STAT3-induced lncRNA GNAS-AS1 accelerates keloid formation by mediating the miR-196a-5p/CXCL12/STAT3 axis in a feedback loop.

Keloids are pathological scar tissue resulting from skin trauma or spontaneous formation, often accompanied by itching and pain. Although GNAS antisense RNA 1 (GNAS-AS1) shows abnormal upregulation in keloids, the underlying molecular mechanism is unclear. The levels of genes and proteins in clinical tissues from patients with keloids and human keloid fibroblasts (HKFs) were measured using quantitative reverse transcription PCR, western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The features of HKFs, including proliferation and migration, were evaluated using cell counting kit 8 and a wound healing assay. The colocalization of GNAS-AS1 and miR-196a-5p in HKFs was measured using fluorescence in situ hybridization. The relationships among GNAS-AS1, miR-196a-5p and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) in samples from patients with keloids were analysed by Pearson correlation analysis. Gene interactions were validated by chromatin immunoprecipitation and luciferase reporter assays. GNAS-AS1 and CXCL12 expression were upregulated and miR-196a-5p expression was downregulated in clinical tissues from patients with keloids. GNAS-AS1 knockdown inhibited proliferation, migration, and extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation of HKFs, all of which were reversed by miR-196a-5p downregulation. Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) induced GNAS-AS1 transcription through GNAS-AS1 promoter interaction, and niclosamide, a STAT3 inhibitor, decreased GNAS-AS1 expression. GNAS-AS1 positively regulated CXCL12 by sponging miR-196-5p. Furthermore, CXCL12 knockdown restrained STAT3 phosphorylation in HKFs. Our findings revealed a feedback loop of STAT3/GNAS-AS1/miR-196a-5p/CXCL12/STAT3 that promoted HKF proliferation, migration and ECM accumulation and affected keloid progression.

[Auricular reconstruction for microtia with modified Nagata method].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate a method for total reconstruction of auricle. METHODS: 90 patients (101 ears) with congenital microtia underwent two-stage operations for auricular reconstruction. The first stage involved fabrication and grafting of autologous costal cartilage, removing the remnant ear cartilage, embedding the framework into local flap of the mastoid region, transferring the remnant ear lobule flap to link to the inferior framework. The second stage was creating an auriculocephalic sulcus. The reconstruction was performed 4 - 12 months after the first surgery. Skin incision was made 5 mm lateral side of the posterior margin of the auricle. The ear framework carrying a thick ear fascia was separated from the side of the head, the frames of the costal cartilage banked at the first operation were harvested, shaved and transplanted to the posterior wall of the concha with sutures; adjust stand position and angle, so that made the ear shape, position, axis, close to the healthy ear, and auriculocephalic angle was slightly larger than the contralateral ear. Two random flap was designed with superior on the root of the helix and in the inferior-posterior direction of the inferior mastoid area, two flapes were elevated and transplanted to posterior auricular sulcus to cover the grafted cartilage. Skin graft was performed in the remaining raw surface. RESULTS: A total of 90 patients were operated, all of 101 constructed ears achieved satisfied or near satisfied shapes. Five cases of partial skin flap necrosis were caused by pedicle impairment. Exposure of cartilage framework happened in two cases. The auriculocephalic sulcus of four cases diminished after the second stage operation. Three month to two-year follow-up of 67 patients showed that the reconstructed ears were satisfied with the results, including good shapes and steady auriculocephalic angles. CONCLUSIONS: The method is a simple, safe and reliable method for total aural reconstruction.

[Reconstruction of segmental ear helix defect with post-auricular skin flap].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the method of repairing segmental ear helix defect. METHODS: Twenty-one patients with segmental ear helix defect were repaired with post-auricular skin flap. In the first stage operation, ear helix defect was assessed, including the anterior and posterior area defect. According to the defect, post-auricular skin flap was designed and transplanted to repair the defect. Six weeks later, the pedicle of the post-auricular skin flap was cut off, elevated, and folded to form the helix. The secondary defect was directly sutured or repaired with skin graft. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients were treated with this method. In two to 12 months follow-up, all flaps survived and reconstructed ear helices were in good shape. The reconstructed ears were in symmetry to the healthy ones. CONCLUSION: The method is safe and effective for the correction of segmental ear helix defect.

