Objective:To investigate the effect of metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) in modulat-ing the effects of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) invasion. Methods:Real-time polymerase chain reaction was employed to de-tect the expression of MALAT1 in samples of OSCC post-radical resection, normal oral mucosa samples, and oral squamous cell lines. MALAT1-siRNA was transfected into TSCCa human tongue squamous cell carcinoma cell lines. Cell proliferation was determined by methyl-thiazolyl-tetrazolium reduction assay. Cell migration and invasive ability were evaluated by scratch test and transwell assay. The expression of proteins that regulated invasion and apoptosis were examined using Western blot assay. Immunofluorescence assay was used to detect changes in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated proteins in the cells. Tumor-bearing nude mouse models were established by subcutaneous implantation of TSCCa cells. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect up-regulation of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and matrix metalloproteinase-2/9 (MMP-2/9). Results:MALAT1 expression was significantly higher in OSCC than in normal tissues (P<0.05). MALAT1 expression was inhibited by transfecting MALAT1-siRNA. After MALAT1 expres-sion was down-regulated in TSCCa cells, proliferation was inhibited and invasion was attenuated, showing significant differences com-pared with the cells transfected with scrambled siRNA and control cells (P<0.05). Expression of N-cadherin and MMP-2/9 were down-regulated in the cells after MALAT1 was knocked down. Tumor growth was significantly slower in the MALAT1-siRNA group than in the control groups. IHC indicated that PCNA and MMP-2/9 expression of tumor tissues were significantly inhibited in MALAT1-siR-NA group. Conclusion:MALAT1 is over-expressed in human OSCC. MALAT1 reduction can inhibit the proliferation and invasion of OSCC cells. Furthermore, MALAT1 may promote OSCC invasion and metastasis by modulating EMT.

This prospective study was conducted to assess the rate of resolution of second trimester placenta previa in women with anterior placenta and posterior placenta,and that in women with and without previous cesarean section.In this study,placenta previa was defined as a placenta lying within 20 mm of the internal cervical os or overlapping it.We recruited 183 women diagnosed with previa between 20+0 weeks and 25+6 weeks.They were grouped according to their placenta location (anterior or posterior) and history of cesarean section.Comparative analysis was performed on demographic data,resolution rate of previa and pregnancy outcomes between anterior group and posterior group,and on those between cesarean section group and non-cesarean section group.Women with an anterior placenta tended to be advanced in parity (P=0.040) and have increased number of dilatation and curettage (P=0.044).The women in cesarean section group were significantly older (P=0.000) and had more parity (P=0.000),gravidity (P=0.000),and dilatation and curettage (P=0.048) than in non-cesarean section group.Resolution ofprevia at delivery occurred in 87.43％ women in this study.Women with a posterior placenta had a higher rate of resolution (P=0.030),while history of cesarean section made no difference.Gestational age at resolution was earlier in posterior group (P=0.002) and non-cesarean section group (P=0.008) than in anterior group and cesarean section group correspondingly.Placenta location and prior cesarean section did not influence obstetric outcomes and neonatal outcomes.This study indicates that it is more likely to have subsequent resolution of the previa when the placenta is posteriorly located for women who are diagnosed with placenta previa in the second trimester.

OBJECTIVESTo detect the serum proteomic patterns by using SELDI-TOF-MS (surface enhanced laser desorption/ ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry) technology and CM10 ProteinChip in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, and to evaluate the significance of the proteomic patterns in the tumour staging of colorectal cancer.

METHODSSELDI-TOF-MS and CM10 ProteinChip were used to detect the serum proteomic patterns of 76 patients with colorectal cancer, among them, 10 Stage I, 19 Stage II, 16 Stage III and 31 Stage IV samples. Different stage models were developed and validated by support vector machines, discriminant analysis and time-sequence analysis.

