Gastrointestinal endoscopy plays a major diagnostic and therapeutic role in most gastrointestinal disorders.However,limited data of clinical safety is available in pregnant patients.Large studies,preferably prospective,with follow-up of fetal outcome are needed to determine fetal safety of endoscopy.This article briefly analyzed the literature on the research progress of gastrointestinal endoscopy during pregnancy,which offered an evident base for diagnosis and treatment in digestive diseases.

Age-related macular degeneration ( AMD ) is a kind of age-related blinding degenerative fundus lesions, totally about 30 million patients suffering from AMD all over the world, with about 500 000 people blind for it yearly. As the development of economy and the aging of the population intensified, incidence of AMD indicates a trend of rising year by year, being the third major cause of blindness in our country. At present, the pathogenesis of AMD is not fully clear, as reported it may be related to oxidative stress, inflammatory immune response, VEGF and genetic manipulation. Clinical treatments mainly include photodynamic therapy, drug therapy, radiation therapy, laser photocoagulaory operation, the pupil warm treatments, Chinese medicine and intravitreous injection VEGF antagonists such as Ranibizumab, Conbercept and so on. ln this issue, we mainly expound on the progress in the epidemiological studies of AMD, especially elaborate the progress made on genetic manipulation in recent years.

Objective To observe the biological role and the underlying mechanisms of miR-132 in liver cancer on invasion and metastasis.Methods Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis was used to examine the expression of miR-132 in four liver cancer cell lines (MHCC97H,HCCLYH,MHCC97L and SMMC-7721),a normal liver cell line HL-7702,and in liver tumor tissues with or without metastases.The biological effects of miR-132 transfection on human liver can-cer cells were assessed by wound assay,matrigel counting and in vivo experiments in nude mice.Western blotting was used to detect the expression of E-cadherin,α-cadherin,vimentin,fibronectin and ZEB2 in li-ver cancer cells.Immunohistochemistry was used to detect positive expression of ZEB2 in xenograft tumors.Results The expressions of miR-132 were downregulated in the four liver cancer cell lines when compared with the normal liver cell line (P ＜ 0.05),and in the liver cancer tissues with distant metastases when compared with the tissues without metastases (P ＜ 0.05).After transfection,ectopic expressions of miR-132 markedly inhibited cell migration and invasion in liver cancer cells.When compared with the control group,the expressions of E-cadherin and α-cadherin in the miR-132 transfection group were significantly increased,but the expressions of vimentin,fibronectin and ZEB2 were decreased.In addition,the numbers of metastatic lung lesions in nude mice in the miR-132 transfection group was markedly decreased when compared with the control group.The expressions of ZEB2 in the miR-132 transfection group was also significantly decreased when compared with the control group.Conclusions Transfection of miR-132 effectively inhibited invasion and metastasis of liver cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.miR-132 may become a new target for regulation of gene expression in liver cancer.

Objective To evaluate the biological safety of 125I-filled carbon nanotubes covered with metallic esophageal stent with regard to the normal esophagus before clinical application.Methods 125I-filled carbon nanotubes covered with metallic esophageal stent was prepared.Eighteen of New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into three groups with 6 rabbits in each group.Three groups of stents,non-radioactive,low radio-activity ( 3.7 - 5.6 MBq),and high activity ( 11.1 - 13.0 MBq ) were placed in the midpiece of esophagus of rabbits.Esophagus opacification and three-diamensions DSA were performed at 0.5 h,7,14 and 30 d after insertion of the stents,respectively.The rabbits were killed at 30d after insertion of the stents,and histologic examinations of the esophageal walls were performed.Results In non-radioactive and low activity groups,1 of 6 rabbits died of wound infection at 1 and 3 d after surgery due to pulmonary infection,respectively.All specimens were obtained from 16 rabbits.Microscopically,in all rabbits of low activity and high activity groups,there were membrana mucosa necrotic and swell and breakage of the muscle fiber in esophageal submucosa and muscularis,submucosal inflammation,which were more severe in high activity group.In low activity group,one esophagus ectal membrane was involved,however,esophageal perforation did not develop.In high activity group,3 of 6rabbits esophageal perforation had developed,in which one esophagus mediastinum fistula developed,without inflammation.In non-radioactive group,it was almost normal in mucosa layer,a small amount of inflammatory cells were found in submucosal layer,and part of muscle fibers was fractured and no pathological changes of necrosis was found.Conclusions Radioactive 125I carbon nanotubes covered metallic stent with low activity(3.7 -5.6 MBq) can be used as intraluminal palliative brachytherapy,which is safe and effective.

