bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Stewart-Treves syndrome angiosarcoma expresses phenotypes of both blood and lymphatic capillaries
Authors: Stanczyk Marek , Gewartowska Magdalena , Swierkowski Marcin , Grala Bartlomiej , Maruszynski Marek 
Published: January 2024

Background
The development of angiosarcoma in oedematous tissue is referred to as Stewart-Treves syndrome (STS). This rare and fatal complication is associated with chronic post mastectomy lymphoedema and radiotherapy for breast cancer. Angiosarcoma spread is facilitated by the formation of blood vessels (angiogenesis) and lymph vessels (lymphangiogenesis). In the future antiangiogenic therapy may improve the poor outcome of current treatments. There was evidence that blocking the angiogenenesis would inhibit progression of angiosarcoma. It seems reasonable to hypothesize that blocking the lymphangiogenesis may yield similar results. Although angiosarcomas commonly derive from blood vessels, in case of STS angiosarcomas chronic lymphoedema may suggest its lymphatic origin. The goal of this study was to visualize interstitial space and lymphatics in the central and peripheral regions of STS angiosarcoma.

Methods
On tissue samples obtained from STS angiosarcoma we have performed: first colour stereoscopic lymphography to visualise the morphology of lymphatic vessels and extracellular spaces, second immunohistochemical staining specific for lymphatic vessels endothelium (LYVE-1) and blood endothelial cells (CD31, factor VIII) and prolymphangiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF-C) for precise identification of lymphatic endothelia. STS angiosarcoma morphology was assessed by comparison of pictures obtained on lymphography, microscopy and confocal microscopy.

Results
STS angiosarcomas present heterogenous morphology with areas dominated by hemangiosarcoma and lymphangiosarcoma structures. STS angiosarcoma expressed phenotypes of both blood and lymphatic endothelia. LYVE-1 and VEGF-C is expressed by STS angiosarcoma and may be used to discriminate tumour differentiation. Morphology of lymphatic vessels and spaces in the tumour suggest absence of their normal lymphatic function.

Conclusions
Our results confirmed both hemangio- and lymphangiogenic origin of STS angiosarcoma. Expression of VEGF-C makes STS angiosarcoma a good candidate for targeted antilymphangiogenic therapy. However, morphology of intratumoral lymphatics on colour lymphography suggested their impaired function, which can hamper drug distribution.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessment test score correlated with dyspnea score in a large sample of Chinese patients
Authors: ZHOU Qing-tao , MEI Jing-jing , HE Bei , HUANG Shao-guang , SHI Yi , WEN Fu-qiang , ZHAO Ming-wu 
Published: January 2024

Background
The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessment test (CAT) is an easy to use health-related quality of life questionnaire, the modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale is a classic dyspnea scale which is widely used, while the correlation between them is still not clear. This study investigated the use of the Chinese translation of CAT in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients and its correlation with the mMRC dyspnea scale.

Methods
The multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted in 329 hospitals throughout China from March 1 to April 30, 2010. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients completed both the assessment test and the dyspnea scale during a single study visit.

Results
Six thousand, four hundred and thirty-seven patients were evaluated; 74.9% were male and the mean age was (64.9±10.0) years. Median test scores in dyspnea grades 0 to 4 were 14, 16, 22, 26 and 32, respectively; these differences were statistically significant. The CAT score was moderately correlated with mMRC dyspnea grade (r=0.579, P <0.001). There was no significant difference in mean CAT score between males and females, and patients of high and low socioeconomic status. Primary analysis suggested that CAT scores were higher in older patients (>65 years) than in younger patients (≤65 years) and increased with duration of formal education, but these findings were repudiated by further analysis of subgroups according to mMRC dyspnea grade.

Conclusions
There was no obvious confounding factor influencing use of the CAT in Chinese patients. CAT scores were moderately correlated with the mMRC dyspnea scale.
Association between genetic variants of the leukotriene biosynthesis pathway and the risk of stroke: a case-control study in the Chinese Han population
Authors: SUN Hao , ZHANG Jing , WANG Jun , SUN Tao , XIAO Hang , ZHANG Jin-song 
Published: January 2024

Background
Leukotrienes are arachidonic acid derivatives long known for their inflammatory properties. Leukotriene-based inflammation has been demonstrated to play a crucial role in atherosclerosis, a major risk factor for several human diseases. Recently, human genetic studies from us and others suggest that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in leukotriene pathway genes influence the risk of atherosclerotic diseases such as stroke. This study aimed to assess the role of additional leukotriene pathway genes as a stroke risk factor within the Chinese Han population.

