Many investigations have demonstrated that microRNA (miRNA) is not only involved in the modulation of nerve cell growth and physiological activity, but also responsible for dysfunctions in synaptogenesis or synaptic plasticity, neurodegenerative diseases, tumorgenesis in the nervous system, as well as in cerebrovascular disorders. With the intensive researches in miRNA, it is possible gradually to explain the related pathogenic mechanisms of some major diseases in the nervous system.

Objective To study the effect of different doses of atorvastatin in the treatment of coronary heart disease with chronic heart failure. Methods 100 patients with chronic heart failure who were admitted to Ankang Hospital from April 2013 to April 2016 were selected and randomly divided into the experimental group and the control group with a total of 50 patients in each group. Two groups of patients were treated with conventional treatment, the control group was given 20 mg of calcium a day, the experimental group was given a daily dose of 40 mg of calcium. The therapeutic effects of the two groups were compared. Results After treatment, the left ventricular end diastolic diameter in the control group was significantly higher than that in the experimental group, the left ventricular ejection fraction and E/A were significantly lower than those in the experimental group, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Patients in the control group were significantly higher than those in the experimental group in the incidence of cardiac death and recurrence of heart failure (P<0.05). Before treatment, there was no significant difference between the experimental group and the control group in serum NT-proBNP, hs-CRP levels and 6MWT. After treatment, the serum levels of NT-proBNP, hs-CRP in the control group were significantly higher than those in the experimental group, 6MWT was significantly shorter than that in the experimental group, and the difference was statistically significant (proBNP) (P<0.05). Conclusion Compared with 20mg/d, 40mg/d dose atorvastatin in the treatment of coronary heart disease with chronic heart failure curative effect, low recurrence rate, high safety, worthy of further promotion in clinical.

Background and purpose:Although cervical lymph node metastases is commonly found, papillary thyroid cancer(PTC) has a fairly good prognosis. The microarray or gene chip technique is an effective method to explore the biological behavior of cancers. This study aims to measure the differential expression of genes between papillary thyroid cancer with lymph node metastasis and normal thyroid tissue with the new technology. Methods:The total mRNA was extracted from the specimens of papillary thyroid cancer with lymph node metastasis and normal thyroid tissues. Both of samples were labeled with fluorescent Cy5 or Cy3, and then hybridized to the gene chip which it includes 14 112 human functional gene fragments. Differentially expressed genes were screened out by scanning and analyzing the fluorescent signals.Results:There are 1 212 differentially expressed gene fragments between the two groups that it account for 8.71% of the total sites. Among them, 22 sites showed remarkable difference with either upregulation or downregulation more than 8 times fold, 2 of 6 downregulation sites represent one same gene sequence: NM-001920, which is the mRNA of the protein decorin.Conclusions:Gene chip is an effective method to study the change of gene expression during the progression of a disease. As to PTC, it involves many genes. Decorin may be an important biomarker for the prediction of metastases to the cervical lymph nodes in PTC.

AIM　To investigate the effects of ginkgolide B on arachidonic acid (AA) metabolizing enzymes and the level of intracellular calcium in rat polymorphonuclear leukocytes. METHODS　Intracellular free calcium was quantitated by Fura-2 fluoresence technique. Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity was determined by incorporating 3H-arachidonic acid in leukocytes. 5-Lipoxygenase (5-LO) activity was evaluated by RP-HPLC. RESULTS　In comparison with control, ginkgolide B at final concentration of 0.1-10 μmol*L-1 inhibited A23187 induced AA release by 10.9%-22.2%; at final concentration of 0.1-50 μmol*L-1, ginkgolide B inhibited LTB4 and 5-HETE synthesis stimulated by PAF by 29.4%-88.8% and 26.2%-89.3% respectively. At the final concentration of 0.1-100 μmol*L-1, ginkgolide B decreased the rise of intracelluar calcium level induced by pletelet activating factor (PAF) and N-formyl-methionine-leucine-phenglalanine (fMLP) by 13.9%-51.4% and 2.2%-36.6%, respectively. CONCLUSION　Ginkgolide B was found to significantly inhibit PLA2 and 5-LO activities, as well as the increase of the intracellular calcium induced by PAF.

