Objective To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics,immunophenotype and the differential diagnosis of ectopic hamartomatous thymoma (EHT).Methods Three cases with EHT were studyed for clinicopathological and immunohistochemical features, the available literature on this subject was reviewed as well.Results The tumors of 3 patients with EHT were located at left lower neck,right supraclavicular area,and left supraclavicular area respectively,and were underwent local resection.The well-defined nodular tumors were en-capsulated with gray-yellowish cut surface,with size of 2.5 cm ×1.9 cm,4.5 cm ×4.5 cm,and 3.0 cm ×2.5 cm,respectively.Microscopi-cally,the tumors were composed of spindle cells,epithelium,and adipose tissue with the predomination of spindle cell.A gradual transition from epithelial cells to spindle cells was frequently present.Immunohistochemically,both the spindle cell and epithelial components were dif-fusely and intensely positive for AE1 /AE3,CK7,CK19,and P63.Two patients with EHT were followed up for 18 and 27 months,both without any evidence of metastasis or recurrence.Conclusion EHT is an exceedingly rare benign tumor with distinctive location and histological fea-tures and should be differentiated from biphasic synovial sarcoma,malignant schwannoma with epithelial differentiation,mixed tumor,thymoli-poma,et al.The total focal excision is the first treatment of choice for EHT.

BacKground:The mechanism of diabetic gastrointestinaI dysmotiIity is stiII uncIear. More and more studies showed that gastrointestinaI smooth muscIe derived factors pIay an important roIe in gastrointestinaI dysmotiIity. RecentIy,the roIe of RhoA/ROCK signaIing pathway in diabetic compIications become a research hotspot. Aims:To investigate the possibIe roIe of RhoA/ROCK signaIing pathway in diabetic coIon dysmotiIity by examining the expressions of major signaIing moIecuIes in diabetic coIon muscIe. Methods:NormaI coIon tissue sampIes taken from patients undergoing radicaI surgery for coIonic cancer from Sept. 2012 to Dec. 2013 at the First AffiIiated HospitaI of Nanjing MedicaI University were coIIected. According to gIycated hemogIobin IeveI,the patients were divided into diabetes meIIitus( DM)group and controI group. The expressions of major signaIing moIecuIes in RhoA/ROCK1 signaIing pathway incIuding RhoA,ROCK1,MYPT1 and p-MYPT1 were determined by immunohistochemistry or Western bIotting. Results:Immunohistochemistry showed that expression of RhoA protein in DM group was significantIy Iower than that in controI group(P<0. 05). Western bIotting showed that expression IeveIs of RhoA,ROCK1 and p-MYPT1 proteins were significantIy Iower in DM group than in controI group(0. 62 ± 0. 42 vs. 1. 15 ± 0. 69,0. 54 ± 0. 09 vs. 0. 75 ± 0. 05,0. 70 ± 0. 28 vs. 1. 04 ± 0. 47;P<0. 05),whereas no significant difference in expression IeveI of MYPT1 protein was found between DM group and controI group(0. 94 ± 0. 50 vs. 1. 21 ± 0. 80,P>0. 05). Conclusions:The inhibition of RhoA/ROCK signaIing pathway in diabetic coIon muscIe may have some correIation with diabetic coIon dysmotiIity.

BACKGROUND:The cervical spine of the human body is an important structure carrying the head and connecting the spine. Its volume is smal, but its flexibility was great. Activity frequency was highest. Simultaneously, cervical spine is the most complicated bony structure of geometric and kinematic characteristics of human body, bears the physiological load of the head, has functions of flexion and extension, lateral bending and rotation. Therefore, the cervical spine has become one of the most vulnerable structures with degenerative diseases of the spine. Analysis of upper cervical spine biomechanics, recognition and understanding of its normal function and mechanical mechanism wil provide a theoretical basis for better treatment of upper cervical spine disorders.
OBJECTIVE:To observe thein vivothree-dimensional kinematics of the upper cervical spine in healthy human beings under physiological load with dual fluorescence X-ray imaging system and spiral CT.
METHODS:Seventeen healthy volunteers were recruited for this study. The vertebral segment motion of each subject was reconstructed with three-dimensional computed tomography and solid modeling software.In vivo cervical vertebral motion during functional postures was observed with dual fluoroscopic imaging. Coordinate systems were established at the vertebral center to obtain the intervertebral range of motion.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) During the flexion-extension motion, significant differences in the distance in coronal axis, sagittal axis and angle of rotation were detected in C1-2 and C2-3segments. (2) During the left-right bending motion, the angle of rotation was obviously greater at C1-2 segment than that at C2-3segment. During the left-right twisting motion, significant differences in distance of the vertical axis and the coronal axis, lateral flexion angle and rotation angle were detectable between C1-2and C2-3 segments. (3) These findings confirmed that dual fluorescence X-ray imaging system combined with CT scan can obtain atlanto-axial three-dimensional instantaneous motion of six-DOF data of healthy adults, and found that the main motion of the C1-2 vertebrae is rotating. These data may provide us with some new information about the in vivo kinematics of the upper cervical spine and the non-fixed surgical operation.

