Cell mechanics is a new interdiscipline, which focuses on the relationship between cell mechanical properties and cell behaviors, as well as physiological processes in tissues, organs and the body. Through the perception of and response to mechanical signals, cells participate in physiological activities of skin, bones, eyes and other organs, and the occurrence and development of diseases, including the regeneration, reconstruction and adaptive changes of skin tissues and the pathogenesis of various skin diseases. Cell mechanics has become a hot spot in the research of skin diseases in recent years. This review summarizes recent progress in cell mechanics-associated basic research, as well as in its research and application in scars, bedsores, vitiligo, skin tumors, hair diseases, etc., aiming to provide possible methods and strategies for the treatment of skin diseases.

Objective:To observe the changes of skeletal muscle indexes in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes complicated with sarcopenia treated with sitagliptin and acarbose.Methods:A total of 60 patients over 60 years old with type 2 diabetes complicated with sarcopenia in Dalian Municipal Central Hospital from January 2019 to January 2020 were selected and divided into two groups by random number table method.One group received sitagliptin and metformin,and the other group received acarbose and metformin. The changes of skeletal muscle indexes, glucagon-like peptides-1 (GLP-1), insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) and inflammatory indexes were compared between the two groups at baseline and 36 weeks after treatment.Results:After treatment, the skeletal muscle index (SMI) of sitagliptin group was increased (5.94 ± 1.52 vs. 5.99 ± 1.52), and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Muscle strength and SMI decreased in acarbosse group (18.75 ± 4.64 vs. 17.72 ± 4.44, 6.09 ± 1.74 vs. 6.00 ± 1.71), with statistical significance ( P<0.05). GLP-1 increased in sitagliptin group, 0 min: (10.65 ± 1.68) pmol/L vs. (12.41 ± 1.88) pmol/L; 60 min: (22.79 ± 2.85) pmol/L vs. (25.51 ± 2.79) pmol/L; 120 min: (24.26 ± 2.94) pmol/L vs. (29.49 ± 2.91) pmol/L; 180 min: (11.68 ± 1.84) pmol/L vs. (12.88 ± 1.83) pmol/L. There were significant differences ( P<0.05). HOMA-IR and CRP decreased: 4.73 ± 3.04 vs. 3.16 ± 2.41, (2.39 ± 0.50) mg/L vs. (2.33 ± 0.43) mg/L, and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). HOMA-IR in acarbose group decreased after treatment (5.80 ± 3.94 vs. 4.00 ± 1.63), and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). Comparison between the two groups after treatment, the decreased value of muscle strength in sitagliptin group was less than that in acarbose group, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). GLP-1 and overall GLP-1 area under the curve in sitagliptin group were higher than those in acarbose group (67.64 ± 6.81 vs. 58.98 ± 6.72), with statistical significance ( P<0.05). HOMA-IR and CRP in sitagliptin group were lower than those in acarborose group: 3.16 ± 2.42 vs. 4.00 ± 1.63, (2.33 ± 0.43) mg/L vs. (2.41 ± 0.70) mg/L, with statistical significances ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Sitagliptin therapy improves muscle mass and protects muscle strength in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and sarcopenia.

Objective To investigate the characteristics of peroperative blood pressure and heart rate in patients with normotensive incidental pheochromocytomas in order to provide the basis for peroperative treatment. Methods This retrospective study collected the data of 104 patients with a pathological diagnosis of unilateral pheochromocytoma at PLA General Hospital during January 2011 to December 2016. They were divided into normotensive incidental pheochromocytomas(NIP) group (n＝50) if the patients were normotensive and HIP group ( n＝54) if the patients were with hypertension. The clinical features, imaging features and peroperative hemodynamics were analyzed. Results ( 1) The age, urinary norepinephrine, daily dosage and duration of phenoxybenzamine in NIP group were less than those of HIP group (all P<0.05). (2) Preinduction blood pressure, maximum blood pressure, and total fluid intake in NIP group were lower than those in HIP group(all P<0.05). The blood pressure range, heart rate range, increased blood pressure, minimum mean arterial pressure, vasoactive medication were without statistical significance between these two groups. ( 3) The times and rate of intraoperative systolic blood pressure more than 30% baseline, 200 mmHg (1 mmHg＝0.133 kPa), 180 mmHg, 160 mmHg, intraoperative tachycardia, bradycardia, intraoperative hypotension and postoperative hypotension were without statistical significance between these two groups. (4) Stratified analysis of age (50 years), phenoxybenzamine (40 mg/d), tumor diameter (50 mm) and preinduction blood pressure (130/80 mmHg) showed that intraoperative blood pressure and heart rate were without statistical significance between these two groups. ( 5) There was no correlation between phenoxybenzamine ( daily dosage or duration ) and peroperative hypotension. Applying phenoxybenzamine or vasoactive medication was not correlated with peroperative hypotension in NIP group. Conclusion The peroperative blood pressure and heart rate of patients with NIP are similar to those of patients with HIP. Adequate peroperative treatment should be applied to NIP to avoid hemodynamic instability.