The aim of this study is to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect of the adenosine derivative N6-(3-hydroxylaniline) adenosine (WS070117M1) on cigarette smoke plus LPS (lipopolysaccharide)-induced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in mice and its mechanism. COPD model was established by exposing male BALB/c mice to cigarette smoke and challenged with LPS inhalation. Supernatants of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were harvested and IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and TGF-β1 levels were measured by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunesorbent assay). The number of total white blood cells and neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was counted separately. Lung tissue was stained with Mayer 's hematoxylin and eosin for histopathologic examination. pAMPKa protein expression and distribution of lung tissue were analyzed by immunohistochemistry method. In vitro, levels of AMPKα phosphorylation in phorbol-12- myristate-13-acetate (PMA) differentiated THP-1 cells was detected by immunohistochemistry, IL-8 level in supernatants of cigarette smoke condensate stimulating PMA differentiated THP-1 cells was measured by ELISA. The results showed that WS070117M1 treatment significantly activated AMPKa in the lung tissue. It also resulted in down regulation of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and TGF-β1 levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and IL-8 level in cigarette smoke condensate stimulating PMA differentiated THP-1 cells. In addition, WS070117M1 could inhibit the recruitment of total white blood cells and neutrophils. These results suggest that WS070117M1 may alleviate the airway inflammation by activating AMPK in the lung tissue.

The hospital improved its pre-examination quality of laboratory medicine by means of setting up pre-examination quality management committee, full-course supervision of pre-examination process, and clarified responsibility system. Informationization means play multiple roles for the pre-examination quality, including full-course management, early warning and interception of unqualified sample. The coordinated application of multi-departments, multi-links and multi-measures can improve the pre-examination quality of laboratory medicine and ensure the quality of test results and the medical safety of patients.

Objective:To summarize the clinical and imaging presentations of stapical footplate hernia related to inner ear malformation (SFH-Re-IEM).Methods:The clinical and imaging data of 19 patients (24 ears) with SFH-Re-IEM from Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital between June 2014 to June 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical presentations and headache and the high resolution CT (HRCT) and MRI findings including associated inner ear malformation (IEM) type, internal auditory canal (IAC) malformation, bony defect of the stapical footplate, the extent, margin, density and signal of the herniation cysts, the density and signal of ipsilateral intratympanic, cochlear osseous labyrinthitis were recorded.Results:Among 19 SFH-Re-IEM patients, including 14 males and 5 females, 3 (1, 12) years old. All of the affected ears presented sensorineural or mixed hearing loss, 1 ear for moderate, 7 ears for severe and 16 ears for extremely severe. Besides this, the vertigo in 1 case, otalgia and ear fullness in 2 cases were found, and the others were detected accidentally. Among 24 ears with SFH-Re-IEM, 9 ears (37.5%) consisting with incomplete partition type Ⅰ, 3 ears (12.5%) with common cavity, 7 ears (29.2%) with cochlear aplasia, 3 ears (12.5%) with cochlear dysplasia type Ⅱ, and 2 ears (8.3%) with Mondini deformity were found respectively. Four ears (16.7%) were associated with IAC enlargement and the bony defect of IAC fundus, 19 ears (79.2%) were accompanied with dysplasia in the IAC fundus. In all the 24 ears with SFH-Re-IEM, the focal bony defect of the affected stapical footplate and the hemispherical soft-tissue-density herniating cysts protruding into the tympanium were presented on HRCT, and the herniating cysts presenting the cerebrospinal fluid-like signal with the well-defined margin and the ipsilateral normal tympanium were shown on the MRI hydrographic sequence. Two ears underwent the perilymphaticum gadolinium based on MRI, which demonstrated the hypersignal gadolinium in the perilymphatic space entered into the herniating cysts. Two ears were accompanied with the cochlear osseous labyrinthitis.Conclusion:The ears with IEM-Re-SFH usually present the serious hearing loss. The ipsilateral severe IEM, focal bony defect of the stapical footplate and perilymph herniating are characteristic imaging appearances.

OBJECTIVEIn order to understand the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) precore mutants isolated from asymtomatic carriers in Guangxi.

METHODSNested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) was used for amplification of HBV DNA precore in 77 carrier sera, followed by HBV DNA nPCR products sequencing using direct sequencing.

RESULTS50.7% of 77 carriers was positive for HBV DNA with a prevalence of mutants 22.1% (17/77). HBV DNA positive rate in the southern part of the autonomous region was 55.6% (20/36). Six of them were mutants, counting for 30%. The common mutation in the southern part was seen T-->C at nt1858 while nt1896 stop mutation was discovered in one sample only, which was accompanied by point mutation at nt1837 (A-->G). HBV DNA positive rate in the northern part was 46.3% (19/41) with 11 of them were mutants, counting for 57.9%. The common mutation in that area stopped at nt1896. Among samples with stopped mutation, 4 samples had mutation at nt1846 (A-->T), 2 samples at nt1862 (G-->T). Both mutation at nt1856 (C-->T) and nt1858 (T-->C) could be seen in sample 734.

