Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a kind of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) with covalent closed-loop structure. They have attracted more and more attention because of their high stability, evolutionary conservatism, and tissue expression specificity. It has shown that circRNAs are involved in the development of a variety of diseases including malignant tumors recently. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a malignant tumor that occurs in the nasopharynx and has a unique ethnic and geographical distribution in South China and Southeast Asia. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is closely related to the development of NPC. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are the mainstays of treatment for NPC. But tumor recurrence or distant metastasis is the leading cause of death in patients with NPC. Several studies have shown that circRNAs, as gene expression regulators, play an important role in NPC and affect the progression of NPC. This review mainly summarized the research status of abnormally expressed circRNAs in NPC and EBV-encoded circRNAs. We also discussed the possibility of circRNAs as a therapeutic target, diagnostic and prognostic marker for NPC.

Objective:To establish a new classification system for distal clavicle fracture and evaluate its clinical effectiveness.Methods:A retrospective case series study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 101 patients with distal clavicle fracture admitted to First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2015 to March 2022, including 57 males and 44 females, aged 19-86 years [(53.8±14.0)years]. Before treatment, patients were routinely subjected to bilateral anteroposterior radiography of the shoulder joints to measure the length of the fractured fragments, coracoclavicular distance, and acromioclavicular distance. According to the correlation between the location of the fracture line and the insertion of the coracoclavicular ligament, distal clavicle fracture was divided into three types: type I, with the fracture line lateral to the coracoclavicular ligament region; type II, with the fracture line in the coracoclavicular ligament region; type III, with the fracture line medial to the coracoclavicular ligament region. According to the injury severity of the coracoclavicular ligament and acromioclavicular ligament, type I was further subdivided into type IA, IB, IC and ID, and type II fracture was further subdivided into type IIA, IIB, IIC, IID and IIE. All the 101 patients were classified and randomly reclassified at an interval of 3 months by 10 senior and 10 junior shoulder surgeons according to the new classification method. Kappa coefficients were used to evaluate the inter- and intra-observer consistency of the new classification. Fifty-two patients with stable fracture (types IA, IB, IIC, and IID) were treated non-surgically, while 49 patients with unstable fracture (types IC, ID, IIA, IIB, IIE, and III) were treated surgically, including 26 patients with anatomic coracoclavicular ligament reconstruction, 9 with locking plate fixation, 8 with clavicle hook plate fixation, 4 with anatomic coracoclavicular ligament reconstruction combined with locking plate fixation, and 2 with anatomic coracoclavicular ligament reconstruction combined with tension screw fixation. The patients were assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS) and Constant-Murley shoulder score before treatment and at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months after treatment. The coracoclavicular distance and acromioclavicular distance on the anteroposterior radiographs of the healthy and affected shoulder joints were measured at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months after treatment, and fracture healing time and complications were observed.Results:The length of the fractured fragments was 12.9 (9.7, 17.6)mm in patients with type I fracture, 24.7 (21.8, 27.8)mm in patients with type II fracture, and 43.6 (41.2, 46.9)mm in patients with type III fracture ( P<0.01). There were no significant differences in the coracoclavicular distance and acromioclavicular distance of the affected and healthy shoulders among the patients with types IA, IB, IIC, IID, and III fracture ( P>0.05); For the patients with types IC, IIA, IIB and IIE fracture, the coracoclavicular distance of the affected shoulder was significantly increased compared with that of the healthy shoulder ( P<0.01), while there was no significant difference in the acromioclavicular distance of the affected and healthy shoulders ( P>0.05). Both of the inter- and intra-observer consistency of the new classification was good. The inter- and intra-observer Kappa values were 0.69 and 0.71 respectively among the senior shoulder surgeons, and 0.61 and 0.64 respectively among the junior shoulder surgeons. All the patients were followed up for 18-104 months [28(23, 32)months]. At 3, 6, 12 and 18 months after treatment, the VAS scores of non-surgical patients were 3(2, 3)points, 2(1, 2)points, 1(0, 1)points and 0(0, 1)points respectively, significantly decreased compared with 6(5, 6)points before treatment ( P<0.01); the VAS scores of surgical patients were 3(2, 3)points, 2(1, 2)points, 1(1, 1)points and 0(0, 1)points respectively, significantly decreased compared with 6(5, 7)points before treatment ( P<0.01); the Constant-Murley shoulder scores of non-surgical patients were (76.6±5.3)points, (84.3±5.0)points, (88.4±4.0)points and (91.9±3.8)points respectively, significantly higher than (42.7±5.2)points before treatment ( P<0.01); the Constant-Murley shoulder scores of surgical patients were (77.4±4.6)points, (84.4±4.7)points, (87.6±3.7)points and (91.7±4.0)points respectively, significantly higher than (42.8±5.3)points before treatment ( P<0.01). At 3, 6, 12 and 18 months after treatment, the coracoclavicular distance of the affected shoulder in non-surgical patients was not significantly different from that before treatment ( P>0.05), while the acromioclavicular distance of the affected shoulder in surgical patients was significantly reduced compared with that before treatment ( P<0.01). There were no significant differences in the coracoclavicular distance of the healthy shoulder or bilateral acromioclavicular distance in non-surgical and surgical patients at 3, 6, 12, and 18 months after treatment compared with those before treatment ( P>0.05). Fractures were healed within 12 months after treatment in all the patients, without dislocation or subluxation of the acromioclavicular joint, internal fixation failure or internal fixator breakage. Eight patients treated with clavicular hook plate fixation had shoulder pain associated with limited mobility after operation, and all underwent a second operation to remove the clavicular hook plate at 12 months after operation. Conclusions:The new classification system for distal clavicle fracture is established, which comprehensively considers the position of the fracture line, injury of the coracoclavicular and acromioclavicular ligaments, and fracture stability. The new classification system exhibits good inter- and intra- observer consistency, and the effectiveness of its preliminary clinical application is satisfactory.

