Abstract Objectives: Although the cause of Meniere’s disease (MD) is not fully understood, endolymphatic hydrops is widely believed to be responsible for MD. Previous studies have used Air-Conducted Sound (ACS)-induced Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMPs) to evaluate otolithic function in patients with MD. However, the use of Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation-VEMPs (GVS-VEMPs) with other vestibular tests in MD has been rare. This study aimed to explore the application of galvanic VEMPs in assessing MD. Methods: Normal individuals and patients with unilateral definite MD were included in this retrospective study. All participants underwent pure tone audiometry. Ocular and cervical VEMPs induced by GVS, and ACS were recorded. The characteristic parameters of VEMPs (n1 latency, p1 latency, amplitude, and AR) were analyzed. Results: The provocation rates of GVS-VEMPs did not differ between MD patients and control individuals. Compared with ACS, GVS could evoke potentials with longer latencies. MD patients presented GVS-VEMPs with lower amplitudes and ACS-cVEMP with shorter latencies and had a higher response rate in GVS-oVEMP. However, no differences or correlations were found in the characteristic parameters of GVS-VEMPs among the different stages of MD. Conclusions: GVS is as effective as ACS for inducing VEMP, and GVS-VEMP recording can detect retrolabyrinthine degeneration in MD. Further research is needed to assess the utility of GVS-VEMP in the evaluation of MD severity. Level of evidence: Level 4.

Abstract Objective: Subjective Visual Vertical (SVV) and Subjective Visual Horizontal (SVH) values may reflect bilateral utricle asymmetry. Bilateral utricle static tension balance can be used to evaluate bilateral otolith lesions and otolith-related central neuropathy. Few studies have examined Virtual Reality (VR)-assisted SVV and SVH values at various head-tilt angles across age groups. The present study aimed to determine the effects of age on VR-assisted SVV and SVH values at different head-tilt angles. Methods: We divided 180 healthy subjects into 6 age groups (n = 30 in each group). VR-assisted SVV and SVH measurements were performed at 9 head-tilt angles (head held vertically, 0°; head tilted 30°, 45°, 60°, and 90° to the left/right) in the roll plane. Results: SVV and SVH values significantly differed with head-tilt angle (p < 0.05). No significant difference was detected in the SVH and SVV values between different age groups (p = 0.632 and p = 0.810, respectively), and no interaction between the age group and the head-tilt angle was found for the SVH and SVV values (p = 0.670 and p = 0.084, respectively). Conclusion: These results suggest that age may have little effect on VR-assisted SVV and SVH at different head-tilt angles. Therefore, VR-assisted SVV and SVH can be evaluated as an effective, fast, and simple way to evaluate utricle function. Level of Evidence: Level 4.

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of Dengzhan Shengmai capsule combined with donepezil hydrochloride on cognitive function, daily living ability, and safety in patients with Alzheimer's disease. METHODS: A total of 294 patients with Alzheimer’s disease were randomly divided into a treatment group and a control group, 147 cases each group. The control group was given oral donepezil hydrochloride 5 mg once a day, and the treatment group was given oral Dengzhan Shengmai capsule 0.36 g three times a day, based on the control group. RESULTS: At 3 and 6 months of treatment, the ADAS-cog score of the treatment group was 48.69±6.23 and 44.24±5.53; for the control group, 45.48±5.94 and 41.57±5.10. The difference between the two groups is statistically significant (p<0.05). At 3 and 6 months of treatment, the NO level in the treatment group was (46.28±6.68) umol/l, (43.55±7.92) umol/l, and the control group was (42.95±7.92) umol/l, (38.89±5.93) umol/l. The differences between both groups were statistically significant (p<0.05). At 3 and 6 months of treatment, ET levels in the treatment group were (156.08±17.39) ng/l, (144.91±17.60) ng/l, and the control group was (150.48±22.94) ng/l, (135.04±10.08) ng/l. Correlation analysis showed that ADAS-cog score was negatively correlated with NO and ET (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Dengzhan Shengmai capsule combined with donepezil hydrochloride can improve cognitive function and the living capacity of patients with Alzheimer’s disease, reduce the production of neurotoxic substances NO and ET, and provide higher safety.

Patients with osteosarcoma (OS) usually have poor overall survival because of frequent metastasis. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been reported to be associated with tumorigenesis and metastasis. In this study, we investigated the expression and roles of lncRNA human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA) complex P5 (HCP5) in OS, aiming to provide a novel molecular mechanism for OS. HCP5 was up-regulated both in OS tissues and cell lines and high expression of HCP5 was associated to low survival in OS patients. Down-regulation of HCP5 inhibited cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, suggesting its carcinogenic role in OS. miR-101 was targeted by HCP5 and its expression was decreased in OS. The inhibitor of miR-101 reversed the impact of HCP5 down-regulation on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and metastasis in OS. Ephrin receptor 7 (EPHA7) was proved to be a target of miR-101 and had ability to recover the effects of miR-101 inhibitor in OS. In conclusion, lncRNA HCP5 knockdown suppressed cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and induced apoptosis through depleting the expression of EPHA7 by binding to miR-101, providing a potential therapeutic strategy of HCP5 in OS.

