Airy-Gaussian vector beam and its application in generating flexible optical chains.

In recent years, the manipulation of structured optical beam has become an attractive and promising area. The Gaussian beam is the most common beam as the output beam of the laser, and the Airy beam is recently proposed with fascinating properties and applications. In this paper, for the first time to our knowledge, the polarization is used as a tool to design a new kind of Airy-Gaussian vector beam by connecting the Gaussian and Airy functions, which opens a new avenue in designing new beams based on the existed beams.

PD-L1 blockade liberates intrinsic antitumourigenic properties of glycolytic macrophages in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objective: Patients with increased PD-L1 host cells in tumours are more potent to benefit from antiprogrammed death-1/programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) treatment, but the underlying mechanism is still unclear. We aim to elucidate the nature, regulation and functional relevance of PD-L1 host cells in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Design: A total of untreated 184 HCC patients was enrolled randomly.

[Effects of acute high altitude hypoxia on EEG power in different emotional states].

To investigate the effects of acute high altitude hypoxia on EEG power in different emotional states. This study was two-factor within-subject design (2 levels of oxygen environment ×4 levels of emotion type). Twelve male subjects aged between 20 and 25 years old were induced to produce four different types of emotions by emotional picture evoked paradigm: low valence and low arousal(LVLA), high valence and low arousal(HVLA), low valence and high arousal(LVHA), high valence and high arousal(HVHA).

B cells polarize pathogenic inflammatory T helper subsets through ICOSL-dependent glycolysis.

B cells constitute abundant cellular components in inflamed human tissues, but their role in pathogenesis of inflammatory T helper (T) subsets is still unclear. Here, we demonstrate that B cells, particularly resting naïve B cells, have a previously unrecognized helper function that is involved in shaping the metabolic process and subsequent inflammatory differentiation of T-cell receptor-primed T cells. ICOS/ICOSL axis-mediated glucose incorporation and utilization were crucial for inflammatory T subset induction by B cells, and activation of mTOR was critical for T cell glycolysis in this process.

[Intermittent hypoxic preconditioning relieves fear and anxiety behavior in post-traumatic stress model mice].

Intermittent hypoxia (IH) has preventive and therapeutic effects on hypertension, myocardial infarction, cerebral ischemia and depression, but its effect on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has not been known. In this study, we used inescapable electric foot shock combined with context recapture to build PTSD mouse model. The levels of fear and anxiety were valued by the open field, the elevated plus maze (EPM) and the fear conditioning tests; the level of spatial memory was valued by Y maze test; the number of Fos positive neurons in hippocampus, amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex was valued by immunohistochemical staining; and the protein expressions of hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in these brain area were valued by Western blot.

The Expression and Clinical Signification of PD-1 in Lymph Nodes of Patients with Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.

To screen anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) antibody treatment of the dominant population, it is necessary to understand the expression of PD-1 in tumor metastasis microenvironment. The aim of the present study was to detect the expression of PD-1 in lymph nodes of 51 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by using flow cytometry (FCM). The results showed that the PD-1 expression on CD3 T cells was significantly increased in NSCLC metastatic lymph nodes (50.

B7-H6 protein expression has no prognostic significance in human gastric carcinoma.

B7-H6, a novel member of the B7 family which binds to NKp30 to trigger antitumor NK cell cytotoxicity and cytokine secretion. Recently, B7-H family has been reported to be a negative regulator of the immune response in patients with gastric carcinoma. However, no reports have investigated the clinical significance of B7-H6 expression in human gastric cancer.

Soluble B7-H3 elevations in hospitalized children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia.

The purpose of this study is to explore the associations between soluble B7-H3 (sB7-H3) and cytokines, clinical characteristics and laboratory findings. Thirty-two children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia diagnosed by both positive serology and PCR were admitted to Children's Hospital affiliated to Soochow University. These children were enrolled and evaluated from May 2012 through September 2012.

