Retard or exacerbate: Role of long non-coding RNA growth arrest-specific 5 in the fibrosis.

Fibrosis is the endpoint of pathological remodeling involving different expressions of non-coding RNA(ncRNA) including long non-coding RNA growth arrest-specific 5 (lncRNA Gas5). Up to now, many studies have demonstrated that lncRNA Gas5 may play a vital regulatory role in the occurrence and development of organ fibrosis including liver, renal and cardiac fibrosis et al. Furthermore, Gas5 may also serve as a biomarker in diagnostic settings for fibrosis diseases. Structurally, IncRNA Gas5 impacts fibrosis via its distinct structural modules. In response to various external stresses, distinct functional complexes on different parts of Gas5 sequence influence cell proliferation and survival, thus affecting the inflammatory process and deposition of extracellular matrix(ECM) in organ fibrosis. However, there is no consensus on the role of Gas5 in fibrosis and its changed expression under various circumstances. In this review, we present an overview of what is known about the effect of Gas5 in organ fibrosis so far and for the first time explain its mechanism in the progression of fibrosis based on its unique structure.

Effect of Xiaoyu Xiezhuo Drink on Podocyte Apoptosis and Expression of HIF1α in Diabetic Kidney Disease Mice / 浙江中医药大学学报

[Objective]To observe the effect of Xiaoyu Xiezhuo Drink on podocyte apoptosis and hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha(HIF1α)expression in db/db diabetic kidney disease(DKD)model mice.[Methods]Six db/m mice were chosen as negative control group,eighteen db/db mice were chosen and divided into DKD model group,low dosage Xiaoyu Xiezhuo Drink group,high dosage Xiaoyu Xiezhuo Drink group,with six mice in each group.After gastric irrigation for twelve weeks,the urine was collected to test the levels of protein,β2-microglobulin(β2-MG),albumin/creatinine ratio(Acr),β2-microglobulin/creatinine ratio(β2-MG/Ucr);blood was collected to test the level of triglyceride(TG),total cholesterol(TC),albumin(Alb),blood urea nitrogen(BUN),serum creatinine(Scr);the kidney tissue was collected to observe the pathological change by light and electron microscope,and to test HIF1α,nephrin mRNA by Real-time polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR).[Results]Compared with negative control group,the levels of urine protein,β2-MG,Acr,β2-MG/Ucr,serum TG,TC,BUN,Scr were increased(P＜0.01),serum Alb was decreased(P＜0.01);glomerular volume increased,capillary loops lobed,mesangial cells and matrix hyperplasia,interstitial inflammation and fibrosis increased,foot process fusion increased,basement membrane thickened;podocyte apoptosis was increased;expression of HIF1α mRNA was elevated(P＜0.01),and nephrin mRNA was descended in kidney tissue of DKD model group(P＜0.01).Compared with DKD model group,the level of urine protein,β2-MG,Acr,β2-MG/Ucr,serum TG,TC,BUN,Scr were decreased(P＜0.01),serum Alb was incresed(P＜0.01);the pathological changes of the kidney was improved;the apoptosis of podocyte was reduced;the expression of HIF1α mRNA was decreased(P＜0.01),and nephrin mRNA was incresed(P＜0.01)in the kidney tissue of varied dosage Xiaoyu Xiezhuo Drink groups.There was no statistical significance in the level of urine protein,β2-MG,Acr,β2-MG/Ucr,serum TG,TC,BUN,Scr,Alb,podocyte apoptosis,and HIF1α,nephrin mRNA in the kidney tissue between different dosage Xiaoyu Xiezhuo Drink groups(P＞0.05).[Conclusion]Xiaoyu Xiezhuo Drink could improve urinary protein,renal function,renal structure lesion and podocyte apoptosis in DKD mice,which perhaps by regulating the expression of HIF1α.

