Non-bifurcating cervical carotid artery(NBCCA)is a very rare anatomical variation of the cervical carotid artery,which may be related to the abnormal development of internal carotid artery(ICA)and external carotid artery in embryonic period.Neither carotid bulb nor a true carotid bifurcation can be observed on the ultrasound of carotid artery while a"stump-like"change was showed at the expected bifurcation level of carotid artery on DSA.Few cases has been reported in China and abroad so far.This article reported a middle-aged male with a history of hypertension and type 2 diabetes and was admitted to the hospital due to dizziness for one month.The left NBCCA accompanied with severe stenosis of the right ICA was confirmed by cerebral angiography.The patient received the right ICA stent implantation surgery as well as antihypertensive and glucose-control treatment and was discharged as his symptoms improved.Clinical data of this case and related literatures were reviewed,in order to improve clinicians'especially imaging diagnostic physicians'understanding on NBCCA to avoid misdiagnosis and related complications.

Objective To investigate the effect of E2 signaling in myofibers on muscular macrophage efferocytosis in mice with cardiotoxin-induced acute skeletal muscle injury.Methods Female wild-type C57BL/6 mice with and without ovariectomy and male C57BL/6 mice were given a CTX injection into the anterior tibial muscle to induce acute muscle injury,followed by intramuscular injection of β-estradiol(E2)or 4-hydroxytamoxifen(4-OHT).The changes in serum E2 of the mice were detected using ELISA,and the number,phenotypes,and efferocytosis of the macrophages in the inflammatory exudates and myofiber regeneration and repair were evaluated using immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry.C2C12 cells were induced to differentiate into mature myotubes,which were treated with IFN-γ for 24 before treatment with β-Estradiol or 4-OHT.The treated myotubes were co-cultured with mouse peritoneal macrophages in a 1:2 ratio,followed by addition of PKH67-labeled apoptotic mouse mononuclear spleen cells induced by UV irradiation,and macrophage efferocytosis was observed using immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry.Results Compared with the control mice,the female mice with ovariectomy showed significantly increased mononuclear macrophages in the inflammatory exudates,with increased M1 cell percentage,reduced M2 cell percentage and macrophage efferocytosis in the injured muscle,and obviously delayed myofiber regeneration and repair.In the cell co-culture systems,treatment of the myotubes with β-estradiol significantly increased the number and proportion of M2 macrophages and macrophage efferocytosis,while 4-OHT treatment resulted in the opposite changes.Conclusion In injured mouse skeletal muscles,myofiber E2 signaling promotes M1 to M2 transition to increase macrophage efferocytosis,thereby relieving inflammation and promoting muscle regeneration and repair.

Objective To investigate the effect of E2 signaling in myofibers on muscular macrophage efferocytosis in mice with cardiotoxin-induced acute skeletal muscle injury.Methods Female wild-type C57BL/6 mice with and without ovariectomy and male C57BL/6 mice were given a CTX injection into the anterior tibial muscle to induce acute muscle injury,followed by intramuscular injection of β-estradiol(E2)or 4-hydroxytamoxifen(4-OHT).The changes in serum E2 of the mice were detected using ELISA,and the number,phenotypes,and efferocytosis of the macrophages in the inflammatory exudates and myofiber regeneration and repair were evaluated using immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry.C2C12 cells were induced to differentiate into mature myotubes,which were treated with IFN-γ for 24 before treatment with β-Estradiol or 4-OHT.The treated myotubes were co-cultured with mouse peritoneal macrophages in a 1:2 ratio,followed by addition of PKH67-labeled apoptotic mouse mononuclear spleen cells induced by UV irradiation,and macrophage efferocytosis was observed using immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry.Results Compared with the control mice,the female mice with ovariectomy showed significantly increased mononuclear macrophages in the inflammatory exudates,with increased M1 cell percentage,reduced M2 cell percentage and macrophage efferocytosis in the injured muscle,and obviously delayed myofiber regeneration and repair.In the cell co-culture systems,treatment of the myotubes with β-estradiol significantly increased the number and proportion of M2 macrophages and macrophage efferocytosis,while 4-OHT treatment resulted in the opposite changes.Conclusion In injured mouse skeletal muscles,myofiber E2 signaling promotes M1 to M2 transition to increase macrophage efferocytosis,thereby relieving inflammation and promoting muscle regeneration and repair.