Therapeutic effects of anti-B7-H3 antibody in an ovalbumin-induced mouse asthma model.

Background: B7 molecules play a key role in regulating allergen-induced T cell activation in asthma, which may occur through T cell recruitment and T helper cell differentiation on allergen provocation. Initial studies have shown that B7-H3 (CD276), a recently identified B7 family member, plays a critical role in the development of Th2 cells.

Objective: To investigate the effects of anti-B7-H3 monoclonal antibody (mAb) in a mouse model of allergic asthma.

[The expression of peripheral Th1 and Th17 cells in inflammatory bowel disease and its potential clinical value].

Objective: To explore the probable role of Th1 and Th17 cells in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods: The peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from peripheral blood specimens were collected in the study, including 40 healthy controls, 42 ulcerative colitis (UC) and 39 Crohn's disease (CD). The proportion of Th1 and Th17 cells in the PBMCs was detected with flow cytometry after stimulated by PMA and ionomycin.

Silencing of B7-H3 increases gemcitabine sensitivity by promoting apoptosis in pancreatic carcinoma.

In numerous types of cancer, the expression of a novel member of the B7 ligand family, the B7-H3 immunoregulatory protein, has been correlated with a poor prognosis. In the present study, we investigated the role of B7-H3 in chemoresistance in pancreatic carcinoma. Silencing of B7-H3, through lentivirus-mediated delivery of stable short hairpin RNA, was observed to increase the sensitivity of the human pancreatic carcinoma cell line Patu8988 to gemcitabine as a result of enhanced drug-induced apoptosis.

Association between single nucleotide polymorphisms in the XRCC1 gene and susceptibility to prostate cancer in Chinese men.

Background: Prostate cancer (Pca) is one of the most common complex and polygenic diseases in men. The X-ray repair complementing group 1 gene (XRCC1) is an important candidate in the pathogenesis of Pca. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms in the XRCC1 gene and susceptibility to Pca.

B7-H3 overexpression in pancreatic cancer promotes tumor progression.

B7-H3, a member of the B7-family molecules, plays an important role in adaptive immune responses. In addition, B7-H3 is also expressed in several types of human cancers and is correlated with the poor outcome of cancer patients. However, its exact role in cancer is not known.

Changes of regulatory T cells and FoxP3 gene expression in the aging process and its relationship with lung tumors in humans and mice.

Background: Immunosuppressive regulatory T cells (Tregs) participate in tumor immune evasion and the number and suppressive function of Tregs change with the aging process, but it is not clear whether such change leads to a higher incidence of tumors in the elderly. To this end, we designed experiments to explore the changes of Tregs and the functional gene Forkhead box P3 (FoxP3) in the aging process and its relationship with lung tumors in humans and mice.

Methods: The percentage of CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(low) Tregs and expression of FoxP3 mRNA were analyzed using flow cytometry (FCM) and real-time fluorescence-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR).

[Expression of B7-H3 costimulatory molecule in peripheral blood of myasthenia gravis patients].

Aim: To reveal the clinical significance of B7-H3 costimulatory molecule in myasthenia gravis (MG) patients by analyzing membranous B7-H3 (mB7-H3) and soluble B7-H3 (sB7-H3) expressions.

Methods: We collected peripheral blood samples of 35 MG patients and 44 health controls (HC) and detected the expression of mB7-H3 on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) using flow cytometry. ELISA was performed to analyze the levels of sB7-H3 in plasma samples from MG patients and HC.

[Establishment of a sandwich ELISA for testing serum sB7-H3 and detection of sB7-H3 levels in liver disease].

Aim: To establish quantitative ELISA for soluble sB7-H3 and evaluate its clinical application.

Methods: Two mAbs of mouse anti-human sB7-H3(4H7 and 2E6)established by our lab were used. The mAb 4H7 was used as coating antibody and the 2E6 as a sandwich antibody, which recognized a different epitope and was labeled by biotin.

