ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of targeted silencing of Runt-related Transcription Factor 3 （RUNX3） on the proliferation and migration of Mouse Hepatic Stellate Cells （HSCs）， as well as subsequent collagen deposition. MethodsMouse hepatic stellate cell line （JS-1） was selected and then morphologically observed and identified under a microscope. After the cells had fully adhered， they were treated with 5 ng/mL of transforming growth factor beta 1 （TGF-β₁） for 24 hours to induce hepatic stellate cell activation. Furthermore， a RUNX3 silencing model was established using RUNX3 lentiviral infection. The experiment was divided into four groups： Control group， TGF-β₁ group， TGF-β₁+siRNA-NC group， and TGF-β₁+siRNA-RUNX3 group. Protein expression changes of RUNX3， alpha-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA）， and Alpha 1 type I collagen （Collagen I） were detected using Western blot method. Cellular immunofluorescence assays were employed to investigate the deposition changes of α-SMA and RUNX3 in hepatic stellate cells. RT-qPCR was utilized to examine the mRNA expression changes of RUNX3， α-SMA， and Collagen I. The proliferative capacity of hepatic stellate cells was assessed using Edu staining. The migratory ability of hepatic stellate cells was evaluated through wound healing assays and Transwell migration experiments. ResultsCompared with Control group， a significant elevation in RUNX3 was observed in the TGF-β₁-induced activated HSCs （P<0.01）. Meanwhile， the protein and mRNA levels of fibrosis-related markers and α-SMA and Collagen I were significantly upregulated （P<0.001）. Additionally， the proliferation and migration capabilities of HSCs were significantly enhanced （P<0.001）. In contrast， when compared to TGF-β₁+siRNA-NC group， TGF-β₁+siRNA-RUNX3 group exhibited a notable decrease in RUNX3 and other related indicators， such as the protein and mRNA levels of α-SMA and Collagen I （P<0.05）. Concurrently， the proliferation and migration capabilities of HSCs were significantly inhibited in TGF-β₁+siRNA-RUNX3 group （P<0.01）. ConclusionSilencing RUNX3 can inhibit the deposition of collagen and the proliferation and migration of hepatic stellate cells. Conversely， RUNX3 promotes the proliferation and migration capabilities of HSCs， thereby facilitating the activation of HSC.

Objective:To explore role of miR-146a in regulating TLR4/NF-κB pathway on inflammatory injury and neuropro-tection in intracerebral hemorrhage model rats and its possible mechanism.Methods:A total of 40 rats were selected and randomly divided into sham,model,over-expressing miR-146a adenovirus and negative virus injection groups,with 10 rats in each group.Garcia score was used for neurological function;HE staining was used to observe changes of brain tissues.ELISA was used to detect inflammatory factors levels.TLR4,NF-κB protein and gene expressions in brain tissues were detected by Western blot and RT-PCR.Results:Compared with model group,neural function score of overexpressed miR-146a adenovirus injection group was increased(P<0.05).Model group had abnormal cell morphology,edema and inflammation.Cell morphology,edema and inflammation were alleviated in overexpressed miR-146a adenovirus injection group.Inflammatory factors levels in model group were higher than sham group(P<0.05).Inflammatory factors levels in overexpressed miR-146a adenovirus injection group were lower than model group(P<0.05).TLR4,NF-κB protein and mRNA expressions in model group were increased than sham group(P<0.05).TLR4,NF-κB protein and mRNA expressions in overexpressed miR-146a adenovirus injection group were decreased than model group(P<0.05).Conclusion:miR-146a can improve neural function and reduce inflammatory injury in rats with intracerebral hemorrhage,possibly by inhibiting activation of TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway and reducing inflammatory factors levels of brain tissues.

Objective:To investigate Helicobactor pylori (H. pylori) infection status and interfamilial transmission pattern in Zhengzhou area. Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2020 to march 2021, among 731 individual from 266 families randomly selected from 9 communities of Zhengzhou area. H. pylori infection status was determined by serum antibody tests, and 13C-urea breath test was performed in the previously eradicated population to clarify the current infection status. The individual and familial infection rate, infection status for couples and children and adolescent were analyzed. Results:Among 731 individuals from 266 families, 397 of them were H. pylori positive. The individual infection rate was 54.31% (397/731); among infected individuals 77.83% (307/397) were infected with type Ⅰ strain, 22.67% (90/397) were infected by type Ⅱ strain. Annual household income ( χ2=0.419, 0.410, 0.213, all P>0.05), smoking history (χ 2=0.071, P>0.05), drinking history ( χ2=0.071, P>0.05), dining place ( χ2=0.009, P>0.05), gastrointestinal symptoms ( χ2=0.047, P>0.05), family history of gastric disease ( χ2=0.069, P>0.05), and history of gastric cancer ( χ2=0.004, P>0.05) had no significant differences between H. pylori-positive and -negative groups, but the infection rate in individuals with higher education level was lower ( χ2=4.449, P<0.05). The infection rate was significantly higher in≥18 age groups compared with<18 age groups ( χ2=6.531, 23.362, 20.671, 24.244, 37.948, 14.597 and 5.170, all P<0.05). The familial H. pylori infection rate was 87.59% (233/266), and in 61 families all member were infected (26.18%, 61/233). The positive rate was 23.08% (6/26) in 50 families with children under 18 years when both parents were infected. Among 231 coupled families, both couples were infected in 78 families (33.76%), one couple was infected in 113 families (48.92%), and both couples were not infected in 40 (17.32%). With the increase of marriage time, the infection rate of both spouses increased significantly ( χ2=7.775, 12.662, 15.487, all P<0.05). Conclusions:The distribution of H. pylori infection presents a family cluster pattern, and intrafamilial infection is an important transmission rout of H. pylori. The type I strain of H. pylori is the dominate strain in this area.