Establishment and verification of the multi-dimensional peripheral contrast sensitivity function measurement based on Bayesian probability estimation algorithm / 中华实验眼科杂志

Objective:To evaluate the feasibility and accuracy of a multi-dimensional peripheral quick contrast sensitivity function (pqCSF) measurement established based on Bayesian probability estimation algorithm.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted.Nineteen eyes of 12 healthy emmetropic subjects in Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center of Sun Yat-sen University from September 2017 to March 2018 were included, with an average age of (22.92±2.91) years.The average spherical power and cylindrical power were (-0.34±0.52)D and (-0.30±0.42)D, respectively, and the average uncorrected vision acuity was≥1.0.Based on the Bayesian probability algorithm, the peak contrast sensitivity γ max, the peak spatial frequency ? max, the bandwidth β and the low contrast intercept δ were used to quickly describe the contrast sensitivity function (CSF) curve of the full spatial frequency through multi-dimensional pqCSF method.The 16 peripheral visual field positions of all subjects were tested at 6°, 12°, 18° and 24° eccentricity of the superior, inferior, the temporal and nasal visual field by the pqCSF method, but the 18° eccentricity of temporal field, which was near the physiological blind spot, was excluded.The area under Log CSF (AULCSF) of different peripheral visual fields and the Log CSF of 19 spatial frequencies (distributed at equal intervals in logarithmic units) were compared.This study followed the Declaration of Helsinki, and the study protocol was approved by an Ethics Committee of Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center of Sun Yat-sen University (No.2018KYPJ017). Written informed consent was obtained from each subject prior to any examination. Results:With the increase of eccentricity in different visual fields, the AULCSF decreased gradually, and there were significant differences in AULCSF between different eccentricities (all at P<0.05). The AULCSF of the nasal and temporal visual field at 6°, 12° and 24° eccentricity was significantly larger than that of the superior and inferior visual field (all at P<0.05). As the distance from the fovea was increased, the pqCSF, the AULCSF, and the high-frequency cutoff were all decreased, and the standard deviation of AULCSF was increased gradually. Conclusions:The pqCSF method can depict a relatively complete peripheral CSF curve of a wide peripheral visual field, and reflect the function quality of the peripheral vision comprehensively and accurately.

Comparison of the empathy deficits for male adolescents with different types of conduct disorder / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To explore the empathy deficits of adolescents with different types of conduct disorder. Methods The participants included 65 adolescents ( who met the DSM-Ⅳ criteria for conduct disorder)ranging from 13 ～ 18 in age,and 195 normal adolescents ranging from 13 ～ 18 in age. All participants were assessed by revised Basic Empathy Scale. 65 patients were divided into 4 subgroups according to symptoms: destructive-nondestructive subgroups and overt-covert subgroups. Results (1) Scores of cognitive empathy were lower in patients than normal controls ( (29.86 ± 4.72) vs ( 32.09 ± 4.94), P ＜ 0. 01 ). (2) There were significant differences in the levels of cognitive empathy between patients and controls (P＜0. 01 ). Scores of cognitive empathy were lower in destructive subgroup than controls ( (29.76 ± 4.46) vs ( 32.09 ± 4.94) , P ＜ 0.01 ). (3) There were significant differences in the levels of two dimensions and total scores of empathy between patients and controls (F=3.10 ～5.36, P ＜ 0.05 ). Scores of cognitive empathy were lower in overt subgroup ( 29.22 ± 3.77 ) and covert subgroup (30.21 ± 5.17 ) than controls (32.09 ± 4.94) (P＜ 0.05, P＜0.01 );and scores of affective empathy were lower in overt subgroup than covert subgroup ( (26.13 ±5.05) vs (29.50 ±4.16), P＜0.05 ). Total scores of empathy were lower in overt subgroup (55.35 ±7.09) than covert subgroup (59.71 ±7.58) and controls (60.04 ±8.50 ) (P＜0.05). (4) Logistic regression analysis showed that cognitive empathy was a protective factor for conduct disorders( OR = 0.43 ). Conclusion The cognitive empathy level of patients is significantly lower than normal students;and boys with different types of conduct disorder possess different empathic abilities when compared with healthy controls;and cognitive empathy is a protective factor for conduct disorder.