Objective To analyze the expression of Yes-associated protein and risk factors in differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Methods Clinical data of 152 patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma and 27 cases of benign thyroid tumor from Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture People’s Hospital of Xinjiang, were analyzed retrospectively. According to the expression levels of Yes-associated protein in differentiated thyroid cancer and benign thyroid tumor, univariate Chi-square test and multivariate Logistic regression methods were used to analyze the relationship between Yes-associated protein and gender, age, thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH) level, nodule size, capsule integrity, histological type and lymph node metastasis, in order to find out risk factors in differentiated thyroid cancer. Results The positive rate of expressed Yes-associated protein in benign thyroid tumor group was 66.7%(18/27), which was significantly higher than 31.58%(48/152) of differentiated thyroid cancer group, and the difference was statistically significant(χ2=12.127, P<0.01). Under an optical microscope, changes of Yes-associated protein were found to be mainly located in the nucleus and cytoplasm , and in benign thyriod tumor the degree of staining was deep, strong positive or moderately positive; differentiated thyroid carcinoma was lightly stained or no staining, weakly positive or negative. Chi-square test showed that the expression of Yes-associated protein was not affected by sex, age and pathological type(χ2= 0.419, 0.221, 0.315, all P >0.05); TSH level, nodule size, capsule integrity, lymph node metastasis had an impact on the expression of Yes-associated protein which was down regulated (χ2=4.020, 8.424, 4.386, 6.673, P<0.05 or<0.01). Logistic regression analysis showed that the nodule size was not a risk factor ( odds ratio , OR ) of Yes-associated protein expression (OR=1.929, P>0.05); TSH levels above 4.5 mU/L, lymph node metastasis and envelope incomplete were risk factors that down regulated the expression of Yes-associated protein (OR=2.167, 2.665, 3.048, all P<0.05). Conclusion Yes-associated protein is down regulated in differentiated thyroid cancer. Elevated TSH levels , incomplete capsule and lymph node metastasis are risk factors of Yes-associated protein down expression and differentiated thyroid cancer.

Objective: To explore whether long-term potentiation(LTP) induced by brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF) of hippocampus is involved in the process of maternal separation(MS) leading to impaired cognitive function of offspring in adolescence. Methods: The newborn CD-1 mice were randomly divided into maternal separation group(MS group) and control group(CON group). Mice in MS group were separated from the mother mice for 3 h every day from postnatal day 4 to 21 while no intervention was taken in the CON group. The spatial learning and memory ability was assessed using Morris water maze at the age of 3 months. Western blot and real-time quantitative PCR were used to detect the levels of BDNF and BDNF mRNA in the hippocampus. LTP of the hippocampal CA3-CA1 neural pathway was recorded using electrophysiological techniques. Results: Compared with CON group, the latency and distance of Morris water maze in maternal separation group were significantly longer(P<0.01). The percentage of time and distance in target quadrant during the memory phase in MS group were obviously lower than those in control group(P<0.05). The results of WB and Real-time quantitative PCR in MS group showed that the levels of BDNF and BDNF mRNA in MS group apparently decreased(P<0.05). Compared with CON group, MS group showed a significantly lower LTP in CA3-CA1 neural pathway(P<0.01). Conclusion The certain intensity of maternal separation can impair learning and memory function in young CD-1 male mice, which may be associated with decreased expression of BDNF and impaired LTP in the hippocampus.

Objective: To investigate the effects of embryonic inflammation on the hippocampal synaptosomal-associated protein 25(SNAP-25) level and cognitive function in middle-aged. Methods: During gestational days 15-17, the CD-1 maternal mice received a daily intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharides(LPS, 50 μg/kg) or the equal volume of normal saline, and the corresponding offspring were regarded as LPS group and CON group respectively. At the age of young(3-month-old) and middle-aged(15-month-old), the spatial learning and memory ability was assessed using Morris water maze(MWM), and the expression of hippocampal SNAP-25 protein was detected by immunohistochemical method and Western blot. Results: Compared with the 3-month CON group, the 15-month CON group had longer swimming distance(P<0.01), lower swimming distance percentage(P<0.01) in the target quadrant, and higher hippocampal subregions(CA1, CA3, DG) SNAP-25 levels(P<0.01). The same results were obtained in 15-month LPS group compared with 15-month CON group in learning and memory phase(P<0.05), and higher hippocampal subregions(CA1, DG) SNAP-25 levels(P<0.01). Pearson correlation analysis indicated that the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 subregions SNAP-25 level was positively correlated with the swimming distance, but negatively correlated with the percentage of swimming distance in the target quadrant. Conclusion Embryonic inflammation can accelerate the impairment of spatial learning and memory and the increase of hippocampal CA1 and CA3 subregions SNAP-25 protein in middle-aged CD-1 mice, and there may be a correlation between them.