Objective To evaluate the risk factors and sonographic findings of pregnancies complicated by placenta increta or placenta percreta. Methods Totally, 2219 cases were retrospectively analyzed from 20 tertiary hospitals in China from January 2011 to December 2015. The data were collected based on the original case records. All cases were divided into two groups, the placenta increta (PI) group (79.1％, 1755/2219) and the placenta percreta (PP) group (20.9％, 464/2219), according to the degree of placental implantation. The risk factors and sonographic findings of placenta increta or percreta were analyzed by uni-factor and logistic regression statistic methods. Results The risk factors associated with the degree of placental implantation were age, gravida, previous abortion or miscarriage, previous cesarean sections, and placenta previa (all P<0.05), especially, previous cesarean sections (χ2=157.961) and placenta previa (χ2=91.759). Sonographic findings could be used to predict the degree of placental invasion especially the boundaries between placenta and uterine serosa, the boundary between placenta and myometrium, the disruption of the placental-uterine wall interface and loss of the normal retroplacental hypoechoic zone(all P<0.01). Conclusions Previous cesarean sections and placenta previa are the main independent risk factors associated with the degree of placenta implantation. Ultrasound could be used to make a prenatal suggestive diagnosis of placenta accreta spectrum disorders.

Objective To analyze the distribution and antimicrobial resistance profile of clinical bacterial strains isolated from blood culture in China.Methods Clinical bacterial strains isolated from blood culture from participating hospitals of Blood Bacterial Resistance Investigation Collaborative System (BRICS) during January 2014 to December 2015 were collected.Antibiotic susceptibility tests were conducted with agar dilution or broth dilution methods as recommended by US Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute(CLSI)2018.The data were analyzed with Whonet 5.6 software.Results During the study period,4 801 clinical bacterial isolates were collected from 26 hospitals,of which 1 798 (37.5％) were Gram-positive bacteria and 3 003 (62.5％) were gram-negative bacteria.The top 10 isolates were Escherichia coli (33.8％),coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (19.0％),Klebsiella pneumoniae (11.9％),Staphylococcus aureus (10.1％),Acinetobacter baumannii (4.0％),Pseudomonas aeruginosa (3.8％),Streptococcus (3.0％),Enterobacter sulcus (2.9％),Enterococcus faecium (2.8％) and Enterococcus faecalis (1.8％).Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillinresistant coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (MRCNS) accounted for 33.9％ (165/487) and 56.9％ (520/913) of Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus respectively.No vancomycinresistant Staphylococcus was detected.The resistance rate of Enterococcus faecium to vancomycin was 0.7％ (1/135),and no vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecaliss was detected.The positive rates of extendedspectrum β-1actamases(ESBLs)-producing Escherichia coli,Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus were 56.9％ (923/1 621),30.1％ (172/572) and 29.2％ (7/24),respectively.The positive rates of carbapenemresistant Escherichia coli,Klebsiella pneumoniae,Enterobacter,Salmonella and Citrobacter were 1.2％ (20/1 621),7.2％ (41/572),4.3％ (6/141),1.5％ (1/67) and 2.9％ (1/34),respectively.The resistance rates of Acinetobacter baumannii to polymyxin and tegacycline were 2.6％ (5/190) and 8.9％ (17/190)respectively,and that of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to polymyxin and fosfomycin were 1.1％ (2/183)and 0.6％ (1/183),respectively.Conclusions The surveillance results from 2014 to 2015 show that the main pathogens of blood stream infection in China are Gram-negative bacteria,while Escherichia coli is the most common pathogen,the detection rate of MRSA is lower than other surveillance data in the same period in China;carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli are at a low level as shown in this surveillance.

Ellagic acid is ubiquitous in plants and is considered as a potential candidate for antioxidant and antineoplastic drugs. However, ellagic acid has poor solubility and precipitates easily even after initial solubilization. Improvement of its bioavailability has been a concern of pharmaceutical industry. It was found that storage in Sanlejiang oral liquid at low temperature keeps its stability. Ellagic acid is anomalous in a way that is easily soluble at low temperatures but precipitates at high temperatures. In order to reveal the mechanism of this phenomenon and develop precipitation prevention and control strategies, ellagic acid in Sanlejiang oral liquid was stored at high, medium and low temperatures for three months. The changes of composition and phase state of the whole system during storage were systematically tracked and studied by means of precipitation amount or morphology, HPLC chemical profile of supernatant versus precipitates, and comprehensive characterization of physical phase state. The results show that the amount of precipitation at low temperature is only 1/3 of that at normal room temperature. As the temperature rises, the sedimentation increases sharply. HPLC analyses of supernatant versus precipitates revealed that ellagic acid precipitation originated from two ways: chemical degradation and physical deposition. The chemical sedimentation is related to the hydrolysis of tannins under acidic condition, forming chebulagic acid and corilagin. Physical sedimentation is related to the decrease of the association degree and viscosity of polyphenol colloids when temperature rises. This study elucidated the stability mechanism of ellagic acid in liquid preparations of TCM, and provided the mechanistic basis for efficient utilization and solution prepartion of ellagic acid.