Hypereosinophilia (HE) is a kind of hematology disorder affecting multiple organs. Multiple studies demonstrated that HE was correlated with ischemic stroke, and it could be a rare and reversible cause for ischemic stroke. Therefore, more and more concerns have been concentrated by neurologists in recent years. Based on the research data, the definition, typical characteristics, possible mechanism, diagnosis and treatment principles of HE related ischemic stroke were summarized systematically, in order to provide possible personalized treatment strategies for this disease.

Objective:To evaluate the prognostic value of pretreatment systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in non-metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).Methods:We retrospectively collected the data of 839 patients with non-metastatic NPC from National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital and Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between January 2007 and October 2015. All patients received intensity modulated radiation based treatment. Optimal cutoff value of SII and LDH were determined by X-title software. The association between SII, LDH and clinical prognosis of non-metastatic NPC patients were analyzed. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis, and Log rank test was used for comparison of survival rates between groups. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was carried out to minimize the effects of confounding factors. The risk stratification model of prognosis by combining N stage, SII and LDH was constructed to compare the prognosis of patients in high risk group, middle risk group and low risk group, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate its prognostic value.Results:The optimal cutoff value of SII is 447.2×10 9/L for predicting the 5-year overall survival (OS) of NPC patients, and the best cutoff value of LDH is 198.9 U/L. The proportion of patients with stage T3-4 and stage III-IVB in high SII group was higher than that in low SII group ( P<0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that N stage, SII and LDH were independent factors of OS, progression-free survival (PFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) of NPC patients (N stage, HR=1.705, 95% CI: 1.247-2.332; HR=1.755, 95% CI: 1.342-2.295; HR=2.161, 95% CI: 1.515-3.082. SII, HR=1.525, 95% CI: 1.097-2.119; HR=1.518, 95% CI: 1.150-2.004; HR=1.837, 95% CI: 1.272-2.653. LDH, HR=2.041, 95% CI: 1.403-2.968; HR=1.725, 95% CI: 1.233-2.414; HR=2.492, 95% CI: 1.690-3.672, respectively). After PSM, SII was still an independent prognostic factor of OS, PFS and DMFS in NPC patients ( HR=1.52, 95% CI: 1.09-2.12; HR=1.52, 95% CI: 1.15-2.00; HR=1.82, 95% CI: 1.26-2.63, respectively). Combined with N 2-3 stage, SII (>447.2×10 9/L), and LDH (>198.9 U/L), patients were divided into high-(3 risk factors), intermediate- (2 risk factors) and low-risk (0-1 risk factors) groups. The 5-year OS rates of patients in low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups were 86.1%, 79.8% and 41.2% respectively, the 5-year PFS rates were 80.7%, 70.2% and 33.9% respectively, and the 5-year DMFS rates were 88.9%, 79.2% and 47.5% respectively. There were significant differences in OS, PFS and DMFS among these three groups ( P<0.001). Distant metastasis was the main failure pattern in low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups, and the highest rate of distant metastasis was 83.3% (15/31) in high-risk group. ROC curve of the risk stratification model for predicting 5-year OS of NPC patients is 0.610, which is higher than TNM stage (0.609), SII (0.574) and LDH (0.558). Conclusions:Pretreatment SII and LDH are significantly correlated with the prognosis of patients with non-metastatic NPC. The combination of SII, LDH and N stage can stratify the prognostic risk of NPC patients. The risk stratification model can enhance the accuracy of prognosis.

