Platelets are reprogrammed by cancer via a process called education, which favors cancer development. The transcriptional profile of tumor-educated platelets (TEPs) is skewed and therefore practicable for cancer detection. This intercontinental, hospital-based, diagnostic study included 761 treatment-naïve inpatients with histologically confirmed adnexal masses and 167 healthy controls from nine medical centers (China, n = 3; Netherlands, n = 5; Poland, n = 1) between September 2016 and May 2019. The main outcomes were the performance of TEPs and their combination with CA125 in two Chinese (VC1 and VC2) and the European (VC3) validation cohorts collectively and independently. Exploratory outcome was the value of TEPs in public pan-cancer platelet transcriptome datasets. The AUCs for TEPs in the combined validation cohort, VC1, VC2, and VC3 were 0.918 (95% CI 0.889-0.948), 0.923 (0.855-0.990), 0.918 (0.872-0.963), and 0.887 (0.813-0.960), respectively. Combination of TEPs and CA125 demonstrated an AUC of 0.922 (0.889-0.955) in the combined validation cohort; 0.955 (0.912-0.997) in VC1; 0.939 (0.901-0.977) in VC2; 0.917 (0.824-1.000) in VC3. For subgroup analysis, TEPs exhibited an AUC of 0.858, 0.859, and 0.920 to detect early-stage, borderline, non-epithelial diseases and 0.899 to discriminate ovarian cancer from endometriosis. TEPs had robustness, compatibility, and universality for preoperative diagnosis of ovarian cancer since it withstood validations in populations of different ethnicities, heterogeneous histological subtypes, and early-stage ovarian cancer. However, these observations warrant prospective validations in a larger population before clinical utilities.
Humans ; Female ; Blood Platelets/pathology* ; Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics* ; Ovarian Neoplasms/pathology* ; China

Purpose: This study was aimed to investigate long-term survivals and toxicities of early-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in endemic area, evaluating the role of chemotherapy in stage II patients. Materials and Methods: Totally 187 patients with newly diagnosed NPC and restaged American Joint Committee on Cancer/ International Union Against Cancer 8th T1-2N0-1M0 were retrospectively recruited. All received intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT)±chemotherapy (CT) from 2001 to 2010. Results: With 15.7-year median follow-up, 10-year locoregional recurrence-free survival, distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), disease-specific survival (DSS), and overall survival (OS) were 93.3%, 93.5%, 92.9% and 88.2%, respectively. Multivariable analyses showed cervical lymph nodes positive and pre-treatment prognostic nutritional index ≥ 52.0 could independently predict DMFS (p=0.036 and p=0.011), DSS (p=0.014 and p=0.026), and OS (p=0.002 and p < 0.001); Charlson comorbidity index < 3 points could predict DSS (p=0.011); age > 45 years (p=0.002) and pre-treatment lactate dehydrogenase ≥ 240 U/L (p < 0.001) predicted OS. No grade 4 late toxicity happened; grade 3 late toxicities included subcutaneous fibrosis (4.3%), deafness or otitis (4.8%), skin dystrophy (2.1%), and xerostomia (1.1%). No differences on survivals were shown between IMRT+CT vs. IMRT alone in stage II patients, even in T2N1M0 (p > 0.05). Unsurprising, patients in IMRT+CT had more acute gastrointestinal reaction, myelosuppression, mucositis, late ear toxicity, and cranial nerve injury (all p < 0.05) than IMRT alone group. Conclusion Superior tumor control and satisfying long-term outcomes could be achieved with IMRT in early-stage NPC with mild late toxicities. As CT would bring more toxicities, it should be carefully performed to stage II patients.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between drug treatment and outcomes in patients with late-onset severe pneumonia (LOSP) after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the effects of the initiation time of treatment drugs, especially antiviral drugs and glucocorticoids on the clinical outcomes in 82 patients between January 2016 and August 2021 who developed LOSP after allo-SCT in Peking University People's Hospital. Univariate analysis was performed by Mann-Whitney U test and χ² test, and multivariate analysis was performed by Logistic regression. When multiple groups (n>2) were involved in the χ² test, Bonferroni correction was used for the level of significance test. RESULTS: Of all 82 patients in this study, the median onset time of LOSP was 220 d (93-813 d) after transplantation, and the 60-day survival rate was 58.5% (48/82). The median improvement time of the survival patients was 18 d (7-44 d), while the median death time of the died patients was 22 d (2-53 d). Multivariate analysis showed that the initiation time of antiviral drugs from the onset of LOSP (< 10 d vs. ≥10 d, P=0.012), and the initiation time of glucocorticoids from antiviral drugs (< 10 d vs. ≥10 d, P=0.027) were the factors affecting the final outcome of the patients with LOSP at the end of 60 d. According to the above results, LOSP patients were divided into four subgroups: group A (antiviral drugs < 10 d, glucocorticoids ≥10 d), group B (antiviral drugs < 10 d, glucocorticoids < 10 d), group C (antiviral drugs ≥10 d, glucocorticoids ≥10 d) and group D (antiviral drugs ≥10 d, glucocorticoids < 10 d), the 60-day survival rates were 91.7%, 56.8%, 50.0% and 21.4%, respectively. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrated that in patients who developed LOSP after allo-SCT, the initiation time of antiviral drugs and glucocorticoids were associated with the prognosis of LOSP, and the survival rate was highest in patients who received antiviral drugs early and glucocorticoids later. It suggested that for patients with LOSP of unknown etiology should be highly suspicious of the possibility of a secondary hyperimmune response to viral infection.
Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation/methods* ; Humans ; Pneumonia/etiology* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Transplantation, Homologous/adverse effects*