Methods
We sequenced the promoter, exonic, and intronic regions of leukotriene A4 hydrolase (LTA4H) and arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase (ALOX5), and then genotyped five SNPs in LTA4H and four SNPs in ALOX5 among 691 cases with stroke and 732 controls from the Chinese population.

Results
We detected a significant association between an intronic SNP in LTA4H (rs6538697) and stroke in our subjects (adjusted odds ratio, recessive model, 1.75; P=0.022); and the SNP rs2029253 in ALOX5 was associated with a decreased risk of stroke (adjusted odds ratio, 0.76; 95% confidence interval, 0.59 0.97).

Conclusion
Genetic variants in LTA4H and ALOX5 may modulate the risk of stroke in the Chinese Han population.

Chin Med J 2013;126 (2): 254-259
CD133 selected stem cells from proliferating infantile hemangioma and establishment of an in vivo mice model of hemangioma
Authors: MAI Hua-ming , ZHENG Jia-wei , WANG Yan-an , YANG Xiu-juan , ZHOU Qin , QIN Zhong-ping , LI Ke-lei 
Published: January 2024

Background
Infantile hemangioma (IH) is the most common benign tumor in children with prevalence in the face and neck. Various treatment options including oral propranolol have been described for IH, but the mechanism of drugs remains enigmatic. The aim of this study was to investigate the pathogenesis and establish a reliable in vivo model of IH which can provide platform for drug exploration.

Methods
Stem cells from the proliferating hemangiomas (HemSCs) were isolated by CD133-tagged immunomagnetic beads. Their phenotype and angiogenic property were investigated by flow cytometry, culturing on Matrigel, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), immunofluorescent staining and injection into BALB/c-nu mice.

Results
HemSCs had robust ability of proliferating and cloning. The time of cells doubling in proliferative phase was 16 hours. Flow cytometry showed that HemSCs expressed mesenchymal markers CD29, CD44, but not endothelial/hematopoietic marker of CD34 and hematopoietic marker CD45. The expression of CD105 was much lower than that of the reported hemangioma derived or normal mesenchymal stem cell (MSC). Real-time PCR showed that the mRNA levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) of HemSCs were higher than that of neonatal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDFs) and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). After HemSCs were cultured on Matrigel in vitro, they formed tube-like structure in a short time (16 hours) and differentiated into endothelial cells in 7 days. After 1-2 weeks of implantation into immunodeficient mice, HemSCs generated glucose transporter 1 positive blood vessels. When co-injected with HUVECs, the vascularization of HemSCs was greatly enhanced. However, the single implantation of HUVECs hardly formed blood vessels in BALB/c-nu mice (P <0.05).

Conclusions
HemSCs may be some kinds of primitive mesoderm derived stem cells with powerful angiogenic ability, which can recapitulate human hemangioma by co-injecting into immunodeficient mice with HUVECs.
Clinical and immunopathological features of patients with lupus hepatitis
Authors: ZHENG Ru-hua , WANG Jin-hui , WANG Shu-bing , CHEN Jie , GUAN Wei-ming , CHEN Min-hu 
Published: January 2024

Background
Lupus hepatitis is yet to be characterized based on its clinical features and is often difficult to differentially diagnose from other liver diseases. We aimed to elucidate clinical, histopathological and immunopathological features of lupus hepatitis and to evaluate primarily the effectiveness of liver immunopathological manifestations on differential diagnosis of lupus hepatitis from other liver diseases.

Methods
A retrospective study was performed to analyze clinical features of lupus hepatitis in 47 patients out of 504 inpatients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, China from May 2006 to July 2009, and to evaluate the association between lupus hepatitis and SLE activity. Additionally, liver histopathological changes by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining and immunopathological changes by direct immunofluorescence test in 10 lupus hepatitis cases were analyzed and compared to those in 16 patients with other liver diseases in a prospective study.

