Mechanisms and treatment of atherosclerosis: focus on macrophages.

Macrophages are the basic mediators and coordinators of various types of chronic inflammation and play a crucial role in the formation and development of atherosclerosis (AS). In the complex microenvironment of atherosclerotic plaques, macrophages of different sources are exposed to different signal stimuli and thus polarized into various subpopulations. Various types of macrophages with predominantly M1 and M2 phenotypes also play different regulatory roles in the initiation and progression of AS.

Two different mutational types of familial gastrointestinal stromal tumors: Two case reports.

Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and cases of GISTs tend to be of the disseminated type, with a global incidence of 10 to 15 cases/million each year. The rarer familial GISTs, which often represent a population, differ in screening, diagnosis, and treatment. Familial GISTs include primary familial GISTs with predominantly KIT/PDGFRA mutations and wild-type GISTs.

Advances in immunotherapy of M2 macrophages and gastrointestinal stromal tumor.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are the most common mesenchymal-derived tumors of the GI tract. They can occur throughout the GI tract, and the survival time of some patients can be improved by first-line targeted therapy with imatinib. However, there are some limitations with imatinib treatment.

Recent developments in antibacterial or antibiofilm compound coating for biliary stents.

Cholestasis of the indwelling biliary stents usually leads to stone recurrence after endoscopic retrograde cholangio pancreatoraphy (ERCP). Biliary stents, including metallic and none-degradable plastic stents are widely used in clinical settings due to their many excellent properties. However, conventional biliary stents still suffer from poor antibacterial activity and anti-bile-adhesion, which lead to injured, local fibroblasts proliferating.

Can T-tube drainage be replaced by primary suture technique in laparoscopic common bile duct exploration? A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Although laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LCBDE) is considered the best treatment and has the advantages of being minimally invasive for common bile duct (CBD) stones, the choice of T-tube drainage (TTD) or primary duct closure (PDC) after LCBDE is still controversial. Therefore, the aim of the study was to compare the superiority of PDC versus TTD after LCBDE for choledocholithiasis.

Methods: All potential studies which compare the surgical effects between PDC with TTD were electronically searched for in PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane library databases up to November 2019.

Prognostic impact of preoperative neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio for surgically resected gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was shown to be prognostic value in various malignancies. There are limited data about predictive or prognostic role of NLR during gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) patients. This study evaluated the prognostic significance of preoperative NLR in patients with GIST.

In vitro and in vivo antitumor activity of neochlorogenic acid in human gastric carcinoma cells are complemented with ROS generation, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and apoptosis induction.

Purpose: The main aim of the study was to evaluate in vitro and in vivo the anticancer and apoptotic effects of neochlorogenic acid in human gastric carcinoma cell death and the underlying mechanism of apoptosis induction, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), m-TOR/PI3K/AKT signalling pathway, cell migration and cell invasion suppression.

Methods: Fluorescence microscopy using DAPI and annexin V/PI staining in combination with flow cytometry was used to study the apoptotic effects induced by neochlorogenic acid on gastric cancer cells. The effects on ROS and MMP were studied by flow cytometry.

Efficacy and safety of laparoscopic holmium laser lithotripsy in the treatment of complicated biliary calculus: A PRISMA-compliant systematic reviews and meta-analysis.

Backgroud: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of laparoscopic holmium laser lithotripsy (LHLL) in the treatment of complicated biliary calculus.

Methods: We systematically searched the electronic database (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane library, Web of science, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database) up to May 2018 to identify case-controlled studies that compared LHLL with laparoscopic bile duct exploration (LBDE) for complicated biliary calculus.

Results: Five case-controlled studies were included, with 541 patients (273 in the LHLL group and 268 in the LBDE group).

[Effect of colon cancer cell-derived IL-1α on the migration and proliferation of vascular endothelial cells].

Objective: To explore the effect of colon cancer cell-derived interleukin-1α on the migration and proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells as well as the role of IL-1α and IL-1ra in the angiogenesis process.

Methods: Western blot was used to detect the expression of IL-1α and IL-1R1 protein in the colon cancer cell lines with different liver metastatic potential. We also examined how IL-1α and IL-1ra influence the proliferation and migration of umbilical vascular endothelial cells assessed by PreMix WST-1 assay and migration assay, respectively.

Prognostic value of MAGE-A9 expression in patients with colorectal cancer.

MAGE-A9 is a novel member of the melanoma-associated antigen (MAGE) family and is expressed in testicular cancer. The present study investigated MAGE-A9 expression as a potential biomarker in colorectal cancer (CRC). Immunohistochemical analysis was used to determine the expression of MAGE-A9 in 201 cases CRC tissues.

Association of Romo1 gene genetic polymorphisms with risk of gastric cancer in northwestern Chinese population.

Increased expression of reactive oxygen species modulator 1 protein-triggered reactive oxygen species production was reported in the mitochondria of various cancer cell lines. To date there is no report on association between Romo1 gene polymorphisms and gastric cancer risk. To investigate the relationship between Romo1 gene polymorphisms and GC risk, we conducted a case-control study in a population from northwest China (358 GC patients and 412 healthy controls).

Lack of Association of the CD247 SNP rs2056626 with Systemic Sclerosis in Han Chinese.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a complex disease involving multiple genetic factors. A recent genome-wide association study (GWAS) indicated that CD247 was strongly associated with SSc, which was subsequently confirmed in a SSc cohort of European population. However, genetic heterogeneity in different ethnic populations may significantly impact the complex trait of SSc.

Perioperative immunonutrition for gastrointestinal cancer: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Background: To improve the clinical outcome, immunonutrition (IN) was usually used in the patients undergoing elective gastrointestinal caner surgery. However, its effectiveness remains uncertain.

Methods: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between 1995 and 2011 were identified and extracted by two reviewers independently from electronic databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library.

Octreotide for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of octreotide in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma participants on the basis of randomized controlled trials.

Methods: We searched the Cochrane Center Register of Controlled Trials in The Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, China Journal Full-text Database, Chinese Scientific Journals Database up to June 2008 in any language. Randomized controlled trials of octreotide for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma were selected and evaluated by two investigators.