Objective To investigate the expression profile, prognostic value, gene co-expression network, and immunomodulatory role of BRF1 in a pan-cancer context, and to explore its biological functions and molecular regulatory mechanisms in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods The pan-cancer dataset from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) was utilized to analyze the differential expression of BRF1 in tumor versus normal tissues, its association with patient survival, pathway enrichment for co-expressed genes, and immune features (including immune checkpoints, cytokines, and immune cell infiltration). The expression profile of BRF1 in ESCC was validated using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. In vitro, BRF1 was knocked down in ESCC cells using siRNA. Cell proliferation and migration were assessed by MTT and Transwell assays, respectively. The expression levels of proliferation- and migration-related proteins were detected by Western blotting. The correlation between BRF1 and ferroptosis was analyzed using TCGA data. Results BRF1 was significantly upregulated in over 20 types of cancer, and its high expression was associated with poor prognosis in patients with adrenocortical carcinoma and prostate adenocarcinoma. BRF1 was found to positively regulate the T-cell-mediated cell death pathway in esophageal adenocarcinoma and was associated with the circadian rhythm regulation pathway in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The correlation of BRF1 with immune checkpoints, cytokine networks, and immune cell infiltration was found to be cancer type-specific. In vitro experiments demonstrated that knocking down BRF1 significantly inhibited the proliferation of ESCC cells, accompanied by the downregulation of the proliferation marker PCNA. Cell migration was also significantly impaired, with decreased expression of Vimentin and MMPs and increased expression of E-cadherin. Furthermore, the expression of BRF1 was positively correlated with that of ferroptosis-antagonizing genes, such as GPX4, HSPA5, and SLC7A11. Conclusion BRF1 plays complex roles in pan-cancer, participating in the regulation of tumorigenesis, progression, and immune infiltration. BRF1 promotes the proliferation and migration of ESCC cells, a mechanism potentially associated with the regulation of ferroptosis resistance. These findings suggest that BRF1 could be a potential therapeutic target for ESCC.

Crohn′s disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease that mainly affects the digestive tract. Rectal and perianal involvement is a complex manifestation of CD. Refractory proctoanal type CD is the main cause of rectal resection and permanent anal dysfunction. Recently, our center performed modified Bacon surgery in two CD patients with complex rectoperineal and rectovaginal fistulas who were about to undergo rectotomy and enterostomy. The data of these two cases are summarized and reported.

Crohn′s disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease that mainly affects the digestive tract. Rectal and perianal involvement is a complex manifestation of CD. Refractory proctoanal type CD is the main cause of rectal resection and permanent anal dysfunction. Recently, our center performed modified Bacon surgery in two CD patients with complex rectoperineal and rectovaginal fistulas who were about to undergo rectotomy and enterostomy. The data of these two cases are summarized and reported.

Objective To investigate how the neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) affect the proliferation and migration of mouse MC38 colorectal cancer cells and its mechanism. Methods Spleen neutrophils were extracted in mouse, followed by collection of NETs after ionomycin stimulation in vitro. The proliferation of MC38 cell was detected by CCK-8 assay, and migration ability were detected by Transwell^TM and cell scratch assay, after co-incubation with MC38 cells. The mRNA expression of cellular matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) and MMP9 were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, and the expression of MMP2, MMP9 and focal adhesion kinase (FAK), phosphorylated FAK protein were detected by Western blot. After silencing MMP9 using small interfering RNA (siRNA), the effect of NETs on the proliferation and migration ability of MC38 cells and the altered expression of related molecules were examined by previous approach. Results NETs promoted the proliferation and migration of MC38 cells and up-regulated the MMP9 expression and FAK phosphorylation. Silencing MMP9 inhibited the promotion of MC38 proliferation and migration by NETs and suppressed FAK phosphorylation. Conclusion NETs up-regulates MMP9 expression in MC38 cells, activates FAK signaling pathway and promotes tumor cell proliferation and migration.
Animals ; Mice ; Focal Adhesion Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/metabolism* ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 2/metabolism* ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9/metabolism* ; Extracellular Traps/metabolism* ; Cell Movement ; Cell Proliferation ; RNA, Small Interfering/genetics* ; Colorectal Neoplasms/genetics* ; Cell Line, Tumor

