Objective·To investigate the expression of miR-146a in peripheral blood CD4+T lymphocytes of patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA)and its correlation with inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and interleukin-6(IL-6).Methods·A total of 30 active RA patients who received medical treatment and 30 healthy controls who underwent physical examinations at the People's Hospital of Longhua,Shenzhen from August 2019 to July 2021 were selected.Peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs)and CD4+T lymphocytes were isolated from venous blood extracted from RA patients and healthy controls,respectively.Quantitative real-time PCR(qPCR)was used to detect the expression of miR-146a in peripheral blood CD4+T lymphocytes,and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to detect the levels of TNF-α and IL-6.After transfection of the peripheral blood CD4+T lymphocytes of RA patients with miR-146a mimic,the expression of miR-146a,TNF-α and IL-6 was detected again.The correlations between miR-146a expression and TNF-α and IL-6 expression in RA patients,both before and after transfection,were analyzed by using Pearson correlation coefficient.Results·Before transfection with miR-146a mimic,the expression levels of miR-146a,TNF-α and IL-6 in peripheral blood CD4+T lymphocytes of RA patients were significantly higher than those of healthy controls(all P＜0.001).After transfection,the expression of miR-146a in peripheral blood CD4+T lymphocytes of RA patients was significantly higher,and the expression of TNF-α and IL-6 was significantly lower(all P＜0.001).The results of Pearson correlation analysis showed that the expression of miR-146a in peripheral blood CD4+T lymphocytes of RA patients,both before and after transfection,was positively correlated with the expression of TNF-α and IL-6,respectively(r=0.959,P＜0.001;r=0.916,P＜0.001;r=0.971,P＜0.001;r=0.861,P＜0.001).Conclusion·miR-146a can regulate the levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in peripheral blood CD4+T lymphocytes of RA patients,indicating that miR-146a may play a role in the pathogenesis of RA.

Objective:To investigate the factors associated with the occurrence of coccoid forms in clinical isolates of Helicobacter pylori ( H. pylori) and its relationship with the pathological changes of gastric mucosa. Methods:A total of 66 H. pylori-infected patients admitted to People′s Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region from January 2020 to June 2021 were included.The clinical data of the patients were collected. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on gastric mucosal biopsy specimen to observe the occurrence of coccoid forms of H. pylori and pathological changes of gastric mucosa. Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. Results:After immunohistochemical staining of 66 gastric mucosa biopsy specimens from H. pylori-infected patients, the co-existence of helical and coccoid forms of H. pylori was found in 26(39.39%) specimens, and no simple coccoid H. pylori change was found. Among them, the patients with a history of eradication therapy had a coccoid forms rate of 52.63%(20/38), and those without a history of eradication therapy had a coccoid forms rate of 21.43%(6/28), and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=6.57, P=0.012). There were no significant differences in the coccoid forms rates between patients with different gender, ethnicity, age and gastric mucosal pathological changes (including atrophy, gastric intestinal metaplasia, inflammation, activity)(all P>0.050). Seventeen (73.9%) of the 23 patients whose endoscopy was more than one to three months from the last eradication therapy developed coccoid forms, while three of 15 patients whose endoscopy was more than three months from the last eradication therapy had coccoid forms, and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2=10.59, P=0.002). Conclusions:The transformation of H. pylori coccoid forms is related to the previous eradication therapy. The coccoid forms of H. pylori is equally pathogenic relative to the helical forms of H. pylori.

