BACKGROUNDPulmonary embolism, a potentially fatal event, occurs more frequently in cancer patients than in the general population. To offer an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment to such patients in China, we analyzed the incidence rate and clinical features of pulmonary embolism in patients with solid tumor hospitalized in the Peking Union Medical College (PUMC) Hospital.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was made of the hospitalized patients with solid malignancies complicated with pulmonary embolism who had been admitted into the PUMC Hospital from January 2002 to December 2008.

RESULTSThe incidence of pulmonary embolism in hospitalized patients with solid malignancies was 0.27% (120/43 967). The median age at diagnosis was 57.5 years. The male to female ratio was 1.0:1.4 (49:71). Patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) constituted the largest proportion of the 120 patients (37.5%), followed by patients with breast (9.2%), ovarian (8.3%), pancreatic (6.7%), and liver cancer (6.7%). Eighty patients (66.7%) had stage IV cancer. Bone was the most common site of distant metastasis (46.3%). D-dimer level was elevated in 90.9% of the 66 tested patients. The incidence of bleeding due to anti-coagulation therapy was 3.6%. Thirty-six (30.0%) of the 120 patients had concurrent deep venous thrombosis in the lower extremities. Seventeen patients developed acute pulmonary embolism within 2 weeks after surgery, 3 of whom died suddenly. Four patients presented with deep venous thrombosis and 1 with pulmonary embolism prior to the identification of malignancy.

CONCLUSIONSPatients with cancer of the lung, ovarian, breast, pancreas, and liver are more likely to be complicated with pulmonary embolism than those with other types of solid tumors. Patients with distant metastasis are at a higher risk of pulmonary embolism. Pulmonary embolism without concurrent deep venous thrombosis is more frequently observed than concurrence of both disorders in the clinical setting.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anticoagulants ; therapeutic use ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Heparin ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasms ; classification ; complications ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; Pulmonary Embolism ; diagnosis ; drug therapy ; etiology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of combined gene therapy with interference hTERT and TRF2 gene on the treatment of breast cancer.

METHODSRecombinant adenovirus rAd-hTERT and rAd-TRF2 expressing siRNA-hTERT and siRNA-TRF2 was constructed, and the vectors were transfected into MCF-7 cells. Than the expressions of hTERT and TRF2 proteins were detected by Western blot, the inhibition of MCF-7 cell proliferation by MTT colorimetry, and the changes of MCF-7 cell cycle by flow cytometry and the colony forming ability of MCF-7 cells by clone form test.

RESULTSAt 48 h after transfection, the relative expression amounts of hTERT protein of the PBS control group, rAd-blank group, rAd-HK control group, rAd-hTERT group, rAd-TRF2 group and rAd-hTERT and rAd-TRF2 group were 1.00, 0.94 +/- 0.02, 0.95 +/- 0.04, 0.18 +/- 0.04, 0.95 +/- 0.01 and 0.18 +/- 0.04, respectively. The relative expression amounts of TRF2 protein were 1.00, 1.01 +/- 0.08, 0.96 +/- 0.02, 0.95 +/- 0.08, 0.22 +/- 0.01 and 0.26 +/- 0.02, respectively. After transfection of rAd-hTERT or rAd-TRF2 into MCF-7 cells separately, the inhibition rate of cell proliferation was only 54.6% and 48.4%, there was 8.9% +/- 1.2% or 9.2% +/- 2.3% of MCF-7 cells into M phase, 66.4% +/- 1.5% or 64.6% +/- 1.9% of MCF-7 cells was arrested at G(0)/G(1) phase, and the cell colony forming ability was decreased significantly (cell colony number from 100 in PBS control group down to 41.3 +/- 5.1 and 43.7 +/- 6.4). But after transfection by rAd-hTERT and rAd-TRF2 simultaneously, the inhibition rate of cell proliferation was about 82.1%, and M phase cells was significantly reduced to 4.4% +/- 1.2%. Large numbers of cells were arrested at G(0)/G(1) phase (81.4% +/- 1.3%), and the cell colony forming ability was more significantly decreased (cell colony number there were only 29.2 +/- 3.9).

CONCLUSIONMore effective effect of tumor gene therapy can be achieved by combination of interference hTERT and TRF2 genes as compared with interference by either of the single gene alone.

