OBJECTIVE:To investigate the efficacy of rosiglitazone in the treatment of patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver(NAFLD).METHODS:A total of 124 patients with NAFLD(excluding those with cirrhosis) were randomly divided into rosiglitaone(RSG) treatment group and placebo group(control) for a treatment of 24wk.Then the curative effects in two groups were compared.RESULTS:As compared with placebo,RSG showed a better efficacy in the improvement of the liver function,levels of blood glucose and blood lipid(P

Objective To investigate the value of Q-analysis real-time elasticity in differentiating between benign and malignant thyroid nodules. Methods Eighty-six thyroid nodules in 62 patients with pathologic diagnosis were included in this study and were examined using Q-analysis real-time elasticity. The real-time elasticity features were observed and the quantitative index including the whole elasticity rate and the local elasticity rate were compared between benign and malignant nodules. Results There were 51 benign and 35 malignant nodules according to histopathological examination. The Q-analysis curve of real-time elasticity of benign nodules was smoother and with lower peak, compared with that of malignant nodules. The whole elasticity rate of malignant nodules were significantly higher than that of benign nodules (3.59±0.84 vs 2.32±0.56, P=0.000). And the local elasticity rate of malignant nodules were significantly higher than that of benign nodules (3.96±1.32 vs 2.39±0.58, P=0.000). The cutoff point of whole elasticity rate for the differential diagnosis was 3.25 with sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy as 71.4%, 96.1% and 86.0% respectively. The cutoff point of local elasticity rate for the differential diagnosis was 3.45 with sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy as 68.6%, 96.1% and 84.9% respectively. The diagnostic efficiency of whole elasticity rate and local elasticity rate had no significant difference (P=0.591).Conclusions Q-analysis real-time elasticity could provide the real-time elasticity features of thyroid nodules. The whole and local elasticity rate as the quantitative index contributed to the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant thyroid nodules.

Objective To study the validity of RAND-UCLA (Rand Corporation and University of California at Los Angeles) consensus panel method in developing guidelines of referral indications for low back pain (LBP).Methods Evidence-based clinical guidelines for LBP management at community level and its referral guidelines published since 2001 and other tools were retrieved with varied tools.All clinical guidelines met inclusion criteria were evaluated with clinical studies and evaluation tools (AGREE).An pool of indication items was established based on evidence for developing referral indications for LBP, which were added by RAND-UCLA consensus panel method, and alternative referral indications were selected and clinical guidelines for LBP referral were established.Results A total of 15 copies of clinical guidelines from nine countries or regions were included in it after critical appraisal.Four copies of referral guidelines from two countries were included.Referral indications for LBP were derived directly from the RAND-UCLA consensus panel process, consisting of 44 referral indications for three groups (immediate, urgent and routine referral).Conclusions The RAND-UCLA consensus panel method is a more useful and practical tool in developing clinical guidelines, referral guidelines, which is worthwhile being recommended and spread.

Objective: To report an investigation of a family cluster of coronavirus disease 2019 ( COVID-19 ) in Ningbo, so as to provide reference for the prevention and control measures. Methods: According to the COVID-19 Prevention and Control Program ( fourth version ) , an epidemiological investigation was conducted to collect the demographic information, clinical features and exposure history, to find the close contacts, and to figure out the source and route of infection. Results: Twelve confirmed cases and one asymptomatic case were reported. The attack rate was 16.05%. Among them, five were males and eight were females; the age ranged from 11 to 85 years old, with a median of 39 years old; most had mild symptoms. The incubation period was 2-13 days, with a median of 6.5 days. The first case ( Case 1 ) developed the symptoms on January 22, and had close contact with Zhang, an asymptomatic case, on January 20. Zhang was related to a cluster in the Buddhist assembly on January 19. Case 1, who caused the spread of the epidemic among family members, participated in several family visits and dinners from January 22 to 27 with other 24 families, resulting in six secondary cases and six third-generation cases. There were 54 close contacts except the family members, no infection was found. Conclusion This family cluster may result from the close contact with an asymptomatic case, and then spread within families through having dinners and living together.