RESULTSThe Model I formed by 6 protein peaks (m/z: 2759.58, 2964.66, 2048.01, 4795.90, 4139.77 and 37761.60) could be used to distinguish local CRC patients (Stage I and Stage II) from regional CRC patients (Stage III) with an accuracy of 86.67% (39/45). The Model II formed by 3 protein peaks (m/z: 6885.30, 2058.32 and 8567.75) could be used to distinguish locoregional CRC patients (Stage I, Stage II and Stage III) from systematic CRC patients (Stage IV) with an accuracy of 75.00% (57/76). The Model III could distinguish Stage I from Stage II with an accuracy of 86.21% (25/29). The Model IV could distinguish Stage I from Stage III with accuracy of 84.62% (22/26). The Model V could distinguish Stage II from Stage III with accuracy of 85.71% (30/35). The Model VI could distinguish Stage II from Stage IV with accuracy of 80.00% (40/50). The Model VII could distinguish Stage III from Stage IV with accuracy of 78.72% (37/47). Different stage groups could be distinguished by the two-dimensional scattered spots figure obviously.

CONCLUSIONThis method showed great success in preoperatively determining the colorectal cancer stage of patients.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; blood ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; blood ; diagnosis ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Gene Expression Profiling ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Proteins ; blood ; Neoplasm Staging ; Preoperative Care ; methods ; Protein Array Analysis ; methods ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization ; methods

OBJECTIVETo detect the serum proteomic patterns by using SELDI-TOF-MS and CM10 ProteinChip techniques in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, and to evaluate the significance of the proteomic patterns in colorectal cancer staging.

METHODSA total of 76 serum samples were obtained from CRC patients at different clinical stages, including Dukes A (n = 10), Dukes B (n = 19), Dukes C (n = 16) and Dukes D (n = 31). Different stage models were developed and validated by bioinformatics methods of support vector machines, discriminant analysis and time-sequence analysis.

RESULTSThe model I formed by six proteins of peaks at m/z 2759.6, 2964.7, 2048.0, 4795.9, 4139.8 and 37 761.6 could do the best as potential biomarkers to distinguish local CRC patients (Dukes A and Dukes B) from regional CRC patients (Dukes C ) with an accuracy of 86.7%. The model II formed by 3 proteins of peaks at m/z 6885.3, 2058.3 and 8567.8 could do the best to distinguish locoregional CRC patients (Dukes A, B and C) from systematic CRC patients (Dukes D) with an accuracy of 75.0%. The mode III could distinguish Dukes A from Dukes B with an accuracy of 86.2% (25/29). The model IV could distinguish Dukes A from Dukes C with an accuracy of 84.6% (22/26). The model V could distinguish Dukes B from Dukes C with an accuracy of 85.7% (30/35). The model VI could distinguish Dukes B from Dukes D with an accuracy of 80.0% (40/50). The model VII could distinguish Dukes C from Dukes D with an accuracy of 78.7% (37/47). Different stage groups could be distinguished by the two-dimensional scattered spots figure obviously.

CONCLUSIONOur findings indicate that this method can well be used in preoperative staging of colorectal cancers and the screened tumor markers may serve for guidance of integrating treatment of colorectal cancers.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; blood ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; blood ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Proteins ; blood ; Neoplasm Staging ; methods ; Preoperative Care ; Protein Array Analysis ; methods ; Proteomics ; methods ; Reproducibility of Results ; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization ; methods

OBJECTIVESTo investigate the efficacy of intracoronary transfer of autologous bone marrow mononuclear cells (ABMMNCs) to patients with myocardial infarction (MI) on left ventricular function and myocardial perfusion.

METHODSThirty-five patients with MI (> 4 weeks) were enrolled in this prospective, open-labeled study (20 patients in cell transplantation group; 15 patients in control group). All patients were treated by standard drug therapy and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Baseline and 3 months follow-up evaluations included complete clinical and laboratory examinations, six minutes walk test, echocardiography, Dual-isotope simultaneous acquisition single photon emission computed tomography (DISA-SPECT) and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

RESULTSBaseline parameters were similar between the two groups. NYHA classification and six minutes walk test at 3 months follow-up were also similar between the two groups. However, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) determined by echocardiography and DISA-SPECT was significantly higher; regional wall motion measured by echocardiography and cardiac MRI, myocardial viability and myocardial perfusion in the infarct zone assessed by DISA-SPECT were all significantly improved than before transplantation and than that in control group at 3 months follow-up.

