The calcium-dependent protein kinase CPK16 regulates hypoxia-induced ROS production by phosphorylating the NADPH oxidase RBOHD in Arabidopsis.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production is a key event in modulating plant responses to hypoxia and post-hypoxia reoxygenation. However, the molecular mechanism by which hypoxia-associated ROS homeostasis is controlled remains largely unknown. Here, we showed that the calcium-dependent protein kinase CPK16 regulates plant hypoxia tolerance by phosphorylating the plasma membrane-anchored NADPH oxidase RESPIRATORY BURST OXIDASE HOMOLOG D (RBOHD) to regulate ROS production in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). In response to hypoxia or reoxygenation, CPK16 was activated through phosphorylation of its Ser274 residue. The cpk16 knockout mutant displayed enhanced hypoxia tolerance, whereas CPK16-overexpressing (CPK16-OE) lines showed increased sensitivity to hypoxic stress. In agreement with these observations, hypoxia and reoxygenation both induced ROS accumulation in the rosettes of CPK16-OEs more strongly than in rosettes of the cpk16-1 mutant or the wild type. Moreover, CPK16 interacted with and phosphorylated the N terminus of RBOHD at four serine residues (Ser133, Ser148, Ser163, and Ser347) that were necessary for hypoxia- and reoxygenation-induced ROS accumulation. Furthermore, the hypoxia-tolerant phenotype of cpk16-1 was fully abolished in the cpk16 rbohd double mutant. Thus, we have uncovered a regulatory mechanism by which the CPK16-RBOHD module shapes ROS production during hypoxia and reoxygenation in Arabidopsis.

Phosphatidic acid modulates MPK3- and MPK6-mediated hypoxia signaling in Arabidopsis.

Phosphatidic acid (PA) is an important lipid essential for several aspects of plant development and biotic and abiotic stress responses. We previously suggested that submergence induces PA accumulation in Arabidopsis thaliana; however, the molecular mechanism underlying PA-mediated regulation of submergence-induced hypoxia signaling remains unknown. Here, we showed that in Arabidopsis, loss of the phospholipase D (PLD) proteins PLDα1 and PLDδ leads to hypersensitivity to hypoxia, but increased tolerance to submergence. This enhanced tolerance is likely due to improvement of PA-mediated membrane integrity. PA bound to the mitogen-activated protein kinase 3 (MPK3) and MPK6 in vitro and contributed to hypoxia-induced phosphorylation of MPK3 and MPK6 in vivo. Moreover, mpk3 and mpk6 mutants were more sensitive to hypoxia and submergence stress compared with wild type, and fully suppressed the submergence-tolerant phenotypes of pldα1 and pldδ mutants. MPK3 and MPK6 interacted with and phosphorylated RELATED TO AP2.12, a master transcription factor in the hypoxia signaling pathway, and modulated its activity. In addition, MPK3 and MPK6 formed a regulatory feedback loop with PLDα1 and/or PLDδ to regulate PLD stability and submergence-induced PA production. Thus, our findings demonstrate that PA modulates plant tolerance to submergence via both membrane integrity and MPK3/6-mediated hypoxia signaling in Arabidopsis.

Antroxazole A, an oxazole-containing chamigrane dimer from the fungus Antrodiella albocinnamomea with immunosuppressive activity.

Antroxazole A (1), a chamigrane type sesquiterpene dimer containing an oxazole moiety, has been characterized from cultures of the fungus Antrodiella albocinnamomea. The structure with absolute configuration was determined by extensive spectroscopic methods and single crystal X-ray diffraction. A plausible biosynthetic pathway for 1 was proposed. Compound 1 exhibits inhibition specifically against the LPS-induced proliferation of B lymphocyte cells with an IC50 value of 16.3 µM.

Mechanically Robust Elastomers Enabled by a Facile Interfacial Interactions-Driven Sacrificial Network.

Strength and toughness are usually mutually exclusive for materials. The sacrificial bond strategy is used to address the trade-off between strength and toughness. However, the complex construction process of sacrificial network limits the application of sacrificial network. This work develops a facile strategy to construct an interfacial interactions-driven sacrificial network. The authors' group finds that there are the interfacial interactions between arginines (A) aggregates and molecular chains. Such interfacial interactions result in the mechanical properties of samples having a strong dependence on extension rates, which shows that A aggregates construct a network structure by interfacial interactions. The interfacial interactions between A aggregates and chains improve the strength of samples; while the A aggregate network driven by interfacial interactions preferentially ruptures to dissipate large energy for the improvement of fracture toughness, which can be considered as a sacrificial network. Therefore, their designed elastomers have both high strength and high toughness. This work provides an easier strategy for the construction of sacrificial networks, which can promote the industrial application of sacrificial networks in elastomer materials.