Objective To investigate the correlation between quantitative parameters of dynamic contrast?enhanced MRI (DCE?MRI) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and pathological grades in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Methods Fifty?six patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma who were confirmed by esophagoscope and received neoadjuvant chemotherapy before operation between September 2015 and December 2017 in the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University were prospectively analyzed, and MRI examination was performed within one week before operation. All patients underwent routine chest MRI and DCE?MRI scanning, and quantitative parameters of DCE?MRI, including volume transfer constant (Ktrans),exchange rate constant (Kep) and extravascular extracellular volume fraction (Ve) were measured. Pathological grading was assessed as highly differentiated, moderately differentiated, poorly differentiated,and undifferentiated. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated from the results of two radiologists. Kruskal?Wallis H test was used to compare the differences of quantitative parameters between different pathological grade groups of DCE?MRI,and Mann?Whitney U test was utilized to compare the intraclass differences among pathological grades. Spearman rank correlation analysis was performed for evaluating the correlation between DCE?MRI parameters and pathological grade of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to evaluate the diagnosis accuracy of different DCE?MRI parameters in pathological grade of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Results The 56 patients were divided into four groups according to pathological findings: well differentiated group (n=8), moderately differentiated group (n=39), poorly differentiated group (n=9) and undifferentiated group (n=0). The differences of Ktransmean,Ktrans75%,Kepmax, Kepmean,Kep75% between different pathological grading groups were statistically significant (all P<0.05),and these parameters showed positive correlation significantly with pathological grading (r values were 0.778, 0.632, 0.594, 0.725, 0.489 respectively, all P<0.05). The ROC curve area of Ktransmean, Ktrans75% in the diagnosis of pathological grade for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma was 0.750,0.856,respectively. The diagnostic efficiency of Ktrans75% was the best with the diagnostic threshold of 0.693/min,sensitivity of 87.5%, specificity of 78.5%, respectively. Conclusion The quantitative parameters of DCE?MRI after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma have the potential value for predicting pathological grade.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between neck circumference and metabolic syndrome (MS) in ≥ 40 years old community residents. Methods: A total of 5 017 Dalian community residents who participated in "the risk evaluation of cancers in Chinese diabetic individuals: a longitudinal study" from July to December 2014 were selected, with 1 256 male cases and 3 761 female cases, aged ≥ 40 years old. The basic information was selected by questionnaire. The neck circumference, waist circumference (WC), body height, weight, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2 h-postprandial plasma glucose (2 h PG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA₁c) and blood fat were measured; the body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Results: The age, neck circumference, WC, FPG, 2 h PG, SBP, DBP, incidence of obesity, incidence of hypertension and incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus in male were significantly higher than those in female: (63.5 ± 8.4) years vs. (60.8 ± 8.0) years, (38.6 ± 3.0) cm vs. (34.4 ± 2.6) cm, (92.3 ± 9.1) cm vs. (87.3 ± 9.6) cm, 5.59 (5.20, 6.42) mmol/L vs. 5.43 (5.09, 5.99) mmol/L, 