Folate-Functionalized Lipid Nanoemulsion to Deliver Chemo-Radiotherapeutics Together for the Effective Treatment of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

Aim of the investigation was to develop folate-functionalized lipid nanoemulsion (LNE) comprising chemo-radiotherapeutics for targeted delivery to nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Soy lecithin nanoemulsion of doxorubicin (Dox) and yittrium-90 (90Y) was prepared by nanoprecipitation using ultrasonic homogenization technique followed by folic acid conjugation. Nanoemulsion (Dox-LNE) was characterized as positively charged (zeta potential), spherical shape (transmission electron microscopy) nano-droplets of uniform size distribution (polydispersity index).

Chloroquine-enhanced efficacy of cisplatin in the treatment of hypopharyngeal carcinoma in xenograft mice.

Hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HSCC) has the worst prognosis among head and neck cancers. Cisplatin (DDP)-based chemotherapy is an important part of multimodal treatments. However, resistance to DDP severely impairs the effectiveness of chemotherapy for HSCC.

Aberrant methylation and expression of DAPk1 in human hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Conclusion: These findings indicate that in hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HSCC), hypermethylation and down-regulation of death-associated protein kinase-1 (DAPk1) are common events, which are associated with a poor prognosis.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the methylation and expression of DAPk1, a tumor suppressor gene, in HSCC, and explore its clinical significance.

Methods: The tumor and adjacent non-tumor tissues were collected from 53 patients with HSCC.

Decreased calcium-activated potassium channels by hypoxia causes abnormal firing in the spontaneous firing medial vestibular nuclei neurons.

Vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI) presents complex varied clinical symptoms, including vertigo and hearing loss. Little is known, however, about how Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channel attributes to the medial vestibular nucleus (MVN) neural activity in VBI. To address this issue, we performed whole-cell patch clamp and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to examine the effects of hypoxia on neural activity and the changes of the large conductance Ca(2+) activated K(+) channels (BKCa channels) in the MVN neurons in brain slices of male C57BL/6 mice.

Reduced growth and proliferation dynamics of nasal epithelial stem/progenitor cells in nasal polyps in vitro.

Basal cells in nasal epithelium have stemness/progenitor characters and play essential roles in the epithelial remodeling in nasal polyps (NP). We investigate whether the human nasal epithelial stem/progenitor cells (hNESPCs) from patients with NP are inherently distinct from those obtained from healthy controls. Epithelial basal cells were isolated and cultured for four passages from NP tissues and control nasal mucosa.

Subtotal facial nerve decompression in preventing further recurrence and promoting facial nerve recovery of severe idiopathic recurrent facial palsy.

The objective of the study is to document the role of subtotal facial nerve decompression in preventing further recurrence and promoting facial nerve recovery of severe idiopathic recurrent facial palsy. Twenty-two cases with idiopathic recurrent facial palsy, which had over 95% degeneration of facial nerve on electroneurography, were included in the study, among which 12 accepting subtotal facial nerve decompression were involved in surgery group, and 10 who refused surgery and received prednisolone were classified into control group. The recurrence of facial palsy and facial nerve recovery was compared.

[Surgical treatment of advanced laryngeal cancer with preservation of laryngeal function].

Objective: To explore the surgical methods for advanced laryngeal cancer and long term effects of laryngectomy.

Methods: Two hundred and thirty-eight cases of laryngeal cancer at different stages, including 103 cases with supraglottic cancer, 118 cases with glottic cancer, 3 cases with subglottic cancer, and 14 cases with recurrent cancer, underwent different kinds of operation from 2000 to 2010. The TNM classifications were as follows: T3 168 cases, T4 70 cases.

Down-regulation of EMP1 is associated with epithelial hyperplasia and metaplasia in nasal polyps.

Aims: The aim of this study was to assess protein and mRNA expression of epithelial membrane protein 1 (EMP1) in the nasal mucosa of patients with nasal polyps (NP), and to determine what changes occur in response to glucocorticosteroid (GC) treatment.

Methods And Results: NP tissue was obtained from 55 patients, 18 of whom were treated with nasal GCs (i.e.

Aberrant expression of Beclin-1 and LC3 correlates with poor prognosis of human hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Background: Beclin-1, a key regulator of autophagy. Microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3), is involved in autophagsome formation during autophagy. The autophagic genes beclin-1 and LC3 paly an important role in the development and progression of tumor.

The Expression of SIRT1 and DBC1 in Laryngeal and Hypopharyngeal Carcinomas.

Rationale And Objective: Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) plays an important role in tumorigenesis and is increased in many human tumors. DBC1 is a negative regulator of SIRT1 via promotion of p53-mediated apoptosis. It is necessary to investigate the expression of SIRT1 and DBC1 in laryngeal and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (LSCC and HSCC) and its correlation with available clinical parameters.

Extracellular acidic pH-activated, outward rectifying chloride currents can be regulated by reactive oxygen species in human THP-1 monocytes.

Extracellular acidic pH-activated chloride channels (ICl,acid) have been found in a variety of mammalian cells. In the present study, the expression and regulation of ICl,acid were investigated in THP-1 cells. Patch clamp recordings demonstrated that an extracellular acidic solution induced an outward rectified current, which could be blocked by the Cl(-) channel blocker.