Objective:To evaluate the prognostic value of pretreatment systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in non-metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).Methods:We retrospectively collected the data of 839 patients with non-metastatic NPC from National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital and Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between January 2007 and October 2015. All patients received intensity modulated radiation based treatment. Optimal cutoff value of SII and LDH were determined by X-title software. The association between SII, LDH and clinical prognosis of non-metastatic NPC patients were analyzed. Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis, and Log rank test was used for comparison of survival rates between groups. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was carried out to minimize the effects of confounding factors. The risk stratification model of prognosis by combining N stage, SII and LDH was constructed to compare the prognosis of patients in high risk group, middle risk group and low risk group, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate its prognostic value.Results:The optimal cutoff value of SII is 447.2×10 9/L for predicting the 5-year overall survival (OS) of NPC patients, and the best cutoff value of LDH is 198.9 U/L. The proportion of patients with stage T3-4 and stage III-IVB in high SII group was higher than that in low SII group ( P<0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that N stage, SII and LDH were independent factors of OS, progression-free survival (PFS) and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) of NPC patients (N stage, HR=1.705, 95% CI: 1.247-2.332; HR=1.755, 95% CI: 1.342-2.295; HR=2.161, 95% CI: 1.515-3.082. SII, HR=1.525, 95% CI: 1.097-2.119; HR=1.518, 95% CI: 1.150-2.004; HR=1.837, 95% CI: 1.272-2.653. LDH, HR=2.041, 95% CI: 1.403-2.968; HR=1.725, 95% CI: 1.233-2.414; HR=2.492, 95% CI: 1.690-3.672, respectively). After PSM, SII was still an independent prognostic factor of OS, PFS and DMFS in NPC patients ( HR=1.52, 95% CI: 1.09-2.12; HR=1.52, 95% CI: 1.15-2.00; HR=1.82, 95% CI: 1.26-2.63, respectively). Combined with N 2-3 stage, SII (>447.2×10 9/L), and LDH (>198.9 U/L), patients were divided into high-(3 risk factors), intermediate- (2 risk factors) and low-risk (0-1 risk factors) groups. The 5-year OS rates of patients in low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups were 86.1%, 79.8% and 41.2% respectively, the 5-year PFS rates were 80.7%, 70.2% and 33.9% respectively, and the 5-year DMFS rates were 88.9%, 79.2% and 47.5% respectively. There were significant differences in OS, PFS and DMFS among these three groups ( P<0.001). Distant metastasis was the main failure pattern in low-, intermediate- and high-risk groups, and the highest rate of distant metastasis was 83.3% (15/31) in high-risk group. ROC curve of the risk stratification model for predicting 5-year OS of NPC patients is 0.610, which is higher than TNM stage (0.609), SII (0.574) and LDH (0.558). Conclusions:Pretreatment SII and LDH are significantly correlated with the prognosis of patients with non-metastatic NPC. The combination of SII, LDH and N stage can stratify the prognostic risk of NPC patients. The risk stratification model can enhance the accuracy of prognosis.

