Objective To study the protective effect of fluvastatin on cardiac remodeling and cardiac function, and to investigate its effect on Von Willebrand factor (VWF). Methods The rat model of cardiac heart failure (CHF) was in-duced by isoproterenol injection (170 mg/kg) via subcutaneous. Eighteen model rats were randomly divided into fluvastatin (20 mg ·kg-1·d-1) group, placebo group and control group. Rats were treated with normal saline in placebo group and control group. After 6-week treatment, the structure and function of hearts were measured by echocardiography in three groups. The ventricular weight index, the serum levels of VWF and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) were measured by ELISA assay. The levels of VWF mRNA in cardiac muscle were measured by RT-PCR. Results Compared with control group, the val-ues of left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD) and left ventricular end systolic diameter (LVESD) were significantly increased in placebo group and fluvastatin group, while values of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and left ventricular ejection fraction shortening (LVFS) were significantly decreased (P＜0.05). The values of left ventricular wet weight/body weight (LVRW) and right ventricular wet weight/body weight (RVRW) were increased in placebo group and fluvastatin group. The expression of VWF mRNA in cardiac tissues was enhanced significantly (P＜0.01). Compared with placebo group, the values of LVEDD, LVRW and RVRW were significantly decreased in fluvastatin group. The expression of VWF mRNA in cardiac tissues was significantly decreased (P＜0.01), and the values of LVEF and LVFS were significant increased in fluvas-tatin group (P＜0.05). The level of VWF was positively corrected with BNP(r=0.996). Conclusion Fluvastatin could im-prove the cardiac function and cardiac remodeling, which may be by reducing the level of VWF and improving endothelial function.

BACKGROUND:Mesenchymal stem cels have the specific chemotaxis to the inflammation and tumor tissue, but the effect of mesenchymal stem cels on the growth of cervical cancer cels becomes an urgent problem. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cels on the proliferation of cervical cancer Hela cels. METHODS:Hela cels were co-cultured with human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cels at different number or its conditioned medium at different concentrations for 3 days. Then, cel counting kit-8 was used to detect the proliferation of Hela cels. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:When Hela cels were co-cultured with human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cels at ratios of 1:3, 1:2, 1:1, 2:1, 4:1, 8:1, the relative proliferation inhibition rates were 67.12%, 47.18%, 31.15%, 27.61%, 15.55% and 15.95%, respectively. When the Hela cels were co-cultured with human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cel conditioned medium at 5, 10, 20, 40, 60, 100 mg/L, the relative proliferation inhibition rates were 0.61%, 40.1%, 63.47%, 80.61%, 93.56%, 90.65%, respectively. These findings indicate that the proliferation of Hela cels can be inhibited by co-culture with human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cels at a certain concentration-dependent manner.

Objective: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) is a condition of unknown etiology associated with venous sinus stenosis. This study aimed to develop a magnetic resonance venography (MRV)-based radiomics model for predicting a high trans-stenotic pressure gradient (TPG) in IIH patients diagnosed with venous sinus stenosis. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 105 IIH patients (median age [interquartile range], 35 years [27– 42 years]; female:male, 82:23) who underwent MRV and catheter venography complemented by venous manometry. Contrast enhanced-MRV was conducted under 1.5 Tesla system, and the images were reconstructed using a standard algorithm. Shape features were derived from MRV images via the PyRadiomics package and selected by utilizing the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) method. A radiomics score for predicting high TPG (≥ 8 mmHg) in IIH patients was formulated using multivariable logistic regression; its discrimination performance was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). A nomogram was constructed by incorporating the radiomics scores and clinical features. Results: Data from 105 patients were randomly divided into two distinct datasets for model training (n = 73; 50 and 23 with and without high TPG, respectively) and testing (n = 32; 22 and 10 with and without high TPG, respectively). Three informative shape features were identified in the training datasets: least axis length, sphericity, and maximum three-dimensional diameter.The radiomics score for predicting high TPG in IIH patients demonstrated an AUROC of 0.906 (95% confidence interval, 0.836– 0.976) in the training dataset and 0.877 (95% confidence interval, 0.755–0.999) in the test dataset. The nomogram showed good calibration. Conclusion Our study presents the feasibility of a novel model for predicting high TPG in IIH patients using radiomics analysis of noninvasive MRV-based shape features. This information may aid clinicians in identifying patients who may benefit from stenting.

