Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation in Multiple Myeloma with Renal Failure: Friend or Foe?

Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is a standard treatment for multiple myeloma (MM), but the clinical response and renal curative effect in MM patients with renal failure (RF) remain controversial. The myeloma kidney disease has different types, and most are due to the direct toxic effects of light chain. Although ASCT can effectively clear the light chain, the data of renal function improvement are still limited.

Efficacy and safety of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists with ACEI/ARB treatment for diabetic nephropathy: A meta-analysis.

Background: To explore the efficacy and safety of adding mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) to the treatment in diabetic nephropathy (DN) with ACEI/ARB.

Methods: We systematically searched the PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library databases for randomised controlled trials up to November 1st 2018 that evaluated the effects of MRAs with ACEI/ARB treatment.

Results: The combination treatment of MRAs and ACEI/ARB further reduced urinary protein/albumin excretion compared with ACEI/ARB monotherapy (mean difference [MD], -44.

P2X receptors and trigeminal neuralgia.

There is currently no effective cure for trigeminal neuralgia (TN) - a relatively common disease that causes long-term pain in patients. Previous research has shown that ionotropic ATP signaling through excitatory and calcium-permeable P2X receptor channels plays a critical role in pathological pain generation and maintenance. In this paper, we review several hypotheses on the pathogenic mechanisms underlying TN.

Cartilage progenitor cells combined with PHBV in cartilage tissue engineering.

Background: Bone marrow-derived stem cells (BMSCs) and chondrocytes have been reported to present "dedifferentiation" and "phenotypic loss" during the chondrogenic differentiation process in cartilage tissue engineering, and cartilage progenitor cells (CPCs) are novel seeding cells for cartilage tissue engineering. In our previous study, cartilage progenitor cells from different subtypes of cartilage tissue were isolated and identified in vitro, but the study on in vivo chondrogenic characteristics of cartilage progenitor cells remained rarely. In the current study, we explored the feasibility of combining cartilage progenitor cells with poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) to produce tissue-engineered cartilage and compared the proliferation ability and chondrogenic characteristics of cartilage progenitor cells with those of bone marrow-derived stem cells and chondrocytes.

Is awake physiological confirmation necessary for DBS treatment of Parkinson's disease today? A comparison of intraoperative imaging, physiology, and physiology imaging-guided DBS in the past decade.

Background: Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a well-established surgical therapy for Parkinson's disease (PD). Intraoperative imaging (IMG), intraoperative physiology (PHY) and their combination (COMB) are the three mainstream DBS guidance methods.

Objective: To comprehensively compare the use of IMG-DBS, PHY-DBS and COMB-DBS in treating PD.

Catestatin Enhances Neuropathic Pain Mediated by P2X4 Receptor of Dorsal Root Ganglia in a Rat Model of Chronic Constriction Injury.

Background/aims: Neuropathic pain (NPP) is the consequence of a number of central nervous system injuries or diseases. Previous studies have shown that NPP is mediated by P2X4 receptors that are expressed on satellite glial cells (SGCs) of dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Catestatin (CST), a neuroendocrine multifunctional peptide, may be involved in the pathogenesis of NPP.

Involvement of oxidative stress in di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP)-induced apoptosis of mouse NE-4C neural stem cells.

Di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) has been widely used as a plasticizer in industry and can cause neurotoxicity; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In the study, we found that DEHP significantly inhibited viability of mouse NE-4C neural stem cells and caused lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release from the cells. DEHP dramatically increased the levels of apoptosis-related proteins such as cleaved Caspase-8, cleaved Caspase-3 and Bax, as well as decreased Bcl-2 protein level.

Diagnosis and survival values of neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and red blood cell distribution width (RDW) in esophageal cancer.

Background: Recent studies have borne out claims that inflammation has a vital role in the development and progression of many diseases, including cancers. It has been reported that neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and red blood cell distribution width (RDW) could act as independent prognostic factors for several malignant tumors. We evaluated the diagnosis and prognosis values of preoperative inflammatory indicators, including NLR and RDW in esophageal cancer (EC).

Catestatin is involved in neuropathic pain mediated by purinergic receptor P2X in the spinal microglia of rats.

Neuropathic pain is defined as a type of chronic pathological pain that often results from nerve damage or disease. The purinergic receptor P2X is mainly expressed on the cell surface of spinal dorsal horn microglia and is known to be involved in neuropathic pain. Catestatin (CST) is an endogenous peptide derived from chromogranin A.

Low Expression of LncRNA Cancer Susceptibility Candidate 2 and its Clinical Significance in Cancer Tissues.

Background/aims: Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) cancer susceptibility candidate 2 (CASC2) is downregulated in various cancers and involved in both tumorigenesis and progression. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic value of lncRNA CASC2 in cancer patients.

Methods: We searched the Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and the Wanfang database to identify studies evaluating the prognostic value of lncRNA CASC2 in cancer patients.

Microencapsulated Schwann cell transplantation inhibits P2X2/3 receptors overexpression in a sciatic nerve injury rat model with neuropathic pain.

Transplantation of Schwann cells (SCs) can promote axonal regeneration and formation of the myelin sheath, reduce inflammation, and promote repair to the damaged nerve. Our previous studies have shown that transplantation of free or micro-encapsulated olfactory ensheathing cells can relieve neuropathic pain. There are no related reports regarding whether the transplantation of micro-encapsulated SCs can alleviate neuropathic pain mediated by P2X2/3 receptors.

