ObjectiveTo elucidate the effects of autonomic neuromodulators [calcium chloride (CaCl₂)-acetylcholine (ACh)] on atrial electrical remodeling and histopathological changes in rats, thereby providing evidence for further investigation into the pathological mechanisms by which autonomic imbalance induces atrial fibrillation (AF). MethodsTen 8-week-old male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into experimental and control groups, with 5 rats in each group. The experimental group received daily tail vein injections of a CaCl₂-ACh mixed solution for 28 days, while the control group received an equal volume of saline. Surface electrocardiograms were recorded before and after daily administration. On day 28 of administration, under isoflurane inhalation anesthesia, echocardiography was performed, and then the rats were euthanized by exsanguination under isoflurane anesthesia for tissue collection. Body weight and heart weight of rats were measured, and electrophysiological parameters including AF inducibility, conduction velocity, and conduction dispersion in isolated rat hearts were monitored using the MappingLab multichannel electrophysiological mapping system. HE staining was performed to evaluate atrial tissue architecture and inflammatory cell infiltration. The expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) were analyzed by Western blotting. Masson staining was used to quantitatively analyze the proportional distribution of collagen fibers and myocardial fibers, and to calculate the area of collagen deposition, thereby evaluating the degree of myocardial fibrosis. Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) staining was used to evaluate morphological changes of cardiomyocytes. Dihydroethidium (DHE) staining was used to detect the level of oxidative stress in atrial myocytes. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining was used to detect atrial cell apoptosis. ResultsCompared with the control group, the experimental group showed obvious arrhythmias on electrocardiograms. Echocardiography after 28 days of administration revealed significant structural remodeling in the experimental group, with a marked increase in left atrial anteroposterior diameter (P < 0.05), and also showed cardiac dysfunction, with significant decreases in left ventricular ejection fraction and left ventricular fractional shortening (P < 0.01). Compared with the control group, the experimental group showed a significantly increased heart weight-to-body weight ratio (P < 0.05), a markedly higher AF inducibility (P < 0.001), a significantly slowed atrial conduction velocity (P < 0.05), an uneven isochronal map with irregular directions, and a significantly increased conduction dispersion (P < 0.01). HE staining showed that atrial myocytes in the experimental group were disorganized, with slight inflammatory cell infiltration. Western blotting showed that the expression levels of MMP-9 and IL-1β in the atrial tissue of the experimental group were significantly upregulated (P < 0.05). Masson staining showed a significant increase in collagen deposition and a significant increase in fibrosis area in the atrial tissue of the experimental group (P < 0.001). WGA staining showed that cardiomyocytes in the experimental group were significantly hypertrophied compared with the control group (P < 0.05). DHE staining and TUNEL staining revealed that the level of oxidative stress in atrial myocytes (P < 0.001) and the apoptotic rate (P < 0.01) were both significantly increased. Conclusion Daily tail vein injections of the autonomic neuromodulator CaCl₂-ACh mixed solution for 28 days can successfully induce AF in rats, accompanied by significant atrial structural remodeling, electrical remodeling, and oxidative stress.

Objective:This aims to investigate the diagnostic and evaluative value of MRI for lymphatic malformations in the head, neck, and facial regions of children. Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the MRI imaging data of 31 cases of head, neck, and facial lymphatic malformations in children admitted to the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, from January 2022 to January 2024. Results:The MRI images of this group of cases primarily displayed irregular morphology（80.6%, 25/31）, thin-walled cysts（80.6%, 25/31）, and compression of surrounding tissues. The boundaries were clear（100%, 31/31）, with characteristics of invasive and drill-like growth（93.5%）. The cyst walls or internal septa exhibited high signal intensity on T1WI, low signal intensity on T2WI, and mild to moderate enhancement（100%）. The contents of the cysts showed low signal intensity on T1WI, high signal intensity on T2WI, and no enhancement（35.5%, 11/31）. Mixed signals with varying degrees of enhancement were observed in 20 cases（64.5%）. There were 29 cases of multilocular cysts（93.5%, 29/31）, and 11 cases of fluid-fluid levels（35.5%）. The MRI diagnostic accuracy for this group of cases was 100%. Conclusion:Lymphatic Malformations of head, neck and facial region in children have very characteristic features on MRI, such as typical thin wall, clear boundaries, irregular shapes, invasive growth, no enhancement, multilocular cystic masses, fluid-fluid level, etc. Furthermore, it is more appropriate for children with lymphatic malformations owing to its non-radiation and non-invasive benefits. Diagnosing lymphatic malformations in the head, neck, and facial region in children should begin with this.
Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Lymphatic Abnormalities/diagnostic imaging* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Neck/diagnostic imaging* ; Head/diagnostic imaging* ; Face/diagnostic imaging* ; Child ; Male ; Female ; Child, Preschool ; Adolescent ; Infant

Objective:To investigate the short-term efficacy of lenvatinib combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and xindilimumab in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.Methods:A prospective, randomized, controlled study was conducted to divide 140 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma admitted to the First Hospital of Putian City from January 2020 to December 2023. The patients were divided into two groups by random number table method, with 70 cases in each group. The control group was treated with lenvatinib after TACE, and the observation group was treated with lenvatinib + xindilimumab after TACE. The patients were followed up for 6 months, and the number of TACE treatment in the two groups was recorded. The clinical efficacy, serum nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels, tumor blood supply diameter and drug side effects during treatment were compared between the two groups at 4 weeks and 6 months after TACE treatment.Results:There was no statistical significant difference in the number of TACE treatments between the two groups ( P>0.05). At 4 weeks of treatment, compared with the control group, the objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) of the observation group were significantly increased: 74.29% (52/70) vs. 57.14% (40/70), 92.87% (65/70) vs. 81.43% (57/70) ( P<0.05). After 6 months of treatment, compared with the control group, the observation group showed a significant increase in DCR: 85.71% (60/70) vs. 95.71% (67/70) ( P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the levels of serum NF-κ B, HIF-1α and AFP in the observation group were significantly reduced after 4 weeks and 6 months of treatment: (165.34 ± 40.11) ng/L vs. (187.61 ± 40.62) ng/L, (151.67 ± 36.25) ng/L vs. (165.01 ± 37.12) ng/L; (123.69 ± 20.36) μg/L vs. (148.32 ± 20.38) μg/L, (108.84 ± 20.28) μg/L vs. (121.67 ± 19.29) μg/L; (2 117.02 ± 903.36) μg/L vs. (2 469.79 ± 916.27) μg/L, (1 010.32 ± 422.34) μg/L vs. (1 159. 36 ± 412.01) μg/L ( P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the observation group showed a significant reduction in tumor blood supply diameter after 4 weeks and 6 months of treatment: 3.00 (2.00, 4.00) mm vs. 3.00 (3.00, 4.00) mm, 2.00 (1.00, 3.00) mm vs. 3.00 (2.00, 3.00) mm ( P<0.05) There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of drug toxicity and side effects between the two treatment groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:The concurrent administration of lenvatinib and xindilimab has been demonstrated to enhance the short-term therapeutic efficacy of TACE in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. This combination therapy was associated with a significant reduction in serum levels of NF-κB, HIF-1α, and AFP. Additionally, it led to a notable decrease in the diameter of the tumor-feeding arteries. Preliminary safety analysis indicates that this regimen is well-tolerated, with an acceptable safety profile.

