Comparative assessment of atherosclerosis of rabbit femoral artery by Duplex Ultrasound Scanning, Optical Coherence Tomography and Fractional Flow Reserve

Duplex Ultrasound Scanning (DUS), Frequency-domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) and fractional flow reserve (FFR) remarkably shape our understanding of the significance of coronary stenosis. The present study aimed to compare the assessment results of the atherosclerotic lesions in rabbit superficial femoral artery by DUS with that of FD-OCT and FFR. A total of 20 atherosclerotic lesions were analyzed. Morphological assessments were prospectively compared through DUS, FD-OCT and quantitative superficial femoral angiography (QFA). In addition, the correlation between DUS derived lesion parameters and FFR was determined. The results show that, compared with FD-OCT and QFA, DUS detected larger reference diameter and higher percent stenosis. However, the minimal lumen diameter (MLD) and distance from profunda femoris to MLD were equivalent measured by the three imaging modalities. There was a poor correlation between FFR and DUS-derived percent diameter stenosis (R2=0.198, P=0.049). In conclusion, hemodynamic significance of lesions assessed by FFR was only related with percent diameter stenosis measured by DUS.

Comparative analysis of mucosal immunity to Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae in Jiangquhai porcine lean strain and DLY piglets

The Jiangquhai porcine lean strain (JQHPL) is a new pork meat-type strain that has been developed in recent years from the parent lines Duroc, Fengjing, and Jiangquhai pigs (DurocxFengjing pigxJiangquhai pig). Enzootic pneumonia (EP) in pigs induced by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M. hyopneumoniae) is a chronic respiratory disease of pigs, generating high economic losses in the swine industry. Here, we investigated the degree of resistance to M. hyopneumoniae for the Jiangquhai porcine lean strain and the Duroc x Landrace x Yorkshire (DLY) pigs, which are Western commercial pigs that have been introduced in China. A total of 209 DLY piglets and 221 JQHPL piglets from 19 Landrace x Yorkshire and 22 JQHPL M. hyopneumoniae positive gestating sows with different expected dates of confinement were selected and raised in the same M. hyopneumoniae positive farrowing barn. When the oldest suckling piglets were 37 days old, nasal swabs were collected from all the piglets (ranging from 4 to 37 days old) to detect the M. hyopneumoniae pathogen using n-PCR and M. hyopneumoniae specific SIgA using ELISA. Positive M. hyopneumoniae infection rates in both the strains increased with age; however, positive rates for JQHPL were lower compared to DLY at 14 to 35 days old. The level of the specific SIgA rose rapidly in JQHPL respiratory tracts, particularly in piglets 21 to 35 days in age compared to DLY piglets of the same age; however, the level of the specific SIgA in DLY also marginally increased. In conclusion, JQHPL pigs exhibits higher resistance to M. hyopneumoniae compared to DLY. It is possible that this characteristic is caused by the faster and stronger mucosal immunity phenotype of the JQHPL strain.

Gemcitabine inhibits the micrometastasis of non-small cell lung cancer by targeting the EpCAM-positive circulating tumor cells via the HGF/cMET pathway

Recurrence and metastasis are responsible for the death of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the metastatic pathway have proven to be essential. This pilot study evaluated the sensitivity of gemcitabine in micrometastasis and CTCs from NSCLC patients. EpCAM-positive CTCs were detected in forty patients with NSCLC at treatment initiation and disease evaluation time-points. EpCAM-positive CTCs were defined as EpCAM-positive and CD45-negative. Total RNA was isolated from EpCAM-enriched CTCs and cytokeratin levels were detected by PCR. The HGF/cMET pathway was evaluated in CTCs from patients with different treatments and in A549 cells. The EMT-related markers were analyzed by IHC. We further explored the predictive value of baseline CTCs in patients that were receiving different treatments. The median number of CTCs in NSCLC patients was 65 CTCs/ml more than in the healthy 23?fold (median, 5.2 CTCs/ml). The mean change in cell count was significantly different for patients with gemcitabine compared to patients with non-gemcitabine treatments (-86.28 vs. -15.23/ml; P<0.05). A significant decrease was noted in the expression of cytokeratin in the CTCs of the two groups (P<0.05). The HGF/cMET pathway was inactivated in CTCs and A549 cells treated with gemcitabine, and the cell migration and invasion abilities were inhibited by gemcitabine via the HGF/cMET pathway. Furthermore, the decreased cell migration and invasion abilities may also be involved in the inhibition of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by gemcitabine. At a median follow-up of 36 months, the CTC count was confirmed to be a robust prognostic marker in the NSCLC population (CTCs >151, median: 15.0 months and CTCs <151, median: 32.0 months). Additionally, the survival rate in the gemcitabine group (24 months) was better than in non-gemcitabine group (21 months), suggesting a therapeutic benefit for NSCLC patient survival with the common therapy plus gemcitabine. Gemcitabine treatment decreased EpCAM-positive CTCs in NSCLC patients and inhibited EMT by the HGF/cMET pathway.

Transplantation of unrelated cord blood cells

A 43-year-old woman with Philadelphia chromosome (Ph) positive chronic myelogenous leukemia in acute phase received high-dose chemotherapy followed by transfusion of 12 randomly selected units of umbilical cord blood. HLA analysis showed cells of one donor from day +10 to day +43 post-transfusion. This unit was HLA class II identical with that of the patient.