Objective To verify the performance of quantitative detection of interleukin-6 by using IMMUNITE1000 chemilumi-nescence analyzer.Methods According to the requirements of International Organization for Standardization(ISO)1 5 189,serum specimen were collected and levels of IL-6 were detected.The precision,accuracy,analytical measurement range,reportable range amd normal reference range of quantitative detection of interleukin-6 by using IMMUNITE1000 chemiluminescence analyzer were verified,and its performance was evaluated.Results The coefficient variation(CV)of between-day precision of high and low value was 6.42% and 1.97% respectively,and that of within-run precision was 3.40% and 3.82% respectively.Compared the test re-sults with the target values,the bias % was 0.91%.The regression equation:Y =0.986X - 7.1 (r 2 = 0.999,P < 0.05 ).With 27 times diluted,the recovery rate was from 97% to 100%,and the clinical reportable range was 2 to 27 000 pg/mL.The 95% refer-ence interval ranged from 0 to 5.3 pg/mL.Conclusion The performance of this system meets the manufacturer′s declaration,and could satisfy the quality requirements of clinical laboratory.

Objective To investigate the computed tomography (CT) features of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP).Methods The CT imaging data of 33 patients with AIP confirmed by pathology and/or steroid therapy were retrospectively analyzed.Image analysis including the shape of pancreas, density of lesion, contrast enhancement, the changes of pancreatic duct and biliary duct, peripancreatic appearances and adjacent organ involvement.T test was performed for statistical analysis.Results Among 33 patients with AIP, 23 cases (70%) with pancreatic parenchyma diffuse enlargement, eight cases (24%) with partial enlargement and two cases (6%) with normal pancreas.The lesions appeared hypoattenuating or isoattenuating on plain CT scan.After contrast-enhanced scan, the average CT values of lesions were (75.7±17.0) Hu at arterial phase, which was lower than that of venous phase (90.7±12.0) Hu, and the difference was statistically significant (t=3.378,P=0.002).The lesions demonstrated as progressive enhancement at venous phase.Among 33 patients, the main pancreatic duct was visible in six patients (18%).Sixteen patients (48%) presented with intrahepatic and extrahepatic biliary tract dilatation caused by intrapancreatic common bile duct stenosis.Thickened envelope-like structure around the lesions, presenting as capsule sign was seen in 14 patients (42%).Extra-pancreatic organ involvement was found in seven patients including three cases of kidney involvement.After treated with steroid, seven patients repeated CT which showed different degrees of improvement.Conclusion The main CT findings of AIP are diffuse and partial enlargement of pancreas with progressive enhancement at venous phase, envelope-like structure around pancreas, and stenosis of intrapancreatic common bile duct, which are important in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of AIP.

Objective To investigate the serum IL-33 level and its association with TH1,TH2,TH17 and Treg cells in patients with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion(URSA).Methods Forty-six URSA patients and 40 healthy controls were enrolled.The proportions of TH1,TH2,TH17 and Treg cells in peripheral blood samples were determined by flow cytometry,and serum IL-33 levels by ELISA.Results The levels of serum IL-33 in URSA patients were significantly lower than that in healthy controls.The proportions of TH2 and Treg cells in URSA patients were significantly lower than that in healthy controls (P ＜ 0.05),while the proportions of TH 1 and TH 17 cells in URSA patients were significantly higher than that in healthy controls.Serum IL-33 levels were negatively correlated with the proportions of TH 1 and TH17 cells,and positively with that of TH2 cells,while no correlation with Treg cells.Conclusion Serum IL-33 levels decrease significantly in URSA patients,and are correlated with the proportions of TH1,TH2 and TH17 cells,indicating that IL-33 may be associated with TH1,TH2 and TH17 cells in URSA patients.