Humans ; Animals ; Mice ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Crohn Disease/drug therapy* ; Dextran Sulfate ; Colitis/metabolism* ; Macrophages/metabolism* ; Adenosine Triphosphate/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Disease Models, Animal ; Colon/metabolism*

Objective: To explore the feasibility and effectiveness of transoral surgery (TOS) for the treatment of hypopharyngeal carcinoma by means of the radiofrequency coblation(RFC). Methods: Twenty-two patients with hypopharyngeal carcinoma who were treated with TOS using RFC during the years of 2010-2016 were enrolled. Among these patients, 15 suffered from pyriform sinus carcinoma, 4 suffered from postcricoid carcinoma, and 3 suffered from posterior hypopharyngeal wall carcinoma. According to the AJCC 2002 guideline, the tumor stages were T1N0M0 for 3 patients, T2N0M0 for 9 patients, T1N1M0 for 1 patient, T1N2M0 for 1 patient, T2N1M0 for 4 patients, and T2N2M0 for 4 patients respectively. All patients with N+ underwent concurrent neck dissection; 2 patients underwent concurrent prophylactic tracheotomy; 17 underwent post-operative radiotherapy for 50-66 Gy. The follow-up time was 6-72 months with a median 35 months.Two patients were lost to follow-up. Results: All patients except 2 underwent the TOS successfully, while the two patients were treated with open approach surgery due to unsure safe margin. Most patients returned to oral feeding within one week. Among the 18 patients with complete follow up data, 3 had the local recurrence of the tumor (16.7%) and one died due to local recurrence, multiple primary esophageal carcinoma, and distant metastasis 4 years after surgery (5.6%). According to the Kaplan-Meier method, the 5-years local control rate and survival rate were 57.8% and 67.5% respectively. All patients had no disorders in speech, swallowing and respiration during the follow up. Conclusions The RFC can be applied in TOS for the treatments of hypopharyngeal carcinoma with high cutting efficiency and better control of intraoperative hemorrhage, which is useful in lowering the operation difficulty. The oncologic results are comparable to the open surgery with satisfactory postoperative organ function preservation.

Objective To estimate the radiation dose and cancer risk of thyroid for children who underwent head CT or chest CT scans.Methods The parameters used in the CT scans were accessed from the DICOM files through PACS used DCMTK software, then the thyroid radiation dose was estimated with the CT-Expo(C) software and the cancer risk induced by CT scan was projected based on BEIR Ⅱ model combined with the Chinese cancer incidence and lifetime table in 2008.Results CT parameters used for different ages were roughly the same, the thyroid equivalent dose for head CT ranged from 1.2-2.0 mGy, the highest thyroid cancer risk occurs for newborn girls, about 9.6/100 thousand population;while for chest CT the thyroid equivalent dose ranged from 8.1 to 38.0 mGy, the highest thyroid cancer risk was also for newborn girls, about 244.7/100 thousand population.The radiation dose and cancer risk for thyroid decreased with the increased age.Conclusions The radiation dose for thyroid from chest CT was relatively higher than head CT, especially for newborn babies;therefore more protection should be given to the thyroid and other radio-sensitive organs during CT scanning.

Various surgical procedures are widely used for treating obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) currently. The most prominent advantage of surgery is the excellent long-term adherence, which is just the main limitation for the first-line treatment of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). However, nearly all the surgical procedures used now usually could not cure this disease completely. The success rate of the uvulopalatopharyngoplasty, which is the most widely used procedure, can only reach to 40% - 50% in terms of AHI Therefore, there are some opinions that the surgery should not be applied for treating this disease. In fact, the outcomes of surgical treatments should not be only evaluated basing on some of the objective results. In this article, the clinical significance of surgery based on objective and subjective data, and the effects on long-term consequences, the combination of surgery with CPAP, and the possible prospects of surgical treatments for this disease will be discussed. This may help us to redefine the clinical efficacy of surgery for the treatment of OSAHS.
Continuous Positive Airway Pressure ; Humans ; Palate ; surgery ; Pharynx ; surgery ; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive ; surgery