Objective To investigate the association of osteoporosis and coronary artery calcification in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).Methods A total of 82 elderly T2DM patients underwent dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scanning (DXA) of lumbar spine and femur neck for getting bone mineral density (BMD),and dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) of coronary artery for calculating calcification score and total calcification score (TCS).All subjects were divided into two groups:osteoporosis group and non-osteoporosis group.The levels of serum calcium (Ca),parathyrin (PTH),phosphorus (P),alkaline phosphatase (AKP),triglyceride (TG),total cholesterol (TC),high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C),low density lipoproteincholesterol (LDL-C) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were detected.Results Compared with non-osteoporosis group,the levels of serum Ca,PTH and TCS were higher [(2.32± 0.15)mmol/L vs.(2.04±0.20) mmol/L;(5.64±1.97) pmol/L vs.(5.01±1.93) pmol/L;(374.4±433.5) scores vs.(242.5±224.8) scores,t=5.790,5.331 and 2.248,all P<0.05] in osteoporosis group.Correlation analysis showed TCS was negatively associated with BMD of L2-4 and femur neck,while was positively associated with serum Ca and PTH (r=0.310,0.246,0.290,0.284 and 0.324,0.575 all P<0.05).Conclusions Osteoporosis is associated with coronary atherosclerosis.TCS could be considered as an index for judging the relationship between osteoporosis and coronary atherosclerosis.

Objective To evaluate plasma natriuretic peptide brain (BNP) levels in elderly male patients with type 2 diabetes and primary osteoporosis.Methods A total of 122 elderly male patients with type 2 diabetes were divided into 3 groups according to bone mineral density(BMD):normal group (41 cases),osteopenia group (40 cases) and osteoporosis group (41 cases),and another 33 age matched healthy subjects as control group.Plasma BNP levels were determined by ELISA.Results Plasma BNP levels in osteoporosis group [(1.95 ± 0.49) pmol/L] and osteopenia group [(1.64±0.48) pmol/L] were significantly elevated compared with that in normal group [(1.32±0.38) pmol/L] and control group [(1.26±0.39) pmol/L] (all P＜0.01).There was a statistical difference between osteoporosis group and osteopenia group (t=3.539,P＜0.05),and also between normal group and control group (t=2.726,P＜0.05).Plasma BNP levels had negative correlation with BMD of 2na-4th lumbar vertebra (r=-0.366) and femoral neck (r=-0.375),body mass index (r=-0.288) and estrodiol (E2) (r=-0.352) (all P＜0.05); while had a positive correlation with parathyroid hormone (PTH) (r=0.353,P＜0.05).Conclusions With BMD declining,plasma BNP levels are elevated in elderly male type 2 diabetes,which may be related to the compensatory increase in PTH and the decrease in estradiol.

Objective To investigate the expressions ofα‐SMA in different esophageal stromal fibroblasts in esophageal car‐cinogenesis .Methods IHC method was uesd to detect the expression of α‐SMA protein in stromal fibroblasts of twenty normal e‐sophageal tissues ,eighty precancerous lesions and fifty esophageal carcinomas respectively .Three kinds of esophageal stromal fibro‐blasts were cultured primarily and cells immunohistochemical staining was carrired out after being purified .Expression of α‐SMA was detected by RT PCR .Results IHC results showed thatα‐SMA expressions in normal ,precancerous and cancerous lesions were of significant differences .RT‐PCR results showed thatα‐SMA expressions were different significantly among three kinds of fibro‐blasts .Conclusion Esophageal stromal fibroblasts were activated with carcinogenensis .AFs was possibly the origion of CAFs .

Objective: To explore the relationship between family intergenerational contact, depressive symptoms and self-rated health status in the elderly, so as to provide insights into promoting health of the elderly and actively coping with population aging. Methods: Demographic information, intergenerational contact frequency, self-rated health status and depressive symptoms in the elderly at ages of 65 years and older were collected through the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). Structural equation model was established to analyze the effects of intergenerational contact on self-rated health and the mediating role of depressive symptoms between family intergenerational contact and self-rated health in the elderly. Results: Totally 15 497 elderly participants were enrolled, with 6 727 males (43.41%) and 8 770 females (56.59%), and there 12 583 individuals lived with family members (81.19%). The median age was 85.00 (interquartile range, 16.00) years. The scores of self-rated health and depressive symptoms were (3.39±0.87) and (2.22±0.56), respectively. The results of structural equation model analysis showed that after adjusting for age, gender and residence, frequent intergenerational contact had a direct positive effect on self-rated health (effect size=0.038, P<0.001), and could improve the depressive symptoms (effect size=0.089, P<0.001) in the elderly. In addition, depressive symptoms had a negative effect on self-rated health in the elderly (effect size=-0.422, P<0.001). Conclusions Frequent intergenerational contact can improve the self-rated health status in the elderly, and indirectly improve the self-rated health level by alleviating depressive symptoms.

We isolated 61 endophyte isolates from the bark of 4 plants, Ginkgo biloba L, Albizzia julibrissin Durazz, Ailanthus sltissima (Mill) Swingle and Melia azedarach L. At the test concentration of 200 ?g/mL, higher than 50% of antitumor activities were demonstrated with crude extracts from 45.9% of fungal culture in MTT assay. Six isolates, YX5, YX17, YX36, KL1, CC1 and CC5, still showed higher cytotoxicity at 50 ?g/mL. No isolates from A. julibrissin had inhibitory effect towards EC109 at the test concentration of 50 ?g/mL; while about 15.8% of isolates from G. biloba were active. IC50 of the extract from the most active isolate YX5 against EC109, HONE1 and HeLa were 18.3 ?g/mL, 3.6 ?g/mL and 6.5 ?g/mL, respectively. Our results indicate that endophytes from G. biloba could be regarded as a potent source of antitumor drugs.