Adenoviridae ; genetics ; Breast Neoplasms ; genetics ; metabolism ; pathology ; Cell Cycle ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Genetic Therapy ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; RNA Interference ; RNA, Small Interfering ; genetics ; Telomerase ; genetics ; metabolism ; Telomeric Repeat Binding Protein 2 ; genetics ; metabolism ; Transfection ; Tumor Stem Cell Assay

OBJECTIVETo study on visible display of Meridian on the dummy human body.

METHODSTube model-building method and computer technique were used, and data came from Voxel-Man dummy human body development platform.

RESULTSThe visual effect of re-building Meridian is very good and it can display the different layers of anatomic structures on the Meridian lines.

CONCLUSIONThe visible display of Meridian on the dummy human body is preliminary realized, which provides data carriers for establishing the platform of Meridian study.

Human Body ; Humans ; Meridians

OBJECTIVETo discuss the problem difficult to be presented for nerves and blood vessels in the 3D reconstruction of acupoints through studying 3D reconstruction of Jianliao (TE 14).

METHODSMuscles and other tissues were segmented by applying cointeractive segmentation method based on chromatic characteristic space; the nerve and blood vessels can be reconstructed by establishing mathematics model, and the needle-inserting animation of Jianliao (TE 14) could be obtained by running script file.

RESULTSDuring the course of 3D needle-inserting animation of Jianliao (TE 14), the spatial location between all kinds of tissues including the nerve and blood vessels and the needle body could be systematically observed.

CONCLUSIONThe difficulty of presenting the nerve and blood vessels in the study on 3D reconstruction of acupoints can be resolved by establishing mathematics model. The generation of 3D animation for acupoints with the nerve and blood vessels is benefit to acupuncture teaching and study on the essence of acupoints and channels.

Acupuncture Points ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; Muscles ; anatomy & histology ; Nervous System ; anatomy & histology

OBJECTIVETo investigate HIV-1 co-receptor usage in patients experienced anti-retroviral therapy (ART) in Anhui and Henan province of China.

METHODSA total of 45 HIV-1 infected individuals who have experienced ART and 109 un-experienced ART patients from Anhui and Henan province, which were called as treatment group and treatment-negative group, were selected as study subjects. HIV-1 strains were isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of whole blood from patients. HIV-1 p24 in the culture supernatant was measured using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. HIV-1 co-receptor usage was identified using Ghost cell lines expressing CD4 and the chemokine receptor CCR5 or CXCR4.

RESULTSAmong 45 HIV strains from the treatment group, 22 (48.9%) strains used CCR5 as a co-receptor (R5 tropic strain), 21 (46.7%) strains used CXCR4/CCR5 as a co-receptor (X4/R5 duel tropic strain), and 2 (4.4%) used only CXCR4 as a co-receptor (X4 tropic strain). In 109 strains from treatment-negative group, 96 (88.1%) strains used CCR5 as a co-receptor (R5 tropic strain), 13 (11.9%) strains used CCR5/CXCR4 as a co-receptor use (X4/R5 strain). A significant difference was found between two groups in X4 co-receptor usages (χ(2) = 27.30, P < 0.05). Furthermore, after treated with AZT + DDI + NVP, the HIV-1 CXC4/CCR5 utilization was 59.09% (13/22), meanwhile after treated with D4T + DDI + NVP, the HIV-1 CXC4/CCR5 utilization was 43.48% (10/23), which the difference was not statistical significant (χ(2) = 1.10, P = 0.30).

CONCLUSIONHIV-1 CXCR4/CCR5 co-receptor utilization was higher in ART patients than treatment-negative patients.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; Adult ; Aged ; Antiviral Agents ; therapeutic use ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; HIV-1 ; isolation & purification ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Receptors, CCR5 ; metabolism ; Receptors, CXCR4 ; metabolism ; Receptors, HIV ; metabolism

OBJECTIVESTo discuss and evaluate the selection of surgical procedure for the treatment of idiopathic scoliosis according to the location and degree of the deformity.

METHODS175 patients with idiopathic scoliosis underwent surgical treatment with correction and fusion. The patients were divided into four groups according to the location and degree of the deformity and four different procedures were used for each group. For each group, the blood loss, surgery time, correction rate, loss of correction at final follow up and complications were compared and analyzed.

