Orientation and mobility outcome measures

Despite orientation and mobility (O&M) being a significant factor determining quality of life of people with low vision or blindness, there are no gold standard measures or agreement on how to measure O&M performance. In the first part of this systematic review, an inventory of O&M outcome measures used by recent studies to assess the performance of orientation and/or mobility of adults with vision impairment (low vision and blindness) is presented. A wide variety of O&M outcome measures have been implemented in different fields of study, such as epidemiologic research and interventional studies evaluating training, assistive technology, vision rehabilitation and vision restoration. The most frequent aspect of outcome measures is efficiency such as time, distance, speed and percentage of preferred walking speed, followed by obstacle contacts and avoidance, and dis/orientation and veering. Other less commonly used aspects are target identification, safety and social interaction and self-reported outcome measures. Some studies employ sophisticated equipment to capture and analyse O&M performance in a laboratory setting, while others carry out their assessment in real-world indoor or outdoor environments. In the second part of this review, the appropriateness of implementing the identified outcome measures to assess O&M performance in clinical and functional O&M practice is evaluated. Nearly a half of these outcome measures meet all four criteria of face validity (either clinical or functional), responsiveness, reliability and feasibility and have the potential to be implemented in clinical or functional O&M practice. The findings of this review confirm the complicated and dynamic nature of O&M. Multiple measures are required in any evaluation of O&M performance to facilitate holistic assessment of O&M abilities and limitations of each individual.     

BCAN基因在肾透明细胞癌中的表达及临床意义

目的以基因表达数据集资料为研究对象,分析BCAN基因在肾透明细胞癌中的表达情况以及对患者预后的影响。方法在Oncomine数据库中挖掘BCAN在肾透明细胞癌(ccRCC)中的表达情况。从TCGA数据库中获取ccRCC患者临床资料和目的基因的表达信息并进行统计分析。利用GEO数据库中GSE73731数据集的ccRCC样本进行基因富集分析。利用String数据库分析与BCAN相关的蛋白。结果BCAN低表达组的ccRCC患者在病理分期及T分期方面低于高表达组(P<0.001;P=0.001);N分期及M分期差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。BCAN低表达组患者的总生存期优于高表达组(P=0.033)。BCAN基因高表达组的样本主要富集在KRAS信号通路。结论BCAN可以通过多种途径来促进肿瘤细胞的侵袭能力,有望成为ccRCC不良预后的重要生物标志物之一。     

Investigation of the mechanisms of Genkwa Flos hepatotoxicity by a cell metabolomics strategy combined with serum pharmacology in HL-7702 liver cells

1. To investigate Genkwa Flos hepatotoxicity, a cell metabolomics strategy combined with serum pharmacology was performed on human HL-7702 liver cells in this study.

2. Firstly, cell viability and biochemical indicators were determined and the cell morphology was observed to confirm the cell injury and develop a cell hepatotoxicity model. Then, with the help of cell metabolomics based on UPLC-MS, the Genkwa Flos group samples were completely separated from the blank group samples in the score plots and seven upregulated as well as two down-regulated putative biomarkers in the loading plot were identified and confirmed. Besides, two signal molecules and four enzymes involved in biosynthesis pathway of lysophosphatidylcholine and the sphingosine kinase/sphingosine-1-phosphate pathway were determined to investigate the relationship between Genkwa Flos hepatotoxicity and these two classic pathways. Finally, the metabolic pathways related to specific biomarkers and two classic metabolic pathways were analyzed to explain the possible mechanism of Genkwa Flos hepatotoxicity.

3. Based on the results, lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress, phospholipase A₂/lysophosphatidylcholine pathway, the disturbance of sphingosine-1-phosphate metabolic profile centered on sphingosine kinase/sphingosine-1-phosphate pathway and fatty acid metabolism might be critical participators in the progression of liver injury induced by Genkwa Flos.