OBJECTIVEThis study aims to detect the expression level of interleukin-23 (IL-23) in tongue squamous cell carcinoma tissues and its relationship with clinical prognosis, as well as explore the anti-apoptotic and drug resistance of the tongue squamous cell line-SCC9 before and after treatment with IL-23.

METHODSThe expression of IL-23 in tumor tissues from 28 tongue cancer patients was analyzed by immunohistochemistry assay. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the mRNA expression of Wingless-related integration site (Wnt)1 and c-myc in SCC9 cells treated with different IL-23 concentrations. After interferencing the β-catenin with small interfering RNA (siRNA), the expression of β-catenin, B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), ATP-binding cassette sub-family G member 2 (ABCG2), and permeability-glycoprotein (P-gp) in SCC9 was measured by Western blot analysis. The effect of IL-23 on the apoptotic resistance of SCC9 to cisplatin was examined by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium test.

RESULTSThe expression of IL-23 in tongue cancer tissues was correlated with lymphatic metastasis, nerve invasion, and the recurrence after therapy (P<0.05). After dealing with IL-23, SCC9 showed the upregulation effect of Bcl-2, ABCG2 and P-gp expressions. IL-23 was closely related to the activation level of the Wnt pathway and significantly strengthened the resistance to cisplatin (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONIL-23 activates the Wnt pathway in tongue squamous cell carcinoma, thereby enhancing its resistance to apoptosis and drug.

Apoptosis ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell ; metabolism ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cisplatin ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; physiology ; Humans ; Interleukin-23 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-23 Subunit p19 ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; RNA, Small Interfering ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tongue Neoplasms ; metabolism ; beta Catenin ; metabolism

Objective To investigate the clinical features and management of hepatolithiasis associated with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Methods Data of 84 patients of hepatolithiasis associated with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in our hospital from 1990 to 2009 were retrospectively analyzed.Results The incidence of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in patients of hepatolithiasis was 4. 6%(84/1840), among them only 47 patients got a definite diagnosis before operation. All cancer located in the bile duct containing cholelith. In 20 patients intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma was identified 6 - 16 years after lithotomy. The clinical manifestation of hepatolithiasis associated intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma included:refractory hepatic abscess, incurable infection of intrahepatic biliary tract, and progressive obstructive jaundice. Only 35 patients received radical excision, 26 patients received palliative excision, 4 patients received radiofrequency ablation therapy, 19 patients received biopsy only. Conclusions There has been a considerable high coincidence between intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma and hepatolithiasis. Resection of the lobe containing intrahepatic stones may help to prevent the development of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), a type Ⅰ transmembrane protein, has been extensively studied in the Toll-like receptor family at present. TLR4 ligands include lipopolysaccharides ( LPS) present in the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria and monophosphoryl lipid A ( MPLA) which is a derivative of LPS. TLR4 agonists, alone, as a major component of compound adjuvants or in combination with other TLRs agonists, have been widely used as adjuvants in various vaccines and demonstrated great potential in vaccine development. This review addressed the discovery, application, features and prospect of novel vac-cine adjuvants based on TLR4 agonists, aiming to provide reference for rational use of adjuvants and further development.

Objective To explore the changes of plasma endothelin-1 (ET-1), nitrousoxide (NO), blood gas analysis, and blood rheology in patients with chronic bronchitis (CB), pulmonary emphysema (PE) and pulmonary heart disease (PHD) at different periods.Methods The plasma ET-1, NO, blood viscosity, hematocrit (Hct) and aggregation index (AI) of patients in groups of CB, PE and PHD, and the subjects of the control group were tested and compared. Blood gas analysis of subjects in four groups also performed and compared. Each group had 40 cases.Results In PE and PHD patients, the ET-1 level was higher, the indexes of blood gas analysis and blood rheology were abnormal. When PE developed into PHD, the ET-1 and PaCO2 tended to increase, PaO2 tended to decrease. When CB developed into PE and PHD, the blood viscosity, pressure volume and AI tended to increase, but NO tended to decrease.Conclusion When CB developed into PE or PHD, ET-1, PaCO2 tend to increase and NO, pH, PaO2 tend to decrease; increased red blood cells, blood viscosity and AI become severe.

