Background: Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) play an important role in cancer development and progression. However, the mechanism by which they enhance the chemoresistance of ovarian cancer is unknown. Methods: Conditioned media of BM-MSCs (BM-MSC-CM) were analyzed using a technique based on microRNA arrays. The most highly expressed microRNAs were selected for testing their effects on glycolysis and chemoresistance in SKOV3 and COC1 ovarian cancer cells. The targeted gene and related signaling pathway were investigated using in silico analysis and in vitro cancer cell models. Kaplan-Merier survival analysis was performed on a population of 59 patients enrolled to analyze the clinical significance of microRNA findings in the prognosis of ovarian cancer. Results: MiR-1180 was the most abundant microRNA detected in BM-MSC-CM, which simultaneously induces glycolysis and chemoresistance (against cisplatin) in ovarian cancer cells. The secreted frizzled-related protein 1 (SFRP1) gene was identified as a major target of miR-1180. The overexpression of miR-1180 led to the activation of Wnt signaling and its downstream components, namely Wnt5a, β-catenin, c-Myc, and CyclinD1, which are responsible for glycolysis-induced chemoresistance. The miR-1180 level was inversely correlated with SFRP1 mRNA expression in ovarian cancer tissue. The overexpressed miR-1180 was associated with a poor prognosis for the long-term (96-month) survival of ovarian cancer patients. Conclusions: BM-MSCs enhance the chemoresistance of ovarian cancer by releasing miR-1180. The released miR-1180 activates the Wnt signaling pathway in cancer cells by targeting SFRP1. The enhanced Wnt signaling upregulates the glycolytic level (i.e. Warburg effect), which reinforces the chemoresistance property of ovarian cancer cells.

In this study, 101 strains of bacteria were isolated from arct ic water and sediment samples. The methanol extracts of the fermented broth prod uced by these strains were screened in vitro for anti-tumor activity on mou se tsFT210 cells using the method of flow cytometry, and screened for antibacter ial activity by the method of paper disk diffusion. The result showed that one strain exhibited anti-tumor activity and eight strains had antibacterial activ ity. The stability of the antibacterial components produced by strain AR084 an d its optimum medium were also studied. The research indicated that arctic bac teria had potential application in pharmaceutics.

Objective The cytotoxic microbial strains isolated from the deep ocean water and sediments were screened,and the secondary metabolites of bioactive fungus c2b were investi- gated.Methods Active bioactive microbial strains were screened using brine shrimp and chro- nic medulla leucocythemia leukocythemia(K562)cell line.The cytotoxic components of fun- gus c2b were isolated by bioassay-guided fractionation and solvent extraction,silica gel col- umn chromatography and preparative HPLC.Their structures were established by pbysico- chemical properties and spectral analyses.The cytotoxicities of compounds were evaluated by SRB method.Results and Conclusion Twenty-nine strains of fungi were isolated.Among them,seven strains showed cytotoxic activities.Six compounds(1～6)were isolated and i- dentified as N-acetyl histamine(1),chrysogine(2),ergosterol peroxide(3),5,8-epidioxy- 24-methylcholesta-6,22-dien-3?-ol(4)cerevisterol(5)and(4E,8E)-N-[(2'R,3'E)-2'-hy- droxy-3'-hexadecenoyl]-1-O-?-D-glycopyranosyl-9-methyl-4,8-sphingadiene(6),respective- ly.Compound 3 and 4 showed median cytotoxicity.

Objective To evaluate the cause of ischemia related to myocardial bridge (MB) by using SPECT/CT MPI and CTCA.Methods A total of 294 patients with chest pain,tightness or palpitation undergoing both CTCA and MPI were retrospectively enrolled in this study from March 2008 to March 2013.Among them,49 patients (26 males,23 females,age:32-85 (55.4± 16.6) years) had MB.Locations of MB and myocardial ischemia were recorded.Fused MPI/CTCA was analyzed.If there was no mural atherosclerotic plaque-related stenosis on CAG at the same location of coronary artery where ischemic myocardium was found,then MB was considered as the ischemic cause.Myocardial ischemia rates of different MB locations were compared by x2 test.Results Among 49 patients with MB,3 cases had MB in proximal segment of LAD,34 in mid LAD,4 in distal LAD,3 in septal branch,2 in distal LCX,1 in intermedius,and 2 in mid RCA.There were 41 cases with myocardial ischemia.Myocardial ischemia in 32 cases was caused by MB,including 23 caused by MB in mid LAD.The myocardial ischemia rates of the most common MB location (mid LAD,n =34) and other locations (n =15) were not significantly different (67.6％ (23/34) vs 60.0％ (9/15),x2 =0.27,P＞0.05).Conclusions MB is commonly found in the mid LAD.The myocardial ischemia rates caused by MB is not related the MB location.Hybrid MPI/CTCA could evaluate the sites of coronary MB and myocardial ischemia simultaneously and therefore may be useful to evaluate the relationship between MB and myocardial ischemia.