Objective:To investigate the effect of transforming growth factor (TGF- β) signal in muscle fiber itself during inflammation/immunity response on intramuscular inflammation. Methods:Sixteen wild C57BL/6 mice (wild group) and sixteen mice with skeletal muscle-specific deficiency of T βRⅡ (knock-out group) between 4-8 weeks of age were selected for this study. Acute muscle injury in mice was induced by injection of myotoxin cardiotoxin (CTX) into gastrocnemius. The differences in intramuscular inflammation were compared between the wild and knock-out groups on 0, 4, 7 and 10 d after CTX injection by observing exudation of mononuclear phagocytes, macrophages, M1 type macrophages, CD4 +T cells and helpers T cells (Th1, 2&17). Two newborn C57BL/6 wild mice and 2 SM TGF- βr2-/- knock-out mice were selected to culture primary myoblasts in vitro which were divided into 2 groups: an interferon group subjected to interferon simulation and a control group subjected to addition of an equal amount of solvent. The differences in expression of IL-6, IL-10, MCP-1, MIP-1α, H-2K b, H2-Ea, Toll-like receptor (TLR)3 and TLR7 were compared between the interferon and control groups, as well as between the wild and knock-out groups. Results:On 4&7 d after CTX injection, the ratios of mononuclear/macrophage (75.73%±3.62%, 45.27%± 2.32%), macrophages (38.67%±2.76%, 24.87%±2.19%), M1 macrophages (43.21%±0.11%, 30.43%±2.19%), CD4 +T cells (20.13%±1.62%, 5.67%±0.32%) in the muscle tissue from the knock-out mice were significantly higher than those from the wild mice (58.52%±2.43%, 29.21%±2.45%; 20.63%±2.32%, 16.23%±1.25%; 24.98%±0.35%, 14.23%±1.69%; 10.70%±0.43%, 2.50%±0.45%), with a majority of Th1&Th17 ( P<0.05). In vitro results showed that the levels of IL-6, MCP-1, MIP-1α, H-2K b, H2-Ea and TLR3 were significantly upregulated in the interferon group compared with the control group and that such upregulation in the nock-out mice was more significant than in the wild mice ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Endogenous TGF- β signal activation plays a role in the functional recovery after muscle trauma, because it is involved in the regulation of immune behavior of muscle fibers, thus affecting intramuscular inflammation and muscle regeneration.

Objective To investigate the main cell types expressed brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the posterior cortical infarction area in cerebral infarction rats after early vein allograft of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) and the effect of BM-MSCs transplantation on their ce11 numbers and percentages.Methods (1) Fifteen SD rats were randomly divided into sham-operated group 1,ischemia control group 1,and BM-MSCs transplantation group 1 (n=5);distal middle cerebral artery occlusion (dMCA) models were used in the later two groups;1 × 106 CM-DiI labeled BM-MSCs were intravascularly transplanted into the tail vein of rats from the transplantation group 1 at one h after ischemia;all rats were sacrificed 48 h after ischemia;BM-MSCs with co-existence of CM-Dil and BDNF in the ischemia cortex areas were detected by immunofluorescence staining.(2)Fifteen SD rats were randomly divided into sham-operated group 2,ischemia control group 2,and BM-MSCs transplantation group 2 (n=5);dMCAO models were used in the later two groups;1 ×106 non-labeled BM-MSCs were intravascularly transplanted into the tail vein of rats from the transplantation group 2 at one h after ischemia;48 h after ischemia onset,all rats were sacrificed;the number of BDNF+ and CD68+ microglia cells,BDNF+ and Iba-1+ microglia cells,and BDNF+ and neuron-specific nucleoprotein (NeuN)+ neurons were measured by immunofluorescence staining.Results (1) CM-Dil red fluorescence labeled allogeneic BM-MSCs were only found in BM-MSCs transplantation group 1;the labeled cells scattered in the infarct and peri-infarct cortices;9.70％±3.47％ CM-Dil labeled BM-MSCs expressed BDNF,accounting for 13.32％±4.48％ of all BDNF+ cells in the infarct brain cortex.(2) In the brain tissues of cortex infarct area of BM-MSCs transplantation group 2,38.40％±9.04％ BDNF+ cells were Iba-1+ microglia cells,11.65％±2.76％ BDNF+ cells were CD68+ microglia cells,and 28.96％±6.99％ BDNF+ cells were NeuN+ neurons;the Iba-1+ cell numbers and Iba-1+/BDNF+ double positive cell percentages in the BM-MSCs transplantation group 2 ([92.06±36.52]/mm2 and 79.21％±12.27％) were significantly increased as compared with those in the ischemia control group 2 ([31.13±10.23] mm2 and 60.15％±28.20％,P＜0.05).Conclusion Allogeneic BM-MSCs is capable of migrating into the infarct cortex when intravenous transplantation of BM-MSCs is performed at the early stage after ischemia;the main sources of BDNF in these areas are microglias cells and neurons;these BM-MSCs increase both number and percentage of Iba-1+/BDNF+ double positive cells,which may be one of the underlying mechanisms of therapeutic effects.

