Objective To investigate the relationship between cognitive function and emotional status in functional constipation patients.Methods Thirty-five functional constipation patients (the functional constipation group) and 24 healthy controls (the HCs) were enrolled in an event-related potential (ERP),behavior and electroeneephalogram study while performing an oddball auditory task.Response time,accuracy,latency and P300 amplitude were compared between the two groups.The Hamilton depression rating scale (HAMD-17),Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA),symptom check list-90 (SCL-90) and Eysenck personality questionnaire (EPQ) were administered prior to the oddball task.Results The average HAMD-17,HAM A and SCL-90 (the somatization,obsessive-compulsive disorder,depression,anxiety and psychosis dimensions) scores of the functional constipation group differed significantly from those of the HCs.The intro-extraversion and neurosis dimensions of the EPQ were also significantly different.There was no significant difference in response time or latency between the two groups.The ERP results showed that the P300 amplitudes at the F3 and F7 sites were significantly different between the functional constipation group and the HCs.But there was no significant difference in P300 latencies at F3 or F7 between the two groups.Conclusions The findings suggest that patients with functional constipation are more susceptible to depression and anxiety,as well as somatization,obsessive-compulsive tendencies and other neurotic personality characteristics.Patients may employ psychological defense mechanisms to avoid the depression and anxiety.The ERP results imply there may be the implicit cognitive dysfunction with emotion in patients with functional constipation.

Objective To explore the correlation between anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion gene detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in non-small cell lung cancer. Methods The ALK fusion protein/gene in 71 patients of NSCLC which was detected both by IHC (1A4/1H7) and RT-PCR were retrospective studies, and the 2 methods were compared. Results Among the 71 NSCLC patients, the ALK fusion protein positive was in 21 cases and negative was in 50 cases by IHC detected, while the ALK fusion gene positive was in 12 cases and negative was in 59 cases by RT-PCR. The ALK fusion genes detected by RT-PCR were all negative when IHC negative and IHC 1+. All patients with IHC 2+ and IHC 3+ were confirmed ALK fusion genes positive with RT-PCR. The positive rate of ALK fusion protein detected by IHC in large surgical specimens was 28.95%(11/38), and the positive rate of ALK fusion protein detected by IHC in small biopsy specimen was 30.30%(10/33). The positive rate of ALK fusion gene detected by RT-PCR in large surgical specimens was 18.42%(7/38), and the positive rate of ALK fusion gene detected by RT-PCR in small biopsy specimen was 15.15% (5/33). Conclusions Although the ALK fusion protein detected by IHC may have certain false positive, IHC is highly consistent with RT-PCR in IHC 2+and IHC 3+ cases. The combination of IHC and RT-PCR can be used to ALK fusion gene positive NSCLC screening and diagnosis. The small biopsy specimen is also good material for ALK detection, when the surgical specimen can not be got from patients.

Objective To establish a simple method to extract the methylated ctDNA in urine using magnetic beads as solid phase adsorption carri?er with a specific design reagent system and extraction process,and evaluate its application feasibility for methylated gene detection in urine sample . Methods Fourty cases of methylated ctDNA were extracted in urine using magnetic beads. After methylated modification,the concentration and pu?rity of DNA was determined by ultraviolet spectrophotometer. Results The extraction of 50 mL urine can gain 61?200 ng/mL methylated ctDNA, and the OD260/280 was 1.8 ± 0.05. Conclusion There are methylated ctDNA exist in the urine which can be extracted by magnetic beads. The estab?lished extraction method is simple,effective,and with high purity.

OBJECTIVEThough myasthenia gravis (MG) is a typical autoimmune disorder, there was some controversy on the treatment of the childhood-onset MG. By observing the efficacy of different therapies, the authors analyzed the affecting factors of prognosis in childhood-onset MG.

METHODThe retrospective data of 155 patients with childhood-onset MG (age of MG onset was less than 15 years) were collected from Department of Neurology, Beijing Tongren Hospital (January 2000 - February 2010). The patients were non-randomly divided according to their treatment into 3 groups (glucocorticoid, thymectomy and glucocorticoid combined with thymectomy groups). Postintervention status meeting the criteria of Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) "complete stable remission, CSR", "pharmacologic remission, PR", "minimal manifestations, MM", or "Improved, I" was regarded as desirable response, which was used as primary indicator of observation. The authors assessed the efficacy of three therapies and analyzed the influencing factors of prognosis by using Chi-square test and Logistic regression.