Author Correction to: Comparative Efficacy of Drugs for Preventing Acute Kidney Injury after Cardiac Surgery: A Network Meta-Analysis.

In the print publication, the affiliations were incorrectly published. The author affiliations which previously read Xi Chen · Tianlun Huang · Xuan Cao · Gaosi XuGrade 2013, The Second Clinical Medical College of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, People's Republic of China Department of Nephrology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1, Minde Road, Donghu District, 330006 Nanchang, Jiangxi, People's Republic of China.

Correction: Aliskiren therapy in hypertension and cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and a meta-analysis.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.19382.

Long Non-coding RNA BC168687 is Involved in TRPV1-mediated Diabetic Neuropathic Pain in Rats.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) participate in a diverse range of molecular and biological processes, and dysregulation of lncRNAs has been observed in the pathogenesis of various human diseases. We observed alterations in mechanical withdrawal thresholds (MWT) and thermal withdrawal latencies (TWL) in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats treated with small interfering RNA (siRNA) of lncRNA BC168687. We detected expression of transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) in rat dorsal root ganglia (DRG) by a series of molecular experiments.

Effects of LncRNA BC168687 siRNA on Diabetic Neuropathic Pain Mediated by P2X Receptor on SGCs in DRG of Rats.

Diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP), one of the early symptoms of diabetic neuropathy, relates to metabolic disorders induced by high blood glucose, neurotrophic vascular ischemia and hypoxia, and autoimmune factors. This study was aimed at exploring the effects of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) BC168687 siRNA on DNP mediated by P2X receptor on SGCs in DRG of rats. The mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT) and thermal withdrawal latency (TWL) of rats, the expression levels of P2X mRNA and protein in the DRG, and nitric oxide (NO) in the serum were, respectively, detected in our study.

Aliskiren therapy in hypertension and cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and a meta-analysis.

The efficacy and safety of aliskiren combination therapy with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) in patients with hypertension and cardiovascular disease remains attractive attention. We searched the Cochrane Central Register, the Clinical Trials Registry, EMBASE, MEDLINE and PubMed for relevant literatures up to January 2017. A total of 13 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with 12222 patients were included in this study, and the combined results indicated that aliskiren in combination therapy with ACEIs or ARBs had remarkable effects in reducing systolic blood pressure (SBP) [weighted mean differences (WMD), -4.

Long non-coding RNA ZFAS1 correlates with clinical progression and prognosis in cancer patients.

Dysregulation of long non-coding RNA zinc finger antisense 1 (ZFAS1) has been reported in many types of cancers. We performed a synthetic analysis to clarify its prognostic significance as a cancer molecular-marker. Several databases (including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase together with Wanfang and China National Knowledge Internet database) were retrieved to identify ZFAS1-related articles.

The response of the Oxford classification to steroid in IgA nephropathy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The present review is aimed to evaluate the correlation between pathological features and the response to steroid in the patients with IgA nephropathy according to the Oxford classification, mesangial hypercellularity (M), endocapillary hypercellularity (E), segmental glomerulosclerosis (S), tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis (T).

Methods: We searched Chinese Biomedical Database, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, PubMed and MEDLINE with all spellings of "IgA nephropathy", "Oxford Classification", and "steroid".

Results: 5 studies with 637 patients were eligible for inclusion.

Effect of naringin on gp120-induced injury mediated by P2X7 receptors in rat primary cultured microglia.

Human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) envelope glycoprotein 120 has been shown to activate microglia, causing release of inflammatory and toxic factors. The P2X7 receptor, primarily expressed on microglia, is closely associated with inflammation. Naringin, a plant bioflavonoid, has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties.

Comparative Efficacy of Drugs for Preventing Acute Kidney Injury after Cardiac Surgery: A Network Meta-Analysis.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) occurs frequently after cardiac surgery and has been associated with increased hospital length of stay, mortality, and costs.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of pharmacologic strategies for preventing AKI after cardiac surgery.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) up to 6 May 2017 and the reference lists of relevant articles about trials.

Deregulated HOXB7 expression predicts poor prognosis of patients with malignancies of digestive system.

Introduction: Numerous studies have investigated the relationship between deregulated HOXB7 expression with the clinical outcome in patients with digestive stem cancers, HOXB7 has showed negative impacts but with varying levels. We aimed to comprehensively evaluate the prediction and prognostic value of HOXB7 in digestive stem cancers.

Evidence Acquisition: Electronic databases updated to December 1st, 2016 were retrieved to collect relevant eligible studies to quantitatively explore the potential roles of HOXB7 as a prognostic indicator in digestive system cancers.

Altered brain network centrality in patients with adult comitant exotropia strabismus: A resting-state fMRI study.

Objective To investigate the underlying functional network brain-activity changes in patients with adult comitant exotropia strabismus (CES) and the relationship with clinical features using the voxel-wise degree centrality (DC) method. Methods A total of 30 patients with CES (17 men, 13 women), and 30 healthy controls (HCs; 17 men, 13 women) matched in age, sex, and education level participated in the study. DC was used to evaluate spontaneous brain activity.

The clinical significance of anti-mitotic spindle apparatus antibody (MSA) and anti-centromere antibody (ACA) detected in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

Purpose: The project is aimed to detect anti-mitotic spindle apparatus antibody (MSA) and anti-centromere antibody (ACA) and explore the clinical value for the diagnosis of small cell lung cancer (SCLC), providing clinical evidence for molecular studies of SCLC.

Methods: 93 SCLC patients, 208 patients with other cancers and 50 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. MSA antibodies were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).