OBJECTIVETo explore the role of microRNA-124(miR-124) in the pathogenesis of myelodysplastic syndromes(MDS) through detecting the expression level of miR-124 in bone marrow mononuclear cells(MNC) of MDS patients before and after demethylating therapy with decitabine.

METHODSThe expression levels of miR-124 in the MNC of 35 MDS patients and 10 healthy donors were detected with stem-loop quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction assay.

RESULTSThe expression level of miR-124 was lower in MDS patients than that in healthy donors. The difference was not statistically significant between patients with low-risk MDS subtypes (RA and RCMD) and control, but statistically significant between patients with high-risk MDS subtypes (RAEB1, RAEB2 and CMML) and control. This study also proved that expression of miR-124 was reactivated in 7 out of 18 MDS patients after treatment with low dose decitabine.

CONCLUSIONThe hypermethylation and silencing of miR-124 may be an important factor in the clonal transformation of MDS cells.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical effect of conventional acupuncture combined with pricking and cupping at Jianbo area and conventional acupuncture in the treatment of scapulohumeral periarthritis of frozen stage. METHODS: A total of 66 patients with scapulohumeral periarthritis of frozen stage were randomly divided into a combination group (31 cases) and an acupuncture group (35 cases, 1 case dropped off). Both groups were given functional exercise. Patients in the acupuncture group were treated with acupuncture at Jianyu (LI 15), Jianliao (TE 14), Binao (LI 14) and ashi point on the affected side, once every other day, three times a week, for a total of 4 weeks. On the basis of treatment in the acupuncture group, the patients in the combination group were treated with pricking and cupping at Jianbo area (the area surrounded by the 3 acupoints of Tianzong [SI 11], Naoshu [SI 10] and Jianzhen [SI 9]), once a week for 4 weeks. The University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) shoulder joint score, visual analogue scale (VAS) score before treatment, after treatment and after 6 months of treatment completion (follow-up) and tenderness threshold before and after treatment, and the clinical effects of the two groups after treatment and in follow-up were evaluated. RESULTS: In the two groups, after treatment and in follow-up, the UCLA shoulder joint scores were higher than those before treatment (P<0.05), and the VAS scores were lower than those before treatment (P<0.05). In the combination group, after treatment and in follow-up, the UCLA shoulder joint score was higher than that of the acupuncture group (P<0.05), and the VAS score was lower than that of the acupuncture group (P<0.05). After treatment, the tenderness thresholds of the two groups were higher than those before treatment (P<0.05), and the tenderness threshold in the combination group was higher than that in the acupuncture group (P<0.05). After treatment and in follow-up, the cured and markedly effective rate of the combination group was 48.4% (15/31) and 51.6% (16/31) respectively, which was higher than 23.5% (8/34) and 23.5% (8/34) of the acupuncture group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Pricking and cupping in Jianbo area combined with conventional acupuncture can improve shoulder joint function and relieve shoulder joint pain in patients with scapulohumeral periarthritis of frozen stage, and the curative effect is better than that of single conventional acupuncture.
Humans ; Periarthritis/therapy* ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Shoulder Pain/therapy* ; Shoulder Joint ; Acupuncture Points ; Treatment Outcome

Objective: To explore refractive development of primary school students in Jinshan district of Shanghai during the past five years. Methods: A total of 201 first grade pupils enrolled in 2013 were followed up for 5 years. Annual examination of non-cycloplegic refraction and axial length (AL) was implemented and analyzed. Results: The mean spherical equivalents (SEs) of boys at each grade was (0.22±0.53)(-0.04±0.64)(-0.36±0.92)(-0.74±1.23)(-1.14±1.67)D, respectively; for girls, (0.26±0.88)(-0.03±1.02)(-0.28±1.02)(-0.64±1.32)(-1.13±1.65)D, respectively. The mean ALs of boys at each grade was (22.94±0.60)(23.13±0.68)(23.45±0.69)(23.65±0.81)(24.03±0.93)mm, respectively and was (22.40±0.67)(22.67±0.70)(22.95±0.74)(23.14±0.79)(23.59±0.90)mm for girls at each grade, respectively. There were negative correlations between dioptres and ALs in each grade(r=-0.26, -0.35, -0.41, -0.53, -0.59, P<0.05). Conclusion The dioptre and AL among primary school students in Jinshan district of Shanghai increased gradually and results in developing into myopia. The dioptre negatively associates with AL, which should be both paid attention to among primary school students.

