Objective:To investigate the clinicopathologic features of sarcomatoid carcinoma of the pancreas.Methods:The clinicopathological data of 7 cases with sarcomatoid carcinoma of the pancreas admitted in the Affiliated Lihuili Hospital of Ningbo University from September 2013 to August 2021 were retrospectively analyzed, including clinical manifestations, laboratory examination, imaging examination, pathological examination of tissue specimens, surgical methods and adjuvant treatments. Expressions of mesenchymal markers and epithelial markers in tumor tissues were determined by immunohistochemical staining.Results:Among the 7 cases of sarcomatoid carcinoma of the pancreas, there were 4 male and 3 female. The patient age ranged from 51 to 88 years old, and the mean age was 69 years old. All the patients underwent CT examimation before surgery. 3 tumors were located in the head, 3 in the body and 1 in the tail of the pancreas. CT examination also showed that 4 tumors were cystic solid and 3 were cystic. Six patients underwent radical surgery and one underwent partial resection for biopsy. Microscopically, the tumor was predominantly composed of sarcomatoid spindle-shaped cells. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the tumor expressed both mesenchymal markers vimentin and epithelial marker CK7, CK19, CK(pan) and CAM5.2. The overall prognosis of the patients was poor, 4 cases died within 1 year after surgery, and the other 3 cases survived without recurrence.Conclusions:The clinical manifestations of sarcomatoid carcinoma of the pancreas were not typical, but the pathological and immunohistochemical features are obvious and the prognosis is poor.

Objective:To compare the prognosis of patients with hepatolithiasis-associated intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) and hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated ICC after radical resection.Methods:The clinicopathological and survival data of 69 patients with ICC undergoing radical resection in the Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Lihuili Hospital Affiliated to Ningbo University from January 2012 to February 2024 were retrospectively analyzed, including 40 males and 29 females, aged (62.9±10.2) years. Patients were divided into the stone group ( n=40, with hepatolithiasis) and HBV group ( n=29, with HBV). Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis, and log-rank test was used for survival rate comparison. Cox proportional hazard regression model was used for multivariate analysis to analyze the effect of hepatolithiasis and HBV on the prognosis. Results:The median overall survival of ICC patients in the stone group was 16 months, and that in the HBV group was 27 months. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year cumulative survivals of the stone group were 56.6%, 23.2%, and 10.3%, respectively, which were lower than those of the HBV group (72.0%, 50.7%, and 43.4%, respectively, χ2=5.95, P=0.015). The median recurrence-free survivals (RFS) of the stone group and the HBV group were 12 months and 23 months, respectively. The 1-year and 3-year RFS of the stone group were 49.2% and 18.1%, which were lower than those of the HBV group (65.0% and 39.8%, respectively, χ2=3.94, P=0.047). Univariate analysis showed that hepatolithiasis was assciated with prognosis ( χ2=5.95, P=0.015). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that hepatolithiasis and hepatitis B virus infection had no effect on the prognosis of ICC patients after surgery (all P>0.05). Conclusion:Compared to HBV infection, ICC patients with hepatolithiasis have a worse prognosis. Hepatolithiasis and HBV infection have no effect on the prognosis of ICC after radical resection.

