Urinary metabolic profiles during Helicobacter pylori eradication in chronic gastritis

BACKGROUND

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is a major risk factor for chronic gastritis, affecting approximately half of the global population. H. pylori eradication is a popular treatment method for H. pylori-positive chronic gastritis, but its mechanism remains unclear. Urinary metabolomics has been used to elucidate the mechanisms of gastric disease treatment. However, no clinical study has been conducted on urinary metabolomics of chronic gastritis.

AIM

To elucidate the urinary metabolic profiles during H. pylori eradication in patients with chronic gastritis.

METHODS

We applied LC-MS-based metabolomics and network pharmacology to investigate the relationships between urinary metabolites and H. pylori-positive chronic gastritis via a clinical follow-up study.

RESULTS

Our study revealed the different urinary metabolic profiles of H. pylori-positive chronic gastritis before and after H. pylori eradication. The metabolites regulated by H. pylori eradication therapy include cis-aconitic acid, isocitric acid, citric acid, L-tyrosine, L-phenylalanine, L-tryptophan, and hippuric acid, which were involved in four metabolic pathways: (1) Phenylalanine metabolism; (2) phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis; (3) citrate cycle; and (4) glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism. Integrated metabolomics and network pharmacology revealed that MPO, COMT, TPO, TH, EPX, CMA1, DDC, TPH1, and LPO were the key proteins involved in the biological progress of H. pylori eradication in chronic gastritis.

CONCLUSION

Our research provides a new perspective for exploring the significance of urinary metabolites in evaluating the treatment and prognosis of H. pylori-positive chronic gastritis patients.

[Long-term efficacy of robotic radical total gastrectomy for gastric cancer and analysis of prognostic factors]

Objective: To analyze long-term outcomes and prognostic factors of gastric cancer patients after robotic radical total gastrectomy. Methods: A retrospective case-control study was conducted. Inclusion criteria: (1) receiving robotic radical total gastrectomy; (2) gastric adenocarcinoma was confirmed by postoperative pathology; (3) no previous history of other malignant tumors; (4) no preoperative chemotherapy or radiation therapy performed. Exclusion criteria: (1) age <18 years old or age >80 years old;(2)distant metastasis before surgery, or palliative surgery; (3) conversion to laparotomy;(4) R1 or R2 resection; (5)emergency surgery; (6) remnant gastric cancer or recurrence; (7)died of severe complications during hospitalization or within 1 month after surgery. Overall survival rates (OS) and disease-free survival rates (DFS) were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox regression analysis was used to identify prognosis factors for overall survival. Results: According to the above criteria, 166 gastric cancer patients who underwent robotic radical total gastrectomy between March 2010 and November 2018 were included in this study. Roux-en-Y reconstruction was performed in all patients. Reconstruction were achieved using extracorporeal method through a minilaparotomy in 149 case and intracorporeal anastomosis in 17 cases. The number of harvested lymph nodes was (34.8±17.5), and the number of harvested lymph nodes at group 2 was (10.1±6.7). The number of patients with lymph node metastasis of group 2 was 73 (44.0%). The median follow-up time was 25 months (range 2-109). There were 55 (33.1%) cases of recurrence during follow-up. The 3- and 5-year overall survival rates were 55.8% and 46.2% respectively. The 3- and 5-year disease-free survival rates were 53.4% and 45.4% respectively. The 5-year overall survival rates grouped based on TNM stage were 78.9% for stage I, 58.5% for stage II, and 37.1% for stage III. The 5-year disease-free survival rates grouped based on TNM stage were 78.9% for stage I, 59.2% for stage II, and 34.6% for stage III. Univariate analysis suggested that TNM stage, the number of harvested lymph nodes and number of harvested lymph nodes at group 2 were associated with overall survival rates (all P<0.05). Multivariate analyses revealed that TNM stage (P<0.001; stage IIIB: HR=5.357, 95%CI:1.182 to 24.275; stage IIIC: HR=11.937, 95%CI: 2.677 to 53.226) and number of harvested lymph nodes at group 2 (P=0.034; 6-10: HR=0.562,95%CI:0.326 to 0.969; >10: HR=0.388, 95%CI: 0.176 to 0.857) were independent prognostic factors for overall survival. Conclusion: The long-term outcomes of robotic radical total gastrectomy were satisfactory. TNM stage and number of harvested lymph nodes at group 2 were independent prognostic factors for overall survival.

[Application of ultrasound for evaluation of anterosuperior acetabular labral tear]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the value of ultrasound in the diagnosis of anterosuperior acetabular labral tear.

METHODS

A total of 102 patients [(42 males and 60 females, age from 13 to 60 years, average age was (35.14±9.16) years] with suspected anterosuperior acetabular labral tear were included in this study, including 44 left hip joints and 58 right hip joints. All the patients received hip joint ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation before arthroscopy surgery. Using arthroscopy as golden standard, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy between ultrasound and MRI were calculated and compared.

