Among the novel class of endogenous long non-coding RNAs, circular RNA (circRNA) is known as a key regulator in the development and progression of different cancers. Its function and mechanism in the tumorigenesis of colorectal cancer, however, has not been well studied. This study thus aimed to investigate potential regulation of colorectal cancer by circRNAs and the corresponding regulatory mechanism. We demonstrated that the expression of circRNA hsa_circ_0000523 (also known as circ_006229) was down-regulated in different colorectal cancer cell lines. It was also found that interference of hsa_circ_0000523 induced proliferation and suppressed apoptosis of colorectal cancer cells, the proliferation rate of which was reduced by the overexpression of hsa_circ_0000523. In addition, we found that miR-31 could recognize hsa_circ_0000523 sequence and that it acted as a “sponge” of miR-31, indirectly regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which was involved in the progression of colorectal cancer. The results suggested that the expression of hsa_circ_0000523 correlated to the tumorigenesis of colorectal cancer cells. In addition, as a sponge of miR-31, the low level of hsa_circ_0000523 led to activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, inducing the subsequent progress of colorectal cancer.

During endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA), a needle is commonly used with a stylet, although recently the stylet has been omitted. This prospective study aimed to compare the quality of specimens obtained by EBUS-TBNA performed with and without a stylet. Between November 2013 and November 2014, 131 patients with lung cancer underwent EBUS-TBNA, with a total of 148 mediastinal or hilar lymph nodes sampled both with and without an inner-stylet, yielding 296 cytological specimens. Specimens were scored cytologically using five parameters: background blood or clot, amount of cellular material, degree of cellular degeneration, degree of cellular trauma, and retention of appropriate architecture. The procedure with a stylet required significantly longer operation time than without a stylet (14.5±0.8 vs 12.7±1.1 min, P<0.001). Excellent specimens were obtained in 261/296 and 260/296 samples in the procedures with and without a stylet, respectively (P=0.9), while the remaining 35 and 36 samples, respectively, were adequate. The diagnosing and staging of lung cancer using EBUS-TBNA did not differ significantly between the groups. In conclusion, specimen collection by EBUS-TBNA without a stylet is easier and faster than the procedure using a stylet and absence of a stylet did not alter specimen quality or diagnostic accuracy.

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the role of hepatectomy in the treatment of hepatolithiasis. One hundred and forty-seven patients with hepatolithiasis were subjected to hepatectomy and preoperative evalua- tion for hepatolithiasis typing. In 108 cases, the hepatectomy was left hepatic lobectomy and in 30 cases, it was right hepatic lobectomy. There were 17 cases of multiple segmental resections. The stone clearance was 85% (125/147). Residual stones were removed through the T-tube sinus postoperatively, and the final stone clearance was 95.9% (141/147). There were 28 cases (19.1%) of postoperative complications, including temporary biliary fistula, resectional surface and subphrenic infection and haematobilia. Hepatic lobectomy was an effective method in the treatment of hepatolithiasis.

RESUMEN Este estudio tuvo por objeto evaluar el papel de la hepatectomía en el tratamiento de la hepatolitiasis. Ciento cuarenta y siete pacientes con hepatolitiasis fueron sometidos a hepatectomía y evaluación preoperatoria para determinar la hepatolitiasis. En 108 casos, la hepatectomía quedó como lobectomía hepática izquierda, y en 30 casos como lobectomía hepática derecha. Hubo 17 casos de resecciones segmentarias múltiples. La extracción de cálculos fue de un 85% (125/147). Los cálculos residuales fueron eliminados a través del seno de un tubo en T después de la operación, y la extracción final de cálculos fue de un 95.9% (141/147). Hubo 28 casos (19.1%) de complicaciones postoperatorias, incluyendo fístula biliar temporal, superficie del resección, infección subfrénica y hematobilia. La lobectomía hepática resultó un método eficaz en el tratamiento de la hepatolitiasis.

Visceral afferents send information via cranial nerves to the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS). The NTS is the initial step of information processing that culminates in homeostatic reflex responses. Recent evidence suggests that strong afferent synaptic responses in the NTS are most often modulated by depression and this forms a basic principle of central integration of these autonomic pathways. The visceral afferent synapse is uncommonly powerful at the NTS with large unitary response amplitudes and depression rather than facilitation at moderate to high frequencies of activation. Substantial signal depression occurs through multiple mechanisms at this very first brainstem synapse onto second order NTS neurons. This review highlights new approaches to the study of these basic processes featuring patch clamp recordings in NTS brain slices and optical techniques with fluorescent tracers. The vanilloid receptor agonist, capsaicin, distinguishes two classes of second order neurons (capsaicin sensitive or capsaicin resistant) that appear to reflect unmyelinated and myelinated afferent pathways. The differences in cellular properties of these two classes of NTS neurons indicate clear functional differentiation at both the pre- and postsynaptic portions of these first synapses. By virtue of their position at the earliest stage of these pathways, such mechanistic differences probably impart important differentiation in the performance over the entire reflex pathways.