Objective To investigate the expression of CYP2W1 in gastric cancer and its effect on proliferation and invasion.Methods CYP2W1 protein expression in 326 gastric cancertissues and in the corresponding normal gastric mucosa was measured by immunohistochemstry.The expression of CYP2W1 mRNA in 10 randomly chosen gastric cancer tissues and its corresponding normal gastric mucosa was tested by semi-quantitative RT-PCR.4 groups pairs of gastric cancer and normal gastric mucosa cell lines were constructed.CYP2W1 expression in each of the cell line was tested.The effect of CYP2W1 expression on the proliferation and invasion capacity of the gastric cancer cells was studied by MTT experiment and transwell cell experiment.Results Expression of CYP2W1 protein in the gastric cancer tissues is higher than that in normal gastric mucosa (26.7％ vs.0,x2 =100.396,P ＜ 0.05).CYP2W1 mRNA in the gastric cancer tissues is higher than that in normal gastric mucosa [(0.413 ± 0.026) vs.(0.074 ± 0.005),t =28.115,P ＜ 0.05].CYP2W1 protein expression in the gastric cancer cell lines is higher than that in normal gastric mucosa cell lines [(0.481 ± 0.024) vs.0,t =49.097,P ＜ 0.05].The growth capacity of CYP2W1 positive gastric cancer cell is stronger than that of CYP2W1 negative cells (P ＜ 0.05),and CYP2W1 positive gastric cancer cells are also more of invasiveness,[(63 ±8) vs.(18 ±3),t =24.134,P ＜0.05].Conclusions CYP2W1 is only expressed in the gastric cancer tissues,hence it is closely related to the growth multiplication,and invasiveness of gastric cancer cells.

OBJECTIVETo study the effect of emodin on the proliferation, cell cycle distribution, apoptosis and expression of hematopoietic growth factors in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs).

METHODSThe proliferation of rat BMSCs exposed to emodin was analyzed using MTT assay, and flow cytometry was used to detect the apoptosis and cell cycle changes of the exposed cells. Real-time quantitative PCR was used to determine the mRNA expression of the hematopoietic growth factors.

RESULTSExposure to 0.1 and 1 µg/ml emodin for 48 and 72 h significantly enhanced the proliferation of BMSCs (P<0.01). The cells exposed to 0.1 µg/ml emodin showed significantly increased percentage of cells in G2/M phase (P<0.05), and 1 µg/ml emodin exposure caused increased cells in S phase (P<0.01) and decreased cells in G1/G0 phase (P<0.05). Emodin exposure for 48 h resulted in significantly decreased cell apoptosis (P<0.05). BMSCs treated with 0.1 µg/ml emodin showed a significant increase in the expression of thrombopoietin mRNA (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONEmodin can promote the proliferation of BMSCs in vitro possibly by regulating the cell cycle distribution, cell apoptosis and thrombopoietin expression.

Animals ; Apoptosis ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Emodin ; pharmacology ; Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors ; metabolism ; Mesenchymal Stromal Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; RNA, Messenger ; Rats

Objective:To explore the differences in bacterial community structure between proximal colon cancer (PC), distal colon cancer (DC), and rectal cancer (RC), and the values of featured microbiota in differentiating PC with tumor markers.Methods:This case-control study enrolled 85 newly diagnosed colorectal cancer patients, including 22 PC, 15 DC and 48 RC patients, and 8 colorectal adenoma patients from May 2019 to July 2022 at the Department of General Surgery, Anyang Oncology Hospital. The blood and fecal samples were collected before surgery and then subjected to biochemical tests for tumor markers and 16S rDNA tests, respectively. SPSS (27.0.1) was applied to perform the t-test, one-way ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U test, Kruskal-Wallis H test, and Chi-Squared Test. Also, the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was plotted on tumor markers and/or f_Bacteroidaceae with SPSS software .Results:All groups had significant differences in the CA125 ( F=3.543, P<0.05), CA72-4 ( F=3.596, P<0.05), and serum tumor-associated materials (TAM) levels ( F=5.787, P<0.01). In PC group, the levels of CA125 [PC vs RC, (36.84±6.30) kU/L vs (12.73±4.21) kU/L, P<0.01] and CA72-4 [PC vs RC, (45.56±10.86) kU/L vs (3.30±7.63) kU/L, P<0.01] were significantly higher than that of the RC group, while the level of TAM was remarkably elevated in PC group than in RC group [PC vs RC, (124.84±5.19) U/ml vs (102.44±3.63) U/ml, P<0.001] and CRA group [PC vs CRA, (124.84±5.19) U/ml vs (95.39±8.42) U/ml, P<0.01]. The LEfSe analysis showed that the featured microbiota in the PC group included f_Bacteroidaceae, f_Neisseriaceae, f_Clostridiaceae_1, f_Spirochaetaceae, and so on. The largest area under the ROC belonged to the combination of TAM and f_Bacteroidaceae, which reached 0.845 (95% CI 0.747-0.944), with sensitivity being 0.857 and specificity being 0.815. Conclusions:There is heterogeneity in gut microbiota composition among PC, DC, RC, and CRA. The combination of gut microbiota and tumor biomarkers demonstrated good differentiating effects in proximal colon cancers.

