Circular RNAs in stem cells: from basic research to clinical implications.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a special class of endogenous RNAs with a wide variety of pathophysiological functions via diverse mechanisms, including transcription, microRNA (miRNA) sponge, protein sponge/decoy, and translation. Stem cells are pluripotent cells with unique properties of self-renewal and differentiation. Dysregulated circRNAs identified in various stem cell types can affect stem cell self-renewal and differentiation potential by manipulating stemness. However, the emerging roles of circRNAs in stem cells remain largely unknown. This review summarizes the major functions and mechanisms of action of circRNAs in stem cell biology and disease progression. We also highlight circRNA-mediated common pathways in diverse stem cell types and discuss their diagnostic significance with respect to stem cell-based therapy.

The Relationship Between Food Consumption and Bowel Symptoms Among Patients With Rectal Cancer After Sphincter-Saving Surgery.

Dietary self-management is an important strategy for controlling bowel symptoms after sphincter-saving surgery; however, the dietary factors influencing bowel symptoms are not completely clear. This study aimed to explore the relationship between the specific consumption of food components and bowel symptoms. This study applied a cross-sectional study design. Using convenience sampling, a total of 169 patients with rectal cancer after sphincter-saving surgery were selected from a tertiary hospital. Data were collected through three questionnaires, including general and treatment-related questionnaires, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) bowel function scale-Chinese version, and the Food Frequency Questionnaire. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to analyze the collected data. It was found that the consumption of fruit, cholesterol, and protein and the interaction of cereals and milk products were the main dietary factors affecting bowel symptoms in patients after sphincter-saving surgery. The consumption of protein and fruit was negatively correlated with the symptoms of frequent and urgent defecation, and the consumption of fruit and protein was negatively correlated with general bowel function. The consumption of fruit was negatively correlated with the abnormal feeling of defecation, and the interaction between cereals and milk products was positively correlated with the abnormal feeling of defecation. The results of this study provide evidence for medical staff to further develop scientific dietary education programs to relieve bowel symptoms and promote the quality of life of patients in the future. More research is also needed to explore the mechanisms of the effects of different food components on bowel symptoms in patients after sphincter-saving surgery in the future.

The experience of dealing with defecation dysfunction by changing the eating behaviours of people with rectal cancer following sphincter-saving surgery: A qualitative study.

AIM: To explore the experience of dealing with defecation dysfunction by changing the eating behaviours of people with rectal cancer following sphincter-saving surgery. DESIGN: The descriptive qualitative design was applied. METHODS: Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 36 purposively selected rectal cancer survivors who had experienced sphincter-saving surgery. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The thematic analysis was used to structure the data analysis. RESULTS: Three major themes, namely "have motivations to change diet"; "need strategies to change diet" and "face barriers to change diet" were generated along with 12 subthemes. Overall, needing to change one's dietary behaviour is the most important theme in addressing defecation dysfunction in patients following sphincter-saving surgery. Future studies need to focus more on the specific relationship between different food types and the degree of defecation dysfunction. Systematic, scientific and continuous instructions on eating behaviour are in great need for patients after sphincter-saving surgery.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease's prevalence and impact on alanine aminotransferase associated with metabolic syndrome in the Chinese.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is becoming a major public health hazard in China. The present study aimed to estimate the prevalence of NAFLD, NAFLD with abnormal serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, and determine the potential associations of ALT levels with the components of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in the absence or presence of NAFLD in Chinese adults. METHODS: A population-based cross-sectional survey was conducted with 2226 participants. Physical examinations, laboratory tests and hepatic ultrasounds were performed. Individuals were further stratified into higher or lower ALT subgroups with the upper quartiles of ALT in this population. The MetS was identified according to the criteria of the Chinese Joint Committee for Developing Chinese Guidelines (JCDCG). RESULTS: The standardized prevalence of NAFLD was 23.3% (NAFLD with abnormal ALT levels, 3.1%), 26.5% (NAFLD with abnormal ALT levels, 5.1%) in males, and 19.7% (NAFLD with abnormal ALT levels, 0.9%) in females. Multivariate logistic analysis revealed that higher ALT was significantly associated with elevated triglyceride (TG) in the non-NAFLD participants, independent of age, smoking status, drinking status, and other MetS-related measures with odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of 3.4 (1.6-7.1) and 2.3 (1.4-3.7) in males and females, respectively. On the other hand, the higher ALT was statistically associated with elevated TG and hyperglycemia in the NAFLD cases with odds ratios of 2.2 to 2.5 (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of NAFLD has become epidemic in Shanghai adults. NAFLD combined with ALT levels may be used to identify the individuals at the different risk levels of metabolic disorders.

The protective effect of the RAS inhibitor on diabetic patients with nephropathy in the context of VEGF suppression.