BACKGROUND: Butylphthalide (NBP) and edaravone (EDV) injection are common acute ischemic stroke medications in China, but there is a lack of large real-world safety studies on them. This study aimed to determine the incidence of adverse events, detect relevant safety signals, and assess the risk factors associated with these medications in real-world populations. METHODS: In this study, data of acute ischemic stroke patients were extracted from the electronic medical record database of six tertiary hospitals between January 2019 and August 2021. Baseline confounders were eliminated using propensity score matching. The drugs' safety was estimated by comparing the results of 24 laboratory tests standards on liver function, kidney function, lipid level, and coagulation function. The drugs' relative risk was estimated by logistic regression. A third group with patients who did not receive NBP or EDV was constructed as a reference. Prescription sequence symmetry analysis was used to evaluate the associations between adverse events and NBP and EDV, respectively. RESULTS: 81,292 patients were included in this study. After propensity score matching, the NBP, EDV, and third groups with 727 patients in each group. Among the 15 test items, the incidence of adverse events was lower in the NBP group than in the EDV group, and the differences were statistically significant. The multivariate logistic regression equation revealed that NBP injection was not a promoting factor for abnormal laboratory test results, whereas EDV had statistically significant effects on aspartate transaminase, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol. Prescription sequence symmetry analysis showed that NBP had a weak correlation with abnormal platelet count. EDV had a positive signal associated with abnormal results in gamma-glutamyl transferase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, prothrombin time, and platelet count. CONCLUSIONS In a large real-world population, NBP has a lower incidence of adverse events and a better safety profile than EDV or other usual medications.

Objective:To compare the clinical efficacy of anatomical reconstruction of coracoclavicular ligament at the original insertion point and clavicular hook plate fixation in the treatment of acromioclavicular joint dislocation.Methods:Retrospective analysis was made on the data of 67 patients with acromioclavicular joint dislocation who received surgical treatment in the Department of Orthopaedics of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from June 2015 to January 2021. According to the surgical method, they were divided into reconstruction group (using the technique of anatomical reconstruction of coracoclavicular ligament at the original insertion point) and hook plate group (using the clavicular hook plate). There were 37 cases in the reconstruction group, including 26 males and 11 females, aged 47.2±9.6 years (range, 18-65 years), 13 cases on the left and 24 cases on the right. Among the 37 patients, 8 were sports injuries, 14 were falls, 11 were traffic accidents, and 4 were external force injuries. The average time from injury to surgery was 8.3±2.3 days. There were 30 cases in the hook plate group, including 24 males and 6 females, aged 47.4±9.7 years (range, 18-67 years), 12 cases on the left and 18 cases on the right. Among the 30 patients, 7 were sports injuries, 11 were falls, 9 were traffic accidents, and 3 were external force injuries. The average time from injury to surgery was 7.9±2.6 days. The surgical time, incision length, intraoperative bleeding, hospital stay, postoperative coracoclavicular separation ratio, and postoperative complications were compared between the two groups. Constant-Murley score and visual analog scale (VAS) were used to assess the shoulder joint function and pain degree of patients.Results:Both groups of patients were followed up, with a follow-up time of 12.3±0.4 months for the reconstruction group and 12.2±0.5 months for the hook plate group. The operation time (105.8±10.0 min), incision length [12.0 (11.0, 13.0) cm] and hospitalization time (6.8±2.1 d) in the reconstruction group were longer than those in the hook plate group [48.3±4.9 min, 10.0 (10.0, 11.0) cm, and 5.5±2.7 d], while the intraoperative blood loss (75.1±3.9 ml) was less than that in the hook plate group (90.3±6.3 ml), the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The VAS [4.0 (3.0, 5.0), 3.0 (3.0, 3.0), 2.0 (1.0, 2.0) points] and Constant-Murley score (65.4±4.5, 84.9±2.5, 90.1±2.5 points) of the reconstruction group at 3 days, 3 months, and 12 months after surgery were better than those of the hook plate group [5.0 (4.0, 5.0), 4.0 (4.0, 4.0), 3.0 (3.0, 4.0) and 56.9±3.5, 79.6±4.0, 86.8±2.4 points], the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05). At the last follow-up, there was a statistically significant difference in the separation ratio of coracoclavicular distance between the reconstruction group (0.12±0.08) and the hook plate group 0.22±0.15 ( t=3.25, P=0.002). There was no significant difference ( Z=-0.52, P=0.605) in the separation ratio of acromioclavicular distance [0.16 (0.05, 0.25) and 0.16 (0.04, 0.40)]. In the hook plate group, 6 cases had shoulder joint foreign body sensation and 2 cases had acromioclavicular joint redislocation (both Rockwood type III). Because the shoulder joint function did not affect their daily life, neither patient underwent secondary surgery. And no case of acromioclavicular joint redislocation occurred in the reconstruction group. Conclusion:Compared with the clavicular hook plate fixation, anatomic reconstruction of coracoclavicular ligament at the original insertion point in the treatment of acromioclavicular joint dislocation can reduce the pain of the shoulder joint earlier, which has the characteristics of small trauma, good effect, and reduces the steps of internal fixation removal, and has good clinical curative effect.