AIM:This study aims to investigate the potential mechanism of cell division cycle protein 42(Cdc42)in acute lung injury(ALI).METHODS:(1)The levels of Cdc42 and IQ motif-containing GTPase-activating protein 1(IQGAP1)in ALI were analyzed using the Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)database.(2)The plasma samples were collected from 30 patients diagnosed with ALI and 30 healthy controls between January 2022 and December 2023.The bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF)from ALI patients was also collected.Eighteen male C57BL/6 mice were ran-domly divided into control(CON)group,lipopolysaccharide(LPS)group,and LPS+ML141(Cdc42 inhibitor)group,with 6 mice in each group.After 72 h,the mice were euthanized,and the BALF was collected for analysis,including cell enumeration and protein concentration determination using the bicinchoninic acid method.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the levels of Cdc42 and inflammatory cytokines[interleukin-6(IL-6),IL-1β and tumor necro-sis factor α(TNF-α)]in human plasma and mouse BALF.Lung damage in mouse tissue sections was evaluated by HE staining.(3)Mouse pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells(PMVECs)were isolated by magnetic bead-based cell sorting and were divided into CON,LPS and LPS+ML141 groups.Vascular ring formation assay was conducted to assess the an-giogenic potential of PMVECs,and calcium ion imaging technology was employed to measure calcium ion concentrations in PMVECs.The levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS)were assessed using a ROS detection kit.Western blot was uti-lized to analyze the protein levels of Cdc42,VE-cadherin,intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1),myosin light chain(MLC),phosphorylated MLC(p-MLC)and IQGAP1 in PMVECs.RESULTS:(1)The GEO database analysis re-vealed significant up-regulation of Cdc42 expression in ALI model(P<0.01).(2)Clinical assessments showed markedly elevated plasma levels of Cdc42 and pro-inflammatory cytokines(IL-6,IL-1β and TNF-α)in ALI patients(P<0.01),with subsequent reductions after treatment(P<0.05).Neutrophil counts in the BALF of ALI patients were significantly in-creased.In ALI animal models,cell count,protein concentration and inflammatory mediator levels in BALF,and lung tis-sue damage scores were significantly elevated(P<0.01),all of which were notably reduced after treatment with Cdc42 in-hibitor ML141(P<0.05).(3)The PMVECs in LPS group exhibited significant increases in Cdc42,ICAM-1,p-MLC,IQGAP1,ROS,and calcium ion concentrations(P<0.01),alongside significant decreases in VE-cadherin expression and angiogenic capacity(P<0.01).All parameters were significantly improved after ML141 treatment(P<0.05).CON-CLUSION:The Cdc42 may influence IQGAP1 by modulating calcium levels in PMVECs,playing a critical role in pulmo-nary vascular barrier injury during ALI.

Objective:To investigate the short-term efficacy of lenvatinib combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and xindilimumab in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.Methods:A prospective, randomized, controlled study was conducted to divide 140 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma admitted to the First Hospital of Putian City from January 2020 to December 2023. The patients were divided into two groups by random number table method, with 70 cases in each group. The control group was treated with lenvatinib after TACE, and the observation group was treated with lenvatinib + xindilimumab after TACE. The patients were followed up for 6 months, and the number of TACE treatment in the two groups was recorded. The clinical efficacy, serum nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels, tumor blood supply diameter and drug side effects during treatment were compared between the two groups at 4 weeks and 6 months after TACE treatment.Results:There was no statistical significant difference in the number of TACE treatments between the two groups ( P>0.05). At 4 weeks of treatment, compared with the control group, the objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) of the observation group were significantly increased: 74.29% (52/70) vs. 57.14% (40/70), 92.87% (65/70) vs. 81.43% (57/70) ( P<0.05). After 6 months of treatment, compared with the control group, the observation group showed a significant increase in DCR: 85.71% (60/70) vs. 95.71% (67/70) ( P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the levels of serum NF-κ B, HIF-1α and AFP in the observation group were significantly reduced after 4 weeks and 6 months of treatment: (165.34 ± 40.11) ng/L vs. (187.61 ± 40.62) ng/L, (151.67 ± 36.25) ng/L vs. (165.01 ± 37.12) ng/L; (123.69 ± 20.36) μg/L vs. (148.32 ± 20.38) μg/L, (108.84 ± 20.28) μg/L vs. (121.67 ± 19.29) μg/L; (2 117.02 ± 903.36) μg/L vs. (2 469.79 ± 916.27) μg/L, (1 010.32 ± 422.34) μg/L vs. (1 159. 36 ± 412.01) μg/L ( P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the observation group showed a significant reduction in tumor blood supply diameter after 4 weeks and 6 months of treatment: 3.00 (2.00, 4.00) mm vs. 3.00 (3.00, 4.00) mm, 2.00 (1.00, 3.00) mm vs. 3.00 (2.00, 3.00) mm ( P<0.05) There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of drug toxicity and side effects between the two treatment groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:The concurrent administration of lenvatinib and xindilimab has been demonstrated to enhance the short-term therapeutic efficacy of TACE in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. This combination therapy was associated with a significant reduction in serum levels of NF-κB, HIF-1α, and AFP. Additionally, it led to a notable decrease in the diameter of the tumor-feeding arteries. Preliminary safety analysis indicates that this regimen is well-tolerated, with an acceptable safety profile.