Results
Of 504 SLE patients, 47 patients (9.3%) were diagnosed to have lupus hepatitis. The prevalence of lupus hepatitis in patients with active SLE was higher than that in those with inactive SLE (11.8% vs. 3.2%, P <0.05). The incidence of hematological abnormalities in patients with lupus hepatitis was higher than that in those without lupus hepatitis (40.4% vs. 21.7%, P <0.05), such as leucocytes count (2.92×109/L vs. 5.48×109/L), platelets count (151×109/L vs. 190×109/L), serum C3 and C4 (0.34 g/L vs. 0.53 g/L; 0.06 g/L vs. 0.09 g/L) (P <0.05); 45 of 47 (95.7%) lupus hepatitis patients showed 1 upper limit of normal (ULN) <serum ALT level <5 ULN. The liver histopathological features in patients with lupus hepatitis were miscellaneous and non-specific, similar to those in other liver diseases, but liver immunopathological features showed positive intense deposits of complement 1q in 7/10 patients with lupus hepatitis and negative complement 1q deposits in all patients with other liver diseases (Fisher's exact test, P=0.011).

Conclusions
Lupus hepatitis was not infrequent in active SLE patients which would be one of the indices indicating SLE activity. Positive intense deposit of complement 1q in liver may be a characteristic immunopathological feature of lupus hepatitis, which provides a new way to differentially diagnose lupus hepatitis from other liver diseases.

Chin Med J 2013;126 (2): 260-266
Mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor abrogates abnormal osteoclastogenesis in neurofibromatosis type 1
Authors: LIU Ning , XU Ning , WEI Li-hui , CHAI Guo-lin 
Published: January 2024

Background
Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is the most common genetic syndrome predisposing patients to various tumors due to dysregulation of the Ras signaling pathway. Recent research has shown NF1 patients also suffer a spectrum of bone pathologies. The pathogenesis of NF1 bone diseases is largely unknown. There is no current treatment. By Nf1 heterozygote (Nf1+/-) mice and Nf1 conditional knockout mice, we and other groups demonstrated abnormal osteoblast and osteoclast function due to dysregulation of Ras signaling. However, the specific downstream effector pathways linked to NF1 abnormal osteoblastogenesis and osteoclastogenesis have not been defined. In this study, we investigated the Ras downstream effector related with NF1 bone disease.

Methods
We used Nf1+/+ and Nf1+/- mice as normal and NF1 models. Bone stromal cells extracted from Nf1+/+ and Nf1+/- mice were induced osteoclasts. The osteoclast cell was stained by tartrate resistant acid phosphatase staining. The osteoclast cell number was counted and the surface area of osteoclast cells was calculated under the microscope. The mRNA of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) was determined by quantitative reverse-transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The presence of ribosomal protein S6 kinase was determined by Western blotting.

Results
Compared with Nf1+/+ mice, Nf1+/- mice had about 20% more of osteoclast cells. These osteoclast cells were larger in size with more nuclei. Hyperactive mTOR was detected in Nf1+/- osteoclast cells. Inhibition of mTOR signaling by rapamycin in Nf1+/- osteoclasts abrogated abnormalities in cellular size and number.

Conclusion
mTOR pathway inhibition may represent a viable therapy for NF1 bone diseases.
Shen-Fu injection reduces impaired myocardial β-adrenergic receptor signaling after cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Authors: JI Xian-fei , JI Hong-bin , SANG De-ya , WANG Shuo , YANG Lin , LI Chun-sheng 
Published: January 2024

Background
Post-resuscitation myocardial dysfunction has been implicated as a major cause of fatal outcome in patients who survive initially successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). In our previous study, we found that impaired myocardial β-adrenergic receptor (AR) signaling is a key mechanism in post-resuscitation myocardial dysfunction and Shen-Fu injection (SFI) can attenuate post-resuscitation myocardial dysfunction. However, whether SFI can prevent impaired post-resuscitation myocardial β-AR signaling is not yet known. In this study, we investigated the effect of SFI on impaired myocardial β-AR signaling occurring post-resuscitation in a porcine model of cardiac arrest.

Methods
Ventricular fibrillation was induced electrically in anesthetized male landrace domestic pigs. After 4 minutes of untreated ventricular fibrillation, cardiopulmonary resuscitation was initiated. Sixteen successfully resuscitated pigs were randomized to receive a continuous infusion of either SFI (0.5 ml/min; n=8) or saline (placebo; n=8) for 6 hours, beginning 15 minutes after the return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Hemodynamic and echocardiographic data were recorded. β-AR signaling was assessed at 6 hours after the intervention by measuring myocardial adenylate cyclase activity, β-AR density and β-AR kinase expression.

