Down-regulation of long noncoding RNA HULC inhibits the inflammatory response in ankylosing spondylitis by reducing miR-556-5p-mediated YAP1 expression.

Objective: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a progressive systemic disease characterized by a chronic inflammatory response in the sacroiliac joints and spine. Long noncoding RNAs suggest significant actions in the progression of AS. Therefore, a specific lncRNA, highly upregulated in liver cancer (HULC), was studied here regarding its functions and related mechanisms in AS.

Use of preoperative ultrasonography as guidance for neck dissection in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Background: Preoperative neck ultrasonography (US) may detect nodal metastases of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) but its utility in detecting metastases at specific neck subsites and levels is not known. We therefore evaluated preoperative US in detecting cervical metastases of PTC according to neck subsites and levels.

Methods: Preoperative US was performed in 133 new patients to detect metastases at three central cervical subsites and five lateral cervical levels.

Screening of brain metastasis with limited magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): clinical implications of using limited brain MRI during initial staging for non-small cell lung cancer patients.

The purpose of this prospective study was to determine whether using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for early screening for brain metastases (BM) can improve quality of life, survival in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The study group comprised 183 patients newly diagnosed with NSCLC. All patients underwent limited brain MRI and routine workups.