[Significance of peripheral perfusion index in early diagnosis and goal-directed therapy of septic shock patients: a prospective single-blind randomized controlled trial].

Objective: To investigate the application of peripheral perfusion index (PPI) in early diagnosis and goal-directed therapy of septic shock, and to provide reference for the early clinical diagnosis and treatment of septic shock.

Methods: A prospective single-blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted. Adult patients with sepsis admitted to emergency medical department and intensive care unit (ICU) of the First People's Hospital of Lianyungang City in Jiangsu Province from January 2013 to December 2016 were enrolled.

Effect of Single Intra-cutaneous Injection for Acute Thoracic Herpes Zoster and Incidence of Postherpetic Neuralgia.

The therapeutic effect of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is often disappointing and challenging. The role of intra-cutaneous injection of local anesthetic and steroids in preventing PHN remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a single intra-cutaneous injection of ropivacaine plus methylprednisolone on acute thoracic herpes zoster (HZ) pain intensity and duration, eruptive duration, and PHN incidence.

Hypoxia-induced miR-214 expression promotes tumour cell proliferation and migration by enhancing the Warburg effect in gastric carcinoma cells.

miR-214 is an important oncomiRNA and is upregulated in various types of cancer, including gastric cancer. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the ectopic expression and function of miR-214 in gastric cancer is largely undefined. In this study, we found that miR-214 induces the Warburg effect and promotes the migration and proliferation of human gastric cancer cells.

Estrogen regulates stemness and senescence of bone marrow stromal cells to prevent osteoporosis via ERβ-SATB2 pathway.

Decline of pluripotency in bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) associated with estrogen deficiency leads to a bone formation defect in osteoporosis. Special AT-rich sequence binding protein 2 (SATB2) is crucial for maintaining stemness and osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs. However, whether SATB2 is involved in estrogen-deficiency associated-osteoporosis is largely unknown.

Effect of dexmedetomidine as an adjuvant to ropivacaine for wound infiltration in patients undergoing open gastrectomy: A prospective randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: The primary objective of this study was to investigate whether dexmedetomidine could potentiate the analgesic efficacy of ropivacaine, when added to ropivacaine for wound infiltration in patients undergoing open gastrectomy.

Methods: Fifty patients scheduled for open gastrectomy were divided into 2 equal groups that were received wound infiltration using 20 mL 0.3% ropivacaine plus 2 mL normal saline (group R) or 20 mL 0.

Quantitative sensory testing for assessment of somatosensory function in human oral mucosa: a review.

Objective: This narrative review provides an overview of the quantitative sensory testing (QST) to assess somatosensory function in human oral mucosa.

Material And Methods: A literature search was conducted in the PubMed database to identify studies in vivo on human oral mucosa using QST methods. A list of 149 articles was obtained and screened.

Magnetic Solid-Phase Extraction Using FeO@SiO Magnetic Nanoparticles Followed by UV-Vis Spectrometry for Determination of Paraquat in Plasma and Urine Samples.

A rapid and simple method was optimized and validated for the separation and quantification of paraquat, a frequently used herbicide and a leading cause of fatal poisoning worldwide, at trace levels with UV-Vis spectrophotometry in plasma and urine samples by direct magnetic solid-phase extraction. FeO@SiO nanoparticles (NPs) were used as the magnetic solid-phase extraction agents and the paraquat absorbed on NPs was eluted using NaOH and ascorbic acid. Upon optimization, paraquat could be extracted and concentrated from various samples by 35-fold.

[Clinical and Pathologic Features of Myeloid Sarcoma].

Objective: To explore the clinicopathologic features, differential diagnosis and therapy of myeloid sarcoma.

Methods: The clinical data including clinical manifestations, laboratorial tests, histopathologicical examination, immunohistochemistry and clinical prognosis of 10 patients with myeloid sarcoma were analyzed retrospectively. Among 10 patients, 5 male and 5 female, aged 23 to 71 years old (median = 36 years).