CONCLUSIONSThe prevalence of HBV precore mutant in asymptomatic carriers in Guangxi was at the average level in China. Further study is needed to determine the difference between the southern and the northern part of the region in the common type of mutation exists.

Base Sequence ; Carrier State ; virology ; DNA, Viral ; chemistry ; Hepatitis B virus ; genetics ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation ; Polymerase Chain Reaction

OBJECTIVE: To identify potential mutations of F11 gene in a pedigree affected with hereditary coagulation factor XI (FXI) deficiency and explore its molecular pathogenesis. METHODS: Prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen (FIB), coagulation factor VIII activity (FVIIIC), coagulation factor IX activity (FIXC), coagulation factor XI activity (FXIC), coagulation factor XII activity (FXIIC) and lupus anticoagulation (LA) of the proband and eight family members were determined. FXI antigen (FXIAg) was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). For the proband, potential mutations in the exons, flanking introns and 5'-, 3'-untranslated regions of the F11 gene were screened by direct DNA sequencing. The results were confirmed by reverse sequencing. Suspected mutations were detected in other family members. ClustalX-2.1-win and four online bioinformatic tools (PolyPhen-2, PROVEAN, SIFT, and Mutation Taster) were used to study the conservation and possible impact of the mutations. The structure of the mutational sites was processed with Swiss-PdbViewer. RESULTS: The propositus had prolonged APTT (69.6 s), whose FXIC and FXIAg were reduced to 6.0% and 10.7%, respectively. Her mother, elder sister, one younger sister, little brother, daughter and son showed slightly prolonged APTT and moderate FXIC and FXIAg levels. Gene sequencing revealed that the propositus carried a heterozygous nonsense mutation c.738G>A (p.Trp228stop) in exon 7 and a heterozygous mutation c.1556G>C (p.Trp501Ser) in exon 13. Her mother, elder sister and daughter were heterozygous for the p.Trp228stop mutation, while one younger sister and little brother and son were heterozygous for p.Trp501Ser. Her husband and the youngest sister were of the wild type. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that Trp501 was highly conserved among all homologous species. The p.Trp501Ser was predicted to be "probably damaging","deleterious", "affect protein function" and "disease causing" corresponding to PolyPhen-2, PROVEAN, SIFT and Mutation Taster. Model analysis demonstrated that the non-polar Trp501 has two benzene rings, forming a hydrogen bond with Gln512 in the wild type. Once substituted by Ser501, the side chain may form another hydrogen bond with the benzene of His396. This may affect the normal space conformation and stability of FXI protein. CONCLUSION The compound heterozygous mutations of the F11 gene probably accounted for the low FXI concentration in this pedigree.
Factor XI ; genetics ; Factor XI Deficiency ; genetics ; Female ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Male ; Mutation ; Pedigree ; Phylogeny

Objective To investigate the effect of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) on the prognosis of patients with non-small cell lung cancer ( NSCLC ). Methods A total of 98 patients with NSCLC who underwent radical surgery in Honghui Hospital, Xi’an Jiaotong University from March 2018 to March 2019 were selected, and were divided into the IPF group and the non-IPF group. The clinicpathological and surgical data were compared between the two groups. The follow-up time was up to March 31, 2024. The endpoint event was NSCLC-related death or NSCLC recurrence, and the death and recurrence during the follow-up period were recorded. Kaplan-Meier survival curve and log-rank test were used to compare survival rate between the two groups. Cox regression analysis was used to analyze the related factors affecting postoperative death and NSCLC recurrence. Results Of the 98 patients included, 45 (45.92%) had IPF. Compared with the non-IPF group, the patients were older, proportion of female patients and preoperative serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level were higher, and the preoperative serum albumin level was lower in the IPF group (P＜0.05). The median follow-up time was 3.7（0.7, 5.6）years. The 1-, 3-, 5-year overall survival rates and recurrence-free survival rates of patients in the IPF group were shorter than those in the non-IPF group (P＜0.05). Cox regression analysis showed that high-degree differentiation and IPF were risk factors for survival of NSCLC patients (P＜0.05), and vascular infiltration, bigger tumor and IPF were risk factors resulting in NSCLC recurrence (P＜0.05). Conclusions For NSCLC patients, IPF can significantly shorten the overall survival and recurrence-free survival, and is a common risk factor resulting in postoperative death and recurrence.