BACKGROUND: The molecular mechanisms of heart failure (HF) are still poorly understood. Circular RNA (circRNA) has been discovered in the heart in increasing numbers of studies. The goal of this research is to learn more about the potential roles of circRNAs in HF. METHODS & RESULTS: We used RNA sequencing data to identify the characteristics of circRNAs expressed in the heart and discovered that the majority of circRNAs screened were less than 2000 nt. Additionally, chromosomes One and Y had the most and least number of circRNAs, respectively. After excluding duplicate host genes and intergenic circRNAs, a total of 238 differentially expressed circRNAs (DECs) and 203 host genes were discovered. However, only four of the 203 host genes of DECs were examined in HF differentially expressed genes. Another study used Gene Oncology analysis of DECs host genes to elucidate the underlying pathogenesis of HF, and it found that binding and catalytic activity accounted for a large portion of DECs. Immune system, metabolism, and signal transduction pathways were significantly enriched. Furthermore, 1052 potentially regulated miRNAs from the top 40 DECs were collected to build a circRNA-miRNA network, and it was discovered that 470 miRNAs can be regulated by multiple circRNAs, while others are regulated by a single circRNA. In addition, a comparison of the top 10 mRNAs in HF and their targeted miRNAs revealed that DDX3Y and UTY were regulated by the most and least circRNA, respectively. CONCLUSION These findings demonstrated circRNAs have species and tissue specific expression patterns; while circRNA expression is independent on host genes, the same types of genes in DECs and DEGs worked in HF. Our findings would contribute to a better understanding of the critical roles of circRNAs and lay the groundwork for future studies of HF molecular functions.

Background: and Purpose Mutations in the FIG4 gene have been linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) type 11 in Caucasian populations. The purpose of this study was to identify FIG4 variants in a cohort of 15 familial ALS (FALS) indexes and 275 sporadic ALS (SALS) patients of Han Chinese origin. Methods: All 23 exons of FIG4 were sequenced using targeted next-generation sequencing.An extensive literature review was performed to detect genotype-phenotype associations of FIG4 mutations. Results: No FIG4 variants were identified in the FALS patients. One novel heterozygous missense variant (c.352G>T [p.D118Y]) and one novel heterozygous nonsense variant (c.2158G>T [p.E720X]) in FIG4 were identified in two SALS patients. The p.E720X variant is interpreted as likely pathogenic while the p.D118Y variant is a variant of uncertain significance. The patient carrying the p.E720X mutation developed lower-limb-onset slowly progressive ALS, and survived for 11.5 years. The patient harboring the FIG4 p.D118Y variant also presented with progressive ALS, with the score on the ALS Functional Rating Scale–Revised (ALSFRS-R) decreasing by 0.4 per month. The rate of decrease in the ALSFRS-R scores from symptom onset to diagnosis seemed to be lower in the patients carrying FIG4 variants than the no-FIG4-mutation ALS patients in this study. Conclusions Our findings suggest that ALS patients carrying FIG4 mutations are not common in the Chinese population and are more likely to exhibit slow progression.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of five-element music therapy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) on the clinical symptoms and the quality of life in the patients with suboptimal health status (SHS) of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency and explore the corresponding specificity changes in the temperature of acupoints when zangfu functions are of dysfunction and recovered to be balanced, separately. METHODS: Sixty patients with SHS of liver stagnation and spleen deficiency were randomized into an observation group and a control group, 30 cases in each one. In the control group, the conventional health education was provided. In the observation group, on the base of the therapeutic regimen as the control group, the patients received the five-element music therapy to pacify the liver qi and strengthen the spleen functions, once every two days, 30 min each time, 3 treatments a week. The course of treatment consisted of 4 weeks. Before and after treatment, the TCM syndrome score and the MOS 36-item short form healthy survey (SF-36) score were compared between the two groups and the clinical therapeutic effect was evaluated. Using infrared thermal imaging, the temperature at the acupoints of the affected organs (liver, spleen), the related organs (gallbladder, stomach) and the other non-related zangfu organs (pericardium, lung) was detected before and after treatment in the two groups. RESULTS: After treatment, the TCM syndrome scores were reduced when compared with those before treatment in the two groups (P<0.01, P<0.05); the reduction in the observation group was larger than that of the control group (P<0.01). The score of each domain for the SF-36 in the observation group and the score of role-emotional domain in the control group were all increased when compared with the scores before treatment (P<0.01, P<0.05); and the score of each domain for the SF-36 in the observation group was higher than that in the control group (P<0.01). The total effective rate was 66.7% (20/30) in the observation group, which was higher than 10.0% in the control group (3/30, P<0.05). In the observation group, the temperature of the yuan-primary point, the back-shu point and the front-mu point related to the liver, as well as those related to the gallbladder after treatment was reduced when compared with the temperature before treatment; and the changes were larger than those of the control group (P<0.01). The temperature of the yuan-primary point, the back-shu point and the front-mu point related to the spleen, as well as the back-shu point and the front-mu point related to the stomach in the observation group was increased when compared with the temperature before treatment (P<0.01); and the changes were larger than those of the control group (P<0.01). For the temperature of the non-specific points related to the liver and spleen, as well as the yuan-primary point, the back-shu point and the front-mu point related to the pericardium and the lung, there was no significant differences when compared with the temperature at the above-mentioned acupoints before and after treatment (P>0.05). CONCLUSION TCM five-element music therapy associated with the conventional health education may effectively relieve the clinical symptoms and improve the quality of life in the patients with suboptimal health status of liver stagnation and sleep deficiency; and the therapeutic effect is better than the simple health education. The changes in the temperature of acupoints may reflect the functional regulation of the related zangfu organs in the body.
Humans ; Acupuncture Points ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Spleen ; Music Therapy ; Quality of Life ; Temperature ; Liver ; Health Status