Objective:To explore the role of arginine metabolism in the inflammatory response to influenza A virus (FluA) infection.Methods:Eighteen-month-old mice were infected with FluA via nasal drip, with samples collected on the 6th day post-infection. The concentration of cytokines was determined by the Luminex multifactor assay, while the metabolites in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were analyzed using targeted metabolomic method. Correlation analysis was employed to examine the correlation between cytokines and metabolites. Macrophages were infected with FluA at a multiplicity of infection (MOI) of 1 and cultured with different concentrations of arginine for 24 h. The mRNA and protein expression levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and IL-10 were detected by real time fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) and Cytometric Bead Array (CBA).Results:In comparison to the control group, the levels of surfactant protein D (SP-D), TNF-α, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1), IL-1α, IL-6, IL-10, recombinant S100 calcium binding protein (S100) A9, interferon inducible protein 10 (IP-10), macrophage inflammatory protein-1α (MIP-1α), matrix metalloprotein-9 (MMP-9), and Complement Factor D in BALF of FluA infection exhibited a significant elevation. The concentrations of arginine, aspartate, citrulline, glutamic acid, ornithine, proline, creatine, and sarcosine in arginine metabolism were up-regulated, which was correlated with most of elevated cytokine levels. The supplementation of arginine after FluA infection significantly decreased the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, but increased the level of IL-10 in macrophages.Conclusions:Arginine reduces the inflammatory response induced by FluA infection in macrophages, suggesting that it may be a potential intervention target for severe pulmonary inflammation following FluA infection.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of hyperthermia on radiation pneumonitis (RP) in elderly patients with esophageal cancer undergoing intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT).Methods:Clinical data of 177 elderly esophageal cancer patients (aged ≥60 years) receiving IMRT in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University and Yixing Cancer Hospital from August 1, 2017 to February 6, 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into the hyperthermia and non-hyperthermia groups based on whether they received hyperthermia treatment. Patients in two groups received IMRT with 6 MV X-rays. Patients in the hyperthermia group underwent high-frequency hyperthermia within 1 h before radiation using the external thermotherapy device HG-2000Ⅲ (heating temperature: 41-43 ℃ for 40 min, twice a week). After adjusting for confounding factors between two groups using propensity score matching (PSM), the short-term effective rates between two groups were compared using Chi-square test. Univariate analysis and logistic multivariate analysis were employed to compare the incidence of RP between two groups. Results:After applying PSM, 42 pairs were successfully matched, and the baseline data and radiotherapy parameters showed no statistically significant differences between two groups (all P>0.05). The objective response rate (ORR) in the hyperthermia group was significantly higher than that in the non-hyperthermia group (83.3% vs. 64.3%, P=0.047). Univariate analysis revealed that the incidence of RP and symptomatic RP (≥ grade 2) in the hyperthermia group was significantly lower than that in the non-hyperthermia group (61.9% vs. 85.7%, P=0.013; 21.4% vs. 47.6%, P=0.012). Logistic multivariate analysis indicated that hyperthermia was an independent protective factor for symptomatic RP ( P=0.011). Conclusions:The incidence and severity of RP in elderly esophageal cancer patients receiving IMRT can be reduced by hyperthermia. Hyperthermia, as a clinically beneficial green treatment, improves efficacy and reduces toxicity for patients with esophageal cancer.

Objective:To establish a method for the rapid determination of the three metabolites of xylene, 2-methylmarmaluronic acid, 3-methylmarmaluronic acid and 4-methylmarmaluronic acid, in urine of occupationally exposed workers by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-HRMS) .Methods:In July 2022, urine samples were diluted and extracted with pH=6.86 phosphate cache solution, cleaned up by a MAX solid-phase extraction (SPE) column and separated by an Accucore Ph/Hexyl column (100 mm×2.1 mm, 2.6 μm) with a gradient of 5 mmol/L ammonium formate-0.1% formic acid aqueous solution and methanol as mobile phases. The analysis was carried out in electrospray ionization mode and full mass-data dependent secondary mass spectrometry mode, and quantified by external standard method. The characteristics of each index of this method were analyzed.Results:A good linearity was obtained in the concentration range of 1.0-200.0 μg/L for 2-methylmuramic acid, 3-methylmuramic acid and 4-methylmuramic acid with the correlation coefficients of 0.9979-0.9993. The limits of detection of the method were 0.18-0.24 μg/L. While the spiked recoveries at the three concentrations (1.0 μg/L, 100.0 μg/L, and 180.0 μg/L) were in the range of 83.0%-93.7%, with the relative standard deviations of 2.2%-7.9%.Conclusion:The UPLC-HRMS method is simple, rapid, sensitive and accurate, and is suitable for the simultaneous determination of the three metabolites of xylene in the urine of occupationally exposed workers.

