Immunocyte profiling changes in patients received epidural versus intravenous analgesia after pancreatectomy: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Perioperative immunosuppressants, such as surgical stress and opioid use may downregulate anti-cancer immunocytes for patients undergoing pancreatectomy. Thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) may attenuate these negative effects and provide better anti-cancer immunocyte profile change than intravenous analgesia using opioid.

Methods: We randomly assigned 108 adult patients undergoing pancreatectomy to receive one of two 72-h postoperative analgesia protocols: one was TEA, and the other was intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA).

Does the diagnostic timing of cancer-associated thromboembolism influence the survival outcome in ovarian cancer patients?

Background/purpose: Efforts were made to explore the influence of diagnostic timing for cancer-associated thromboembolic events on survival of ovarian cancer patients.

Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 75 ovarian cancer patients with thromboembolism and evaluated the prognostic factors affecting disease-free survival and overall survival.

Results: These 75 patients were classified into two categories by the diagnostic timing of the thromboembolism, during (33 cases) and after (42 cases) initial diagnosis of ovarian cancer groups.

Dual inhibition of BTLA and PD-1 can enhance therapeutic efficacy of paclitaxel on intraperitoneally disseminated tumors.

Background: Expression of immune checkpoints in the tumor microenvironment is one mechanism underlying paclitaxel (PTX) chemoresistance. This study aimed to investigate whether the addition of checkpoint blockade to PTX can improve the therapeutic efficacy against apparently disseminated intraperitoneal tumors.

Methods: We analyzed the in vivo expression of various immune checkpoints in CD3CD8 cytotoxic T cells from tumor-bearing mice treated with or without PTX and validated the tumor-killing activities of selected checkpoint-expressing T-cell subpopulations ex vivo.

Stereotactic body radiation combined with oncolytic vaccinia virus induces potent anti-tumor effect by triggering tumor cell necroptosis and DAMPs.

Radiation is an integral part of cancer therapy. With the emergence of oncolytic vaccinia virus immunotherapy, it is important to study the combination of radiation and vaccinia virus in cancer therapy. In this study, we investigated the anti-tumor effect of and immune mechanisms underlying the combination of high-dose hypofractionated stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and oncolytic vaccinia virus in preclinical murine models.

BTLA blockade enhances Cancer therapy by inhibiting IL-6/IL-10-induced CD19 B lymphocytes.

Background: The standard treatment for epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) is surgery followed by platinum/paclitaxel-based chemotherapy, but the overall survival rate is poor. The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic potential of chemotherapy combined with inhibition of B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) for clinical use to treat EOC.

Methods: Initially, we evaluated the potential application of chemotherapy combined with anti-BTLA antibody in an animal model.

Blockade of PD-L1 Enhances Cancer Immunotherapy by Regulating Dendritic Cell Maturation and Macrophage Polarization.

The immuno-inhibitory checkpoint PD-L1, regulated by tumor cells and antigen-presenting cells (APCs), dampened the activation of T cells from the PD-1/PD-L1 axis. PD-L1-expressing APCs rather than tumor cells demonstrated the essential anti-tumor effects of anti-PD-L1 monotherapy in preclinical tumor models. Using the murine tumor model, we investigated whether anti-PD-L1 antibody increased the antigen-specific immune response and anti-tumor effects induced by the antigen-specific protein vaccine, as well as the possible mechanisms regarding activation of APCs.

Clinical outcomes of oral cancer patients who survive for more than 5 years in Taiwan.

Background/purpose: Oral cancer patients who survive for more than 5 years are supposed to have a reduced local cancer recurrence rate and survive longer. This study evaluated whether oral cancer patients who survived for more than 5 years might have reduced rates of local cancer recurrence, development of the second or third primary oral cancer, or the late regional cervical lymph node metastasis.

Methods: This study analyzed the clinical outcomes of 127 oral cancer patients (101 men and 26 women; mean age, 50.

mTOR Inhibitors Can Enhance the Anti-Tumor Effects of DNA Vaccines through Modulating Dendritic Cell Function in the Tumor Microenvironment.

The life span of dendritic cells (DCs) can become short following induced activation, which is associated with metabolic transition due to the regulation of mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR). The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of inhibiting mTOR to modulate DC functions for elevating the anti-tumor effects of DNA vaccines. Therefore, the influences of various inhibitors of mTOR (mTORi) on the expressions of DC maturation markers, the abilities of antigen presenting and processing of BMM-derived DCs and the tumor killing effects of E7-specific CD8 T lymphocytes activated by BMM-derived DCs were in vitro examined.

