[Clinical characteristics of 272 437 patients with different histopathological subtypes of primary esophageal malignant tumors]

Objective: To characterize the histopathological subtypes and their clinicopathological parameters of gender and onset age by common, rare and sparse primary esophageal malignant tumors (PEMT). Methods: A total of 272 437 patients with PEMT were enrolled in this study, and all of the patients were received radical surgery. The clinicopathological information of the patients was obtained from the database established by the State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment from September 1973 to December 2020, which included the clinical treatment, pathological diagnosis and follow-up information of esophagus and gastric cardia cancers. All patients were diagnosed and classified by the criteria of esophageal tumor histopathological diagnosis and classification (2019) of the World Health Organization (WHO). The esophageal tumors, which were not included in the WHO classification, were analyzed separately according to the postoperative pathological diagnosis. The χ² test was performed by the SPSS 25.0 software on count data, and the test standard α=0.05. Results: A total of 32 histopathological types were identified in the enrolled PEMT patients, of which 10 subtypes were not included in the WHO classification. According to the frequency, PEMT were divided into common (esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, ESCC, accounting for 97.1%), rare (esophageal adenocarcinoma, EAC, accounting for 2.3%) and sparse (mainly esophageal small cell carcinoma, malignant melanoma, etc., accounting for 0.6%). All the common, rare, and sparse types occurred predominantly in male patients, and the gender difference of rare type was most significant (EAC, male∶ female, 2.67∶1), followed with common type (ESCC, male∶ female, 1.78∶1) and sparse type (male∶ female, 1.71∶1). The common type (ESCC) mainly occurred in the middle thoracic segment (65.2%), while the rare type (EAC) mainly occurred in the lower thoracic segment (56.8%). Among the sparse type, malignant melanoma and malignant fibrous histiocytoma were both predominantly located in the lower thoracic segment (51.7%, 66.7%), and the others were mainly in the middle thoracic segment. Conclusion: ESCC is the most common type among the 32 histopathological types of PEMT, followed by EAC as the rare type, and esophageal small cell carcinoma and malignant melanoma as the major sparse type, and all of which are mainly occur in male patients. The common type of ESCC mainly occur in the middle thoracic segment, while the rare type of EAC mainly in the lower thoracic segment. The mainly sparse type of malignant melanoma and malignant fibrous histiocytoma predominately occur in the lower thoracic segment, and the remaining sparse types mainly occur in the middle thoracic segment.

Clinical research on one-third dose verteporfin photodynamic therapy in the treatment of chronic central serous chorioretinopathy

OBJECTIVE

To observe the curative effect and safety of one-third dose Verteporfin photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the treatment of chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 60 patients (68 eyes) treated in our hospital from January 2016 to December 2016 were selected in this study, and they were diagnosed with chronic CSC via fluorescein fundus angiography (FFA), indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT). Besides, patients were treated with one-third conventional dose Verteporfin PDT. The subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT), superior, inferior, nasal and temporal choroidal thickness at 1.5 mm away from macula central fovea, central choroidal capillary layer thickness, photoreceptor layer thickness, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), subretinal fluid absorption, FFA and ICGA manifestations and complications of patients were observed and recorded before treatment and at 1, 3 and 6 months after treatment.

RESULTS

After PDT via one-third conventional dose of Verteporfin, patients were followed up for 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months. The SFCT of affected eyes was changed from (381.23 ± 83.29) μm before treatment to (385.31 ± 90.89) μm, (369.59 ± 75.60) μm and (374.08 ± 102.81) μm successively, and the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.001). Central choroidal capillary layer thickness and superior, inferior, nasal and temporal choroidal thickness at 1.5 mm away from macula central fovea (SCT1.5mm, ICT1.5mm, NCT1.5mm and TCT1.5mm) were significantly decreased at 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after treatment compared with those before treatment (p < 0.001). With the passage of time after treatment, the photoreceptor layer thickness of affected eyes was increased gradually, and the difference was statistically significant (F = 268.8, p < 0.0001). After PDT, BCVA had a statistically significant difference compared with that before treatment (p = 36.16, p < 0.001); BCVA at 3 months after treatment had no statistically significant difference compared with that at 6 months after treatment (p > 0.05). At 6 months after treatment, the subretinal fluid in 63 eyes (92.6%) completely subsided, and a little subretinal fluid was retained in 5 eyes (7.4%). FFA and ICGA showed the choroidal vessel dilatation in affected eyes after treatment and significantly improved moderate-advanced high fluorescein leakage compared with that before treatment. There were no obvious complications in the body and fundus during the follow-up period.

CONCLUSIONS

One-third dose Verteporfin PDT can improve BCVA, stop or reduce the choroidal vasodilatation and leakage, accelerate the absorption of serous subretinal fluid, and help the recovery of photoreceptor layer of patients with chronic CSC, which is safe and reliable.