Objective To explore the relationship between serum retinol binding protein 4 and serum Lipasin levels and vascular complications in gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM).Methods From Jan.2016 to Jan.2018,80 pregnant women with gestational diabetes diagnosed as GDM in Wenzhou Central Hospital of Zhejiang Province were selected as the study group.They were divided into two groups according to whether they had vascular lesions.Group A included patients with gestational diabetes mellitus complicated with vascular complications and group B included patients without vascular complications.Forty healthy pregnant women were selected as the control group(group C).The levels of fasting plasma glucose (FPG),fasting serum insulin (FINS),homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR),serum retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4) and serum Lipasin were compared among three groups of pregnant women.The vascular complications of GDM were analyzed.Results The levels of FPG,FINS and HOMA-IR in gestational diabetes mellitus pregnant women were higher than those in healthy pregnant women (P＜0.05),and those in group A were higher than those in group B (P＜0.05).The levels of RBP4 and Lipasin in serum of pregnant women with GDM were higher than those of healthy pregnant women (P＜0.05),and those of group A were higher than those of group B (P＜0.05).Spearman univariate correlation analysis showed that serum RBP4 levels were positively correlated with FPG and FINS(P＜0.05),and serum Lipasin levels were positively correlated with FPG and FINS (P＜0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that the levels of FPG,FINS,RBP4 and Lipasin increased,which were independent risk factors for diabetic retinopathy (P＜0.05).Conclusion In GDM with vascular complications,the serum RBP4 and Lipasin levels are higher,which are independent risk factors for vascular complications in GDM,and may participate in the occurrence and development of vascular complications in gestational diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of microRNA-146a (miR-146a) with clinical features of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: In 126 patients with RA and 102 matched healthy controls, SNPs of miR-146a rs2910164 locus were determined with a high-resolution melting method. The association of such polymorphisms with disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28) and clinical features of RA was assessed. RESULTS: The distribution of SNPs of miR-146a rs2910164 among RA patients did not differ from that of the control group. No significant association was found between miR-146a rs2910164 polymorphism with DAS28. However, RA patients with a GG genotype had a greater chance to develop extra-articular manifestations (P<0.01). CONCLUSION Polymorphisms of miR-146a rs2910164 locus is not an independent risk factor for RA, though its GG genotype may be associated with extra-articular manifestations of RA.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; genetics ; Case-Control Studies ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Humans ; MicroRNAs ; genetics ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

Objective To investigate the characteristic of movement disorders,so as to improve their diagnosis and treatment. Methods The clini?cal data of patients with movement disorders that admitted in the dystonia and Botox outpatient department were analyzed. Results Cases of involun?tary movement were significantly more than the primary dystonia,and case of primary hemifacial spasm was dominant(163 cases,61.05%). Among the 66 cases of primary dystonia,blepharospasm was ranked the first(19 cases),the second was spasmodic torticollis(18 cases),and the third was Meige syndrome(12 cases).There was no statistical significance in the gender distribution among primary hemifacial spasm,blepharospasm,spas?modic torticollis and Meige syndrome. Instead,there was statistical significance in the treatment methods(P<0.05),and there was statistical signifi?cance in the mean treatment and onset age(P<0.05). Of the 163 cases with primary hemifacial spasm,the mean onset age was 44.22±12.22 years, and the ratio of men to women was 1∶2.4. There were statistical significances in the mean onset age and duration among the patients with different severity degrees(all P<0.05). Conclusion Primary hemifacial spasm,blepharospasm,spasmodic torticollis and Meige syndrome are the com?mon disease in outpatient department. The primary hemifacial spasm is dominant,women are more than men,and the onset age and/or duration are proportional to the severity degree.

AIM: To explore whether strontium ranelate ( Sr ) promotes osteogenic differentiation of rat bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) through the Hedgehog/Gli1 signaling pathway.METHODS:BMSCs were isolated from 4-week-old rats by adherent culture and induced to differentiate into osteoblasts .According to the experimental purposes , the cells were exposed to different concentrations of Sr , cyclopamine ( Cy, an inhibitor of Hedgehog receptor ) or Gli1-siR-NA.The expression of Gli1 and Runx2 in the cells was detected by Western blotting .The activity of alkaline phosphatase ( ALP) was measured by the method of colorimetry , and the mineralized nodules were observed under microscope with aliz-arin red staining .RESULTS:Exposure to Sr at concentrations of 0.1 to 5 mmol/L for 7 d markedly increased the expres-sion of Gli1 in the BMSCs , and the increase in Gli1 expression was the most obvious following Sr exposure at concentration of 3 mmol/L.Cy at concentration of 10 μmol/L inhibited Sr-induced up-regulation of Gli1 expression.Transfection of the BMSCs with Gli1-siRNA not only obviously inhibited Sr-induced up-regulation of Gli1 and Runx2 ( a downstream protein of Gli1) expression, but also antagonized Sr-induced enhancement of ALP activity and the formation of mineralized nodules . CONCLUSION:The Hedgehog/Gli1 pathway is involved in Sr-induced osteogenic differentiation of rat BMSCs .