Objective: To screen differentially expressed lncRNA, miRNA and mRNA in colorectal cancer (CRC) in TCGA database, and to explore their relationship with CRC prognosis and related biological functions. Methods: RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) data and miRNA-Seq data of CRC samples were downloaded from the TCGAdatabase and analyzed, and differentially expressed lncRNA, miRNA and mRNA were screened by R program. The lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network in CRC was constructed by analyzing and integrating the relationships between differentially expressed RNAs through miRcode, TargetScan and miRTarbase databases.KaplanMeier method was used to analyze the relationship between the expression of lncRNA, miRNA, mRNA in ceRNA network and the survival prognosis of patients.Finally, the signal pathways involved in the occurrence and development of CRC were analyzed by GSEA functional enrichment analysis software. Results: A total of 614 differentially expressed lncRNAs, 244 differentially expressed miRNAs, and 12 672 differentially expressed mRNAs in CRC were identified; a ceRNA network consisting of 139 lncRNAs, 37 miRNAs and 228 mRNAs was constructed;It was found that 58 lncRNAs, 23 miRNAs, and 150 mRNAs were associated with the prognosis of CRC.The results of GSEA enrichment analysis showed that mRNA was mainly involved in signaling pathways such as Notch, Hedgehog and TGF-β. Conclusion: CRC-related ceRNA network was successfully constructed and lncRNAs, miRNAs and mRNAs associated with CRC prognosis were screened. It provides a valuable preliminary basis for further in-depth clinical research and basic experimental research on CRC.

Objective: To investigate the incidence and rank of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumoconiosis to the workers in different occupational positions in Jinchang Cohort. Methods: In January 2014, a cohort of follow-up population in jinchang city was taken as the research object, 17843 individuals among follow-up populations in Jinchang Cohort Study, removed the individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumoconiosis before 2013, and counted the new incidence individuals diagnosed by the A-Class hospital in Grade III in Jinchang City, Gansu Province, as the investigation objects to investigate the incidence rate & rank of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumoconiosis. The statistical significance was tested by chi-square test. Results: The 2-year incidence rate of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Pneumoconiosis in the population of Jinchang Cohort Study were 11.60‰, 13.51‰ for male and 8.46‰ for female. the ranks of 2-year incidence rates of chronic bronchitis, emphysema, pneumoconiosis and other phenotypes of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were 7.06‰、3.42‰、0.84‰、0.34‰, respectively. Incidence rate of chronic bronchitis among administrators and executive staffs were 10.45‰; incidence rate of chronic bronchitis among service staffs were 10.45‰; incidence rate of pneumoconiosis among mining staffs were 3.44‰. Conclusion The first incidence rank of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumoconiosis in Jinchang cohort is chronic bronchitis, and the risk factors are smoking and occupational exposure.

Objective To investigate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and appropriate cut-off point of waist circumference of abdominal obesity for components of metabolic syndrome in Uygur population in Xinjiang. Methods A questionnaire-based survey, physical examination, and blood testing were conducted according to cluster random sampling in Uygur residents above 18 years old in Xinjiang.There were 3 542 samples collected,based on the International Diabetes Federation(IDF)standard of metabolic syndrome, the relativities of clustering of metabolic syndrome components and different strata of waist circumference for Uygur were analyzed,and looking for the appropriate cut-off points for identifying two or more components of metabolic syndrome within the shortest distance of receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Results According to IDF standard,the waist circumference(85 cm for men,82 cm for women)corresponded to the shortest distance in ROC curve,at these cut-offs of abdominal obesity for component of metabolic syndrome,the prevalences of metabolic syndrome were 21.3%,19.5%in men, while 23.0%in women,the prevalence of women was higher than that of men(P<0.05).The prevalences of≥1,≥2 components of metabolic syndrome were shown an increasing trend with the increasing size of waist circumference, and the odds ratio of clustering of metabolic syndrome components were also increased significantly.Conclusion The prevalence of metabolic syndrome among Xinjiang Uygur population was higher than that of national level.The cut-off points of waist circumference(85 cm for men,82 cm for women)combining other components definition of IDF standard were recommended for identifying metabolic syndrome of Uygurs.

OBJECTIVEArsenic is a metalloid environmental carcinogen involved in the occurrence and development of many cancers. miRNA-21 plays a crucial role in arsenic-induced carcinogenesis. We aimed to elucidate the mechanism by which miRNA-21 influences arsenic-induced cancer.