Objective:To establish a method for the rapid determination of the three metabolites of xylene, 2-methylmarmaluronic acid, 3-methylmarmaluronic acid and 4-methylmarmaluronic acid, in urine of occupationally exposed workers by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-HRMS) .Methods:In July 2022, urine samples were diluted and extracted with pH=6.86 phosphate cache solution, cleaned up by a MAX solid-phase extraction (SPE) column and separated by an Accucore Ph/Hexyl column (100 mm×2.1 mm, 2.6 μm) with a gradient of 5 mmol/L ammonium formate-0.1% formic acid aqueous solution and methanol as mobile phases. The analysis was carried out in electrospray ionization mode and full mass-data dependent secondary mass spectrometry mode, and quantified by external standard method. The characteristics of each index of this method were analyzed.Results:A good linearity was obtained in the concentration range of 1.0-200.0 μg/L for 2-methylmuramic acid, 3-methylmuramic acid and 4-methylmuramic acid with the correlation coefficients of 0.9979-0.9993. The limits of detection of the method were 0.18-0.24 μg/L. While the spiked recoveries at the three concentrations (1.0 μg/L, 100.0 μg/L, and 180.0 μg/L) were in the range of 83.0%-93.7%, with the relative standard deviations of 2.2%-7.9%.Conclusion:The UPLC-HRMS method is simple, rapid, sensitive and accurate, and is suitable for the simultaneous determination of the three metabolites of xylene in the urine of occupationally exposed workers.

Objective:To investigate the surgical method and clinical effect of O-arm navigation mini-open burring for osteoid osteoma.Methods:Eighteen patients with osteoid osteoma were treated with O-arm guided grinding drill from June 2021 to May 2022, including 15 males and 3 females, the age was (18.4 ±10.9) years (range 2 to 44 years), and the course of disease ranged from 1 week to 3 years (mean 14.2 months). The lesions sites included 6 cases of proximal femur, 3 cases of distal femur, 4 cases of proximal tibia, 1 case of distal tibia, 2 cases of proximal fibula and 1 case of distal and proximal humerus. During the operation, the O-arm navigation was used to determine the location of the focus, the muscle and soft tissue was peeled off to the bone surface through a 1-4 cm small incision, the channel retractor was placed, and the burr was registered as a navigation recognition device to gradually remove the bone on the surface of the tumor nest, and the tumor nest was scraped with a curette for pathological examination; according to the navigation image, the focus was enlarged removed with burr and the grinding range was confirmed by the O-arm X-ray machine before the end of the operation. The patients were followed up for 6 to 15 months (mean 9.5 months). CT scans were performed before and after surgery for imaging comparison in order to figure out whether it had residual lesions or recurrence. The visual analogue score (VAS) of pain was used as a parameter for evaluating the clinical efficacy.Results:The operation time of 18 cases was 40-175 min, with an average of 89.3 min. The time required to establish navigation image was 18.0 ±4.1 min (range 13 ~ 22 min). The length of the incision was 2.7±1.1 cm (range 1-4 cm). All patients achieved complete curettage of the lesions, and osteoid osteoma was confirmed by pathology after operation. All the patients could move to the ground 24 hours after operation, and the pain was significantly relieved from 3 to 7 d after operation, and the pain almost disappeared 3 months after operation. The VAS score of 18 cases was 5.33±1.24 before surgery, 2.79±1.32 on the 3rd day, 1.86±1.21 on the 7th day, 0.86±0.93 on the 1st month, 0.33±0.48 on the 3rd month, and 0.09±0.29 on the 6th month after operation, and the difference was statistically significant ( F=58.50, P<0.001). There were no serious complications during and after operation, and the success rate of treatment (no recurrence of symptoms, no residual recurrence of imaging lesions, no serious complications after operation) was 100%. Conclusion:Treatment of osteoid osteoma with mini-open excision using burrs under the navigation of O-arm is a simple, safe, minimally invasive and efficient technique. Intraoperative precise positioning and the use of burr with navigation to remove a larger area than the tumor nest are the keys to successful treatment.

