Anatomical versus non-anatomical resection for solitary hepatocellular carcinoma without macroscopic vascular invasion: A propensity score matching analysis.

Background And Aim: The superiority of anatomical resection (AR) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma compared with non-anatomical resection (NAR) remains controversial. We aimed to investigate the prognostic outcomes of AR and NAR for solitary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients without macroscopic vascular invasion, using a propensity score matching (PSM) analysis.

Methods: A total of 305 consecutive HCC patients without macroscopic vascular invasion who underwent curative hepatectomy were included in our study.

NKAIN2 functions as a novel tumor suppressor in prostate cancer.

Recurrent chromosome breakpoints at 6q22.31, leading to truncation and potential loss-of-function of the NKAIN2 gene, in Chinese prostate cancer patients were previously identified. In this study we investigated genomic, methylation and expression changes of NKAIN2 in a large number of prostate cancer samples and determined its functional role in prostate cancer cells.

Caveolin-1 Plays an Important Role in the Differentiation of Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells into Cardiomyocytes.

Objectives: Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) may transdifferentiate into cardiomyocytes, making BMSCs a promising source of cardiomyocytes for transplantation. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying myogenic conversion of BMSCs.

Methods: This study was designed to investigate the functional role of caveolin-1 in the cardiomyocyte differentiation of BMSCs and to explore the potential underlying molecular mechanisms.

[Comparative study of CT versus gross pathology in rabbit VX2 colorectal cancer model].

Objective: To establish rabbit VX2 colorectal cancer(CRC) model and to compare CT images with gross pathology in order to offer help for TNM staging in patients with CRC.

Methods: VX2 tumor pieces were implanted into colonic wall in 9 New Zealand white rabbits and rectal wall in 2 New Zealand white rabbits. Four weeks after inoculation, Ultravist(370 mg/ml) was injected through ear marginal vein with high pressure injector for stage 3 scanning of chest, abdomen and pelvis, and enhanced CT (collimation 0.

Translocation of PKG1α acts on TRPV4-C1 heteromeric channels to inhibit endothelial Ca(2+) entry.

Aim: TRPV4-C1 heteromeric channels contribute to store-operated Ca(2+) entry in vascular endothelial cells. However, the negative regulation of these channels is not fully understood. This study was conducted to investigate the inhibitory effect of PKG1α on TRPV4-C1 heteromeric channels.

Circulating miR-499 as a potential biomarker for acute myocardial infarction.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI), a common heart disease that may lead to chronic heart failure, is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that mediate the expression of target genes. Recently, a number of miRNAs are emerging as potential biomarkers of AMI.

Expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors in angioleiomyoma of the nasal cavity of six patients.

Angioleiomyoma of the nasal cavity is extremely rare. There are only a small number of studies in the literature that demonstrate that the estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) are expressed in angioleiomyoma, and the results from these studies are inconsistent. The present study identified 6 patients with nasal angioleiomyoma that were treated between 2004 and 2013.

The role of Alix in the proliferation of human glioma cells.

Apoptosis-linked-gene-2-interacting protein 1 (Alix) is involved in the endosome-lysosome system in the cytoplasm. The normal function of Alix may be altered by ALG-2 toward a destructive role during active cell death. Alix also may play a role in regulation of cell proliferation.

Decreased circadian component Bmal1 predicts tumor progression and poor prognosis in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

The circadian clock has been demonstrated playing important roles in human tumorigenic process; however, the detailed clinical implications of circadian disruption on tumors have not been well understood. In this study, we investigated the expression pattern of Bmal1, the core component of the circadian system, in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA). Our immunohistochemistry analysis showed that the protein level of Bmal1 was significantly decreased in tumor tissues from 87 patients with PDA compared with adjacent non-cancerous tissues.

