IL‐7 is expressed in malignant mesothelioma and has a prognostic value

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive cancer mainly related to asbestos exposure. Despite recent therapeutic advances, notably immunotherapies, the benefit remains limited and restricted to a small percentage of patients. Thus, a better understanding of the disease is needed to identify new therapeutic strategies. Recently, interleukin 7 receptor (IL‐7R) has been described as being expressed by MPM cells and associated with poorer patient survival. Thus, the aim of this work was to study the IL‐7R/IL‐7 pathway in MPM using patient samples. We found that, although more than 40% of MPM cells expressed IL‐7R, IL‐7 had no effect on their intracellular signaling. Accordingly, the addition of IL‐7 to the culture medium did not affect MPM cell growth. Using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, we showed that high IL7 gene expression in MPM tumors was associated with a higher overall patient survival and an induction of genes involved in the immune response. In pleural effusions (PEs), we found that IL‐7 concentration was not a good diagnostic biomarker. However, we observed that high IL‐7 levels in PEs were associated with shorter survival of MPM patients, but not of lung cancer patients. The prognostic value of IL‐7 was also conserved when only patients with epithelioid mesothelioma, the most common histological type of MPM, were analyzed. Taken together, our study suggests that, although the IL‐7R/IL‐7 signaling pathway is not functional in MPM cells, IL‐7 expression in PEs may have prognostic value in MPM patients.     

Relative low muscle mass and muscle strength is associated with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in patients with type 2 diabetes

This cross-sectional study investigated the association of metabolic syndrome (MetS) with sarcopenia defined by absolute low muscle mass (aLMM) and absolute low muscle strength (aLMS), or sarcopenia defined by relative low muscle mass (rLMM) and relative low muscle strength (rLMS). The cut-off values for men and women were as follows: aLMM, appendicular muscle mass in kg/height‍² was <7.0 kg/m‍² and <5.7 kg/m‍²; rLMM, appendicular muscle mass/body weight ×100 was <28.64% and <24.12%; aLMS, handgrip strength was <28 kg and <18 kg; and rLMS, handgrip strength/body weight ×100 was 51.26% and 35.38%. Among 207 men and 164 women, 41.5% men and 57.3% women had MetS, 14.0% men and 6.1% women had sarcopenia as defined by aLMM and aLMS, and 14.0% men and 22.0% women had sarcopenia defined by rLMM and rLMS. Compared with non-sarcopenia, adjusted OR of sarcopenia defined by aLMM and aLMS for the prevalence of MetS was 0.79 (95% CI 0.38–1.67), whereas that of sarcopenia defined by rLMM and rLMS for the prevalence of MetS was 20.6 (95% CI 7.81–54.3). Sarcopenia defined by rLMM and rLMS was associated with the risk of prevalence of MetS, whereas sarcopenia defined by aLMM and aLMS was not.     

P-选择素糖蛋白配体1在肾脏疾病中的研究进展

<正>P-选择素糖蛋白配体1(P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1, PSGL-1)是一种主要表达于白细胞及血小板表面的黏附分子,在免疫识别、炎症反应和血栓形成过程中起着重要作用。慢性肾脏病(chronic kidney disease, CKD)的患病率逐年上升,已成为威胁世界公共健康的主要疾病之一,且其病因复杂, 大多数发病机制尚不完全清楚。PSGL-1可通过多种途径参与肾脏疾病的发生发展,其机制可能涉及     

Design,Structural Inspection and Bio-Medicinal Applications of Some Novel Imine Metal Complexes Based on Acetylferrocene

Some novel imine metal chelates with Cr³⁺, Mn²⁺, Fe³⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, and Cd²⁺ cations were produced from 2-acetylferrocene and 3-aminophenol. The new acetylferrocene azomethine ligand ((Z)-cyclopenta-1,3-dien-1-yl(2-(1-((3-hydroxyphenyl)imino)ethyl)cyclopenta-2,4-dien-1-yl)iron) and its metal ion chelates were constructed and elucidated using FT-IR, UV/Vis, ¹HNMR, DTA/TGA, CHNClM studies, mass spectrometry and SEM analysis. According to the TGA/DTG investigation, the ferrocene moiety spontaneously disintegrates to liberate FeO. The morphology of the free acetylferrocene azomethine via SEM analysis was net-shaped with a size of 64.73 nm, which differed in Cd(II) complex to be a spongy shape with a size of 42.43 nm. The quantum chemical features of the azomethine ligand (HL) were computed, and its electronic and molecular structure was refined theoretically. The investigated acetylferrocene imine ligand behaves as bidinetate ligand towards the cations under study to form octahedral geometries in case of all complexes except in case of Zn²⁺ is tetrahedral. Various microorganisms were used to investigate the anti-pathogenic effects of the free acetylferrocene azomethine ligand and its metal chelates. Moreover, the prepared ligand and its metal complexes were tested for anticancer activity utilizing four different concentrations against the human breast cancer cell line (MCF7) and the normal melanocyte cell line (HBF4). Furthermore, the binding of 3-aminophenol, 2-acetylferrocene, HL, Mn²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Cd²⁺ metal chelates to the receptor of breast cancer mutant oxidoreductase was discovered using molecular docking (PDB ID: 3HB5).     

Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex on fairness-related decision-making

Neuroimaging studies suggest that the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (rDLPFC) is an important brain area involved in fairness-related decision-making. In the present study, we used transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the rDLPFC to investigate the effects of changed cortical excitability on fairness norm enforcement in social decision-making. Participants received anodal, cathodal or sham stimulation before performing a modified ultimatum game task, in which participants were asked to accept or reject the proposer’s offer and self-rate the intensity of their anger at offers on a 7-point scale. The results showed that the rejection rate of unfair offers and anger level were higher in the anodal compared to the sham and cathodal groups and that the level of anger at unfair offers can predict the rejection rate. Furthermore, the fairness effect of RTs was more prominent in the anodal group than in the sham and cathodal groups. Our findings validate the causal role of the rDLPFC in fairness-related decision-making through tDCS, suggesting that strengthening the rDLPFC increases individuals’ reciprocal fairness in social decision-making, both in subjective rating and behaviors.     

In vivo studies on the effects of α1-adrenoceptor antagonists on pupil diameter and urethral tone in rabbits

α₁-Adrenoceptors mediate contraction of iris dilator smooth muscle and hence pupil dilatation. We compared the ability of i.v. bolus injections of alfuzosin, doxazosin, naftopidil, prazosin, tamsulosin and terazosin to antagonise phenylephrine-induced mydriasis relative to their potency for inhibiting phenylephrine-induced elevations of intraurethral pressure (IUP) in rabbits. Moreover, we compared the ability of these drugs to induce miosis in conscious rabbits in the absence of phenylephrine. All antagonists inhibited the effects of phenylephrine on pupil size and IUP, and the ratio of the respective ED₅₀ values was close to unity in all cases. The doses required to induce statistically significant miosis in the absence of phenylephrine were 30- to 100-fold higher than those inhibiting phenylephrine-induced mydriasis for all antagonists, except for naftopidil. Moreover, the miotic effects of all α₁-adrenoceptor antagonists were fully reversible within 8 h. We conclude that alfuzosin, doxazosin, naftopidil, prazosin, tamsulosin and terazosin inhibit phenylephrine-induced mydriasis in the same dose range as they inhibit elevations in IUP. Higher doses of all antagonists are required to induce miosis in the absence of an exogenous agonist, and such miosis is always reversible within hours.     

整体思维培养在牙体牙髓病科实习教学中的实践

目的　探讨整体思维培养在牙体牙髓病科实习教学中帮助学生建立临床整体思维的有效性。方法　在牙体牙髓病科临床实习中对中山大学光华口腔医学院2013级（A组,174人）和2014级（B组,92人）学生采用整体思维培养。通过出入科考核和问卷调查,并与历史同期2012级（C组,88人）学生的成绩对比等方法,评价该方法的有效性。使用SPSS 20.0进行单因素方差检验和t检验。结果　A、B组入科、出科考核成绩及病例汇报分项成绩差异无统计学意义,整体性思维分项成绩在实习后提高。与C组相比,A、B组出科考核成绩及病例汇报分项成绩均提高。问卷结果显示,87.9%（153/174）的学生认为该模式有利于整体思维建立,但77.6%（135/174）的学生认为该模式在内容和时间分配上仍需进一步改进。结论　整体思维培养模式在牙体牙髓病科实习中效果肯定,进一步完善后值得在其他科室推广应用。     

CD146在聚乙二醇诱导的小鼠脉络膜新生血管模型中的表达及意义

目的：探讨在聚乙二醇（polyethylene glycol,PEG）诱导的小鼠脉络膜新生血管（choroidal neovascularization,CNV）模型中CD146的表达及意义。方法：将60只8周龄雄性C57BL/6J小鼠采用随机数字表法,将小鼠随机分为第5、10和15天组,每组各20只。设定每组小鼠左眼为正常对照眼,右眼为实验眼,采用在视网膜下注射PEG诱导形成脉络膜新生血管模型。造模后摘取各组小鼠眼球,制作视网膜组织切片及HE染色,鉴定CNV模型。通过比较各组视网膜HE染色切片外核层（outer nuclear layer,ONL）厚度,观察PEG的视网膜毒性作用。采用实时荧光定量PCR法检测小鼠神经视网膜和RPE/脉络膜复合体中CD146、血管内皮生长因子（vascular endothelial growth factor,VEGF）、血管内皮生长因子受体2（vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2,VEGFR2）的mRNA水平变化。免疫组化染色法检测小鼠眼内CD146、VEGF和VEGFR2的表达。结果：HE染色和ONL层厚度比较均证实,视网膜下注射PEG造模成功且模型可靠,视网膜下注射后第5和10天均有CNV形成。实验组小鼠神经视网膜和脉络膜中CD146、VEGF、VEGFR2的mRNA表达水平与对照组相比明显升高,差异有统计学意义（F=30.412,P=0.000;F=84.974,P=0.000;F=117.423,P=0.000;F=918.786,P=0.000;F=319.110,P=0.000;F=113.896,P=0.000）。Person相关性分析提示在视网膜下注射PEG后,小鼠RPE/脉络膜复合体中CD146与VEGF和VEGFR2的表达量呈正相关（r=0.940,P=0.000;r=0.940,P=0.000;r=0.769,P=0.045;r=0.910,P=0.003;r=0.910,P=0.003;r=0.777,P=0.042）。免疫组化染色的结果显示,在造模第10天后,造模组与正常对照组相比较CD146、VEGFR2在神经节细胞层、内核层、外从状层、外核层的阳性表达均有不同程度增强（P=0.000,P=0.000,P=0.000）。结论：CD146伴随着CNV的形成表达上调,且与VEGF的表达量和VEGFR2的表达量呈正相关性,由此推断CD146可能在CNV形成的病理过程中起到至关重要的作用。