Objective:To investigate the clinical features and laboratory examination results of complete Kawasaki disease (CKD) versus incomplete Kawasaki disease (IKD). Methods:The clinical data of children with complete Kawasaki disease (CKD group, n = 217) and incomplete Kawasaki disease (IKD group, n = 103) who received treatment in Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child-care Hospital from January 2014 to December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical symptom features and laboratory examination indexes were compared between the two groups. Results:The incidence of fever in both groups was 100.0%, but the fever time in the IKD group was (8.97 ± 1.76) days, which was significantly longer than (6.60 ± 1.01) days in the CKD group ( t = 7.68, P < 0.05). The incidences of conjunctival hyperemia, chapped lips, bayberry tongue and finger sclerosis and erythema in the IKD group were 82.5% (84/103), 66.9% (69/103), 21.4% (22/103), and 23.3% (24/103), which were significantly lower than 94.9% (206/217), 76.9% (167/217), 75.1% (163/217), and 81.1% (176/217) in the CKD group ( χ2 = 14.71, 7.09, 82.76, 99.58, all P < 0.05). The incidences of polymorphic rash and perianal peeling in the IKD group were 76.7% (79/103) and 33.9% (35/103), respectively, which were significantly higher than 64.9% (141/217) and 23.5% (51/217) in the CKD group ( χ2 = 4.47, 3.90, both P < 0.05). Digestive and respiratory symptoms were more common in the IKD group than in the CKD group ( P < 0.05). C-reactive protein level in the IKD group was (67.56 ± 23.35) mg/L, which was significantly higher than (53.91 ± 25.06) mg/L in the CKD group ( t = 2.46, P < 0.05), while white blood cell count, platelet count, and B-type brain natriuretic peptide level in the IKD group were significantly lower than those in the CKD group ( t = 2.00, 2.34, 4.69, all P < 0.05). The incidences of coronary artery dilation/small coronary artery aneurysm, and pericardial effusion in the IKD group were greater than those in the CKD group ( χ2 = 6.70, 12.87, both P < 0.05). Conclusion:Children with IKD have a long time of fever. In children without obvious clinical features, attention should be paid to the differential diagnosis of IKD from CKD. IKD should be diagnosed and treated as early as possible to decrease the incidence of coronary artery disease.

Objective:To observe the efficacy of minocycline combined with barrier cream containing prickly thorn fruit oil and acid slurry extract in the treatment of patients with erythematous telangiectasia or papular pustular rosacea.Methods:From August 2020 to April 2021, 44 patients with rosacea were admitted to the Department of Dermatology, the Ninth People′s Hospital, including 28 males and 16 females, aged 20-56 (37±7) years. They were randomly divided into the observation group (minocycline plus barrier cream) and the control group (minocycline plus vaseline ointment), with 22 patients in each group.Results:After 8 weeks of medication, 21 cases (95.5%) in the observation group were effective, while 16 cases (72.7%) in the control group were effective. The efficacy of the observation group was better than that of the control group, the difference was statistically significant (χ 2=2.06, P=0.039). No significant adverse reactions were observed in both groups. Conclusions:Minocycline combined with barrier cream containing prickly thorn oil and acid slurry extract has a good therapeutic effect on rosacea, which is worthy popularizing.

Background: Domestic yaks are the most important livestock species on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Adult female yaks normally breed in the warm season (July to September) and enter anestrous in the cold season (November to April). Nevertheless, it is unclear how ovarian activity is regulated at the molecular level. Objectives: The peculiarities of yak reproduction were assessed to explore the molecular mechanism of postpartum anestrus ovaries in yaks after pregnancy and parturition. Methods: Sixty female yaks with calves were observed under natural grazing in Haiyan County, Qinghai Province. Three yak ovaries in pregnancy and postpartum anestrus were collected. RNA sequencing and quantitative proteomics were employed to analyze the pregnancy and postpartum ovaries after hypothermia to identify the genes and proteins related to the postpartum ovarian cycle. Results: The results revealed 841 differentially expressed genes during the postpartum hypoestrus cycle; 347 were up-regulated and 494 genes were down-regulated. Fifty-seven differential proteins were screened: 38 were up-regulated and 19 were down-regulated. The differential genes and proteins were related to the yak reproduction process, rhythm process, progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation, PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, and MAPK signaling pathway categories. Conclusions Transcriptome and proteomic sequencing approaches were used to investigate postpartum anestrus and pregnancy ovaries in yaks. The results confirmed that BHLHE40, SF1IX1, FBPX1, HSPCA, LHCGR, BMP15, and ET-1R could affect postpartum hypoestrus and control the state of estrus.