Objective:To compare the efficacy of standardized incision and conventional incision for reduction and internal fixation of multiple rib fracture.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 192 patients with multiple rib fracture treated in 909th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force (Affiliated Dongnan Hospital of Xianmen University Medical College) from January 2020 to January 2022. There were 101 males and 91 females; aged 32-94 years [(51.5±16.6)years]. The patients underwent open reduction and internal fixation with nickel-titanium shape memory alloy embracer via standard incision such as anterior axillary longitudinal incision (standard incision group, n=96) or conventional incision such as posterolateral incision (conventional incision group, n=96). The incision length, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, number of fixed fractures, indwelling time of closed thoracic drainage tube, postoperative thoracic drainage volume, postoperative spontaneous ambulation time and length of hospital stay were compared in the two groups. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to evaluate pain at 1 month after operation. Postoperative complications were recorded. Results:All patients were followed up for 1-16 months [4.0(3.0, 10.5)months]. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, indwelling time of closed thoracic drainage tube, postoperative thoracic drainage volume, postoperative spontaneous ambulation time, length of hospital stay and VAS at postoperative 1 month in standard incision group [(12.1±1.6)cm, (51.4±13.0)minutes, (191.5±16.8)ml, (2.8±0.6)days, (568.9±109.0)ml, (4.1±0.7)days, (11.4±1.7)days, (2.5±0.7)points] were better than those in conventional incision group [(13.7±1.9)cm, (62.0±8.8)minutes, (248.9±65.4)ml, (4.8±1.1)days, (655.9±121.9)ml, (5.2±0.9)days, (15.3± 1.7)days, (3.5±0.7)points] ( P<0.05 or 0.01). There was no statistical difference in the number of fixed fractures between standard incision group and conventional incision group (5.1±0.8 vs. 5.4±0.9) ( P>0.05). In standard incision group, there were 3 patients with poor wound healing, 5 with pulmonary infection, 3 with atelectasis and 3 with small pleural effusion. In conventional incision group, there were 11 patients with poor wound healing, 9 with pulmonary infection, 7 with atelectasis and 7 with small pleural effusion. The incidence of postoperative complications was 14.6% (14/96) in standard incision group and 35.4% (34/96) in conventional incision group ( P<0.01). Conclusion:For multiple rib fracture, standard incision is superior to conventional incision reduction in shortening the incision length, operation time, indwelling time of drainage tube, postoperative spontaneous ambulation time and length of hospital stay, reducing the intraoperative blood loss and postoperative thoracic drainage volume, alleviating the pain and reducing the postoperative complications.

Objective:To compare the clinical efficacy of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and ventilation therapy in the treatment of severe blast lung injury.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 37 patients with severe blast lung injury admitted to 909th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force (Affiliated Dongnan Hospital of Xianmen University Medical College) from January 2000 to December 2021, including 23 males and 14 females; aged 26-50 years [(36.3±11.1)years]. The chest abbreviated injury score (AIS) was 3-5 points. In all, 16 patients were treated with ECMO from January 2017 to December 2021 (ECMO group) and 21 with ventilator from January 2000 to December 2016 (ventilator group). Blood gas analysis indexes [arterial pH, partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO 2), partial pressure of oxygen (PaO 2), blood lactate (Lac)] and hemodynamics indexes [central venous pressure (CVP), cardiac output index (CI), pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (PASP), pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PAWP)] were compared in the two groups at 30 minutes before treatment and at 2, 4, 6 hours after treatment. The mechanical ventilation time, ICU length of stay, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) score and mortality were measured at 7 days after treatment. Results:All patients were followed up for 24-48 months [(33.6±8.2)months]. The blood gas analysis and hemodynamic indexes were significantly improved in the two groups at 2, 4, 6 hours after treatment when compared with those at 30 minutes before treatment (all P<0.05), and the improvements were still statistically significant in ECMO group at 4, 6 hours after treatment when compared with those at 2 hours after treatment (all P<0.05), while not in ventilator group (all P>0.05). There was no significant difference in blood gas analysis indexes or hemodynamic indexes between the two groups at 30 minutes before treatment (all P>0.05). After treatment for 2, 4, 6 hours, blood gas analysis indexes and hemodynamic indexes in ECMO group were statistically different from those in ventilator group (all P<0.05). After treatment for 7 days, the mechanical ventilation time, ICU length of stay, APACHE II score and mortality were (3.2±1.2)days, (5.4±1.3)days, (14.1±3.3)points and 12.5% (2/16) in ECMO group, significantly different from (5.1±1.6)days, (7.6±1.6)days, (10.2±2.6)days and 28.6% (6/21) in ventilator group (all P<0.05). Conclusion:For severe blast lung injury, ECMO can attain rapid and continuous improvement of refractory hypoxemia and dyspnea, shorten the duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU length of stay and reduce the mortality rate when compared with ventilator therapy.

