Objective:To explore the genes related to primary myelofibrosis (PMF) and signaling pathways as well as the possible clinical significance.Methods:A total of 3 mRNA expression datasets of PMF (GSE26049, GSE61629 and GSE53482) were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, including the data of peripheral blood samples from 55 PMF patients and 58 controls. The differentially expressed genes (DEG) between PMF patients and the controls were identified by using online tool GEO2R. Gene ontology (GO) annotation, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed on the common DEG of the 3 datasets, and then protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed. The key nodes of the common DEG in PPI network were calculated by using MCC method and Degree method in cytoHubba program; finally the top 10 hub genes were selected and the hub genes shared by the 2 methods were obtained. Peripheral blood samples of 25 PMF patients and 10 controls (normal hematopoietic stem cell transplant donors or iron deficiency anemia patients) admitted to the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from September 2017 to June 2021 were retrospectively collected. Reverse transcription-fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to detect the expression levels of 10 screened common hub genes in each sample, and the expressions of all genes at transcriptional level of the two groups were compared.Results:A total of 239 common DEG between PMF patients and the controls were screened out in the 3 datasets, including 153 downregulated DEG and 86 upregulated DEG. The GO enrichment analysis showed that the common downregulated DEG were significantly enriched in negative regulation of transcription, translation and fibroblast proliferation, while the upregulated DEG were mainly enriched in protein ubiquitination and ubiquitin-dependent protein catabolic process. The KEGG pathway analysis indicated that the upregulated common DEG and downregulated common DEG were both enriched in PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, cancer pathways and transcriptional misregulation in cancer. There were 8 common hub genes shared by the 2 methods among the top 10 genes ranked by MCC and Degree methods, including 6 downregulated common DEG (TP53, MYC, ATM, FYN, PTPRC and ATRX) and 2 upregulated common DEG (VEGFA and FOXO3). These above 8 common hub genes were mainly involved in PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, cell cycle and cancer transcriptional regulation signaling pathways. RT-qPCR detection of clinical peripheral blood samples showed that the relative expression levels of mRNA in 6 downregulated common DEG of PMF patients were lower compared with those in controls, while the differences were not statistically significant (all P > 0.05); the relative expression levels of mRNA in 2 upregulated common DEG of PMF patients were higher compared with those in controls, and the differences were statistically significant ( U value was 33.00, 36.00, respectively; P value was 0.021, 0.033, respectively). Conclusions:Bioinformatics and clinical sample verification show that VEGFA and FOXO3 are up-regulated in PMF patients, which are mainly involved in the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, cell cycle and cancer transcriptional regulation signaling pathway. Both genes may be related to the development of PMF and may become potential therapeutic targets.

Objective To predict the target of Atractylodes-Panxia-Poria in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, and to explore its potential molecular mechanism by using network pharmacology and molecular docking. Methods Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), PharmMapper, OMIM, GeneCards, STRING, DAVID and Cytoscape software were used to construct a series of network diagrams. The core targets and conduct GO analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses of the target genes were selected. Finally, molecular docking verification of key active ingredients and potential targets were conducted by AutoDock software. Results A total of 35 active ingredients, 190 related targets, 1566 targets of pancreatic cancer and 76 intersection targets were screened for the treatment of pancreatic cancer with Atractylodes-Panxia-Poria. These intersection targets were mainly involved in several biological processes, including positive regulation of gene expression, cytokine-mediated signaling pathway and regulation of apoptotic process, etc, which were also related to pathways in cancer, hepatitis B, colorectal cancer, chemical carcinogenesis-receptor activation, pancreatic cancer, and MAPK signaling pathway, etc. Molecular docking results showed that the main active components of Atractylodes-Panxia-Poria had certain affinity with the potential targets of pancreatic cancer. Conclusion Atractylodes-Panxia-Poria mainly exerts a therapeutic effect on pancreatic cancer through multi-component, multi-target and multi-pathway, which provides a certain theoretical basis for the clinical application of Atractylodes -Panxia-Poria in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