RESULTAt 3 months of treatment, glucocorticoid group showed the highest effective rate. At the end of 1 year or 2 years of treatment, glucocorticoid combined with thymectomy group showed the highest effective rate respectively. The generalization rate of MG at 2 years, 10 years and 20 years in childhood-onset ocular MG patients were 4.3%, 10.7%, and 41.5%, respectively. Of patients with generalization of MG, 48.1% occurred within 2 years, 92.6% within 20 years. Univariate analysis showed that in childhood-onset ocular MG patients, variables such as age at onset (> 10 years), LG-MG and with chronic fatigue were significantly associated with general MG conversion. Whereas multivariate analysis showed that patients with age at onset (> 10 years) and chronic muscle fatigue were apt to convert to generalized MG.

CONCLUSIONGlucocorticoid appeared to have an effect that leads to early remission of symptoms in childhood-onset MG patients and glucocorticoid combined with thymectomy appeared to have better long-term effect. For those childhood-onset ocular MG patients with longer course of disease, older age of onset, chronic fatigue, or LG-MG, physicians should try to prevent the generalization of MG by immunosuppressive therapies.

Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Glucocorticoids ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Myasthenia Gravis ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Thymectomy ; Young Adult

RGS16 protein expression in 84 cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC) was examined by immunohistochemical staining method.RGS16 protein expression was positive in 78 out of the 84 cases.The expression was associated with the clinical stage of OSCC(P ＜ 0.05),but not with patient's age,gender,degree of differentiation and lymph node metastasis(P ＞ 0.05).

AIM:To explore the potentially beneficial clinical effects of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) combined with photocoagulation for diabetic retinopathy(DR).METHODS:Chinese patients with DR were divided into two groups. A joint treatment group received both the TCM ziyinliangxuesanyutang and photocoagulation, while a control group received only photocoagulation laser treatment. Visual acuity tests, visual field retinal sensitivity tests, and fundus fluorescein angiography (to measure neovascular regression) were performed. Vision was compared between the two groups 1 month, 6, and 12 months after treatment.RESULTS:Twelve months after treatment, the recovery of visual acuity (62.3% vs 43.1%, P=0.037) and retinal sensitivity \[17.0±3.7 decibels (dB) vs 14.9±3.7dB, P=0.002\] as well as neovascular regression (67.2% vs 48.3%, P=0.036) in the joint treatment group were all significantly greater than that of the control group.CONCLUSION:Compared with laser treatment alone, the joint application of TCM and photocoagulation is shown to be more effective than DR treatment method.

Objective To establish a magnetic nanoparticles separation-based quantitative real-time PCR(RT-PCR)assay for fast and accurate detection of Plasmodium falciparum and providing a technical support for improving the control and preven-tion of imported malaria. Methods According to the conserved sequences of the P. falciparum genome 18SrRNA,the species-specific primers and probe were designed and synthetized. The RT-PCR was established by constructing the plasmid standard , fitting the standard curve and using magnetic nanoparticles separation. The sensitivity and specificity of the assay were evaluat-ed. Results The relationship between the threshold cycle(Ct)and logarithm of initial templates copies was linear over a range of 2.5×101 to 2.5×108 copies/μl(R2=0.999). Among 13 subjects of entry frontier,a P. falciparum carrier with low load was de-tected by using the assay and none was detected with the conventional examinations(microscopic examinations and rapid tests). Conclusion This assay shows a high sensitivity in detection of P. falciparum,with rapid and accurate characteristics,and is especially useful in diagnosis of P. falciparum infectors with low parasitaemia at entry-exit frontier ports.

Objective To evaluate the effects,safety and economic cost of long-term home noninvasive ventilation (NIV) therapy in elderly patients with chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure.Methods A total of 128 elderly patients with chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure were randomly assigned to two groups:the NIV group (n=66) with conventional therapy in addition to long-term home NIV therapy,and the control group (n=62) with conventional therapy alone.Compared were parameters before and after two year follow up,which included dyspnea grade,scale for accessory muscle use,scoring for emotional disorders,mean pulmonary pressure (mPAP) by electrocardiography,arterial blood gas,the times of pulmonary infection and hospitalization rates,the duration of hospitalization invasive ventilation,the duration of in RICU and in hospital stay,tracheal intubation rates and mortality.The medical cost was calculated.Results After two years,the differences in the dyspnea grade,scale for accessory muscle use,anxiety scores,depression scores,mPAP,arterial PaCO2 and PaO2,hospitalization rates,the times of pulmonary infection,the days of hospitalization for exacerbation in the home NIV group [2.2± 0.2,2.4 ± 0.3,4 ± 1,5.3 ± 1.2,(36.6±5.2)mm Hg,(50.2±4.5)mm Hg,(63.5±4.2)mm Hg,(1.3±0.2) times/year,(2.4±0.2) times/year,(15.8 ± 4.4) days/times] were statistically significant compared to the control group [4.1±0.2,4.9±0.5,12±3,11.3±1.6,(45.2±5.2)mm Hg,(67.3±4.5) mm Hg,(48.3±4.3)mm Hg,(5.4±0.4)times/year,(8.9 ±0.3) times/year,(38.5± 6.3) days/times] (all P＜0.01).The duration of invasive ventilation,the days in RICU and in hospital stay,tracheal intubation rates on admission to the hospital were significantly decreased in the home NIV group [(8.2 ± 2.2)days,(9.6±3.1) days,(15.8±4.4) days,(2±0.2) times/two years],as compared with the control group [(15.8±3.4) days,(18.6±4.4)days,(38.5±6.3)days,(8.0±0.8) times/two years].The mortality was decreased significantly in the home NIV group (3.0 ％)compared with the control group (29.0％) (P＜0.05).The medical cost in two years was significant lower in the home NIV group [(6.4 ± 0.5) thousand yuan],compared with the control group (18.4 ±0.6) thousand yuan (P＜0.01).Conclusions Long-term home NIV therapy in patients with chronic hypercapinc respiratory failure is effective,safe and can decrease the mortality and medical cost.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of curcumin (Cur) on radiosensitivity of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell CNE-2 and its mechanism.

