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Laryngeal carcinoma is the most common type of malignant tumor in the head and neck. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) serve crucial roles in numerous biological processes. The present study aimed to investigate the role of lncRNA SOX2-OT in laryngeal cancer and to reveal the underlying mechanisms. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR assays were used to measure the expression levels of SOX2-OT in the laryngeal cell lines. Furthermore, cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration and invasion were assessed by CCK-8, flow cytometry, wound healing and Transwell assays, respectively. Western blot assay was performed to detect the protein expressions. In addition, a dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to confirm the direct interaction between SOX2-OT and microRNA (miR)-654. The data demonstrated that SOX2-OT level were significantly increased in the laryngeal cell lines. Furthermore, SOX2-OT silencing markedly promoted apoptosis and suppressed the proliferation, migration and invasion of TU-177 cells. A dual-luciferase reporter assay revealed that miR-654 was a direct target of SOX2-OT. Moreover, downregulation of miR-654 could attenuate cell apoptosis and accelerate cell proliferation, migration and invasion in TU-177 cells. In summary, the present study reported that knockdown of SOX2-OT could suppress cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and induce apoptosis in laryngeal cancer by targeting miR-654. Copyright © Li et al.Cassia seed is the dried ripe seed of Cassia obtusifolia L. or Cassia tora L., which is widely used as a food or traditional Chinese medicine. The aim of the present study was to detect the components and metabolites in the culture of human or rat intestinal microflora suspension with the water decoction of cassia seed in vitro, using an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry system equipped with a negative ion scan mode. Initially, ellagic acid was identified in the cassia seed decoction. Subsequently, six different metabolites, including urolithin (uro)-A, uro-B, uro-D, uro-M6, uro-M7 and uro-B-glucuronide (glur), were detected after co-culture of the cassia seed decoction with intestinal microflora, but not in the cassia seed decoction alone. Uro-M6, uro-M7, uro-A and uro-B were common metabolites in the culture of human or rat intestinal microflora suspension with the water decoction of cassia seed. However, uro-D was only detected in the culture of rat intestinal microflora suspension with the water decoction of cassia seed, and uro-B-glur was only detected in the culture of human intestinal microflora with the water decoction of cassia seed. The uro and intermediate metabolites were produced by ellagic acid in the cassia seed decoction under the action of the intestinal microflora. The production of metabolites might be related to the abundance and diversity of the intestinal microflora in humans and rats. The present study provided rationale for further pharmacological and clinical studies on the mechanisms of action of cassia seeds. Copyright © Wu et al.Between February 2012 and March 2014 10 patients were admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University for surgery due to a thumb tip defect. Nine of these patients were male and one was female and there were 7 cases of left thumb defects and 3 cases of right thumb defects. The surgical procedures followed were first, modification of the flap tail to an equilateral triangle, which facilitated pedicle suturing of soft tissue defects, caused mild tension and effectively reduced venous disorders, and second complete opening of the flap pedicle to the soft tissue defects at the tunnel. All patients were followed up at 6 and 12 months after surgery. Grip and pinch strength were measured 6 and 12 months after surgery. Static two-point discrimination testing of the modified flap showed minor differences from the uninjured hand. Post-surgery grip and pinch strength were restored to approximately 85% of the level of that in the uninjured hand. NIBR-LTSi The modified dorsoulnar artery pedicle flap provided excellent thumb tip defect coverage and is an effective and safe technique for the restoration of grip and pinch strength to the hand after the repair of a thumb tip defect. Copyright © Mao et al.The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the selective cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 inhibitor celecoxib on the development of uterine adenomyosis in mice. ICR neonatal mice were first exposed to tamoxifen to establish a mouse model of adenomyosis. Following 60 days of celecoxib treatment, pathological formation of adenomyosis lesions and the depth of myometrial infiltration were evaluated using hematoxylin and eosin staining. To examine thermal pain modulation in mice, a hotplate test was conducted every 15 days from postnatal day 30 onwards. Immunohistochemistry was performed to assess the expression of aromatase P450, N-cadherin, E-cadherin, COX-2 and cluster of differentiation 31, whereas the levels of estrogen were analyzed in uterine tissue homogenates using ELISA. Masson trichrome staining was performed to assess the extent of fibrosis in the uterus. Celecoxib treatment significantly inhibited the depth of infiltration into the myometrium, resulting in significantly reduced disease severity. Treatment with high doses of celecoxib significantly prolonged thermal response latency. Following celecoxib treatment, the expression of E-cadherin was significantly increased whereas the expression of N-cadherin was significantly decreased. Concomitantly, the extent of fibrosis was also reduced following celecoxib treatment. Uterine tissue homogenates isolated from mice treated with both high and low doses of celecoxib exhibited lower concentrations of estrogen and decreased expression of aromatase P450. These observations suggest that celecoxib reduces adenomyosis severity by suppressing estrogen production in the uterus, reversing epithelial-mesenchymal transition and relieving fibrosis. Taken together, the results of the present study support the potential use of celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, for the treatment of adenomyosis. Copyright © Jin et al.