AIM: The aim of the present study was to explore whether renin angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitor can reduce the production of vascular endothelium growth factor (VEGF). Further, we sought to elucidate the correlation between VEGF level and certain clinical parameters, such as albumin excretion rate (AER), before and after treatment with angiotensin type 1 receptor blocker. METHODS: We recruited 166 type 2 diabetic patients at various stages of diabetic nephropathy (DN) and 46 healthy control subjects for a cross-sectional study. We recruited another 42 hypertensive type 2 diabetic patients with microalbuminuria for a longitudinal study involving a 6-month irbesartan treatment protocol. Urinary VEGF (uVEGF) levels were determined using ELISA. RESULTS: In the cross-sectional study, hypertensive type 2 diabetic patients who received RAS inhibitor presented lower uVEGF levels than those who did not receive the RAS inhibitor. Statistical analysis indicated that uVEGF level was independently correlated with the AER. In the longitudinal study involving the 6-month irbesartan treatment, we demonstrated that uVEGF levels decreased significantly in patients who achieved a 50% AER reduction (remission group, n=32). In contrast, uVEGF levels remained unchanged in patients who did not exhibit a 50% AER reduction (nonremission group, n=10). Furthermore, the change in uVEGF was significantly correlated with the change in AER (r=0.65, P<0.01) before and after 6 months of irbesartan treatment. This result held true even after we had adjusted for the decrease in average blood pressure. CONCLUSION: The protective effect of the RAS inhibitor in DN patients is associated with the suppression of VEGF. Accordingly, it may be possible to use uVEGF as a marker of DN progression. We suggest that uVEGF may be an important target for therapeutic intervention in the context of DN.

Triaqua-(2,2'-bipyridine N,N'-dioxide-κO,O')(5-nitro-benzene-1,3-dicarboxyl-ato-κO)zinc(II).

In the title compound, [Zn(C(8)H(3)NO(6))(C(10)H(8)N(2)O(2))(H(2)O)(3)], the Zn(II) ion is coordinated in a distorted octa-hedral geometry by three water mol-ecules, one O atom from a 5-nitro-benzene-1,3-dicarboxyl-ate ligand and two O atoms from a chelating 2,2'-bipyridine N,N'-dioxide ligand. An extensive network of O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds is formed between the water mol-ecules and the carboxyl-ate groups. C-H⋯O inter-actions are also present.

[Role of p16INK4a as a biomarker in liquid-based cervical cytology screening].

OBJECTIVE: In cervical lesions, the overexpression of p16INK4a has been reported to be closely associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. This study is designed to evaluate the role of p16INK4a as a biomarker in liquid-based cervical cytology screening. METHODS: Seventy-four specimens from the patients in our hospital were collected for this study. After cytological examination with liquid-based cervical smears, high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) DNA was then detected by Hybrid Capture II assay, and the rest cells were immunostained for p16INK4a. RESULTS: Of the 74 specimens, 10 were diagnosed as negative, 15 as atypical squmous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US), 28 as low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL), 5 as atypical squmous cells which could not be excluded as HSIL (ASC-H), 11 high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) and 5 as squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). The positive specimens of p16INK4a were 2, 5, 8, 3, 9, 5, respectively, in the above subgroups; meanwhile, the positive specimens of HR-HPV were 1, 4, 9, 3, 7, 5, respectively, in the above groups. The positive rate of both p16INK4a and HR-HPV in HSIL, ASC-H and SCC were obviously higher than that in LSIL, ASC-US and negative cases. CONCLUSION: Positive rate of p16INK4a and HR-HPV is highly correlated with the grade of the cervical lesion. p16INK4a immunocytochemical staining may be used as a biomarker to increase the sensitivity of cervical cytology screening and the specificity of HPV test.

[Prevalence of peripheral vascular disease in diabetics and impaired glucose regulation subjects: a community-based study].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of peripheral vascular disease (PVD) in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and impaired glucose regulation (IGR). METHODS: Follow-up 5 years after the previous epidemiologic study of metabolic syndrome in Chaoyang community, Shanghai, 2000 - 2001 was conducted among 717 patients with DM or IGR. Questionnaire survey about general status and DM-related history and behaviors, including smoking, was carried out. Physical examination was made. Ankle/brachial index (A/BI) was measured. Intermittent claudication was surveyed by Edinburgh claudication questionnaire (ECQ). Blood sugar and blood lipid were detected. 427 patients, 210 males and 217 females, aged 67.3 +/- 14.0 (21 - 104), with intact data were enrolled into the analysis. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of PVD was 12.2% in the hyperglycemic population. The prevalence of PVD in the diabetics was 15.1%, significantly higher than that of the IGP subjects (7.7%, P = 0.022). The rate of intermittent claudication in those with the A/BI