Radiotherapy is an essential part of comprehensive treatment, as well as a radical treatment for head and neck cancer (HNC). The COVID-19 has continued so far, imposing a great impact on cancer care. Since conventional fractionated radiotherapy (CFRT, 2 Gy/F) requires as long as more than six weeks of treatment time, a huge challenge for epidemic control is created for both hospitals and patients. Hypofractionated radiotherapy (Hypo-RT) may be more suitable than CFRT for patients during pandemic by increasing the fraction size, thus reducing fraction number and treatment duration. Early studies have explored the application of Hypo-RT in HNC in palliative setting, which partially proved its safety and effectiveness. Recently, the efforts have been made in definitive treatment using hypofractionated regimen, as well as its combination with systemic treatment and immunotherapy. Indeed, regarding the pandemic of COVID-19, Hypo-RT has been recommended by several expert consensus in the HNC. In this review, relevant research progress was summarized and clinical implication of Hypo-RT in COVID-19 pandemic era was discussed.

Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI) is the main cause of liver damage and even multiple organ failure after complex liver surgery.When liver ischemia reperfusion occurs,the non-coding RNAs in the liver tissue is dysregulated and part of the non-coding RNAs with abnormal expression is involved in HIRI regulation.Non-coding RNAs to may be the intervention target for reducing HIRI.This article summarized the types and related functions of non-coding RNAs,the role of different non-coding RNAs in HIRI,and the interconnections between various non-coding RNAs in HIRI.

Cholangiocarcinoma is a malignant tumor originating from the epithelial cells of the bile duct, and its incidence and mortality rates keep increasing year by year. Unknown pathogenesis of this disease has led to the difficulties in early diagnosis and treatment. With the development of genetic engineering and bioinformatics, more and more studies have found that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is closely associated with the pathophysiological process of cholangiocarcinoma. This article summarizes the research advances in the role of lncRNA in mediating the biological behaviors of cell proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, and drug resistance in cholangiocarcinoma, as well as the association of lncRNA with clinical features and prognosis.

Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury is one of the most important factors affecting the prognosis of clinical hepatic surgery. Studies have shown that microRNAs can participate in the process of hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury through multiple pathways. This article reviews the biosynthesis and function of microRNAs and the mechanisms of action of microRNAs in the regulation of hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury through energy metabolism, apoptosis, autophagy, oxidative stress, and cellular inflammation. It is pointed out that the treatment targeting microRNAs has a promising future in the treatment of hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury, and further studies are needed in the future.

BACKGROUND:Percutaneous pedicle screw fixation has been applied in the treatment of thoracolumbar fracture,and has achieved satisfactory clinical efficacy.Injectable calcium sulfate holds good biocompatibility,degradability and fast curing.OBJECTIVE:To explore the clinical efficacy of percutaneous pedicle screw fixation combined with calcium sulfate cement for single-level thoracolumbar fracture.METHODS:Clinical data of 40 patients with single-level thoracolumbar fracture without nerve injury were analyzed retrospectively.All fractured vertebrae were compressed more than 30％ and at least one pedicle was complete.All patients were treated with percutaneous pedicle screw fixation combined with calcium sulfate cement.The Visual Analog Scale and Oswestry Disability Index scores were recorded at baseline,3 months postoperatively and last follow-up;the height of the fractured vertebra body and sagittal Cobb angle were measured on X-ray;the patient's satisfaction and healing rate were recorded.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) The Oswestry Disability Index at 3 months postoperatively and last follow-up was 16.3％ and 4.4％,respectively.Compared with baseline,the Cobb angle and Visual Analog Scale scores were significantly reduced,and height of the fractured vertebra body was significantly increased after surgery (P ＜ 0.01).(3) The healing rate at last follow-up was 95％,nonunion was not found,and the patients' satisfaction reached 95％.(4) The loss of vertebral height and Cobb angle was found at last follow-up compared with 3 months postoperatively,but had no significant difference (P ＞ 0.05).(5) These results indicate that percutaneous pedicle screw fixation combined with calcium sulfate cement is safe and reliable for single-level thoraclumbar fracture,which not only restores the vertebral height and relieves pain,but also has satisfactory long-term curative efficacy and high healing rate.