Objective: : Covered stenting is an optional strategy for traumatic carotid pseudoaneurysm, especially in malignant conditions of potential rupture, but the long-term outcomes are not clear. Our aim was to determine if covered stenting is an effective option for traumatic carotid pseudoaneurysm with promising long-term outcomes. Methods: : Self-expanding Viabahn and balloon-expandable Willis covered stents were separately implanted for extra- and intracranial traumatic carotid pseudoaneurysm. The covered stent was placed across the distal and proximal pseudoaneurysm leakage under roadmap guidance. Procedural success was defined as technical success (complete exclusion of the pseudoaneurysm and patency of the parent artery) without a primary end point (any stroke or death within 30 days after the procedure). Longterm outcomes were evaluated as ischemic stroke in the territory of the qualifying artery by clinical follow-up through outpatient or telephone consultation and as the exclusion of the pseudoaneurysm and patency of the parent artery by imaging follow-up through angiography. Results: : Five patients with traumatic carotid pseudoaneurysm who underwent covered stenting were enrolled. The procedural success rate was 100%. No ischemic stroke in the territory of the qualifying artery was recorded in any of the five patients during a mean clinical follow-up of 44±16 months. Complete exclusion of the pseudoaneurysm and patency of the parent artery were maintained in all five patients during a mean imaging follow-up of 39±16 months. Conclusion : Satisfactory procedural and long-term outcomes were obtained, suggesting that covered stenting is an effective option for traumatic carotid pseudoaneurysm.

BACKGROUND: It is of vital importance to fabricate an interface on the titanium implant surface which can promote early cell adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation, and exert better antibacterial effects with no cytotoxicity. OBJECTIVE: To prepare a TiN/Ag composite coating on the surface of pure titanium implant, and to explore its antibacterial properties and effects on MC3T3-E1 biobehaviors. METHODS: Acid etching blasting and multi-arc ion plating were adopted to prepare TiN/Ag composite coating on the smooth surface of pure titanium. Then, MC3T3-E1 cells that grew well were inoculated onto pure titanium plate, sandblasted and acid-etched titanium plate, and TiN/Ag-coated titanium plate. Twenty-four hours later, cell adhesion and viability were observed under confocal laser scanning microscope, and cell morphology was observed under scanning electron microscope. Cell counting kit-8 was used to detect cell proliferation and cytotoxicity at 24,48,72 hours after inoculation.In addition,Staphylococus aureus solution was dropped onto the smooth titanium plated, acid-etched and sandblasted titanium and TiN/Ag-coated titanium plate, and the growth of bacteria was observed by the laser confocal scanning microscope at 16 hours. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Under the confocal laser scanning microscope, spindle cells with bipolar or three poles were observed on the smooth titanium surface, and there was less F-actin and filopodia expression; cells on the TiN/Ag-coated titanium surface and sandblasted and acid-etched titanium surface were scattered with a large amount of interconnected filopodia that were fully stretched and adhered to the titanium surface, highly expressed F-actin was detected, and actin fibers were thickened. Under the scanning electron microscope, the cells on the smooth titanium surface were not fully adhered and stretched, and those on the TiN/Ag-coated titanium surface or the sandblasted and acid-etched titanium surface exhibited better adhesion and extension. Findings from the cell counting kit-8 showed that after 72 hours of inoculation,the cells on the smooth titanium surface grew well,with cytotoxicity level 1.In addition,Staphylococus aureus grew well on the smooth titanium surface under the confocal laser scanning microscope,while a large amount of Staphylococus aureus died on the TiN/Ag-coated titanium surface or on the sandblasted and acid-etched titanium surface. These findings indicated that TiN/Ag coating has good biocompatibility and antibacterial properties.

