Tumors of the digestive system are one of the most important factors affecting people′s quality of life and have become a serious public health problem globally.Early screening and intervention of tumor markers in high-risk groups for tumors is the key to tumor prevention. Follistatin-related proteins (FRP) are important members of the follistatin family and such proteins are involved in the pathological process of tumors of the reproductive system and respiratory system, among others. In recent years, FRP has attracted extensive attention in the study of digestive system tumors, suggesting that FRP may play a significant role in the development of digestive system tumors, and is a potential marker for clinical diagnosis and treatment. The article reviews the biological function, expression and potential mechanism of action of FRP associated with digestive system tumors, with a view to providing reference for the diagnosis and prevention of digestive system tumors, prognosis assessment and drug development.

Tumors of the digestive system are one of the most important factors affecting people′s quality of life and have become a serious public health problem globally.Early screening and intervention of tumor markers in high-risk groups for tumors is the key to tumor prevention. Follistatin-related proteins (FRP) are important members of the follistatin family and such proteins are involved in the pathological process of tumors of the reproductive system and respiratory system, among others. In recent years, FRP has attracted extensive attention in the study of digestive system tumors, suggesting that FRP may play a significant role in the development of digestive system tumors, and is a potential marker for clinical diagnosis and treatment. The article reviews the biological function, expression and potential mechanism of action of FRP associated with digestive system tumors, with a view to providing reference for the diagnosis and prevention of digestive system tumors, prognosis assessment and drug development.

OBJECTIVE: The biomechanical characteristics of three internal fixation modes for femoral subtrochanteric spiral fracture in osteoporotic patients were compared and analyzed by finite element technology, so as to provide the basis for the optimization of fixation methods for femoral subtrochanteric spiral fracture. METHODS: Ten female patients with osteoporosis and femoral subtrochanteric spiral fractures caused by trauma, aged 65-75 years old, with a height of 160-170 cm and a body weight mass of 60-70 kg, were selected as the study subjects. The femur was scanned by spiral CT and a three-dimensional model of the femur was established by digital technology. The computer aided design models of proximal intramedullary nail (PFN), proximal femoral locking plate (PFLP), and the combination of the two (PFLP+PFN) were constructed under the condition of subtrochanteric fracture. Then the same load of 500 N was applied to the femoral head, and the stress distribution of the internal fixators, the stress distribution of the femur, and the displacement of femur after fracture fixation were compared and analyzed under the three finite element internal fixation modes, so as to evaluate the fixation effect. RESULTS: In the PFLP fixation mode, the stress of the plate was mainly concentrated in the main screw channel, the stresses of the different part of the plate were not equal, and gradually decreased from the head to the tail. In the PFN fixation mode, the stress was concentrated in the upper part of the lateral middle segment. In the PFLP+PFN fixation mode, the maximum stress appeared between the first and the second screws in the lower segment, and the maximum stress appeared in the lateral part of the middle segment of the PFN. The maximum stress of PFLP+PFN fixation mode was significantly higher than that of PFLP fixation mode, but significantly lower than that of PFN fixation mode ( P<0.05). In PFLP and PFN fixation modes, the maximum stress of femur appeared in the medial and lateral cortical bone of the middle femur and the lower side of the lowest screw. In PFLP+PFN fixation mode, the stress of femur concentrated in the medial and lateral of the middle femur. There was no significant difference in the maximum stress of femur among the three finite element fixation modes ( P>0.05). The maximum displacement occurred at the femoral head after three finite element fixation modes were used to fix subtrochanteric femoral fractures. The maximum displacement of femur in PFLP fixation mode was the largest, followed by PFN, and PFLP+PFN was the minimum, with significant differences ( P<0.05). CONCLUSION Under static loading conditions, the PFLP+PFN fixation mode produces the smallest maximum displacement when compared with the single PFN and PFLP fixation modes, but its maximum plate stress is greater than the single PFN and PFLP fixation mode, suggesting that the combination mode has higher stability, but the plate load is greater, and the possibility of fixation failure is higher.
Humans ; Female ; Aged ; Finite Element Analysis ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Fracture Fixation, Internal/methods* ; Hip Fractures/surgery* ; Bone Plates ; Femur Head ; Femoral Fractures/surgery*

