Functional Investigation of a Novel PIWIL4 Mutation in Nonobstructive Azoospermia During the First Wave of Spermatogenesis.

PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that are almost exclusively expressed in germ cells to silence harmful transposons to maintain genome stability. PIWIL4 is guided by its associated piRNAs to transposable elements, where it recruits the DNA methylation apparatus and instructs de novo DNA methylation. Herein, we identified a missense variant of (c.

Clinical study of adjuvant capecitabine monotherapy in Chinese elderly patients (aged 55-70) with stage IIa breast cancer.

Background: Oral capecitabine (CAP) has shown significant benefits in early stage breast cancer (BC). Herein we evaluated CAP as adjuvant monotherapy in women 55 years of age or older with stage IIa BC.

Patients And Methods: Women with stage IIa BC received 6 cycles of either CAP or CEF (cyclophosphamide/epirubicin/5-fluorouracil) after surgery.