[Preparation of anti-human 4-1BB monoclonal antibody and characterization of its biological activities].

Aim: To prepare an anti-human 4-1BB functional monoclonal antibody and to characterize its biological activities.

Methods: A stable human 4-1BB molecule transfected cell line 293T/4-1BB was used as an antigen to immunize BALB/c mice. By means of the cell fusion by hybridoma technique and multiple cell subcloning and repeated screening with 293T/4-1BB as the antibody screening positive cell while 293T/mock as the negative cell.

[Expression of mouse B7-H3-Fc fusion protein and characterization of its bioactivity].

Aim: To obtain mouse B7-H3-Fc fusion protein and to investigate its biological function and effects on T lymphocyte activation.

Methods: The genes coding extracellular domain of mouse B7-H3 and the Fc fragment of human IgG1 were amplified from pMD19-T/mouse B7-H3 and pMD19-T/human IgG1 vectors by PCR. The two genes were combined with mouse B7-H3-Fc fragment by overlap PCR.

B7-H3 and CD133 expression in non-small cell lung cancer and correlation with clinicopathologic factors and prognosis.

Objective: To detect the expression of B7-H3 and CD133 in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) specimens and lung benign lesions, and to evaluate the correlation between the 2 biomarkers and clinicopathologic features.

Methods: This is a case-control study of 102 tissue specimens collected from NSCLC participants undergoing thoracic surgery in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China, between January 2006 and December 2008. From the 102 patients, 25 adjacent non-cancer samples were verified pathologically as normal tissue (positive group), and 24 benign inflammatory lesion tissues were used as control (negative group).

Clinical significance and regulation of the costimulatory molecule B7-H3 in human colorectal carcinoma.

B7-H3, a member of the B7-family molecules, plays an important role in adaptive immune responses, and was shown to either promote or inhibit T-cell responses in various experimental systems. B7-H3 was expressed in some human cancers and correlated with poor outcome of cancer patients. However, its exact role in cancer is not known.

Altered CD28 and CD95 mRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from elderly patients with primary non-small cell lung cancer.

Background: The expression of the co-stimulatory molecule CD28 and death receptor CD95 on T cells, which change with age, are considered as important immunological parameters of immunosenescence. It is well established that CD28 and CD95 are associated with tumorgenesis and tumor progression, but the relationship between the age-related changes of these two immunological markers and cancer in the elderly is largely unknown.

Methods: The levels of CD28 and CD95 mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from sixty-three elderly patients (aged > or = 60 years) with primary non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were analyzed by real-time fluorescence-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction (FQ-PCR).

[Generation and preliminary functional study of a CD133-2-harboring L929 cell line].

Aim: To generate an engineered L929 cell line harboring human CD133-2 and perform the functional study of the gene-modified cell line.

Methods: The human CD133-2 gene was obtained by PCR from a cDNA library of foetus liver. After digested with Hind III and BamH I, the PCR product was cloned into pIRES2-EGFP vector.

The negative co-signaling molecule b7-h4 is expressed by human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells and mediates its T-cell modulatory activity.

Though experimental evidence shows that human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) are able to suppress T-cell activation and proliferation, the precise mechanisms are still not completely understood. Here, we investigated the role of the negative costimulatory molecule B7-H4 in the immunosuppressive effect of hBMSCs on T-cell activation. We showed that B7-H4 expresses abundantly on hBMSCs assessed by reverse transcription, immunofluorescence staining, and flow cytometric analysis.

[Preparation of two mouse anti-human PD-1 monoclonal antibodies and identification of their biological characteristics].

Aim: To prepare mouse anti-human PD-1 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and identify their biological characteristics.

Methods: The BALB/c mice were immunized with the transfected cell line PD-1/L929. The cells were fused with Sp2/0 using monoclonal antibody techniques and the positive clones were screened by FCS with PD-1/L929.