Objective To investigate the value of serum IgG4 level in the differential diagnosis of IgG4-related pancreatic and hepatobiliary disease (IgG4-PHD) and non-IgG4-related disease (non-IgG4-RD). Methods Clinical data were collected from 491 patients who were hospitalized and 50 individuals who underwent physical examination in Huaian No. 1 People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Subei People's Hospital, and The First Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from August 2014 to April 2021. The 491 patients were divided into IgG4-PHD group with 20 patients, non-IgG4-RD autoimmune disease group with 431 patients (104 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, 79 with rheumatoid arthritis, 174 with Sjogren's syndrome, 16 with ankylosing spondylitis, 11 with scleroderma, 4 with adult-onset Still's disease, 30 with myositis, 3 with psoriasis, and 10 with primary sclerosing cholangitis), and malignant pancreatic/hepatobiliary tumor group with 40 patients, and the 50 individuals undergoing physical examination were enrolled as healthy control group. Scattering immunoturbidimetric assay was used to measure serum IgG4 concentration. The two-sample Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between groups, and the Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to determine the optimal cut-off value of serum IgG4 in the diagnosis of IgG4-PHD. Results The IgG4-PHD group had a significantly higher serum IgG4 level than the non-IgG4-RD autoimmune disease groups, the malignant pancreatic/hepatobiliary tumor group, and the healthy control group (all P < 0.05), and the Sjogren's syndrome group had a significantly lower serum IgG4 level than the healthy control group ( Z =2.958, P < 0.05). With serum IgG4 ≥1.35 g/L and IgG4 ≥2.01 g/L as the cut-off values, the IgG4-PHD group had a significantly higher positive rate than the non-IgG4-RD autoimmune disease group and the healthy control group (all P < 0.05). The ROC curve analysis showed that IgG4 had an area under the ROC curve of 0.980 in the differential diagnosis of IgG4-PHD and non-IgG4-RD autoimmune diseases, with a sensitivity of 100.00% and a specificity of 94.00% at the optimal cut-off value of 2.21 g/L. Conclusion Serum IgG4 level may also increase in non-IgG4-RD autoimmune diseases, while the cut-off value of 2.21 g/L can improve the differential diagnosis of IgG4-PHD and non-IgG4-RD autoimmune diseases, which requires further verification in clinical practice.

Objective: To investigate the clinical features and pathogenic genes of a family with osteosclerosis. Methods: Six patients and six family members from a family in Jiangsu were tested for biochemical parameters, bone metabolic markers, bone mineral density, thoracolumbar anterior lateral slices, skull positive lateral radiographs, and pelvic plain films. Meanwhile, Sanger sequencing was performed to detect gene mutations of the proband and five other family members with high bone mass. The conformation of the mutational low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5) protein was predicted by SWISS-MODEL. Results: Four adult patients (one male and three females) were tall, with mandibular enlargement and kyphosis in the center of the lower jaw, and none of the four had fractures. Their X ray examination revealed that the skull and long bone cortex was thickened, while the sella and mandible was enlarged. In addition, the absolute values of bone mineral density at each site of all patients were significantly higher as compared with the standard age- and sex-matched adults or adolescent mean reference values, with Z scores of L2-4, femoral neck and total hip being (6.31±4.03) SD, (6.56±2.36) SD, and (7.19±2.03) SD, respectively. The results of genetic sequencing revealed that all six patients carried a heterozygous mutation (c.331G>T; D111Y) in exon 2 of LRP5 gene, while other family members showed wild type (c.331G>G; D111D). Functional prediction indicated that this mutation was located at the amino acid terminal of exon 2 of LRP5 gene, which encodes the first β-helix-generating region of LRP5 protein. Conclusion The D111Y mutation in LRP5 gene leads to a clinical phenotype characterized by benign increased bone mineral density without increasing the risk of fracture. This mutation may further affect the downstream Wnt signaling pathway by altering the spatial structure of LRP5 protein, thereby promoting maturation and differentiation of osteoblasts and resulting in osteosclerosis.

