Role of noncoding RNAs in liver fibrosis

Liver fibrosis is a wound-healing response following chronic liver injury caused by hepatitis virus infection,obesity,or excessive alcohol.It is a dynamic and reversible process characterized by the activation of hepatic stellate cells and excess accumulation of extracellular matrix.Advanced fibrosis could lead to cirrhosis and even liver cancer,which has become a significant health burden worldwide.Many studies have revealed that noncoding RNAs(ncRNAs),including microRNAs,long noncoding RNAs and circular RNAs,are involved in the pathogenesis and development of liver fibrosis by regulating signaling pathways including transforming growth factor-βpathway,phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B pathway,and Wnt/β-catenin pathway.NcRNAs in serum or exosomes have been reported to tentatively applied in the diagnosis and staging of liver fibrosis and combined with elastography to improve the accuracy of diagnosis.NcRNAs mimics,ncRNAs in mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes,and lipid nanoparticles-encapsulated ncRNAs have become promising therapeutic approaches for the treatment of liver fibrosis.In this review,we update the latest knowledge on ncRNAs in the pathogenesis and progression of liver fibrosis,and discuss the potentials and challenges to use these ncRNAs for diagnosis,staging and treatment of liver fibrosis.All these will help us to develop a comprehensive understanding of the role of ncRNAs in liver fibrosis.

两种超声平面引导颈内静脉穿刺置管在肥胖患者腹腔镜手术麻醉中的应用比较

目的比较斜轴平面法和短轴平面法超声引导右颈内静脉穿刺置管在肥胖患者腹腔镜手术麻醉中的安全性和有效性。方法选择拟行超声引导右颈内静脉穿刺置管的择期腹腔镜手术肥胖患者120例,美国麻醉师协会分级(ASA)Ⅱ或Ⅲ级,年龄18～75岁,体质指数(BMI)>30 kg/m2,按随机数字表法分为斜轴平面法组(O组)和短轴平面法组(S组),每组60例。在超声引导下分别应用斜轴平面法和短轴平面法施行颈内静脉穿刺置管术,记录两组刺入目标血管的时间、总穿刺置管时间、穿刺点数目、改变进针方向次数、首次穿刺成功率、总成功率和穿刺置管并发症(误穿动脉、血胸和气胸等)。结果两组总成功率均为100.0%,首次穿刺成功率比较差异无统计学意义(96.7%vs 93.3%,P>0.05)。与S组比较,O组刺入目标血管时间、总穿刺置管时间均明显缩短[(24.5±6.3)和(28.2±5.2)s,(234.8±24.0)和(265.2±21.0)s,P <0.05]。两组穿刺点数量比较差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。O组患者改变进针方向次数明显少于S组(P <0.05)。误穿动脉O组0例,S组3例。两组均未发生血胸、气胸。结论肥胖患者腹腔镜手术右颈内静脉穿刺置管采用超声引导安全可靠,首次穿刺成功率高。与短轴平面法比较,斜轴平面法可缩短穿刺置管时间,减少改变进针方向的次数,降低误穿颈总动脉的风险。

Experimental study on the inhibition effect of miR-106a inhibitor on tumor growth of ovarian cancer xenografts mice

Objective:To study the inhibition effect of miR-106 a inhibitor on tumor growth of ovarian cancer xenografts mice.Methods:BALB/c mice were selected as experimental animals,ovarian cancer SKOV-3 cells transfected with miR-106 a inhibitor and its negative control were inoculated subcutaneously,intratumoral injection of miR-106 a inhibitor and its negative control were continued after tumor formation,and they were enrolled as treatment group and model group,respectively.Tumor volume and weight as well as Ki-67 and programmed cell death 4(PDCD4) expression were determined;miR-106 a inhibitor and its negative control as well as miR-106 a mimic and its negative control were transfected into SKOV-3 cells,and expression of PDCD4 in cells was determined.Results:Tumor tissue volume and weight as well as mR NA expression and protein expression of Ki-67 in treatment group were significantly lower than those in the model group while m RNA expression and protein expression of PDCD4 were significantly higher than those in the model group;transfection of mi R-106 a mimic could decrease m RNA expression and protein expression of PDCD4 in SKOV-3 cells,and transfection of miR-106 a inhibitor could increase mR NA expression and protein expression of PDCD4 in SKOV-3 cells.Conclusions:Transfection of mi R-106 a inhibitor can inhibit the growth of tumor in ovarian cancer xenografts mice through increasing the expression of PDCD4.

Crystallographic and magnetic properties of van der Waals layered FePS_3 crystal

The crystallographic and magnetic properties are presented for van der Waals antiferromagnetic FePS_3. High-quality single crystals of millimeter size have been successfully synthesized through the chemical vapor transport method. The layered structure and cleavability of the compound are apparent, which are beneficial for a potential exploration of the interesting low dimensional magnetism, as well as for incorporation of FePS_3 into van der Waals heterostructures. For the sake of completeness, we have measured both direct current(dc) and alternating current(ac) magnetic susceptibility.The paramagnetic to antiferromagnetic transition occurs at approximately T_N 115 K. The effective moment is larger than the spin-only effective moment, suggesting that an orbital contribution to the total angular momentum of the Fe^(2+) could be present. The ac susceptibility is independent of frequency, which means that the spin freezing effect is excluded.Strong anisotropy of out-of-plane and in-plane susceptibility has been shown, demonstrating the Ising-type magnetic order in FePS_3 system.

