Young patient with a giant gastric bronchogenic cyst: A case report and review of literature.

BACKGROUND: Gastric bronchogenic cysts (BCs) are extremely rare cystic masses caused by abnormal development of the respiratory system during the embryonic period. Gastric bronchial cysts are rare lesions that were first reported in 1956; as of 2023, only 33 cases are available in the PubMed online database. BCs usually have no clinical symptoms in the early stage, and imaging findings also lack specificity. Therefore, they are difficult to diagnose before histopathological examination. CASE SUMMARY: A 34-year-old woman with respiratory distress presented at our hospital. Endoscopic ultrasound revealed an anechoic mass between the spleen, left kidney and gastric fundus, with hyperechogenic and soft elastography textures and with a size of approximately 6.5 cm × 4.0 cm. Furthermore, a computed tomography scan demonstrated high density between the posterior stomach and the spleen and the left kidney, with uniform internal density and a small amount of calcification. The maximum cross section was approximately 10.1 cm × 6.1 cm, and the possibility of a cyst was high. Because the imaging findings did not suggest a malignancy and because the patient required complete resection, she underwent laparotomy surgery. Intraoperatively, this cystic lesion was found to be located in the posterior wall of the large curvature of the fundus and was approximately 8 cm × 6 cm in size. Finally, the pathologists verified that the cyst in the fundus was a gastric BC. The patient recovered well, her symptoms of chest tightness disappeared, and the abdominal drain was removed on postoperative day 6, after which she was discharged on day 7 for 6 months of follow-up. She had no tumor recurrence or postoperative complications during the follow-up. CONCLUSION: This is a valuable report as it describes an extremely rare case of gastric BC. Moreover, this was a very young patient with a large BC in the stomach.

Is Pathologic Complete Response the Surrogate in Primary Gastric Angiosarcoma Undergoing Doxorubicin-Based Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy? A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Angiosarcoma is a malignant tumor with low incidence. Especially in the advanced tumors, there is still a lack of knowledge of evidence-based medicine. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a 55-year-old woman with abdominal pain of 2 months of duration, which had increased in severity for 2 weeks prior to the presentation. The diagnosis is primary gastric angiosarcoma. We performed multiple disciplinary team (MDT), and doxorubicin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) was proposed. After two cycles of NAC, a computed tomography (CT) scan showed complete regression compared with the previous scan. An open surgery was done, and surgical specimens were confirmed as a pathological complete response (PCR) by pathological and immunohistochemical examination, but unfortunately, the patient suffered a relapse after the surgery in 3 months. CONCLUSION: Repeated endoscopic biopsy and biopsy specimen examinations can improve accuracy in diagnosis. It seems that NAC could be a candidate for advanced primary gastric angiosarcomas. But after the rapid relapse, we are wondering whether pathologic complete response is the surrogate in primary gastric angiosarcoma undergoing NAC.

miR­4262 inhibits colon cancer cell proliferation via targeting of GALNT4.

MicroRNAs (miRs) have been demonstrated to be important in the establishment and progression of colon cancer. However the underlying molecular mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. Polypeptide N­acetylgalactosaminyltransferase4 (GALNT4) participates in numerous cellular processes, including tumorigenesis. The present study used reverse transcription­quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting to investigate the expression levels of miR­4262 and GALNT4 in tissues and cells. In addition, MTS and colony formation assays, and cell cycle analysis were performed to evaluate the effect of miR­4262 on cell proliferation and the cell cycle. The findings demonstrated that miR­4262 was a direct target of GALNT4 mRNA. Overexpression of miR­4262 was demonstrated to decrease GALNT4 mRNA and protein expression levels, and thereby suppressed cell viability, growth and cell­cycle progression in SW480 and SW620 colon cancer cells. In addition, knockdown of miR­4262 significantly increased the cell viability, growth, and cell­cycle progression of SW480 and SW620 cells. The expression level of miR­4262 was observed to be downregulated as the expression of GALNT4 was upregulated in colon cancer tissues and cell lines. In conclusion, the results demonstrated that miR­4262 may be involved in the development of colon cancer via targeting of GALNT4. The miR­4262/GALNT4 axis may be a novel target for diagnosing and understanding the underlying molecular mechanism of colon cancer.

The sand-deposition impact of artificial gravel beds on the protection of the Mogao Grottoes.

Gravel beds can prevent sand-dust emission and weaken sand-dust flux. We used wind-tunnel experiments and field observations on artificial gravel beds above the Mogao Grottoes to quantify their impact. In the report, we identified a significant correlation between gravel roughness and its ability to trap wind-transported sand. The optimal combinations of gravel diameter and coverage were determined. The greatest roughness is achieved when small gravel coverage is 75%, medium 40% and large 45%. We found that initial wind speed and gravel coverage are the key factors controlling the amount of sand trapped by the gravel beds.

