Circ_0000274 contributes to renal cell carcinoma progression by regulating miR-338-3p/NUCB2 axis and JAK1/STAT3 pathway.

Background: Kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) are at increased risk of developing renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are essential players in tumor advancement. However, the functions of circ_0000274 in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are barely explored.

Identification of serum miR-378 and miR-575 as diagnostic indicators and predicting surgical prognosis in human epilepsy.

Background: Epilepsy (EP) is a common neurological disorder which is characterized by excessive abnormal synchronization of neuronal discharges in the brain due to chronic recurrent seizures of multiple etiologies. Variety of microRNAs have been associated with the occurrence and development of EP. This study aimed to determine the aberrant expression of miR-378 and miR-575 in EP patients to validate their potential to distinguish EP from healthy patients.

Poricoic acid A (PAA) inhibits T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia through inducing autophagic cell death and ferroptosis.

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive cancer with poor clinical outcome. Poricoic acid A (PAA) is the main chemical constituent on the surface layer of the mushroom Poria cocos, and exerts protective effects against various diseases. In the study, its effects on T-ALL progression were investigated both in vitro and in vivo.

Ortho-silicic Acid Plays a Protective Role in Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis via the Akt/Bad Signal Pathway In Vitro and In Vivo.

Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) has been the most common form of secondary osteoporosis. Glucocorticoids (GCs) can induce osteocyte and osteoblast apoptosis. Plenty of research has verified that silicon intake would positively affect bone.

CircRNA hsa_circ_0018289 exerts an oncogenic role in cervical cancer progression through miR-1294/ICMT axis.

Background: circRNA hsa_circ_0018289-mediated growth and metastasis of CC cells were investigated, as well as the mechanistic pathway.

Methods: Quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was carried out to examine the expression of hsa_circ_0018289, microRNA (miR)-1294, and isoprenylcysteine carboxyl methyltransferase (ICMT). CC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were evaluated by 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) incorporation, colony formation, transwell assays, Western blot analysis of ICMT, and glycolysis-associated proteins.

Current Cigarette Smoking Is Associated With a High Seizure Frequency and Anxiety Symptoms in People With Epilepsy.

Purpose: This study aims to answer the following questions: how many people with epilepsy (PWE) have cigarette smoking habits? Which demographic or clinical characteristics are associated with cigarette smoking? Is cigarette smoking related to depressive and anxiety symptoms in PWE?

Methods: A total of 524 PWE were included in the final analysis. Demographic and clinical data were gathered and recorded. Smoking status was identified.

LncRNA XIST Engages in Psoriasis via Sponging miR-338-5p to Regulate Keratinocyte Proliferation and Inflammation.

Introduction: Psoriasis is an immune-mediated polygenic inflammatory skin disease in which keratinocyte proliferation is an important mechanism. The study investigated the role and regulatory relationship between lncRNA XIST and miR-338-5p in psoriatic patients and cell models.

Methods: Serum samples were collected from 55 psoriasis patients.

Evinacumab for the treatment of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.

Introduction: Hypercholesterolemia is mainly caused by abnormal lipoprotein metabolism and can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Angiopoietin-like protein 3 (ANGPTL3) can increase low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and other lipids by inhibiting lipoprotein lipase activity. Evinacumab is a monoclonal antibody against ANGPTL3, it can decrease levels of LDL-C and has shown potential benefit in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia (HoFH).

Detection of the disease activity with ankylosing spondylitis through intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion-weighted MR imaging of sacroiliac joint.

Objective: To explore the value of the quantitative parameter of intravoxel incoherent motion diffusion (IVIM-DWI) at 3.0 T MRI of the sacroiliac joint in differentiating different disease activity statuses of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and to compare it with traditional diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada (SPARCC) score.

Methods: 56 AS patients (active group, inactive group) and 24 healthy controls were included.

Effect of Continuous Care Combined with Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy Based on a Continuing Care Health Platform on MBI and FMA Scores of Acute Stroke Patients.

Methods: 68 acute stroke patients admitted to our hospital from July 2018 to July 2019 were selected as the study participants and divided into group A and group B based on the odd and even numbers of their admission numbers, with 34 cases in each group. Patients in group B accepted the routine rehabilitation exercise, while patients in group A accepted the continuous care combined with constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) under a health platform, so as to compare their upper limb function recovery by the Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) and improved median Barthel index (MBI).

Results: The general information of the two groups were not obviously different ( > 0.

Comparative analysis of the efficacy and accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and contrast-enhanced CT for residual and new lesions after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with primary liver cancer.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy and accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) for residual and new lesions after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with primary liver cancer (PHC).

Methods: Seventy-two PHC patients admitted to Linyi Central Hospital from May 2018 to May 2020 were selected as the study subjects, with a total of 92 lesions. All patients were treated with TACE, and were followed up at 6 months postoperatively.

Propofol induces apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by upregulating miR-134 expression.

