Objective:To investigate the expressions of natural killer (NK) cells, interleukin-27 (IL-27) and CXC chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10) in triple-negative breast cancer patients and non-triple-negative breast cancer patients and their clinical significances.Methods:Forty-eight cases of triple-negative breast cancer, 50 cases of non-triple-negative breast cancer and 50 cases of benign breast diseases diagnosed by pathology in the People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from January 2012 to June 2016 were selected. The expression of NK cells, IL-27 and CXCL10 in the paraffin sections of tissues of the patients after surgery were detected by immunohistochemistry, and the relationships between them and clinical features and prognosis of the patients were analyzed.Results:The positive expression rates of NK cells in triple-negative breast cancer, non-triple-negative breast cancer and benign breast diseases tissues were 81.25% (39/48), 64.00% (32/50) and 26.00% (13/50), respectively, and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2 = 28.229, P < 0.01); the positive expression rates of IL-27 in the three groups were 85.42% (41/48), 76.00% (35/50) and 16.00% (10/50), and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2 = 47.439, P < 0.01); the positive expression rates of CXCL10 in the three groups were 72.92% (35/48), 62.00% (31/50) and 18.00% (9/50), and the difference was statistically significant ( χ2 = 33.422, P < 0.01). In the triple-negative breast cancer group, the positive rate of NK cells was higher in patients with lymph node metastasis ( χ2 = 7.134, P = 0.008), the positive rate of IL-27 was higher in patients with tumor long-axis diameter > 2 cm ( P = 0.034), and the positive rate of CXCL10 was higher in patients with late tumor stage and lymph node metastasis ( χ2 = 8.574, P = 0.003; χ2 = 4.789, P = 0.049). In the non-triple-negative breast cancer group, the positive rate of IL-27 was higher in patients with tumor long-axis diameter > 2 cm ( χ2 = 6.711, P = 0.010), and the positive rate of CXCL10 was higher in patients with high tumor histological grade ( χ2 = 7.621, P = 0.006). The overall survival difference between NK cells-positive and NK cells-negative triple-negative breast cancer patients was statistically significant ( P = 0.047), and the prognosis of NK cells-positive patients was worse. Conclusions:The expressions of NK cells, IL-27 and CXCL10 are related to the occurrence and development of breast cancer. NK cells can be used as a potential prognostic indicator and a clinical treatment target for triple-negative breast cancer patients.

In order to broaden the application area of the new nitrogen removal technology, a full-scale system for short-cut nitrification and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (Anammox) was investigated in the nitrogen removal from a strong-ammonium pharmaceutical wastewater. When the influent ammonium concentration was (430.40 ± 55.43) mg/L, ammonia removal efficiency was (81.75 ± 9.10)%. The short-cut nitrification and Anammox system could successfully remove nitrogen from the pharmaceutical wastewater. The start-up of short-cut nitrification system took about 74 d and the nitrite accumulation efficiency was (52.11 ± 9.13)%, the two-step mode using synthetic wastewater and actual wastewater was suitable for the start-up of short-cut nitrification system. The start-up of Anammox system took about 145 d and the maximum volumetric nitrogen removal rate was 6.35 kg N/(m3·d), dozens of times higher than those for the conventional nitrification-denitrification process. The strategy achieving Anammox sludge by self-growth and biocatalyst addition was suitable for the start-up of Anammox system.
Ammonia ; chemistry ; Bioreactors ; Drug Industry ; Nitrification ; Nitrites ; chemistry ; Nitrogen ; chemistry ; Sewage ; microbiology ; Waste Disposal, Fluid ; methods ; Waste Water ; chemistry