First Report of Chaetomella raphigera Causing Leaf Spot on Rosa chinensis in China

China rose, Rosa chinensis Jacq., is extensively cultivated as an ornamental plant in China (1). During the course of a disease survey of China rose in Henan Province, a leaf spot was observed on about 20 China roses, cultivated in a garden in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, in early October 2012. The early symptom appeared as small round, pale brown lesions on the leaves. Lesions expanded into 5 to 15-mm-diameter spots that were near round or irregular and brown. Both sporodochial and pycnidial conidiomata developed in necrotic areas of diseased leaves when placed in moist chambers. Pycnidia were elongated, reniform, with a single raphe over the top, pale to dark brown, and 260 to 350 × 150 to 210 μm. Sporodochia were pale luteous and 100 to 280 × 80 to 180 μm. Setae, conidiophores, conidiogenous cells, and conidia were the same between two types of conidioma. Setae were pale to dark brown, 0 to 2 septate, straight with rounded end, clavate to curved at apex, and 22 to 60 × 2 to 5 μm. Conidiophores were up to 120 × 1 to 2 μm, filiform, cylindric, and branched. Conidiogenous cells were enteroblastic, collar and channel minute. Conidia were nonseptate, hyaline, ellipsoid or cymbiform, smooth, guttulate, and 4 to 6.5 × 1.5 to 2.5 μm. Two pure cultures (zm12276-1 and zm12276-2) were obtained by picking spores from independent conidiomata on one leaf and then subsequently grown on potato dextrose agar (PDA), producing the same two kinds of conidiomata. The characteristics of conidial size and distinctly different conidiomata with setae are diagnostic of Chaetomella raphigera M.E. Swift (3,4). The identity of our fungus (zm12276-1) was confirmed to be C. raphigera by DNA sequencing of the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region. The DNA sequence was 99% identical to those of the other C. raphigera isolates (AY487076 and AY487085) (2). The ITS sequence from zm12276-1 was deposited in GenBank (KF483474). Pathogenicity was tested by inoculating 10 leaves of R. chinensis with mycelia plug from colony of zm12276-1 (0.5 cm in diameter). An equal number of fresh leaves inoculated with the plugs of non-colonized PDA medium served as the control. All leaves were incubated in clear plastic box with a dish of sterile distilled water at 25°C under ambient light. After 7 days, 90% of the inoculated leaves showed symptoms identical to those observed on R. chinensis leaves affected in the field. From each of the symptomatic leaves, C. raphigera was recovered, whereas controls remained symptom-free and no fungus was isolated from the control leaves. Koch's postulates were repeated three times with the same results using the pure culture of zm12276-1. C. raphigera has been previously reported on Rosa sp. in the United States (4). To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. raphigera infecting R. chinensis in China. The disease cycle and the control strategies in the regions are being further studied. References: (1) C. Z. Gu and K. R. Robertson. Pages 339-381 in: Flora of China, vol. 9. Science Press, Beijing and Missouri Botanical Garden, 2003. (2) A. Y. Rossman et al. Mycol. Progr. 3:275, 2004. (3) B. C. Sutton. The Coelomycetes. CAB International Publishing, New York, 1980. (4) M. E. Swift. Mycologia 22:165, 1930.

[Stimulatory effect of chemokine-like factor 1 (CKLF1) on the growth of bone marrow cells]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the activity of CKLF1 on the proliferation and differentiation of bone marrow cells.

METHODS

Human low density bone marrow cells and mouse bone marrow cells were plated in 96-well microplate and supernatants from transfected COS-7 cell culture were added. The cell proliferation was assayed by MTT method after 5 days incubation. The enhancing effect of CKLF1 on the colony formation of human hematopoietic progenitor cells was identified in semi-solid culture.

RESULTS

CKLF1 has obvious enhancing effect on both human and mouse bone marrow cells, it can stimulate the colony formation of human hematopoietic stem cells and has synergistic action with GM-CSF.

CONCLUSION

CKLF1 can promote the proliferation and differentiation of bone marrow cells.

[Effects of various growth factors on human mandibular condylar cartilage cell proliferation]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effects of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and basic fibroblast growth factor(bFGF) on human mandibular condylar cartilage (MCC) cell proliferation.

METHODS

Isolated human MCC cells were cultured in DMEM supplemented with 10% newborn calf serum(NCS). The second passages were used in order to avoid chondrocyte dedifferentiation. Cells were seeded at 2 x 10(4)/well on 96-well plate. After synchronization, medium was replaced by DMEM containing 0.4% NCS or 10% NCS with various growth factors, concentrations and combinations. Dose-response and time-course were studied by MTT colorimetric method.

RESULTS

In 0.4% serum containing medium, bFGF stimulated the proliferation moderately, whereas TGF-beta 1 and IGF-I had less effect. In 10% NCS condition, all three growth factors had mitogenic effect and acted dose-dependently. The effects were significant after three days. Among them, bFGF was a potent mitogen(increased by 65%), IGF-I the next(24%). The effect of TGF-beta 1 (13%) might be mediated by some other factors in the serum. The synergetic effects were achieved when they were used in combination.

CONCLUSION

It is suggested that optimal combination of growth factors can promote the proliferation of MCC cells significantly, this might be an ideal way in dealing with cartilage damage during pathogenesis.