Optical imaging of nociception in primary somatosensory cortex of nonhuman primates

While the activation of primary somatosensory(SI) cortex during pain perception is consistently reported in functional imaging studies on normal subjects and chronic pain patients,the specific roles of SI,particularly the subregions within SI,in the processing of sensory aspects of pain are still largely unknown.Using optical imaging of intrinsic signal(OIS) and single unit electrophysiology,we studied cortical activation patterns within SI cortex(among Brodmann areas 3a,3b and 1) and signal amplitude changes to various intensities of non-nociceptive,thermal nociceptive and mechanical nociceptive stimulation of individual distal finerpads in anesthetized squirrel monkeys.We have demonstrated that areas 3a and 1 are preferentially involved in the processing of nociceptive information while areas 3b and 1 are preferentially activated in the processing of non-nociceptive(touch) information.Nociceptive activations of individual fingerpad were organized topographically suggesting that nociceptive topographic map exits in areas 3a and 1.Signal amplitude was enhanced to increasing intensity of mechanical nociceptive stimuli in areas 3a,3b and 1.Within area 1,nociceptive response co-localizes with the non-nociceptive response.Therefore,we hypothesize that nocicepitve information is area-specifically represented within SI cortex,in which nociceptive inputs are preferentially represented in areas 3a and 1 while non-nociceptive inputs are preferentially represented in areas 3b and 1.

Correlation of miR-451 expression with proliferation and apoptosis gene expression in ovarian cancer

Objective: To study the correlation of miR-451 expression with proliferation and apoptosis gene expression in ovarian cancer. Methods: The patients with ovarian cancer who underwent surgical resection in our hospital between March 2015 and February 2018 were selected, ovarian cancer lesions and adjacent lesions were collected, miRNA was isolated to determine the expression of miR-451, and mRNA was isolated to determine the mRNA expression of cyclin, proliferation genes and apoptosis genes. Results: The expression of miR-451 as well as the mRNA expression of Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1B (p27Kip1), BCL2-associated X protein (Bax), factor associated suicide (Fas), Fas ligand (FasL), cysteine aspartyl proteinase 3 (Caspase-3) and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein homologous protein (CHOP) in ovarian cancer lesions was significantly lower than those in adjacent lesions while the mRNA expression of CyclinB1, CyclinD1, CyclinE, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (AKT), β-catenin, matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP 9) were significantly higher than those in adjacent lesions;miR-451 in ovarian cancer was negatively correlated with CyclinB1, CyclinD1, CyclinE, PI3K, AKT, β-catenin, MMP2 and MMP9 mRNA expression, and positively correlated with p27Kip1, Bax, Fas, FasL, Caspase-3 and CHOP mRNA expression. Conclusion: The low expression of miR-451 in ovarian cancer is closely correlated with the high expression of positive cell cycle regulatory proteins and proliferation genes as well as the low expression of negative cell cycle regulatory proteins and apoptosis genes, and it may be the key factor to promote the growth of ovarian cancer.

Effect of Thymosin Injection combined with entecavir therapy on the viral load, liver fibrosis and immune response of patients with compensated liver cirrhosis

Objective: To study the effect of Thymosin Injection combined with entecavir therapy on the viral load, liver fibrosis and immune response of patients with compensated liver cirrhosis. Methods: Patients who were diagnosed with chronic hepatitis b complicated by compensated liver cirrhosis in our hospital between March 2015 and January 2017 were selected and randomly divided into two groups, observation group received Thymosin Injection combined with entecavir therapy, and control group received entecavir therapy. The viral load, liver function injury indexes, liver fibrosis indexes, immune cytokines and immune cell apoptosis molecules were measured 24 weeks after treatment. Results: 24 weeks after treatment, HBV-DNA copy number in peripheral blood as well as ALT, AST, TBIL, HA, PC-III, LN, C-IV, IL-4, IL-10, TGF-β1, IL-17 and IL-22 levels in serum of observation group was significantly lower than those of control group, and peripheral blood FAS, CYCS, CASP8, CASP9 and CASP3 mRNA expression were significantly lower than those of control group. Conclusion:Thymosin Injection combined with entecavir therapy can reduce viral load, improve liver function, inhibit liver fibrosis and regulate immune function in patients with compensated liver cirrhosis.

Pulmonary aspergillosis, mucormycosis, and actinomycosis co-infection presenting as a cavitary lesion in a patient with diabetes

To the Editor: Mucormycosis and aspergillosis are opportunistic fungal infections that can lead to life-threatening complications.[1,2] Pulmonary actinomycosis is a rare infection which is commonly confused with other lung diseases.[3] Co-infection with these three pathogens in the same host is rare. Here, we report a unique case of a cavitary lesion with aspergillosis, mucormycosis, and actinomycosis co-infection.

The Role of MicroRNA in Hepatitis C Virus Replication

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a major global health problem.There is no effective vaccine and the current treatment regimen with pegylated interferon α and ribavirin is associated with significant adverse events.Therefore,there is an urgent need to identify new antiviral targets for HCV therapy.In recent years,a grow,ing number of microRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to be able to regulate HCV replication and infection by interacting with the HCV genome directly or by regulating host innate immunity to build a nonspecific antiviral state within cells.In this review,we discuss HCV virology and standard of care followed by miRNA in general,and then give a brief overview of miRNAs involved in HCV infection and discuss their potential application as a therapeutic option for the treatment of HCV infection.