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has rapidly spread globally. Cancer patients are at a higher risk of being infected with the coronavirus and are more likely to develop severe complications, as compared to the general population. The increasing spread of COVID-19 presents challenges for the clinical care of patients with gynecological malignancies. Concerted efforts should be put into managing gynecological malignancies in an orderly manner by strictly implementing the measures that are specifically developed for controlling the spread of COVID-19. We have drafted Recommendations on Management of Gynecological Malignancies during the COVID-19 Pandemic based on our experience on controlling COVID-19 pandemic in China. We recommend that patients with gynecological malignancies should be managed in hierarchical and individualized manners in combination with local conditions related to COVID-19. Medical care decision should be balanced between controlling COVID-19 pandemic spread and timely diagnosis and treatment for gynecologic oncology patients.

Insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R) has been made an attractive anticancer target due to its overexpression in cancers. However, targeting it has often produced the disappointing results as the role played by cross talk with numerous downstream signalings. Here, we report a disobliging IGF-1R signaling which promotes growth of cancer through triggering the E3 ubiquitin ligase MEX3A-mediated degradation of RIG-I. The active β-arrestin-2 scaffolds this disobliging signaling to talk with MEX3A. In response to ligands, IGF-1Rβ activated the basal βarr2 into its active state by phosphorylating the interdomain domain on Tyr64 and Tyr250, opening the middle loop (Leu130‒Cys141) to the RING domain of MEX3A through the conformational changes of βarr2. The models of βarr2/IGF-1Rβ and βarr2/MEX3A could interpret the mechanism of the activated-IGF-1R in triggering degradation of RIG-I. The assay of the mutants βarr2^Y64A and βarr2^Y250A further confirmed the role of these two Tyr residues of the interlobe in mediating the talk between IGF-1Rβ and the RING domain of MEX3A. The truncated-βarr2 and the peptide ATQAIRIF, which mimicked the RING domain of MEX3A could prevent the formation of βarr2/IGF-1Rβ and βarr2/MEX3A complexes, thus blocking the IGF-1R-triggered RIG-I degradation. Degradation of RIG-I resulted in the suppression of the IFN-I-associated immune cells in the TME due to the blockade of the RIG-I-MAVS-IFN-I pathway. Poly(I:C) could reverse anti-PD-L1 insensitivity by recovery of RIG-I. In summary, we revealed a disobliging IGF-1R signaling by which IGF-1Rβ promoted cancer growth through triggering the MEX3A-mediated degradation of RIG-I.

The well-known insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1)/IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) signaling pathway is overexpressed in many tumors, and is thus an attractive target for cancer treatment. However, results have often been disappointing due to crosstalk with other signals. Here, we report that IGF-1R signaling stimulates the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells through the translocation of IGF-1R into the ER to enhance sarco-endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase 2 (SERCA2) activity. In response to ligand binding, IGF-1Rβ is translocated into the ER by β-arrestin2 (β-arr2). Mass spectrometry analysis identified SERCA2 as a target of ER IGF-1Rβ. SERCA2 activity is heavily dependent on the increase in ER IGF-1Rβ levels. ER IGF-1Rβ phosphorylates SERCA2 on Tyr⁹⁹⁰ to enhance its activity. Mutation of SERCA2-Tyr⁹⁹⁰ disrupted the interaction of ER IGF-1Rβ with SERCA2, and therefore ER IGF-1Rβ failed to promote SERCA2 activity. The enhancement of SERCA2 activity triggered Ca²⁺_ER perturbation, leading to an increase in autophagy. Thapsigargin blocked the interaction between SERCA2 and ER IGF-1Rβ and therefore SERCA2 activity, resulting in inhibition of HCC growth. In conclusion, the translocation of IGF-1R into the ER triggers Ca²⁺_ER perturbation by enhancing SERCA2 activity through phosphorylating Tyr⁹⁹⁰ in HCC.