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) level for cervical cancer and its relationship with the therapeutic efficacy of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT).Methods Eighty patients with a pathologically confirmed diagnosis of advanced cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC),20 patients with chronic cervicitis,and 20 healthy persons (as controls) were enrolled in the study.The CSCC patients received CCRT.All the subjects had their baseline serum VEGF levels measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA);also,the CSCC patients had their serum VEGF levels measured by ELISA at 3 months after CCRT.The relationship between the serum VEGF levels and therapeutic efficacy of CCRT was analyzed.Results The CSCC patients had a significantly higher baseline serum VEGF level than the chronic cervicitis patients and controls (237.36 μg/L vs.142.36 μg/L,t =4.03,P =0.000).The serum VEGF level was closely related to tumor stage,tumor differentiation,and lymph node metastasis.A serum VEGF level above 197.52 μg/L was the optimal cut point for diagnosing cervical cancer,with a sensitivity of 0.88 and a specificity of 0.72.The serum VEGF levels before and after CCRT showed a close relationship with the therapeutic efficacy.The patients achieving a complete remission had a significantly greater change in serum VEGF level than those with progression; the patients with high baseline serum VEGF levels had a significantly higher tumor progression or death rate than those with low baseline serum VEGF levels.Conclusions Serum VEGF level has poor diagnostic value for cervical cancer,though it is closely related to the tumor stage,tumor differentiation,and lymph node metastasis of cervical cancer.However,serum VEGF level has some predictive value for the therapeutic efficacy of CCRT in patients with cervical cancer.

Objective: To investigate the correlation between bone marrow suppression and the dose volume analysis of pelvic bone and provide reference for defining the parameters of bone volume-dose restriction during pelvic radiotherapy. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 102 cases of cervical cancer, 53 cases of rectal cancer and 34 cases of prostate cancer in People′s Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from January 2013 to April 2016 was performed. All patients received pelvic irradiation at a dose of 50.0-50.4Gy, and a boost of 10-24 Gy was given for different types of tumors or tumor beds. Concurrent chemotherapy was carried out in patients with cervical cancer and colorectal cancer, and endocrine therapy was given to prostate cancer patients during radiotherapy. The parameters including the target bone volume, V₁₀, V₂₀, V₃₀, V₄₀, V₅₀, and the grade of bone marrow suppression according to RTOG grading scale within 3 months after radiotherapy or 6 months post-radiotherapy were evaluated. The correlation between the irradiation bone volume and the grade of bone marrow suppression was assessed by univariate analysis. The relationship between the grade of bone marrow suppression and age, chemotherapy and radiotherapy dose was further analyzed by multivariate analysis. Results: In patients with cervical, rectal and prostate cancer, the overall incidence rate of early bone marrow suppression was 77.5%, 79.2% and 70.6%, and 65.7%, 62.3% and 35.3% for ≥grade 2 bone marrow suppression, respectively. Late-stage bone marrow suppression occurred in 11 patients, grade Ⅱ in 7 cases, and the incidence rate of ≥grade 2 bone marrow suppression was 3.7%. The target bone volume in the cervical, rectal and prostate cancer groups was (746.30±27.84) cm³, (736.15±28.72) cm³ and (740.70±35.08) cm³(P=0.023), respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that V₁₀, V₂₀, V₃₀, V₄₀ and CV₁₀, CV₂₀, CV₃₀, CV₄₀ were not significantly correlated with the grading of bone marrow suppression (all P>0.05), whereas V₅₀ and CV₅₀ were significantly correlated with bone marrow suppression (both P<0.05). ROC curve analysis demonstrated that V₅₀=72.33 cm³ and CV₅₀=9.42% were the diagnostic cut-off values for ≥grade 2 bone marrow suppression. Conclusions The incidence of bone marrow suppression is relatively high in pelvic radiotherapy, which is correlated with the irradiation bone volume and dose in the target area. At a total dose of 50 Gy, the incidence of ≥grade 2 bone marrow suppression is not associated with ≤V₄₀ or absolute volume. Besides, it is not correlated with dose boost or whether chemotherapy is delivered, whereas it is associated with V₅₀ and absolute volume. V₅₀=10.23% and CV₅₀=72.33 cm³ are the cut-off values for the incidence of ≥grade 2 bone marrow suppression.