AIM:This study aims to investigate the potential mechanism of cell division cycle protein 42(Cdc42)in acute lung injury(ALI).METHODS:(1)The levels of Cdc42 and IQ motif-containing GTPase-activating protein 1(IQGAP1)in ALI were analyzed using the Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)database.(2)The plasma samples were collected from 30 patients diagnosed with ALI and 30 healthy controls between January 2022 and December 2023.The bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF)from ALI patients was also collected.Eighteen male C57BL/6 mice were ran-domly divided into control(CON)group,lipopolysaccharide(LPS)group,and LPS+ML141(Cdc42 inhibitor)group,with 6 mice in each group.After 72 h,the mice were euthanized,and the BALF was collected for analysis,including cell enumeration and protein concentration determination using the bicinchoninic acid method.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the levels of Cdc42 and inflammatory cytokines[interleukin-6(IL-6),IL-1β and tumor necro-sis factor α(TNF-α)]in human plasma and mouse BALF.Lung damage in mouse tissue sections was evaluated by HE staining.(3)Mouse pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells(PMVECs)were isolated by magnetic bead-based cell sorting and were divided into CON,LPS and LPS+ML141 groups.Vascular ring formation assay was conducted to assess the an-giogenic potential of PMVECs,and calcium ion imaging technology was employed to measure calcium ion concentrations in PMVECs.The levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS)were assessed using a ROS detection kit.Western blot was uti-lized to analyze the protein levels of Cdc42,VE-cadherin,intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1),myosin light chain(MLC),phosphorylated MLC(p-MLC)and IQGAP1 in PMVECs.RESULTS:(1)The GEO database analysis re-vealed significant up-regulation of Cdc42 expression in ALI model(P<0.01).(2)Clinical assessments showed markedly elevated plasma levels of Cdc42 and pro-inflammatory cytokines(IL-6,IL-1β and TNF-α)in ALI patients(P<0.01),with subsequent reductions after treatment(P<0.05).Neutrophil counts in the BALF of ALI patients were significantly in-creased.In ALI animal models,cell count,protein concentration and inflammatory mediator levels in BALF,and lung tis-sue damage scores were significantly elevated(P<0.01),all of which were notably reduced after treatment with Cdc42 in-hibitor ML141(P<0.05).(3)The PMVECs in LPS group exhibited significant increases in Cdc42,ICAM-1,p-MLC,IQGAP1,ROS,and calcium ion concentrations(P<0.01),alongside significant decreases in VE-cadherin expression and angiogenic capacity(P<0.01).All parameters were significantly improved after ML141 treatment(P<0.05).CON-CLUSION:The Cdc42 may influence IQGAP1 by modulating calcium levels in PMVECs,playing a critical role in pulmo-nary vascular barrier injury during ALI.