Immune checkpoint Ab enhances the antigen-specific anti-tumor effects by modulating both dendritic cells and regulatory T lymphocytes.

We determined the anti-tumor effects and possible mechanisms of an antigen-specific DNA vaccine combined with PD-1 or CTLA-4 blockade. Using the HPV16 E6/E7 syngeneic mouse tumor model, we investigated whether anti-CTLA-4 antibody (Ab) or anti-PD-1 Ab increases the antigen-specific anti-tumor effects and immune response induced by CTGF/E7 chimeric DNA vaccine and the possible mechanisms. Anti-PD-1 Ab or anti-CTLA-4 Ab combined with E7-specific DNA vaccine generated more potent antigen-specific immunity, including anti-E7 Abs and the number and cytotoxic activity of E7-specific cytotoxic CD8 T lymphocytes, and anti-tumor effects than E7-specific DNA vaccine alone.

CDH1, DLEC1 and SFRP5 methylation panel as a prognostic marker for advanced epithelial ovarian cancer.

Aim: To investigate the CDH1, DLEC1 and SFRP5 gene methylation panel for advanced epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC).

Materials & Methods: One hundred and seventy-seven advanced EOC specimens were evaluated by methylation-specific PCR. We also used The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset to evaluate the panel.

Combination of the ankle-brachial index and percentage of mean arterial pressure to improve diagnostic sensitivity for peripheral artery disease: An observational study.

The ankle-brachial index (ABI) is a noninvasive method for screening for peripheral artery disease (PAD). However, false-negative findings of the ABI may limit its clinical use. The percentage of mean arterial pressure (%MAP) calculated from pulse volume recording has been reported to predict all-cause mortality.

CHI3L1 results in poor outcome of ovarian cancer by promoting properties of stem-like cells.

The role of chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1) in ovarian cancer and the possible mechanisms were elucidated. CHI3L1 is a secreted glycoprotein and associated with inflammation, fibrosis, asthma, extracellular tissue remodeling and solid tumors. Our previous study showed CHI3L1 could be a potential prognostic biomarker for epithelial ovarian cancer and could protect cancer cells from apoptosis.

Immuno-modulators enhance antigen-specific immunity and anti-tumor effects of mesothelin-specific chimeric DNA vaccine through promoting DC maturation.

As a tumor antigen, mesothelin (MSLN) can be identified in various malignancies. MSLN is potential for antigen-specific cancer vaccines. We generated a novel chimeric DNA vaccine using antigen-specific connective tissue growth factor lined with MSLN (CTGF/MSLN).

Irradiation Enhances Abscopal Anti-tumor Effects of Antigen-Specific Immunotherapy through Regulating Tumor Microenvironment.

Ionizing radiation therapy is a well-established method of eradicating locally advanced tumors. Here, we examined whether local RT enhanced the potency of an antigen-specific DNA vaccine, and we investigated the possible underlying mechanism. Using the HPV16 E6/E7 syngeneic TC-1 tumor, we evaluated the combination of CTGF/E7 vaccination with local irradiation with regard to synergistic antigen-specific immunity and anti-tumor effects.

Overexpression of CHI3L1 is associated with chemoresistance and poor outcome of epithelial ovarian carcinoma.

We propose CHI3L1 as a prognostic biomarker for patients with epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC) and also suggest possible biological functions of CHI3L1. We measured CHI3L1 expression with quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in 180 women with EOC and evaluated correlations between CHI3L1 expression, clinicopathological characteristics, and the outcomes of the patients. The expression of CHI3L1 was higher in cancerous tissues than in normal tissues.

IL17a and IL21 combined with surgical status predict the outcome of ovarian cancer patients.

Aside from tumor cells, ovarian cancer-related ascites contains the immune components. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a combination of clinical and immunological parameters can predict survival in patients with ovarian cancer. Ascites specimens and medical records from 144 ovarian cancer patients at our hospital were used as the derivation group to select target clinical and immunological factors to generate a risk-scoring system to predict patient survival.

Interferon-gamma in ascites could be a predictive biomarker of outcome in ovarian carcinoma.