Background: Propofol is an anesthetic used in clinical surgery. Many studies have shown that propofol has the potential to kill cancer cells; however, the mechanism by which it kills hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells remains unclear.

Methods: To examine this issue, the apoptosis change of HepG2 and Huh-7 cell lines treated with propofol were observed.

Incidence, circulation, and spatiotemporal analysis of seasonal influenza in Shandong, China, 2008-2019: A retrospective study.

Background: Understanding the influenza-like illness (ILI) incidence, circulation pattern of virus strains and spatiotemporal pattern of influenza transmission are important for designing control interventions. Based on the 10 years' surveillance data, we aimed to provide a baseline characterization and the epidemiology and dynamics of influenza virus in Shandong.

Methods: We extracted surveillance and laboratory testing data.

[Mechanism of astragaloside Ⅳ alleviating PC12 cell injury by activating PI3K/AKT signaling pathway: based on network pharmacology and in vitro experiments].

In this study, the molecular mechanism of astragaloside Ⅳ(AS-Ⅳ) in the treatment of Parkinson's disease(PD) was explored based on network pharmacology, and the potential value of AS-Ⅳ in alleviating neuronal injury in PD by activating the PI3 K/AKT signaling pathway was verified through molecular docking and in vitro experiments. Such databases as SwissTargetPrediction, BTMAN-TAM, and GeneCards were used to predict the targets of AS-Ⅳ for the treatment of PD. The Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins(STRING) was employed to analyze protein-protein interaction(PPI) and construct a PPI network, and the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery(DAVID) was used for Gene Ontology(GO) term enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis.

Clinical value of contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) combined with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for characterization and diagnosis of small nodular lesions in liver.

Objectives: To explore the clinical value of contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) combined with contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for characterization and diagnosis of small nodular lesions in the liver and investigate the association between such small nodular lesions and the degree of tumor differentiation.

Methods: Combined imaging modalities were performed on 120 patients who were admitted by Linyi Maternal and Child Health hospital from December 2018 to December 2020 and diagnosed with hepatic nodular lesions. The CT scans were interpreted by two senior imageologists while the ultrasound scans were analyzed by two senior sonographers.

Fingolimod loaded niosomes attenuates sevoflurane induced cognitive impairments.

Neurocognition is a severe, neurological challenge caused due to sevoflurane application for induction of anaesthesia. The plan of this study is to investigate the effect of fingolimod loaded niosomes on the cognitive impairment induced by sevoflurane. Span 40 and cholesterol were used in reverse phase evaporation techniques for the preparation of fingolimod -loaded niosomes.

Ginsenoside RG1 augments doxorubicin-induced apoptotic cell death in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines.

This study determined the chemosensitizing potential of ginsenoside Rg1 in triple-negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines. Ginsenoside Rg1 (10 µM) treated breast cancer cells were exposed to 8 nM of doxorubicin, and the chemosensitizing potential was measured by cell-based assays. Ginsenoside Rg1 (10 µM) treatment lowered the doxorubicin IC value to 0.

Sex-Specific Association between Antioxidant Defense System and Therapeutic Response to Risperidone in Schizophrenia: A Prospective Longitudinal Study.

Background: There are various differences in response to different antipsychotics and antioxidant defense systems (ADS) by sex. Previous studies have shown that several ADS enzymes are closely related to the treatment response of patients with antipsychotics-naïve first-episode (ANFE) schizophrenia.

Objective: Therefore, the main goal of this study was to assess the sex difference in the relationship between changes in ADS enzyme activities and risperidone response.

Effect of Cinepazide Maleate on Serum Inflammatory Factors of ICU Patients with Severe Cerebral Hemorrhage after Surgery.

Objective: To explore the effect of cinepazide maleate on serum inflammatory factors of intensive care unit (ICU) patients with severe cerebral hemorrhage after surgery.

Methods: 116 ICU patients with severe cerebral hemorrhage treated in Taian Maternal and Child Health Hospital from June 2018 to June 2020 were selected as the research objects and randomly divided into the control group and experimental group, with 58 patients in each group. The control group was given routine treatment, while the experimental group was additionally given an intravenous drip of cinepazide maleate to compare the clinical efficacy and serum inflammatory factors between the two groups.

Retracted: Aggravation of Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury by Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-Gamma Deficiency via Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress.

This paper is retracted at the author's request. Reference: Yueping Chen, Shihui Liu, Guangyong Chen: Aggravation of Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury by Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-Gamma Deficiency via Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress. Med Sci Monit, 2019; 25:7518-7526.

Hydraulic expansion facilitates remodeling of arteriovenous fistulas without increasing venous intimal hyperplasia in rabbits.

Background: An arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is considered essential for chronic hemodialysis.

Objective: To determine the effects of hydraulic expansion on the intimal hyperplasia of an AVF.

Methods: We divided 12 healthy male New Zealand white rabbits into a control group (vein without special handling and direct anastomosis with an artery, n = 6) and a hydraulic expansion group (vein dilated by hydraulic pressure before anastomosis, n = 6).