OBJECTIVE: In order to improve the compatibility of the hospital resource planning (HRP) system for the whole life cycle of medical consumables, and to improve the management and control capabilities of hospital institutions on medical consumables. METHODS: Based on the traditional HRP system, a secondary development and design of a medical consumables whole life-cycle artificial intelligence module was conducted, and a neural network machine learning algorithm module was introduced to enhance its big data integration and analysis capabilities. RESULTS: The simulation analysis found that after adding this module, the proportion of minimum inventory, the proportion of procurement cost difference and the expiration rate of consumables all decreased significantly, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The whole life cycle module of medical consumables based on HRP system can effectively improve the management efficiency of hospital medical consumables, adjust the warehouse inventory management ability, and improve the overall management level of medical consumables.
Artificial Intelligence ; Hospitals

OBJECTIVETo investigate the correlation between the ratio of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)/endostatin (ES) and childhood acute leukemia(AL).

METHODSSerum levels of VEGF and ES were measured using ELISA in 35 children with acute AL before and after chemotherapy. The ratio of VEGF/ES was calculated. Thirty healthy children served as the control group.

RESULTSThe serum levels of VEGF (196 ± 66 pg/mL vs 29 ± 10 pg/mL) and ES (35 ± 7 ng/mL vs 19 ± 4 ng/mL) in the AL group before chemotherapy were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.01). The ratio of VEGF/ES in the AL group before chemotherapy was significantly higher than that in the control group (6.7 ± 3.0 vs 1.6 ± 0.7; P<0.01). In 20 children with AL who achieved complete remission, the serum levels of VEGF and ES and the VEGF/ES ratio were reduced after chemotherapy (83 ± 35 pg/mL, 27 ± 5 ng/mL, 3.1 ± 1.3, respectively; P<0.01), although the serum levels of VEGF and ES were still higher than those in the control group (P<0.01). The VEGF/ES ratio in CR patients was not significantly different from that in the control group. The serum levels of VEGF (r=0.301, P=0.045) and the VEGF/ES ratio (r=0.411, P=0.015) were positively correlated with the count of blast cells in juvenile bone marrow in 35 children with AL before chemotherapy.

CONCLUSIONSSerum VEGF and ES levels are associated with the development of childhood AL. The VEGF/ES ratio can be used to evaluate the disease progression in children with AL.

Acute Disease ; Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Endostatins ; blood ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia ; blood ; drug therapy ; Male ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; blood

BACKGROUNDPrompt diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection is an essential step in tuberculosis control and elimination. However, it is often difficult to accurately diagnose pediatric tuberculosis (TB). The tuberculin test (TST) may have a low specificity because of cross-reactivity with antigens present in Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and other mycobacteria, especially in China with a predominantly BCG-vaccinated population. Early-secreted antigenic target 6-kDa protein (ESAT-6) and culture filtrate protein 10 (CFP-10), stand out as suitable antigens that induce an interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) secreting, T-cell-mediated immune response to infection. While, considered the higher costs and complexity of the IFN-γ release assay (TSPOT), we aimed to evaluate the TSPOT and TST test in the clinical diagnosis of pediatric tuberculosis and to establish a diagnostic process suitable for China.

METHODSThe sensitivity and specificity of the assay were evaluated in total seventy four children with active tuberculosis and fifty one nontuberculous children with other disease, and then the results were compared with TST. Logistic regression models were used to identify variables that were associated with positive results for each assay. The independent variables included sex, age, birth place, vaccination history, close contract with an active TB patient.

RESULTSThe sensitivity of TSPOT was higher than TST in active TB children with or without BCG vaccination, as well as in children with culture-confirmed TB. But the difference was not significant statistically. Combining results of the TSPOT and TST improved the sensitivity to 94.6%. Agreement of the TST and TSPOT was low (77.0%, κ = 0.203) in active TB patients. The difference in specificity between TSPOT and TST test was statistically significant (94.1% vs. 70.6%, P = 0.006). Specificity of the two tests in patients without prior BCG vaccination history was similar (80.0% vs. 60.0%). The concordance between the two tests results in BCG vaccinated subjects was low (71.7%, κ = 0.063). For TSPOT, none of the included risk factors was significantly associated with positive results. For TST, BCG vaccination (OR: 1.78; 95%CI: 1.30 - 2.00) was significantly associated with positive results.

CONCLUSIONSAlthough IFN-γ release assay had relatively high sensitivity and specificity, we also should consider the higher costs and complexity of this test. Therefore, TSPOT could be used as the complementary tool of TST in circumstances when a suspected patient with negative TST results, or to exclude a positive TST result caused by BCG vaccination.