Objective: The ovarian cancer-associated ascites is an ideal material for evaluating the interaction between the host immune system and cancer cells in the tumor micro-environment. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the selected target cytokine expression levels in ascites could serve as an immune biomarker for predicting outcomes in ovarian cancer.

Methods: Eighty-eight specimens of ovarian cancer-associated ascites were evaluated to select the target cytokine by a cytokine profiling kit.

Depletion of regulatory T lymphocytes reverses the imbalance between pro- and anti-tumor immunities via enhancing antigen-specific T cell immune responses.

Background: The regulatory T cells (Tregs) can actively suppress the immune responses. However, literature about detailed changes of host effective and suppressive immunities before and after depletion of Tregs in ovarian carcinomas, is rare.

Materials And Methods: Ovarian cancer patients and the ascitogenic animal model were employed.

Serous ovarian carcinoma patients with high alpha-folate receptor had reducing survival and cytotoxic chemo-response.

The alpha-folate receptor (α-FR) is highly-expressed in various non-mucinous tumors of epithelial origin, including ovarian carcinoma. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between alpha-folate receptor (α-FR) and the clinico-pathologic features and outcomes of serous ovarian carcinoma patients and the possible mechanism of α-FR to chemo-resistance. Therefore, semi-quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reactions for α-FR expression were performed in the 91 specimens of serous ovarian carcinomas.

A radioimmunoassay for rat ghrelin: evaluation of method and effects of nonylphenol on ghrelin secretion in force-fed young rats.

Antiserum YJC 13-31 against the rat ghrelin conjugated to bovine serum albumin (BSA) was produced in the rabbit and a double antibody radioimmunoassay (RIA) for ghrelin has been developed. Characterization results of this antiserum revealed no cross-reaction with human growth hormone and somatostatin. Weak cross-reactions with insulin (0.

Mesothelin enhances invasion of ovarian cancer by inducing MMP-7 through MAPK/ERK and JNK pathways.

Ovarian cancer has one of the highest mortalities in malignancies in women, but little is known of its tumour progression properties and there is still no effective molecule that can monitor its growth or therapeutic responses. MSLN (mesothelin), a secreted protein that is overexpressed in ovarian cancer tissues with a poor clinical outcome, has been previously identified to activate PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase)/Akt signalling and inhibit paclitaxel-induced apoptosis. The present study investigates the correlation between MSLN and MMP (matrix metalloproteinase)-7 in the progression of ovarian cancer, and the mechanism of MSLN in enhancing ovarian cancer invasion.

Numerical investigation on the enhanced carrier collection efficiency of Ga-face GaN/InGaN p-i-n solar cells with polarization compensation interlayers.

The impact of the polarization compensation InGaN interlayer between the heterolayers of Ga-face GaN/InGaN p-i-n solar cells is investigated numerically. Because of the enhancement of carrier collection efficiency, the conversion efficiency is improved markedly, which can be ascribed to both the reduction of the polarization-induced electric field in the InGaN absorption layer and the mitigation of potential barriers at heterojunctions. This beneficial effect is more remarkable in situations with higher polarization, such as devices with a lower degree of relaxation or devices with a higher indium composition in the InGaN absorption layer.

Effects of nonylphenol on the production of progesterone on the rats granulosa cells.

We investigated the effects of nonylphenol (NP) on release of progesterone (PG) by granulosa cells (GCs) of rats in vitro and in vivo. First, GCs were treated with different doses of NP for 2-24 h alone or with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Maximal PG secretion at 8 h noted, GCs were treated for 2 h with hCG, 8-bromo-adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-Br-cAMP), forskolin, A23187, nifedipine, and pregnelonone to evaluate the NP effects on PG steroidogenesis.

Morphine induces apoptosis of human endothelial cells through nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species pathways.

Morphine has been widely used for pain management. Other than analgesia, it has effects on vascular endothelial cells, including angiogenesis and apoptosis. An in vitro model of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) was made to investigate the effects and comprehensive mechanisms of morphine on vascular endothelial cells.

Functional genomics analysis of foliar condensed tannin and phenolic glycoside regulation in natural cottonwood hybrids.

Regulation of leaf condensed tannins (CT) and salicylate-derived phenolic glycosides (PG) in fast- and slow-growing cottonwood backcrosses was analyzed by metabolic profiling and cDNA microarray hybridization. Seven hybrid lines of Populus fremontii L. and P.