The present study aimed to retrospectively analyze the safety and efficacy of the early surgical management of thoracic tuberculosis (TB) in patients with neurological deficits. The medical data of patients with thoracic TB exhibiting neurological deficit in the Chest Hospital of Hebei Province were retrospectively reviewed. A total of 234 cases, including 123 males and 115 females, were recruited in the present study. Their pre- and postoperative neurological deficit and pain levels were assessed using the 2002 American spinal injury association (ASIA) impairment scale and visual analog scale, respectively. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether their preoperative standardized anti-TB treatment time was ≥4 weeks or <4 weeks. There was no difference in blood loss and operation time between the two groups. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate was higher in patients receiving standard anti-TB <4 weeks prior to and 1 month following surgery compared with the ≥4 weeks group, but the difference was not significant 6 months following surgery. ASIA scale scores all increased significantly 1 month following surgery in the <4 weeks group compared with the ≥4 weeks group (P=0.001) though there was no difference between the scores prior to surgery. ASIA scale scores improved to 4.4±0.5 and 4.5±0.4 in patients with anti-TB treatment times of ≥4 weeks and <4 weeks, respectively, 24 months following surgery (P=0.0895). The present study demonstrated that for patients with thoracic TB exhibiting neurological deficit, early surgical management following <4 weeks' standard anti-TB treatment is recommended. It may relieve spinal cord compression and also benefit the early recovery of neurological function in these patients.

Gamma-glutamylcyclotransferase (GGCT) can promote the progression of osteosarcoma (OS). MicroRNAs also play significant roles in regulating the progression of OS. This study was designed to investigate whether miR-877 exerts its function in OS by targeting GGCT. The proliferation of OS cells (Saos-2 and U2OS) was detected by MTT and colony formation assays. The migration and invasion of OS cells were detected by transwell assays. The expressions of miRNAs and GGCT were detected by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot. The luciferase reporter assay was performed to assess whether miR-877 could target GGCT. miR-877 was down-regulated both in OS tissues and OS cell lines (Saos-2 and U2OS). The overexpression of miR-877 inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OS cell lines, while the knockdown of miR-877 could negate effects. The expression of GGCT was increased in Saos-2 and U2OS cells. miR-877 could target GGCT, and the mRNA level of GGCT in Saos-2 and U2OS cells was decreased by the overexpression of miR-877. miR-877 overexpression inhibited the migration and invasion and suppressed the proliferation of Saos-2 and U2OS cells, and the overexpression of GGCT reversed this effects. The knockdown of miR-877 promoted the migration and invasion and facilitated the proliferation of Saos-2 and U2OS cells, and the silence of GGCT abolished this effects. Our findings suggested that miR-877 could inhibit the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OS cells by targeting GGCT.

Zhang et al.: Gas Anesthetics Affecting the Osteosarcoma Cells and its Chemotherapy SensitivityTo explore the mechanism of gas anesthetics affecting osteosarcoma cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis of osteosarcoma cells and its chemotherapy sensitivity. We collected human osteosarcoma specimens from patients undergoing surgery. The expression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition process related proteins fibronectin, N-cadherin, E-cadherin and beta-catenin and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins B-cell lymphoma 2, caspase-9 and caspase-3 was analyzed by western blot. The cell proliferation of each group of cells was measured by cell counting kit-8. Transwell test were carried out to detect cell invasion and metastasis. The messenger RNA expression of phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B pathway in cells was analyzed by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The apoptosis was detected by Annexin V-FITC early apoptosis detection kit and cell viability was detected by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide. Sevoflurane decreased the protein expression of N-cadherin and increased the protein expressions of E-cadherin and beta-catenin in a dosedependent manner (p<0.05). The low concentration group had decreased cell proliferation at 12 h, 24 h, 36 h and 72 h (p<0.05). The cell proliferation of the high concentration group decreased at 24 h, 36 h and 72 h (p<0.05). The sevoflurane reduced the number of cell invasion, cell metastasis and decreased the expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 protein in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.05). It increased the protein expressions of caspase-9 and caspase-3, reduced the messenger RNA expressions of phosphoinositide 3-kinase and protein kinase B and increased cell apoptosis and decreased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner (p<0.05). Gas anesthetic (sevoflurane) inhibited the proliferation, invasion and metastasis of osteosarcoma cells by inactivating the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B pathway and increased the chemotherapy sensitivity of osteosarcoma cells.