BACKGROUND: Recent experimental studies have found ultrasound mediated microbubbles potentiate stem cell therapy in myocardial infarction (MI)-induced heart failure, indicating a good application prospect. But whether ultrasound mediated nitric oxide (NO) microbubbles also have the same effect in the intracoronary transplantation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) for treatment of large animals with MI is still unknown. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness and possible mechanism of ultrasound mediated NO microbubbles in potentiating intracoronally transplanted BMSCs homing to the infarcted area in a MI pig model.METHODS: Density gradient centrifugation culture method was used in the isolation and cultivation of BMSCs. CM-Dil was used to label BMSCs in vitro. Twenty-four pigs were used to make MI models by blocking the left anterior descending coronary artery, and then were divided into PBS group, BMSCs group, ultrasound+microbubbles+BMSCs(MB) group, ultrasound+NO microbubbles+BMSCs (NO-MB) group(n=6 per group). In the PBS group, 10 mL of PBS was intracoronally injected. In the BMSCs group, about 1×107 BMSCs were diluted in 10 mL of PBS and then intracoronally infused. In the MB group, 0.1 mL/kg sulphur hexafluoride microbubbles (Sono Vue) was intracoronally injected together with ultrasound treatment (1 MHz, 2 W/cm2, 2 minutes), followed by intracoronary infusion of about 1×107 BMSCs that were diluted in 10 mL of PBS. In the NO-MB group, all methods and conditions were identical to those in the MB group except only 0.1 mL/kg of Sono Vue was replaced by 0.1 mL/kg NO microbubbles. Three pigs were sacrificed in each group 48 hours after CM-Dil positive BMSCs transplantation. The labeled BMSCs were observed and counted by fluorescent microscope after frozen sectioning of the infarct area. We assessed and compared left ventricular systolic function with M-mode ultrasound among groups at 4 weeks after intervention. After cardiac function test, the rest pigs were sacrificed and capillary density in the myocardial ischemic area was counted and compared after hematoxylin-eosin staining. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) The number of CM-Dil positive cells in the area of MI in the NO-MB group was much more than that in the MB group and BMSCs group with statistical significance (P < 0.05). (2) The left ventricle systolic function was significantly improved in the NO-MB group as compared with the MB group (P < 0.05). The same trend was observed between NO-MB group and BMSCs group as well as between NO-MB group and PBS group (P < 0.05). (3) The density of capillaries increased significantly in the NO-MB group compared with the MB group, BMSCs group and PBS group, respectively. To conclude, ultrasound mediated NO microbubble combined with intracoronary BMSCs transplantation can improve the left ventricular systolic function. The possible mechanism could be that ultrasoundmediated NO mocrobubbles promote the homing of transplanted BMSCs to the myocardial ischemia area as well as improve local angiogenesis.

Objective: To investigate the atypical computed tomography (CT) features of primary small intestinal lymphoma (PSIL), and its correlation with pathology. Methods: From July 2007 to June 2018, at Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, the clinical features and CT imaging data of 29 histopathologically diagnosed PSIL with atypical CT features were retrospectively analyzed. Results: A total of 29 cases were all confirmed as Non-Hodgkin′s lymphoma including 23 cases of B cell lymphoma and six cases of peripheral T cell lymphoma. In 24 PSIL patients, the intestinal wall was unevenly thickened. While five cases had intra- and extra-intestinal masses. Images of four PSIL patients showed heterogeneous density at unenhanced CT scan, five cases presented with heterogeneous mild to moderate enhancement and five cases demonstrated with obvious enhancement at portal venous phase. Multiple ulcers in mucosa were found in 20 cases, and obviously abnormal mucosal enhancement was found in five cases, and 13 cases showed rough serosa layer of intestinal wall and the fat gap around the intestinal wall disappeared. Adjacent organs were involved in four cases and intestinal obstruction occurred in eight cases. Conclusion The atypical imaging of PSIL can be heterogeneous density of the lesion, heterogeneous or obvious enhancement at enhanced scan, multiple ulcers on the mucosal surface, thickening of the mucosal surface, blurred peripheral fat space, involvement of adjacent organs and intestinal obstruction.