Presurgical Evaluation of Pancreatic Cancer: A Comprehensive Imaging Comparison of CT Versus MRI.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare comprehensive CT and MRI in the presurgical evaluation of pancreatic cancer.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-eight patients with pathologically proven pancreatic cancer were included in a retrospective study. CT with negative-contrast CT cholangiopancreatography and CT angiography (CTA) (CT image set) versus MRI with MRCP and MR angiography (MRI image set) were analyzed independently by two reviewers for tumor detection, extension, metastasis, vascular invasion, and resectability.

A genetic study and meta-analysis of the genetic predisposition of prostate cancer in a Chinese population.

Prostate cancer predisposition has been extensively investigated in European populations, but there have been few studies of other ethnic groups. To investigate prostate cancer susceptibility in the under-investigated Chinese population, we performed single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array analysis on a cohort of Chinese cases and controls and then meta-analysis with data from the existing Chinese prostate cancer genome-wide association study (GWAS). Genotyping 211,155 SNPs in 495 cases and 640 controls of Chinese ancestry identified several new suggestive Chinese prostate cancer predisposition loci.

Very long-term outcomes of minimally invasive esophagectomy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Purpose: The most critical parameter in the evaluation of the effectiveness of minimally invasive esophagectomy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is long-term outcome. In this study, patients in whom more than 5 years had elapsed since they had undergone minimally invasive esophagectomy for esophageal SCC were identified, and the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate and 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate were evaluated as the long-term outcomes.

Methods: The stage, histology, perioperative complications, recurrence, and survival data were carefully reviewed in 49 patients who underwent minimally invasive esophagectomy for esophageal SCC between January 2008 and January 2010.

A preliminary study on the relationship between circulating tumor cells count and clinical features in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: To evaluate the clinical value of circulating tumor cells (CTC) count in peripheral venous blood of patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC).

Methods: A total of 50 NSCLC patients who were diagnosed in Wuxi No. 2 People's Hospital from January 2013 to December 2013 were selected as the NSCLC group, 35 patients with lung benign tumor as the benign group, and 28 healthy subjects as the normal control group.

Genetic variants of the class A scavenger receptor gene are associated with essential hypertension in Chinese.

Background: The class A scavenger receptor, which is encoded by the macrophage scavenger receptor 1 (MSR1) gene, is a pattern recognition receptor (PPR) primarily expressed in macrophages. It has been reported that genetic polymorphisms of MSR1 are significantly associated with many cardiovascular events. However, whether it links genetically to essential hypertension (EH) in Chinese is not defined.

Change of plasma microRNA-208 level in acute myocardial infarction patients and its clinical significance.

Background: To study the change of cardiac-specific microRNA-208 (miRNA-208) level in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients and to explore the role of miRNA-208 in AMI progression.

Methods: The consecutive subjects including 42 AMI patients, 22 patients with unstable angina (UA), and 40 healthy subjects in our hospital from January 2013 to December 2013 were enrolled in this study. The peripheral miRNA-208 level was measured with real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the plasma cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) levels were determined using electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) method.

Characterization of acute respiratory infections among 340 infants in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province.

Background: To investigate the etiological and epidemiological features of acute respiratory infections among children in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province.

Methods: Nasopharyngeal swab specimens were collected from 340 pediatric patients from Wuxi Second People's Hospital from June 2012 to May 2014. Seven respiratory viruses including influenza virus A (FA), influenza virus B (FB), parainfluenza virus I (PIVI), parainfluenza virus II (PIVII), parainfluenza virus III (PIVIII), adenovirus (ADV), and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) were detected using direct immunofluorescence method.

Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Combination Therapy with Amlodipine and Olmesartan or an Olmesartan/Hydrochlorothiazide Compound for Hypertension: A Prospective, Open-Label, and Multicenter Clinical Trial in China.

Background: Amlodipine (AML) is the initial therapy most commonly prescribed for patients with hypertension in China. However, AML monotherapy is often less effective in achieving blood pressure (BP) control than other agents.

Objective: We performed a clinical study to evaluate efficacy and safety of a combination therapy with AML, olmesartan (OLM), or an OLM/hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) compound for Chinese patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension.

