Statin exposure and the risk of dementia in individuals with hypercholesterolaemia.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the association between statin exposure and dementia risk in individuals with hypercholesterolaemia using data from the NHIS-HEALS database between 2002 and 2015. METHODS: Subjects were classified into statin exposure and statin nonexposure groups according to medication possession ratio. Dementia was defined as those with primary diagnostic dementia codes such as F00-F03, G30, G31.1, G31.9 or G31.82. Cox proportional hazards regression models were adopted after stepwise adjustment for confounders to investigate the prospective association between statin exposure and dementia risk. RESULTS: During the follow-up period (median follow-up 11.7 years), 711 cases of dementia occurred, accounting for 11.5% of the total study population (statin exposure group, 8.2%; statin nonexposure group, 12.9%). Compared to the statin nonexposure group, fully adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) for overall dementia in the statin exposure group were 0.63 (0.43-0.91) and 0.62 (0.50-0.78) in men and women, respectively. Compared to the statin nonexposure group, the HRs (95% CIs) for Alzheimer's disease and related dementia, vascular dementia and other types of dementia in the statin exposure group were 0.54 (0.32-0.91), 2.45 (0.69-8.68) and 0.59 (0.32-1.07), respectively, in men and 0.53 (0.38-0.73), 1.29 (0.42-3.96) and 0.70 (0.51-0.96), respectively, in women. CONCLUSIONS: Hypercholesterolaemic individuals exposed to statin had a lower risk of overall dementia and Alzheimer's disease and related dementia in both sexes, and a lower risk of other types of dementia in women, than subjects who were not exposed to statins.

Astrocytic water channel aquaporin-4 modulates brain plasticity in both mice and humans: a potential gliogenetic mechanism underlying language-associated learning.

The role of astrocytes in brain plasticity has not been extensively studied compared with that of neurons. Here we adopted integrative translational and reverse-translational approaches to explore the role of an astrocyte-specific major water channel in the brain, aquaporin-4 (AQP4), in brain plasticity and learning. We initially identified the most prevalent genetic variant of AQP4 (single nucleotide polymorphism of rs162008 with C or T variation, which has a minor allele frequency of 0.21) from a human database (n=60 706) and examined its functionality in modulating the expression level of AQP4 in an in vitro luciferase reporter assay. In the following experiments, AQP4 knock-down in mice not only impaired hippocampal volumetric plasticity after exposure to enriched environment but also caused loss of long-term potentiation after theta-burst stimulation. In humans, there was a cross-sectional association of rs162008 with gray matter (GM) volume variation in cortices, including the vicinity of the Perisylvian heteromodal language area (Sample 1, n=650). GM volume variation in these brain regions was positively associated with the semantic verbal fluency. In a prospective follow-up study (Sample 2, n=45), the effects of an intensive 5-week foreign language (English) learning experience on regional GM volume increase were modulated by this AQP4 variant, which was also associated with verbal learning capacity change. We then delineated in mice mechanisms that included AQP4-dependent transient astrocytic volume changes and astrocytic structural elaboration. We believe our study provides the first integrative evidence for a gliogenetic basis that involves AQP4, underlying language-associated brain plasticity.

[Clinical efficacy analysis of functional rhinoplasty assisted by nasal endoscopy].

Objective: To analyse the clinical effect of endoscopy-assisted functional rhinoplasty. Methods: Twenty-one patients with congenital or traumatic deviated nose with nasal obstruction admitted to Qilu Hospital (Qingdao) from January 2018 to December 2021, including 8 males and 13 females, aged 22 to 46 years, were retrospectively analysed. Endoscopy-assisted functional rhinoplasty was performed in all patients. Deviated nasal septum was corrected, nasal septum cartilage graft was prepared through open approach assisted by endoscopy, the nasal frame structure was adjusted with the endoscopy-assisted rhinoplasty combined with middle and inferior turbinoplasty, and the patient's nasal ventilation function and external nose cosmetology were restored. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE), nasal acoustic reflex and nasal resistance were examined preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively. The minimum cross-sectional area of the first two nasal cavities (MCA) MCA1 and MCA2 and their distance between nostrils to the minimum cross-sectional area (MD) MD1 and MD2 were recorded, and the ratio of both sides (expressed in a/b) was calculated. The nasal volume of 5 cm depth from nostril (NV5) and nasal resistance total (RT) were recorded to evaluate the nasal ventilation function to analyse the clinical effect of functional rhinoplasty assisted by nasal endoscope. SPSS 25.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results: At 6 months after the operation, for nasal ventilation evaluation, the VAS and NOSE scores of nasal obstruction decreased significantly than those before the operation ((1.81±0.81) points vs (6.71±1.38) points, (4.19±2.06) points vs (12.05±2.67) points, all P<0.05). In the objective indexes, MCA1, MCA2 and NV5 were significantly increased whereas RT, MCA1a/MCA1b, MCA2a/MCA2b, MD1a/MD1b and MD2a/MD2b were significantly decreased compared with those before the operation (all P<0.05). The MD1 and MD2 levels before and after operation had no significant differences (all P>0.05). In the evaluation of external nose morphology, postoperative ROE was significantly increased, and the deviation value of nasal appearance was significantly decreased ((16.19±2.56) points vs (10.24±3.24) points, (1.55±1.16) mm vs (5.63±2.41) mm, all P<0.05). In terms of postoperative patient satisfaction, 19 cases (90.5%) were very satisfied with nasal ventilation function, 2 cases (9.5%) were satisfied with nasal ventilation function; 15 cases (71.4%) were very satisfied with nasal appearance, and 6 cases (28.6%) were satisfied with nasal appearance. Conclusions: Nasal endoscopy-assisted functional rhinoplasty can improve the nasal ventilation function and external nasal morphology at the same time, with good clinical effect and high patient satisfaction.