RESULTSAll patients underwent surgery safely and no neurological complication occurred. The correction rate was 81% for Group I, 86% for Group II, 68% for Group III and 72% for Group IV. All patients were followed up at least 2 years and the average time was 38 months (24 approximately 52).

CONCLUSIONProper selection of surgical procedure according to the location and degree of the scoliotic deformity, satisfactory results can be achieved in the treatment of idiopathic scoliosis.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Scoliosis ; surgery ; Spinal Fusion ; methods ; Treatment Outcome

Objective: To investigate the influence of the degrees of intravesical prostatic protrusion (IPP) on the recovery of urinary continence after radical prostatectomy. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data on 212 patients diagnosed with prostate cancer by biopsy and treated by laparoscopic radical prostatectomy by the same surgeon. Based on the degrees of IPP measured by MRI, we divided the patients into an IPP ≤ 10 mm group (n = 146) and an IPP > 10 mm group (n = 66) and determined the factors influencing the recovery of urinary continence by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: At 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery, the urinary continence rates of the patients were 32.5%, 50.5%, 82.1% and 91%, respectively. Univariate analysis indicated that the factors influencing the recovery of urinary continence included IPP, body mass index (BMI), bladder neck preservation (BNP), neurovascular bundle preservation (NVBP) and clinical tumor (T) stage at 3 months (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), age, IPP, BMI, BNP and clinical T stage at 6 months (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and age, IPP, BMI, BNP, NVBP and clinical T stage at 12 months (P < 0.05), while multivariate logistic regression analysis showed the independent influencing factors to be IPP > 10 mm (P < 0.001), BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 (P = 0.004) and BNP (P = 0.032) at 3 months, and IPP and BMI at 6 months (both P < 0.01) and 12 months (P < 0.01 and P = 0.033). CONCLUSIONS IPP > 10 mm and BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 are independent factors influencing the long-term recovery of urinary continence after radical prostatectomy.

Objective To study the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)that predict a patient's risk of grade 2-3 paclitaxel-induced peripheral sensory neuropathy (PSN) in Chinese Han populations.Methods Totally 216 patients received paclitaxel in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from May 2014 to December 2016 were enrolled.DNA was isolated from peripheral blood.Genotyping for eight candidate SNPs was performed on Sequenom-MassARRARYiPLEX platform.Patients were followed up and PSN was assessed by trained physicians according to National Cancer Institute-Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v4.03.Results A total of 209 patients entered the final analysis.Among the candidate SNPs,only rs4141404:A>C(LIMK2) was significantly associated with grade 2/3 PSN (OR:4.32,95%CI:2.37-7.89,P<0.0001).In multivariate logistic regression analysis,both rs4141404:A>C(LIMK2) and history of receiving platinum compound (OR:2.70,95%CI:1.32-5.51,P=0.007) were associated with grade 2/3 PSN.Conclusion rs4141404:A>C(LIMK2) may be the markers of risk of grade 2/3 PSN.