BACKGROUND: Thoracolumbar fracture is most common seen in spinal fractures. The paraspinal muscle is subjected to extensive detachment and traction in traditional posterior approach, so the muscular ischemia and denervation lead to muscle atrophy further inducing intractable low back pain. Thereafter, minimally invasive spinal surgery becomes more and more popular.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical efficacy of pedicle screw fixation through Wiltse approach combined with injectable calcium sulfate bone cement for single-level thoracolumbar fracture.METHODS: Clinical data of 52 patients with single-level thoracolumbar fracture without nerve injury were analyzed retrospectively, and were then assigned to observation (n=28) and control groups (n=24) according to the treatment method. The patients in the observation group were treated with pedicle screw fixation through Wiltse approach plus implanted with injectable calcium sulfate bone cement, and those in the control group were subjected to pedicle screw fixation through posterior approach plus implanted with injectable calcium sulfate bone cement. The operation time, blood loss and hospitalization time were compared between two groups. The low back pain was observed at baseline, 1 week and 3 months postoperatively, and the percentage of anterior vertebral height revealed on X-ray was observed at baseline, before ambulation, and during last follow-up. Moreover, the complications, loosening and rupture of the screws were recorded.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) All patients were followed up, and the follow-up time was 16-24 months. (2) The operation time, blood loss and hospitalization time in the observation group were significantly less than those in the control group (P < 0.05). (3) The postoperative visual analogue scale scores in the two groups were significantly lower than those before surgery, and the scores showed significant differences between two groups (P < 0.05). (4) The percentage of anterior vertebral height before ambulation and during last follow-up in the two groups was significantly improved, and the percentage showed significant difference between two groups at each time point (P < 0.05). (5) These findings suggest that based on strict indications, the pedicle screw fixation through Wiltse approach combined with injectable calcium sulfate bone cement is safe for single-level thoracolumbar fracture, which restores the anterior vertebral height rapidly, alleviates pain and exhibits satisfactory long-term efficacy. Furthermore, it holds shorter operation time and less blood loss than the traditional approach.

Objective To discuss the feasibility and reproducibility of left ventricular volume and function of patients with left atrial remodeling and left ventricular remodeling by 3-dimensional echocardiography HeartModel (3D-HM).Methods Three-dimensional images of 156 subjects were collected under HMACQ imaging mode.They were assigned into three groups:① control group (group A,n =70);② group of left ventricular remodeling after,acute myocardial infarction (group B,n =17);③group of hypertension left atrial remodeling (group C,n =69).3D-HM method was used for quantifying left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV),left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVESV),left atrial end-systolic volume (LAESV) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF),and the results were compared with conventional 3D-manual results.The reproducibility of the 3D-HM method within one group and among different groups was evaluated.Results There was a significant difference in all the parameters measured with the 3D-HM method in different groups(P ＜0.05).LVEDV,LVESV,and LAESV in group B were higher than those in group A and group C(P ＜0.05),and LVEF was lower than that in group A and group C(P ＜0.05),LAESV of group C was higher than that of group A(P ＜0.05).The difference in the measurements of LVEDV and LVESV between the two methods was greatest in group B compared with group C and group A(P ＜0.05).In group C,the measured value difference of LAESV between two methods was greater than that of group A (P =0.03).There was closer correlation among LVEDV,LVESV,LAESV and LVEF measured values of 3D-HM method as well as measured values of the 3D-manual method (r =0.94,0.97,0.91 and 0.90).The data post-processing time of 3D-HM was significantly shorter than that of 3D-manual (P ＜0.05).The inter-observer and intra-observer difference of measured values of 3D-HM method had no statistical significance (P ＞0.05).Conclusions 3D-HM is a fast and feasible technique with high reproducibility for quantifying the left ventricular volume and function in patients with left atrial remodeling and left ventricular remodeling.