Nonsequential double ionization of Mg from a doubly excited complex driven by circularly polarized laser field.

With the classical ensemble method, the correlated-electron dynamics of Mg atom from a doubly excited, transition Coulomb complex in few-cycle circularly polarized (CP) laser field at low laser intensity is theoretically investigated. The low energy transfer during the recollision process indicates that the two electrons cannot release directly, but it can pass through a doubly excited state, and then escape with the ionization time difference. The numerical results show that the feature of the sequential double ionization (SDI) can be observed in the nonsequential double ionization (NSDI) process. The SDI-like results demonstrate that the intermediate state has lost any memory of its formation dynamics. The distribution of the angle between the two release directions of the two electrons also depends on the ionization time difference. Finally, the influence of e-e Coulomb repulsion is discussed.

Correlation between impedance cardiography and 6 min walk distance in atrial fibrillation patients.

BACKGROUND: The correlation between impedance cardiography (ICG) and 6 min walk distance (6MWD) in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients remains unknown. METHODS: We recruited 49 subjects in the study (21 AF patients and 28 patients without AF) and estimated hemodynamic parameters: cardiac output (CO), stroke volume (SV), stroke volume index (SVI), left stroke work (LSW), left stroke work index (LSWI), stroke systemic vascular resistance (SSVR), stroke systemic vascular resistance index (SSVRI); 6MWD, left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF), NT-pro brain natriuretic peptide (NT-pro BNP) for the two groups. RESULTS: The AF group have apparently lower CO (2.26 ± 0.14 VS 4.11 ± 0.20 L/min, p = 0.039) and distinctly higher SVR (677.60 ± 69.10 VS 344.41 ± 22.98 dynes/cm(5), p = 0.001), SSVRI (396.97 ± 36.80 VS 199.01 ± 11.72 dynes/cm(5)/m(2), p < 0.001) than the control group. NT-pro BNP (1409.48 ± 239.90 VS 332.59 ± 68.85 pg/ml, p = 0.001) in the AF group was significantly higher than the control group and 6MWD (264.33 ± 14.55 VS 428.79 ± 29.98 m, p < 0.001) in the AF group was lower than the control group. There was no significant difference in LVEF between the two groups (62.67 ± 7.62 % VS 63.93 ± 5.03 %, p = 0.470). Pearson correlation analysis revealed that CO (R = 0.494, p = 0.023), SV (R = 0.633, p = 0.002), LSW (R = 0.615, p = 0.003) and LSWI (R = 0.491, p = 0.024) significantly correlated positively with 6MWD in AF patients. CONCLUSIONS: AF patients had lower cardiac output, shorter 6MWD and higher NT-pro BNP than patients with sinus rhythm. The cardiac output measured by impedance cardiography significantly correlated positively with 6MWD in AF patients.

Simultaneous integrated boost intensity-modulated radiotherapy in esophageal carcinoma: early results of a phase II study.

PURPOSE: The safety and efficacy of using simultaneous integrated boost intensity-modulated radiotherapy (SIB-IMRT) for patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were evaluated in a single-institution phase II setting. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between June 2007 and October 2009, 45 patients underwent concurrent chemoradiotherapy (n = 27) or radiotherapy alone (n = 18). Two planning target volumes (PTV) were defined for the SIB: PTVC and PTVG, with prescribed doses of 50.4 Gy to the PTVC (1.8 Gy/fraction) and 63 Gy to the PTVG (2.25 Gy/fraction), both given in 28 fractions. RESULTS: At a median follow-up interval of 20.3 months, the 3-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 42.2 and 40.7 %, respectively. The median overall survival time was 21 months; locoregional control rates were 83.3 % at 1 year and 67.5 % at 3 years. According to CTCAE (version 3.0) criteria, none of the patients developed grade 4-5 toxicity. The most common grade 2 and 3 radiation-related toxicity was radiation esophagitis, occurring in 64 % of all patients (but only 13 % as grade 3). No patient developed grade > 2 pulmonary complications. CONCLUSION: SIB-IMRT is a feasible therapeutic approach for esophageal carcinoma patients and provides encouraging locoregional control with a low toxicity profile. Further investigations should focus on dose escalation and optimization of the combination with systemic therapies.