RESULTS

There were 91 antero-superior acetabular labral tears of 102 patients which were confirmed during arthroscopy surgery. Sixty-nine patients were diagnosed correctly by ultrasound, including 60 anterosuperior acetabular labral tears and 9 with no acetabular labral tears, whereas 2 were false-positive and 31 were found to be false-negative. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy by ultrasound were respectively 65.93%, 81.82%, 96.77%, 22.50% and 67.65%. In contrast, seventy-seven patients were diagnosed correctly by MRI, including 70 anterosuperior acetabular labral tears and 7 with no acetabular labral tears, whereas 4 were false-positive and 21 were found to be false-negative. For MRI, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and accuracy were respectively 76.92%, 63.64%, 94.59%, 25.00% and 75.49%. The results of ultrasound and MRI were in accordance in 68 of the 102 patients. There were 51 anterosuperior acetabular labral tears of the 68 patients who were diagnosed by both ultrasound and MRI, whereas there were 17 with no acetabular labral tears of the 68 patients who were diagnosed by both ultrasound and MRI. The results of ultrasound and MRI were inconsistent in 34 of the 102 patients. In 11 of the 34 patients, in which case ultrasound diagnosed anterosuperior acetabular labral tear, MRI found no acetabular labral tear. Whereas, in 23 of the 34 patients, in which case MRI diagnosed anterosuperior acetabular labral tear, ultrasound found no acetabular labral tear. As compared with MRI findings, ultrasound had a lower accuracy for anterosuperior acetabular labral tear than MRI, there was statistical difference on the accuracy for anterosuperior acetabular labral tear (P<0.01).

CONCLUSION

Although ultrasound had a slightly lower sensitivity for anterosuperior acetabular labral tear, it had a higher specificity than MRI. Dynamic evaluation of antero-superior acetabular labral tear is an advantage of ultrasound. Ultrasound could be used as a feasible method to evaluate anterosuperior acetabular labral tear.

[Analysis of Spatial Clustering of HIV infected in men who have sex with men in Chongqing of 2004-2015]

Objective: To analyze the spatial clustering characteristics of HIV/AIDS among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Chongqing from January 2004 to December 2015 and understand the HIV/AIDS related behaviors among MSM by interview. Methods: Data related to MSM who were infected with HIV and whose present address were in Chongqing, were collected from Information System on the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control. Information included the age when the information was inputted, address, occupation, education level, and marital status. The total number of MSM who were infected with HIV and reported was 6 604 in Chongqing. Those with unknown address were ruled out. The spatial autocorrelation analysis and the local spatial autocorrelation analysis were carried out by using ArcGIS 10.3. In addition, in November 2015 and May 2016, using a convenience sampling, we conducted one-on-one interviews among 23 MSM in the Chongqing Center for Disease Control and prevention.

INCLUSION CRITERIA

Receiving voluntary counseling and testing in the urban area of Chongqing and willing to participate in the interview by oral informed consent; male and self-described as MSM. The content of the interview included basic information, sexual orientation, sexual role, the main place of making friends, the main place of sexual behavior, a long-term experience in other provinces and drug abuse. Results: The HIV/AIDS reported number in Chongqing from 2004 to 2015 showed an uptrend, except in 2010. The age distribution of 6 604 cases of HIV positive patients was mainly concentrated in the 15-34 years old, about 68.5% (4 522 cases). There was a positive spatial autocorrelation in MSM, except 2005 (Moran's I=-0.046, P=0.823), form 2004 to 2015, Global Moran's I values were 0.308, 0.254, 0.335, 0.683, 0.673, 0.558, 0.620, 0.673, 0.685, 0.654 and 0.649, respectively; all P values were <0.01. The result of local spatial autocorrelation analysis showed that high-high accumulation area development in Chongqing city was divided into two stages in 2004-2015, which were Yuzhong, Jiangbei, and Shapingba district in 2004-2007 and the expanded Jiulongpo, Nan'an, and Yubei district in 2008-2015. Qualitative interviews results revealed that the age of the respondents was 20-44, and the mainly way of making friends were using mobile phone App and internet (17 participants). Most of the participants (11 participants) were making friends in the bar. The majority of respondents would ask the friends or themselves to use condoms when meeting with them the first time (19 participants), and 8 of respondents reported that they would not use condoms when their old friends refused to use condoms. Conclusion: The HIV infected MSM mainly aged between 15-34 years old and the spatial distribution of HIV/AIDS among MSM was clustered in economically developed main area in Chongqing. MSM began to make friends on the Internet, and could not adhere to using condom, which indicated that we should focus on internet intervention to find more efficacious interventions.