Objective:To compare the clinical efficacy between coracoclavicular ligament anatomical reconstruction and clavicular hook plate in the treatment of Neer Ⅱb distal clavicular fractures.Methods:A total of 64 patients with Neer Ⅱb clavicular fracture were treated at Department of Orthopaedics, The First Affiliated Hospital to Nanjing Medical University from September 2016 to June 2019. They were 35 males and 29 females, aged from 19 to 68 years (average, 50.7 years). They were assigned into 2 groups according to their operative methods: a reconstruction group of 30 cases undergoing coracoclavicular ligament anatomical reconstruction and a hook plate group of 34 cases undergoing fixation with a clavicular hook plate. The 2 groups were compared in terms of hospital stay, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, surgical incision length, postoperative coracoclavicular separation ratio, visual analogue scale (VAS) and Constant-Murley shoulder scores at 3, 6 and 12 months after operation, and postoperative complications.Results:There was no significant difference in general data between the 2 groups, showing comparability between groups ( P>0.05). Operations were completed uneventfully and surgical incisions healed by primary intention in both groups after operation. All the patients were followed up for 12 to 24 months (average, 14.6 months). The operation time [(74.6±22.0) min] and incision length [(10.4±0.4) cm] were significantly shorter but the intraoperative blood loss [(90.2±5.3) mL] was significantly less in the hook plate group than those in the reconstruction group [(95.6±20.8) min, (12.4±0.9) cm and (74.2±3.5) mL] ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in hospital stay between the 2 groups ( P>0.05). At 3, 6 and 12 months after operation, the VAS scores (1.8±0.5, 1.2±0.3 and 1.1±0.2) and Constant-Murley scores (85.2±4.6, 91.1±2.6 and 92.1±2.2) in the reconstruction group were significantly better than those in the hook plate group (3.2±1.0, 1.6±0.3 and 1.5±0.3; 73.6±2.9, 85.9±4.6 and 87.0±3.1) ( P<0.05). At the last follow-up, the postoperative coracoclavicular separation ratio (elevation) in the hook plate group (0.20±0.16) was significantly greater than that in the reconstruction group (0.10±0.05) ( P<0.05). Conclusion:In the treatment of Neer ⅡB distal clavicular fractures, coracoclavicular ligament anatomical reconstruction may lead to better fixation and fewer postoperative complications than a clavicular hook plate, demonstrating fine clinical efficacy.

Aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD) refers to the stenosis and occlusion of the distal abdominal aorta and(or) bifurcation of the aortoiliac artery,which is mainly caused by atherosclerosis,leading to pelvic and lower limb ischemia.Open surgery has always been the main treatment for complex AIOD.However,in recent years,with the development of endovascular surgery technologies and medical instruments,its treatment concept has been greatly changed.More and more clinical evidence has proved that the long-term efficacy of endovascular therapy is not inferior to that of traditional open surgery,so minimally invasive endovascular therapy has become the preferred treatment for AIOD.
Aortic Diseases/surgery* ; Arterial Occlusive Diseases/surgery* ; Atherosclerosis ; Endovascular Procedures ; Humans ; Iliac Artery/surgery* ; Treatment Outcome ; Vascular Patency

