of inferior mental health status, treating BMI as the major exposure of interest. Results: A total of 90,576 subjects were involved, with a mean age of 73.38 years old (SD = 6.64 years) and 49.21% females. With confounders controlled, compared to normal or overweight (23 ≤ BMI Conclusion: Keeping an appropriate weight or even being overweighted might be beneficial for older adults dwelling in the community, especially for males.

Sulfated polysaccharides (SPSs) are polysaccharides (PSs) with high sulfate functionalization and possess bioactivities. This study aimed to increase the sulfate content of SPSs in Antrodia cinnamomea through sulfate feeding. Feeding A. cinnamomea with sodium thiosulfate was found to increase yields of PSs and SPSs in A. cinnamomea. The SPSs thus obtained (ST-SPS) were further isolated, showing enhanced sulfate content of 2.5 mmol/g. Sodium thiosulfate induced changes in molecular weight from 320 kDa to 1342 kDa, and area percentage of low-molecular-weight ST-SPS (20 kDa) was decreased. Functional studies revealed that sodium thiosulfate increased the ST-SPS anticancer efficacy in cancer cells via inhibition of EGFR/AKT signaling. Moreover, the ST-SPS enhanced synergistically cisplatin-, gefitinib- and 5 FU-induced cytotoxic effects in lung cancer H1975 cells and colon cancer CT26 cells. This study is the first to demonstrate that sodium thiosulfate induced changes in properties of A. cinnamomea with the anticancer mechanisms of ST-SPS.

Psoriasis is a chronic and recurrent skin problem that affects 3% of the global population. Nowadays, most medicines may not promise a complete cure for patients with psoriasis because of the development of pharmacoresistance and the side effects of drugs due to the microenvironment impact in the context of skin imbalance. Herein, we attempt to explore the pharmaceutical efficacy of Scutellaria baicalensis (S. baicalensis) in modulating the microenvironment created by macrophages and keratinocytes in psoriasis. The results indicated that treatment of S. baicalensis extract significantly reduced the thickness of epidermis and attenuated psoriatic lesions. Moreover, S. baicalensis extract obviously inhibited the activation and infiltration of macrophages by alleviating inflammatory factors such as nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). The administration of S. baicalensis extract also remarkably abolished oxidative damage upon DNA and proteins, which attributed to the activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). The network analysis of redox proteomics and cytokine profiles suggested that S. baicalensis administration regulated the specific pathways associated with oxidative stress, inflammation and cytokine signaling cascades to ameliorate the macrophage-targeted responses and subsequently arrest proliferation of keratinocytes. Collectively, our findings highlighted the importance of S. baicalensis application in reprogramming microenvironment to provide an alternative and complementary intervention for long-term psoriatic therapy.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Medicinal ink is used as a traditional topical medicine for treating inflammatory diseases via detoxification, relieving pain, hemostasis, and reducing swelling. However, the effect of medicinal ink on the inhibition of inflammatory responses and the underlying molecular mechanism remain unclear. Aim of the study The present study aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory function of water extract of medical ink (WEMI) and elucidate its active mechanisms. Materials and methods Cell viability was assessed using crystal violet staining assay. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were detected by ELISA. Nitric oxide (NO) production was measured by Griess assay. The activation of inflammatory signaling molecules stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was evaluated by assessing levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), phosphorylated Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) using Western blot assay. Results Water extract of medical ink (WEMI) did not present cytotoxic effect on murine macrophage Raw264.7 cells. High dosage of WEMI slightly rescued LPS-suppressed cell viability of Raw264.7 cells. WEMI did not induce NO production or IL-6 secretion, though WEMI significantly induced secretion of TNF-α on Raw264.7 cells not stimulated with LPS. On the other hand, LPS effectively stimulated inflammation on Raw264.7 cells; however, WEMI dramatically reduced LPS-induced NO production. WEMI alleviated LPS-stimulated IL-6 secretion but did not affect the content of TNF-α. In addition, WEMI effectively reduced expression of iNOS by abolishing LPS-mediated phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3 but not TLR4-mediated NF-κB and MAPK molecules. Conclusions Our findings suggest that WEMI targets of the JAK2/STAT3-mediated iNOS expression play a key role in alleviating LPS-induced inflammatory responses in RAW264.7 macrophages. Therefore, medicinal ink may be a potential topical agent for treating fasciitis or synovitis via regulating the immune system.