A randomized study of intranasal vs. intravenous infusion of dexmedetomidine in gastroscopy.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the respiratory and circulatory parameters between intranasal and intravenous dexmedetomidine in gastroscopy. METHODS: 60 patients undergoing elective gastroscopy were randomly divided into group D1 and D2. Dexmedetomidine (0.5 µg/kg, 1 mL) and normal saline (NS, 1 mL) were given by intranasal route 40 minutes before induction, and then NS (20 mL) and dexmedetomidine (0.5 µg/kg, 20 mL) were given intravenously 10 minutes before induction, respectively, in groups D1 and D2. Propofol (1.5 - 2 mg/kg) was used for induction. Heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), pulse oxygen saturation(SpO2), and respiratory rate (RR) were monitored. The latent period of falling asleep, the duration of gastroscopy, the time of awakening, and the total dose of propofol consumption were also recorded. Postoperative sedation scale and adverse reactions were observed. RESULTS: One patient in group D1 was excluded from the study due to atrioventricular block. The HR and SpO2 were significantly lower, but RR was significantly higher in group D2 than in group D1(all p < 0.05). The time of awakening was significantly longer and the rates of respiratory depression were significantly higher in group D2 than in group D1 (all p < 0.05) There were no significant differences in other parameters between both groups. CONCLUSION: Intranasal dexmedetomidine is a new, safe, and effective approach for gastroscopy because it has more stable respiratory and circulatory parameters and less adverse reactions than intravenous dexmedetomidine.

Sulfate ion (SO4(2-)) release from old and new cation exchange resins used in condensate polishing systems for power plants.

In this study, a dynamic cycle test, a static immersion method and a pyrolysis experiment were combined to examine the characteristics of SO4(2-) released from several new and old cation exchange resins used in condensate polishing systems for power plants. The results show that the quantity and velocity of SO4(2-) released from new and old resins tend to balance in a short time during the dynamic cycle experiment. SO4(2-) is released by 1500H (monosphere super gel type cation exchange resins) and 001 × 7 (gel type cation exchange resins) new and old cation exchange resins, the quantity of which increases according to immersion time. In the pyrolysis experiment, the quantity of SO4(2-) released from resins increases and the pH of the pyrolysis solution transforms from alkaline to acidic with an increase in temperature.

Activation of PPAR-γ inhibits differentiation of rat osteoblasts by reducing expression of connective tissue growth factor.

Long-term treatment with an agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ is associated with bone fractures in the clinical practice. However, the mechanisms underlying the fractures are not fully understood. This study was aimed to examine the effect of rosiglitazone (an agonist of PPAR-γ) of different doses on the proliferation, differentiation, and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-ß1)-induced expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) in primary rat osteoblasts in vitro. Osteoblasts were isolated from newly born SD rats and treated with different doses of rosiglitazone (0-20 µmol/L). The proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts were measured by MTT assay and NPP assay, respectively. The expression of CTGF was determined by RT-PCR and Western blotting. The results showed that most isolated osteoblasts displayed strong alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and treatment with different doses of rosiglitazone did not affect their proliferation, but significantly inhibited the differentiation of osteoblasts in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, treatment with different doses of rosiglitazone significantly reduced the TGF-ß1-induced CTGF mRNA transcription and protein expression in a dose-dependent manner in rat osteoblasts. It was concluded that the activation of PPAR-γ may inhibit the differentiation of osteoblasts by reducing the TGF-ß1-induced CTGF expression in vitro.

[Expression of Six1 and Six4 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and their correlation with clinical prognosis].