CONCLUSIONSOur results indicate that intracoronary transplantation of ABMMNCs could improve the left ventricular systolic function and beneficially affect myocardial perfusion up to 3 months post transplantation in patients with myocardial infarction.

Bone Marrow Transplantation ; methods ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction ; surgery ; therapy ; Prospective Studies ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon ; Transplantation, Autologous ; Ventricular Function, Left

This prospective study was conducted to compare risk factors and pregnancy outcomes between women with complete placenta previa and those with incomplete placenta previa diagnosed in mid-pregnancy.The study was carried out from April 2014 to December 2015,during which 70 patients with complete previa and 113 with incomplete previa between 20+0 weeks and 25+6 weeks of gestation were included.Maternal demographics and pregnancy outcomes were compared between the two groups.Comparisons between categorical variables were tested by chi-squared test and those between continuous variables by Student t test.Resolution ofprevia occurred in 87.43％ of the studied women.The mean gestational age at resolution was 32.1±4.4 weeks.Incidence of maternal age ≥35 years and incidence of prior uterine operation ＞3 were high in women with complete previa (28.6％vs.8.8％,P=0.003;28.6％ vs.8.8％,P=0.003).Resolution of previa occurred less often in complete previa group (74.3％ vs.95.6％,P=0.001).Women with complete previa admitted earlier (37.3±2.0 weeks vs.38.1±1.4 weeks,P=0.011) and delivered earlier (37.7±1.2weeks vs.38.3±1.4 weeks,P=0.025).Maternal age ≥35 years and prior uterine operation ＞3 increase the risk of complete previa in mid-pregnancy.Placenta previa is more likely to persist in women with complete previa than those with incomplete previa diagnosed in midpregnancy.What is more,women with complete previa in mid-pregnancy deliversearlier.

INTRODUCTION: Intubations in the emergency department (ED) are often performed immediately without the benefit of pre-selection or the ability to defer. Multicentre observational data provide a framework for understanding emergency airway management but regional practice variation may exist. We aim to describe the intubation indications, prevalence of difficult airway features, peri-intubation adverse events and intubator characteristics in the ED of the National University Hospital, Singapore. METHODS: We conducted a prospective observational study over a period of 31 months from 1 March 2016 to 28 September 2018. Information regarding each intubation attempt, such as indications for intubation, airway assessment, intubation techniques used, peri-intubation adverse events, and clinical outcomes, was collected and described. RESULTS: There were 669 patients, with male predominance (67.3%, 450/669) and mean age of 60.9 years (standard deviation [SD] 18.1). Of these, 25.6% were obese or grossly obese and majority were intubated due to medical indications (84.8%, 567/669). Emergency physicians' initial impression of difficult airway correlated with a higher grade of glottis view on laryngoscopy. First-pass intubation success rate was 86.5%, with hypoxia (11.2%, 75/669) and hypotension (3.7%, 25/669) reported as the two most common adverse events. Majority was rapid sequence intubation (67.3%, 450/669) and the device used was most frequently a video laryngoscope (75.6%, 506/669). More than half of the intubations were performed by postgraduate clinicians in year 5 and above, clinical fellows or attending physicians. CONCLUSION In our centre, the majority of emergency intubations were performed for medical indications by senior doctors utilising rapid sequence intubation and video laryngoscopy with good ffirst-attempt success.

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of the present study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of perindopril or losartan in combination with low-dose amiodarone on maintenance of sinus rhythm in patients with idiopathic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF).