Tongue cancer, a kind of oral cancer, is common in Southeast Asian countries because of dietary habits. However, there is no specific targeted drug that could effectively inhibit oral cancer. WSG, as a water soluble glucose-enriched polysaccharide from Ganoderma lucidum, exerts excellent pharmacological efficacy of anti-lung cancer. However, its anticancer functions and mechanisms in human tongue cancer need to be further explored. Herein, we showed that WSG dramatically reduced cell viability and colony formation of tongue cancer cells. WSG increased subG1 and G2/M populations as well as induced apoptotic responses. In parallel, WSG enhanced apoptosis-related Bax/Bcl2 ratio. Mechanistic studies showed that WSG reduced phosphorylation of EGFR and AKT. In addition, we found a synergistic effect of WSG with cisplatin in inhibition of cell viability and induction of apoptosis. WSG significantly reduced the inhibition concentration 50% (IC50) of cisplatin. More importantly, WSG ameliorated cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity in normal human oral epithelial SG cells. In conclusion, our findings provided important insights into the anti-tongue cancer effects of WSG via inhibition of EGFR/AKT axis and induction of apoptosis, which indicated that WSG could be a promising supplement for tongue cancer treatment.

Background To determine how perforated peptic ulcers be diagnosed earlier after patients undergoing an elective spine surgery. Methods Patients who underwent elective spine surgeries at our hospital between January 2000 and April 2018 and experienced an acute perforated peptic ulcer were included. An age-and gender-matched control group was comprised of 26 patients without a postoperative acute perforated peptic ulcer who received spine surgery during the same period. Medical records and imaging studies were thoroughly reviewed. Results Thirteen patients were enrolled in the study group, including eight females and five males. Three patients, two females and one male, died of uncontrolled peritonitis during the hospital stay. All patients in the study group experienced the sudden onset of abdominal pain, which was continuous and progressively worsening. Patients with elevated serum amylase, a peptic ulcer history and increased intraoperative blood loss had a tendency to develop a postoperative perforated peptic ulcer. Conclusion Spine surgeons should be highly alert to these risk factors of postoperative perforated peptic ulcers inpatients who has history of peptic ulcer, large amount ofintraoperative blood loss and abnormal high serum amylase level after elective spine surgery. Early diagnosis and emergent surgical intervention promote better outcomes.

Vertebroplasty (VP), balloon kyphoplasty (BKP), and vertebral stent (VS) are usually used for treating osteoporotic compression fractures. However, these procedures may pose risks of secondary adjacent level fractures. This study simulates finite element models of osteoporotic compression fractures treated with VP, BKP, and VS Vertebral resection method was used to simulate vertebra fracture with Young’s modulus set at 70 MPa to replicate osteoporosis. A follower load of (1175 N for flexion, and 500 N for all others) was applied in between vertebral bodies to simulate the muscle force. Moment loadings of 7.5 N-m in flexion, extension, lateral bending, axial rotation were applied respectively. The VS model had the highest von Mises stresses on the bone cement under all different loading conditions (flexion/5.91 MPa, extension/3.74 MPa, lateral bending/3.12 MPa, axial rotation/3.54 MPa). The stress distribution and maximum von Mises stresses of the adjacent segments, T11 inferior endplate and L1 superior endplate, showed no significant difference among three surgical models. The postoperative T12 stiffness for VP, BKP, and VS are 2898.48 N/mm, 4123.18 N/mm, and 4690.34 N/mm, respectively. The VS model led to superior surgical vertebra stiffness without significantly increasing the risks of adjacent fracture.