Objective To analyze the status of coronary collateral circulation(CCC)in patients with acute myocardial infarction(AMI)and explore its relationship with thrombus burden.Meth-ods Convenient sampling was used to select 161 AMI patients diagnosed and treated in Tongling People's Hospital from May 2022 to March 2024.Their CCC status was assessed by Rentrop clas-sification,and according to the results,they were divided into well-(grade 2～3,84 cases)and poorly-developed CCC groups(grade 0～1,77 cases).The general clinical data,cardiac function in-dicators and thrombus burden were compared between the two groups.Multivariate logistic re-gression was employed to identify the independent influencing factors for CCC status in AMI pa-tients,and ROC curve was plotted to analyze the relationship between CCC status and thrombus burden.Results In the 161 AMI patients,the incidence of adverse CCC was 47.83％(77/161).The poorly-developed CCC group had significantly lower Gensini score,and higher white blood cell count than the well-developed CCC group(P＜0.01);There is a statistically significant differ-ence in proportion of infarct related blood vessels between two groups(P＜0.01).The rate of high thrombus burden in the poorly-developed CCC group was obviously higher than that in the well-developed group(79.22％vs 26.19％,P＜0.01).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that infarction-related vessels(left anterior descending coronary artery),white blood cell count and thrombus burden were independent risk factors for poor development of CCC,while Gensini score was independent protective factors(OR=2.051,95％CI:1.071-3.928;OR=1.647,95％CI:1.353-2.006;OR=6.418,95％CI:2.654-15.519;OR=0.973,95％CI:0.948-0.999).ROC curve analysis indicated that the AUC value of thrombus burden was 0.752(95％CI:0.678-0.817).Conclusion It is quite common of poorly developed CCC in AMI patients,which is associ-ated with the increase of thrombus burden.

Objective:To study the effects and the related molecular mechanisms of miR-148a-3p on the proliferation,invasion and migration of salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma SACC-LM cells.Methods:miR-148a-3p mimics and inhibitors,siRNA targeting EG-FR and their corresponding controls were transfected into SACC-LM cells.Bioinformatics was used to predict the potential target genes of miR-148a-3p.EGFR and miR-148a-3p mRNA expression levels were examined by qRT-PCR and the protein levels of EG-FR were detected by Western blotting.CCK-8,scratch,and Transwell assays were used to study the proliferation,migration,and invasion of SACC-LM cells,respectively.The direct targeting relationship between miR-148a-3p and EGFR was examined by using the double luciferase reporter gene assay.Statistical analysis of the data was performed by SPSS 22.0 software.Results:Overexpres-sion or inhibition of miR-148a-3p significantly inhibited or promoted the proliferation,invasion and metastasis of SACC-LM cells re-spectively(P＜0.05).Bioinformatics and double luciferase assay showed that miR-148a-3p directly targeted and regulated the expres-sion of EGFR(P＜0.001).Downregulation of EGFR inhibited the proliferation,migration and invasion of SACC-LM cells(P＜0.05)and partially reversed the promoting effect of miR-148a-3p inhibition(P＜0.05).Conclusion:The downregulation of miR-148a-3p leads to the abnormally high expression of its target gene EGFR,and promotes the proliferation,invasion,and migration of salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma cells.

