Glutamine relieves the hypermetabolic response and reduces organ damage in severe burn patients: A multicenter, randomized controlled clinical trial.

Background: Severe burns can cause a hypermetabolic response and organ damage. Glutamine is a conditionally essential amino acid with various pharmacological effects. In this study, whether glutamine could alleviate the hypermetabolic response and maintain organ function after burn injury was analyzed.

Thyrotrophic status in patients with pituitary stalk interruption syndrome.

Pituitary stalk interruption syndrome (PSIS) is associated with simultaneous or subsequent pituitary hormone deficiencies (PHDs). Although the clinical features of multiple PHDs are well known, the status of the thyrotrophic axis in PSIS has not been thoroughly investigated.The clinical data of 89 PSIS patients and 34 Sheehan syndrome (SS) patients were retrospectively analyzed.

Multi-genic pattern found in rare type of hypopituitarism: a whole-exome sequencing study of Han Chinese with pituitary stalk interruption syndrome.

Pituitary stalk interruption syndrome (PSIS) is a rare type of hypopituitarism manifesting various degrees of pituitary hormone deficiency. Although mutations have been identified in some familial cases, the underpinning mechanisms of sporadic patients with PSIS who are in a vast majority remain elusive, necessitating a comprehensive study using systemic approaches. We postulate that other genetic mechanisms may be responsible for the sporadic PSIS.

Diffusion-weighted imaging versus contrast-enhanced MR imaging for the differentiation of renal oncocytomas and chromophobe renal cell carcinomas.

Objectives: To compare the performance of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with that of contrast-enhanced MRI in differentiating renal oncocytomas from chromophobe renal cell carcinomas (RCCs).

Methods: We recruited 48 patients with histopathologically confirmed renal oncocytomas (n=16) and chromophobe RCCs (n=32). All patients underwent preoperative DWI and contrast-enhanced MRI.

Gastric Cancer Cell Proliferation and Survival Is Enabled by a Cyclophilin B/STAT3/miR-520d-5p Signaling Feedback Loop.

Molecular links between inflammation and cancer remain obscure despite their great pathogenic significance. The JAK2/STAT3 pathway activated by IL6 and other proinflammatory cytokines has garnered attention as a pivotal link in cancer pathogenesis, but the basis for its activation in cancer cells is not understood. Here we report that an IL6-triggered feedback loop involving STAT3-mediated suppression of miR-520d-5p and upregulation of its downstream target cyclophilin B (CypB) regulate the growth and survival of gastric cancer cells.

[Effect of shRNA-mediated CDC42 knockdown on morphology of colorectal cancer cells in vitro].

Objective: To test the effect of CDC42 (a member of Rho family of small GTPases) knockdown mediated by a CDC42 short-hairpin RNA (shRNA) on the morphology of colorectal cancer SW480 cells in vitro.

Methods: Four CDC42 siRNA fragments targeting CDC42 were designed and the most efficient siRNA for CDC42 knockdown was selected to construct the shRNA vector for transfection of colorectal cancer SW480 cells. The interference efficiency in the stably transfected cells (sw480.

Metformin inhibits thyroid cancer cell growth, migration, and EMT through the mTOR pathway.

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathways have been shown to be activated in thyroid cancer. Recent evidences have demonstrated that the antidiabetic agent metformin, an activator of 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase, can impair the proliferation and migration of cancer cells via inhibition of mTOR. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

[Mutations of fragile histidine triad gene in Peutz-Jeghers syndrome and canceration].

Background & Objective: Peutz-Jeghers syndrome (PJS) is an autosomal dominantly inherited disease. Fragile histidine triad (FHIT) gene is an important tumor suppressor gene at the fragile sites region of 3p14. The authors' previous study suggested that PJS patients might have a susceptible gene at the region of 3p14.

[Clinical study on combined treatment of shuizhi tuyuan powder and nifedipine in treating hypertension patients complicated with left ventricular hypertrophy].

Patients with essential hypertension complicated with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) confirmed by ultrasonic cardiography were divided randomly into observation group and control group. Both groups were treated with nifedipine. Shuizhi Tuyuan Powder (SZTYP, consisted of Hirudo nipponia and Eupolyphaga sinensis) was given in addition to the observation group.