Results
Treatment with SFI produced better maximum rate of left ventricular pressure increase (dp/dtmax) and maximum rate of left ventricular pressure decline (-dp/dtmax), cardiac output, and ejection fraction after ROSC. SFI treatment was also associated with lower myocardial β-adrenergic receptor kinase expression, whereas basal and isoproterenol- stimulated adenylate cyclase activity and the total β-AR density were significantly increased in the SFI group when compared with the placebo group.

Conclusion
SFI attenuated post-resuscitation myocardial dysfunction by preventing impaired myocardial β-AR signaling after CPR.
Predictive value of antiplatelet resistance on early stent thrombosis in patients with acute coronary syndrome
Authors: LI Lei , LI Hai-yan , QIAO Rui , YU Hai-yi , ZENG Hui , GAO Wei , ZHANG Jie 
Published: January 2024

Background
Despite outstanding antiplatelet properties of aspirin and clopidogrel, some patients taking these drugs continue to suffer complications. Antiplatelet resistance appears to be a new prognostic factor in acute coronary syndrome patients for clinical events associated with stent thrombosis (ST). However, there is no optimal method to identify it and assess its correlation to clinical outcomes. This study sought to evaluate the predictive value of antiplatelet resistance assessed by whole blood impedance aggregometry for the risk of early ST in patients with acute coronary syndrome who underwent coronary stenting.

Methods
Platelet responses to aspirin and clopidogrel in 86 patients with acute coronary syndrome were measured by whole blood impedance aggregometry. Spontaneous platelet aggregation was defined as antiplatelet resistance identified by the increased electrical impedance. The clinical endpoint was early stent thrombosis during 30-day follow-up after coronary stenting.

Results
The prevalence of aspirin resistance, clopidogrel resistance and dual resistance of combined clopidogrel and aspirin resistance were 19.8%, 12.8% and 5.8% respectively. Diabetes, female and higher platelet counts were more frequently detected in clopidogrel-resistant and dual-resistant patients. During 30-day follow-up, the patients with clopidogrel resistance and dual resistance had higher incidence of early stent thrombosis (18.2% vs. 1.3%, 40.0% vs. 1.2%, P <0.05). Binary Logistic Regression analysis indicated that dual resistance remained an independent predicator for early stent thrombosis (odds ratio 34.064, 95% CI 1.919-604.656, P=0.016).

Conclusions
Antiplatelet resistance assessed by whole blood impedance aggregometry is paralleled to clinical events, and dual antiplatelet resistance is an independent predicator for early stent thrombosis in patients with acute coronary syndrome. As a physiological assessment of platelet reactivity, whole blood impedance aggregometry is a convenient and accurate option for measuring antiplatelet resistance and hence predicting early stent thrombosis.
Comparison of postural control between healthy subjects and individuals with nonspecific low back pain during exposure to visual stimulus
Authors: Li Rui , Wang Ninghua , Yan Xiang , Wei Kunlin 
Published: January 2024

Background
Low back pain (LBP) is a common clinical problem. Many researchers have demonstrated that LBP disorders have difference in sensory strategies for postural control. Optokinetic stimulation (OKS) of optic flow has been widely applied to study its effect on vision, but has not been applied to LBP. Here we used OKS on different surfaces to investigate the characteristics of chronic nonspecific LBP (CNLBP) posture control, so as to provide new theoretical and experimental data for further recognizing CNLBP and enriching its treatment.

Methods
Fifteen individuals with CNLBP (age range 25–40 years) and 15 age and gender-matched control subjects were recruited. Each subject, while standing on a stable or soft surface, was exposed to random-dot patterns projected on a large screen, with the dots displaying expansion (+) and contraction (-) and velocities including 80°, 40°, and 20° per second. The visual stimulus used a “stimuli-interval” pattern. The peak velocity, different phases’ standard deviation (SD) of the anterior-posterior centre of pressure (COP) displacements and the total length of the medial-lateral COP sway (LML) for stable surface and soft surface were recorded by force platform.

