Objective:To investigate the risk factors of central lymph node metastasis (CLNM) and lateral neck lymph node me-tastasis in papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC) patients, and to analyze the importance of high resolution ultrasonography in the diagnosis of lateral neck lymph node metastasis in PTMC patients. Methods:A retrospective protocol was applied, and a total of 1 037 PTMC patients were reviewed. These patients underwent central lymph node dissection or thyroidectomy with lateral neck lymph node dissection between January and November in 2013 in the Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital. Clinicopathological factors, namely, age, sex, primary tumor size, multifocality, bilateralism, thyroid capsular invasion, and local invasion, were analyzed. Results: CLNMs were found in 332 of 1037 patients (32.0%), and 71 out of 1037 patients had lateral neck lymph node metastasis (6.85%). In the univariate analysis, patients with the following risk factors were at high risk of CLNM (P<0.05):male, aged≤45 years old, with primary tumor size of>5 mm, multifocality, bilateralism, thyroid capsular invasion, and local invasion. Male patients with cen-tral lymph node metastasis positively showed high lateral neck lymph node metastasis rate (P<0.05) according to high-resolution ultra-sonography diagnosis. The rate of lateral neck lymph node metastasis increased with increasing number of central lymph node metasta-ses. The sensitivity and specificity of high resolution ultrasonography for lateral neck lymph node metastasis were 92.96%and 81.48%in PTMC patients.Conclusion:Prophylactic central compartment lymph node dissection needs to be performed in patients with CLNM risk factors (i.e., male, aged≤45 years old, primary tumor size of>5 mm, multifocality, bilateralism, thyroid capsular invasion, and lo-cal invasion). The importance of high-resolution ultrasonography in diagnosing lateral neck lymph node metastasis was revealed by the results. Thus, this method should be widely popularized. Radical neck dissection should be performed in male patients who received a positive diagnosis via ultrasonography or those with PTMC who had more than three positive nodes in the central lymph node metasta-sis. However, given the high occurrence rate of PTMC, a prospective study needs to be conducted in the future.

Objective To investigate the influence of long non-coding RNA HOTAIR in proliferation and apoptosis of human tongue squamous cell carcinoma in vitro and in vivo. Methods siHOTAIR was used to inhibit the HOTAIR expression in Tb3.1 human tongue squamous cell carcinoma cell line. The experiments were divided into siHOTAIR group, nonsense sequence group and blank control group. Real-time PCR was used to detect the HOTAIR expression. MTT assay was employed to determine the cell survival. The expression levels of Bcl2, BAX, caspase-3, cleaved caspase-3 were examined by Western blot assay. Tb3.1 xenograft tumor model was established in BALB/c nude mice, and the tumor model was divided into control group, negative group, and siHOTAIR treated group. The tumor tissues were measured by immunohistochemistry stain (IHC) and TUNEL assay. Results The detection of real-time PCR showed that HOTAIR expression was reduced after treated with siHOTAIR. Western blots assay showed that Bcl-2 protein was suppressed while cleaved caspase-3 and BAX protein were up-regulated after treated with siHOTAIR. MTT assay indicated that the cell survival rate was significantly reduced in siHOTAIR treated group. Flow cytometry detected that apoptosis levels were increased in siHOTAIR group. The level of cell senescence was higher in the siHOTAIR group than that of control group. Results of IHC indicated that Ki-67 and Bcl-2 protein of tumor tissue were inhibited, while BAX and cleaved caspase-3protein expressions were elevated simultaneously in the siHOTAIR group. TUNEL assay suggested that more apoptosis was observed in siHOTAIR group. Conclusion HOTAIR can affect proliferation and apoptosis of tongue squamous cancer cells. HOTAIR may be one of the new candidate targets for human tongue cancer therapy.

