Unraveling the PVT-mPFC circuit: A new frontier in chronic pain management for bone cancer pain.

Bone cancer pain (BCP) is a type of ongoing or breakthrough pain caused by a primary bone tumor or bone metastasis. BCP impairs patients' quality of life. Depending upon clinical observations, the administration of centrally acting analgesic has been associated with the alleviation of pain symptoms BCP patients.

Whole transcriptome sequencing identifies a competitive endogenous RNA network that regulates the immunity of bladder cancer.

Several types of non-coding RNAs such as circRNAs, lncRNAs, and miRNAs have been identified to regulate mRNAs through the mechanism known as the competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network. To explore the role of the ceRNA regulatory network in the immune microenvironment of bladder cancer, whole-transcriptome sequencing of bladder tumor and its peritumoral tissues from 38 bladder cancer patients, with a total of 63 samples, was performed to screen differentially expressed circ-, lnc-, mi-, and mRNAs to construct a circ/lnc-mi-mRNA regulatory network with pruning algorithms. We excavated a key immune-related gene to build the final ceRNA network as hsa-miR-107 sponged by hsa-circ-000211, AC108488.

ZnO-decorated SiC@C hybrids with strong electromagnetic absorption.

A novel strategy is provided to improve the absorption of SiC nanomaterials through surface carbonization of SiC nanowires and hydrolysis. SiC@C-ZnO composites were synthesized with different dosages of ZnNO·6HO. Composition, microstructure, and electromagnetic properties of the composites were characterized and analyzed.

FOXK1 regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition and radiation sensitivity in nasopharyngeal carcinoma via the JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway.

Background: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the most common head and neck tumor in China. Forkhead box (FOX) proteins have 19 subfamilies, which can maintain cell metabolism, regulate cell cycle and cell growth, etc. FOXK1 is a member of the FOX family, and studies have found that FOXK1 is closely related to tumors.

Primary malignant melanoma of the male urethra: a case report.

We present a rare case of a 69-year-old male patient with serendipitous urethral melanoma. He complained of dysuria and recurrent urinary retention and was initially diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Accidentally, a dark-brown pigmented macula was found in the distal urethra at the end of transurethral prostatectomy when we exited the resectoscope, transurethral resection of the nidus and sent to pathological examination showed the characteristics of melanoma.

Controllable Fabrication of SiC@C-FeO Hybrids and Their Excellent Electromagnetic Absorption Properties.

In this work, a batch of novel ternary hybrids (SiC@C-FeO), characterized by SiC nanowires core, carbon shell, and adhered FeO nanoparticles were controllably synthesized via surface carbonization of SiC followed by hydrothermal reaction. Carbon, which was derived from SiC with nanometer thickness, possesses an amorphous structure, while FeO nanoparticles are in a crystalline state. Simultaneously, the inducement of FeO nanoparticles can provide significant magnetic loss, which is well-tuned by changing the molar content of iron precursors (FeCl·6HO and FeCl·4HO).

A novel retractor for reducing operation time and radiation exposure in percutaneous pedicle screw placement.

Aim: Design a novel hand-held retractor to reduce operation time and radiation exposure in percutaneous pedicle screw placement.

Material And Methods: 126 patients with single segment thoracolumbar vertebral fracture were surgically treated with percutaneous pedicle screws through our novel hand-held retractor technique（group A） or conventional fluoroscopic method(group B), the operation time and fluoroscopy shot times were compared, and the accuracy of screw placement were assessed.

Results: There was no serious complications occurring during our study, such as infection, blood vessel injury, spinal cord or nerve root injury.

Initial Experience and Analysis of Outcomes Using the Visualized Percutaneous Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy Technique for the Treatment of Lumbar Disc Herniation.

Aim: To introduce a visual surgical concept using a retrospective comparison of the outcomes between visualized percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (V-PELD) and conventional PELD techniques.

Material And Methods: Data from 61 patients in the conventional PELD group and 55 in the V-PELD group. Data included the duration of the operation, number of intraoperative radiation exposure events, and follow-up information for 24 months.

Percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy and microsurgical laminotomy : A prospective, randomized controlled trial of patients with lumbar disc herniation and lateral recess stenosis.

Background: Sufficient decompression of the nerve root canal is still regarded as the method of choice when operating on patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) with lumbar lateral recess stenosis; however, tissue-sparing procedures are becoming more popular. Endoscopic techniques offer advantages and the benefits of rehabilitation, which have become the standard in many surgical operations when operating on the spine. A significant issue has been the upgrading of instruments to provide enough bone resection under continuous visual control.

Myrtol improves post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis by regulation of reactive oxygen species, transforming growth factor β1 and apoptosis in a mouse model.

The present study tested whether myrtol improves post-traumatic knee osteoarthritis (PTKO) by regulating the reactive oxygen species (ROS), transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) and apoptosis in a mouse model. PTKO model mice were administered with 150, 300 or 450 mg/kg myrtol for 8 weeks. ELISA analysis was used to measure tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, reactive oxygen species and TGF-β1 levels.

[EFFECTIVENESS EVALUATION OF PERCUTANEOUS MONOAXIAL SCREW COMBINED WITH INJURED VERTEBRAE POLYAXIAL PEDICAL SCREW FIXATION FOR TREATMENT OF THORACOLUMBAR FRACTURES].