Association between polymorphic CAG repeat lengths in the androgen receptor gene and susceptibility to prostate cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Previous studies have been conducted to reveal the relationship between androgen receptor CAG polymorphism and risk of prostate cancer, yet the results were elusive and controversial. Thus, this meta-analysis was performed to clarify this association.

Methods: To obtain the relevant available studies, online databases PubMed, Embase, and Web of science were searched until September 1st, 2016.

Mid-Term Blood Pressure Variability Is Associated With Clinical Outcome After Ischemic Stroke.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the relation between mid-term blood pressure (BP) variability (BPV) within 7 days of onset and the prognosis in acute stroke patients.

Methods: Total 873 acute ischemic stroke patients were included in this study. Mid-term BPV was evaluated through the calculations of coefficient of variation (CV) of the systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) within 7 days of onset.

Further Standardization in the Aneurysm Clip: The Effects of Occlusal Depth on the Outcome of Spinal Cord Injury in Rats.

Study Design: Experimental study.

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between clip occlusal depth and functional and histological outcome measures in a rat model of thoracic spinal cord injury (SCI).

Summary Of Background Data: Aneurysm clip compression is a proven model of contusion-compression SCI, but the relationship between clip depth and outcomes in thoracic SCI is unknown.

Association between vascular endothelial growth factor gene polymorphisms and the risk and prognosis of renal cell carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The aim of the meta-analysis was to clarify the associations between vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) polymorphisms and the risk and prognosis of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). A meta-analysis was performed by searching the databases PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science for the relevant available studies until August 1st, 2016, and fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria. The pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to evaluate the strength of such associations.

Simple quantitative PCR analysis for allelic Pten loss in tumor progression.

We describe a simple method to accurately detect and quantify both Pten mutation and allele-specific loss using allele-specific PCR analysis. Our approach used a heterozygous genomic DNA with one wild-type and one mutant Pten allele as a reference at a single concentration to calculate the percent ratio of the wild-type Pten gene for the detection of allele-specific gene loss. With a standard curve, ratios from PCR data were used to quantitate the wild-type Pten allele copy number loss in tumor specimens.

The effects of dexmedetomidine pretreatment on the pro- and anti-inflammation systems after spinal cord injury in rats.

Excessive inflammatory responses play important roles in the aggravation of secondary damage to an injured spinal cord. Dexmedetomidine (DEX), a selective α2-adrenoceptor agonist, has recently been implied to be neuroprotective in clinical anesthesia, but the underlying mechanism is elusive. As signaling through Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and nicotinic receptors (nAChRs, notably α7nAChR) play important roles in the pro- and anti-inflammation systems in the central nervous system, respectively, this study investigated whether and how they were modulated by DEX pretreatment in a rat model of spinal cord compression.

Target Embolization of Associated Aneurysms in Ruptured Arteriovenous Malformations.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the safety and efficacy of target embolization of aneurysms associated with ruptured brain arteriovenous malformations (BAVMs).

Methods: Ruptured BAVM patients who underwent endovascular treatment at our institution from January 2011 to December 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were divided into aneurysm (AN) and nonaneurysm (non-AN) groups on the basis of the existence of BAVM-associated aneurysms or not.

Integrated Analysis and MicroRNA Expression Profiling Identified Seven miRNAs Associated With Progression of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

MicroRNAs have been used as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for many cancers including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Several studies have been shown that microRNA (miRNA) play important roles during the progression of OSCC. However, the results vary largely in different studies due to different platforms and sample sizes.

Effect of Repetitive Intracutaneous Injections with Local Anesthetics and Steroids for Acute Thoracic Herpes Zoster and Incidence of Postherpetic Neuralgia.

Background: Treatment of established postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is difficult and often disappointing. In this study, we assessed the efficacy of repetitive intracutaneous injections with local anesthetics and steroids in acute thoracic herpes zoster (HZ) pain, herpetic eruption, and incidence of PHN.