Objective:To establish the acute symptomatic osteoporotic thoracolumbar fracture (ASOTLF) classification system, and to examine the reliability and evaluate the effect of clinical application.Methods:A retrospective case series study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 1 293 patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar fracture(OTLF) admitted to Honghui Hospital from January 2016 to December 2018. There were 514 males and 779 females, aged 57-90 years [(71.4±6.3)years]. The T value of bone mass density was -5.0--2.5 SD [(-3.1±-0.4)SD]. According to the clinical symptoms a and fracture morphology, OTLF was divided into 4 types, namely type I(I occult fracture), type II(compressed fracture), type III (burst fracture) and type IV(unstable fracture). The type II was subdivided into three subtypes (type IIA, IIB, IIC), and the Type III into two subtypes (type IIIA, IIIB). of all patients, 75 patients (5.8%) were with type I, 500 (38.7%) with type II A, 134 (10.4%) with type IIB, 97 (7.5%) with type IIC, 442 (34.2%) with type IIIA, 27(2.1%) with type IIIB and 18 (1.4%) with type IV. After testing the validity of the classification, different treatment methods were utilized according to the classification, including percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) for Type I, PVP after postural reduction for Type II, percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) for Type IIIA, posterior reduction and decompression, bone graft fusion and bone cement-augmented screw fixation for Type IIIB, and posterior reduction, bone graft fusion and bone cement-augmented screw fixation for Type IV. The visual analog score (VAS), Oswestry disability index (ODI), Frankel grade of spinal cord injury, local Cobb Angle, and vertebral body angle (vertebral body angle) were recorded in all patients and in each type of patients before surgery, at 1 month after surgery and at the last follow-up. The neurological function recovery and complications were also recorded.Results:The patients were followed up for 24-43 months [(29.9±5.1)months]. A total of 3 000 assessments in two rounds were conducted by three observers. The overall κ value of inter-observer credibility was 0.83, and the overall κ value of intra-observer credibility was 0.88. The VAS and ODI of all patients were (5.8±0.7)points and 72.5±6.6 before surgery, (1.8±0.6)points and 25.0±6.3 at 1 month after surgery, and (1.5±0.6)points and 19.5±6.2 at the last follow-up, respectively (all P<0.05). The Cobb angle and vertebral body angle of all patients were (13.0±9.1)° and (8.0±4.6)° before surgery, (7.9±5.2)° and (4.6±2.9)° at 1 month after surgery, and (9.1±6.0)° and (5.8±3.0)° at the last follow-up, respectively (all P<0.05). At the last follow-up, VAS, ODI, Cobb Angle and VBA of each type of patients were significantly improved compared with those before surgery (all P<0.05). The spinal cord compression symptoms were found 1 patient with type IV and 5 patients with type IIIB preoperatively. At the last follow-up, neurological function improved from grade C to grade E in 1 patient and from grade D to grade E in 5 patients ( P<0.05). The lower limb radiation pain or numbness in 3 patients with type IV and 22 patients with type III preoperatively were fully recovered after surgical treatment at the last follow-up except for three patients. Conclusions:The ASOTLF classification is established and has high consistency and reliability. The classification-oriented treatment strategy has achieved a relatively satisfactory effect, indicating that the classification has a certain guiding significance for treatment of OTLF.

ObjectiveTo understand the relative bioavailability （RBA） of cadmium in different aquatic products. Based on the consideration of the gender differences and the relative bioavailability of cadmium in different foods， the physiologically based toxicokinetic （PBTK） model of cadmium was further optimized and verified. The correlation between internal and external exposure in quantitative risk assessment of food safety was optimized， and the provisional tolerable daily intake （PTDI） value of cadmium was derived. MethodsThe relative bioavailability of cadmium in different aquatic products was determined in four-week-old Balb/c female mice. The PBTK model of cadmium metabolism was optimized by ABC-MCMC method using combined internal and external exposure data of cadmium in Shanghai residents， and the PTDI was calculated accordingly. ResultsExcept for scallops and squid， the RBA of aquatic samples was less than 1， indicating that the absorption rate of cadmium in aquatic products was lower than that of cadmium chloride. The higher RBA of squid and scallop may be due to the presence of cadmium in the visceral organs， which is conducive to cadmium absorption and its higher concentration of cadmium. Frying at the temperature less than 160 ℃ reduced cadmium absorption but may increase cadmium absorption at the temperature greater than 160 ℃. The optimized model parameters converged well and the model could reasonably estimate urinary cadmium level according to the external exposure of cadmium. The PTDI value was0.466 4 μg·（kg·day）^-1 according to the optimized single-chamber model. ConclusionThe relative bioavailability of cadmium in different foods varies greatly， except for squid and scallops， RBA is less than 1， and cooking processing will affect the RBA of food. The construction of the PBTK model did not only consider the effects of gender differences on cadmium metabolism， but also included the relative bioavailability data to optimize and adjust the correlation coefficient of absorption rate. Compared with the model without RBA adjustment， the adjusted model has enhanced the ability to predict urinary cadmium level， which provides a new， more accurate method for the risk assessment of food safety.