Loss of long noncoding RNA FOXF1-AS1 regulates epithelial-mesenchymal transition, stemness and metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer cells.

Although recent evidence shows that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in the regulation of gene expression and cancer progression, the understanding of the role of lncRNAs in lung cancer metastasis is still limited. To identify novel lncRNAs in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), we profile NSCLC tumor and matched normal samples using GeneChip® Human Gene 2.0 ST Array, which provides the most accurate, sensitive, and comprehensive measurement of protein coding and lncRNA transcripts.

The preoperative incidence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and its correlation with postoperative DVT in patients undergoing elective surgery for femoral neck fractures.

Introduction: Data on the incidence of preoperative deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in patients, who are waiting for elective hip replacement for femoral neck fractures, are limited. Our primary goal was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of preoperative DVT in acute hip fracture patients awaiting hemi- or total hip arthroplasty using venography. The secondary objective was to find a possible relationship between preoperative and postoperative DVT.

A novel polymorphism in protein kinase AMP-activated catalytic subunit alpha 2 (PRKAA2) is associated with type 2 diabetes in the Han Chinese population.

Background: It has been proposed that the energy-sensing enzyme AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a key agent in the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The gene encoding protein kinase AMP-activated catalytic subunit alpha 2 (PRKAA2) is located at one of the Asian T2DM loci (1p32). Therefore, the aim of the present study was to test for the association of common variants in PRKAA2 with T2DM in the Han Chinese population.

Incidence and risk factors of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) after total hip or knee arthroplasty: a retrospective study with routinely applied venography.

Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) after total hip or knee arthroplasty is relatively common and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, presenting a large clinical burden. The objective of this study was to investigate the incidence and risk factors for DVT after total joint arthroplasty. This retrospective review was conducted in a single institution.

Glucocorticoid impairs cell-cell communication by autophagy-mediated degradation of connexin 43 in osteocytes.

Osteocytes comprising over 90% of the bone cell population are highly susceptible to the adverse effects of glucocorticoids (GC) administration. Here we observed that Dexamethasone (Dex) induces a robust cytoskeleton rearrangement and decreases Cx43 protein expression in osteocyte-like MLO-Y4 cells. Using a Dmp1Cre-mT/mG osteocyte ex vivo culture system, we found significant shortening of dendritic processes in primary osteocytes following Dex administration.

Efficacy and safety of endoscopic submucosal dissection for elderly patients with superficial squamous esophageal neoplasms.

Background: Little is known about the outcomes of endoscopic submucosal dissection in elderly patients with superficial squamous esophageal neoplasms.

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of endoscopic submucosal dissection for superficial squamous esophageal neoplasms in elderly patients (≥65 years) compared with non-elderly patients.

Methods: All patients with superficial squamous esophageal neoplasms receiving endoscopic submucosal dissection were retrospectively analyzed.

Metabolic Syndrome and Deep Vein Thrombosis After Total Knee and Hip Arthroplasty.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MS), defined as obesity, hypertension, hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia, is prevalent among patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty (TJA). MS has proven to promote a proinflammatory and prothrombotic state in patients. Venous thromboembolism is one of the major complications of TJA.

L-Tetrahydropalmatine alleviates mechanical hyperalgesia in models of chronic inflammatory and neuropathic pain in mice.

Chronic pain is categorized as inflammatory and neuropathic, and there are common mechanisms underlying the generation of each pain state. Such pain is difficult to treat and the treatment at present is inadequate. Corydalis yanhusuo is a traditional Chinese medicine with demonstrated analgesic efficacy in humans.

The incidence of deep venous thrombosis before arthroscopy among patients suffering from high-energy knee trauma.

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to analyse the incidence of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) before knee arthroscopy in patients who had sustained high-energy knee injuries.

Method: This study included 64 patients who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery as a result of injury from a traffic accident or a high fall. Venography was performed on the injured leg of each patient before arthroscopy.

BAP1 suppresses lung cancer progression and is inhibited by miR-31.

BRCA1-associated protein-1 (BAP1) is an important nuclear-localized deubiquitinating enzyme that serves as a tumor suppressor in lung cancer; however, its function and its regulation are largely unknown. In this study, we found that BAP1 protein levels were dramatically diminished in lung cancer tissues while its mRNA levels did not differ significantly, suggesting that a post-transcriptional mechanism was involved in BAP1 regulation. Because microRNAs (miRNAs) are powerful post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression, we used bioinformatic analyses to search for miRNAs that could potentially bind BAP1.

(+)-Borneol attenuates oxaliplatin-induced neuropathic hyperalgesia in mice.

Common chemotherapeutic agents such as oxaliplatin often cause neuropathic pain during cancer treatment in patients. Such neuropathic pain is difficult to treat and responds poorly to common analgesics, which represents a clinical challenge. (+)-Borneol, a bicyclic monoterpene present in the essential oil of plants, is used for analgesia and anesthesia in traditional Chinese medicine.

[Analysis for differences in clinical and radiologic findings between patients with cryptogenic organizing pneumonia and connective tissue disorder related organizing pneumonia].

Objective: To investigate the difference in clinical features and radiologic findings between patients with cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP) and connective tissue disorder related organizing pneumonia (CTD-OP).

Methods: A total of 30 subjects with COP and 22 subjects with CTD-OP collected from 2005 to 2013 were retrospectively reviewed in the Affiliated Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, and the diagnosis of all patients were confirmed by lung biopsy.

Results: The common underlying diseases in patients with CTD-OP were Sjogren syndrome(SS), poly-/dermatomyositis(PM/DM), rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Metabolomics and its application to the evaluation of the efficacy and toxicity of traditional Chinese herb medicines.

Traditional Chinese herb medicines (TCHMs) have been used in the treatment of a variety of diseases for thousands of years in Asian countries. The active components of TCHMs usually exert combined synergistic therapeutic effects on multiple targets, but with less potential therapeutic effect based on routine indices than Western drugs. These complex effects make the assessment of the efficacy of TCHMs and the clarification of their underlying mechanisms very challenging, and therefore hinder their wider application and acceptance.

Elevated sL1-CAM levels in BALF and serum of IPF patients.

Background And Objective: IPF is a form of interstitial pneumonia of unknown origin that has a poor prognosis for which current treatments are limited. Recent studies have shown that EMT plays a role in IPF and tumour metastasis. L1-CAM has also been linked to EMT during tumour development and tumour metastasis.

Does intermittent pneumatic compression increase the risk of pulmonary embolism in deep venous thrombosis after joint surgery?

The present study aimed to identify the incidence and risk factors of symptomatic pulmonary embolism and evaluate the safety of early intermittent pneumatic compression application in patients with deep venous thrombosis (DVT) after joint surgery. A total of 144 patients with DVT undergoing joint surgery were divided into two groups according to the appearance of symptomatic pulmonary embolism. Venography and computed tomographic pulmonary angiography were utilized as the assessment methods.

Deep venous thrombosis in the nonoperated leg after primary major lower extremity arthroplasty: a retrospective study based on diagnosis using venography.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common complication after major orthopedic surgery. However, the reported rates of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) vary widely. Our aim was to study the incidence of DVT in the nonoperated leg after primary major lower extremity arthroplasty using bilateral venography.

The incidence of venous thromboembolism following total knee arthroplasty: a prospective study by using computed tomographic pulmonary angiography in combination with bilateral lower limb venography.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE), presenting as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism, is one of the major complications following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We conducted this prospective observational study to identify the prevalence of VTE among patients undergoing TKA by using computed tomographic pulmonary angiography in combination with bilateral lower limb venography. We enrolled consecutive patients admitted to our institution for primary unilateral TKA from September 2013 to July 2014.

Localized lower extremity ischemic preconditioning prevents against local thrombus formation.

Background: Ischemic preconditioning (IPC) has many beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system. However, whether localized lower extremity IPC could be protective against the thrombogenic activity generated by lower extremity ischemia is unclear.

Material And Methods: 41 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to either a IPC group or a sham group.

Association between telomere length and survival in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Background And Objective: Short telomere is a crucial risk factor for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). However, little is known about the association between baseline telomere length and survival in IPF. We aimed to determine whether telomere length is associated with survival of IPF.

Editorial on the original article entitled "3D printing of composite calcium phosphate and collagen scaffolds for bone regeneration" published in the Biomaterials on February 14, 2014.

The paper entitled "3D printing of composite calcium phosphate and collagen scaffolds for bone regeneration" published in the Biomaterials recently illuminated the way to make particular scaffolds with calcium phosphate (CaP) powder, phosphoric acid, type I collagen and Tween 80 in low temperature. After the optimal concentration of each component was determined, the scaffolds were evaluated in a critically sized murine femoral defect model and exhibited good material properties. We made some related introduction of materials applied in 3D printing for bone tissue engineering based on this article to demonstrate the current progress in this field of study.

miR-16 promotes the apoptosis of human cancer cells by targeting FEAT.

Background: Although human cancers have heterogeneous combinations of altered oncogenes, some crucial genes are universally dysregulated in most cancers. One such gene, FEAT (faint expression in normal tissues, aberrant overexpression in tumors), is uniformly overexpressed in a variety of human cancers and plays an important role in tumorigenesis by suppressing apoptosis. However, the precise molecular mechanism through which FEAT is upregulated during tumorigenesis remains largely unknown.

Polymorphism in the transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) gene is associated with impaired proinsulin conversion--A meta-analysis.

Aims: Available evidence supports the emerging hypothesis that the T-Allele of the transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) rs7903146 may be associated with the risk of impaired proinsulin conversion, but no consensus was available up to now.

Methods: A computer-based search of electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library) and reference lists of relevant articles was carried out, and then 19 studies involving 15830 subjects were identified. The combined weighted mean difference (WMD) and their corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated by a fixed or random effect.

MicroRNA-223 delivered by platelet-derived microvesicles promotes lung cancer cell invasion via targeting tumor suppressor EPB41L3.

Background: Patients with hematogenous metastatic lung cancer displayed significantly increased platelet count and aggregation compared to lung cancer patients without hematogenous metastasis. The mechanism underlying the correlation between the lung cancer hematogenous metastasis and platelet activation remains unknown.

Results: In the present study, we explored the role of microRNA-223 (miR-223) derived from platelets in modulating lung cancer cell invasion.

Influence of intra-articular administration of trichostatin a on autologous osteochondral transplantation in a rabbit model.

Autologous osteochondral transplantation (AOT) is a method for articular cartilage repair. However, several disadvantages of this method have been reported, such as transplanted cartilage degeneration and the lack of a connection between the grafted and adjacent cartilage tissues. To evaluate the effect of intra-articular administration of trichostatin A (TSA) on AOT, we conducted a case control study in a rabbit model.