Objective:To investigate the risk factors of severe chest trauma complicated by acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).Methods:A case control study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 120 patients with severe chest trauma admitted to 909th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force (Affiliated Dongnan Hospital of Xianmen University Medical College) from January 2018 to December 2020. There were 75 males and 45 females; aged 21-72 years [(42.2±4.8)years]. The causes of injury were traffic injury in 57 patients, crush injury in 21, fall injury in 21, smash injury in 11 and others in 10. There were 34 patients accompanied by fracture of the limb, spine and pelvis, 23 by abdominal organ injury and 8 by head trauma, with the exception of simple thoracic trauma in 55 patients. The patients were divided into ARDS group ( n=25) and non-ARDS group ( n=95) according to the condition of concurrent ARDS. The two groups were compared regarding the gender, age, causes of injury, respiratory rate, lung contusion, lung infection, flail chest, chest abbreviated injury scale (AIS), hemothorax, blood pressure, partial arterial oxygen pressure (PaO 2), initial central venous pressure (CVP) on admission, combined fracture of the limb, spine and pelvis, combined head injury and combined abdominal organ injury. The correlation between the above indexes and ARDS after severe chest trauma was analyzed by univariate analysis. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent risk factors for ARDS after severe chest trauma. Results:Univariate analysis showed a positive correlation of ARDS with age, respiratory rate, lung contusion, lung infection, flail chest, chest AIS, hemothorax, blood pressure, PaO 2, initial CVP on admission, combined fracture of the limb, spine and pelvis and combined abdominal organ injury ( P<0.05 or 0.01), but not with gender, causes of injury or combined head injury (all P>0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis revealed that age ≥60 years ( OR=2.45, 95% CI 1.81-7.50, P<0.01), dyspnea (respiratory rate ≥28 times/minute or <10 times/minute) ( OR=9.55, 95% CI 2.26-9.38, P<0.01), lung contusion ( OR=6.78, 95% CI 1.84-6.96, P<0.01), lung infection ( OR=27.71, 95% CI 11.97-64.14, P<0.01), flail chest ( OR=8.97, 95% CI 2.29-14.97, P<0.01), chest AIS score ( OR=5.77, 95% CI 2.85-9.20, P<0.01), above medium amount of hemothorax ( OR=6.84, 95% CI 1.69-13.39, P<0.01), blood pressure <90 mmHg ( OR=7.93, 95% CI 1.64-11.84, P<0.01), PaO 2<60 mmHg ( OR=6.39, 95% CI 1.06-9.47, P<0.01) and absent initial CVP on admission ( OR=4.56, 95% CI 1.86-8.44, P<0.01) were significantly correlated with ARDS. Conclusion:Age ≥60 years, dyspnea (respiratory rate ≥28 times/minute or <10 times/minute), lung contusion, lung infection, flail chest, chest AIS, above medium l amount of hemothorax, blood pressure <90 mmHg, PaO 2<60 mmHg and absent initial CVP on admission are independent risk factors for ARDS in patients with severe chest trauma.