Preoperative Evaluation of Malignant Perihilar Biliary Obstruction: Negative-Contrast CT Cholangiopancreatography and CT Angiography Versus MRCP and MR Angiography.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare negative-contrast CT cholangiopancreatography (CTCP) and CT angiography (CTA) with MRCP and MR angiography (MRA) for the preoperative evaluation of malignant perihilar biliary obstruction.

Materials And Methods: Twenty-one patients with pathologically proven malignant perihilar biliary obstructions who had undergone both CT and MRI examinations were reviewed retrospectively. Two reviewers independently analyzed the two image sets-the negative-contrast CTCP and CTA images (i.

OPN gene polymorphisms, rs17524488 GG/G, rs11730582 T/C, and rs9138 C/A, and cancer risk in a Chinese population.

Previous studies have investigated the association between osteopontin (OPN) gene polymorphisms, rs17524488 (-156 GG/G), rs11730582 (-443 T/C), and rs9138 (C/A) and cancer risk in the Chinese population. However, the results are controversial and indefinite. We therefore carried out a meta-analysis to derive a more precise estimation of these associations.

Decreased expression of miR-378 correlates with tumor invasiveness and poor prognosis of patients with glioma.

microRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs that play important roles in a variety of biological process. It has been reported that dysregulation of miRNA is always associated with cancer progression and development, and miR-378 aberrant expression has been found in some types of cancers. However, the association of miR-378 and glioma has not been evaluated.

Direct comparison of the diagnostic accuracy between blood and cerebrospinal fluid procalcitonin levels in patients with meningitis.

Objective: To compare the clinical utility of serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) procalcitonin (PCT) for the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis (BM) among patients with suspected meningitis.

Methods: Patients with meningitis-like symptoms (n=120), admitted to the Second People's Hospital of Wuxi or the Changhai Hospital of Shanghai between January 2011 and December 2013, were prospectively and consecutively enrolled in this study. BM was finally diagnosed by CSF culture, Gram staining, quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and treatment response.

Kinetics of plasma microRNA-499 expression in acute myocardial infarction.

Background: MicroRNA (miRNA) is reported to be present in human plasma and has been increasingly suggested as a biomarker for diseases. Our study aimed to investigate the kinetics of cardiac-specific microR-499 (miR-499) in acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods: Circulating concentrations of cardiac enriched miR-499 were measured by quantitative PCR in 73 patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), including 53 with AMI and 20 with unstable angina (UA).

Osteoblast-derived microvesicles: A novel mechanism for communication between osteoblasts and osteoclasts.

The maintenance of bone homeostasis is largely dependent upon cellular communication between osteoclasts and osteoblasts. Microvesicles (MVs) have received a good deal of attention and are increasingly considered as mediators of intercellular communication due to their capacity to merge with and transfer a repertoire of bioactive molecular content (cargo) to recipient cells, triggering a variety of biologic responses. Here, we demonstrated that MVs shed from osteoblasts contain RANKL protein and can transfer it to osteoclast precursors through receptor ligand (RANKL-RANK), leading to stimulation of RANKL-RANK signaling to facilitate osteoclast formation.

[Endobronchial Ultrasound-guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration in the Diagnosis of Intrathoracic Metastasis from Extrapulmonary Malignancy].

Background And Objective: Endobronchial ultrasound guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) has been widely applied in diagnosing mediastinal and hilar adenopathy. This study is further to evaluate value and safety of EBUS-TBNA in diagnosing intrathoracic metastasis from extrapulmonary malignancy.

Methods: Prospectively analysis of 41 patients suspected intrathoracic metastasis from previous diagnosed/concurrent extrapulmonary malignancies in Shanghai Chest Hospital, with radiologic findings showing mediastinal/hilar lymph node enlargement or intrapulmonary lesion requiring EBUS-TBNA examination for pathological diagnosis.