SNP at miR-483-5p-binding site in the 3'-untranslated region of the BSG gene is associated with susceptibility to esophageal cancer in a Chinese population

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between a functional variant of the basigin (BSG) gene, caused by a polymorphism (rs11473) at the miR-483-5p binding site, and the risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in the Chinese population. The rs11473 polymorphism was genotyped in 624 esophageal cancer patients and 636 cancer-free age- and gender-matched controls using polymerase chain reaction restriction and direct sequencing. The functional variants resulting from the BSG rs11473 SNP were investigated using a luciferase activity assay and validated by immunoblotting. We discovered that ESCC patients carrying the rs11473 AA genotype or A allele were at a significantly higher risk of esophageal cancer [odds ratio (OR) = 1.560, 95% confidence interval  (CI) = 1.031-2.358, P = 0.037; OR = 1.231, 95%CI = 1.038-1.459, P = 0.017, respectively] than those carrying the GG genotype and G allele. Moreover, the rs11473 polymorphism modifies the binding of miR-483- 5p to basigin, as well as the basigin protein levels in esophageal cancer patients. Our data suggested that the rs11473 polymorphism at the miR- 483-5p binding site in the 3'-UTR of basigin gene may play a key role in the development of esophageal cancer in a Chinese population.

[Clinical research of second resection on early stage primary bladder adenocarcinoma and literature review]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the clinical and pathological characteristics, as well as the diagnosis and treatment of primary bladder adenocarcinoma in the early stage.

METHODS

The clinical features, pathological results, diagnosis and treatment profiles of 7 cases of primary bladder adenocarcinoma admitted in Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University from January 2010 to July 2015 were analyzed ret rospectively.

RESULTS

All seven cases were diagnosed pathologically as primary bladder adenocarinoma.Histological staging T1 was revealed in six cases, while T2 in one case after the first resection.After four weeks, all patients received the second resection while one patient underwent immediately radical cystectomy. Multimodality therapy such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy was performed for longer postoperative survival.only one man died while another patient had been healthy for 6 years till January 2016.

CONCLUSION

Primary bladder adenocarcinoma is a highly malignant disease in bladder cancer.According to the results of the second resection, multimodality therapy for patients in early stage with no lymph node or other organs metastasis can improve the quality of life without affectiong their lives.

Translation and validation of a Chinese version of the Mandibular Function Impairment Questionnaire

To adapt the English version of the Mandibular Function Impairment Questionnaire (MFIQ) for Chinese-speaking patients with temporomandibular disorder (TMD) and to evaluate its validity and reliability. In total, 352 patients diagnosed with TMD according to the research diagnostic criteria for TMD (RDC/TMD) Axis I were included in this study. The psychometric evaluation included reliability, which was evaluated by internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficient), and test-retest reliability and validity, which were tested by content and construct validity. Because the content validity of item 11 (kissing) was low (0·12), this item was excluded in subsequent analyses. For exploratory factor analysis, three factors were extracted, accounting for 63·6% of the variance. All items had factor loadings above 0·4. Two models were tested by confirmatory factor analysis, and the two-factor model was adopted (χ(2) /df = 2·279, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0·086, comparative fit index (CFI) = 0·910). Internal reliability (coefficient alpha values of 0·925 and 0·720 for each factor) and test-retest reliability (ICCfactor1 = 0·895, 95% CIfactor1 = 0·869-0·918, ICCfactor2 = 0·720, 95% CIfactor2 = 0·645-0·783) of the Chinese MFIQ were excellent. A reliable and valid Chinese version of the MFIQ was constructed for the evaluation of Chinese patients with TMD after some modification of the English version of the MFIQ.

Risk factors for mortality in severe multiply injury patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the risk factors related to mortality in severe polytrauma patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From December 2011 to December 2014, we identified and intubated 524 traumatic AHRF patients in a level 1 trauma centers. Amongst those, we enrolled seventy-six severe traumatic AHRF patients with an injury severity score (ISS) over 16 and need for over 24 hour intra-tracheal mechanical ventilation for our study. Patients were followed daily to collect data about demographics, injury characteristic, diagnostic, treatment, respiratory parameters, major complications, duration of mechanical ventilation, length of stay, prevalence of major complications and 28-days mortality.