Objective: To evaluate the choice of surgical treatment of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and its impact on long-term outcomes. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the clinicopathological features and treatment protocol of DCIS patients who underwent surgical treatment in Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine from January 2009 to August 2016 was done. The factors which could affect surgical treatment were analyzed by χ² test and Logistic regression. Survival analysis were performed between different surgical approaches. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and Log-rank tests demonstrated the distribution of disease free survival and overall survival. Results: A total of 526 patients were enrolled in this study, 405 cases (77.0%) underwent mastectomy, 121 cases (23.0%) underwent breast-conserving surgery, of which 88 cases received radiotherapy after breast-conserving surgery. It was shown by univariate and multivariate analysis that age>50 years (OR=0.631, 95% CI: 0.413 to 0.965, P=0.034), first symptom of nipple discharge (OR=0.316, 95% CI: 0.120 to 0.834, P=0.020), excision biopsy (OR=1.831, 95% CI: 1.182 to 2.835, P=0.007) and tumor size >3 cm (OR=0.422, 95% CI: 0.206 to 0.864, P=0.018) were significantly correlated with choice of surgical treatment for breast lesions. Axillary lymph node dissection was performed for 118 cases (22.4%), with sentinel lymph node biopsy for 327 cases (62.2%), and none for 81 cases (15.4%). There was significant statistical difference in the choice of axillary lymph node management in patients of different age (χ²=8.124, P=0.017), biopsy type (χ²=35.567, P=0.000), breast operation type (χ²=149.118, P=0.000) and tumor size (χ²=13.394, P=0.010). The 5-year disease free survival rates was 95.7%, 89.6% and 100%, respectively, for mastectomy group, breast-conserving surgery group and breast-conserving surgery plus radiotherapy group. And the 5-year overall survival rates for three groups were 99.0%, 100% and 100%. The differences were not statistically significant (P=0.427, 0.777). Conclusions For DCIS patients, age, first symptom and tumor size are independent predictors of breast surgery. The choice of axillary lymph node surgery is influenced by age, biopsy, operation type, and tumor size. Different surgical treatment options has no significant effect on disease-free survival and overall survival in DCIS patients.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) between core needle biopsy (CNB) and surgery removed sample (SRS) in early stage breast cancer patients and to identify the correlating factors and prognostic significance of TILs changes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out on 255 patients who received CNB and underwent surgical resection for invasive breast cancer. Stromal TILs levels of CNB and SRS were evaluated respectively. Tumors with ≥50% stromal TILs were defined as lymphocyte-predominant breast cancer (LPBC). Clinicopathological variables were analyzed to determine whether there were factors associated with TILs changes. Log-rank tests and Cox proportional hazards models were used to analyze the influences of TILs and TILs changes on survival. RESULTS: SRS-TILs (median, 10.0%) were significant higher than CNB-TILs (median, 5.0%; p<0.001). Younger age (<60 years, p=0.016) and long surgery time interval (STI, ≥4 days; p=0.003) were independent factors correlating with higher TILs changes. CNB-LPBC patients showed better breast cancer-free interval (BCFI, p=0.021) than CNB-non-LPBC (CNB-nLPBC) patients. Patients were categorized into four groups according to the LPBC change pattern from CNB to SRS: LPBC→LPBC, LPBC→nLPBC, nLPBC→LPBC, and nLPBC→nLPBC, with estimated 5-year BCFI 100%, 100%, 69.7%, and 86.0% (p=0.016). nLPBC→LPBC pattern was an independent prognostic factor of worse BCFI (hazard ratio, 2.19; 95% confidence interval, 1.06 to 4.53; p=0.035) compared with other patterns. CONCLUSION: TILs were significantly higher in SRS than in CNB. Higher TILs changes were associated with younger age and long STI. Changing from nLPBC to LPBC after CNB indicated a worse BCFI, which needs further validation.
