Non-coding RNA (ncRNA) is a class of RNA not coding the protein and plays a significant role in the process of growth and development of diseases.Barrett''s esophagus (BE) is considered as the precancerous lesion of esophageal adenocarcinoma.Several studies showed that ncRNA has the potential value in diagnosis, treatment and designing of targeting drugs.This article reviewed the role of ncRNA, especially microRNA, long non-coding RNA and circular RNA in the development and carcinogenic process of BE.

Objective To study the surgical techniques with keyhole operation for treatment of the huge intracranial meningioma located in the frontal skull.Methods 39 cases of huge intracranial meningioma were removed by microsurgery with supra-eyebrow approach keyhole operation.Results 39 cases of meningioma were totally removed.There was no associated morbidity,mortality or exacebation in all cases.Conclusion It suggests that keyhole microsurgery may provide maximum efficiency to remove the huge intracranial tumor located in the frontal skull and minimum invasiveness.However,it is very important to choose indication properly,to prepare sufficienctly before operation,and to operate with proficient skill of microsurgery.

Objective To determine the protein and mRNA levels ofinterleukin-17 (IL-17) and the proportion of Th17 cells in the peripheral blood of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and their clinical significance is analyzed. Methods Twenty-five hospitalized SLE patients were recruited and twentytwo healthy volunteers were enrolled as normal controls. Plasma protein and mRNA of IL-17 in the peripheral blood were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and real time-PCR respectively. Flow cytometric assay was used to analyze the percentage of Th17 cells in SLE patients. The relationship between IL-17/Th17 cells and clinical or laboratory parameters of SLE patients was explored. Students' t-test and Spearman's correlation was used to evaluate the relationship between mRNA level and inflammatory parameters. Results The plasma concentration and mRNA level of IL-17 was significantly elevated in SLE patients as compared to the normal controls (P＜0.05). The percentage of Th17 cells in patients with SLE was higher than that of normal controls and was significantly increased in more active SLE patients and SLE with nephritis than less active SLE and SLE without nephritis (P＜0.05). Both plasma levels of IL-17 and the proportion of Th17 cells were positively correlated with SLEDAI (r=0.681, P＜0.01; r=0.426, P=0.034). Conclusion Plasma IL-17 protein and mRNA expression level and the percentage of Th17 cells in SLE patients are all significantly elevated and the close relationship between IL-17/Th17 cells and disease activity suggests that IL-17/Th17 may play an important role in the pathogenesis of SLE.

Retinopathy of Prematurity is a retinal vascular proliferative disease.With the improvement of the medical care in China, retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) has become one of the main causes of child hood blindness in recent years.Several factors such as short gestational age, low birth weight and oxygen supplementation are the three major risk factors for the disease, however, the pathogenesis is still not clear.This review here aims to expand the etiology and pathogenesis of ROP and provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and control of the disease.

Endosonography ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; radiotherapy ; Humans ; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted ; Lymph Nodes ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Radiotherapy Dosage ; Radiotherapy Planning, Computer-Assisted ; methods ; Radiotherapy, Conformal ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Tumor Burden

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Niemann-Pick Diseases ; genetics ; Pedigree

Objective:To investigate the influencing factors for orthostatic hypotension(OH)in elderly patients with hypertension.Methods:This was a case-control study.A total of 224 patients with hypertension aged over 65 years were included.After resting for more than 5 minutes, subjects had their blood pressures measured in the supine and standing position at 0 min, 1 min, 2 min and 3 min.OH was defined as a fall in systolic BP of more 20 mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa)and/or diastolic BP below 10 mmHg of baseline within 3 min in the upright position.Subjects were divided into the OH group( n=34)and the non-OH group( n=190). Baseline data, comorbidities and differences in medications were compare between the OH group and the non-OH group, and the influencing factors for OH were analyzed. Results:The proportion of drinkers was higher in the OH group than in the non-OH group(29.4% or 10/34 vs.7.4% or 14/190, χ2=14.649, P<0.01). Both systolic pressure(139.0±22.1 mmHg vs.124.5±16.3 mmHg, t=-3.661, P<0.01)and diastolic pressure(77.6±6.3 mmHg vs.69.2±9.0 mmHg, t=-6.696, P<0.01)in the supine position were higher in the OH group than in the non-OH group.The proportions of patients with diabetes(47.1% or 16/34 vs.25.3% or 48/190, χ2=6.731, P<0.05)and stroke(41.2% or 14/34 vs.24.2% or 46/190, χ2=4.233, P<0.05)were higher in the OH group than in the non-OH group.The proportion of patients receiving α receptor blockers was higher in the OH group than in the non-OH group(23.5% or 8/34 vs.4.2% or 8/190, χ2=16.228, P<0.01). After adjusting for factors such as alcohol consumption, diabetes, stroke and other differences between the OH and non-OH group, logistic regression found patients with alcohol intake( OR=5.274, 95% CI: 1.990~13.982, P<0.01), diabetes( OR=2.744, 95% CI: 1.213~6.208, P<0.05)and using α receptor blockers( OR=8.812, 95% CI: 2.835~27.383, P<0.01)had a higher risk of OH. Conclusions:OH is very common in elderly patients with hypertension.Alcohol consumption, diabetes mellitus and the application of α receptor blockers can increase the risk of OH.

