The Memory Orchestra: Contribution of Astrocytes / 神经科学通报·英文版

For decades, memory research has centered on the role of neurons, which do not function in isolation. However, astrocytes play important roles in regulating neuronal recruitment and function at the local and network levels, forming the basis for information processing as well as memory formation and storage. In this review, we discuss the role of astrocytes in memory functions and their cellular underpinnings at multiple time points. We summarize important breakthroughs and controversies in the field as well as potential avenues to further illuminate the role of astrocytes in memory processes.

Clinicopathological characteristics and risk factors on hepatocellular carcinoma differentiation / 公共卫生与预防医学

Objective To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics and independent risk factors of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) differentiation.  Methods A total of 108 HCC patients who underwent operation and treatment were reviewed and classified into low differentiation group (n= 29, 26.85%), medium differentiation group (n=53, 49.07%) and high differentiation group (n=26, 24.07%) according to pathological diagnosis. The clinicopathological characteristics and the expression levels of Ki67 and P53 in each group were compared and analyzed. Logistic regression model was used to analyze the risk factors for low differentiation of HCC.  Results The proportion of cirrhosis, the positive rate of P53 and Ki67 expression level in different degrees of HCC differentiation were statistically significant (P0.05). Multivariate logistic analysis showed that cirrhosis (OR=3.408), high expression of Ki67 (OR=11.113) and positive P53 (OR=9.711) were the main risk factors for poorly differentiated HCC.  Conclusion There are differences in clinical characteristics and expressions of Ki67 and P53 in HCC patients with different degrees of differentiation. Logistic regression analysis can identify clinicopathological risk factors affecting the degree of differentiation of HCC, which can provide criterion support for accurate diagnosis and prognostic treatment.

A multicenter survey of antibiotic use in very and extremely low birth weight infants in Hunan Province / 中国当代儿科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the current status of antibiotic use for very and extremely low birth weight (VLBW/ELBW) infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) of Hunan Province.@*METHODS@#The use of antibiotics was investigated in multiple level 3 NICUs of Hunan Province for VLBW and ELBW infants born between January, 2017 and December, 2017.@*RESULTS@#The clinical data of 1 442 VLBW/ELBW infants were collected from 24 NICUs in 2017. The median antibiotic use duration was 17 days (range: 0-86 days), accounting for 53.0% of the total length of hospital stay. The highest duration of antibiotic use was up to 91.4% of the total length of hospital stay, with the lowest at 14.6%. In 16 out of 24 NICUs, the antibiotic use duration was accounted for more than 50.0% of the hospitalization days. There were 113 cases with positive bacterial culture grown in blood or cerebrospinal fluid, making the positive rate of overall bacterial culture as 7.84%. The positive rate of bacterial culture in different NICUs was significantly different from 0% to 14.9%. The common isolated bacterial pathogens Klebsiella pneumoniae was 29 cases (25.7%); Escherichia coli 12 cases (10.6%); Staphylococcus aureus 3 cases (2.7%). The most commonly used antibiotics were third-generation of cephalosporins, accounting for 41.00% of the total antibiotics, followed by penicillins, accounting for 32.10%, and followed by carbapenems, accounting for 13.15%. The proportion of antibiotic use time was negatively correlated with birth weight Z-score and the change in weight Z-score between birth and hospital discharge (r=-0.095, -0.151 respectively, P<0.01), positively correlated with death/withdrawal of care (r=0.196, P<0.01).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Antibiotics used for VLBW/ELBW infants in NICUs of Hunan Province are obviously prolonged in many NICUs. The proportion of routine use of third-generation of cephalosporins and carbapenems antibiotics is high among the NICUs.