Results
The main effect of surface on all parameters was significant, while the main effect of group and OKS showed no significance with the exception of peak velocity (F(3,95)=3.6, P=0.01) and A2 (F(5,140)=9.34, P <0.01) for which the effect of OKS was significant. The interactions of group by OKS of A2 (F(5,140)=3.65, P <0.01) and group by surface by OKS (F(5,140)=2.83, P=0.02), and surface by OKS of A1 and A3 (P <0.05) were significant. It was reported that significantly more SD in amplitude in the T2 phase was seen in persons with CNLBP when confronting the + 40 stimuli on the soft surface (P <0.05) compared to healthy individuals.

Conclusions
There was no significance between persons with CNLBP and healthy people when using the stable surface. Subjects with LBP showed decreased efficiency of postural adjustment when exposed to more complicated tasks and environments, especially OKS in the expansion direction, and displayed a visual-dependent phenomenon. This result suggested that the treatment of abnormal motor patterns in people with LBP should take the properties of task and environment into account.
Relationship between linguistic functions and cognitive functions in a clinical study of Chinese patients with post-stroke aphasia
Authors: YU Zeng-zhi , JIANG Shu-jun , BI Sheng , LI Jun , LEI Di , SUN Li-ling 
Published: January 2024

Background
There has been a long debate among scholars surrounding the relationship between language and cognition. The worldwide study of aphasia is actively exploring the function of language from cognitive point of view. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between linguistic functions and cognitive functions in a clinical study of Chinese patients with post-stroke aphasia.

Methods
Cognitive functions of 63 Chinese patients with aphasia following a stroke were assessed with the Chinese version of the second edition of Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment (LOTCA) battery and their linguistic functions were tested with the Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) Scale, respectively. The correlation between the results observed on the LOTCA battery and those on the WAB was analyzed. Aphasia quotient, performance quotient, cortical quotient, and linguistic function of the patients were compared. Then, each language function was analyzed by way of dependent adopt multiple regression analysis.

Results
The total score of 63 patients as shown on the LOTCA battery was significantly correlated with the aphasia quotient, performance quotient, and cortical quotient observed on the WAB Scale (P <0.05, P <0.01). However, the correlation between visuomotor organization under LOTCA and repeat under WAB was not significant (P >0.05). The attention of LOTCA and WAB's spontaneous speech, repeat, naming, and aphasia quotient was not relevant either (P >0.05). In addition, correlations between the results observed on the LOTCA battery and the WAB were significant (P <0.05, P <0.01). Among the significant variables finally entered into the standardized canonical discriminant functions, main factors affected the aphasia. Multiple regression analysis showed that orientation, spatial perception, and visual perception had a notable influence on aphasia quotient and naming. Orientation and thinking operation was found to have a notable influence on spontaneous speech. Spatial perception and visual perception was found to have a notable influence on auditory comprehension. Thinking operation and orientation was found to have an obvious influence on reading. Thinking operation, spatial perception, and attention was found to have a notable effect on writing (P <0.01).

Conclusion
There exists a close relationship between linguistic functions and cognitive orientation, spatial perception, visual perception, and thinking operation in a clinical study of Chinese patients with post-stroke aphasia.
Effects of U0126 on growth and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases in Aspergillus fumigatus
Authors: MA Dong-mei , JI Ya-juan , YANG Fang , LIU Wei , WAN Zhe , LI Ruo-yu 
Published: January 2024

Background
Invasive aspergillosis (IA), which is mainly caused by Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus), is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. Despite considerable progress in currently available antifungals the mortality still remains high in critically ill patients. U0126 which is a highly selective inhibitor of MEK1 and MEK2 in the RAF/MEK/ERK pathway in mammalian cells has been demonstrated to have an anti-proliferative role in cancer cells. The purpose of this study was to explore the role of U0126 on growth inhibition and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in A. fumigatus.

Methods
Germination percentage and hyphae growth in A. fumigatus treated with U0126 were observed and compared with untreated controls. Western blotting analysis was used to detect changes in activation of SakA, MpkA and MpkB.

Results
U0126 inhibited germination and hyphae growth in A. fumigatus and enhanced the phosphorylation of SakA and MpkA under oxidative stress. U0126 at 10 μmol/L did not block the activation of MpkB during nitrogen starvation stress.

Conclusion
U0126 shows promise as an antifungal candidate and the MAPK pathway may be a possible antifungal drug target for A. fumigatus.

Chin Med J 2013;126 (2): 220-225