Objective To discuss the uhrasonography and hemodynamic characteristics of carotid atherosclerosis in elderly patients with coronary heart disease (CHD).Methods The 548 people were divided into CHD group (n = 373) and control group (n = 175) by the coronary angiography.And the patients in CHD group were sorted into myocardial infarction (MI) group (n= 160) and non-MI group (n= 213).All patients were above 60 years of age, and underwent carotid artery ultrasound examination.The data of carotid sonography and hemodynamics were classified and analyzed using SPSS 10.0 software.Results The carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), plaque thickness and score were much more in CHD group than in control group [(0.96±0.24) mm vs.(0.78±0.11) mm, (1.90±0.36) mm vs.(1.66±0.13)mm, (2.2±0.7) vs.(1.9±0.4), t= 14.81, 27.89 and 27.83, all P=0.00].A total of 161 (43.2%) patients had atherosclerotie plaques in CHD group, and there were 7 (4.0%) people with plaques in healthy control group(χ~2 =337.18, P =0.00).And there were 81.3% of patients with plaques in MI group, it was more than non-MI group, in which there were 12.9% of patients with plaques (χ~2 =60.88, P=0.00).The carotid peak systolic velocity (PSV) and resistance index (RI) were both higher in CHD group than in control group [(77.0±11.9) cm/s vs.(65.2±3.1) cm/s and 0.77±0.06 vs.0.67±0.08, (t= 12.26 and 50.43, P=0.00)].Conclusions Carotid ultrasonography could evaluate not only CHD, but also CHD severity in the elderly.

Objective To investigate the effects of dexamethasone(DEX)on the secretion of interleukin (IL)-17 and interferon(IFN)-γ and the proportion of Th17,Tc17,Th1 ,Tc1 cells in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs)of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE). Methods Thirty hospitalized SLE patients were recruited and twenty-two healthy volunteers were recruited as healthy controls. PBMCs were separated from SLE patients and healthy controls and then was cultured in vitro by medium or PMA/Ionomycin or PMA/Ionomycin +dexamethasone for six hours. Four- color immunofluorescent staining and flow cytometric assay were used to analyze the percentage of Th17,Tc17,Th1,Tc1 cells in PBMCs. Concentrations of IL-17 and IFN-γ in plasma and the supernatants of PBMCs which were cultured for 24 hours were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results The plasma concentrations of IL-17 and IFN-γwere elevated in SLE patients as compared to the controls(P ＜ 0.05). No significant differences were observed between patients and controls for the spontaneous production of IL-17 and IFN-γ or percentage of T subsets expressed by PBMCs. After the stimulation of PMA,compared with the controls,the level of IL-17 was significantly elevated in the supematants of PBMCs and the percentages of Th17 and Tc1 in SLE patients increased significantly(P ＜ 0. 05). However,there showed no significant differences between SLE patients and the controls for the percentages of Th1 and Tc17 cells. DEX could significantly decrease the production of IL-17(P ＜ 0. 01)and the percentages of Th17,Tc1 cells by the active PBMCs(P ＜ 0. 05). Conclusions There is abnormal expression of T subset cells and their cytokines in vivo of SLE patients. DEX can interfere with immunological pathological process in the cytokine network imbalance of SLE patients and shows powerful inhibition of IL - 17. Our results may provide some laboratory evidence for the clinical application of corticosteroids.

Exposure to thermal environment is one of the main concerns for manned space exploration. By focusing on the works performed on thermoregulation at microgravity or simulated microgravity, we endeavored to review the investigation on space thermal environmental physiology. First of all, the application of medical requirements for the crew module design from normal thermal comfort to accidental thermal emergencies in a space craft will be addressed. Then, alterations in the autonomic and behavioral temperature regulation caused by the effect of weightlessness both in space flight and its simulation on the ground are also discussed. Furthermore, countermeasures like exercise training, simulated natural ventilation, encouraged drink, etc., in the protection of thermoregulation during space flight is presented. Finally, the challenge of space thermal environment physiology faced in the future is figured out.
Aerospace Medicine ; Body Temperature Regulation ; Environment ; Exercise ; Humans ; Space Flight ; Weightlessness ; Weightlessness Simulation