OBJECTIVE:To explore the genome-wide methylation differences between coronary heart disease (CHD) patients and healthy volunteers,and to investigate the relationsip of DNA methylation with CHD from epigenetics. METHODS:In case-control study,subjects were divided into CHD group(50 cases)and health control group(50 cases). DNA of 2 groups were sequenced with methylated DNA immunoprecipitation sequencing technology. The genome-wide methylation differences were analyzed and compared between 2 groups. RESULTS:The number of methylation peak in CHD group was higher than health group,with statistical signfi-cance(P<0.05). The methylation peak mainly distributed in 5'UTR,Intron functional elements. The number of reads in AQP1,SHB and other gene promoters in CHD group were lower than health group,and its methylation level decreased. The number of reads in GRK5 and serveal gene promoters on chrX in CHD group were higher than helath group,and its methylation level increased,with sta-tistical significance(P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS:The genome-wide methylation level of CHD patients are higher than those of healthy volunteers. The occurence of CHD is possibly associated with the change of methylation level of related gene promoters.

Objective To explore the MR imaging characteristics of brain tumors in infants to improve the diagnosis and early treatment.Methods Twelve infants with brain tumors (less than 1 year old),performed surgery in our hospital from April 2008 to August 2014 and proved by pathology,were collected in our study; the clinical data and MR imaging features were reviewed retrospectively.Results Among the 12 infants,4 (33％) had tumors located at the lateral ventricle,3 (25％) at the cerebral hemisphere,one (8.3％) at the pineal region,one (8.3％) at the suprasellar region,one (8.3％) at the cerebral convexity,one (8.3％) at the cerebellar hemisphere and one (8.3％) at the fourth ventricle.These tumors included immature teratoma (n=3),choroid plexus tumor (n=3),atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (n=2),medulloblastoma (n=1),anaplastic ependymoma (n=1),pilomyxoidastrocytomas (n=1) and infantile fibrosarcoma (n=1).Diversity of MR imaging features was found in different types of brain tumors; tumors as immature teratoma,atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor and infantile fibrosarcoma showed mainly mixed signal intensity on T1-weighted images and T2-weighted images,and these tumors displayed heterogeneously enhancement at MR imaging; choroid plexus tumors and medulloblastoma showed isointenseon T1-weighted images and T2-weighted images mostly,and both had obvious enhancement; anaplastic ependymoma showed isointensity signal on T1-weighted images,slightly hyperintenseon T2-weighted images and heterogeneously enhancement; pilomyxoidastrocytomas were hypointenseon Tl-weighted images,hyperintenseon T2-weighted images and homogeneous enhancement.Conclusions Immature teratomas,choroid plexus tumors and embryonal tumors are common in infants.Supratentorial tumors are mostly found.Typical features are showed in some brian tumors,but part of atypical tumors remain challenging in diagnosis.To improve diagnostic accuracy,imaging data should be accumulated in the future.

Objective: To explore the effect of salinomycin on the metastasis and invasion of bladder cancer cell line T24 by regulating the related protein expression in the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and to provide experimental basis for the treatment of urological tumors. Methods: The bladder cancer cell line T24 was cultured in vitro. The rat bladder tumor model was established in vivo. The rats were randomized into two groups, among which the rats in the experiment group were given intraperitoneal injection of salinomycin, while the rats in the control group were given intraperitoneal injection of normal saline. The change of tumor cells in the two groups was observed. Transwell was used to detect the cell migration and invasion abilities, Real-time PCR was used to detect the expression of mRNA, while Western-blot was utilized for the determination of the expressions of E-cadherin and vimentin proteins. Results: The metastasis and invasion abilities of serum bladder cancer cell line T24 after salinomycin treatment in the experiment group were significantly reduced when compared with those in the control group, and the tumor metastasis lesions were decreased from an average of 1.59 to 0.6 (P < 0.05). T24 cell proliferation in the experiment group was gradually decreasing. T24 cell proliferation at 48 h was significantly lower than that at 12 h and 24 h (P < 0.05). T24 cell proliferation at 24 h was significantly lower than that at 12 h (P < 0.05). T24 cell proliferation at each timing point in the experiment group was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). The serum mRNA level and E-cadherin expression in the tumor tissues in the experiment group were significantly higher than those in the control group, while vimentin expression level was significantly lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Salinomycin can suppress the metastasis and invasion of bladder cancer cells, of which the mechanism is probably associated with the inhibition of EMT of tumor cells.