Objective:This study analyzes COVID-19 prevention and treatment technology patents from 103 countries and regions worldwide, in order to have a good grasp of the most-current trends in COVID-19 prevention and treatment technology research worldwide, discuss the research directions of such technologies, provide theoretical foundations for interdisciplinary and multi-team cooperation.Methods:The retrieval strategies were constructed utilizing the retrieval and analysis system by the Regional Patent Information Service (Nanjing) Center of The State Intellectual Property Office and IncoPat's scientific and technological innovation platform, using third-level branches as the unit and separating the retrieval and proof processes, the queries built using IPC classification numbers and key words; the search was limited to invention patents, with utility models and designs excluded.Results:On February 14, 2020, there had been a total number of 136 087 invention patent applications for COVID-19 prevention and treatment technologies globally. In terms of the country of origin, the U. S. ranked first with 56 095 patents, followed by China (18 096). In terms of technical field, the top three were chemical therapeutic agents (47 634), vaccines (47 248) and diagnostic tests (12 991), with the U. S. possessing absolutely advantageous patent portfolios in all three fields. The applicants were mainly comprised of large enterprises abroad and universities and research institutes in China.Conclusions:China′s COVID-19 related patent applications are relatively scattered. In the field of chemotherapy, there is room for improvement compared with the advanced countries, and cooperation between scientific institutions and enterprises is insufficient. Therefore, China should further increase investment in chemical drug research and development and seize the opportunity to actively promote the research and development of vaccine technology. On the other hand, we need to consolidate the technical advantages and product advantages of epidemic prevention and control which are already accumulated, and strengthen the protection and layout of intellectual property rights. Furthermore, the technological innovation system combining production, education and research is the breakthrough point to encourage enterprises to become the subject of technological innovation.Last but not least, we should build a service platform for the transfer and transformation of scientific and technological achievements to enhance intellectual property rights and promote the transformation of scientific and technological achievements.

OBJECTIVE: To establish an in vitro method to culture mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs) derived from human nasal mucosa, and explore their stemness and differentiation potential. METHOD: Based on the observation of distribution of MSCs in human nasal mucosa, we cultured and proliferated MSCs in vitro and identified the expression of stem cell markers on them including Nestin, CD133, Vimentin and Sa114 with immunofluorescence. The MSCs were induced to differentiate to osteoblasts with medium containing dexamethasone, ascorbic acid and beta sodium glycerophosphate, and to neurons with Neurobasal medium containing B27, ATRA and TSA. Histochemistry and immunofluorescence were applied to evaluate the differentiation. RESULT: The nestin and vimentin immunofluorescence-positive MSCs existed extensively in human nasal mucosa. While the MSCs were cultured in the osteogenic-inducing medium, activities of alkaline phosphatase were increased significantly, and bone nodules were found on the surface of the osteoblasts by alizarin red staining. After the induction by neural-inducing medium, the MSCs adopted neuron like appearance with many slim protrusions interconnected as a network. The induced cells expressed neural markers NF-200 and BM88 strongly. CONCLUSION The MSCs derived from human nasal mucosa are multipotent stem cells and can be utilized as seed cells to repair bone or neural injury.
Alkaline Phosphatase ; metabolism ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Proliferation ; Cells, Cultured ; Humans ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells ; cytology ; metabolism ; Multipotent Stem Cells ; Nasal Mucosa ; cytology ; Neurons ; Osteoblasts ; cytology

Objective To compare the adjuvant activity of oil-in-water emulsion MF59 and aluminum hydroxide on immune responses to HIV-1 multi-epitope protein MEP1 in BALB/c mice. Methods HIV-1 multi-epitope protein MEP1 with MF59 or aluminum was prepared to intramuscularly vaccinate female BALB/c mice for three times. Serum and splenocytes were isolated from the mice 10 d after the first and last vaccination. Specific anti-MEP1 antibodies and the subclasses in serum were detected by ELISA. The num-bers of splenic lymphocytes secreting IFN-γ and IL-4 were measured by ELISPOT. Differences in humoral and cellular immune responses induced by the two different adjuvants were compared. Results After a sin-gle-dose immunization, aluminum adjuvant promoted early humoral and cellular immune responses to MEP1 compared with MF59. After the three-dose immunization, both aluminum adjuvant and MF59 promoted MEP1 to induce Th2-biased humoral immune response, while MF59 also enhanced a balanced Th1/Th2 cel-lular immune response. Conclusions Aluminum adjuvant was a more suitable adjuvant than MF59 for HIV-1 multi-epitope protein MEP1.