RESUMO Racional: As características clínicas são fundamentais para melhorar a identificação e o tratamento da doença de Crohn (DC), de modo que a análise da amostra seja de grande valor. Objetivo: Explorar as características clínicas da DC fistulizante perianal. Métodos: Análise de 139 casos focados em seus dados clínicos. Resultados: A proporção de homens e mulheres foi de 3,3: 1; a média de idade de 28,2 anos; 47,5% dos pacientes tiveram fístula anal antes do diagnóstico de DC. Pacientes com cirurgia perianal prévia e medicação representaram 64,7% e 74,1%, respectivamente. O tipo de lesão L3 estava presente em 49,6% e os tipos B1 e B2, em 51,8% e 48,2%, respectivamente; fístula anal complexa foi diagnosticada em 90,6%. Sintomas de diarréia foram encontrados em 46% e lesões perianais isoladas em 29,5% dos pacientes. Valores anormais de IMC estavam presentes em 44,6%; índice de atividade DC ativa em 64,7%; e 94,2% tinham índice de atividade de doença perianal ativo. Proporção significativa de pacientes tinha proteína-C reativa, taxa de sedimenta do eritrócito, plaquetas hemoglobina e albumina anormais. Conclusão: Sugere-se que pacientes com fístula anal associada às essas características clínicas alertem a equipe médica para a possibilidade de DC, que deve ser investigada por endoscopia e exame de imagem do trato digestivo para evitar dano na função anal pela operação que rotineiramente é realizada no tratamento da fístula anal.

ABSTRACT Background: Clinical characteristics are keys to improve identification and treatment of Crohn´s disease (CD) so that large sample analysis is of great value. Aim: To explore the clinical characteristics of perianal fistulising CD. Methods: Analysis of 139 cases focused on their clinical data. Results: The proportion of males and females is 3.3:1; the mean age is 28.2 years; 47.5% of patients had anal fistula before CD diagnosis. Patients with prior perianal surgery and medication accounted for 64.7% and 74.1% respectively. The L3 type of lesion was present in 49.6% and the B1 and B2 types for 51.8% and 48.2% respectively; complex anal fistula was diagnosed in 90.6%. Symptoms of diarrhea were found in 46% and perianal lesions alone in 29.5% of patients. Abnormal BMI values was present in 44.6%; active CD activity index in 64.7%; and 94.2% had active perianal disease activity index. A proportion of patients manifest abnormal C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, platelet, hemoglobin and albumin. Conclusion: We suggest that patients with anal fistula associated to these clinical features should alert the medical team to the possibility of CD, which should be further investigated through endoscopy and imaging examination of alimentary tract to avoid the damage of anal function by routine anal fistula surgery.

ABSTRACT Background: Alternative splicing (AS), which plays an important role in gene expression and functional regulation, has been analyzed on genome-scale by various bioinformatic approaches based on RNA-seq data. Compared with the huge number of studies on mouse, the AS researches approaching the rat, whose genome is intermedia between mouse and human, were still limited. To enrich the knowledge on AS events in rodents' brain, we perfomed a comprehensive analysis on four transcriptome libraries (mouse cerebrum, mouse cerebellum, rat cerebrum, and rat cerebellum), recruiting high-throughput sequencing technology. An optimized exon-exon junction library approach was introduced to adapt the longer RNA-seq reads and to improve mapping efficiency. Results: In total, 7,106 mouse genes and 2,734 rat genes were differentially expressed between cerebrum and cerebellum, while 7,125 mouse genes and 1,795 rat genes exhibited varieties on transcript variant level. Only half of the differentially expressed exon-exon junctions could be reflected at gene expression level. Functional cluster analysis showed that 32 pathways in mouse and 9 pathways in rat were significantly enriched, and 6 of them were in both. Interestingly, some differentially expressed transcript variants did not show difference on gene expression level, such as PLCβ1 and Kcnma1. Conclusion: Our work provided a case study of a novel exon-exon junction strategy to analyze the expression of genes and isoforms, helping us understand which transcript contributes to the overall expression and further functional change.

A investigação química das plantas Phyllanthus cochinchinensis (Euphorbiaceae) levou ao isolamento de três novos glicosídeos fenólicos, filantuosídeos A-C, juntamente com 12 compostos conhecidos. Suas estruturas foram determinadas com base em extensivas análises espectroscópicas e métodos químicos. Dentre eles, filantuosídeos A e B são dois glicosídeos fenólicos raros, com um esqueleto C6-C3-C6. A configuração absoluta dos filantuosídeos A e B foi estabelecida por dicroísmo circular elétrico calculado (ECD) usando teoria do funcional da densidade e a sua abordagem dependente do tempo (TDDFT). Os compostos isolados também tiveram sua citotoxicidade e atividade antimicrobial testadas.

Chemical investigation of the whole plants of Phyllanthus cochinchinensis (Euphorbiaceae) led to the isolation of three new phenolic glycosides, phyllanthuosides A-C, together with 12 known compounds. Their structures were established on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analysis and chemical methods. Among them, phyllanthuosides A and B are two of the rare phenolic glycosides, featuring with a C6-C3-C6 skeleton. The absolute configurations of phyllanthuosides A and B were established by calculated electric circular dichroism (ECD) using time dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). The isolates were also tested for their cytotoxicity and antimicrobial activity.

In this paper, a kind of Bernoulli-type operator is proposed by combining a univariate multiquadric quasi-interpolation operator with the generalized Taylor polynomial. With an assumption on the shape-preserving parameter c, the convergence rate of the new operator is derived, which indicates that it could produce the desired precision. Numerical comparisons show that this method offers a higher degree of accuracy. Moreover, the associated algorithm is easily implemented.