BACKGROUND: Single tooth loss at posterior mandibular area is difficult to complete regularly axial implantation under limited conditions. Concerning this problem, some scholars employ the skill of tilted implantation with abutment angulations to restore it. However, the security study of this design has been limited until now. OBJECTIVE: To provide theoretical evidence for tilted implantation in the posterior mandibular area, and to make a biomechanical analysis on bone-implant interface after titled implantation under the same dynamic force stress. METHODS: First, restoration models of implant crown at different tilting angles in posterior mandibular area were built and optimized using the software CBCT and DICOM. Then dynamic force stress was applied in chewing cycles of the crown model. Finally, the stress-strain analysis of bone-implant interface was made by utilizing the three-dimensional finite element software Ansys. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) When the dental implant in the axis implantation was tilted to the lingual side at 5° or 10°, the maximum stress and strain values at the bone interface were 53.8 MPa and 2 671, respectively, under three loading conditions: the force during the chewing cycle was given vertical to the implant, toward the lingual side from the buccal side at 45° with the long axis of the tooth, and toward the buccal side from the lingual side at 45° with the long axis of the tooth. (2) When the implant inclined to the lingual side at a 15° angle, the rear edge of the implant was close to the interface between the cortical and cancellous bone, and the stress and strain values were bigger than those at any other implantation angle. (3) When the implant inclined to the lingual side at a 20° angle, the rear edge of the implant was beyond the interface between the cortical and cancellous bone, and contacted with the cortical bone that provided a support for the rear part of the implant. The stress and strain values on the bone interface were both reduced. The stress was concentrated in the cortex around the neck of the implant, and reduced a lot in the cancellous bone. The maximum strain value appeared at the contact site between the bone interface and the implant neck or rear part. It is concluded that in posterior mandibular area, the dental implant can be implanted at a < 10° linguoclination angle.

BACKGROUND: Preliminary studies have found that the oral intake of contraceptives reduces the rate of orthodontic tooth movement. This study mainy explores the effects of oral contraceptives on periodontium remodeling during orthodontic tooth movement in a female rat model. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of combined oral contraceptives (COCs) on the expression levels of progesterone receptor and osteoprotegerin, as well as the number of osteoclasts in the periodontium during orthodontic tooth movement. METHODS: Eighty 3-month-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups (n=40 per group), and COCs (marvelon, experimental group) or normal saline (control group) was then given by gavage. At 7 days after administration, the right maxillary first molars were moved mesially under a force of 50 g delivered by nickel-titanium coil springs, and 10 rats were killed on day 7, 14, 21 and 28 after loading, respectively. The expression levels of progesterone receptor and osteoprotegerin in the periodontium were detected by immunohistochemistry, and the number of activated osteoclasts was measured by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: At 28 days after force loading, the expression level of progesterone receptor in the periodontium in the experimental group (0.307±0.03) was significantly higher than that in the control group (0.194±0.11), (P < 0.01). The number of osteoclasts in the maxillary first molars in the experimental group was significantly less than that in the control group at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after force loading (P < 0.05). The average absorbance value of osteoprotegerin in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.01). These results show that COCs are able to promote osteogenesis and slow bone absorption during periodontal reconstruction, indicating that the course of orthodontic treatment for female patients with a history of COCs intake may be extended.