Correlation of lens density and phacodynamics parameters in phacoemulsification / 眼科新进展

Objective To evaluate the correlation of lens density (LD) measured by opacity lensmeter (OLM) and Pentacam with phacodynamics in patients with age-related nuclear cataract.Methods A prospective study was conducted in 78 patients (78 eyes) with age-related nuclear cataract.The lens density was measured with OLM and Pentacam respectively before operation,and the phacoemulsification kinetic parameters in phacoemulsification,including ultrasound time (UST),cumulated dissipated energy (CDE) and balanced salt solution (BSS) usage,were recorded for the analysis of the correlations of LD values with phacodynamics.Results LD measured by OLM and Pentacam was 32.83 ± 14.41 and 15.26 ±5.82,respectively.LD from OLM and Pentacam was positively correlated with both UST (r =0.645,0.807,respectively;both P ＜ 0.05)and CDE (r =0.669,0.828,respectively;both P ＜ 0.05).UST and CDE were more strongly correlated with LD from Pentacam than from OLM (Z =2.153,2.283;both P ＜0.05).Conclusion LD from both OLM and Pentacam are correlated with UST and CDE,and a stronger correlation is observed in Pentacam than OLM.

Effect of AML1-ETO Fusion Protein on Transcriptional Regulation of p14 / 中国实验血液学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of transcriptional regulation of aberrant transcription factor AML1-ETO on p14.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>P14expression both in AML1-ETO-expressing cells or U937 nonexpressing cells and in leukemia cells of AML patients with or without t(8;21) was assessed by quantitative PCR. Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) was used to analyze the methylation status of p14promoter. The chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-based PCR was used to investigate the direct interaction between the AML1-ETO and p14promoter in AML1-ETO positive leukemia cell line. And the p14mRNA expression level was detected by qRT-PCR after treatment with 5-Aza.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>AML1-ETO-expressing cell subclone displayed low level of p14mRNA in comparison with the non-transfected U937. In primary bone marrow cells of acute myeloid leukemia containing AML1-ETO, level of p14mRNA was markedly lower when compared with other acute myeloid leukemias lacking this translocation. P14gene promoter was non-methylated in control group and primary leukemia cells of AML patients without t(8;21) and was hyper-methylated in U937-A/E1-4 and primary leukemia cells of AML patients with t(8;21). The enriched regions in transfected cells were located within p14promoter. 5-Aza could increase the expression of p14.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>P14is a possible target gene of AML1-ETO. The p14silencing induced by hyper-methlylation may be an important factor for occurrence and development of the Msubtype of acute myeloid leukemia.</p>

A Small Case Series of Intravascular Large B-Cell Lymphoma with Unexpected Findings: Subset of Cases with Concomitant Extravascular Central Nervous System (CNS) Involvement Mimicking Primary CNS Lymphoma

BACKGROUND: Intravascular large B-cell lymphoma (IVLBCL) is a rare type of extranodal lymphoma with growth mainly in the lumina of vessels. We studied a small series of IVLBCL and focused on its central nervous system (CNS) involvement. METHODS: Searching the medical records of Northwestern Memorial Hospital, we identified five cases of IVLBCL from January 2007 to January 2015. Clinical information, hematoxylin and eosin stained histologic slides and immunohistochemistry studies were reviewed for all cases. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis for the immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy and light chain gene rearrangement was performed on all five cases. RESULTS: Three of the five cases of IVLBCL were autopsies. Patients’ age ranged from 56 to 84. CNS involvement was present in two cases—in both patients, the CNS involvement showed an extravascular pattern with confluent sheet-like formation. PCR analysis confirmed that in one case the systemic intravascular and CNS extravascular components were clonally identical. CONCLUSIONS: In a small case series of IVLBCL, we observed that CNS involvement by IVLBCL often has an extravascular morphology, but is clonally identical to the intravascular counterpart by PCR analysis. As IVLBCL can have a rapidly progressing poor outcome, it should be kept in the differential diagnoses for patients presenting with lymphoma of the CNS. The presence of extravascular growth patterns in the CNS should not exclude IVLBCL as a diagnosis.