Objective To evaluate the effects of Ulinastatin (UTI) on the expressions of TNF-α,IL-6 and neurons apoptosis in cerebral cortex of rats after cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).Methods Thirty-six healthy male adult Wistar rats were induced ventricular fibrillation untreated for 7 min and then received CPR.The animals were infused UTI 100 000 U/kg or phosphate-buffered solution (PBS) at once after ROSC.At 2,4 and 8 h after ROSC,cerebral cortex were removed to determine the mRNA expressions and levels of TNF-α protein and IL-6 protein,the translocation ratio of NF-κB p65 from cytoplasm to nucleus and the apoptotic neurons.Results The plasma levels of TNF-α (ng/mL) in animals of UTI group were (17.7 ± 1.4),(21.9 ± 2.1) and (17.1 ± 0.6) at 2,4 and 8 h after ROSC respectively,and significantly lower than those in PBS group at the given intervals.Mean while,the levels of IL-6 (ng/mL) were (208.9 ± 14.1),(281.5 ±25.9) and (251.8 ± 15.3) at 2,4 and 8 h after ROSC respectivèly in animals of UTI group,and lower than those in PBS group.The expressions of TNF-α mRNA and IL-6 mRNA and protein levels of TNF-α and IL-6 in UTI group were both lower than those in PBS group at given intervals,respectively.The translocation ratio of NF-κB p65 from plasma to nucleus in PBS group at each given interval after ROSC was significantly higher than that in UTI group.The number of viable neurons in cerebral cortex in UTI group was higher than that in PBS group,while the number apoptosis neurons was fewer in UTI group.Conclusions UTI attenuated the general inflammatory response after ROSC in rat,decreased the activation of NF-κB pathway,and subsequently attenuated the expression of TNF-α and IL-6,and finally decreased the neurons apoptosis.

Objective To investigate the clinical and imaging characteristics of bilateral medial medullary infarction. Methods The clinical data of 3 patients with bilateral medial medullary infarction admitted to Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University were analyzed retrospectively. The related literature was reviewed. Results Three patients in this group were all males. Their main clinical manifestations were quadriplegia, dysarthria, and paresthesia, and 1 of them complicated with respiratory failure. One patient was suspected of having Guillain-Barre syndrome. The hyperintensities of heart-shape,Y- shape,and V- shape were its imaging features of typical MRI diffusion weighted imaging. Conclusion Bilateral medial medullary infarction is a rare posterior circulation ischemic lesion in clinical practice. Its early symptoms are not typical and easy to be misdiagnosed and missed. MRI diffusion weighted imaging is its main imaging examination method.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and survival analysis of T-cell lymphoma with hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS).Methods The clinical features,laboratory tests and survival of 30 patients of T-cell lymphoma with HPS were analyzed comparing with 50 random patients of T-cell lymphoma without HPS (control group),and the data were obtained from department of hematology,Ruijin Hospital,Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine from January 2006 to December 2011.Results 30 cases of T-cell lymphoma with HPS manifested for high fever [100.00 ％ (30/30)],splenomegaly [96.67 ％ (29/30)],more than two-line reduction in blood cells [93.33 ％ (28/30)],bone marrow with bloodthirsty phenomenon [86.67 ％ (26/30)],LDH increased [100.00 ％ (30/30)],hypertriglyceridemia [46.67 ％ (14/30)],low fibrin hyperlipidemia [60.00 ％ (18/30)],ferritin increased [93.33 ％ (28/30)],liver damaged [86.67 ％ (26/30)] from patient group,which were higher than those of control group,the differences were statistically significant (x2 =23.11,22.50,36.05,64.20,21.82,5.31,16.54,26.82,46.43,all P ＜ 0.05).But the incidence of superficial lymph nodes enlargement was not high,only 33.33 ％,which made the diagnosis of primary disease difficult.Combined chemotherapy of CHOP or etoposide plus dexamethasone could make the symptoms and laboratory indicators improved,but the median survival time was only 20 days.Compared with the control group,there were significant differences on the survival curves (x2 =35.05,P ＜ 0.0001).Conclusion In T-cell lymphoma with HPS,the clinical manifestations are complex,usually with multi-organ dysfunction,aggressive course,and poor prognosis.The pathogenesis and treatment of HPS should be further studied.

Colon cancer stem cells(Co-CSCs)are a small fraction of subgroup cells,which show the capabilities of self-renewal,proliferation and differentiation in colon cancer.Co-CSCs are tumorgenic,and they play an important role in the genesis development and metastasis of tumor.These studies of Co-CSCs may help developing effective targets and novel strategies for clinical tumor therapy.