BCG Vaccine ; immunology ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; secretion ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tuberculin Test ; methods ; Tuberculosis ; diagnosis ; Vaccination

Objective To investigate the clinical manifestations and imaging modality for the diagnosis of hepatic fasciola gigantica disease.Methods Thirty eight patients with abdominal pain were admitted in our hospital and underwent investigations with different imaging modalities.Thirty-eight cases underwent abdominal CT scan,among which 5 cases underwent follow-up with abdominal ultrasonography,10 patients with routine MRI scan and CT scan examination,and 2 cases with liver biopsy.Results Thirty-eight cases with CT scan showed the hepatomegaly,with decreased attenuation of the hepatic parenchyma,unclear boundaries.Thirteen cases showed decreased densities (suggesting hydroperitonium),including 10 cases with enhanced CT showed mild inhomogenous enhancement.Five cases with color doppler ultrasound showed inhomogenous hepatic echogenicity,and multiple liver parenchyma echogenecity showedirregular,cluttered cystic dark areas and spleenomegaly,among which two cases had evident hydroperitonium.Ten cases with MRI scan showed liver enlargement,abnormal diffuse signal of hepatic parenchymal lesions and splenomegaly.Two cases who underwent needle biopsy showed parasitic granulomas and necrosis,surrounded by a large number of monocytes andeosinophilic infiltration.Clinical manifestations:All cases were presented with fever,abdominal pain,liver tenderness,etc.Twenty-five cases presented with nausea,vomiting,loss of appetite,15 cases presented with ascites,5 cases presented with pericardial effusion,5 cases with lung parenchymal changes on CT,others showed generalised systemic edema and malena,very few patients had utricaria,itching and other symptoms.Conclusion CT and MRI scanning in patients suspected with human fasciola hepatica showed multiple small hepatic subcapsular abscess,of which some were clustered or tunnel-like.Combined with parasites,imaging manifestations are helpful for the early diagnosis.

Objective To investigate the curative effect and clinical application value of ultrasound-guided low-power microwave ablation in treating liver cancer with special sites (including the leiosn near the gallbladder,diaphragmatic dome,gastrointestine, heart,blood vessels and hepatic portal canal with the shortest distance between the tumor and the organs or lumen less than 0.5 cm). Methods Forty patients with liver cancer with special sites including neighboring the gallbladder in 9 cases,diaphragmatic dome in 7 cases,gastrointestine in 5 cases,portal vein in 1 1 cases,hepatic vein in 3 cases,inferior vena cava in 3 cases and heart in 2 cases were selected as the treatment group and other 40 cases with primary liver cancer with common site were selected as the control group by stratified random selection,during the same period.Ultrasound-guided microwave ablation was performed,all patients were followed up at 6 months,12 months,18 months and 24 months,and the survival rate was calculated.Results The negative rate of AFP in the treatment group and control group was 83.0% and 82.0%,respectively.The survival rates of the treatment group and the control group at 6 months,12 months,18 months and 24 months were 100.0%,95.0%,90.0%,80.0% and 100.0%,97.5%,92.5%,85.0%. Conclusion Ultrasound-guided low-power microwave ablation in treating the liver cancer with special sites is very effective and safe. The curative effect is similar to that of liver cancer with common site and can be widely used in clinic.

Objective To explore the value of dual-phase contrast-enhancement multislice computed tomography (MSCT) in the assessment of acute myocardial infarction volume and perfusion in porcine models. Methods The distal left anterior descending coronary arteries of 5 pigs were balloon-occluded for 90 min and followed by reperfusion. MSCT was performed 1 min (early phase) and 5 min (delayed phase) after administration bolus of 100 mL of iodinated contrast material 30 min after reperfusion. On the same day, hearts were excised, sectioned in 8 mm short-axis slices, and stained with TTC. Infarction volume was defined as the sum of the hyper-enhanced area and surrounding hypo-enhanced area in all slices on delay enhanced phase of MSCT and the TTC-negative area on TTC staining slices. Infarction volume was expressed as percentage of total slice volume. Results Acute infarction detected by MSCT was characterized by early myocardial perfasion defects in the early phase of the contrast bolus (early defects) with surrounding residual defects and late enhancement observed in the late phase. Mean CT attenuation value of early defects was significantly different from CT attenuation value of remote myocardium [(213±55)HU vs (304±30)HU](P < 0.05), CT attenuation values of residual defects and late enhancement were also significantly different from those of remote myocardium [(360±75) HU vs (90±37) HU and (152±23) HU vs (190±37) HU, repectively](P < 0.01, P < 0.05). The mean infarction volume was (8.9± 1.0)% on MSCT and (9.2±1.4)% on TTC pathology images. The infarction volume assessed by MSCT compared well with TTC staining slices. Conclusion Acute reperfused myocardial infarction zone has specific enhancement pattens different to remote normal zone on dual phase MDCT, which is in good agreement with in vivo Trc pathology in the assessment of acute reperfused myocardial infarction shortly offer reperfusion.