OBJECTIVE: To detect the relative expression of IGLL1 (immunoglobulin lambda-like polypeptide 1) mRNA in bone marrow of children with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), and analyze its correlation with the clinical characteristics and prognosis of the patients, so as to clarify the clinical significance of IGLL1 in pediatric T-ALL patients. METHODS: A total of 56 pediatric T-ALL patients hospitalized in Children's Hospital of Soochow University from June 2012 to December 2017 and treated with CCLG-ALL 2008 regimen were selected. Transcriptome sequencing technology was used to detect the transcription level of IGLL1 gene in children with T-ALL. According to 25% of the IGLL1 transcription level (cutoff value:448), the enrolled children were divided into IGLL1 low expression group (17 cases) and IGLL1 high expression group (39 cases). Combined with clinical data, the correlation between the expression level of IGLL1 and prognosis of the patients was analyzed. RESULTS: The comparative analysis showed that the transcription level of IGLL1 was not correlated with the clinical characteristics of the patients, such as sex, age, bone marrow blast, white blood cell (WBC) count at initial diagnosis. The 5-year OS rate of patients with high IGLL1 expression was significantly higher than that of patients with low IGLL1 expression (76.9%±6.7% vs 47.1%±12.1%, P =0.018). Further comparison of relapse-free survival (RFS) rate between the two groups showed that the 5-year RFS rate of patients with high IGLL1 expression was higher than that of patients with low IGLL1 expression, but the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant (P =0.095). Multivariate COX analysis was conducted on common clinical prognostic factors (age, sex, WBC count at diagnosis, prednisone response on the 7th day, bone marrow response on the 15th day after treatment) and IGLL1 expression level, and the results showed that IGLL1 expression (P =0.012) and prednisone response (P =0.017) were independent risk factors for overall survival in pediatric T-ALL patients. CONCLUSION In pediatric T-ALL, the OS rate of children with high expression of IGLL1 gene was significantly higher than that of children with low expression of IGLL1 gene, and the expression level of IGLL1 gene was an independent factor affecting the survival of children with T-ALL, which suggests that IGLL1 is a marker of good clinical prognosis of children with T-ALL.
Child ; Humans ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use* ; Clinical Relevance ; Disease-Free Survival ; Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/genetics* ; Prednisone/therapeutic use* ; Prognosis ; Recurrence ; Immunoglobulin Light Chains, Surrogate/genetics*

Objective: This cross-sectional investigation aimed to determine the incidence, clinical characteristics, prognosis, and related risk factors of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain in mainland China. Methods: Data of patients with SARS-CoV-2 from December 28, 2022, to February 21, 2023, were collected through online and offline questionnaires from 45 tertiary hospitals and one center for disease control and prevention in mainland China. The questionnaire included demographic information, previous health history, smoking and alcohol drinking, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, olfactory and gustatory function before and after infection, other symptoms after infection, as well as the duration and improvement of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction. The self-reported olfactory and gustatory functions of patients were evaluated using the Olfactory VAS scale and Gustatory VAS scale. Results: A total of 35 566 valid questionnaires were obtained, revealing a high incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain (67.75%). Females(χ2=367.013, P<0.001) and young people(χ2=120.210, P<0.001) were more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Gender(OR=1.564, 95%CI: 1.487-1.645), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), oral health status (OR=0.881, 95%CI: 0.839-0.926), smoking history (OR=1.152, 95%CI=1.080-1.229), and drinking history (OR=0.854, 95%CI: 0.785-0.928) were correlated with the occurrence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2(above P<0.001). 44.62% (4 391/9 840) of the patients who had not recovered their sense of smell and taste also suffered from nasal congestion, runny nose, and 32.62% (3 210/9 840) suffered from dry mouth and sore throat. The improvement of olfactory and taste functions was correlated with the persistence of accompanying symptoms(χ2=10.873, P=0.001). The average score of olfactory and taste VAS scale was 8.41 and 8.51 respectively before SARS-CoV-2 infection, but decreased to3.69 and 4.29 respectively after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and recovered to 5.83and 6.55 respectively at the time of the survey. The median duration of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions was 15 days and 12 days, respectively, with 0.5% (121/24 096) of patients experiencing these dysfunctions for more than 28 days. The overall self-reported improvement rate of smell and taste dysfunctions was 59.16% (14 256/24 096). Gender(OR=0.893, 95%CI: 0.839-0.951), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), history of head and facial trauma(OR=1.180, 95%CI: 1.036-1.344, P=0.013), nose (OR=1.104, 95%CI: 1.042-1.171, P=0.001) and oral (OR=1.162, 95%CI: 1.096-1.233) health status, smoking history(OR=0.765, 95%CI: 0.709-0.825), and the persistence of accompanying symptoms (OR=0.359, 95%CI: 0.332-0.388) were correlated with the recovery of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2 (above P<0.001 except for the indicated values). Conclusion: The incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain is high in mainland China, with females and young people more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Active and effective intervention measures may be required for cases that persist for a long time. The recovery of olfactory and taste functions is influenced by several factors, including gender, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status, history of head and facial trauma, nasal and oral health status, smoking history, and persistence of accompanying symptoms.
Female ; Humans ; Adolescent ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Smell ; COVID-19/complications* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; COVID-19 Vaccines ; Incidence ; Olfaction Disorders/etiology* ; Taste Disorders/etiology* ; Prognosis