[Clinical study of the predictors to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the predictive value of seven gastric cancer-associated factors on neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with advanced gastric cancer. METHODS: Expressions of C-met, EGFR, HER2, Ki-67, MMP7, P53 and TOPOII were detected by immunohistochemistry in gastric cancer tissues of 53 cases before and after mFOLFOX7 neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Chemotherapy efficacy was evaluated according to RECIST 1.1 standard combined with histopathology, and the relationship between various genes and chemotherapy efficacy was analyzed by univariate and logistic multivariate regression analyses. RESULTS: The clinical response rate was 52.8% (28/53) in neoadjuvant chemotherapy, including complete response in none, partial response in 28 cases (52.8%), stable disease in 24 cases (45.3%) and progressive disease in 1 case (1.9%). The expressions of all the genes were not significantly different before and after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (P>0.05). Neoadjuvant chemotherapy efficacy was 83.3% (10/12) in the patients of HER2 positive expression and 43.9% (18/41) in the patients of HER2 negative expression. The former was significant higher than the latter (P=0.016). Response rate of patients with P53 positive expression was 35.7% (10/28), significantly lower than 72.0% (18/25) of those with P53 negative expression (P=0.008). Six patients with both HER2 positive expression and P53 negative expression showed better efficacy. The expressions of C-met, EGFR, Ki-67, MMP7 and TOPOII were not associated with response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (P>0.05). HER2 and P53 were independent influencing factors of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Expressions of HER2 and P53 have great value in the prediction of mFOLFOX7 neoadjuvant chemotherapy efficacy, suggesting that as independent factors, HER2 and P53 may be used to predict the efficacy before chemotherapy.

[A clinical study of paclitaxel combined with FOLFOX4 regimen as neoadjuvant chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and the toxicity of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with paclitaxel and FOLFOX4 (5-fluorouracil/leucovorin combined and oxaliplatin) regimen for advanced gastric cancer. METHODS: Seventy-eight patients with cTNM stage III or IV (M0) gastric cancer were enrolled and 39 were randomized into the treatment arm (n=39, paclitaxel combined with FOLFOX4 regimen neoadjuvant chemotherapy every two weeks in each cycle) and control group (n=39). Clinical response was evaluated with RECIST criteria after 3 cycles. Patients in experimental group received surgery after 2-4 weeks and postoperative chemotherapy of 3 cycles of the original regimen. When disease progressed, postoperative chemotherapy regimen was changed into ECF regimen. The control group of 39 patients received surgery within 2 weeks and postoperative chemotherapy of 6 cycles of paclitaxel combined with FOLFOX4 regimen. RESULTS: The clinical response rate was 66.7% in the treatment arm. The R0 resection rate (59.0%) was significantly higher than that in the control group (P=0.025) and the number of lymph node metastasis in the treatment arm(3.23±2.80) was significantly lower than that in the control group (5.79±2.69, P=0.001). There were no significant differences in postoperative complication rate (5.1% vs. 2.6%) and the number of lymph node dissection (19.69±2.95 vs. 20.59±3.22) between the two groups (P>0.05). The median survival time and 2-year survival rate in the treatment arm [(27.10±2.32) months and 59.0%] was significantly higher than that in the control group[(18.20±1.30) months and 28.2%] (P=0.001, P=0.006). Cox regression multivariable analysis showed that tumor differentiation, R0 resection, lymph node metastasis were independent prognostic factors. Adverse reaction of chemotherapy, mainly hematological adverse reactions, and peripheral nerve toxicity, were tolerable. No significant differences were noted between the two groups in adverse reactions (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy of paclitaxel combined with FOLFOX4 as neoadjuvant chemotherapy is high. Patients tolerance and compliance are satisfactory. It can improve in patients with advanced gastric cancer the R0 resection rate, reduce lymph node metastasis and improve survival.

[Landscape pattern and its dynamics in typical oasis-desert transitional zone of Minqin Region in 1960-2005].

By using ERDAS and GIS techniques, a systematic analysis was made on the landscape pattern and its dynamics in typical oasis-desert transitional zone of Minqin Region in 1960-2005. Forest land and cultivated land were the dominant factors leading to the landscape change. During the research period, oasis expanded toward the periphery by 2-3 km, and the transitional zone moved toward desert, with its width increased from 4 km in 1960 to about 9 km in 1987 and decreased rapidly then. In 1978-1987, the landscape change reached the historically highest level; but after 1998, the landscape pattern became relatively stable. In the whole transitional zone, the period with higher fragmented index occurred in 1978-1987, during which, the quickest variation among patch types was observed. The fragmentized regions were located in the area 2 km from oasis and in the forestation area. In 1960-1987, arbor forest tended to vanish. Shrubbery area increased widely before 1987, and decreased sharply since then. The intensity of land reclamation kept increasing in 1960-1998 but decreased after 1998, while the abandon rate had a trend of linear increase during the research period.

Environmental characteristics of sandstorm of Minqin Oasis in China for recent 50 years.

The purpose of this present study is to investigate the frequency and variation of sandstorm in Minqin Oasis. Using daily observational data of sandstorm and other meteorologic data from 1954 to 2000, we have illuminated the relationship between sandstorm, meteorological parameters and human activities. The results of the analysis show that the highest frequency of sandstorms occurrence and their duration mainly focus on March, April and May, especially in April. Most of sandstorms occur from midday to nightfall, but relative few appear from midnight to forenoon, which apparently correlates to the daily variations of atmospheric thermal stability within atmospheric boundary layer. Monthly mean and annual mean duration of sandstorms coincide well with the frequencies of sandstorm occurrence.