7.67 (6.06, 11.08) mmol/L vs. 7.20 (5.97, 9.64) mmol/L, (135.3 ± 18.8) mmHg (1 mmHg = 0.133 kPa) vs. (129.8 ± 19.5) mmHg, (79.8 ± 10.7) mmHg vs. (74.8 ± 10.0) mmHg, 53.0% (666/1 256) vs. 48.9% (1 841/3 761), 49.9% (627/1 256) vs. 40.6% (1 528/3 761) and 29.8% (374/1 256) vs. 22.5% (846/3 761); the total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and incidence of central obesity in male were significantly lower than those in female: (5.04 ± 0.94) mmol/L vs. (5.58 ± 1.03) mmol/L, 1.35 (0.97, 1.95) mmol/L vs. 1.45 (1.06, 2.04) mmol/L, (1.18 ± 0.27) mmol/L vs. (1.32 ± 0.29) mmol/L, (2.99 ± 0.78) mmol/L vs. (3.27 ± 0.85) mmol/L and 63.7% (800/1 256) vs. 79.7% (2 998/3 761), and there were statistical differences (P<0.01 or <0.05). There were no statistical differences in BMI, HbA₁c and incidence of MS between male and female (P>0.05). After adjustment for age, smoking, drinking, menopausal status (female), BMI and WC, Logistic regression analysis result showed that increased neck circumference in male increased the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus (OR = 1.075, 95% CI 1.012 to 1.142, P = 0.019); increased neck circumference in female increased the risks of type 2 diabetes mellitus (OR = 1.143, 95% CI 1.096 to 1.192, P = 0.000), hypertension (OR = 1.112, 95% CI 1.071 to 1.156, P = 0.000), hypertriacylglyceremia (OR = 1.099, 95% CI 1.060 to 1.139, P = 0.000), low HDL-C (OR = 1.104, 95% CI 1.064 to 1.144, P = 0.000) and MS (OR = 1.167, 95% CI 1.120 to 1.217, P = 0.000). Taking neck circumference as detection variable and MS as outcome variable, the receiver operating characteristic curve was analyzed. In male, the area under curve was 0.733, the optimal cut-off value of neck circumference was 37.9 cm, with a sensitivity of 77.9%, and a specificity of 55.9%. In female, the area under curve was 0.720, the optimal cut-off value of neck circumference 33.3 cm, with a sensitivity of 76.7%, and a specificity of 56.0%. Conclusions Neck circumference is associated with MS in ≥ 40 years old community residents. Male neck circumference >37.9 cm and female neck circumference>33.3 cm are the optimal cut-off value for forecasting MS.

Objective: Sweet Tea (ST), derived from the leaves of Lithocarpus polystachyus, is a Chinese folk medicine with wide pharmacological activities. However, the promotive effects of ST water extract on hepatocytes proliferation and its underlying mechanism remains still unknown. In the present study, the beneficial effects of ST water extract on human hepatocytes and its possible mechanism were investigated. Methods: MTT assay was used to detect the safety range of ST; HL7702 cells were divided into four groups: control group, ST low- (50 μg/mL), medium- (200 μg/mL) and high-concentration (800 μg/mL) groups; BrdU ELISA and EDU staining were used to observe DNA content and cell proliferation; Moreover, flow cytometry was applied to analyze the distribution of cell cycle. Furthermore, the expression of cyclin D1, CDK4, HGF/c-Met, Akt, Erk1/2 were detected by Western blot. Results: It was found that ST water extract concentration-dependent promoted human hepatocytes HL7702 cell proliferation within 72 h through accumulating the cells in S phase and G2/M phase. Furthermore, ST water extract up-regulated expression of Cyclin D1 and CDK4 proteins. Moreover, ST water extract not only increased HGF expression and phosphorylation of c-Met level, but also activated the phosphorylation levels of AKT, ERK1/2. Interestingly, both of AKT inhibitor A6730 and ERK1/2 inhibitor U0126 reversed the promotive effects of ST water extract, which further confirmed that activation of AKT and ERK1/2 were involved. Conclusion: The findings reveal that ST water extract promoted HL7702 cells proliferation through the stimulation of cell cycle mediated by activating the AKT- and ERK1/2-related pathway.