Methods: Ninety-three patients with acute thoracic HZ were randomly assigned to receive a standard treatment of antiviral medication with p.

Ultrasonographic measurements of the inferior vena cava variation as a predictor of fluid responsiveness in patients undergoing anesthesia for surgery.

Background: Both hypovolemia and hypervolemia are connected with increased morbidity and mortality in the treatment and prognosis of patients. An accurate assessment of volume state allows the optimization of organ perfusion and oxygen supply. Recently, ultrasonography has been used to detect hypovolemia in critically ill patients and perioperative patients.

Glucocorticoid-Potentiated Spinal Microglia Activation Contributes to Preoperative Anxiety-Induced Postoperative Hyperalgesia.

Clinically, preoperative anxiety adversely affected postoperative hyperalgesia. As stress-induced glucocorticoids (GCs) were reported to sensitize the activation of microglia, the present study investigated whether and how GCs and microglia played in the process of preoperative anxiety-induced postoperative hyperalgesia. The study used an animal model that exposed rats to single prolonged stress (SPS) procedure to induce preoperative anxiety-like behaviors 24 h before the plantar incisional surgery.

Unruptured Epileptogenic Brain Arteriovenous Malformations.

Aim: To determine whether specific clinical and radiographic factors predispose arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) presenting with seizure and to predict the seizure risk for individual AVM patients.

Material And Methods: Clinical features and cerebral angiograms of consecutive 45 unruptured AVM patients who were diagnosed in our center in a 2-year period were reviewed. Patient data (analysis cohort) was used to determine risk factors for seizure and to construct epileptogenic AVM groups.

Effect of dexmedetomidine added to ropivacaine on ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane block for postoperative analgesia after abdominal hysterectomy surgery: a prospective randomized controlled trial.

Background: To identify the effect of dexmedetomidine added to ropivacaine on ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane block for postoperative analgesia after abdominal hysterectomy surgery.

Methods: Sixty patients were enrolled in the study and divided into two groups. Bilateral 20 mL 0.

The role of testicular artery in laparoscopic varicocelectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Purpose: We performed this meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of artery preserving versus artery non-preserving in laparoscopic varicocelectomy.

Methods: All publications up until October 2015 were searched in PubMed, EMBASE, Ovid, Web of Science, and Cochrane library. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies (CSs) that compared the difference in two operative approaches in laparoscopic varicocelectomy were included.

Effects of intracutaneous injections of sterile water in patients with acute low back pain: a randomized, controlled, clinical trial.

Intracutaneous sterile water injection (ISWI) is used for relief of low back pain during labor, acute attacks of urolithiasis, chronic neck and shoulder pain following whiplash injuries, and chronic myofascial pain syndrome. We conducted a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial to evaluate the effect of ISWI for relief of acute low back pain (aLBP). A total of 68 patients (41 females and 27 males) between 18 and 55 years old experiencing aLBP with moderate to severe pain (scores ≥5 on an 11-point visual analogue scale [VAS]) were recruited and randomly assigned to receive either ISWIs (n=34) or intracutaneous isotonic saline injections (placebo treatment; n=34).

Effects of periodontal therapy on serum lipid profile and proinflammatory cytokines in patients with hyperlipidemia: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether periodontal treatment in patients with periodontitis and hyperlipidemia may have any influence on plasma lipids and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels.

Material And Methods: We randomly assigned 109 patients with hyperlipidemia and chronic periodontitis into group 1 (n = 55) and group 2 (n = 54). Patients in group 1 underwent a standard cycle of supragingival mechanical scaling and polishing.

IL-17A is implicated in lipopolysaccharide-induced neuroinflammation and cognitive impairment in aged rats via microglial activation.

Background: Neuroinflammation is considered a risk factor for impairments in neuronal function and cognition that arise with trauma, infection, and/or disease. IL-17A has been determined to be involved in neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Recently, IL-17A has been shown to be upregulated in lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced systemic inflammation.