OBJECTIVE: Six1 and Six4 are expressed in several tumors, and associated with tumor progress and poor prognosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of Six1 and Six4 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), and to evaluate their correlation with the clinicopathological factors and prognosis. METHODS: Tissue microarray technology and immunohistochemical method (EnVision) were used to detect the expression of Six1 and Six4 in the tumor tissues and corresponding adjacent normal epithelium of esophagus from 292 ESCC patients. RESULTS: Among the 292 ESCC patients, the positive rates of Six1 and Six4 protein expression in tumor tissues were 72.9% (213/292) and 56.2% (164/292), respectively, significantly higher than the expression rate of 33.2% (97/292) and 32.5% (95/292) in adjacent normal epithelium of esophagus (P < 0.05). Chi square test showed that the expression of Six1 protein was related to tumor size, depth of tumor invasion and patient survival status; higher Six4 protein expression level was related to poor differentiation and increased depth of invasion. Single factor Log-rank analysis revealed that gender, TNM stage, Six1 protein expression level were related to the overall survival of ESCC patients (P < 0.05), while the five-year survival rate was significantly higher in the Six1-negative group than the Six1-positive group [51.9% (41/79) vs. 43.7% (93/213)]. Multi-factor Cox proportional risk model analysis showed that TNM stage and positive expression of Six1 were independent prognostic factors for ESCC patients (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Six1 and Six4 are highly expressed in ESCC. Their expression levels are closely related to the progress and prognosis of ESCC. Over-expression of Six1 is related to poor prognosis in ESCC patients. Thus, Six1 could be used as an important prognostic indicator for ESCC patients.

Osteopontin promotes gastric cancer progression via phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignant tumors. Osteopontin (OPN) is thought to be closely related to the occurrence, metastasis and prognosis of many types of tumors. AIM: To investigate the effects of OPN on the proliferation, invasion and migration of GC cells and its possible mechanism. METHODS: The mRNA and protein expression of OPN in the GC cells were analyzed by real-time quantitative-reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blotting, and observe the effect of varying degree expression OPN on the proliferation and other behaviors of GC. Next, the effects of OPN knockdown on GC cells migration and invasion were examined. The short hairpin RNA (shRNA) and negative control shRNA targeting OPN-shRNA were transfected into the cells according to the manufacturer's instructions. Non transfected cells were classified as control in the identical transfecting process. 24 h after RNA transfection cell proliferation activity was detected by 3-(4,5)-dimethylthiahiazo (-z-y1)-3,5-di-phenytetrazoliumromide assay, and cell invasiveness and migration were detected by Trans well assay. Meanwhile, the expression of protein kinase B (AKT), matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the human GC cell lines was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. RESULTS: The results of this study revealed that OPN mRNA and protein expression levels were highly expressed in SGC-7901 cells. OPN knockdown by specific shRNA noticeably reduced the capabilities of proliferation, invasion and migration of SGC-7901 cells. Moreover, in the experiments of investigating the underlying mechanism, results showed that OPN knockdown could down-regulated the expression of MMP-2 and VEGF, it also decreased the phosphorylation of AKT. Meanwhile, the protein expression levels of MMP-2, VEGF and phosphorylated AKT was noticeable lower than that in control group in the GC cells after they were added to phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor (LY294002). CONCLUSION: These results suggested that OPN though PI3K/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin signal pathway to up-regulate MMP-2 and VEGF expression, which contribute SGC-7901 cells to proliferation, invasion and migration. Thus, our results demonstrate that OPN may serve as a novel prognostic biomarkers as well as a potential therapeutic targets for GC.

[Modulation of autophagy in the rats with acute intracerebral hemorrhage by acupuncture based on JNK pathway].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of acupuncture on JNK pathway and autophagy level in rats with intracerebral hemorrhage （ICH） and explore the partial mechanism of acupuncture against ICH. METHODS: SD rats were randomly divided into blank group, model group and acupuncture group. Each group was divided into Day 1, Day 3 and Day 7 subgroups respectively, with 5 rats in each group. The autologous blood injection was adopted to duplicate rat model of ICH. In the acupuncture group, the needle was inserted from "Baihui" （GV20） towards "Qubin" （GB7） on the affected side, stimulating for 30 min each time, once daily； the same acupuncture technique was opera-ted in each subgroup for 1, 3 and 7 days, separately. Using Bederson scale, the neurological deficit was evaluated in each group. Western blot was adopted to detect the protein expression levels of Beclin1, LC3Ⅰ/Ⅱ, phosphorylated c-Jun amino-terminal kinase （p-JNK） and the phosphorylated （p）-c-Jun around hematoma lesion of the brain tissue of rats in each group. RESULTS: After treatment, the neurological deficit score of rats in the model group was higher than that of the blank group at each time point （P<0.05）, and the score of the acupuncture group started declining since the 3rd day of treatment when compared with the model group （P<0.05）. At each time point, compared with the blank group, the protein expression levels of LC3Ⅰ/Ⅱ, Beclin1, p-c-Jun and p-JNK was increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group, the protein expression level of LC3Ⅰ/Ⅱ was reduced （P<0.05）； the protein expression levels of Beclin1, p-c-Jun and p-JNK was increased （P<0.05, P<0.01） on day 3 and 7 in the acupuncture group. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture can activate the JNK pathway in the brain tissue of rats with ICH and increase the level of autophagy, thereby improving the neurological function of the rats with ICH.