Objective To explore the appropriate target ranges of blood glucose in intensive insulin therapy (ⅡT) for acute hyperglycemia following traumatic brain injury (TBI).Methods A randomized,open-label and controlled clinical trial was performed on 208 patients,admitted to our hospitals from Junuary 2014 to Sepember 2016.They were divided into ⅡT group (n=156),who were subdivided into slight (10.1-13.0 mmol/L),moderate (7.1-10.0 mmol/L),and strict (4.4-7.0 mmol/L) control blood glucose groups (n=52),and non-ⅡT group (n=52).Survival analysis 6 months after treatment was performed by Kaplan-Meier method.Modified Rankin scale (mRS) scores and Barthel index (BI),Glasgow Outcome scale (GOS) scores,concentrations of lactic acid in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and glycosylated hemoglobin,Glasgow coma scale (GCS) scores,Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE Ⅱ) scores,Length of staying in intensive care unit (ICU) and incidence of adverse events were compared between the patients from different groups at different treatment times.Results Blood glucose level within 7 d of admission in patients ofⅡT group was in target ranges.The survival rate of patients from slight and moderate control blood glucose groups was significantly higher than that in the non-ⅡT group and strict control blood glucose group 6 months after treatment (x2=4.237,P=0.040;x2=5.621,P=0.018).As compared with those in the non-ⅡT group and strict control blood glucose group,the mRS scores 3 months after treatment were significantly decreased,and GOS scores and BI one,3 and 6 months after treatment were significantly increased in patients from slight and moderate control blood glucose groups (P＜0.05).As compared with that in the non-ⅡT group,and slight and moderate control blood glucose groups,the glycosylated hemoglobin level 7 d after treatment was significantly decreased in strict control blood glucose group (P＜0.05).As compared with those in the non-ⅡT group and strict control blood glucose group,the concentration of lactic acid in CSF 7 d after treatment,APACHE Ⅱ scores 7 and 14 d after treatment,length of staying in ICU and incidence of adverse events were significantly decreased in patients from slight and moderate control blood glucose groups (P＜0.05).The mean value of blood glucose in slight and moderate control blood glucose groups was (8.40±0.39) mmol/L.Conclusion Proper ⅡT improves the outcomes of TBI patients and (8.40±0.39) mmol/L are established as the target ranges in ⅡT for TBI.

Objective: To investigate the feasibility of using a carbon dioxide(CO2) laser in the treatment of facial papilloma in children and to evaluate its curative effect and prognosis. Methods : A case of pediatric facial papilloma treated with a CO2 laser was reported, and the effects of this disease and CO2 laser treatment were reviewed and analyzed in combination with the literature. Results: Under general anesthesia, the lesion tissue of the left lip was excised for pathological biopsy, and the diagnosis was maxillofacial papilloma. The lesions were surgically ablated in stages with a CO2 laser, and erythromycin ointment was applied to the surgical incision after surgery. A total of three rounds of CO2 laser treatment were performed for 3 treatment courses. The child had no complications during or after the operation, the facial appearance was significantly improved, and there was no sign of recurrence during the 6-month follow-up. A literature review showed that CO2 lasers have been widely used in the excision of various surface lesions. In clinical practice, continuous CO2 laser with power of 10-50 W and wavelength of 10.6 μm is used to treat superficial tissue lesions, which can achieve accurate vaporization resection of diseased tissue, less bleeding and a good prognosis. Conclusion CO2 laser was accurate and minimally invasive for the removal of facial papilloma in children.