Objective:To explore the optimum time of ambulation of atrial fibrillation patients after radiofrequency ablation, to provide basis for patients' early postoperative rehabilitation.Methods:By convenient sampling method, a total of 120 patients with atrial fibrillation after radiofrequency ablation were collected at Yanghu Branch and City Branch of Changzhou Second People's Hospital from January 2020 to May 2021. They were divided into the early group, middle group and late group according to the random number table method, each group were 40 cases. All patients received routine postoperative intervention, the time of ambulation were 4, 6 and 12 h after operation in the early group, middle group and late group, respectively. The complication rate within 24 h after operation was compared among the three groups, and the comfort level of the three groups at 24, 48 and 72 h after operation was evaluated with Comfort Status Scale (GCQ).Results:Finally, 111 patients were included, including 37 in the early group, 38 in the middle group and 36 in the late group. There was no significant difference in the incidence of bleeding or hematoma, urinary retention, lumbago within 24 h after operation among the three groups ( P>0.05). The incidence of postural hypotension within 24 h after operation in the early group was 2.7% (1/37), which was lower than 21.1% (7/38) and 25.0% (9/36) in the middle and late groups, with a statistically significant difference ( χ2=4.86, 7.67, both P<0.05). At 48 and 72 h after operation, the scores of physiological dimension, psychological dimension and the total score of GCQ in the early group were (20.68 ± 3.07), (22.54 ± 3.35), (81.68 ± 6.11) and (22.54 ± 3.73), (24.38 ± 2.49), (84.92 ± 6.37), higher than those in the middle group (19.16 ± 2.19), (21.32 ± 2.27), (78.24 ± 5.58), (20.93 ± 2.85), (22.32 ± 2.04), (81.66 ± 6.56), and those in the late group (18.44 ± 1.50) (21.31 ± 1.99), (78.06 ± 4.32), (20.89 ± 2.25), (21.58 ± 1.86), (80.28 ± 6.44), the differences were statistically significant ( t values were 2.19-4.15, all P<0.05). Conclusions:Ambulation at 4 h after operation does not increase peripheral vascular complications, but can reduce the incidence of postural hypotension and improve the comfort of patients with atrial fibrillation after radiofrequency ablation.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the major chronic non-communicable diseases in the 21st century. With high prevalence and mortality, COPD has become a global problem. Due to high prevalence of COPD in China, it is necessary to prevent and control COPD effectively. There is increasing evidence that COPD is a complex systemic disease with numerous risk factors. This paper summarizes the risk factors of COPD based on the latest research, and provides scientific references for the prevention and control of COPD.

The chigger mite Leptotrombidium sialkotense is one of the 6 main vectors of scrub typhus in China. Before present study, L. sialkotense was found in some parts of Hunan province, China with a narrow geographical distribution. During field investigation 2016-2017, we found L. sialkotense in Jingha, southern Yunnan, China. Of 15 small mammal host species, L. sialkotense were collected from 6 species of the hosts. Rattus brunneusculus was a dominant host of L. sialkotense, from which 98.3% of the mites were collected. The chigger mite showed a relatively high infestation prevalence (PM=11.7%) and mean abundance (MA=0.5) in comparison with the rest 5 host species. These results reveal a certain host specificity of L. sialkotense to a rat R. brunneusculus. The mite L. sialkotense showed an aggregated distribution on the host (P<0.05). A positive correlation observed between L. sialkotense and the body length of hosts. There was a positive interspecific association between L. sialkotense and 2 other dominant vectors, L. deliense and L. scutellare.