METHODSOne hundred and eighty-one patients with idiopathic PAF were included in the study and randomly divided into three groups: group 1 (amiodarone group, n = 61) was treated with amiodarone alone, group 2 (amiodarone plus losartan, n = 59) was treated with amiodarone and perindopril in combination, and group 3 (amiodarone plus perindopril group, n = 61) was treated with amiodarone and perindopril in combination. The left atrial diameter (LAD) was measured with transthoracic echocardiogram at before and after 6, 12, 18 and 24-month of treatment. The duration of observation was up to two years and the primary end point of the study was the first recurrence of AF.

RESULTSDuring the 6 month following up, there was no difference in LAD among the three groups. After 12 months, LAD in group 1 was significantly larger than group 2 and group 3 (P < 0.05). At 7th-month, the sinus rhythm maintenance of group 1 was lower significantly than group 2 and group 3. At the end of the study, the maintenance of sinus rhythm in group 2 and group 3 was higher significantly than in group 1 (83.05% and 80.33% vs 59.01%, P < 0.05), nevertheless, there was no significant difference between group 2 and group 3.

CONCLUSIONSThe results of this study suggest that the combination of amiodarone with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor perindopril or with angiotensin II receptor antagonist losartan are more effective than amiodarone alone in sinus rhythm maintenance for idiopathic PAF. ACEI and ARB can inhibit the enlargement of left atrium and reduce recurrence rate in patients with idiopathic PAF.

Adult ; Aged ; Amiodarone ; therapeutic use ; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents ; therapeutic use ; Atrial Fibrillation ; drug therapy ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Losartan ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Perindopril ; therapeutic use ; Prospective Studies

OBJECTIVEThis study was designed to compare clinical efficacy of segmental pulmonary vein ablation (SPVI), amiodarone or amiodarone plus losartan on sinus rhythm maintenance in patients with lone paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF).

METHODSPatients with lone PAF were treated with amiodarone alone (A, n = 52), segmental pulmonary vein isolation (SPVI, n = 51), or amiodarone plus losartan (AL, n = 51). The primary endpoint of this study was the incidence of symptomatic atrial tachyarrhythmia (> 30 s) documented by 12 lead ECG or Holter during 12 months follow-up period.

RESULTSDuring follow-up, AF was documented in 24 patients (46.2%) in A group, 11 patients (21.6%) in SPVI group and 12 (23.5%) in AL group (P < 0.05 vs. A group). The Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated a significant equally reduction in AF recurrence in SPVI and AL groups (P = 0.009, log-rank test and P = 0.018, log-rank test, respectively) compared with A group. The hazard ratio for AF recurrence in patients treated with SPVI and amiodarone plus losartan was 0.41 (95% CI 0.200 to 0.848, P = 0.016) and 0.46 (95% CI 0.225 to 0.953, P = 0.036), respectively. Incidences of major adverse cardiac events were similar among the groups (9.6% in A, 3.9% in SPVI and 7.8% in AL group, P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe results of this study suggest that the segmental pulmonary vein isolation and amiodarone plus losartan are superior to amiodarone alone for preventing AF recurrence in patients with lone PAF.

Aged ; Amiodarone ; therapeutic use ; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents ; therapeutic use ; Atrial Fibrillation ; prevention & control ; therapy ; Catheter Ablation ; methods ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Losartan ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

Objective To explore the existence of natural loci on Marmota himalayana plague in Sichuan province and to provide basis for prevention and control of the disease. Methods Both epidemiological investigation and laboratory tests were used to provide the host animal and fleas of the vectors with Yersinia pestis carriers. Results 30 species of animals were found to belong to 10 orders. Ochotona curzoniae and M.himalayana were the most common ones while 7 species of the fleas belonged to 7 genera and 3 families. M.himalayana was the main reservoirs while Callopsylla dolabris and Oropsylla silantiewi served as vectors. The 13 Y.pestis were identified from 43 Marmota samples. 8 samples were identified under IHA, with the highest titer of herding-dogs serum as 1 : 10 240. 19 samples were F1 antigen positive using RIHA and the highest titer of M.himalayana serum was 1:409 600. The major foci was 4545 km2, distributed at Dege county in Sichuan province. Conclusion We have confirmed the existence of natural foci on M. Himalayana plague in Sichuan province.