Objective To compare and analyze the tilt and decentration of the intraocular lens in patients receiving four-point and two-point suspension fixation,as well as their relationship with visual prognosis.Methods A total of 80 patients(80 eyes)who underwent intraocular lens suspension fixation at the Ophthalmology Department of Baoding No.1 Central Hospital from June 2021 to April 2022 were selected as the subjects.These patients were randomly divided into the experimental group(41 patients,41 eyes,underwent four-point suspension fixation)and the control group(39 patients,39 eyes,underwent traditional two-point suspension fixation).They were followed up for at least 6 months after surgery to re-cord their uncorrected visual acuity(UCVA)and best corrected visual acuity(BCVA)before surgery and at the last follow-up.The tilt angle and decentration distance of the intraocular lens of patients in the two groups were measured after surger-y by a panoramic ultrasound biomicroscope.The preoperative and last follow-up UCVA and BCVA of patients in the two groups,as well as tilt angle and decentration distance of the intraocular lens after surgery,were compared,and the corre-lation between tilt angle,decentration distance and postoperative UCVA,BCVA was analyzed by Person correlation analy-sis.Results The UCVA and BCVA at the last follow-up in the experimental group and control group were better than those before surgery(all P＜0.05).The difference in postoperative UCVA between the experimental group and the control group was statistically significant(t=-6.20,P=0.00),and the experimental group had better postoperative UCVA than the control group.There was no statistically significant difference in postoperative BCVA between the experimental group and the control group(t=-1.43,P=0.16).The postoperative horizontal and vertical tilt angles of the intraocular lens in the experimental group were 0.70°±0.24° and 0.60°±0.16°,respectively;while those in the control group were 2.66°± 1.40° and 3.76°±0.67°,respectively.The differences between the two groups were statistically significant(t=-8.51 and-29.42,P=0.00 and 0.00).The postoperative horizontal and vertical decentration distances of the intraocular lens in the experimental group were(0.24±0.10)mm and(0.25±0.10)mm,respectively,while those in the control group were(0.85±0.77)mm and(2.14±0.50)mm,respectively.The differences between the two groups were statistically signifi-cant(t=-4.82 and-21.68,P=0.00 and 0.00).In the experimental group,neither the horizontal and vertical tilt angles of intraocular lenses nor the horizontal and vertical decentration distances were correlated with postoperative UCVA and BCVA(all P＞0.05).In the control group,the horizontal tilt angle of intraocular lenses was positively correlated with post-operative UCVA and BCVA(both P＜0.05),while the vertical tilt angle was not correlated with postoperative UCVA and BCVA(both P＞0.05);the horizontal decentration distance was positively correlated with postoperative UCVA and BCVA(both P＜0.05),but the vertical decentration distance was not correlated with postoperative UCVA and BCVA(both P＞0.05).Conclusion Both four-point suspension fixation and traditional two-point suspension fixation can effectively im-prove postoperative vision of patients,while the tilt and decentration of the intraocular lens are smaller after four-point sus-pension fixation.

Objective To construct HEK 293T cells that express tardigrade Dsup protein fused with green fluorescent protein copGFP in order to study the effect of Dsup protein on proliferation of HEK 293T cells.Methods The CRISPR/Cas9 gene knock-in system was constructed.The target gene fragments of Dsup,copGFP,EF1α and puromycin were amplified by PCR and inserted into pAAVS1-SFFV to construct the fusion vector of Dsup and copGFP,which was known as pAAVS1-SFFV-Dsup-copGFP-EF1α-Puro.pAAVS1-SFFV-Dsup-copGFP-EF1 α-Puro and pAAVS1-CRISPR-Cas9 vector were co-transfected into HEK 293T cells before Dsup gene was inserted into the AAVS1 region of HEK 293T cells via homologous recombination.The HEK 293T cells expressing Dsup gene were obtained following puromycin selection,flow cytometry sorting and genome identification.The expression of Dsup at mRNA and protein levels and proliferation-related genes(MCM2,MCM4,PCNA,Ki-67)were examined to investigate the effects of Dsup gene on the proliferation of HEK 293T-Dsup-copGFP cells.Results The pAAVS1-SFFV-Dsup-copGFP-EF1α-Puro recombinant vector was constructed,and the HEK 293T-Dsup-copGFP cells with Dsup gene inserted in the AAVS1 region were obtained,where both Dsup mRNA and protein were expressed.The cell proliferation rate of HEK 293T-Dsup-copGFP was higher than that of HEK 293T-Control-copGFP(P＜0.001).Further investigation revealed that the expressions of Ki-67 and MCM4 protein in HEK 293T-Dsup-copGFP were significantly higher than in the control group,indicating that the knock in of Dsup gene might enhance the proliferation ability of human cells by promoting the expression of Ki-67 and MCM4 protein.Conclusion A gene editing vector is constructed,and stable cell line HEK 293T-Dsup-copGFP for Dsup fusion expression with copGFP is established.The expression of Dsup gene in HEK 293T cells can promote cell proliferation,possibly by upregulating the expressions of Ki-67 and MCM4 protein.