Author Correction: Long non-coding RNA HEIH modulates CDK8 expression by inhibiting miR-193a-5p to accelerate nasopharyngeal carcinoma progression.

Correction to: European Review for Medical and Pharmacological Sciences 2021; 25 (2): 770-778-DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_202101_24638-PMID: 33577031, published online 31 January 2021. After publication, the authors found some mistakes in the article. There are amendments to this paper. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. https://www.europeanreview.org/article/24638.

Long non-coding RNA HEIH modulates CDK8 expression by inhibiting miR-193a-5p to accelerate nasopharyngeal carcinoma progression.

OBJECTIVE: Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the commonest malignant tumor. In this article, we aimed to examine the molecular role of lncRNA HEIH in the progression of NPC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We assessed the expression of HEIH, miR-193a-5p and CDK8 in NPC tissues and cells by real-time PCR. The cell proliferation, invasion and migration of SUNE-1 cells were examined by CCK-8 and transwell assay. Western blot assay was adopted to measure the protein expression level of CDK8. Dual-Luciferase reporter assay was adopted to evaluate the correlation between HEIH, miR-193a-5p and CDK8. RESULTS: We discovered that HEIH was high expressed and miR-193a-5p was reduced in both NPC tissues and cells. The upregulation of HEIH facilitated cell proliferation, migration and invasion of SUNE-1 cells. In addition, overexpression of miR-193a-5p restrained cell progression of SUNE-1 cells. Moreover, HEIH was proved to be a molecular sponge of miR-193a-5p in NPC. Besides that, CDK8 was found to be a direct target gene of miR-193a-5p in NPC. Furthermore, CDK8 knockdown suppressed cell progression of SUNE-1 cells. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrated that HEIH overexpression promoted cell progression by sponging miR-193a-5p and upregulating CDK8.

Long non-coding RNA MIR4435-2HG recruits miR-802 from FLOT2 to promote melanoma progression.

OBJECTIVE: The regulatory mechanism of lncRNA MIR4435-2HG has been extensively investigated in human cancers other than melanoma. This study aims to elucidate the role of lncRNA MIR4435-2HG in melanoma. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The mRNA expression was detected by RT-qPCR. MTT assay, Transwell assay and Dual-Luciferase reporter assay were used to investigate the regulatory mechanism of lncRNA MIR4435-2HG. RESULTS: Upregulation of lncRNA MIR4435-2HG was identified in melanoma and promoted melanoma cell proliferation, migration and invasion. In addition, lncRNA MIR4435-2HG serves as the ceRNA of miR-802. MiR-802 inhibited melanoma progression by downregulating lncRNA MIR4435-2HG. Besides, miR-802 directly targets FLOT2. And knockdown of FLOT2 restrained the progression of melanoma by downregulating lncRNA MIR4435-2HG and upregulating miR-802. CONCLUSIONS: LncRNA MIR4435-2HG promotes cell proliferation, migration and invasion in melanoma by sponging miR-802 and upregulating FLOT2.

A new fossil snipe fly with long proboscis from the Middle Jurassic of Inner Mongolia, China (Diptera: Rhagionidae).

A new genus and species of rhagionids with a long proboscis, Elliprhagio macrosiphonius gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation in Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China, which is considered to be the earliest hematophagous rhagionid described hitherto according to the typically piercing and sucking mouthparts. All previously documented rhagionids from northeastern China are reviewed a key to genera of Rhagionidae from Daohugou is provided for the first time. The genus Daohugorhagio Zhang, 2013 is considered as a new synonym of Trichorhagio Zhang, 2013.