METHODSWe used meta-analysis of published studies to determine how arsenic induces cancerous cells through miRNA-21.

RESULTSLow-dose arsenic exposure (⪕ 5 μmol/L) can increase miRNA-21 and phosphorylated signal transducter and activator of transcription 3 (pSTAT3) expression, and decrease programmed cell death protein 4 (PDCD4) and protein sprouty homolog 1 (Spry1) expression. High-dose arsenic exposure (> 5 μmol/L), can increase miRNA-21 expression, and decrease Spry1 and E-cadherin expression. Short-term arsenic exposure (⪕ 24 h) can increase miRNA-21 and pSTAT3 expression, and decrease PDCD4 expression. Moreover, long-term arsenic exposure (> 24 h) can increase the miRNA-21, STAT3, and pSTAT3 expression, and decrease PDCD4 expression. We found that activation of miRNA-21 and pSTAT3 were most pronounced following long-term arsenic exposure at low doses, and the effects on PDCD4 expression were most pronounced following short-term arsenic exposure at low doses. miRNA-21 inhibitors increased the expression of tumor suppressor genes PDCD4, PTEN, and Spry1 and miRNA-21-mimics suppressed the expression of these tumor suppressor genes.

CONCLUSIONArsenic can cause cancer by activating miRNA-21 and inhibiting the expression of PDCD4, PTEN, and Spry1.

Critical ultrasonography(CUS) is different from the traditional diagnostic ultrasound,the examiner and interpreter of the image are critical care medicine physicians.The core content of CUS is to evaluate the pathophysiological changes of organs and systems and etiology changes.With the idea of critical care medicine as the soul,it can integrate the above information and clinical information,bedside real-time diagnosis and titration treatment,and evaluate the therapeutic effect so as to improve the outcome.CUS is a traditional technique which is applied as a new application method.The consensus of experts on critical ultrasonography in China released in 2016 put forward consensus suggestions on the concept,implementation and application of CUS.It should be further emphasized that the accurate and objective assessment and implementation of CUS requires the standardization of ultrasound image acquisition and the need to establish a CUS procedure.At the same time,the standardized training for CUS accepted by critical care medicine physicians requires the application of technical specifications,and the establishment of technical specifications is the basis for the quality control and continuous improvement of CUS.Chinese Critical Ultrasound Study Group and Critical Hemodynamic Therapy Collabration Group,based on the rich experience of clinical practice in critical care and research,combined with the essence of CUS,to learn the traditional ultrasonic essence,established the clinical application technical specifications of CUS,including in five parts:basic view and relevant indicators to obtain in CUS;basic norms for viscera organ assessment and special assessment;standardized processes and systematic inspection programs;examples of CUS applications;CUS training and the application of qualification certification.The establishment of applied technology standard is helpful for standardized training and clinical correct implementation.It is helpful for clinical evaluation and correct guidance treatment,and is also helpful for quality control and continuous improvement of CUS application.

PURPOSE: Five members of the zinc finger of the cerebellum (ZIC) family—ZIC1, ZIC2, ZIC3, ZIC4, and ZIC5—have been shown to be involved in various carcinomas. Here, we aimed to explore the clinicopathologic and prognostic roles of ZIC family members in invasive breast cancer patients using immunohistochemical analysis, western blotting analysis, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). METHODS: A total of 241 female invasive breast cancer patients who underwent radical mastectomy between 2009 and 2011 were enrolled. ZIC proteins in 241 pairs of breast tumors and corresponding normal tissues were investigated using immunohistochemistry and the clinicopathologic roles of proteins were analyzed using Pearson's chi-square test. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression analysis were also used to analyze the prognostic value of the ZIC proteins. In addition, 12 pairs of fresh-frozen breast tumors and matched normal tissues were used in the western blotting analysis and RT-qPCR. RESULTS: Only ZIC1 expression in normal tissues was obviously higher than that in tumors (p < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, ZIC1 expression (in overall survival analysis: hazard ratio [HR], 0.405, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.233–0.702, p=0.001; in disease-free survival analysis: HR, 0.395, 95% CI, 0.234–0.669, p=0.001) was identified as a prognostic indicator of invasive breast cancer. CONCLUSION: ZIC1, but not the other proteins, was obviously decreased in breast tumors and associated with clinicopathologic factors. Thus, ZIC1 might be a novel indicator to predict the overall and disease-free survival of invasive breast cancer patients.
Blotting, Western ; Breast Neoplasms* ; Breast* ; Cerebellum* ; Disease-Free Survival ; Female ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mastectomy, Radical ; Multivariate Analysis ; Pathology ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Prognosis ; Zinc Fingers* ; Zinc*