Is automatic CPAP titration as effective as manual CPAP titration in OSAHS patients? A meta-analysis

Purpose  

It is costly and time-consuming to conduct the standard manual titration to identify an effective pressure before continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients. Automatic titration is cheaper and more easily available than manual titration. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the effect of automatic titration in identifying a pressure and on the improvement of apnea/hyponea index (AHI) and somnolence, the change of sleep quality, and the acceptance and compliance of CPAP treatment, compared with the manual titration.     

Homosexuals' attitudes to male homosexuality— survey

A questionnaire looking at attitudes towards male homosexuality was circulated to 94 members of the Gay Medical Association (GMA) and 510 members of various homophile organisations. The response rates were 56% and 34.7% respectively. Some clear differences emerged between the two groups in looking at stereotypes of male homosexuals. Nearly hlf the respondents in both the groups agreed that male homosexuals in general are promiscuous. The differences are discussed and suggestions made for further research.     

吸入伊洛前列素对初入高海拔地区青年血流动力学的影响

目的探讨雾化吸入伊洛前列素溶液对初入高海拔地区青年血流动力学的影响。方法将32名受试者随机分为伊洛前列素组(n=16)和对照组(n=16),自海拔1 400 m历时5 d进入5 200 m,从进入海拔5 200 m当天开始,伊洛前列素组4次/d雾化吸入伊洛前列素溶液,连续5 d。对照组用同样的方法吸入生理盐水。于吸入伊洛前列素溶液第5天,用XG-Ⅲ型血液循环功能自动测试仪检测两组受试者的血流动力学。结果伊洛前列素组较对照组P、TPR、ALT、η、BK、PAWP、CCP降低,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05);SV、MAP、BV增高,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论在高原雾化吸入伊洛前列素溶液对初入高海拔地区青年血流动力学有明显的改善作用。     

MicroRNA-100 inhibits osteosarcoma cell proliferation by targeting Cyr61

Increasing evidence indicates that microRNAs (miRNAs) participate in almost every step of cellular processes and are often aberrantly expressed in human cancer. Therefore, the discovery of miRNAs may provide a new and powerful tool for understanding the mechanism and treatment of carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the functional significance of miR-100 and to identify its possible target genes in osteosarcoma (OS) cells. Here, we found that expression level of miR-100 was significantly decreased in osteosarcoma tissues in comparison with the adjacent normal tissues. The enforced expression of miR-100 was able to inhibit cell proliferation in Saos-2 and MG63 cells, while its antisense oligonucleotides (antisense miR-100) promoted cell proliferation. Moreover, our results further revealed that expression of Cyr61, an extracellular matrix-associated growth factor, was negatively regulated by miR-100. Therefore, we consider that miR-100 acts as a tumor suppressor for osteosarcoma. It may provide novel diagnostic and therapeutic options for human osteosarcoma in the future.     

Study on mechanism of release oxygen by photo-excited hemoglobin in low-level laser therapy

According to the calculated results on the charge distribution of oxygenated heme and deoxygenated heme, and based on the theory of electron excitations in photo-acceptor molecules and the absorption spectra of hemoglobin, it is found that low-level laser within the waveband of about 800–1060 nm can promote the release of oxygen from oxyhemoglobin and improve the oxygen supply of capillaries to surrounding tissues. Furthermore, the reasons have been explained that why the low-level laser at a wavelength of 830 nm is better in the treatment on burn injury and stimulation of hair growth. We also explained why the near-infrared laser of 1064 nm is applied to the forehead to improve cerebral oxygenation in healthy humans. Finally, according to comparison of atomic charge distribution in heme before and after bound to small molecule of carbon monoxide or nitric oxide, it could be inferred that the low-level laser with an appropriate wavelength can promote the carbon monoxide hemoglobin and nitric oxide hemoglobin to dissociate the carbon monoxide molecules and the nitric oxide molecules. This may be used for adjuvant therapy of carbon monoxide poisoning or nitric oxide poisoning.     

CD47-retargeted oncolytic adenovirus armed with melanoma differentiation-associated gene-7/interleukin-24 suppresses in vivo leukemia cell growth

Our previous studies have suggested that harboring a soluble coxsackie-adenovirus receptor-ligand (sCAR-ligand) fusion protein expression cassette in the viral genome may provide a universal method to redirect oncolytic adenoviruses to various membrane receptors on cancer cells resisting to serotype 5 adenovirus infection. We report here a novel oncolytic adenovirus vector redirected to CD47+ leukemia cells though carrying a sCAR-4N1 expression cassette in the viral genome, forming Ad.4N1, in which 4N1 represents the C-terminal CD47-binding domain of thrombospondin-1. The infection and cytotoxicity of Ad.4N1 in leukemia cells were determined to be mediated by the 4N1-CD47 interaction. Ad.4N1 was further engineered to harbor a gene encoding melanoma differentiation-associated gene-7/interleukin-24 (mda-7/IL-24), forming Ad.4N1-IL24, which replicated dramatically faster than Ad.4N1, and elicited significantly enhanced antileukemia effect in vitro and in a HL60/Luc xenograft mouse model. Our data suggest that Ad.4N1 could act as a novel oncolytic adenovirus vector for CD47+ leukemia targeting gene transfer, and Ad.4N1 harboring anticancer genes may provide novel antileukemia agents.