RESULTS

Of the 76 patients in our study, 61 patients were male. Patients' ages were from 15 to 78 years old (43±17) and the predominant source of trauma was road traffic accidents. Before ventilation, patients had a mean PaO2/FiO2 ratio of 108±63, pH of 7.1±0.3, PaCO2 of 54±24 mmHg, respectively. The PaO2/FiO22 ratios were significantly improved by ventilation and the average duration of ventilation was 9.63±8.74 days. There were two peak dying times and the 28-days ICU mortality rate was 28.9%. Logistic regression analysis revealed the mortality rate to be significantly higher in patients with higher APACHE II scores (odds ratio: 1.60, p=0.002), shorter intervals between injury and admission (odds ratio: -0.91, p=0.03) and between admission and ventilation (odds ratio: -1.85, p=0.012), and lower pH (odds ratio: -0.692, p=0.044). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves showed that best cut off points for mortality predictors were APACHE II scores greater than 25, time interval between injury and admission less than 2h, time interval between admission and ventilation less than 0.5h, and pH <7.16.

CONCLUSIONS

Traumatic AHRF patients requiring ventilation support show a high rate of early mortality. Greater vigilance for high APACHE II score, short time interval between injury and ventilation, low pH in traumatic AHRF patients is required.

Transgranular liquation cracking of grains in the semi-solid state

Grain refinement via semi-solid deformation is desired to obtain superior mechanical properties of cast components. Using quantitative in situ synchrotron X-ray tomographic microscopy, we show an additional mechanism for the reduction of grain size, via liquation assisted transgranular cracking of semi-solid globular microstructures. Here we perform localized indentation of Al-15wt.%Cu globular microstructures, with an average grain size of ∼480 μm, at 555 °C (74% solid fraction). Although transgranular fracture has been observed in brittle materials, our results show transgranular fracture can also occur in metallic alloys in semi-solid state. This transgranular liquation cracking (TLC) occurs at very low contact stresses (between 1.1 and 38 MPa). With increasing strain, TLC continues to refine the size of the microstructure until the grain distribution reaches log-normal packing. The results demonstrate that this refinement, previously attributed to fragmentation of secondary arms by melt-shearing, is also controlled by an additional TLC mechanism.

To obtain superior mechanical properties of cast components, grain refinement via semi-solid deformation is desirable. Here, the authors use in situ X-ray tomography to study the response of an alloy to indentation, and present a new mechanism of transgranular liquation cracking.

A morphometric study of the lumbar spinous process in the Chinese population

Our goal was to analyze the anatomical parameters of the lumbar spine spinous process for an interspinous stabilization device designed for the Chinese population and to offer an anatomical basis for its clinical application. The posterior lumbar spines (T₁₂-S₁) of 52 adult cadavers were used for measuring the following: distance between two adjacent spinous processes (DB), distance across two adjacent spinous processes (DA), thickness of the central spinous processes (TC), thickness of the superior margin of the spinous processes (TS), thickness of the inferior margin of the spinous processes (TI), and height of the spinous processes (H). Variance and correlation analyses were conducted for these data, and the data met the normal distribution and homogeneity of variance. DB decreased gradually from L_1-2 to L₅-S₁. DA increased from T₁₂-L₁ to L_2-3 and then decreased from L_2-3 to L_4-5. The largest H in males was noted at L₃ (25.45±5.96 mm), whereas for females the largest H was noted at L₄ (18.71±4.50 mm). Usually, TS of the adjacent spinous process was lower than TI. Based on the anatomical parameters of the lumbar spinous processes obtained in this study, an “H”-shaped coronal plane (posterior view) was proposed as an interspinous stabilization device for the Chinese population. This study reports morphometric data of the lumbar spinous processes in the Chinese population, which provides an anatomical basis for future clinical applications.

HOTAIR: a cancer-related long non-coding RNA

Long non-coding RNA was dismissed as merely transcriptional "noise" in the past decades. Numerous researches have shown that lncRNAs regulated gene expression at the epigenetic level. Moreover, lncRNAs played important roles in proliferation, apoptosis and invasiveness of tumor cells, and participated in metastatic capacity of cancers. Recent studies revealed HOX transcript antisense RNA, a lncRNA with regulatory functions of transcription, could bind PRC2 and LSD1/CoREST/REST complexes and direct to the specific gene sites, resulted in H3K27 methylation and H3K4 demethylation and ultimately gene silencing. Aberrant HOTAIR expression was associated with various sites of cancers such as breast, hepatocellular, gastric, colorectal, pancreatic et al; and affected survival and prognosis of cancer patients. In this review, we introduce an overall view of HOTAIR by describing the known molecular mechanisms and potential functions of HOTAIR and summarizing the latest progresses on the research of HOTAIR in various human cancers.