Adult ; China ; Cognitive Dysfunction ; genetics ; Electric Power Supplies ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Occupational Exposure ; adverse effects ; Power Plants ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate ; genetics ; metabolism ; Receptors, Serotonin ; genetics ; metabolism ; Young Adult

Objective To study the cytotoxicity of multiple gliomaassociated antigens sensitized dentritic cell activated cytotoxic T lymphocytes (GDC-CTL) on the human glioma cell line U87 in vitro and the anti-tumor effect of GDC-CTL on the BALB/c nude mouse model of malignant glioma in vivo.Methods Multiple glioma-associated antigens sensitized dentritic cell (GDC) and GDC-CTL were prepared and then analyzed with the phenotypes by flow cytometry.Cytotoxicity of GDC-CTL on U87 cells was determined by CCK8 assay and the level of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) secreted from GDC-CTL co-culturing with U87 cells for 48 h was detected by ELISA at different effect/target ratios (5∶ 1,10∶1,20∶1).The T lymphocytes without activation with GDC were evaluated as the control group.The BALB/c Nude mice tumor model established by the subcutaneous injection of U87 cells was adopted to assess the anti-tumor effect.The mice were randomly divided into four groups:the control group receiving subcutaneous injection with 0.9％ NaCl 0.2 mL,the model,intravenous treatment and local treatment groups receiving subcutaneous injection with 1 × 107 U87 cells in 0.2 mL Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM).When the diameter of tumor tissue reached 3 mm,the model group was subcutaneously injected with 0.9％ NaC1 0.2 mL surrounding the tumor,while the intravenous treatment group and local treatment group were injected with 0.2 × 107 GDC-CTL in 0.2 mL phosphate buffer saline (PBS) through the tail vein and subcutaneous injection into the surrounding area of the tumor respectively,3 times a week for 2 weeks.The tumor volume was calculated and the pathological changes in the tumor tissues were observed for comparison.Results Matured GDC expressing the high levels of CD83,CD1a and HLA-DR successfully activated GDC-CTL in which 93.00％ of CD3 + T lymphocytes and 69.00％ of CD3 + CD8 + T lymphocytes were detected.In vitro experiments proved that the killing rates of GDC-CTL and T lymphocytes on U87 cells were (24.35 ±1.12)％ vs (15.21 ±0.91)％,(38.57±2.10)％ vs (23.35 ±1.30)％,(59.44±3.79)％ vs (35.23 ± 2.33) ％,and the IFN-γlevels secreted from GDC-CTL and T lymphocytes co-culturing with U87 cells were (405.36±27.65) vs (371.11 ±23.23) pg · mL-1,(1509.22 ±97.16) vs (913.54 ±48.35) pg · mL-1,(2429.57 ±183.18) vs (1814.97 ± 123.24) pg · mL-1,at the different effect/target ratios of 5∶1,10∶1 and 20∶1 respectively.There were significant differences between this two groups at the effect/target ratios of 10∶1 and 20∶1 (P ＜0.05).The results obtained from the in vivo experiments showed that the tumor volumes in the intravenous treatment group and local treatment group shrank 34.83％ and 45.37％ respectively,when comparing with the model group (100.00％,P ＜ 0.05).The pathological changes of tumor tissues showed that the tumor cells in the local treatment group and intravenous treatment group were significandy decreased.Conclusion The experimental results that GDC-CTL can significantly inhibit the growth of ghoma provide more evidences to further study the effective targeting therapy on glioma.

HIV/AIDS patients in high prevalence areas with different routes of infection (sexually transmitted 878 cases, 527 cases of intravenous drug user, paid blood donor 652 cases) were choosen for traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome investigation for one-year clinical follow-up. This paper primarily concluded the nature, location and pathogenesis of AIDS diseases. Deficiency of Yang and Yin, combining deficiency of Qi are the basic deficiency syndromes, while stagnation of dampness, toxic fire are the excess syndromes; the disease location of HIV infector is spleen, main syndrome is deficiency of spleen Qi; the disease location of AIDS patient is kidney, main syndrome is deficiency of spleen and kidney Yang. The pathogenic development tendency is from deficiency of Qi to combining stagnation of dampness and toxic fire, finally to deficiency of Qi and Yin, deficiency of Yang.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; HIV Infections ; diagnosis ; etiology ; transmission ; Humans ; Male ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

Patients with late-stage cancer commonly have distant lymph node metastasis; however, poor health often contraindicates surgical treatment. Although the quality of life and overall survival for these patients are low, there is neither a consensus nor a guide for treatment. Ablation technique and surrounding tissue damage are two possible reasons for limited study of radiofrequency ablation in patients with superficial distant lymph node metastasis. Here, we report two patients treated successfully with ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation for superficial distant lymph node metastasis. In these patients, deionized water was injected to the surrounding tissues of the lymph node to decrease heat injury. Results from these patients suggest that radiofrequency ablation may play an important role in the treatment of patients with distant lymph node metastasis.
Catheter Ablation ; methods ; Esophageal Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Neoplasm Staging ; Ultrasonography, Interventional ; methods