Objective: To explore the effectiveness percutaneous monoaxial screw combined with polyaxial pedical screw for treating thoracolumbar fracture by comparing with simple polyaxial pedicle screw fixation.

Methods: Between January 2012 and June 2014, 56 cases of thoracolumbar fractures were treated by percutaneous pedicle screw fixation, the clinical data were retrospectively analyzed. Of 56 cases, 30 were treated with percutaneous monoaxial screw combined with percutaneous polyaxial pedical screw fixation (group A), 26 patients with only percutaneous polyaxial pedicle screw fixation (group B).

Modified minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion using a trans-multifidus approach: a safe and effective alternative to open-TLIF.

Background: Application of minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MI-TLIF) is limited by long fluoroscopy time and a steep learning curve. Herein, MI-TLIF was modified using a trans-multifidus approach, assisted by microscope, termed MMI-TLIF, and the clinical outcomes of MMI-TLIF and open-TLIF were compared.

Methods: Forty-nine patients treated with MMI-TLIF were matched with 49 subjects who underwent open-TLIF.

[Effectiveness study on minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion assisted with microscope in treatment of lumbar spondylolisthesis].

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MI-TLIF) assisted with microscope in treatment of lumbar spondylolisthesis.

Methods: Between January 2011 and June 2012, 52 patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis underwent MI-TLIF assisted with microscope. There were 29 males and 23 females with an average age of 46 years (range, 32-67 years).

[Inhibitory effect of ¹³¹I-CD133mAb combined with cisplatin on liver cancer cells in vitro and in a tumor-bearing mouse model].

Objective: To study the inhibitory effect of CD133 monoclonal antibody labeled with ¹³¹I (¹³¹I-CD133mAb) on Huh-7 human liver cancer cell line overexpressing CD133 antigen in vitro and in mouse models bearing the tumor cell xenograft.

Methods: ¹³¹I-CD133mAb was prepared by chloramines-T method and evaluated for its stability. Flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression of CD133 in Huh-7 cells and in Huh-7 cell-derived tumors, respectively.

[Amphotericin B suppresses migration and invasion of esophageal carcinoma Eca109 cells in hypoxic microenvironment by down-regulating hypoxia-inducible factor-1α activity].

Objective: To investigate the effect of amphotericinB (AmB) on migration and invasion of esophageal carcinoma Eca109 cells exposed to hypoxia and explore the molecular mechanisms.

Methods: Routinely cultured esophageal carcinoma Eca109 cells were treated with 0, 1.25, 2.

All-trans-retinoic acid promotes iodine uptake via up- regulating the sodium iodide symporter in medullary thyroid cancer stem cells.

Recently, the main therapy of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC) is surgical, but by which way there is a poor prognosis with a mean survival of only 5 years. In some cases, some researchers found that it is the medullary thyroid cancer stem cells (MTCSCs) that cause metastasis and recurrence. This study aimed to eradicate MTCSCs through administration of all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA).

Gene expression analysis in response to osmotic stimuli in the intervertebral disc with DNA microarray.

Background: Intervertebral disc (IVD) cells experience a broad range of physicochemical stimuli under physiologic conditions, including alterations in their osmotic environment. At present, the molecular mechanisms underlying osmotic regulation in IVD cells are poorly understood. This study aims to screen genes affected by changes in osmotic pressure in cells of subjects aged 29 to 63 years old, with top-scoring pair (TSP) method.

[Effectiveness of minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion assisted with microscope in treatment of lumbar degenerative disease].

Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) assisted with microscope for lumbar degenerative disease.

Methods: Retrospective analysis was made on the clinical data of 82 patients with lumbar degenerative disease (minimally invasive group) undergoing minimally invasive TLIF assisted with microscope between January 2010 and June 2011, which was compared with those of 76 patients (traditional group) undergoing traditional open TLIF. There was no significant difference in age, gender, disease duration, disease type, lesion level, preoperative visual analogue scale (VAS), and preoperative Oswestry disability index (ODI) between 2 groups (P > 0.

[Instrumented slip reduction combined with 360 degrees circumferential fusion and restoration of laminae for adult isthmic spondylolisthesis].

Objective: To evaluate the mid-term clinical outcome of instrumented slip reduction combined with 360 degrees circumferential fusion and restoration laminae for symptomatic adult isthmic spondylolisthesis.

Methods: Between October 2004 and March 2008, 44 patients with symptomatic isthmic spondylolisthesis underwent instrumented slip reduction combined with 360 degrees circumferential fusion and restoration laminae. There were 15 males and 29 females with an average age of 38.

Distraction osteogenesis technique using an intramedullary nail and a monolateral external fixator in the reconstruction of massive postosteomyelitis skeletal defects of the femur.

Background: Large skeletal defects due to postosteomyelitis are uncommon, and they present a challenging reconstructive problem. The aim of our study was to summarize our experience performing a distraction osteogenesis technique using an intramedullary nail and a monolateral external fixator in the reconstruction of massive postosteomyelitis skeletal defects of the femur.

Methods: Between January 1998 and October 2004, 17 patients with massive postosteomyelitis skeletal defects of the femur (11 men and 6 women), underwent the reconstruction procedure.