Objective To study the infection rate of fusobacterium nucleatum cancer re appeared in patients with colorectal cancer before and after radiotherapy,and the changes after cancer recarrence.Methods A total of 20 persons receiving physical examination were recruited in the control group and collected the stool specimens,and 40 colorectal cancer patients were selected in the study group.All of the subjects in the study group were collected stool specimens before operation 3 days and after operation 5 day,after radiation therapy 7 days and 30 days.The patients were followed-up 1 year.The bacterial fluid was collected by filtration,and real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression of fusobacterium nucleatum gene in feces.Results The positive rate of fecal fusobacterium fusiformis was 30% in the study group and 5% in the control group.The gene relative expression of 12 colorectal cancer patients before operation 3 days and after operation 5 days,after radiation therapy 7 days and 30 days were 5.20±0.34,8.50±0.45,1.20±0.22,0.20±0.15.The fusobacterium nucleatum gene expression of 12 patients with positive fusobacterium after operation 5 days was significantly increased compared with that before operation 3 days(t=10.419,P=0.001),which after radiation therapy 7 days and 30 days was significant lower than that before operation 3 days(t=12.728,P=0.001;t=25.889,P=0.001).Six patients recurred among 1 year,the fusobacterium nucleatum gene expression was 7.2±0.56,which was significant higher than that after radiation therapy 7 days.Conclusion The infection of fusobacterium nucleatum might be a risk factor for colorectal cancer,and the gene relative expression might be an early warning indicator of recurrence.

Objective To investigate the influence of sputum specimens pre-processing on the detection result and its clinical sig-nificance .Methods The sputum samples of 124 inpatients in this hospital from February 2016 to April 2016 were selected .The sputum color ,character ,Gram staining microcopic examinationof sputum smear were observed by adopting the naked-eye observa-tion .Its influence on the sputum specimen isolation results was analyzed .Results Among 124 sputum specimens ,90 cases were qualified ,while 34cases were unqualified ;the qualification rate of colorlesssputum specimens was 30% ,which was lower than 94 .7% of yellow sputum specimens ,100% of rusty sputum specimens ,100% of red sputum specimens and 87 .5% of white sputum specimens ;the qualification rate of frothy or watery sputum specimens was 22 .2% ,which was lower than that of other character sputum specimens ,such as purulent sputum specimens (96 .2% ) ,bloody sputum specimens (100% )and mucous sputum specimens (83 .3% );the cultured results of 34 unqualified specimens were the oral and throat normal flora ,which all had the contaminating bacterial growth ;among 90 qualified specimens ,58 specimens showed pure culture or advantage growth ,and 32 specimens showed contaminating bacterial growth .Conclusion The pre-processing of sputum specimens is an efficient solution for improving the accu-racy of sputum specimens detection results ,and has the important clinical significance .

Molecular biomarkers could change associated with disease processes.So,the detection of metabolic markers becomes the key to early diagnosis,treatment and prognosis evaluation disease.But the detection of abundant metabolites in body becomes a crux of laboratory medicine at the same time.The recent advances in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy reveal the unequivocal value of NMR in metabolomics platforms.NMR spectroscopy has inherently distinct capabilities to identify and quantitatively measure a large amount of low concentration metabolites in a non-destructive manner.The implementation of NMR technology into a multidisciplinary approach to biomarker identification will improve the auxiliary diagnostic ability of laboratory medicine for the disease.