Objective:To investigate the effects of ultrasound-guided thoracic paravertebral block on the changes of analgesic efficacy and inflammatory response in patients with multiple rib fractures.Methods:A retrospective case-control study was performed in 48 patients with multiple rib fractures admitted to 909th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force from July 2016 to December 2018. There were 30 males and 18 females, with the age range of 18-69 years[(41.1±10.4)years]. The number of fractured ribs was 3-9 (5.7±1.9). All patients were stabilized with the memory alloy embracing fixator. Thoracic paravertebral block group received ultrasound-guided thoracic paravertebral block and intravenous analgesia group received patient controlled intravenous analgesia, with 24 patients in each group. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was observed and recorded in the resting/cough state before induction of anesthesia(T1), and 1 h (T2), 6 h (T3), 24 h (T4) and 48 h (T5) after surgery. Blood samples were taken simultaneously from the vein for determination of plasma neutrophil elastase (NE), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentrations by ELISA method.Results:In the resting state, there was no significant difference between two groups in VAS at T1 ( P>0.05); the VAS in two groups at T2-T5 decreased significantly compared with T1 ( P<0.01); the VAS at T2-T4 in thoracic paravertebral block group [(3.4±0.7)points, (3.2±0.8)points, (3.1±0.7)points] was significantly lower than that in intravenous analgesia group [(4.8±0.9)points, (4.4±0.7)points, (3.9±0.8)points]( P<0.01 ). In the cough state, there was no significant difference between two groups in VAS at T1 ( P>0.05); the VAS at T2-T5 in intravenous analgesia group was all higher than 6 points[(7.7±1.0)points, (7.6±1.3)points, (7.4±1.2)points, (7.1±0.9)point], and was significantly higher than those in thoracic paravertebral block group [(3.6±0.7)points, (3.3±0.7)points, (3.2±0.6)points, (2.9±0.7)points] ( P<0.01). There was no significant difference between two groups in plasma levels of NE, TNF-α and IL-6 at T1 ( P>0.05). Their levels at T2 in two groups were significantly increased, but were decreased at T5 compared with those at T1 ( P<0.01). The plasma levels of NE, TNF-α and IL-6 were significantly lower in thoracic paravertebral block group at T2-T5 [NE: (65.5±19.0)ng/ml, (42.5±12.5)ng/ml, (26.3±9.3)ng/ml, (20.9±7.9)ng/ml; TNF-α: (8.7±1.9)pg/ml, (6.0±1.3)pg/ml, (3.9±0.9)pg/ml, (2.8±0.8)pg/ml; IL-6: (11.5±3.6)pg/ml, (6.7±1.8)pg/ml, (3.6±1.0)pg/ml, (2.5±0.7)pg/ml] than those in intravenous analgesia group[NE: (76.7±18.2)ng/ml, (51.4±15.1)ng/ml, (35.5±10.0)ng/ml, (28.6±9.0)ng/ml; TNF-α: (10.0±2.1)pg/ml, (6.8±1.5)pg/ml, (4.7±1.1)pg/ml, (3.6±1.0)pg/ml; IL-6: (16.2±4.2)pg/ml, (8.7±2.1)pg/ml, (5.7±1.2)pg/ml, (3.5±0.7)pg/ml] ( P<0.05 or 0.01). Conclusion:Compared with intravenous analgesia, ultrasound-guided thoracic paravertebral block can provide better analgesic effect, reduce the plasma levels of inflammatory cytokines that result from trauma and surgery, and down-regulate inflammatory response.

Rib fracture is the most common chest trauma, accounting for almost 10% of all trauma patients. Non-surgical treatment of the fractures without significant displacement can achieve good results. Surgical treatment is often needed for multiple rib fractures, especially flail chest, which can induce severe pain, respiratory and circulatory abnormalities, accompanied by severe lung contusion and laceration, hemopneumothorax and blunt heart injury. Open reduction and internal fixation of rib fracture often involves multiple ribs. Traditional rib fracture surgery requires a large incision to achieve satisfactory exposure effect, which causes damages to the chest wall muscle, blood vessels and nerve damages, significantly increasing postoperative incision infection and dysfunctions in the upper limb, shoulder, back and long-term chest numbness and pain and seriously affecting the quality of patients' daily life. Therefore, it is gradually abandoned by surgeons. Experts have explored various minimally invasive surgical methods for the treatment of multiple rib fractures. The authors review the research progress of minimally invasive technology in the treatment of multiple rib fractures, in order to provide better help for clinical treatment.

Objective To explore the relationship between the expression of transcription factor ⅡB-related factor 1 (Brf1) and the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods Collected 96 cases of NSCLC Surgical specimens and clinical data of patients from January 2013 to August 2015 in our hospital.First of all,we compared the expression of Brf1 in NSCLC tissues and adjacent lung tissues by Western blot and RT-qPCR.Then,Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of Brf1 in NSCLC tissues,and analysis of the relationship between Brf1 expression level and clinical case characteristics.Survival curves were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test and multivariate Coxv regression analysis were performed.Results Western blot and RT-qPCR results showed that the expression of Brf1 in NSCLC tissues was significantly higher than that in adjacent lung tissues (P ＜0.01).The positive expression rate of Brf1 in 96 cases of NSCLC was 72.9％.The Brf1 expression level was higher in the poorly differentiated group than in the moderately-highly differentiated group(Mean Rank 62.33 ＞ 43.89,Z =-2.914,P =0.004),and the lymph node metastasis group was higher than the non-metastasis group(Mean Rank 60.34 ＞ 42.58,Z =-3.055,P =0.002),which was independent of patient gender,age,smoking status,tumor size,TNM stage,and pathological type (P ＞0.05).Single-factor survival analysis by Log-rank test showed that the survival rate of Brf1 positive expression group was lower than that of the negative group (x2 =7.560,P ＜0.01).Multivariate analysis of Cox regression model found that Brf1 positive expression (HR =2.043,95％ CI:1.082-3.860) was an independent observational index that affects the prognosis of patients with NSCLC.Conclusion Brf1 is overexpressed in NSCLC tissues,and Brf1 negative expression has a good clinical prognosis,suggesting that Brf1 may be one of the indicators of malignant degree and prognosis of NSCLC.