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the function of tubomanometry (TMM) in forcasting the progonosis of acute otitis media with effusion (OME). METHOD: We used the technique of TMM to quantify the degree of eustachian tube (ET) dysfunction in 65 patients with OME. The opening of the ET and the transportation of gas into the middle ear were registered by a pressure sensor in the occluded outer ear after applying the stimulus of a controlled gas bolus into the nasopharynx during swallowing. Three excess pressure values were tested subsequently (30, 40, and 50 mbar). If tube opening was registered, the time of opening in relation to pressure applied was measured. The TMM calculated the opening latency index or index R. An R value of < 1 indicated early opening of the tube at the start of application of the stimulus, which was considered optimal. A value > 1 indicated late opening of the tube occurring after the initial stimulus and was interpreted as suboptimal. Inability to calculate the index R value indicated that the tube was unable to actively open at all. The TMM results, were weighted as follows: no R with 0 points, R > 1 with 1 point and R < 1 with 2 points for the measurements at 30, 40, and 50 mbar, respectively. The points of these three tests were added so the ET score (ETS) ranges from 0 (worst value) to 6 (best value). According to the medical history, the patients were divided into two groups, chronic OME group (defined as positive control group), 30 cases with 38 ears; and acute OME group, 35 cases with 46 ears. The healthy ears of all patients were defined as normal control group, 46 cases with 46 ears. The same regular treatments, including classic medical treatments and intratympanic dexamethasone injections, were used to acute OME group in the following 1-2 months. On the basis of therapeutic effect, acute OME group was subdivided into valid group (26 cases with 33 ears) and invalid group (9 cases with 13 ears). RESULT: The ETS of normal control group was 5.11 ± 1.32 while it was 1.08 ± 1.32 in positive control group. It was found marked differences between the two groups (P < 0.01). The ETS of both valid and invalid subgroup of actue OME group were significantly lower than normal control group (P < 0.01), but in valid subgroup it was significantly higher than positive control group (P < 0.01), and no marked difference was found between the invalid subgroup and positive control group. After treatments, a significant improvement of the ETS was found in both valid and invalid subgroup (P < 0.05) there was no marked difference between valid subgroup and normal control group. But in invalid subgroup it was still significantly lower than normal cohtrol group (P < 0. 01). CONCLUSION TMM could forecast the prognosis of acute OME. Patients with acute OME suffered from ET dysfunction of varied degrees. Those with high ETS could be cured by classic medical treatments and intratympanic dexamethasone injections. But those with poor ETS could not be cured in short period, tube insertion should be considered. If ETS could not be improved by ventilation tube placement, more active treatment, for example, balloon Eustachian tuboplasty (BET), should be used to prevent transforming into chronic OME.
Acute Disease ; Ear, Middle ; Eustachian Tube ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Injection, Intratympanic ; Manometry ; Middle Ear Ventilation ; Otitis Media with Effusion ; diagnosis ; Pressure ; Prognosis

Objective To evaluate the detection rate of multi-slice spiral CT (MSCT)signs and the clinical value of multi-planar reconstruction (MPR)in T1a and T1b peripheral lung cancer patients.Methods Eighty-seven cases with peripheral lung cancer proved by pathology were collected.The cases were divided into T1a and T1b group based on the TNM classification.The MSCT and MPR images were compared between the two groups.Results (1)Detection rate of the deep sublobe sign,spinous process sign, short spiculated sign,pleural indentation sign,vascular convergence sign,multi-nodule accumulation sign,vacuole sign and air bron-chogram sign,were 1 1.4%,20.0%,31.4%,60.0%,25.7%,45.7%,42.9% in T1a group and 42.3%,36.5%,57.7%, 80.8%,5 1.9%,25.0%,21.2% in T1b group,respectively.The difference were all statistically significant (P < 0.05)between T1a and T1b group except that of the spiculated sign (P = 0.098).(2)The detection rate of the sublobe sign,spinous process sign, spiculated sign,pleural indentation sign and vascular convergence sign were higher on MPR images than on axial thin-slice images in both T1a and T1b group.Conclusion The detection rate of the tumor-lung interface’s signs are lower in T1a than in T1b,the detec-tion rate of internal structure signs of the tumor are higher in T1a than in T1b in peripheral lung cancer patients.MPR has important value in early diagnosis of peripheral lung cancer.

Objective To ascertain the frequency distribution of CT examinations in children.Method A wide range of information was collected through the radiology information system (RIS),including ID,sex,birth date,examination time,the examined part of body and other relevant ones related to children who underwent CT examinations between Jan 1,2012 and Dec 31,2012.The SAS software was used for data processing and statistical analysis.Results A total of 1 542 children underwent 1 670 examinations,of which 67％ were male.Head CT examination was the most frequent,accounting for 71.9％ of all CT examinations,and followed by the abdomen/pelvis examinations.The number of examinations of children undergoing the repetitive examination accounted for 6.4％; 51.7％ of the examinations was for trauma.The positive rate of CT examination was 51％,dependent upon the age and examined body parts to some extent.The younger patients had lower positive rate,and the positive rate of head CT examination was lower than those in other parts.Conclusions To reduce the possible cancer risk to be induced by the ionizing radiation from CT,justification of CT examination should be considered for children.