Objective:To investigate the radiation field and dose selection of patients with isolated chest wall recurrence (ICWR) after modified radical mastectomy, and analyze the prognostic factors related to subsequent chest wall recurrence.Methods:Clinical data of 201 patients with ICWR after mastectomy admitted to the Fifth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital from 1998 to 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. None of the patients received postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy. After ICWR, 48 patients (73.6%) underwent surgery and 155 patients (77.1%) received radiotherapy. Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the post-recurrence progression-free survival (PFS) rates and the difference was compared by log-rank test. Multivariate analysis was performed using Cox regression model. Competing risk model was adopted to estimate the subsequent local recurrence (sLR) rates after ICWR and the difference was compared with Gray test. Multivariate analysis was conducted using F&G analysis. Results:With a median follow up of 92.8 months after ICWR, the 5-year PFS rate was 23.2%, and the 5-year sLR rate was 35.7%. Multivariate analysis showed that patients with surgery plus radiotherapy and recurrence interval o F>12 months had a lower sLR rate. Patients with recurrence interval o F>48 months, local plus systemic treatment and surgery plus radiotherapy had a higher PFS rate. Among the 155 patients who received chest wall radiotherapy after ICWR, total chest wall irradiation plus local boost could improve the 5-year PFS rate compared with total chest wall irradiation alone (34.0% vs. 15.4%, P=0.004). Chest wall radiation dose (≤60 Gy vs.>60 Gy) exerted no significant effect upon the sLR and PFS rates (both P>0.05). In the 53 patients without surgery, the 5-year PFS rates were 9.1% and 20.5%( P=0.061) with tumor bed dose ≤60 Gy and>60 Gy, respectively. Conclusions:Local radiotherapy is recommended for patients with ICWR after modified radical mastectomy of breast cancer, including total chest wall radiation plus local boost. The radiation dose for recurrence should be increased to 60 Gy, and it should be above 60 Gy for those who have not undergone surgical resection. In addition, patients with ICWR still have a high risk of sLR, and more effective treatments need to be explored.

Objective:To analyze the prognosis of patients with isolated regional recurrence (RR) after mastectomy, and evaluate the efficacy of radiotherapy and identify the optimal radiation target volumes.Methods:Clinical data of 144 patients with first isolated RR after mastectomy between 2001 and 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients had not received post-mastectomy radiotherapy. The primary endpoints consisted of the subsequent locoregional recurrence (sLRR), distant metastasis (DM), progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS).Results:With a median follow-up of 82.5 months after RR, the 5-year sLRR, DM, PFS and OS rates for the entire group were 42.1%, 71.9%, 22.9% and 62.6%, respectively. Local plus systemic therapy was an independent favorable prognostic factor for sLRR ( P<0.001) and PFS ( P=0.013). The sLRR rate in the surgery plus radiotherapy group was the lowest ( P<0.001). Surgery plus radiotherapy significantly reduced the 5-year risk of recurrence within the initially involved nodal regions ( P<0.001). Patients with chest wall irradiation obtained the 5-year subsequent chest wall recurrence rate of 12.1% compared to 14.8%( P=0.873) for those without chest wall irradiation. The subsequent supraclavicular recurrence rate was lower in patients with prophylactic supraclavicular irradiation than that without prophylactic supraclavicular irradiation (9.9% vs. 23.8%, P=0.206). The incidence rates of initially uninvolved axillary and internal mammary nodal recurrence were below 10% regardless of prophylactic irradiation or not. Conclusions:Patients with RR alone have an optimistic 5-year OS in the contemporary era. Comprehensive locoregional treatment including surgery and radiotherapy combined with systemic therapy is recommended. The chest wall, axillary and internal mammary nodal prophylactic irradiation should not be routinely performed for all patients with RR. The value of supraclavicular prophylactic irradiation remains to be evaluated.