Biopsy, Large-Core Needle ; Breast Neoplasms ; Breast ; Humans ; Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Retrospective Studies ; Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Purpose: In non-metastatic prostate cancer (nmPCa) setting, it is important to early identify the patients at risk of biochemical recurrence (BCR) for immediate postoperative intervention. Our study aimed to evaluate the potential clinical utility of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) for predicting disease recurrence. Materials and Methods: This real-world observational study evaluated 161 cases of nmPCa undergoing next-generation sequencing at our institution. A total of 139 ctDNA samples and 31 biopsied tumor tissue underwent genomic profiling. The study endpoint was BCR after radical prostatectomy. Relationships between the ctDNA status and the biochemical progression-free survival (bPFS) were analyzed by log-rank test and multivariate Cox regression. Results: Of 161 enrolled patients, 19 (11.8%) harbored deleterious alterations in NCOR2, followed by BRCA2 (3.7%), ATR (2.5%), and CDK12 (2.5%). Of available pre-operative blood samples (n=139), ctDNA was detectable in 91 (65.5%). Until last follow-up, 56 of 68 patients (85.3%) with detectable ctDNA had achieved BCR, whereas only eight of 39 patients (20.5%) with undetectable ctDNA had achieved BCR. Patients who had undetectable ctDNA experienced significantly longer bPFS compared with those who had detectable ctDNA (not available vs. 8.2 months; hazard ratio, 0.14; p < 0.01). Pre-operative ctDNA status was a significant prognostic factor of disease recurrence. Conclusion Pre-operative ctDNA detection could identify patients at high risk of recurrence and has the potential to inform immediate postoperative interventions, but these approaches remain to be validated in prospective studies. ctDNA studies can provide insights into accurate monitoring and precise treatment rather than simply following routine clinical care.

Objective:To analyze the clinical epidemiological characteristics and the prognostic risk factors of patients with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS).Methods:A total of 2 245 HFRS patients who were admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University from September 2008 to December 2021 were enrolled. Clinical epidemiological data (including gender, age, onset season, onset region, case fatality rate, et al) of HFRS patients were analyzed. The clinical epidemiological characteristics of patients with HFRS in the 2008 to 2012, 2013 to 2017, and 2018 to 2021 groups were compared. Statistical comparisons were performed using chi-square test. The Bonferroni adjusted P-value method was used for pairwise comparisons between groups, and logistic regression analysis was used to screen and evaluate the risk factors associated with the prognosis of HFRS patients. Results:The age of 2 245 HFRS patients was (42.3±15.9) years old. Most of them were male (79.24%(1 779/2 245)), and the main incidence area was Xi′an City (69.53%(1 561/2 245)). There were 132 deaths with an overall case fatality rate of 5.88%. There were 1 088 patients (48.46%) from 2008 to 2012, 647 patients (28.82%) from 2013 to 2017, and 510 patients (22.72%) from 2018 to 2021, with a mortality rate of 7.17%(78/1 088), 5.10%(33/647) and 4.12%(21/510), respectively. From 2008 to 2021, both the number of HFRS cases and the case fatality rate had shown a fluctuating downward trend. There were significant differences in case fatality rate, age distribution, onset season, and onset region among patients in the different year groups ( χ2=6.84, 49.22, 83.47 and 19.29, respectively, all P<0.05). The results of pairwise comparisons showed that the proportion of patients aged >60 years in the 2018 to 2021 group (23.33%(119/510)) was higher than those in the 2008 to 2012 group (12.13%(132/1 088)) and the 2013 to 2017 group (12.36%(80/647)), and the differences were statistically significant (both P<0.05). The proportions of patients at large peak (October to December) were 62.35%(318/510) in the 2018 to 2021 group and 56.26%(364/647) in the 2013 to 2017 group, which were both lower than that in the 2008 to 2012 group (75.18%(818/1 088)), and the differences were both statistically significant (both P<0.05). The case fatality rate of patients aged >60 years was 9.67%(32/331), which was higher than those of patients aged <30 years (2.86%(16/559)) and patients aged 30 to 60 years (6.20%(84/1 355)), with statistically significant differences (both P<0.05). Univariate analysis showed that age 30 to 60 years, age >60 years, smoking, complicated with hypertension, hypotensive shock and hypoxemia were significantly correlated with the prognosis of HFRS patients (odds ratio ( OR)=2.243, 3.632, 1.484, 3.532, 79.422 and 143.955, respectively, all P<0.05). The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that complicated with hypertension ( OR=2.467, P=0.004), hypotensive shock ( OR=11.658, P=0.001), and hypoxemia ( OR=67.767, P<0.001) were the independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of HFRS patients. Conclusions:The prevalence of HFRS has shown new changing characteristics from 2008 to 2021. The numbers of HFRS patients and the case fatality rates show a downward trend, and the proportion of HFRS patients aged >60 years increases. Complicated with hypertension, hypotensive shock and development with hypoxemia are the independent risk factors for the prognosis of HFRS.