Burden, anxiety and depression in caregivers of veterans with dementia in Beijing.

Dementia is the most common neurodegenerative disease in the elderly. The number of Chinese dementia patients reached 5 million in 2001 and will grow rapidly by 314-336% in 2040. Caring for patients with dementia is a stressful experience, which can cause the physical and mental problems in caregivers. According to the protocol, we evaluated the burden, depression and anxiety of caregivers by Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) Scale, Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). 90 caregivers of dementia patients and 90 caregivers of nondementia patients with other chronic diseases from 24 military communities in Beijing were enrolled in this investigation. The scores of burden, depression and anxiety increased from nondementia to severe dementia groups. There were associations between patient's CDR score and CBI score, as well as the average daily care time and CBI score. In addition, the scores of SDS and SAS were both positive correlated to CBI score. Comparing to general community, the caregivers of dementia veterans had lower scores in SDS and SAS. Therefore, we should pay more attentions to the caregivers of severe dementia patients. Reduction of daily care time is a possible way to releasing the burden of caregivers. Better general supports are beneficial to reducing depression and anxiety when caregivers confront the heavy burden.

[Modified two-stage surgery for total auriculoplasty with autogenous rib cartilage].

OBJECTIVE: To introduce a modified surgery for total auriculoplasty and the experience in one hundred and forty-six cases (155 ears). METHODS: The procedure was a two-stage operation. The first stage involved fabrication and grafting of a costal cartilage framework. A U-shaped skin incision was made on the posterior edge of the lobule and the remnant ear cartilage was removed completely. The area for the insertion of the cartilage framework was undermined. Skin flaps were sutured after insertion of the cartilage framework. The second-stage surgery was usually performed six months after the first-stage operation. The reconstructed auricle was elevated, and a costal cartilage block was fixed to the posterior part of the auricle. A temporoparietal fascia flap was then used to cover the costal cartilage block. Finally, the posterior aspect of the projected auricle was covered with a spit-thickness skin graft. RESULTS: The incisions healed in one hundred and forty-one patients (150 ears) after the first stage operation. Partial necrosis of the postauricular flap was observed in five cases (5 ears) after the first stage operation, but no exposure or absorption of the cartilage took place. The skin grafts survived in one hundred and thirty-nine cases (147 ears) after the second-stage surgery. Partial necrosis of the skin graft was observed in seven cases (8 ears), but healed after one-week of dressing changes. Ninety-four cases (97 ears) were followed up, but fifty-two cases (58 ears) were lost to follow up. The follow-up at six months to two years showed satisfactory contour and projection of the constructed ears. CONCLUSION: This two-stage surgery is simple and ideal for auricloplasty with few complications.

[Neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia and elderly people in the community: results from the Beijing Dementia Cooperative Study].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms in dementia and normal elderly people living in the Chinese community of Beijing. METHODS: A cross-sectional study derived from the Beijing Dementia Cooperative Study was carried out a population survey was carried out on a total of 1540 participants aged 65 years and older living in Beijing city and rural areas. All the individuals and 373 demented elderly people completed a series of neuropsychological examination and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). RESULTS: Among the dementia participants, 49.33% had exhibited neuropsychiatric symptoms (35.66% rated as clinically significant), in which 80.4% reported 2 or more disturbances, with depression (23.86%), apathy (21.72%) and anxiety (20.38%) being most common. Of the 1540 normal individuals, 18.25% of them exhibited neuropsychiatric symptoms (6.49% rated as clinically significant), in which 53% reported 2 or more disturbances, with sleepless (10%), depression (8.9%) and anxiety (6.97%) being the most common. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this was the first multi-center study on neuropsychiatric disturbances in dementia and cognitive normal elderly people. Neuropsychiatric symptoms occurred mainly in persons with dementia and of clinical severity. Though the neuropsychiatric disturbances reported in cognitive normal individuals were lower and less serious compared to dementia, they should not be neglected. These finding suggested that a screening programme focusing on identifying these symptoms should be included in the physician's diagnostic tools for dementia.