Objective To explore the expressions of Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) related proteins including N-cadherin, Vimentin and E-cadherin in head and neck squamous cell carcino? ma (HNSCC), and to determine the relationship between the expression of CDK5 and prognosis. Methods The expression levels of CDK5 and EMT related proteins were evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 55 patients who were diagnosed as HN?SCC. They were also analyzed in different clinical pathological factors. The correlation of CDK5 and EMT related proteins as well as the relationship between the expression of CDK5 and prognosis were also analyzed. Results The expression level of CDK5 was significantly higher in patients with lymph node metastasis than that in patients with non-lymph node metastasis (91.67%vs 30.23%, P<0.05). It’s also higher in T3-T4 stages than that in T1-T2 stages (85%vs 20%, P<0.05). The ex?pression levels of N-cadherin and Vimentin were significantly higher in patients with lymph node metastasis than those in patients with non-lymph node metastasis (75.00%vs 6.98%;91.67%vs 27.91%, all P<0.05). However, the expression level of E-cadherin was significantly lower in patients with lymph node metastasis (8.33%vs 86.05%, P<0.05) compared to that in patients without. CDK5 was positively correlated with N-cadherin and Vimentin, but negatively correlated with E-cad?herin (rs=0.512, 0.443,-0.363, all P<0.01). The 3-year survival rates were significantly lower in patients with high expres?sion of CDK5 (37.5%) than that in patients with low expression of CDK5 (87%, Log-rankχ2=12.678, P<0.01). Conclusion CDK5 and EMT related proteins were activated abnormally in HNSCC with lymph node metastasis. CDK5 may be a new bio?logical marker for prognosis of HNSCC.

Autism spectrum disorder(ASD)is a highly heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorder with a complex underlying genetic structure.Current preclinical trials,however,mainly rely on rodent models to test the effects of non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions on the core and related symptoms of ASD.This paper considers the brain regions that affect social interaction behaviors from the perspective of cognitive neural mechanisms,and reviews behavioral testing experiments,such as the three-chamber social interaction test,visible burrow system,and eco-HAB system.We also summarize effective non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions,such as baclofen,oxytocin,and metformin,in the core and related symptom areas of ASD.This review aims to provide reference directions to promote the development of preclinical trials using rodent models.

Objective:To explore the association between thyroid function and chronic kidney disease (CKD) in adults.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted in adults who received health checkup in the First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University from January to December in 2021. Clinical data were collected, including age, gender, height, weight, blood pressure, etc. And blood glucose, blood lipid, blood creatinine, blood uric acid, routine urine function, thyroid function (free triiodine, free thyroxine, thyroid stimulating hormone) were measured. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to investigate the correlation between thyroid function indicators and the onset of CKD; and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was used to explore the ability of thyroid function indicators in evaluating CKD.Results:In the study, 46 342 adults with an average age of (47.6±14.3) years were enrolled, of which 56.2% were males. The prevalence of DeGFR (eGFR<60 ml·min -1·(1.73 m 2) -1), proteinuria and CKD was 1.15%, 0.53% and 1.58%, respectively. The TSH subgroup analysis showed that the prevalence of DeGFR, albuminuria and CKD in the hypothyroidism group was significantly increased to 1.07%, 2.36% and 3.20%, respectively (all P<0.05). After adjusting for confounding factors, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that FT3 was negatively associated with CKD ( OR=0.63, 95% CI: 0.54-0.74), however FT4 ( OR=1.05, 95% CI: 1.03-1.07) and TSH ( OR=1.03, 95% CI: 1.01-1.04) were positively correlated with CKD. Similar results were obtained in the subgroup without hypertension and diabetes ( P<0.05). The ROC analysis indicated that FT3 had a better capability for evaluating CKD than FT4 and TSH, with an area under the curve of 0.63, a cut-off value of 4.18 pmol/L, and a sensitivity and specificity of 57.5% and 62.6%, respectively. Conclusions:Thyroid function status is closely associated with the onset of CKD in the adult population receiving health check-up. FT3 is a risk factor for the onset of CKD.