BACKGROUND: Shenyankangfu Tablet (SYKFT) is a Chinese patent medicine that has been used widely to decrease proteinuria and the progression of chronic kidney disease. OBJECTIVE: This trial compared the efficacy and safety of SYKFT, for the control of proteinuria in primary glomerulonephritis patients, against the standard drug, losartan potassium. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS AND INTERVENTION: This was a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial. Primary glomerulonephritis patients, aged 18-70 years, with blood pressure ≤ 140/90 mmHg, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥ 45 mL/min per 1.73 m MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was change in the 24-hour proteinuria level, after 48 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: A total of 735 participants were enrolled. The percent decline of urine protein quantification in the SYKFT group after 48 weeks was 8.78% ± 2.56% (P = 0.006) more than that in the losartan 50 mg group, which was 0.51% ± 2.54% (P = 1.000) less than that in the losartan 100 mg group. Compared with the losartan potassium 50 mg group, the SYKFT plus losartan potassium 50 mg group had a 13.39% ± 2.49% (P < 0.001) greater reduction in urine protein level. Compared with the losartan potassium 100 mg group, the SYKFT plus losartan potassium 100 mg group had a 9.77% ± 2.52% (P = 0.001) greater reduction in urine protein. With a superiority threshold of 15%, neither was statistically significant. eGFR, serum creatinine and serum albumin from the baseline did not change statistically significant. The average change in TCM syndrome score between the patients who took SYKFT (-3.00 [-6.00, -2.00]) and who did not take SYKFT (-2.00 [-5.00, 0]) was statistically significant (P = 0.003). No obvious adverse reactions were observed in any group. CONCLUSION: SYKFT decreased the proteinuria and improved the TCM syndrome scores of primary glomerulonephritis patients, with no change in the rate of decrease in the eGFR. SYKFT plus losartan potassium therapy decreased proteinuria more than losartan potassium therapy alone. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT02063100 on ClinicalTrials.gov.

BACKGROUND: It has been a global trend that increasing complications related to pelvic floor surgeries have been reported over time. The current study aimed to outline the development of Chinese pelvic floor surgeries related to pelvic organ prolapse (POP) over the past 14 years and investigate the potential influence of enhanced monitoring conducted by the Chinese Association of Urogynecology since 2011. METHODS: A total of 44,594 women with POP who underwent pelvic floor surgeries between October 1, 2004 and September 30, 2018 were included from 22 tertiary academic medical centers. The data were reported voluntarily and obtained from a database. We compared the proportion of each procedure in the 7 years before and 7 years after September 30, 2011. The data were analyzed by performing Z test (one-sided). RESULTS: The number of different procedures during October 1, 2011-September 30, 2018 was more than twice that during October 1, 2004-September 30, 2011. Regarding pelvic floor surgeries related to POP, the rate of synthetic mesh procedures increased from 38.1% (5298/13,906) during October 1, 2004-September 30, 2011 to 46.0% (14,107/30,688) during October 1, 2011-September 30, 2018, whereas the rate of non-mesh procedures decreased from 61.9% (8608/13,906) to 54.0% (16,581/30,688) (Z = 15.53, P < 0.001). Regarding synthetic mesh surgeries related to POP, the rates of transvaginal placement of surgical mesh (TVM) procedures decreased from 94.1% (4983/5298) to 82.2% (11,603/14,107) (Z = 20.79, P < 0.001), but the rate of laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSC) procedures increased from 5.9% (315/5298) to 17.8% (2504/14,107). CONCLUSIONS: The rate of synthetic mesh procedures increased while that of non-mesh procedures decreased significantly. The rate of TVM procedures decreased while the rate of LSC procedures increased significantly. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT03620565, https://register.clinicaltrials.gov.
China ; Female ; Gynecologic Surgical Procedures/adverse effects* ; Humans ; Pelvic Floor/surgery* ; Pelvic Organ Prolapse/surgery* ; Surgical Mesh/adverse effects* ; Treatment Outcome ; Vagina

Echocardiography, Three-Dimensional ; Funnel Chest/surgery* ; Humans ; Ventricular Dysfunction, Right/diagnostic imaging* ; Ventricular Function, Right

Three compounds, including scolosprine C(1), uracil(2) and hypoxanthine(3), were isolated and purified from the ethyl acetate fraction of centipede by silica gel normal-phase column chromatography, reversed-phase medium pressure preparation chromatography, and high-pressure semi-preparative HPLC. The structure was elucidated through a combination of spectroscopic analyses [such as nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) and mass spectrometry(MS)] and literature review. Among them, compound 1 was a new quinoline alkaloid. In previous reports, we have described the isolation and structure elucidation of one new and two known quinoline alkaloids. In this paper, we would report the isolation and structure elucidation of scolosprine C in detail.
Alkaloids ; Animals ; Arthropods ; Chilopoda ; Quinolines