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of lymph node fine-needle aspiration (FNA)Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-DNA concentration detection in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cervical lymph node metastasis.Methods From August to December 2016,36 cases of NPC and 9 cases of other tumors (not correlated with EBV infection) were enrolled in this study at the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center.All patients received magnetic resonance images (MRI),plasma and cervical lymph node FNA EBV-DNA detection.Results The median concentration of EBV-DNA in FNA fluid (1.39 × 105 copies/ml) in cervical lymph node metastasis was significantly higher than that in plasma (2.00 × 103 copies/ml),with a significant difference (x2 =16.723,P =0.004).The diagnosis sensitivity,specificity,accuracy of the lymph node FNA fluid of EBV-DNA were 86.2％ (25/29),71.4％ (10/14) and 81.4％ (35/43) respectively,which were better than those of MRI [72.4％ (21/29),50.0％ (7/14) and 65.1％ (28/43) respectively] and plasma EBV-DNA [55.2％ (16/29),71.4％ (10/14) and 60.5％ (26/43) respectively].The area under the curve (AUC) of level Ⅰ b cervical lymph node metastasis was calculated,and FNA fluid EBV-DNA (AUC =0.688)was better than MRI (AUC =0.583),with a significant difference (Z =2.476,P =0.008).The EBV-DNA concentration in FNA fluid in cervical lymph node metastasis of patients with other tumors (no correlated with EBV infection) was 0 copy/ml.Conclusion FNA fluid EBV-DNA may improve the diagnostic sensitivity of cervical lymph node metastasis in nasopharyngeal carcinoma,and help to explore the clinical target volume neck nodes at level Ⅰ b cervical lymph node in radiotherapy.

Objective To explore the diagnostic feasibility of Alzheimer disease (AD) associated CSF biomarker (CSF Aβ42, T-tau, and P-tau181) through establishing the cutoff value and the sensitivity and specificity of each biomarker. Methods Seventeen AD dementia patients were enrolled from Peking university first hospital during 2015 July and 2017 Feb including 5 patients that received PET scan using Pittsburgh compound-B. Forty-nine cognitive normal subjects were also enrolled as controls according to the protocol. The levels of Aβ42, T-tau, P-tau181 and the ratio of Aβ42/T-tau、Aβ42/ P-tau181 from all participants were assessed using the innotest-ELISA methods and cutoff value,sensitivity as well as specificity of each biomarker were determined according to the ROC curve. Results There were significant differences in all biomarkers between the cognitive normal controls group and AD dementia group. The cutoff value of Aβ42, T-tau, P-tau181, Aβ42/T-tau and Aβ42/ P-tau181 were 511 ng/mL, 322 ng/mL, 63 ng/mL, 14.72 and 1.74. The sensitivity were 64.7% in Aβ42, 88.2% in T-tau, 58.8% in P-tau181, 82.35% in Aβ42/T-tau and 76.47% in Aβ42/ P-tau181, respectively. The specificity were 97.05% in Aβ42, 75.5% in T-tau, 93.87% in P-tau181, 95.51 % in Aβ42/T-tau and 93.87% in Aβ42/P-tau181, respectively. Conclusion Alzheimer disease associated biomarkers (CSF Aβ42,T-tau, and P-tau181) can distinguish the cognitive normal subjects from AD dementia patients. The methods are reliable and the sensitivity as well as specificity of each biomarker are good which are close to the values reported in the literatures. Thus, this methodology is worth being promoted in the clinic.