Objective:To investigate the dynamic changes of routine laboratory parameters during the course of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) and estimate the predictive value for the severity of the disease.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted, which enrolled 394 HFRS patients admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University (374 cases) and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi′an Jiaotong University (20 cases) from January 2019 to January 2022. The patients were divided into mild (mild and moderate) and severe (severe and critical) groups.The basic information, personal history, past history, treatment, complications and other clinical data of patients were collected and the results of the laboratory examinations in the morning at day 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 15, 20 and 25 of hospitalization and before discharge were recorded. The dynamic changes of the patients′ routine laboratory indicators and the dynamic predictive values of each indicator for severe condition were analyzed. Mann-Whitney U test and chi-square test were used for comparison, and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was used for predictive value evaluation. Results:The age of 212 patients in the mild group was 38(27, 61) years, and that of 182 patients in the severe group was 49(32, 64) years, the difference was statistically significant ( Z=-2.24, P=0.025). The incidences of acute pancreatitis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, the utilization rates of blood purification and mechanical ventilation in the severe group were 6.0%(11/182), 12.6%(23/182), 19.8%(36/182), 89.6%(163/182) and 22.5%(41/182), respectively, and those in the mild group were 0(0/212), 0(0/212), 0(0/212), 15.6%(33/212) and 0.5%(1/212) respectively, and the differences were all statistically significant ( χ2=13.18, 28.45, 46.15, 214.48 and 50.02, respectively, all P<0.05). The levels of white blood cell count, lymphocyte count, monocyte count and neutrophil count were all increased rapidly after onset and peaked at days 4 to 6 of illness, with the counts of 14.2(9.7, 20.7)×10 9/L, 4.2(2.3, 6.2)×10 9/L, 1.5 (0.8, 3.3)×10 9/L and 8.3(4.3, 11.4)×10 9/L, respectively. Aspartate aminotransferase peaked (102(66, 178) U/L) within three days after onset and then decreased rapidly, returned to normal level by day 12. Blood urea nitrogen and creatinine both increased steadily after onset, peaked at day 9 to 10, with the levels of 13.2(7.7, 19.1) mmol/L and 255.4(122.9, 400.9) μmol/L, respectively. Prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen degradation products and D-dimer levels at day 3 after onset were 12.7(12.0, 13.2) s, 38.7(33.5, 51.9) s, 12.6(6.9, 32.0) mg/L and 4.9(2.2, 13.7) mg/L, respectively.Platelet count at day 4, neutrophil count at day 5, creatinine at day 11 and blood urea nitrogen at day 14 after onset had decent predictive values for estimating severity, of which the area under curve (AUC) values were 0.801(95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.727 to 0.875), 0.824(95% CI 0.770 to 0.878), 0.862(95% CI 0.805 to 0.919) and 0.810(95% CI 0.722 to 0.897), respectively. Conclusions:Routine blood count, liver function and coagulation are important reference indicators for early warning of severe disease of HFRS, while with the progress of the disease, renal function indicators are effective in differentiating the severity of the disease. The platelet count at day 4, neutrophil count at day 5, creatinine at day 11 and blood urea nitrogen at day 14 after onset have predictive values for severe HFRS.