Objective To investigate the relationship between the matrix metalloproteinase-3(MMP-3)and the stability of carotid artery plaque,and explore MMP-3's prediction role on the attack and relapse of acute ischemic cerebrovascular events.Methods 100 patients with the first ever acute cerebral infarction,100 patients with chronic cerebral circulation insufficiency(CCCI)and 40 persons without cerebrovascular diseases were enrolled in this study.According to the carotid ultrasound examination,100 cerebral infarction patients were divided into three subgroup: unstable plaque group(45 patients,mixed plaque,soft plaque),stable plaque group(35 patients,plaque Group)and endometrial coarse group(25patients).Matrix metalloproteinase-3(MMP-3)levels of all the subjects were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(as basal level).All the subjects were followed up for one year to observe cerebral infarction events.Serum MMP-3 levels of each group,and the basic serum MMP-3 levels were compared among patients who were attacked or relapsed cerebral ischemic with those who had not been attack cerebral ischemic during this period of time.Results 5 patients in the cerebral infarction group had relapse (5%),2 patients in the CCCI group were attacked by cerebral ischemic(2%),and no one in the normal control group was attacked by cerebral ischemic.Serum MMP-3 levels in the acute cerebral infarction group were significantly higher than CCCI group,and both groups were significantly higher than normal control group (P ＜0.05).The basic serum MMP-3 levels in all patients who were attacked by cerebral ischemic were significantly higher than those who had not been attack by cerebral ischemic during this period of time(P ＜0.05).The serum MMP-3 levels of the unstable plaque group were significantly higher than stable plaque group.And both groups were significantly higher than endometrial coarse group(P ＜0.05).Conclusions Elevated levels of matrix metalloproteinase-3(MMP-3)might have something with the stability of carotid atherosclerotic plaque,and participate the attack and the relapse of acute cerebral infarction.Determination of MMP-3 might be used to predict the attack and relapse of acute cerebral infarction.

Objective:To investigate the relationships between matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3),high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP)and carotid atherosclerosis and acute cerebral infarction.Methods: Sixty-four patients with the first ever cerebral infarction and 20 normal control subjects were selected.Their serum MMP-3 levels were determined by double antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays,and serum hs-CRP levels were measured by immunonephelometric assay.Their carotid intima-media thicknesses were assessed by carotid ultrasonography,and neurological deficit scores were performed in patients with acute cerebral infarction.Results:The levels of serum MMP-3 and hs-CRP in patients with acute cerebral infarction were significantly higher than those in the normal control group(P＜0.01).The levels of serum MMP-3 and hs-CRP in unstable plaque group(mixed plaque group,soft plaque group)were significantly higher than those in stable plaque group(hard plaque group)and rough intima group(P＜0.01).The levels of serum MMP-3 and hs-CRP were positively correlated with the neurological deficit scores respectively in patients with acute cerebral infarction. Conclusions:The levels of serum MMP-3 and hs-CRP in patients with acute cerebral infarction may reflect the character and stability of carotid artery plaque,and they are the important indexes in understanding the severity of cerebral infarction in clinical practice.

Objective:To evaluate the value of chemoradiotherapy and surgery in cervical esophageal cancer (CEC).Methods:Data of 459 patients with CEC from 2004 to 2017 were collected and retrospectively analyzed from the surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER) database of National Cancer Institute (US). All patients were divided into the chemoradiotherapy group ( n=379) and surgery group ( n=80) according to the treatment methods. Survival analysis was performed by Kaplan-Meier method and survival curve was drawn. Multivariate survival analysis was conducted by Cox proportional hazards regression model. The death rate of different causes between two groups was calculated by cumulative incidence function (CIF). The differences of death rate between two groups were evaluated by Fine-Gray competing risk model. By analyzing the clinical characteristics and survival of CEC patients, the overall survival (OS) was compared between the surgery and chemoradiotherapy groups. Results:The 2- and 5-year survival rates in the chemoradiotherapy group were 43.1% and 22.4%, while those of the surgical group were 46.8% and 26.0%, respectively. No significant difference was observed in the OS between the chemoradiotherapy and surgery groups ( P=0.750). Cox multivariate analysis showed that treatment (surgery group vs. chemoradiotherapy group) was not an independent prognostic factor for OS. Based on the results of competing risk analysis, the risk of esophageal cancer-specific death in the chemoradiotherapy group was higher than that in the surgery group, and the difference was statistically significant between two groups ( P<0.001). The risk of other cause-specific death in the chemoradiotherapy group was lower than that in the surgery group ( P<0.001). The proportion of patients who died of oral, oropharyngeal, hypopharyngeal and laryngeal diseases in the surgery group was significantly higher than that in the chemoradiotherapy group(all P<0.001). Conclusions:No significant difference is observed in the OS of CEC patients treated with chemoradiotherapy or surgery. In the surgery group, the risk of esophageal cancer-specific death is lower, whereas the risk of other cause-specific death is higher compared with those in the chemoradiotherapy group.

We herein describe AncPhore, a versatile tool for drug discovery, which is characterized by pharmacophore feature analysis and anchor pharmacophore (