Objective To explore the value of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in patients with choledocholithiasis after Billroth Ⅱ gastrointestinal anastomosis.Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted to retrospective review the data of 189 patients with choledocholithiasis treated by ERCP from December 2015 to November 2017 in Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery,Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University.According to the history of Billroth Ⅱ gastrointestinal anastomosis,the patients who have not undergone digestive surgery were divided into the normal group(n =167) and patients who have undergone digestive surgery were divided into reconstruction group (n =22).The operation time,the success rate of stone extraction,complications,the hospitalization time,total hospitalization expenses were compared between the two groups.Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as (Mean ± SD) and comparison between groups was analyzed using the t test.Measurement data with skewed distribution were described as M (range).Comparisons of count data were analyzed using the x2 test or Fisher exact probability.Results The operation time of the normal group was (40.18 ± 11.80) min,and the success rate of ERCP was 97.60％ (163/167),the operation time of reconstruction group was(61.81 ± 13.21) min,and the success rate of ERCP was 81.82％ (18/22),There were significant differences between the two groups (t =0.105,x2 =10.400,P ＜ 0.05).The complications,the hospitalization time and the total hospitalization expense of the normal group were 16.17％ (27/167),(3.47 ± 1.55) d,(20 620.69 ± 3 117.88) yuan,the reconstruction group were 18.18％ (4/22),(4.18 ± 2.08) d,(22 426.41 ±5 916.30) yuan,with no statistically significant difference (x2 =0.000,t =4.204),t =10.828,P ＞ 0.05).Conclusions ERCP is safe and feasible for patients with choledocholithiasis after Billroth Ⅱ gastrointestinal anastomosis.It also has a high success rate of stone removal and small trauma,which is worthy of promotion.

Objective To evaluate the use of endoscopic papillary balloon dilation in treatment of choledocholithiasis associated with peripapillary duodenal diverticulum.Methods From January 2017 to July 2018,a retrospective study was conducted on 124 patients with choledocholithiasis associated with peripapillary duodenal diverticula at the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery,Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University.These patients were divided into the small endoscopic sphincterotomy combined with balloon dilation group (sEST+EPBD,n =60) and the simple papillary balloon dilation group (EPBD n =64).The operation time,one-time success rate of stone removal,complication and hospitalization stay were compared between the two groups of patients.Results The hospitalization expenses of the EPBD group was significantly less than the sEST+EPBD group (P＜0.05).The operation time of the EPBD group was significantly shorten than the sEST+EPBD group (P＜0.05).There were no significant differences in the one-time success rate of stone removal,complication rates and hospitalization stay between the two groups (P＞0.05).Conclusions Compared with sEST+EPBD,treatment of choledocholithiasis in patients with peripapillary duodenal diverticula using simple balloon dilation shortened the operation time,did not increase the complication rates and hospitalization stay.The procedure was safe and effective,and resulted in almost the same one-time success rate of stone removal.

Objective:To investigate the expression of E-cadherin (E-cad) in cervical squamous cell carcinoma and its prognostic significance.Methods:The clinical data of 80 patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma who received radical radiotherapy in People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region from January 2013 to October 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. The expression of E-cad protein in cancer tissues was detected by using automatic immunohistochemistry and the relationship between its expression and clinicopathological features of patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma was analyzed. Kaplan-Meier method was used to make survival analysis, and Cox proportional risk model was used to analyze the factors affecting the prognosis of patients.Results:Among 80 patients, 30 (37.5%) cases died, the median progression-free survival (PFS) time was 43.7 months (95% CI 46.3-62.4 months), and the median overall survival (OS) time was not reached. The low expression rate of E-cad was 53.75% (43/80). The low expression rate of E-cad in low differentiated patients was higher than that in middle and high differentiated patients [75.0% (21/28) vs. 42.3% (22/52), χ2 = 7.83, P = 0.005]; the low expression rate of E-cad in patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage Ⅲ A-Ⅲ B was higher than that in those with stage Ⅰ B2-Ⅱ B [65.9% (31/47) vs. 36.5% (12/33), χ2 = 6.83, P = 0.012]. The PFS and OS of patients with low expression of E-cad were worse than those of patients with high expression of E-cad, and the differences were statistically significant ( χ2 = 5.51, P = 0.018; χ2 = 7.48, P = 0.006). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that E-cad low expression was an independent risk factor for PFS and OS in patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma ( HR = 1.836, 95% CI 1.023-3.297, P < 0.05; HR = 2.439, 95% CI 1.091-5.698, P < 0.05). Conclusion:The low expression of E-cad is an important influencing factor for the poor prognosis of patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma.