Currently,deep learning is widely used in medical image segmentation and has achieved good results.However,3D medical image segmentation tasks with diverse lesion characters,blurred edges,and unstable positions requir...Currently,deep learning is widely used in medical image segmentation and has achieved good results.However,3D medical image segmentation tasks with diverse lesion characters,blurred edges,and unstable positions require complex networks with a large number of parameters.It is computationally expensive and results in high requirements on equipment,making it hard to deploy the network in hospitals.In this work,we propose a method for network lightweighting and applied it to a 3D CNN based network.We experimented on a COVID-19 lesion segmentation dataset.Specifically,we use three cascaded one-dimensional convolutions to replace a 3D convolution,and integrate instance normalization with the previous layer of one-dimensional convolutions to accelerate network inference.In addition,we simplify test-time augmentation and deep supervision of the network.Experiments show that the lightweight network can reduce the prediction time of each sample and the memory usage by 50%and reduce the number of parameters by 60%compared with the original network.The training time of one epoch is also reduced by 50%with the segmentation accuracy dropped within the acceptable range.展开更多
Nowadays,Web browsers have become an important carrier of 3D model visualization because of their convenience and portability.During the process of large-scale 3D model visualization based on Web scenes with the probl...Nowadays,Web browsers have become an important carrier of 3D model visualization because of their convenience and portability.During the process of large-scale 3D model visualization based on Web scenes with the problems of slow rendering speed and low FPS(Frames Per Second),occlusion culling,as an important method for rendering optimization,can remove most of the occluded objects and improve rendering efficiency.The traditional occlusion culling algorithm(TOCA)is calculated by traversing all objects in the scene,which involves a large amount of repeated calculation and time consumption.To advance the rendering process and enhance rendering efficiency,this paper proposes an occlusion culling with three different optimization methods based on the WebGPU Computing Pipeline.Firstly,for the problem of large amounts of repeated calculation processes in TOCA,these units are moved from the CPU to the GPU for parallel computing,thereby accelerating the calculation of the Potential Visible Sets(PVS);Then,for the huge overhead of creating pipeline caused by too many 3D models in a certain scene,the Breaking Occlusion Culling Algorithm(BOCA)is introduced,which removes some nodes according to building a Hierarchical Bounding Volume(BVH)scene tree to reduce the overhead of creating pipelines;After that,the structure of the scene tree is transmitted to the GPU in the order of depth-first traversal and finally,the PVS is obtained by parallel computing.In the experiments,3D geological models with five different scales from 1:5,000 to 1:500,000 are used for testing.The results show that the proposed methods can reduce the time overhead of repeated calculation caused by the computing pipeline creation and scene tree recursive traversal in the occlusion culling algorithm effectively,with 97%rendering efficiency improvement compared with BOCA,thereby accelerating the rendering process on Web browsers.展开更多
Mammalian T-cell responses require synergism between the first signal and co-stimulatory signal.However,whether and how dual signaling regulates the T-cell response in early vertebrates remains unknown.In the present ...Mammalian T-cell responses require synergism between the first signal and co-stimulatory signal.However,whether and how dual signaling regulates the T-cell response in early vertebrates remains unknown.In the present study,we discovered that the Nile tilapia(Oreochromis niloticus)encodes key components of the LAT signalosome,namely,LAT,ITK,GRB2,VAV1,SLP-76,GADS,and PLC-γ1.These components are evolutionarily conserved,and CD3εmAb-induced T-cell activation markedly increased their expression.Additionally,at least ITK,GRB2,and VAV1 were found to interact with LAT for signalosome formation.Downstream of the first signal,the NF-κB,MAPK/ERK,and PI3K-AKT pathways were activated upon CD3εmAb stimulation.Furthermore,treatment of lymphocytes with CD28 mAbs triggered the AKT-mTORC1 pathway downstream of the co-stimulatory signal.Combined CD3εand CD28 mAb stimulation enhanced ERK1/2 and S6 phosphorylation and elevated NFAT1,c-Fos,IL-2,CD122,and CD44 expression,thereby signifying T-cell activation.Moreover,rather than relying on the first or co-stimulatory signal alone,both signals were required for T-cell proliferation.Full T-cell activation was accompanied by marked apoptosis and cytotoxic responses.These findings suggest that tilapia relies on dual signaling to maintain an optimal T-cell response,providing a novel perspective for understanding the evolution of the adaptive immune system.展开更多
Spinal cord injury(SCI)is a serious traumatic event to the central nervous system.Studies show that long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs)play an important role in regulating the inflammatory response in the acute stage of SCI...Spinal cord injury(SCI)is a serious traumatic event to the central nervous system.Studies show that long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs)play an important role in regulating the inflammatory response in the acute stage of SCI.Here,we investigated a new lncRNA related to spinal cord injury and acute inflammation.We analyzed the expression profile of lncRNAs after SCI,and explored the role of lncRNA Airsci(acute inflammatory response in SCI)on recovery following acute SCI.The rats were divided into the control group,SCI group,and SCI+lncRNA Airsci-siRNA group.The expression of inflammatory factors,including nuclear factor kappa B[NF-κB(p65)],NF-κB inhibitor IκBαand phosphorylated IκBα(p-IκBα),and the p-IκBα/IκBαratio were examined 1–28 days after SCI in rats by western blot assay.The differential lncRNA expression profile after SCI was assessed by RNA sequencing.The differentially expressed lncRNAs were analyzed by bioinformatics technology.The differentially expressed lncRNA Airsci,which is involved in NF-κB signaling and associated with the acute inflammatory response,was verified by quantitative real-time PCR.Interleukin(IL-1β),IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor(TNF-α)at 3 days after SCI were measured by western blot assay and quantitative real-time PCR.The histopathology of the spinal cord was evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin and Nissl staining.Motor function was assessed with the Basso,Beattie and Bresnahan Locomotor Rating Scale.Numerous differentially expressed lncRNAs were detected after SCI,including 151 that were upregulated and 186 that were downregulated in the SCI 3 d group compared with the control group.LncRNA Airsci was the most significantly expressed among the five lncRNAs involved in the NF-κB signaling pathway.LncRNA Airsci-siRNA reduced the inflammatory response by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway,alleviated spinal cord tissue injury,and promoted the recovery of motor function in SCI rats.These findings show that numerous lncRNAs are differentially expressed following SCI,and that inhibiting lncRNA Airsci reduces the inflammatory response through the NF-κB signaling pathway,thereby promoting functional recovery.All experimental procedures and protocols were approved by the approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Jining Medical University(approval No.JNMC-2020-DW-RM-003)on January 18,2020.展开更多
This paper performs an experimental evaluation of thermolysis-driven gases generated by the thermal decomposition of 1 M LiPF6+EC/DMC=1/1 v/v electrolytes at various decomposition temperatures,pyrolysis durations,and ...This paper performs an experimental evaluation of thermolysis-driven gases generated by the thermal decomposition of 1 M LiPF6+EC/DMC=1/1 v/v electrolytes at various decomposition temperatures,pyrolysis durations,and oxygen concentrations.Carried out in a home-built autoclave filled with pure helium,the experiment reveals that as the decomposition temperature increases,more types and larger quantities of gases will be released.Specifically,the experimental results demonstrate trends of logistic growth in the volume concentration of CO2,C2H6O,C2H4,CO,and C2H4O2 with the increase of decomposition temperature.With a prolonged pyrolysis duration,while volume concentrations of certain gases,such as CO2,C2H6O,C2H5F,and CO would increase,the concentration of C2H4O2 actually decreases.Moreover,concentrations of both C2H4 and C2H5F will first decrease and reach their minimum values at 1%v/v oxygen concentration,and then they would quickly climb back at higher oxygen concentrations,while the concentrations of C2H6 and C2H3F would decrease monotonically.It is envisioned that the detailed experimental results and findings on the gas generation pattern of 1 M LiPF6+EC/DMC=1/1 v/v electrolytes can facilitate the development of an early warning mechanism of thermal runaway based on gas sensing technology,which can be effectively applied to monitor the potential thermal failures of lithium-ion batteries with the same type of electrolyte and thus promote the thermal safety of battery packs in safety-critical applications.展开更多
The direct coating of graphene sheets obtained by electrochemical exfoliation on commercial paper renders the preparation of highly conductive flexible paper substrate for subsequent deposition of polyaniline (PANi) n...The direct coating of graphene sheets obtained by electrochemical exfoliation on commercial paper renders the preparation of highly conductive flexible paper substrate for subsequent deposition of polyaniline (PANi) nanorods via electrochemical polymerization. The deposit ion of PANi can be well-controlled by adjusting the electrochemical polymerization time, leading to the formation of PANi coated graphene paper (PANi-GP). The as-prepared electrode exhibited high areal capacitance of 176 mF cm^-2 in three-electrode system at a current density of 0.2 mA cm^-2 which is around 10 times larger than that of pris-tine graphene paper due to the pseudocapacitive behavior of PANi. In-situ Raman test was used to determine the molecular changes during redox process of PANi. More importantly, all-solid-state symmetric capacitor assembled with two PANi-GP electrodes in a polymer electrolyte delivered an areal capacitanee of 123 mF cm^-2, corresponding to an areal energy density of 17.1 μWh cm^-2 and an areal power density of 0.25 mW cm^-2. The symmetric capacitor held a capacitive retention of 74.8% after 500 bending tests from 0 to 120°, suggesting the good flexibility and mechanical stability. These results showed the great promising application in flexible energy-storage devices.展开更多
AIM: To report the clinical outcomes and ergonomics analysis of three laparoscopic approaches in the management of Hirschsprung's disease(HD).METHODS: There were 90 pediatric patients(63 boys, 27 girls; mean age: ...AIM: To report the clinical outcomes and ergonomics analysis of three laparoscopic approaches in the management of Hirschsprung's disease(HD).METHODS: There were 90 pediatric patients(63 boys, 27 girls; mean age: 3.6 ± 2.7 mo; range: 1.0-90.2 mo) who underwent laparoscopic endorectal pull-through Soave procedures for short- and long-segment HD in our hospital. Three laparoscopic approaches were used: conventional laparoscopic pull-through(CLP) in 30 patients between 2009 and 2013, single-incision laparoscopic pull-through(SILP) in 28 patients between 2010 and 2013, and hybrid single-incision laparoscopic pull-through(H-SILP) in 32 patients between 2011 and 2013. We applied the hybrid version of the single-incision approach in 2011 to preserve the cosmetic advantage of SILP and the ergonomic advantage of CLP. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data, cosmetic results, and ergonomics of these three approaches to have a better understanding of the selection of one approach over another. RESULTS: The CLP, SILP, and H-SILP groups were similar in regard to age, sex, transition zone, blood loss, hospital stay, and intraoperative complications. Early and late postoperative results were not different, with equal daily defecation frequency and postoperative complications. No conversion to open technique was needed and none of the patients had recurrent constipation. With proper training, the ergonomics challenges were overcome and similar operative times were registered for the general operative time in the patients < 1 year of age and the short-segment HD patients. However, significantly shorter operative times were registered compared to SILP for patients > 1 year of age(CLP and H-SILP: 120 ± 15 min and 119 ± 12 min, respectively, vs 140 ± 7 min; P < 0.05) and for long-segment HD patients(152 ± 3.5 min and 154 ± 3.6 min, respectively, vs 176 ± 2.3 min; P < 0.05). The best cosmetic result was registered with the SILP(scarless), followed by the H-SILP(near scarless appearance) and the CLP(visible scars) procedures. CONCLUSION: Based on the results, we believed that the laparoscopic approach should be selected according to the age, transition zone, and desired cosmetic result.展开更多
Ghrelin, as a kind of multifunctional protein polypeptide, is mainly produced in the fundus of the stomach and can promote occurrence and development of many tumors, including gastrointestinal tumors, which has been p...Ghrelin, as a kind of multifunctional protein polypeptide, is mainly produced in the fundus of the stomach and can promote occurrence and development of many tumors, including gastrointestinal tumors, which has been proved by the relevant researches. Most gastrointestinal stromal tumors(GISTs, about 80%), as the most common mesenchymal tumor, also develop in the fundus. Scientific research has confirmed that ghrelin, its receptors and m RNA respectively can be found in GISTs, which demonstrated the existence of a ghrelin autocrine/paracrine loop in GIST tissues. However, no reports to date have specified the mechanism whether ghrelin can promote the occurrence and development of GISTs. Studies of pulmonary artery endothelial cells in a low-oxygen environment and cardiac muscle cells in an ischemic environment have shown that ghrelin can activate the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin(PI3K/AKT/m TOR) signaling pathway. Moreover, some studies of GISTs have confirmed that activation of the PI3K/AKT/m TOR pathway can indeed promote the growth and progression of GISTs. Whether ghrelin is involved in the development or progression of GISTs through certain pathways remains unknown. Can we find a new target for the treatment of GISTs? This review explores and summaries the relationship among ghrelin, the PI3K/AKT/m TOR pathway and the development of GISTs.展开更多
文摘Currently,deep learning is widely used in medical image segmentation and has achieved good results.However,3D medical image segmentation tasks with diverse lesion characters,blurred edges,and unstable positions require complex networks with a large number of parameters.It is computationally expensive and results in high requirements on equipment,making it hard to deploy the network in hospitals.In this work,we propose a method for network lightweighting and applied it to a 3D CNN based network.We experimented on a COVID-19 lesion segmentation dataset.Specifically,we use three cascaded one-dimensional convolutions to replace a 3D convolution,and integrate instance normalization with the previous layer of one-dimensional convolutions to accelerate network inference.In addition,we simplify test-time augmentation and deep supervision of the network.Experiments show that the lightweight network can reduce the prediction time of each sample and the memory usage by 50%and reduce the number of parameters by 60%compared with the original network.The training time of one epoch is also reduced by 50%with the segmentation accuracy dropped within the acceptable range.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (42172333,41902304,U1711267)the fund of the State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology (2021)+1 种基金Science and Technology Strategic Prospecting Project of Guizhou Province ( [2022]ZD003)the Knowledge Innovation Program of Wuhan-Shuguang Project (2022010801020206).
文摘Nowadays,Web browsers have become an important carrier of 3D model visualization because of their convenience and portability.During the process of large-scale 3D model visualization based on Web scenes with the problems of slow rendering speed and low FPS(Frames Per Second),occlusion culling,as an important method for rendering optimization,can remove most of the occluded objects and improve rendering efficiency.The traditional occlusion culling algorithm(TOCA)is calculated by traversing all objects in the scene,which involves a large amount of repeated calculation and time consumption.To advance the rendering process and enhance rendering efficiency,this paper proposes an occlusion culling with three different optimization methods based on the WebGPU Computing Pipeline.Firstly,for the problem of large amounts of repeated calculation processes in TOCA,these units are moved from the CPU to the GPU for parallel computing,thereby accelerating the calculation of the Potential Visible Sets(PVS);Then,for the huge overhead of creating pipeline caused by too many 3D models in a certain scene,the Breaking Occlusion Culling Algorithm(BOCA)is introduced,which removes some nodes according to building a Hierarchical Bounding Volume(BVH)scene tree to reduce the overhead of creating pipelines;After that,the structure of the scene tree is transmitted to the GPU in the order of depth-first traversal and finally,the PVS is obtained by parallel computing.In the experiments,3D geological models with five different scales from 1:5,000 to 1:500,000 are used for testing.The results show that the proposed methods can reduce the time overhead of repeated calculation caused by the computing pipeline creation and scene tree recursive traversal in the occlusion culling algorithm effectively,with 97%rendering efficiency improvement compared with BOCA,thereby accelerating the rendering process on Web browsers.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program(2022YFD2400804)National Natural Science Foundation of China(32022086,31972822)Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai(20ZR1417500)。
文摘Mammalian T-cell responses require synergism between the first signal and co-stimulatory signal.However,whether and how dual signaling regulates the T-cell response in early vertebrates remains unknown.In the present study,we discovered that the Nile tilapia(Oreochromis niloticus)encodes key components of the LAT signalosome,namely,LAT,ITK,GRB2,VAV1,SLP-76,GADS,and PLC-γ1.These components are evolutionarily conserved,and CD3εmAb-induced T-cell activation markedly increased their expression.Additionally,at least ITK,GRB2,and VAV1 were found to interact with LAT for signalosome formation.Downstream of the first signal,the NF-κB,MAPK/ERK,and PI3K-AKT pathways were activated upon CD3εmAb stimulation.Furthermore,treatment of lymphocytes with CD28 mAbs triggered the AKT-mTORC1 pathway downstream of the co-stimulatory signal.Combined CD3εand CD28 mAb stimulation enhanced ERK1/2 and S6 phosphorylation and elevated NFAT1,c-Fos,IL-2,CD122,and CD44 expression,thereby signifying T-cell activation.Moreover,rather than relying on the first or co-stimulatory signal alone,both signals were required for T-cell proliferation.Full T-cell activation was accompanied by marked apoptosis and cytotoxic responses.These findings suggest that tilapia relies on dual signaling to maintain an optimal T-cell response,providing a novel perspective for understanding the evolution of the adaptive immune system.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81801906,to KG)the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province of China(No.ZR2018PH024,to KG).
文摘Spinal cord injury(SCI)is a serious traumatic event to the central nervous system.Studies show that long non-coding RNAs(lncRNAs)play an important role in regulating the inflammatory response in the acute stage of SCI.Here,we investigated a new lncRNA related to spinal cord injury and acute inflammation.We analyzed the expression profile of lncRNAs after SCI,and explored the role of lncRNA Airsci(acute inflammatory response in SCI)on recovery following acute SCI.The rats were divided into the control group,SCI group,and SCI+lncRNA Airsci-siRNA group.The expression of inflammatory factors,including nuclear factor kappa B[NF-κB(p65)],NF-κB inhibitor IκBαand phosphorylated IκBα(p-IκBα),and the p-IκBα/IκBαratio were examined 1–28 days after SCI in rats by western blot assay.The differential lncRNA expression profile after SCI was assessed by RNA sequencing.The differentially expressed lncRNAs were analyzed by bioinformatics technology.The differentially expressed lncRNA Airsci,which is involved in NF-κB signaling and associated with the acute inflammatory response,was verified by quantitative real-time PCR.Interleukin(IL-1β),IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor(TNF-α)at 3 days after SCI were measured by western blot assay and quantitative real-time PCR.The histopathology of the spinal cord was evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin and Nissl staining.Motor function was assessed with the Basso,Beattie and Bresnahan Locomotor Rating Scale.Numerous differentially expressed lncRNAs were detected after SCI,including 151 that were upregulated and 186 that were downregulated in the SCI 3 d group compared with the control group.LncRNA Airsci was the most significantly expressed among the five lncRNAs involved in the NF-κB signaling pathway.LncRNA Airsci-siRNA reduced the inflammatory response by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway,alleviated spinal cord tissue injury,and promoted the recovery of motor function in SCI rats.These findings show that numerous lncRNAs are differentially expressed following SCI,and that inhibiting lncRNA Airsci reduces the inflammatory response through the NF-κB signaling pathway,thereby promoting functional recovery.All experimental procedures and protocols were approved by the approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Jining Medical University(approval No.JNMC-2020-DW-RM-003)on January 18,2020.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(51877203)the Science and Technology Foundation of State Grid Corporation of China(521205190014).
文摘This paper performs an experimental evaluation of thermolysis-driven gases generated by the thermal decomposition of 1 M LiPF6+EC/DMC=1/1 v/v electrolytes at various decomposition temperatures,pyrolysis durations,and oxygen concentrations.Carried out in a home-built autoclave filled with pure helium,the experiment reveals that as the decomposition temperature increases,more types and larger quantities of gases will be released.Specifically,the experimental results demonstrate trends of logistic growth in the volume concentration of CO2,C2H6O,C2H4,CO,and C2H4O2 with the increase of decomposition temperature.With a prolonged pyrolysis duration,while volume concentrations of certain gases,such as CO2,C2H6O,C2H5F,and CO would increase,the concentration of C2H4O2 actually decreases.Moreover,concentrations of both C2H4 and C2H5F will first decrease and reach their minimum values at 1%v/v oxygen concentration,and then they would quickly climb back at higher oxygen concentrations,while the concentrations of C2H6 and C2H3F would decrease monotonically.It is envisioned that the detailed experimental results and findings on the gas generation pattern of 1 M LiPF6+EC/DMC=1/1 v/v electrolytes can facilitate the development of an early warning mechanism of thermal runaway based on gas sensing technology,which can be effectively applied to monitor the potential thermal failures of lithium-ion batteries with the same type of electrolyte and thus promote the thermal safety of battery packs in safety-critical applications.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.21503116)The Taishan Scholars Program of Shandong Province(No.tsqn20161004)the Youth1000 Talent Program of China
文摘The direct coating of graphene sheets obtained by electrochemical exfoliation on commercial paper renders the preparation of highly conductive flexible paper substrate for subsequent deposition of polyaniline (PANi) nanorods via electrochemical polymerization. The deposit ion of PANi can be well-controlled by adjusting the electrochemical polymerization time, leading to the formation of PANi coated graphene paper (PANi-GP). The as-prepared electrode exhibited high areal capacitance of 176 mF cm^-2 in three-electrode system at a current density of 0.2 mA cm^-2 which is around 10 times larger than that of pris-tine graphene paper due to the pseudocapacitive behavior of PANi. In-situ Raman test was used to determine the molecular changes during redox process of PANi. More importantly, all-solid-state symmetric capacitor assembled with two PANi-GP electrodes in a polymer electrolyte delivered an areal capacitanee of 123 mF cm^-2, corresponding to an areal energy density of 17.1 μWh cm^-2 and an areal power density of 0.25 mW cm^-2. The symmetric capacitor held a capacitive retention of 74.8% after 500 bending tests from 0 to 120°, suggesting the good flexibility and mechanical stability. These results showed the great promising application in flexible energy-storage devices.
文摘AIM: To report the clinical outcomes and ergonomics analysis of three laparoscopic approaches in the management of Hirschsprung's disease(HD).METHODS: There were 90 pediatric patients(63 boys, 27 girls; mean age: 3.6 ± 2.7 mo; range: 1.0-90.2 mo) who underwent laparoscopic endorectal pull-through Soave procedures for short- and long-segment HD in our hospital. Three laparoscopic approaches were used: conventional laparoscopic pull-through(CLP) in 30 patients between 2009 and 2013, single-incision laparoscopic pull-through(SILP) in 28 patients between 2010 and 2013, and hybrid single-incision laparoscopic pull-through(H-SILP) in 32 patients between 2011 and 2013. We applied the hybrid version of the single-incision approach in 2011 to preserve the cosmetic advantage of SILP and the ergonomic advantage of CLP. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data, cosmetic results, and ergonomics of these three approaches to have a better understanding of the selection of one approach over another. RESULTS: The CLP, SILP, and H-SILP groups were similar in regard to age, sex, transition zone, blood loss, hospital stay, and intraoperative complications. Early and late postoperative results were not different, with equal daily defecation frequency and postoperative complications. No conversion to open technique was needed and none of the patients had recurrent constipation. With proper training, the ergonomics challenges were overcome and similar operative times were registered for the general operative time in the patients < 1 year of age and the short-segment HD patients. However, significantly shorter operative times were registered compared to SILP for patients > 1 year of age(CLP and H-SILP: 120 ± 15 min and 119 ± 12 min, respectively, vs 140 ± 7 min; P < 0.05) and for long-segment HD patients(152 ± 3.5 min and 154 ± 3.6 min, respectively, vs 176 ± 2.3 min; P < 0.05). The best cosmetic result was registered with the SILP(scarless), followed by the H-SILP(near scarless appearance) and the CLP(visible scars) procedures. CONCLUSION: Based on the results, we believed that the laparoscopic approach should be selected according to the age, transition zone, and desired cosmetic result.
基金Supported by the Capital Health research and Development of Special fund,No.2014-3-4014
文摘Ghrelin, as a kind of multifunctional protein polypeptide, is mainly produced in the fundus of the stomach and can promote occurrence and development of many tumors, including gastrointestinal tumors, which has been proved by the relevant researches. Most gastrointestinal stromal tumors(GISTs, about 80%), as the most common mesenchymal tumor, also develop in the fundus. Scientific research has confirmed that ghrelin, its receptors and m RNA respectively can be found in GISTs, which demonstrated the existence of a ghrelin autocrine/paracrine loop in GIST tissues. However, no reports to date have specified the mechanism whether ghrelin can promote the occurrence and development of GISTs. Studies of pulmonary artery endothelial cells in a low-oxygen environment and cardiac muscle cells in an ischemic environment have shown that ghrelin can activate the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin(PI3K/AKT/m TOR) signaling pathway. Moreover, some studies of GISTs have confirmed that activation of the PI3K/AKT/m TOR pathway can indeed promote the growth and progression of GISTs. Whether ghrelin is involved in the development or progression of GISTs through certain pathways remains unknown. Can we find a new target for the treatment of GISTs? This review explores and summaries the relationship among ghrelin, the PI3K/AKT/m TOR pathway and the development of GISTs.