METHODThe effect of curcumin on radiosensitivity was determined by the clone formation assay. The cell survival curve was fitted by Graph prism 6. 0. The changes in cell cycle were analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM). The differential expression of long non-coding RNA was detected by gene chip technology. Part of differentially expressed genes was verified by Real-time PCR.

RESULTAfter 10 micro mol L-1 Cur had worked for 24 h, its sensitization enhancement ratio was 1. 03, indicating that low concentration of curcumin could increase the radiosensitivity of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells; FCM displayed a significant increase of G2 phase cells and significant decrease of S phase cells in the Cur combined radiation group. In the Cur group, the GUCY2GP, H2BFXP, LINC00623 IncRNA were significantly up-regulated and ZRANB2-AS2 LOC100506835, FLJ36000 IncRNA were significantly down-regulated.

CONCLUSIONCur has radiosensitizing effect on human nasopharyngeal carcinoma CNE-2 cells. Its mechanism may be related to the changes in the cell cycle distribution and the expression of long non-coding IncRNA.

Cell Cycle ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Survival ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Curcumin ; pharmacology ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; drug effects ; radiation effects ; Humans ; RNA, Long Noncoding ; genetics ; Radiation Tolerance ; drug effects

Objective:To analyze the value of droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) in detecting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in peripheral blood circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods:Peripheral blood samples of 63 patients with NSCLC who were treated in Shanxi Provincial Cancer Hospital from August 2018 to March 2019 were collected, and EGFR sensitive mutations in peripheral blood of patients were detected by ddPCR, and the results were compared with the results of amplification refractory mutation system polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR). Kappa test was used to analyze the consistency of the two methods.Results:The EGFR sensitive mutations were found in 31 cases (49.2%) by ddPCR in peripheral blood of 63 patients with NSCLC. Among them, 1 case (1.6%) had G719X, 12 cases (19.0%) had E19-Del, 11 cases had T790M (17.5%), 7 cases (11.1%) had L858R. Seven cases (22.6%) of the patients had double mutations. In comparison, the above 4 mutations were found in 26 cases (41.3%) by the ARMS-PCR method, with 0 case, 12 cases (19.0%), 6 cases (9.5%), and 8 cases (12.7%), respectively, including 5 cases (19.2%) with double mutations. L858R in one case was positive when detected by ARMS-PCR, while it was negative when detected by ddPCR. The consistency rate of the two methods was 90.3% (κ = 0.8, P < 0.05). The median abundance of EGFR mutations in peripheral blood ctDNA of 31 cases was 1.7% (range 0.04%-23.60%). The median abundance of E19-Del was 2.50% (0.35%-22.70%), that of T790M was 0.6% (0.04%-14.00%), and that of L858R was 2.3% (0.20%-23.60%). Ten cases with the abundance of EGFR mutations < 1% when detected by ddPCR, accounting for 32.6% (10/31) of total patients with mutations, but only 5 cases of them were detected by ARMS-PCR. The detection rate of T790M by ddPCR in patients who had received tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) and had acquired drug resistance was 57.9% (11/19), while it was 0 in patients without TKI treatment. Among patients with T790M mutation, 1 case had a mutation abundance < 0.1%, 7 cases had a mutation abundance of 0.1%-2.0%, 3 cases had a mutation abundance > 2.0%.Conclusions:The ddPCR provides a non-invasive, highly sensitive and absolutely quantitative method for detecting EGFR mutations in peripheral blood ctDNA of NSCLC patients. It provides a new detection method for EGFR-TKI targeted therapy in NSCLC patients with difficult sampling or with acquired drug resistance who need to repeatedly sample. The approach provides an important basis for the individualized targeted therapy.