A seminal perspective on the role of chondroitin sulfate in biomineralization.

Chondroitin sulfate (CS) is an important extracellular matrix component of mineralized tissues. It participates in biomineralization, osteoblast differentiation and promotes bone tissue repair in vitro. However, the mechanism in which CS functions is unclear. Accordingly, an in-depth investigation of how CS participates in mineralization was conducted in the present study. Chondroitin sulfate was found to directly induce intrafibrillar mineralization of the collagen matrix. The mineralization outcome was dependent on whether CS remained free in the extracellular matrix or bound to core proteins; mineralization only occurred when CS existed in a free state. The efficacy of mineralization appeared to increase with ascending CS concentration. This discovery spurred the authors to identify the cause of heterotopic ossification in the Achilles tendon. Chondroitin sulfate appeared to be a therapeutic target for the management of diseases associated with heterotopic calcification. A broader perspective was presented on the applications of CS in tissue engineering.

Cadinane sesquiterpenoids from the fungus Antrodiella albocinnamomea and their inhibitory activity against nitric oxide production.

Seven previously undescribed cadinane sesquiterpenoids, albocinnamins A‒G, were isolated from the fungus Antrodiella albocinnamomea. Their structures with absolute configurations were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic methods, as well as single crystal X-ray diffraction. Cadinane sesquiterpenoids were reported from A. albocinnamomea for the first time. All of these sesquiterpenoids possess an unusual ether ring with minor modifications. Albocinnamins D and G showed certain inhibitory activities against nitric oxide production in LPS-activated RAW264.7 macrophages with IC50 values of 26.1 and 19.2 µM, respectively.

Targeting circDGKD Intercepts TKI's Effects on Up-Regulation of Estrogen Receptor ß and Vasculogenic Mimicry in Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) has been reported as an alternative channel to increase tumor nutrient supplies and accelerate tumor progression, and is associated with poor survival prognosis in multiple cancers, including renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The currently used anti-angiogenic treatment for metastatic RCC, sunitinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), has been reported to induce VM formation. Previously we identified that the estrogen receptor ß (ERß) functions as an oncogenic factor to promote RCC progression, supported by the analytic results from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. We have also found evidence that sunitinib induces RCC VM formation by up-regulating ERß expression. In this study, we further demonstrated that treatment with sunitinib, as well as axitinib, another TKI, could induce ERß expression in RCC cell lines. Clinical clear cell RCC (ccRCC) patients with higher ERß expression are more likely to be found VE-cadherin positive and VM positive. Mechanism dissection showed that TKI- induced ERß transcriptionally up-regulates the circular RNA of DGKD (circDGKD, hsa_circ_0058763), which enhances VE-cadherin expression by sponging the microRNA miR-125-5p family. Targeting circDGKD intercepts sunitinib-pretreatment-induced RCC VM formation, reduces metastases and improves survival in an experimental orthotopic animal model. Targeting ERß/circDGKD signals may improve the TKI efficacy and provide novel combination therapies for metastatic RCC.

Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of EGFR over-expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To elucidate the clinicopathological and prognostic significance of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) over-expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). METHODOLOGY: A meta-analysis of previous studies was performed to assess the effects of EGFR over-expression on clinicopathological parameters and overall survival (OS) in patients with ESCC, using pooled odds ratio (OR) with its 95% confidence interval (CI) and pooled hazard ratio (HR) with its 95% CI, respectively. RESULTS: A total of nine studies including 802 patients were subjected to the final analysis. The overall results suggested that over-expression of EGFR was significantly correlated with, not only the lymph node status and tumour differentiation grade, with a pooled OR of 0.64 (95% CI: 0.46-0.89; Z=2.62; p=0.009) and 1.60 (95% CI: 1.09-2.37; Z=2.37; p=0.018), respectively, but also the poorer OS with a pooled HR of 1.60 (95% CI: 1.05-2.43; Z=2.19 p=0.028). CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis suggests that over-expression of EGFR might play an important role in the progression of ESCC, and it might be useful as a predictive biomarker in clinical practice, yet the predictive value of EGFR in ESCC still needs further confirmation by prospective trials.

