Previous studies suggest that NGAL (neutro phil gelatinase-associated lipocalin) is involved in the transformation and development of esophageal carcinoma. Alteration of NGAL expression can trigger the change of cellular morphology in esophageal carcinoma cells. However, the mechanisms remain unclear. To get a better understanding of NGAL function in esophageal carcinoma, NGAL protein was expressed in methylotrophic yeast, Pichia pastoris, and purified by chromatography. EC1.71 cells expressed high levels of NGALR (NGAL receptor) and EC109 cells expressed low levels of NGALR were used as cells model. The trafficking and the possible function of NGAL protein were then analyzed in the esophageal carcinoma cells. The results showed that 5-FAM-labeled recombinant NGAL protein could internalize into the EC1.71 and EC109 cells. Furthermore, the internalized NGAL protein could induce the alteration of cellular morphology, resulting in generation of autophagosome, transcriptional up-regulation of genes associated with autophagy and increase of phospho-ERK1/2 (p-ERK1/2). Interestingly, the treatment with the NGAL protein did not affect the intracellular iron level. These data indicate that induced autophagy by exogenous NGAL protein is a mechanism that internalized NGAL plays important roles in esophageal carcinoma cells, independent with NGAL-mediated iron transport process, while ERK1/2 signal pathway is involved in activation of autophagy by exogenous NGAL protein.

Objective To investigate the clinical value of ultrasound-guided catheterization in intraperitoneal perfusion chemotherapy for postoperative abdominal malignant tumor without ascites. Methods A retrospective analysis were performed in 146 postoperative patients with abdominal malignancies who were admitted to Fujian Cancer Hospital from April 2013 to September 2018, and there were no ascites founded in these patients before abdominal catheterization. Two hundred and seventy-nine times ultrasound-guided catheterization in intraperitoneal perfusion chemotherapy were performed under clinical guidance. Results Two hundred and seventy-seven times abdominal catheterization was completed, with a success rate of 99.3％(277/279), and the one-time success rate was 83.2％(232/279), 2 times (0.7％, 2/279) had to be abandoned for peritoneal adhesions. Fifty-three patients (36.3％, 53/146) underwent catheterization ≥ 2 times. The intraperitoneal perfusion chemotherapy was successfully completed after catheterization, no intestinal injury and bleeding occurred. Conclusions In the absence of ascites, ultrasound guided catheterization in perfusion chemotherapy is safe, reliable, simple, accurate and has a high success rate. This new approach is good for clinical application when the conventional catheterization with ascites is blocked.

Objective:To investigate whether the squirrels in Yunnan Province carried Yersinia pestis phages and their epidemiological significance. Methods:From 2015 to 2018, plague host animals were investigated in five of Yunnan plague foci and non-plague foci. The spleen, liver and intestinal specimens of the squirrels captured in the investigation were taken and stored at low temperature for later use. Intestinal specimens with PBS solution, were filtered by 0.22 μm and added to LB liquid medium containing 100 μl suspension of plague vaccine strain (EV76) and then oscillated in a constant temperature gas bath at 28 ℃ and 220 r/min for 18 to 24 h. The double-layer plate method was used to isolate and observe the growth of plaque. The morphology and structure of Yersinia pestis phages were observed under electron microscope. Meanwhile, spleen, liver and intestinal specimens were taken for detection of Yersinia pestis specific marker gene caf1. Results:A total of 10 squirrels were captured (8 Callosciurus erythraeus and 2 Dremomys pernyi), and four Yersinia pestis phages were isolated (2 in Callosciurus erythraeus and 2 in Dremomys pernyi). Two were isolated from non-plague foci (Yongshan County), two from house rats plague foci (Mile County and Xinping County), and none was isolated from wild radents plague foci (Jianchuan County and Eryuan County). By naked eye observation, two bacteriophages from the plague foci produced transparent plaques and grew well, while two bacteriophages from non-plague foci produced translucent plaques and with poor growth. By electron microscopy, these Yersinia pestis phages were of typical Myoviridae family, their head diameter was about 40 nm, muscle tail was about 120 nm, and tail filament cluster was slightly visible at the end of muscle tail. And all the 10 samples of squirrels were negative of plague-specific caf1 gene. Conclusions:The proportion of plague phages carried by Yunnan squirrels is relatively high. Although the detection of caf1 is negative. Squirrels may be a carrier of plague transmission due to the existence of Yersinia pestis phages.

Objective:To investigate the clinical value of shear wave elastography (SWE) in predicting pathological responses to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer.Methods:According to the postoperative pathological responses, 56 patients who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgical excision in the Fujian Cancer Hospital from August 2019 to September 2020 were divided into responders and non-responders. The relative change rates of tumor maximum diameter(ΔD2, ΔD4) and SWE stiffness (ΔEmax2, ΔEmax4, ΔEmean2, ΔEmean4) were assessed before NAC and after different NAC cycles (t2, t4). Clinical information, including age, T, N stages, ER, PR, HER2, Ki67, and molecular subtype were also considered as the variables. The independent influencing factors of pathological responses after neoadjuvant chemotherapy were obtained by logistic regression analysis and diagnostic test was carried out.Results:There were 23 cases as responders (41.0%, 23/56), and 33 cases as non-responders (58.9%, 33/56). Results of multivariate analysis showed ΔEmax4 and HER2 index were independent influencing factors of pathological responses ( OR=1.11, P<0.001; OR=31.81, P=0.002). Area under curve of the ΔEmax4 (AUC: 0.869, 95% CI: 0.746-0.941) was higher than that of HER2 (AUC: 0.690, 95% CI: 0.545-0.834). The combination of ΔEmax4 and HER2 gave the best prediction of pathological responses (AUC 0.930, 95% CI: 0.829-0.981). the sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic accuracy, postive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 78.26%, 96.97%, 75.23%, 94.73%, and 86.49%, respectively. Conclusions:ΔEmax4 and HER2 are independent predictors of pathological responses after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. Combined ΔEmax4 and HER2 can improve the predictive diagnostic efficacy of pathological responses to chemotherapy for breast cancer.