Associations between three common MicroRNA polymorphisms and hepatocellular carcinoma risk in Chinese

AIM

Associations between polymorphisms in miR-146aG>C, miR-196a2C>T and miR-499A>G and risk of HCC, and interaction with HBV infection in a Chinese population, were the target of the present research.

METHODS

The duplex polymerase-chain-reaction with confronting-two-pair primers (PCR-RFLP) was performed to determine the genotypes of the miR-146aG>C, miR-196a2C>T and miR-499A>G genotypes. Associations of polymorphisms with the risk of HCC were estimated by conditional logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

Drinking, family history of cancer, HBsAg and HCV were risk factors for HCC. Multivariate regression analyses showed that subjects carrying the miR-196a2 CC genotype had significantly increased risk of HCC, with an adjusted OR (95% CI) of 2.18 (1.23-3.80). In addition, cases carrying the miR-196a2 C allele had a 1.64-fold increase in the risk for HCC (95%CI=1.03-2.49). The miR-196a CT and TT genotypes greatly significantly increased the risk of HCC in subjects with HBV infection, with adjusted ORs (95% CI) of 2.02 (1.12-3.68) and 2.69 (1.28-5.71), respectively.

CONCLUSION

Our results demonstrate that miR-196a2 CC genotype and C allele have an important role in HCC risk in Chinese, especially in patients with HBV infection.

Expression of aquaporin 8 and its relationship with melanosis coli

BACKGROUND

The relationship between melanosis coli (MC) and aquaporin 8 (AQP8) has not yet been elucidated. The aim of this research was to investigate the relationship between the expression of AQP8 and the pathological mechanism of MC.

METHODS

Expression of AQP8 was detected by immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 37 MC colon tissues and 13 control colon tissues. Global gene expression analysis was also used to identify differently expressed genes. Its relationship with MC was analyzed by SPSS 11.5 statistical software.

RESULTS

The positive rate of AQP8 expression detected by immunohistochemistry in the MC group was 24.3% (9/37), significantly lower than the 69.2% (9/13) in the control group (P < 0.05). The relative expression level of AQP8 in MC group was 0.639 ± 0.160, lower than 0.921 ± 0.148 of controls (P < 0.05). Global gene expression analysis showed that AQP8 mRNA expression was downregulated in MC patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The decreased AQP8 expression in MC patients indicates that chronic use of laxatives containing anthraquinone may cause reduced water absorption. The expression of AQP8 may be related to MC.

Expression of matrix metalloproteinases 2 and 9 and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase 1 and 2 in inflammation-induced corneal neovascularization

PURPOSE

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMPs) have been linked to the angiogenic process in general. In order to understand the potential roles of MMP-2, MMP-9 and TIMPs in the corneal neovascularization process, we examined the expression and activities of MMP-2, MMP-9 and TIMPs during the course of cauterization-induced corneal neovascularization in a rat model.

METHODS

Neovascularization of rat corneas was induced by silver nitrate cauterization. The expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 was examined by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. The protein activities of MMPs and TIMPs were compared in pre- and postcauterization corneas by gelatin zymography and reverse zymography, respectively.

RESULTS

MMP-2, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 immunoreactivities were expressed in normal corneas, predominantly in the corneal epithelium. After injury, immunoreactivities of both MMPs and TIMPs were increased, notably in the healing corneal epithelium, infiltrating inflammatory cells, stromal fibroblasts and ingrowing vascular endothelial cells. The increase in gross MMP-2 enzymatic activity paralleled the maximal vascular ingrowth on day 4, while the gross MMP-9 enzymatic activity rose immediately on day 1, then decreased steadily, which paralleled the magnitude of inflammatory cell infiltration. The immunoreactivity of MMPs/TIMPs decreased significantly 2 weeks after cauterization. On day 35, MMP-2, TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 staining was seen only in corneal epithelium and vascular endothelial cells. Both the RT-PCR and reverse zymography results revealed a more constant expression of TIMP-2, while the TIMP-1 expression appeared to be more inducible.

CONCLUSION

MMPs as well as TIMPs were upregulated in cauterization-induced corneal neovascularization, suggesting that both may participate in extracellular matrix remodeling in the corneal wound healing, inflammation and neovascularization processes.

[Experimental study of the 50% damage threshold of Nd:YAG laser on IOL]

The 50% damage threshold (DT50) of Nd:YAG laser was determined for IOLs of PMMA (lathed or molded), silicone and glass. The laser resistances in increasing order were silicone 79.22 gW/cm2, glass 100.82 gW/cm2, lathed PMMA 115.23 gW/cm2 and molded PMMA 142.49 gW/cm2. The authors recommended that only dosages below the DT50 be used in posterior capsulotomy to minimize the risk of IOL damage. The various laser damage patterns on IOL were studied by scanning electron microscopy.