Objectives: This study aimed to observe the change of arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation rate (AA-Ag) and short-term adverse reactions after taking 50 or 100 mg/d aspirin(enteric-coated sustained-release formulation) or 100 mg/d aspirin (enteric-coated aspirin tablet)in the elderly Chinese population (aged 60 years or older). Methods: A total of 1 194 participants aged 60 or older, who should be recommended to take aspirin therapy due to medical reasons, were recruited and randomly assigned into three groups to receive enteric-coated sustained-release aspirin tablet (50 mg, once daily, group A), or 100 mg, once daily (group B) or enteric-coated aspirin tablet 100 mg once daily (group C), respectively. AA-Ag was measured after (14±3)days of aspirin treatment. Adverse events and bleeding events were recorded during the (28±3)days of follow-up. Results: The AA-Ag in group A (n=347), B (n=338) and C (n=332) post 14-day aspirin therapy were 6.65 (4.03,10.84)%, 5.89(3.22,10.03) % and 6.00(3.68,10.09) %, respectively (P>0.05). During the 28 days follow-up, the adverse events rate of group A (n=388), B (n=387) and C (n=385) was 3.87%,3.36%, and 7.95%, and the mild bleeding events rate was 3.09%, 2.33%, and 6.23%, respectively. Adverse events rate and mild bleeding events rate were significantly higher in group C than in group A and B (P<0.05). Conclusions: Compared with 100 mg-dose aspirin, 50 mg-dose aspirin achieves similar anti-platelet aggregation effect in this elderly Chinese population. The short-term adverse events and mild bleeding risk of aspirin with enteric-coated sustained-release formulation were fewer than that of enteric-coated formulation.

PURPOSE: Conditional survival (CS) provides important information on survival for a period of time after diagnosis. Currently, information on CS patterns of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is lacking. We aimed to analyze survival rate over time and estimate CS for NPC patients using a national population-based registry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients diagnosed with NPC between 1973 and 2007 with at least 5-year follow-up were identified from the Surveillance Epidemiology End Results registry. Traditional survival rates and crude CS estimateswere calculated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Risk-adjusted survival curves were plotted from the proportional hazards model using the correct group prognosis method. RESULTS: For 7,713 patients analyzed, adjusted baseline 5-year overall survival improved significantly from 36.0% in patients diagnosed in 1973-1979, 41.7% in 1980-1989, 46.6% in 1990-1999, to 54.7% in 2000-2007 (p < 0.01). CS analysis demonstrated that for every additional year survived, adjusted probability of surviving the next 5 years increased from 66.7% (localized), 54.0% (regional), and 35.3% (distant) at the time of diagnosis, to 83.7% (localized), 75.0% (regional), and 62.2% (distant) for patients who had survived 5 years. Adjusted 5-year CS differed among age, sex, tumor histology, ethnicity, and stage subgroups initially, but converged with time. CONCLUSION: Treatment outcomes of NPC patients have greatly improved over the decades. Increases in CS become more prominent in patients with distant disease than in those with localized or regional disease as patients survive longer. CS provides more dynamic prognostic information for patients who have survived a period of time after diagnosis.
Diagnosis ; Epidemiology* ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Methods ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; SEER Program ; Survival Rate

To observe the protective effect of Longxue Tongluo capsule (LTC) on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (EAhy.926 cells) injury induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL, 100 mg·L⁻¹). The effect of the cell viability of LTCin alleviating OX-LDL-induced endothelial cell injury was determined by MTT and LDH assay. The effect of LTC on lactic dehydrogenase (LDH), nitric oxide (NO), super oxide dlsmutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were detected by corresponding assay kits according to manufacturer's instruction. The effect of LTC on the protein expressions of intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1), p65, p-p65, IKB and p-IKB were detected by Western blot. The results showed that compared with the normal control group, the activity of EAhy.926 cells was significantly decreased, LDH leakage (<0.01) increased, NO content and SOD activity significantly decreased (<0.01, <0.05), and the expressions of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, p-p65/p65 and p-IKB(<0.05)increased.This study demonstrated that LTC had no significant effect on the growth of normal cells. The treatment with LTC significantly promoted the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells damagedby ox-LDL, decreased MDA content and LDH release, andincreased the activity of SOD and NO content. Meanwhile, ox-LDL significantly increased the expressions of ICAM-1, VCAM-1, p-p65/p65, p-IKB/IKB in Eahy.926 cells; these effects were suppressed by LTC at 1, 2 mg·L⁻¹. In conclusion, LTC has a significant protective effect on human umbilical vein endothelial cells caused by ox-LDL. This study suggested that LTC has a certain therapeutic effect on AS.