G1/S-specific cyclin-D1 might be a prognostic biomarker for patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Objective: To investigate the prognostic role of antigen KI-67 (Ki-67) and G1/S-specific cyclin-D1 (cyclin-D1) in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC).

Methods: Immunohistochemical staining (IHS) was used to determine the protein expression of Ki-67 and cyclin-D1 in LSCC tissues. Kaplan-Meier survival curves was calculated with reference to Ki-67 and cyclin-D1 levels.

Role of centromere protein H and Ki67 in relapse-free survival of patients after primary surgery for hypopharyngeal cancer.

Purpose: Centromere protein H (CENP-H) and Ki67 are overexpressed in some malignancies, but whether they are predictors of survival after primary resection for hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HSCC) remains unknown.

Methods: We assessed immunohistochemical expression of CENP-H and Ki67 in 112 HSCC specimens collected between March 2003 and March 2005 for analysis by clinical characteristics. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze relapse-free survival and logistic multivariate regression to determine risk factors of relapse-free survival.

[Transnasal endoscopic repair of cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea].

Objective: To present the surgical technique and clinical effect of transnasal endoscopic repair of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea.

Methods: From 1996 to 2010, 54 patients with CSF rhinorrhea were treated with intranasal endoscopic surgery, including 25 patients with traumatic CSF rhinorrhea, 17 patients with spontaneous CSF rhinorrhea, and 12 patients with iatrogenic CSF rhinorrhea. The temporalis muscle, temporalis fascial, middle turbinate mucosa, nasal septum mucosa, inferior turbinate mucosa, fascia lata, leg muscle, abdominal fat, uncinate process mucosa and sinus mucosa were used to repair the fistulae.

Altered expression of miR-21 and PTEN in human laryngeal and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the expression of mir-21 and phosphatase and tensin homologue (PTEN) in laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas (LSCCs) and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (HSCCs), and assess correlations between the two as well as with clinical characteristics of patients.

Methods: The expression of mir-21 in tumor and adjacent non-tumor tissues was investigated by real-time RT-PCR. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was carried out to analyze PTEN protein levels.

HOGG1 Ser326Cys polymorphism and susceptibility to head and neck cancer: a meta-analysis.

Purpose: Several research groups have investigated the influence of the human 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase 1 (hOGG1) Ser326Cys polymorphism on head and neck cancer (HNC) susceptibility. However, the results remain inconclusive and controversial. We therefore conducted the present meta-analysis.

XPA A23G polymorphism and susceptibility to cancer: a meta-analysis.

Xeroderma pigmentosum group A (XPA) participates in modulating recognition of DNA damage during the DNA nucleotide excision repair process. The XPA A23G polymorphism has been investigated in case-control studies to evaluate the cancer risk attributed to the variant, but the results were conflicting. To clarify the effect of XPA A23G polymorphism in cancer risk, we conducted a meta-analysis that included 30 published case-control studies.

Anesthesiologist's knowledge and attitudes about obstructive sleep apnea: a survey study.

Objective: The objectives of this study were to measure the anesthesiologists' knowledge and attitudes about OSA and assess the need for additional educational programs focusing on OSA.

Methods: The Obstructive Sleep Apnea Knowledge and Attitude Questionnaire (OSAKA) developed by Helena Metal was translated into Chinese and distributed to anesthesiologists from Shandong Province. Anesthesiologists completed the OSAKA questionnaire containing sections regarding knowledge (18 items) and attitudes about OSA (5 items).

Preservation of laryngeal functions in surgical treatment of pyriform sinus carcinoma.

Conclusion: The tumor's grade, rather than the tumor's location, was related to the opportunity of preserving laryngeal functions in patients with pyriform sinus cancer. The survival rate decreased significantly with the increase of tumor grade or node grade. Preservation of laryngeal functions is a safe and promising method without compromising the survival rate of patients with pyriform sinus cancer.

[Comprehensive treatment of 352 cases with hypopharyngeal cancer].

Objective: To review the experience of different surgical construction methods and comprehensive treatments for hypopharyngeal cancer.

Methods: Three hundred and fifty-two cases (According to UICC 2002 criteria, stage I, 3; II, 31; III, 134; IV, 184) with hypopharyngeal cancer were retrospectively reviewed from 1999 to 2005 in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, including 321 males and 31 females. The median age was 58 years old, ranged from 26 to 82 years old.

[Determination of isoguanosine in Semen Crotonis Tiglii by high-performance liquid chromatography].

Objective: To develop a high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of isoguanosine in Semen Crotonis Tiglii.

Methods: The determination was done by using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with a Hedera ODS-2 column (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm).

Identification of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon 20 single nucleotide polymorphism in Chinese squamous cell carcinoma of head and neck (SCCHN).

Conclusion: The 78th single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in exon 20 of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) might be a predictor of the clinical course of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN), and genetic predisposition could influence the progression of SCCHN in Chinese subjects.

Objective: To analyze the clinical significance of EGFR SNP in Chinese SCCHN patients.

Materials And Methods: Direct sequencing of exons 18-21 was used to analyze somatic mutations of EGFR.