Objective To investigate the effects of paclitaxel and doxorubicin on the immune microenvironment of breast cancer in mice. Methods The CTR-DB database, a database for analysis of gene expression profiles and drug resistance characteristics related to tumor drug response, was used to analyze the effect of chemotherapeutic drugs on the immune microenvironment of breast cancer. Mouse models with breast cancer were established by in situ injection with 4T1 cells, a triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. Then they were treated with doxorubicin and paclitaxel, respectively. The sizes of tumor were recorded and analyzed by growth curve. The number of different types of immune cells was analyzed using flow cytometry. The expressions of Ki67, S100 calcium binding protein A9 (S100A9) and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) were detected by immunohistochemistry. The cell cycles of 4T1 cells in paclitaxel group and doxorubicin group were analyzed by flow cytometry. Results The results of CTR_Microarray_75 analysis showed that the immune scores, and the number of cytotoxic lymphocytes, B lineages, CD8⁺ T cells, dendritic cells (DCs), monocytic lineages and natural killer (NK) cells in chemotherapy-sensitive breast cancer were higher than those in chemotherapy-insensitive breast cancer. Through growth curve analysis in mice with breast cancer, we found that both paclitaxel and doxorubicin could inhibit the increase of the tumor sizes, and the paclitaxel showed a higher inhibitory effect. The results of cytometry displayed that both paclitaxel and doxorubicin could restrain the expression of Ki67 and increase the number of breast cancer cells in G2/M phase, and in the paclitaxel group, the expression of Ki67 was lower and the number of breast cancer cells in G2/M phase was larger. Paclitaxel and doxorubicin enhanced the infiltration of CD45⁺ immune cells but decreased the infiltration of neutrophils. Additionally, paclitaxel promoted the infiltration of CD3⁺CD4⁺ T helper cells, CD3⁺CD8⁺ cytotoxic T cells and CD45⁺CD19⁺B cells, while doxorubicin increased the infiltration of CD4⁺CD25⁺ regulatory T cells (Tregs). The results of immunohistochemistry displayed that the paclitaxel significantly inhibited the expression of S100A9, while the doxorubicin significantly restrained the expression of MMP9. Conclusion Paclitaxel and doxorubicin can effectively inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells and change immune microenvironment of TNBC by regulating the different patterns of cell infiltration and the expression of different extracellular matrix components.
Animals ; Mice ; Humans ; Paclitaxel/pharmacology* ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; Ki-67 Antigen ; Doxorubicin/pharmacology* ; Calgranulin B ; Tumor Microenvironment

Objective:To explore the application of information management platform for Investigator Initiated clinical trials (IIT).Methods:Elaborate the design and application of Clinical Information Management Platform (CIMP). Discuss the obstacles in platform development.Results:Compared with regions where clinical research is more developed, there is still a lack of standardized and efficient information management methods in China. Through the construction of the IIT information management platform, the scientific management of the IIT and the SWOT analysis of the use of the platform have been conducted. Further exploration and improvement are needed in terms of the collaboration of the information platform, data standardization, and information sharing security.Conclusions:The management efficiency can be improved by applying CIMP, which will also promote the smooth implementation of IITs.

Objective With the fast development of Investigator-Initiated Trials (IIT),more and more resources from the national and local governments,universities and hospitals were invested.It is important to clarify the content and methodologies of quality evaluation of the IITs at the early approval stage to assure more complete and systematic quality assessment,improve resource allocation,enhance the research ability,as well as the protection of human subject.Methods This article summarized the content and related safeguarding measures of quality assessment during the early stage of project setup.Discussed relative practice and experiences of our center.Results The contents of quality evaluation include research topic,study protocol,research team and qualifications,quality assurance plan and risk management.The organizing work and attention of the research administrative department,qualified departments and experts,as well as information platform are the required safeguarding measures for effective assessment.Conclusions Quality evaluation of IITs at the early approval stage is critical segment of study quality assurance.More attention should be paid to make every effort counts.

