Suppression of puerarin on polymethylmethacrylate-induced lesion of peri-implant by inhibiting NF-κB activation in vitro and in vivo

Puerarin (PR), a natural isoflavone isolated from Chinese traditional plant pueraria lobata, has attracted considerable attention due to its important biological and pharmacological activities. However, its effects on lesion of peri-implant and related mechanism of action are still not clear, which require further investigation. In this study, we evaluated the effects of PR on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)-induced lesion of peri-implant in vitro and in vivo, and explored its possible mechanism of action. Our results indicated that PR could inhibit PMMA-induced osteoclastogenesis in RAW264.7 cells with a dose-dependent manner in vitro and effectively down-regulate mRNA and protein expressions of matrix metalloprotein 9 (MMP-9), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and receptor activator of nuclear factor (NF)-κB (RANK), primarily via the suppression of NF-κB signaling. Furthermore, we found that PMMA induction could directly cause the phosphorylation of IκB and significantly promote the nuclear translocation of p65 in RAW264.7 cells. In other words, PR was able to dose-dependently attenuate the PMMA-induced nuclear translocation of p65 in RAW264.7 cells. In vivo, PR was observed to attenuate PMMA-induced osteoclastogenesis, osteolysis, mRNA expressions of receptor activator of nuclear factor (NF)-κB ligand (RANKL) and RANK, as well as protein levels of MMP-9, TNF-α, IL-6, and p65 in a murine calvarial osteolysis model. These findings suggested that PR might be a potential therapeutic drug to lesion of peri-implant, and provided new insights for understanding its possible mechanism.     

The oncogenic impact of RNF2 on cell proliferation,invasion and migration through EMT on mammary carcinoma

Mammary carcinoma (MC) is one of most common malignancy in women, and ring finger protein 2 (RNF2) possesses various roles in vast human tumors. In MC tissues as well as in cell lines RNF2 exhibited high expression, had significant association with tumor size, lymph node status, TNM stage, patients’ poor survival, and promoted cell proliferation, colony formation, cell migration and invasion of MC cell lines which was mediated by downregulation of E-cadherin protein. These data reveal that RNF2 protein plays a vital role in the development of MC and may be a potential therapy target of MC.     

Nano-silver modified porcine small intestinal submucosa for the treatment of infected partial-thickness burn wounds

Background and aimSilver has been widely used as a topical antimicrobial agent in burn wound care. In a previous study, we demonstrated the introduction of nano-silver particles to porcine small intestinal submucosa (NS-PSIS) led to significant enhancement in antibacterial property in repairing contaminated abdominal defect. In this study, we explored the efficacy of NS-PSIS in the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa-infected partial-thickness burn wounds.Methods48 male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups of equal number. Standardized and reproducible Pseudomonas aeruginosa-infected partial-thickness thermal burns wound model were created using these rats. NS-PSIS, PSIS (porcine small intestinal submucosa) or lipido-colloid dressingss (Urgotul?) were tested for 14 days to assess their ability to heal the rats’ burn wounds. Control group was without any treatment after the establishment of infected burn-wound. The wound contraction rate, animal body weight change, histological examination, and the quantification of IL-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured to evaluate the healing effects.ResultsNS-PSIS significantly promoted wound healing and recovered the normal growth of rats. There were significantly lower expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-6) and CRP in NS-PSIS group as compared with the PSIS or Urgotul group in the treatment of infected partial-thickness burn wounds. Histological exams revealed significant less inflammatory cells infiltrating, more re-epithelization and neovascularization in NS-PSIS group. There were also less inflammatory cells infiltrations in the major organs in NS-PSIS group.ConclusionsNano-silver modified porcine small intestinal submucosa (NS-PSIS) can be used as a biological derivative dressing for the treatment of infected partial-thickness burn wounds.     

超声多探头检查在新生儿颅脑疾病诊断中的应用

目的研究超声低频探头和低频探头联合高频探头检查在新生儿颅脑疾病诊断中的准确率和敏感性。 方法选取河源市妇幼保健院自2017年1月至2018年12月收治的有颅脑疾病高危因素(早产、低体质量、多胎妊娠、出生过程有缺氧窒息及产时感染)的新生儿90例作为研究对象。采用随机数字表法将所有新生儿平均分为2组，研究组（45例）给予低频探头联合高频探头进行探查，对照组（45例）仅给予低频探头进行探查。结合CT检查结果和临床治疗，比较2种检测方法的准确率和敏感性。 结果研究组检测新生儿缺氧缺血性脑病、脑室内出血和室管膜下出血诊断准确率分别为87.5%、100%、100%，高于相应对照组（15.38%、12.5%、0%），差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）；研究组和对照组检测脑实质内出血和脑积水的诊断准确率分别为87.5%、100%以及42.85%、66.67%，差异无统计学意义（P>0.05）。研究组检测新生儿颅脑疾病的效率为82.22%，高于对照组（22.22%），差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）。 结论使用超声低频探头联合高频探头的方法提高了缺氧缺血性脑病、脑室内出血、室管膜下出血等新生儿颅脑疾病诊断的准确率，在诊断新生儿脑实质内出血和脑积水的准确率没有差异，且对颅脑疾病诊断的敏感性较高，因此具有较为重要的临床意义。     

Using a monotone single-index model to stabilize the propensity score in missing data problems and causal inference

The augmented inverse weighting method is one of the most popular methods for estimating the mean of the response in causal inference and missing data problems. An important component of this method is the propensity score. Popular parametric models for the propensity score include the logistic, probit, and complementary log-log models. A common feature of these models is that the propensity score is a monotonic function of a linear combination of the explanatory variables. To avoid the need to choose a model, we model the propensity score via a semiparametric single-index model, in which the score is an unknown monotonic nondecreasing function of the given single index. Under this new model, the augmented inverse weighting estimator (AIWE) of the mean of the response is asymptotically linear, semiparametrically efficient, and more robust than existing estimators. Moreover, we have made a surprising observation. The inverse probability weighting and AIWEs based on a correctly specified parametric model may have worse performance than their counterparts based on a nonparametric model. A heuristic explanation of this phenomenon is provided. A real-data example is used to illustrate the proposed methods.