Objective To study the changes of the putamen metabolites with magnetic resonance spectrum(MRS),and to explore possible underlying unrecongnised aetiological factor and pathophysiology mechanism in the central nervous system of the patients with Tourette' s syndrome.Methods Twenty-two cases of Tourette' s syndrome,and twenty-two gender and age-matched subjects ( the control subjects ) were performed on a clinical 3.0 T MRI system.Proton prob-voxel spectroscopy imaging (1H-MRS) was obtained from two sides of the putamen.The metabolites included N-acetylaspartate (NAA),creatine and phosphocreatine ( Cr),choline-containing compounds (Cho),and myoinositol ( MI ).The value of the NAA,Cr,Cho,and MI were calculated by integration of their peaks.The ratios of NAA/Cr,Cho/Cr,ML/Cr were calculated respectively.Repeated measures analysis of variance ( ANOVA ) was used to test both the value of NAA/Cr,Cho/Cr,MI/Cr of the putamen for group difference,with group as between-subjects factor and side as within-subjects factor.Results The NAA/Cr ratio in patients ( left:1.29 ± 0.13 ; right:1.34 + 0.15 ) was significantly lower than that in the control subjects ( left:1.50 ± 0.08,T =1.962,P ＜0.05 ; right:1.52 ± 0.11,T =1.865,P ＜ 0.05 ).There was no significant difference in the Cho/Cr and MI/Cr ratio between both groups.Conclusion The abnormalities of the structure and(or) function in the putamens of patients may be the one of the underlying anaetiological factors and pathophysiology mechanisms of the Tourette' s syndrome.

ObjectiveTo investigate the central nervous system mechanisms of active of movement switch in the patients with Tourette' s syndrome( TS),and to explore the possible underlying distinct neural networks for tic trigger and generation. Methods Participants were 14 patients with TS and 14 age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers with no history of physical,psychiatric or neurological disease: All patients were assessed with functional magnetic resonances imaging (fMRI)of the brain during the intermittent performance of finger-tapping switch tasks,Blood-oxygen-level dependent-fMRI was performed using a 3.0 Tesla MR.The area over which the activation was distributed was calculated,and the activation volumes were also compared between the patients with TS and the control subjects.ResultsThe regions activated in the patients with TS and in the volunteers were similar in several brain regions,including contralateral precentral and postcentral gyrus,contralateral mesia pre-front gyrus,contralateral cingulate gyrus,contralateral insula and ipsilataral cerebellum. There were also many different activation areas between the patients and the control subjects. The patients with TS demonstrated more significant and extended activation in the contralateral pre- and postcentral gyrus than the healthy volunteers.The volume of the left pre- and postcentral gyrus of the TS patients was (8.024 ±0.071 ) cm3,while the volume of the left pre-and postcentral gyrus of the control subjects was ( 6.480 ± 0.026) cm3 ( t =3.026,P ＜ 0.01 ) ; The volume of the right pre- and postcentral gyrus was (6.192 ± 0.019) cm3 in the TS cases,while there was (5.608 ±0.037) cm3 in the control subjects (t =2.752,P ＜0.05).There were significant differences in the volumes of bilateral pre- and postcetral gyrus between the TS and control subjects. The activations of conralateral thalamus without contralateral insula were found in the patients with TS. Conversely, the contralateral insula activation without thalamus activation could be found in the healthy volunteers.ConclusionThe thalamus might play an important role in the aetiological and physiopathologic mechanisms of the TS. The thalamus along with the parietal cortex,cingulate cortex and insular cortex appear to constitute a distinct neural network for tic trigger and generation.

OBJECTIVETo summarize our experience with extraperitoneal robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RLRP).

METHODSTwenty patients with confirmed prostate cancer by transrectal needle biopsy but no metastasis detected by radiographic examination underwent extraperitoneal RLRP, including 7 with Gleason score of less than 6, 10 with a score of 7, 2 with a score of 8, and 1 with a score of 9.

RESULTSThe procedures were performed successfully in all the patients. In 4 cases, a postoperative PSA value of more than 0.2 ng/ml at 4 weeks suggested residual tumor, for which maximal androgen block therapy was administered before elective radiotherapy. Sixteen patients were followed up for 10 to 37 months (mean 15.5 months). In the 20 cases, the operation was completed in a mean of 180 min (range 150-230 min), with the mean installation time of 48.5 min (range 40-60 min) and average blood loss of 298 ml (range 80-800 ml). The mean postoperative eating time was 1.7 days (1 to 3 days), the mean bladder catheter time was 10.7 days (7 to 14 days), and the mean hospital stay was 10.7 days (range 7-14 days). No postoperative complications occurred in these cases. Postoperative pathology showed a Gleason score no higher than 6 in 6 cases, 7 in 5 cases, and no less than 8 in 9 cases.

CONCLUSIONThe technique of extraperitoneal RLRP can be easily mastered by the surgeons and is especially advantageous for complicated pelvic operations.

Aged ; Humans ; Laparoscopy ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostatectomy ; methods ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; surgery ; Robotics