RNA sequencing screening of differentially expressed genes after spinal cord injury

In the search for a therapeutic schedule for spinal cord injury, it is necessary to understand key genes and their corresponding regulatory networks involved in the spinal cord injury process. However, ad hoc selection and analysis of one or two genes cannot fully reveal the complex molecular biological mechanisms of spinal cord injury. The emergence of second-generation sequencing technology(RNA sequencing) has provided a better method. In this study, RNA sequencing technology was used to analyze differentially expressed genes at different time points after spinal cord injury in rat models established by contusion of the eighth thoracic segment. The numbers of genes that changed significantly were 944, 1362 and 1421 at 1, 4 and 7 days after spinal cord injury respectively. After gene ontology analysis and temporal expression analysis of the differentially expressed genes, C5ar1, Socs3 and CCL6 genes were then selected and identified by real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot assay. The mRNA expression trends of C5ar1, Socs3 and CCL6 genes were consistent with the RNA sequencing results. Further verification and analysis of C5ar1 indicate that the level of protein expression of C5ar1 was consistent with its nucleic acid level after spinal cord injury. C5ar1 was mainly expressed in neurons and astrocytes. Finally, the gene Itgb2,which may be related to C5ar1, was found by Chilibot database and literature search. Immunofluorescence histochemical results showed that the expression of Itgb2 was highly consistent with that of C5ar1. Itgb2 was expressed in astrocytes. RNA sequencing technology can screen differentially expressed genes at different time points after spinal cord injury. Through analysis and verification, genes strongly associated with spinal cord injury can be screened. This can provide experimental data for further determining the molecular mechanism of spinal cord injury, and also provide possible targets for the treatment of spinal cord injury. This study was approved ethically by the Laboratory Animal Ethics Committee of Jiangsu Province, China(approval No. 2018-0306-001) on March 6, 2018.     

Bone mineral density changes after parathyroidectomy are dependent on biochemical profile

Background

Bone mineral density (BMD) has been found to improve after parathyroidectomy (PTX) in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism. There are few data on the effect of PTX on BMD in normocalcemic and normohormonal primary hyperparathyroidism.

四妙勇安汤方源探析

四妙勇安汤由金银花、玄参、当归、甘草4味药物组成,为《古代经典名方目录(第一批)》中100个经典名方之一。经溯源发现,四妙勇安汤源于《石室秘录》,后由《古今图书集成·医部全录》《验方新编》等书引用。从古代文献记载来看均有方无名,"四妙勇安汤"之名,最早见于1956年《中医治疗动脉栓塞性坏疽症的成效》,是由当时记者吕民报道河北省释迦宝山用"四妙勇安汤"治疗当地的动脉栓塞性坏疽时冠名。四妙勇安汤从方药组成与剂量上看,从《石室秘录》开始即是"金银花三两,当归二两,生甘草一两,玄参三两",历代版本《方剂学》确定四妙勇安汤金银花、玄参、当归、甘草的比例就是3∶3∶2∶1。而查阅文献,释迦宝山临证所用的四妙勇安汤由"玄参132 g,当归99 g,银花66 g,甘草33 g"组成,金银花、玄参、当归、甘草的比例变成2∶4∶3∶1。从治疗时间上看,原方记载的7日愈或是10日愈,而释迦宝山将其用到了三四个月,甚至五六个月。研究认为,古籍中的四妙勇安汤,应该是用于疾病的初期,尽早发现和治疗;而释迦宝山修改过的剂量,是广泛用于脱骨疽的中后期,甚至出现坏疽的严重病情所使用的,因此服药时间长,剂量大。且四妙勇安汤临证不仅限于治疗脱骨疽,也用于大头疮等,现代该方的使用已经大为拓展。相关研究已证实四妙勇安汤具有抗炎、稳定斑块、降脂、保护血管、改善血液流变学、抗凝、抑制血栓形成和促纤溶等作用,后续应开展君臣佐使辨析,对其临床应用范围重新进行界定。     

磁共振弥散加权成像结合三维乳腺数字化断层摄影钙化分数在乳腺良恶性钙化病变鉴别中的诊断价值

  目的  评估磁共振弥散加权成像（DWI）结合三维乳腺数字化断层摄影（DBT）钙化分数对于钙化征象在乳腺良恶性病变诊断的应用价值。  方法  回顾性分析我院118例行乳腺DWI检查和DBT检查的患者，DBT检查发现有钙化征象，其中乳腺癌患者51例，病理类型包括:浸润性导管癌、浸润性导管癌、导管原位癌、髓样癌、浸润性小叶癌、黏液腺癌；乳腺良性病变67例，病理类型包括:纤维腺瘤、腺病、导管内乳头状瘤。对所有患者DBT图像的钙化征象进行钙化评分并且测量相应病变区域的表观扩散系数（ADC）值，分析ADC值、钙化分数及二者联合在乳腺含钙化病变的诊断效能。  结果  乳腺癌组ADC值低于乳腺良性病变组，差异有统计学意义（P < 0.05）；钙化分数高于良性病变组，差异有统计学意义（P < 0.05）。ADC值对诊断乳腺良恶性病变的曲线下面积（AUC）为0.853，钙化分数对诊断乳腺良恶性病变的AUC值为0.855，采用Delong检验得出两种方法对诊断乳腺含钙化病变的良恶性诊断效能一致，差异无统计学意义（P=0.625）。两种方法（钙化分数+ADC值）的Logistic回归分析显示，两种方法相结合的AUC值为0.903，具有很高的诊断效能。将ROC曲线（钙化分数、ADC值、两种方法结合的预测概率）经两两Delong检验结果显示，两种方法结合的ROC与单一ROC的差异有统计学意义（P=0.041、0.022）。  结论  DWI与DBT钙化分数对于钙化征象在乳腺良恶性病变的鉴别诊断效能无差别，两种方法相结合的诊断效能显著高于单一方法，为乳腺含钙化病灶的诊断与鉴别诊断中提供了更加可靠的依据。