Decorin Induces Cardiac Hypertrophy by Regulating the CaMKII/MEF-2 Signaling Pathway In Vivo.

OBJECTIVE: Cardiac hypertrophy is an adaptive reaction of the heart against cardiac overloading, but continuous cardiac hypertrophy can lead to cardiac remodeling and heart failure. Cardiac hypertrophy is mostly considered reversible, and recent studies have indicated that decorin not only prevents cardiac fibrosis associated with hypertension, but also achieves therapeutic effects by blocking fibrosis-related signaling pathways. However, the mechanism of action of decorin remains unknown and unconfirmed. METHODS: We determined the degree of myocardial hypertrophy by measuring the ratios of the heart weight/body weight and left ventricular weight/body weight, histological analysis and immunohistochemistry. Western blotting was performed to detect the expression levels of CaMKII, p-CaMKII and MEF-2 in the heart. RESULTS: Our results confirmed that decorin can regulate the CaMKII/MEF-2 signaling pathway, with inhibition thereof being similar to that of decorin in reducing cardiac hypertrophy. CONCLUSION: Taken together, the results of the present study showed that decorin induced cardiac hypertrophy by regulating the CaMKII/MEF-2 signaling pathway in vivo, revealing a new therapeutic approach for the prevention of cardiac hypertrophy.

Identification of differentially expressed proteins in the locoregional recurrent esophageal squamous cell carcinoma by quantitative proteomics.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to identify potential biomarkers associated with locoregional recurrence in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) after radical resection. METHODS: We performed a quantitative proteomics analysis using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) with reversed-phase liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (RPLC-MS) to identify differential expression proteins (DEPs) between a locoregional recurrence group and good prognosis group of ESCC after radical esophagectomy. The bioinformatics analysis was performed with ingenuity pathway analysis software (IPA) and Gene Ontology (GO) database using the software of MAS 3.0. Kaplan-Meier (KM) Plotter Online Tool (http://www.kmplot.com) was used to evaluate the relationship between the differential expression of proteins and survival in patients with ESCC. RESULTS: More than 400 proteins were quantitated of which 27 proteins had upregulated expression and 55 proteins had downregulated expression in the locoregional recurrence group compared to the good prognosis group. These 82 DEPs were associated with biological procession of cancer development including cellular movement, cellular assembly and organization, cellular function and maintenance, cellular growth and proliferation, cell death and survival, DNA replication recombination and repair, and so on. Of these DEPs, SPTAN1 and AGT proteins were identified to be associated with RFS in ESCC. SPTAN1 was positively associated with RFS and AGT was negatively associated with RFS. Expression of SPTAN1 tended to have favorable OS while expression of AGT tended to have poor OS. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated that quantitative proteomics is an effective discovery tool to identify biomarkers for prognosis prediction in ESCC. However, it needs more studies with large populations of ESCC to validate these potential biomarkers.

Influence of arm position change from adduction to abduction on intracavitary electrocardiogram.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of arm movements from adduction to abduction on intracavitary electrocardiogram and the position of a catheter tip. METHODS: Overall, 192 peripherally inserted central catheter lines were placed under intracavitary electrocardiogram guidance and 188 of them were enrolled in the study. The catheter was first placed at a time point corresponding to the peak P wave with the arm in adduction. The arm was then abducted to 90° without changing catheter insertion length. During the procedure, basal electrocardiogram, intracavitary electrocardiogram, and radiographs with the arm in adduction and abduction were recorded. Amplitude wave changes and catheter movements were measured on electrocardiogram records and radiographs, respectively. RESULTS: In 188 cases, the P wave displayed typical changes, and 97.8% (184/188) catheters were successfully placed correctly. At the peak P wave, the amplitude of the peak P wave was 8.64 times greater than that of the basal P wave, and the P/R ratio was 0.61. When the arm was abducted to 90°, the amplitude of the P wave dropped to 57% of its peak, P/R decreased from 0.61 to 0.34, and the catheter tip moved cephalad 1.00 and 0.77 vertebral body units in male and female patients, respectively. CONCLUSION: Peripherally inserted central catheter moves toward the heart when the arm position changes from abduction to adduction. Peripherally inserted central catheter tip placement at the peak P wave with patient's arm in adduction is accurate and can prevent the catheter from advancing too low. R wave can function as a reference for observing P wave changes during peripherally inserted central catheter placement.