Objective To explore the CT and MRI imaging and clinicopathological features of extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma (NK/TCL). Methods Sixty-six patients with NK/TCL diagnosed from 2002 June to 2016 April in Beijing Tongren Hospital with intact CT and/or MRI imaging results were enrolled in this study. All the patients had tailed clinical information and follow-up. The imaging and clinicopathological features were analyzed retrospectively and their prognostic value on overall survival was analyzed. Results There were 49 males and 17 females with median age of 42 years. The median follow-up time was 18 months. The cases showed surrounding invasions including 10 cases (15.2 %) in soft palate, 5 cases (7.6 %) in hard palate, 2 cases(3.0 %) in tonsil, 8 cases(12.1 %) in upper lip, 13 cases(19.7 %) in maxillofacial soft tissue, 9 cases (13.6 %) in eyelid, 10 cases (15.2 %) in orbital, 3 cases (4.5 %) in maxilla, 6 cases (9.1 %) in pterygopalatine fossa,6 cases(9.1 %)in infratemporal fossa,3 cases(4.5 %)in skull base, 3 cases(4.5 %) in eyeball and 2 cases (3.0 %) in brain tissue. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis found that the 2-year overall survival rates of the patients with the involvement of hard palate, upper lip, maxillofacial soft tissue, eyelid, orbital, maxillary, eyeball and brain organizer were lower than those of the patients without the involvement of these sites(χ2values were 4.470,4.041,4.456,13.933,8.986,4.000,44.121,6.527,16.822,respectively, all P< 0.05). Further multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that maxilla and brain involvement were independent adverse factors (RR=34.717, 95 % CI 3.404-354.035, P=0.003; RR=37.545, 95 % CI 3.188-442.187, P= 0.004). Conclusions MRI and CT examinations are of great value in diagnosis and prognostic assessment of NK/TCL. Clinicians can make correct and timely diagnosis by comprehensive clinical, radiological and pathological features and can make a detailed clinical assessment to give patients appropriate treatment,thus improving the outcome of the NK/TCL patients.

The article describes the epidemiology of spinal cord injury (SCI), the measurement methods and affecting factors of post-traumatic growth of SCI patients and treatment strategy of promoting post-traumatic growth of SCI patients. The purposes of the article are to provide help of promote positive psychological changes and improve the quality of life of SCI patients.

Objective This study developed the post competency evaluation questionnaire of anesthesia nurses and tested its reliability and validity. Methods The item pool was developed through literature analysis, behavioral event interview and Delphi method, which was based on the post competency model. A total of 222 anesthesia nurses were investigated firstly, and the formal questionnaire was formed by item analysis, exploratory factor analysis and correlation analysis. Then the reliability and validity were tested. A total of 214 anesthesia nurses were investigated, the data was used to analyze the confirmatory factor, and the SEM was constructed finally. Results Six factors were identified including 35 items and the cumulative contribution of variance was 65.898%. The correlation coefficient between each factor and total score ranged from 0.793 to 0.863, and the correlation coefficient among each factor ranged from 0.512 to 0.739. The Cronbach′s α coefficient was 0.96 and the Spearman-Brown was 0.883 for the total scale. The model fitting indexes of structural equation model were as below, RMR=0.044, RMSEA=0.064, CFI=0.901, IFI=0.902, PNFI=0.727, PCFI=0.807. Conclusions This evaluation questionnaire has good reliability and validity, and it could be used as a tool to evaluate the post competency of anesthesia nurses in China.

Objective To investigate the effect of stromal cell-derived factor-1α( SDF-1α) and interleukin ( IL-1β) on inducing vascular endothelial cells to express lymphatic phenotype .Methods The CRL-1730 cell line was cultured and treated with SDF-1αor IL-1β.The expression of endothelial cell markers and lymphatic endothelial cell markers were investigated with Real-time PCR, Western blotting and immunocytochemistry .Results In CRL-1730 cell line, endothelial cell markers such as voln willebrand factor ( vWF ) , VE-cadherin , vascular endothelial growth factor receptor(VEGFR)2, were dose dependently down-regulated after SDF-1αstimulation, while lymphatic phenotypes such as Prox-1, podoplanin and lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor-1(LYVE-1), were dose-dependently up-regulated after SDF-1αstimulation.The changes of vWF, VEGFR2 and podoplanin, Prox-1, LYVE-1 expression after IL-1βstimulation was similar to that after SDF-1αwhile expression of VE-cadherin changed slightly .Conclusion SDF-1αand IL-1βare able to induce vascular endothelial cell expressing lymphatic phenotype .

The effect of PubMed on the development of biomedical journals and the role of its Linkout function in extending the effect of journals were analyzed , followed by a description of the technologies and methods for the full-text seamless link of journal Websites and PubMed using its Linkout function with Biomedical and Environmental Sciences as an example .