Objective To investigate the association between the polymorphism of C-reactive protein (CRP) gene and plasma level of hs-CRP in patients with ischemic stroke.Methods 548 patients with acute ischemic stroke were considered to be the case group and 993 age-matched healthy controls were randomly selected from community-based population.Three tagging SNPs of the CRP gene (rs876537,rs3093059,and rs3091244) were genotyped by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP).The plasma hs CRP levels were measured by routine method and multiple logistic regression was applied to evaluate genetic effect on plasma hs-CRP level.Results (1) The hs-CRP concentration and elevation (≥3.0 mg/L) proportion were significantly higher in case group than in control group [(3.534 ± 3.484) mg/L vs.(1.957 ± 2.344) mg/L,43.1％ vs.16.6％,t=10.74 and 23.45,both P＜0.05].(2) Compared with controls,the case group had higher conventional vascular risks,including higher blood pressure [SBP:(145.33 ± 22.11) vs.(134.92±19.48) mmHg,t=14.30,P＜0.05; DBP:(88.14±12.72) vs.(81.42± 12.44) mmHg,t=12.44,P＜0.05],higher low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [(2.714±0.904)vs.(2.286 ± 0.704) mmol/L,t =9.72,P＜ 0.05],and lower concentration of high-density lipoproteincholesterol [(1.213±0.317) vs.(1.438±0.262) /L,t=-12.89,P＜0.05].(3) Both rs876537 and rs3093059 polymorphism of CRP gene showed statistical associations with elevation of plasma hs-CRP level in case group.After adjusted for covariates including age,sex,hypertension,type 2 diabetes and other factors,additive model and dominant model of rs3093059 showed that the adjusted ORs (95 ％ CI) were 1.548 (1.103-2.171),1.562 (1.070-2.281) respectively (both P＜ 0.05).And ORs (95％ CI) of additive model and dominant model of rs876537 were 1.368 (1.067-1.753),1.719 (I.190-2.482) respectively after adjusted for covariates (both P ＜ 0.05).Conclusions Plasma hs-CRP concentration is significantly higher in ischemic stroke patients than in healthy population.The polymorphism of rs876537 and rs3093059 of CRP gene has association with elevation of plasma hs-CRP level in ischemic stroke patients.

Objective To investigate the association of C-reactive protein (CRP) gene polymorphisms and plasma hs-CRP level,and effect on the genetic susceptibility of ischemic stroke (IS).Methods A case-control study was conducted and 548 patients with acute ischemic stroke and 993 agematched controls from community-based population were included in this study.Epidemiological questionnaires were managed to collect for demographic information.Blood pressure was measured and blood glucose,triacylglycerol,cholesterol,and high sensitivity C-reaction protein (hs-CRP) were detected.Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used for genotyping of CRP gene in all participants.Results The levels of plasma hs-CRP and the proportion of elevated plasma hs-CRP (≥3.0 mg/L) in the ischemic stroke patients (3.534 ± 3.484) mg/L (43.1％) were significantly higher than those of controls (1.957 ±2.344) mg/L (16.6％),t =9.475,P ＜ 0.01,x2 =128.326,P ＜ 0.01.The results of association analysis indicated that rs3093059 and rs3091244 of CPR gene presented statistical associations with ischemic stroke.After correction for confounding factors,ORs (95％ CI) of additive model and dominant model of rs3093059 were 0.697 (0.528-0.921),0.671 (0.487-0.923) respectively.ORs 95％ CI) of dominant model of rs3091244 was 0.728 (0.536-0.988).Further analysis indicated the polymorphism of rs876537,rs3093059,rs3091244 of CPR genotyping were significantly associated with plasma hs-CRP elevation (≥ 3.0 mg/L) both in ischemic stroke patients and in controls (P ＜0.05).Conclusion The CRP genetic polymorphisms were negatively associated with ischemic stroke,and positively corrleted with plasma hs-CRP elevation.However,plasma hs-CPP was positively correlated with ischemic stroke.These results suggested that the plasma hs-CRP levels might be accompanied by ischemic stroke.